36 



lare, with smoother culms, smaller panicles, stouter branches, and rather 

 larger spikelets. 



Texas. 



This species has resemblance to P. capillare on one side and to P. 

 proliferuin on the other. From the first, it is distinguished by its more 

 erect slender culms, never more than sparsely pubescent, smaller pan- 

 icle, with erect spreading stouter branches,, and usually larger or 

 thicker spikelets; from the second, by its smaller size, more erect 

 culms, and smaller panicles, with shorter branches. - 



52. P. proliferum, Lam. — Annual. Culms usually thickish, often 

 succulent, branching, geniculate at the decumbent or procumbent base, 

 1 i to 3 feet long, glabrous ; leaves linear, G to 12 inches long, sheaths 

 flattened, glabrous, ligule ciliate ; panicles terminal and lateral, 4 to 12 

 inches long, the long, slender, primary branches at length spreading 

 and diffuse ; spikelets 1 to 1J lines long, pale green, sometimes purplish, 

 appressed, short pedicelled, lower glume broad, obtusish, about one 

 fourth as long as the spikelet, perfect flower a little shorter than the 

 spikelet. 



Damp places, Maine to Texas. 



(a) Var. geniculatum (P. geniculatum, Ml.). — Culms 3 to 6 feet high, 

 succulent, sometimes nearly an inch thick at the base, bent and branch- 

 ing at the joints, leaves sometimes 2 feet long and 6 to 10 lines wide; 

 sheaths much inflated when young, sometimes a little hairy at the base; 

 panicle sometimes 2 feet long, very diffuse. A valuable grass. 



Southern States to Texas. 



53. P. miliaceum, Linn.— Calms 2 to 4 feet high, erect, branched, pu- 

 bescent; sheaths loose, striate, hirsutely pubescent ; leaves flat, linear- 

 lanceolate, G to 10 inches long, 4 to 8 lines wide, smoothish above, 

 sparsely pubescent below; panicle oblong, nodding, G to 10 inches long, 

 branches verticillate, erect-spreading (not diffuse), solitary or in pairs, 

 angular, hispid, or scabrous; spikelets ovate, acuminate, glabrous, 2 

 lines long, lower glume broad, very acuminate, five-nerved, about one- 

 half as long as the spikelet, the third glume seven to nine-nerved, a 

 little longer than the oval, acute, biconvex, perfect flower. 



Cultivated, and rarely escaped from cultivation. Valuable for forage. 



54. P. verrucosum, Mulil.— Culms slender, 1 to 3 feet long, somewhat 

 branching, smooth; leaves linear-lanceolate, 3 to 4 inches long, 2 to 3 

 lines wide, and with the sheaths glabrous; panicles mostly terminal, G 

 to 10 inches long, diffusely-spreading, branches mostly single, capillary, 

 rather few flowered; spikelets three-fourths to 1 line long, obovate or 

 oval, obtuse or abruptly acute, the outer glumes roughened with fiue 

 warts, the lower one about one-fourth as long as the spikelet; perfect 

 flower, acute, about equaling the spikelet. 



New England to Florida and Mississippi. 



55. P. sparsiflorumj Vascy. (P. angustifolium, Chap, non Ml).— 

 Culms weak, slender, smooth, 1 to 2 feet long, diffusely branched from 



