572 clvii. gramineje (Stapf). [Paspalum. 
in Galicia (Spain) and the western and central Pyrenees, but no doubt introduced 
here. 
Frequently confused with Paspalum distichum , Linn. (Herb. Linn. !), which 
has broader and flatter leaves, mostly sessile or subsessile lateral spikes and 
spikelets with firmer sides and a more convex upper glume, which is appressedly 
and silkily pubescent. The latter is the plant described in Dyer’s FI. Cap. vii. 
370 as P. Digitaria. This name should therefore be replaced in that work by 
P. distichum. , Linn., which will also cover the synonymy quoted there under 
P. Digitaria except Paspalum Elliottii, S. Wats., the latter according to Hitch- 
cock (in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 146) being identical with P. furcatus, 
Fluegge ( =Axonopus furcatus, Hitchcock). For further synonyms of P. 
distichum see Thellung in FI. Advent. Montpell. 77-83 under P. distichum. , 
subsp. paspalod.es L and Nash in North Amer. Flora, xvii. 195. 
3. P. auricnlatum, Presl, Pel. HcenJc. 217. Probably perennial, 
up to over 1J ft. high. Culms erect, simple or sparingly branched, 
4-5-noded, sheathed all along or the upper internodes exserted, 
rather stout and spongy below, glabrous. Leaves usually quite 
glabrous except at the appressedly hairy sheath-nodes ; sheaths 
wide, loose, terete or somewhat compressed, but not keeled, striate, 
smooth ; -igules membranous, J-f lin. long, truncate ; blades lanceo- 
late-linear, slightly constricted and rounded at the base, tapering to 
a fine point, 6-8 in. by 4-9 lin., the uppermost often much reduced, 
soft, flat, margins undulate or crisped downwards, scabrid upwards, 
lateral primary nerves up to 8 on each side, inconspicuous, midrib 
slightly prominent below. Inflorescence on a slender peduncle, 
shortly and terminally or laterally exserted from the uppermost 
sheath, of 3 racemes, sometimes with an additional raceme from 
the base of the peduncle ; common axis 1-2 in. long, more or less 
winged upwards with the wings produced into short obtuse auricles 
at the nodes, glabrous, smooth. Racemes erect or spreading, stout, 
the lowest peduncled or like the others subsessile, 1J-3 in. long ; 
rhachis pubescent at the very base, herbaceous above it, flat on the 
back, about 1J lin. wide, thin, with a sharply projecting and some- 
times lamelliform midrib on the face and with scabrid margins, 
internodes about J lin. long ; pedicels solitary, the lowest terete, 
all the others very short, flat and broad, sometimes by their wide 
insertions dividing the face of the rhachis into more or less complete 
chambers, glabrous. Spikelets typically 2-seriate, crowded, laterally 
contiguous or subimbricate, broadly ovate- or rotundate-elliptic, 
sub-biconvex, obtuse or subobtuse, 1J lin. long, chestnut-brown, 
quite glabrous. Lower glume 0 ; upper corresponding in size and 
outline to the spikelet, very convex, thinly membranous, 5-nerved, 
the lateral nerves approximate and submarginal. Lower floret 
reduced to its valve which is flat, membranous and dull brown or 
cinnamon-coloured, or slightly convex and cartilaginous, glossy and 
chestnut-brown all over or only in the centre, the sides in this case 
being dull or pale to whitish, more or less distinctly 7-nerved, with 
the outermost pair of nerves of each side submarginal. Upper 
floret ^ : valve very convex on the back, glossy, chestnut-brown 
