Part 197 (1/2)

Spikelets spiked or somewhat racemed, in 2--4 rows on one side of a flattened or filiform continuous rhachis, jointed upon very short pedicels, plano-convex, awnless, 1-flowered. Glumes 3 (rarely only 2), the terminal one flowering. Flower coriaceous, mostly orbicular or ovate, flat on the inner side, convex on the outer. Stamens 3. Spikes one or more, at or toward the summit of an elongated peduncle.

(?asp????, a Greek name for Millet.)

[*] _Spikes with a (1”) broad and thin membranaceous or foliaceous and keeled rhachis, the incurved margins partly enclosing the small two-rowed spikelets. (Smooth, aquatic, or nearly so, dec.u.mbent or floating.)_

1. P. fluitans, Kunth. Annual; _leaves lanceolate, flat_ (3--8”), broad; _spikes numerous in a raceme_, the rhachis somewhat projecting beyond the minute and slightly p.u.b.escent spikelets into a tapering point, scabrous on the back.--River-swamps, Va. to S. Ill., Mo., and southward. Sept., Oct.

2. P. Walterianum, Schultes. Perennial; _leaves linear, short; spikes_ 3--7, the lowest partly included in the sheath of the uppermost leaf, the rhachis blunt; spikelets glabrous.--Low or wet grounds, N. J. (Cape May, _Nuttall_), Del., and southward.

[*][*] _Spikes with a narrow wingless rhachis; perennials, or mostly so._

[+] _Spikelets very obtuse, orbicular; spikes one terminal and often 1--5 lateral._

3. P. setaceum, Michx. Culm ascending or dec.u.mbent (1--2 long), slender; leaves (2” wide, flat) and sheaths clothed with soft spreading hairs; _spikes very slender_ (2--4' long), smooth, _mostly solitary on a long peduncle, and usually one from the sheaths of each of the upper leaves on short peduncles or included_; _spikelets_ (” wide) _narrowly 2-rowed_.--Sandy fields; common from E. Ma.s.s. to Ill., and southward.

Aug.

4. P. lae've, Michx. (Pl. 13, fig. 1--3.) Bright green, sparingly villous, rather stout; stems somewhat dec.u.mbent; leaves and spikes widely spreading; spikes (2--4) approximate, 2--4' long, smooth or nearly so; spikelets about 1” wide, 2-rowed.--Moist soil, S. New Eng. to Ky., and southward.

5. P. Floridanum, Michx. Stout, erect, 3--6 high, glaucous; sheaths and leaves more or less villous, the latter and the spikes erect or ascending; spikes (2--5) broader, 2--5' long, the smooth spikelets nearly 2” broad, in 2 rows.--Moist soil; Del. to Fla., Ark., and Tex.

[+][+] _Spikelets acute; spikes several, racemose._

6. P. dilatatum, Poir. Stout, erect, 2--5 high, villous at the top of the sheath; spikes few on a naked peduncle, erect, 2--3' long; spikelets 1” long or more, the lower glume soft-villous on the margin.--Va. to Tex.

[+][+][+] _Spikelets acute; spikes always a pair at the summit of the naked peduncle._

7. P. distichum, L. (JOINT-GRa.s.s.) Nearly glabrous, rather glaucous; culms ascending (about 1 high) from a long creeping base; leaves linear-lanceolate (2--3' long); peduncle usually short; _spikes short_ and closely-flowered (9”--2' long), often slightly separated; rhachis flat on the back; _spikelets ovate, slightly pointed_ (barely 1”

long), _approximate on one side of the rhachis_.--Wet fields, Va. and southward. July--Sept.

8. P. Elliottii, Watson. Culms ascending (1--2 high) from a creeping base; leaves lanceolate (3--6' long, 4--6” wide); _spikes slender_, rather spa.r.s.ely flowered (1--4' long), _both sessile_ upon the long slender peduncle; _spikelets ovate-lanceolate_ (2” long), _on nearly opposite sides of the rhachis_. (Milium paspaldes, _Ell._ P. Digitaria, _Chapm._; not _Poir._)--Va. and southward.

4. ERIoCHLOA, HBK. (Pl. 16.)

Spikelets ovate, subsessile or shortly pedicelled upon one side of the rhachis of a spike, with a callus at base and jointed on the pedicel, 1-flowered. Glumes 3, the 2 empty ones slightly unequal, membranaceous, acute, the flowering one shorter, indurated, obtuse, enclosing the free grain.--Coa.r.s.e tufted gra.s.ses, with flat leaves, the spikes more or less scattered along a common peduncle, and the pedicels and rhachis of the spike usually p.u.b.escent or hairy (hence the name, from ?????, _wool_, and ???a, _gra.s.s_).

1. E. polystachya, HBK. Culms erect or dec.u.mbent, 2 high; spikes 6--12, erect or ascending, 1--2' long, forming a compound spike 3--6' long; spikelets glabrous, very shortly pedicelled, oblong-lanceolate, nearly 2” long.--S. Kan. to Tex. and Mex.

5. PaNIc.u.m, L. PANIC-GRa.s.s. (Pl. 13.)

Spikelets jointed upon the pedicels, ovate, panicled, racemed, or sometimes spiked, not involucrate, with one perfect and sometimes a second lower rudimentary or staminate flower. Glumes 4, but the lower one usually short or minute (rarely even wanting), and the third empty or sterile, membranaceo-herbaceous. Upper flower perfect, closed, coriaceous or cartilaginous, usually flattish parallel with the glumes, awnless (except in -- 3), enclosing the free and grooveless grain.

Stamens 3. Stigmas plumose, usually purple. (An ancient Latin name of the Italian Millet, P. Italic.u.m (now Setaria Italica), of uncertain origin and meaning.)

-- 1. DIGITaRIA. _Spikelets crowded 2--3 together in simple and mostly 1-sided cl.u.s.tered spikes or spike-like racemes, wholly awnless and pointless, 1-flowered; lower glume minute or obsolete or wanting; annual, often purplish._

[*] _Spikes erect; the rhachis filiform and nearly terete._

1. P. filiforme, L. Culms very slender (1--2 high), upright; lower sheaths hairy; spikes 2--8, alternate, approximate, filiform; spikelets oblong, acute (” long); lower glume almost wanting.--Dry sandy soil, Ma.s.s. to N. J. along the coast, to Iowa, Neb., and southward. Aug.

[*][*] _Spikes spreading; the rhachis flat and thin._