426 



GRAMINEiE. 



Panicum. 



7. Panicum clandestinum, Linn. Hidden-Jlowered Panic-grass. 



Culm with short axillary branches, the nodes smooth ; leaves broadly lanceolate, somewhat 

 cordate at the base, the sheaths hispid, enclosing the short lateral panicles ; spikelcts ovoid 

 (large), pubescent , the lower flower neuter, with 2 paleae. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 58 ; Muhl. gram, 

 p. 110 ; Torr. fl. 1. p. 141 ; Trin. diss. 1. p. 223 ; Kunth, enum. 1. p. 117; Beck, hot. 

 p. 394 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 48. P. latifolium, var. clandestinum, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 68. 



var. pedunculatum : sheaths less hispid ; terminal panicle on a long peduncle. P. pe- 

 dunculatum, Torr. I. c. 



Root perennial, fibrous. Culm 1-3 feet high, erect, rigid, very leafy ; the branches 

 appressed. Leaves 3-6 inches long and an inch or more in breadth, spreading, strongly 

 nerved, smooth or slightly hairy above. Sheaths hispid with horizontal hairs, which arise from 

 little papilla; between the stria;. Panicles few-flowered, terminal and lateral ; the former 

 either wholly concealed or partly exserted, sometimes on a long peduncle. Glumes rather 

 acute. Lower flower with inferior palea resembling the glumes : upper palea membranaceous, 

 oblong, obtuse, about two thirds the length of the lower one. Perfect flower triandrous ; the 

 anthers purple. Stigmas large, plumose, purple. Paleae ovoid, white and shining. 



Moist thickets : frequent. Fl. July - August. 



8. Panicum xanthopiiysum, Gray. (Plate CXLVL) Yellow Panic-grass. 



Culm simple or branching from the base, erect ; leaves lanceolate, strongly nerved, smooth 

 (except the ciliate base), the sheaths hairy ; panicle nearly simple, few-flowered, the branches 

 erect and smoothish ; spikelets globose-obovate, pubescent, the inferior glume about one third 

 the length of the superior ; lower flower staminate, of 2 paleae, as long as the obovate perfect 

 flower. — Gray, Gram. <£- Cyp. part 1. no. 28, and in ann. lyc. N. York, 3. p. 234 ; Hook, 

 fl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 235. 



Perennial. Whole plant light green, becoming yellowish in drying. Culm 12-15 inches 

 high, slender, smooth. Leaves 3-6 inches long, 4-6 lines broad, very acute. Panicle 

 on a long naked slender peduncle ; the branches a little rough but not pubescent, erect or 

 appressed. Spikelets about a line and a half long. Lower glume acute : upper one obtuse, 

 9-nerved. Lower flower with the upper palea membranaceous, and shorter than the lower 

 one. Perfect flower cartilaginous, smooth and shining, as long as the upper glume. 



Dry pine plains near Oneida lake, and Hamilton, Madison county {Dr. J. S. Douglas, Dr. 

 Gray, and Dr. Knieskern). Fl. June and July. 



9. Panicum capillare, Linn. Hair-stalked Panic-grass. 



Culm erect, straight, the sheaths hairy ; panicle large, capillary, expanding, loose ; spike- 

 lets on long peduncles, acuminate, smooth ; abortive flower without an upper palea. — Linn. 



