Torpedo Grass

Panicum repens I,. Sp. PL ed. 2. 87. 1762
Panicum notatum Retz. Obs. 4: 18. 1786. Panicum arenarium Brot. Fl. L,usit. 1: 82. 1804. Panicum Uttorale C. Mohr; Vasey, Bot. Gaz. 4: 106. 1879.
Culms rigid, 30-80 cm. high, erect or ascending from the nodes of strong, horizontal, often extensively creeping rootstocks, simple, clothed at the base with bladeless, overlapping sheaths; upper leaves numerous, their sheaths usually overlapping, rather loose, more or less pilose, especially along the margin, or sometimes glabrous; ligule about 1 mm. long; blades 4r-15 cm. long, 2-5 mm. wide, or those of sterile shoots sometimes longer and wider, firm, stiffly ascending or spreading, often conspicuously distichous, flat or folded, long-pilose at the base on the upper surface, otherwise sparsely pilose to glabrous on both surfaces; panicles rather shortexserted, stramineous, 7-12 cm. long, one third to two thirds as wide, the somewhat distant branches stiffly ascending, rarely spreading, usually naked at the base, bearing short, appressed branchlets with short-pediceled, approximate spikelets toward the ends; spikelets 2.2-2.5 mm. long, 1-1.1 mm. wide, ovate, abruptly pointed; first glume about one fifth as long as the spikelet, broad, loose and truncate, obscurely nerved; second glume and sterile lemma equal, 5—7nerved; fruit 1.8-1.9 mm. long, about 1 mm. wide, obovate-elliptic.
Type locality: Probably Spain.
Distribution: Sea beaches from. Alabama to Brazil; also in the warmer parts of the Old World.