44 MISC. PUBLICATION 243, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
1920, by E. L. Ekman (no. 12143). This is the only specimen 
examined. 
17. Eragrostis purpurascens (Spreng.) Schult., Mant. 2: 317. 1824. 
Poa purpurascens Spreng., Nov. Prov. Hal. 33. 1819. [Uruguay.] 
Culms ascending or spreading, sparingly branching below; panicles 
commonly about one-third the entire height of the plant, about two- 
thirds as wide as long, the slender flexuous branches, branchlets, and 
pedicels divergent; spikelets about 8 mm long, dark-colored, the 
lemmas thin, the lateral nerves obscure. 
Open ground and rocky hills, Brazil to Argentina; also in Antigua 
(Duss 3; Box 17, 20; Wullschlaegel 644). This is the species described 
by Grisebach * as Eragrostis prolifera. The plants from Antigua 
agree with Nees’s description of Eragrostis purpurascens * and with 
the Sello specimen cited by him, but they may not be Poa purpurascens 
of Sprengel. 
18. Eragrostis excelsa Griseb., Cat. Pl. Cub. 227. 1866. Cuba, 
Wright 3425. 
Perennial; culms erect, robust, 1 to 2 m tall; blades elongate, flat, 
becoming loosely involute in drying, as much as 7 mm wide, the base 
somewhat clasping, the summit of the sheaths and the upper surface 
of the blades at the base densely long-pilose; panicles large, somewhat 
Open, as much as 50 cm long, the long branches ascending; spikelets 
5 to 7 mm long, 4- to 8-flowered. 
Thickets near the coast, Bahamas and Cuba. 
Bauamas: Berry Islands, Britton and Millspaugh 2186. 
CusBa: Vicinity of Habana, Léon 962, 963, 3444, 3678, 5270, 5651, 
7485, 8420, 8421; Ekman 1206. Boca de Canasi, Léon 138690. Mariel, 
Britton and Gager 7561. ‘Toscano, Wright 3425. 2 
19. Eragrostis salzmannii Steud., Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 277. 1854. 
Bahia, Brazil. 
Perennial; culms in large clumps, erect or ascending, 60 to 100 cm 
tall, branching above, the branches fascicled; sheaths glabrous at the 
summit or with a few long hairs; blades flat, becoming involute, 1 to 
2 mm wide, tapering to a fine point; panicles oblong, rather dense, 
mostly 8 to 12 cm long, 2 to 3 cm wide, the branches short, spreading 
or ascending, densely many-flowered, the spikelets often spreading 
in all directions; spikelets 6 to 10 mm long, 10- to 20-flowered, often 
falcate; lemmas oblong, obtuse, imbricate, 1.5 mm long. , 
Sandy seacoasts and saline meadows, Cuba, Colombia, and Brazil. 
Cusa: Rio Tayabo, Britton and Wilson 5566; Casilda, Britton and 
Wilson 5510. Trinidad, Kkman 18913. 
20. Eragrostis prolifera (Swartz) Steud., Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 278. 1854. 
Poa prolifera Swartz, Prodr. Veg. Ind. Occ. 27. 1788. St. 
Lucia, Guadeloupe. 
Perennial; culms firm and hard, tufted, erect at base, leaning, 
branching above, about 1.5 m tall and 3 mm in diameter near the 
base, the branches more or less fascicled; summit of sheaths glabrous 
or sparsely pilose; blades elongate, slender, more or less involute, 
0.5 to 2 mm wide when flat, attenuate to a fine point; panicle rather 
13 F]. Brit. W. Ind. 532. 1864. 
14 Agrost. Bras. 506. 1829. 
