Panicum stevensianum Hitchc. & Chase

Panicum stevensianum Hitchc. & Chase, Contr. U. S. Nat
Herb. 17:498. 1915.
Plants perennial, tufted, glabrous throughout; culms compressed, 30-60 cm. long, spreading, prostrate, rooting at the nodes, the flowering ends and the branches ascending; leaf -sheaths loose, much shorter than the internodes, compressed, keeled, ciliate on the overlapping margin; ligule a delicate membrane about 0.5 mm. long; blades flat, rather firm, more or less spreading, 4-10 cm. long, 5-10 mm. wide, tapering from a little above the sparsely truncate-cordate base to an acuminate apex; panicles terminal on the culm and branches, shortexserted, 6-10 cm. long, narrow, consisting of several appressed or ascending spike-like branches along an angled axis, the lower branches somewhat remote, 1.5-3 cm. long, usually longer than the internodes, the upper approximate, all spikelet-bearing to the base, the short-pediceled spikelets in crowded clusters, not secund, along a slender scabrous rachis; spikelets about 2 mm. long and 0.8 mm. wide, acute, somewhat inflated and gaping; first glume about one fourth the length of the spikelet, subacute, 3-nerved; second glume and sterile lemma equal, pointed, slightly exceeding the fruit, 3-5-nerved, the lemma inclosing a large palea and abortive perfect flower; fruit 1.9 mm. long, 0.6 mm. wide, minutely scabrous at the acute apex.
Type locality: Campo Alegre, Porto Rico.
Distribution: Porto Rico.