'29 



inches long, of four or five alternate short branches each only two to 

 three flowered 5 spikelets loug-pedicelled, oblong obovate, obtuse, 1J 

 lines long, sparsely pubescent, the lowest glume at some distance from 

 the others, ovate, one-nerved, nearly half as long as the spikelet, second 

 and third glumes oblong, obtuse, seven-nerved. 



Texas, J. Eeverchon. 



Eesembles P. angustifolium, ML, but is smaller, with smaller, fewer- 

 flowered panicle, and rather smaller spikelets. 



3 1 . P. depauperatum, Mulil. — Culms erect, simple, tufted, G to 16 inches 

 high; leaves of the culm about three, erect, narrowly linear, 3 to C 

 inches long, sheaths usually pubescent; panicle small,! to 2 inches 

 long, contracted, sometimes overtopped by the upper leaves ; spikelets 

 1 to 1J lines long, obovate, lower glume one-third the length of the 

 seven to nine nerved upper ones. Common east of the Mississippi. 



Variety laxa. — Weaker stemmed, panicle with longer and more 

 spreading branches (1J to 2 inches) the lower ones single, or verticil- 

 late ; spikelets smaller. 



Virginia, Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri. 



32. P. angustifolium, Ell., non Chapman. — Culms weak, slender, 

 smooth, 1 to 2 feet long, diffusely branched from the base; leaves 

 linear, 3 to 5 inches long, 1 to 2 lines Avide ; sheaths short, nodes thick- 

 ened ; panicles simple, terminal and lateral, 3 to 5 inches long ; the few 

 branches single, capillary, distant, 1 to 3 inches long, bearing each two 

 to six spikelets which are mostly in pairs at the end of the brauchlets ; 

 spikelets oblong-obovate, acute, 1J lines long, the outer glumes papil- 

 lose-hispid, the lower one minute, acutish. 



South Carolina to Texas. 



33. P. nitidum, Lam. — Culms 10 to 20 inches high, slender but firm, 

 rarely branched, smooth; leaves mostly at the base of culm, lanceolate 

 or lance-linear, 1 to 2 inches long, rather rigid, and with the sheaths 

 smooth, the culm leaves few and smaller; panicle ovate or oblong, 1£ 

 to 24- inches long ; branches verticillate below, the lower ones, 1 to 1J 

 inches long, spreading, capillary, numerously flowered ; purplish spike- 

 lets on pedicels 2 to 4 times as long, oval, one-half to two-thirds line long, 

 pubescent, the lowest glume one-fourth to one-third the length of the 

 spikelet. 



(a) Variety minor (P. ramulosum of Chapman's supplement, but I 

 think cannot be the plant of Michx.). — Lower than the type (6 to 8 inches 

 high) ; tufted ; leaves narrower and smaller ; panicle 1 to 1 J inches long ; 

 rhachis smooth ; spikelets smooth or nearly so; second and third glumes 

 five- nerved. 



Florida. 



(b) Variety ensifolium (P. ensifolium Bald.). — Eadical leaves linear 

 lanceolate, 1J inches long, smooth, those of the slender (8 to 12 inches 

 long) culm, distant, small (about one-half inch), and horizontally diver- 



