328 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 
somewhat scattered clusters; spikelets 6 to 7 mm. long, about 1.2 mm. wide, 
and, by the spreading of the glumes, about twice as thick, strongly nerved; first 
glume nearly as long as the sterile lemma, acuminate-pointed, the second 
glume exceeding the sterile lemma, both much exceeding the fruit and at 
maturity spreading and exposing it, acuminate-pointed, the summit of the lemma 
arcuate, the sterile palea obsolete; 
fruit 2 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, ob- 
ovate, stipitate, smooth and shining. 
DISTRIBUTION. 
Ditches and muddy banks of streams 
and lakes, Georgiaand Florida to Texas. 
GeoraiA: Americus, Harper 522. 
Frorimwa: Burnside, Combs 1426; 
without locality, Chapman, 
Rugel 599, Simpson in 1890. 
ALABAMA: Mobile, Mohr in 1887. 
Mississrerr: Saratoga, Tracy 8396. 
Louistana: Plaquemines Parish, Langlois 47, 151; Chalmette, Tracy 7400; 
Alexandria, Hale; Natchitoches, Ball 157; Lake Charles, Chase 4407. 
Texas: Harrisburg, Joor in 1875; Mineola, Reverchon 2235; Columbia, Bush 1498; 
Hempstead, Plank 9; Waller County, Thurow 17, and in 1889. 
Fig. 369.—Distribution of P. gymnocarpon. 
- ¥ 26A. Panicum decolorans H. B. 1s 
B 
Panicum decolorans H. B. K. Nov. Gen, & Sp. 1: 100. 1813. ‘“Crescit in temperatis, 
apricis regni Mexicani prope Queretaro, alt. 995 hexap.’’ The type specimen from the 
Bonpland Herbarium in the Paris Herbarium, bearing the published data, consists of 
two pieces of a culm with flat blades, one 
with a narrow terminal panicle about 18 
em. long. The spikelets are 5 to 5.2 
mm. long. 
Plants tinged with purple, branching 
from the base; culms ascending or erect, 
usually from a geniculate base, simple or 
bearing simple, usually sterile branches 
from the lower one or two nodes, strongly 
striate or almost grooved, glabrous to 
sparsely papillose-hispidulous, the nodes 
appressed-pubescent or glabrous; sheaths 
short, but sometimes overlapping on the 
shortened lower internodes, glabrous to 
sparsely papillose-hispid, ciliate; ligules 
membranaceous-fimbriate, hardly 1 mm. 
long; blades 8 to 15cm. long, 7 to 10 mm. 
wide, flat, glabrous on both surfaces or with a few scattered papille, these with or 
without short, stiff hairs; panicles finally exserted, 10 to 18 cm. long, usually not 
more than one-third, but sometimes as much as two-thirds as wide, the rather long 
branches usually narrowly ascending, the short-pediceled spikelets somewhat crowded 
on approximate, short, appressed branchlets; spikelets 4.5 to 5.2 mm. long, 1.6 mm. 
wide, pointed; first glume less than half the length of the spikelet, acute; second 
glume and sterile lemma subequal, exceeding the fruit and pointed beyond it; fruit 
2.8 to 3.2 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide. 
Fic. 370.—P. decolorans. From type specimen. 
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