324 MISC. PUBLICATION 243, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
Purerto Rico: Mayaguez, Holm 124; Sintenis 72b. Cayey, 
Sintenis 2225, 2286. Rio Grande, Chase 6721. Vega Baja, Chase 
6413. Arecibo, Chase 6556. Vieques Island, Chase 6682; Shafer 
2626. Culebra, Britton and Wheeler 106. 
VirGin Istanps: St. Thomas, Hitchcock 16307; Eggers in 1881. 
St. Croix, Rose 3625; Ricksecker 250. Virgin Gorda, Fishlock 116. 
Lrewarp Isuanps: St. Kitts, Hitchcock 16355; Bor 143. Antigua, 
Rose 3485; Wullschlaegel 626. Guadeloupe, Duss 2714. 
WINDWARD Isuanps: Martinique, Hitchcock 16450; Duss 7786. St. 
Lucia, Kemp 55. 
TRINIDAD: Tabaquite, Hitchcock 10126. 
3. Oplismenus hirtellus (L.) Beauv., Ess. Agrost. 54, 168. 1812. 
Panicum hirtellum L., Syst. Nat. ed. 10. 
2: 870. 1759. Jamaica. 
Orthopogon cubensis Spreng., Syst. Veg. 
1307. S825. PCulbas 
Echinochloa cubensis Schult., Mant. 3 
(Add. 1): 596. [1827.] 
Oplismenus. cubensis Kunth, Rév. Gram. 
1:45. 1829. 
Panicum cubense Steud., Nom. Bot. ed. 
2.2:255. 1841. 
Perennial; culms widely creeping and 
branching, the fertile culms usually erect 
from an ascending base, 20 to 70 cm tall 
(usually about 30 cm); sheaths glabrous to 
densely papulose-hispid; blades 5 to 10 cm 
long and 1 to 2 cm wide; panicles 5 to 10 
cm long with 3 to 7 ascending or spreading 
rather distant racemes 1 to 2 cm long; awns 
smooth, usually purple, the longer 5 to 10 
mm long (fig. 296). 
There are two forms of this species, one 
f aoe a with glabrous sheaths and one with hispid 
IGURE 206. ontamenus  hinelius, sheaths, * which W appear, whens: eromwines 
Nat. Herb. 0,  " S™ sather distinct. The forms differ in no 
other way, however, and are found growing 
together under the same conditions, but all the shoots originating 
from a given plant are of one form. Grisebach “ refers the form with 
glabrous sheaths to Orthopogon loliaceus Spreng. (Oplismenus loliaceus 
(Lam.) Beauv.), an Asiatic species. Richard ” refers the pubescent 
form ce Oplismenus undulatifolius. In Cuba the species is called 
‘‘pitillo.”’ 
Meek woods and shady banks at low and medium altitudes, 
Mexico and the West Indies to Argentina. A common species to be 
found on probably all the islands. 
A variegated form, with blades striped with white, is cultivated as 
a basket plant. Itis naturalized in a few places in the Lesser Antilles. 
Lrrwarp Istanps: Guadeloupe, Duss 3155. Dominica, Jones 37. 
Winpwarp Istanps: Martinique, Duss 1325. Grenada, HWitch- 
cock 17674. St. Lucia, Box 194. 
76 Fl. Brit. W. Ind. 545. 1864. 
77 Richard, in Sagra, Hist. Cuba 11: 308. 1850. 
