PANICUM BICKNELLII n. sp.
Whole plant, with the exceptions noted below, smooth and glabrous. Culms erect, or sometimes decumbent, slender, 2-4 dm. tall, at length somewhat branched, the lower internodes puberulent, the nodes sparingly barbed ; sheaths generally longer than the internodes, ciliate on the margins, the lowermost pubes cent ; ligule a fringe of very short hairs ; leaves elongated, in creasing in length toward the top of the culm, erect, linear, acum inate at the apex, narrowed toward the ciliate base, scabrous on the margins. 7-9 nerved, the midnerve prominent at the base, the primary leaves 8-16 cm. long, 5-10 mm. wide, the uppermost one usually about equalling the panicle, the leaves on the branches shorter, the upper ones much exceeding the panicle; primary pani cles ovate, cm. in length, the main axis scabrous as are also the ascending slightly flexuous branches, the secondary panicle much smaller with usually appressed branches ; spikelets obovate, obscurely pointed, 2.5-3 mm. long, the first scale broadly ovate
or triangular, acutish, one quarter as long as the spikelet, sparsely pubescent, 1-nerved, the second and third scales membranous, equal in length, 9-nerved, pubescent with short spreading hairs, the latter enclosing a hyaline palet about one-half its length, the fourth scale chartaceous, yellowish, oval, obtusely apiculate, en closing a palet of equal length and similar texture.
The type specimens were collected by Mr. Eugene P. Bicknell, in whose honor I take pleasure in naming it, in Bronx Park, on July 21,1895. It was also obtained by Dr. Thomas C. Porter, on the slate hills near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on July 30,1896.
A most peculiar grass, resembling much in habit P. depaupera mm, and evidently allied to it, but the leaves are much broader and of a different shape and the spikelets smaller and but ob scurely pointed.