Series I.—Panicaceæ.
Series II.—Poaceæ.
This is a fairly large and important tribe flourishing mostly in the warm regions and the tropics. It is very well represented in South India and fifteen genera are met with.
The inflorescence varies very much within this tribe and consists of spikes, racemes and panicles. The spikelets are usually four-glumed and contain one terminal perfect flower and a staminate or neutral flower below. But in the genus Isachne both the flowers are perfect. In some grasses the spikelets contain only staminate or pistillate flowers. In Coix and Polytoca the plant bears both male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence, but in Zea on the same plant they occur as distinct inflorescences. The littoral grass Spinifex is diœcious.
The first glume of the spikelet is the smallest. In Panicum it is nearly two-thirds or less than the third glume. It is very small in Digitaria and entirely suppressed in Paspalum. In Eriochloa it is reduced to a minute ridge lying just close to the swollen ring-like joint of the rachilla. The second and the third glumes are more or less equal and similar in texture. The fourth glume becomes firm and rigid along with its palea and usually encloses the grain.
The pedicel is jointed in some genera and in others it is continuous with the spikelet and not jointed. When mature the spikelets fall away either by themselves, singly with their pedicels or in groups with portions of rachis, according to the position of the joint. Bristles (branchlets) are often found on the pedicels. In Setaria a few are borne by the pedicels. The bristles form a regular involucre at the base of a group of spikelets in Pennisetum, and in Cenchrus these become united at the base into a mass forming a kind of burr around the spikelets.
KEY TO THE GENERA.
These are annuals or perennials. The spikelets are plano-convex, orbicular to oblong, obtuse, secund, 2-ranked on the flattened or triquetrous rachis of the spike-like branches of a raceme, one-flowered and falling off entire from the very short or obscure pedicels. There are three glumes, all more or less equal and similar. The first and the second glumes are membranous, alike and as long as the third, the second glume is usually epaleate and occasionally with a minute palea. The third glume is chartaceous to sub-coriaceous and paleate. Lodicules are two and small. Stamens are three. The styles are slender and distinct with plumose stigmas exserted at the top of the spikelet. Grain is tightly enclosed in the third glume and its palea.
Fig. 69.—Paspalum scrobiculatum.
This is an annual grass, with stems tufted on very short rhizomes, erect or very shortly bent at base, glabrous, bifariously leafy and varying in height from 1 to 3 feet or more.
Leaf-sheaths are compressed, glabrous, loose, keeled, mouth hairy or not. The ligule is a short thin membrane. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is linear-lanceolate, finely acuminate, keeled with a distinct midrib, and with very minutely serrulate margins, 6 to 18 inches by 1/12 to 1/3 inch.
The inflorescence consists of 2 to 5 sessile alternate spikes, usually distant and spreading and varying in length from 1 to 8 inches; the rachis is flattened and winged.
The spikelets are either orbicular or ovate-oblong, as broad as the rachis, glabrous, closely imbricating in two rows (rarely in three or four rows), sessile or rarely geminate on a common pedicel.
There are three glumes. The first glume is concave, 3- to 5-nerved (rarely 3- to 7-nerved). The second glume is flat, 5-nerved, with two strong sub-marginal nerves, sometimes with shallow transverse pits along the margins. The third glume is thickly coriaceous, brownish, shining, minutely striolate, margins roundly incurved throughout its length, paleate; the palea is similar to the glume in structure and colour, margins strongly inflexed and with two broad membranous auricles almost overlapping just below the middle. There are three stamens. The stigmas are white both when young and while fading. The style branches are diverging widely and then straight. There are two oblong cuneate fleshy lodicules.
Fig. 70.—Paspalum scrobiculatum.
1 and 2. Front and back view of a portion of spike; 3, 4 and 5. spikelets; 6, 7 and
8. the first, second, and the third glume, respectively; 9. palea of the third glume; 10.
the ovary, stamens and the lodicules.
This grass flourishes all over the Presidency in moist places, such as, bunds of wet lands, edges of ponds and lakes and in marshy land. There are two forms of this grass, one with round and another with ovate oblong spikelets. They also vary in the size of the spikelets—some forms have small spikelets and others large. Sometimes the spikelets show variation in the number of glumes.
This grass is also cultivated for its grain. In cultivated forms the spikelets are larger and the whole plant grows bigger. It is grown both in wet and dry land.
Distribution.—Throughout India (wild and also cultivated).
Annuals or perennials. The spikelets are lanceolate, 2- to 3-nate, in digitate or racemose spikes, jointed on the pedicels but not thickened at the base, 1-flowered. There are usually four dissimilar glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is hyaline very minute, sometimes absent in the same species. The second glume is membranous, 1- to 5-nerved or nerveless. The third glume is membranous, almost equal to the fourth, usually 7- to 9-nerved, the nerves being straight, close, parallel and prominent, with a minute palea or without a palea. The fourth glume is chartaceous or sub-chartaceous, usually 3-nerved and paleate; palea is equal to and similar to the fourth glume, 2-nerved. Lodicules are two, small, broadly cuneate. Stamens are three. Styles are distinct with plumose stigmas exserted laterally near the apex of the spikelet. Grain is enclosed in the fourth glume and its palea.
KEY TO THE SPECIES.
Fig. 71.—Digitaria sanguinalis, Var. ciliaris.
Var. ciliaris.
This is an annual grass either with erect tall stems or long prostrate stems, varying in length from 1 to 3 feet or more.
The leaf-sheath is herbaceous, loose and glabrous. The ligule is a distinct membrane. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is linear-lanceolate or linear, flat, glabrous or very sparsely hairy, varying in length from 2 to 5 or 6 inches and in breadth from 1/6 to 1/3 inch.
The spikes are usually few, 2 to 6, 3 to 6 inches long, with a triquetrous, narrowly winged rachis.
The spikelets are oblong, acute, binate, one pedicel being shorter than the other, usually appressed to the rachis and not spreading.
Fig. 72.—Digitaria sanguinalis. Var. ciliaris.
1. A portion of the spike showing the binate spikelets; 2. a spikelet; 3. the minute
scale-like first glume; 4, 5 and 6. the second, third and the fourth glume, respectively;
7. the palea of the fourth glume.
There are four glumes including the minute glume. The first glume is a very minute scale. The second glume is about half as long as the third glume, membranous, usually 3-nerved and sometimes 3- to 5-nerved, distinctly ciliate. The third glume is oblong-lanceolate, acute, membranous, 3- to 5-nerved, sparingly hairy in the lower spikelet and densely bearded with soft spreading hairs in the upper spikelet. The fourth glume is lanceolate, or oblong-lanceolate, acute, somewhat chartaceous, paleate; palea is like the glume in texture. Anthers are pale yellow. Stigmas are white. There are two small cuneate lodicules.
This is an excellent fodder grass. It grows well in all kinds of soils, rich or poor, and is very common in dry fields brought under cultivation.
Distribution.—Throughout India.
Var. Griffithii.
This is an annual with stems ascending from a prostrate or geniculate base, glabrous and varying in length from 1 to 3 feet.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous, thinly herbaceous and loose. The ligule is a distinct membrane and the nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is linear or linear-lanceolate, flat, acuminate, varying in length from 2 inches to 12 inches and in breadth 1/6 to 1/3 inch.
The inflorescence is of several slender spikes, usually drooping, 2 to 4 inches; the rachis is filiform and trigonous.
The spikelets are linear-lanceolate, solitary or in distant pairs, glabrous or ciliate, pedicelled and when binate the upper pedicel often longer than the spikelets, usually spreading and not appressed to the rachis.
Fig. 73.—Digitaria sanguinalis, Var. Griffithii.
1. Inflorescence; 2. a portion of the spike; 3 and 4. sessile and pedicelled spikelets
front and back view, respectively; 5. the scale-like first glume; 6, 7 and 8. the second,
third and the fourth glume, respectively; 9. palea of the fourth glume; 10. the lodicules,
stamens and the ovary.
There are four glumes. The first glume is a minute scale. The second glume is shorter than the third and narrower, 5-nerved, ciliate, acute or sometimes with two fine teeth. The third glume is oblong-lanceolate, acute, 5-nerved (rarely 3-nerved), ciliate on the nerves. The fourth glume is lanceolate, acute, sub-chartaceous, paleate; palea is like the glume in texture. Anthers are yellow and stigmas are white. Lodicules are two and small.
This seems to be a good fodder grass. It grows in all kinds of soils. It is not so common in the plains as on the hills, though it occurs in the plains at the base of the hills.
Distribution.—Throughout India.
Fig. 74.—Digitaria sanguinalis, Var. extensum.
Var. extensum.
This grass is an annual with stems ascending from a prostrate or geniculate, rooting branched base, greenish or purplish, glabrous and varying in length from 1 to 2-1/2 feet.
The leaf-sheath is thin, herbaceous, rather loose, keeled and glabrous. The ligule is a distinct membrane, truncate, rarely irregularly toothed. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is linear-lanceolate, acuminate, flat when mature and convolute when young, glabrous, 1 to 12 inches long and 1/6 to 1/3 inch broad, the margin is very closely and finely serrate, the midrib is prominent with three or four main veins on each side.
The inflorescence consists of a few or many spikes, corymbosely arranged on a short angular slightly rough axis, erect or spreading, 1-1/2 to 4 inches long, the lowest ones in whorls of two to four; the rachis is nearly triquetrous, laterally winged, base thickened and with a few long white hairs; the peduncle is cylindric, smooth, 6 to 12 inches long.
Fig. 75.—Digitaria sanguinalis, Var. extensum.
1. A portion of spike; 2, 3 and 3a. the back and front views of a spikelet; 4, 5 and 6
the first, second and the third glume, respectively; 7. palea of the third glume; 8.
anthers, lodicules and the ovary.
The spikelets are oblong-lanceolate, acute, about 1/10 inch long, binate, one pedicelled and the other subsessile, the pedicel is angular, about 1/2 to 2/3 the length of the spikelet.
There are three glumes in the spikelet corresponding to the second, third and fourth glumes of a Panicum, the first glume being obsolete. The first glume is membranous, ovate-lanceolate, acute, about 1/3 the length of the spikelet or very much less, 3-nerved, densely ciliate along the margins and silkily hairy between the nerves. The second glume is greenish, oblong lanceolate, acute, ciliate along the margins and with fine appressed silky hairs between the lateral nerves, 5-nerved, palea is very minute or absent. The third glume is oblong, sub-acuminate, a little shorter than the second glume, 3-nerved, sub-chartaceous, paleate; palea is similar to the glume in texture. Anthers are pale yellow with a tinge of purple. Stigmas are white. Lodicules are two, minute and cuneate.
This is an excellent fodder grass and is very much liked by cattle. It grows very rapidly and is found in cultivated fields and in somewhat rich loamy soils.
Distribution.—Throughout the Presidency in the plains and low hills.
Fig. 76.—Digitaria longiflora.
This is a perennial grass with short underground branches covered with scales. Stems are many, tufted, slender, creeping and rooting, or ascending and suberect, simple or branched, 6 to 20 inches long and leafy and leaves bifarious and divaricate.
Leaf-sheaths are hairy or glabrous, compressed, keeled. The ligule is a short membrane. Nodes are glabrous.
Leaf-blades are broadly lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, acute, spreading, flat, or in short-leaved forms, stiff and pungent, 1 to 2 inches long (rarely also 5 inches long), glabrous above and below, ciliate at the margins towards the base, and with a very minutely serrate hyaline margin.
The inflorescence consists of two to four terminal spikes with a slender, long, hairy or glabrous peduncle. The spikes are slender, erect or spreading with fine winged glabrous rachis.
The spikelets are small, 1/20 to 1/14 inch, geminate, one short and the other long pedicelled, appressed to the rachis, elliptic, silky with slender crisped hairs, pale green or purplish.
Fig. 77.—Digitaria longiflora.
1. A portion of the spike; 2. the first glume; 3 and 4. the
second and third glumes; 5 and 6. the fourth glume
and its palea; 7. lodicules, ovary and stamens.
There are three glumes with a rudimentary first glume. The first glume is very minute and hyaline. The second glume is as long as the third, membranous, 5-nerved (rarely 3- to 7-nerved), silkily hairy. The third glume is similar to the second and usually 7-nerved (rarely 3- to 5-nerved). The fourth glume is sub-chartaceous, ovate-oblong, paleate, slightly shorter than the third glume, pale brown, smooth. There are two small lodicules. Styles are long and purple.
This grass grows in cultivated dry fields. It seems to like a sandy loamy soil.
Distribution.—Throughout India.
These are annuals or perennials. Leaves are flat. The inflorescence is a raceme or a panicle. Spikelets are one-flowered, borne unilaterally on the branches, and the base is thickened and jointed on the top of a short pedicel. The spikelet has three glumes. The first and the second glumes are subequal, membranous. The third glume is apiculate, hardened in fruit. The lodicules are small and truncate. There are three stamens with linear anthers. Styles are two free, with plumose stigmas. The grain is oblong, free within the hardened glume and its palea.
Fig. 78.—Eriochloa polystachya.
This grass is a densely tufted perennial, varying in height from 2 to 3 feet, with a short creeping root-stock. Stems are slender, or stout, simple and branching, ascending from a short creeping and rooting base, glabrous, slightly channelled on one side.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous, green or partly purplish, striate, loose, mouth and margins above sometimes pubescent. The ligule is a short villous ridge. Nodes are perfectly glabrous.
The leaf-blade is flat, linear or linear-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous on both sides, with a slender or prominent midrib, veins more or less uniform, 2 to 10 inches long and 1/6 to 1/3 inch wide, convolute when young. Sometimes the blade is purplish below.
The inflorescence is a panicle on a long or short glabrous stalk, striate, 2 to 7 inches long, with four to fifteen erect or spreading, lax branches, the main rachis is glabrous, angular and deeply grooved. Spikes or branches are slender, alternate, 1 to 2-1/2 inches, becoming shorter upwards, thickened and puberulous at the base, and the secondary rachis is flexuous, grooved, angular, and obscurely pubescent.
Fig. 79.—Eriochloa polystachya.
1. A portion of the branch; 2, 3 and 4. the first, second and the third glume, respectively;
4a. back view of the third glume; 5. palea of the third glume; 6. lodicules,
stamens and the ovary; 7. grain.
The spikelets are green or purplish, ovate, lanceolate, acuminate 1/8 to 1/6 inch long, softly hairy, stalked, solitary above and binate below and then one with a long and the other with a short pedicel rising from a common short branchlet, loosely imbricate, distichous and shortly stipitate and the stipe with a purple thickening; pedicel is short, 1/24 to 1/12 inch with sometimes long deciduous hairs and the tip somewhat thickened.
There are three glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is membranous, covered densely with silky hairs, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, tip very minutely 3-toothed with three to five fine nerves. The second glume is similar to the first glume but with a more pointed tip, faintly 3- to 5-nerved; palea is not present and if present it is very small, hyaline and empty. The third glume is shorter than the first and the second glumes, thinly coriaceous, punctate, oblong, obtuse, pale, faintly 3- to 5-nerved with a short scaberulous awn, paleate; palea is oblong, similar to the glume in texture, margin infolded. Anthers are three, linear, pale yellow. Stigmas are feathery, white when young and purple later. Lodicules are two and distinct.
This is a common succulent grass growing in large or small tufts in moist situations such as sides of water channels, rivulets and bunds of paddy fields. It is very much liked by cattle. This grass is easily recognized by the silky lanceolate spikelets which have a purple thickening at the base.
Distribution.—Plains of India and Ceylon and in all hot countries.
The grasses of this genus are annual or perennial and of various habits. Inflorescence is either a raceme of spikes or, a lax or contracted panicle. Spikelets are small, solitary or two to four, rarely more ranked, 1- to 2-flowered, ovoid or oblong, rounded, or dorsally or laterally compressed, falling entire with the pedicels. There are four glumes in a spikelet. The first two glumes are empty and the first glume is small (sometimes minute) and fewest nerved. The second glume is equal or very nearly equal to the third glume, oblong-ovate or lanceolate, 5- to many-nerved. The third glume is similar to the second, male or neuter, paleate or not, 3- to 9-nerved. The fourth glume is chartaceous, sometimes shortly stalked, ovate-oblong or lanceolate, hardened in the fruit, smooth or rough, bisexual, paleate; the palea is as long and of the same texture as the glume. Lodicules are cuneate or quadrate and two in number. There are three stamens and an ovary with two style branches ending in feathery stigmas. Grain is free and enclosed by the hardened fourth glume and its palea.
KEY TO THE SPECIES.
Fig. 80.—Panicum Isachne.
This is an annual grass usually growing in tufts with fine fibrous roots and many slender spreading branches, all of them at first creeping and horizontal, rooting at the nodes and then becoming erect and varying in length from 1 to 2 feet.
Stems are very slender, glabrous or covered with scattered hairs, purplish or pale green, and branching freely towards the base.
The leaf-sheath is shorter than the internodes, green or purplish, striate, externally hairy with scattered bulbous-based hairs, varying in length from 1/2 to 3 inches, the outer margin of the sheath is ciliate with long hairs and at the mouths sometimes long hairs are present, especially when the leaves are young. The ligule is merely a dense fringe of long hairs. Nodes are tumid, purplish, covered with long hairs.
The leaf-blade is flat but convolute when young, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, acuminate, base rounded and margin with minute serrations. It is glabrous or occasionally hairy with scattered, tubercle-based, deciduous hairs, and varying in length from 1 to 3 inches generally (sometimes in well-grown plants it is 5 inches) and in breadth from 1/8 to 1/4 inch. The midrib is prominent though slender at the base and four veins are present on each side with five or six smaller ones between them.
Fig. 81.—Panicum Isachne.
1 and 1a. Front and back view of a spike; 2 and 2a. back and front views of a
spikelet; 3 and 4. the first and the second glume, respectively; 5 and 5a. the third
glume and its palea; 6 and 6a. the fourth glume and its palea; 7. lodicules, anthers
and ovary; 8. grain.
The inflorescence is an erect, narrow panicle consisting of spikes varying in number from 5 to 12 and in length from 2 to 3 inches. The spikes are erect, pressed to the very slender rachis, longer than the internodes of the main rachis, stalked or sessile, mostly simple but sometimes the lower dividing into two or three branches, 1/2 to 1 inch long. The rachis of the spike is very slender, angular, flexuous, narrower than the spikelets, scaberulous with a few long cilia at the angles.
The spikelets are very small, 1/16 inch long, turned all to one side and closely packed in two rows, oblong or oval-oblong, obtuse or subacute, softly hairy, pale green or purplish, with very short pedicels which are pubescent with a few long hairs towards the thickened cupular tips.
There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is very small, membranous, glabrous, broader than long, cordate or triangular, broadly but shallowly emarginate, nerveless or very obscurely 1- to 2-nerved. The second glume is pale or purplish, 5-nerved, hairy, as long as the third glume, membranous, oblong and obtuse. The third glume is pale, nearly equal to the second glume with a longitudinal depression at the back, less hairy than the second glume, 3-nerved (rarely 5-nerved also); palea is present, and it is hyaline, shorter than the glume, truncate or shallowly retuse, usually barren but occasionally with three stamens. The fourth glume is oblong, rounded, coriaceous, smooth, shining, dorsally flattened, 3- or indistinctly 5-nerved; palea is similar to the glume in texture and with folded margins. There are three stamens with yellow anthers. Lodicules are two, very small and distinct. Ovary has two styles with feathery stigmas white at first, but turning deep purple while withering.
This delicate and small grass occurs here and there as mere tufts especially in sheltered situations. It usually flourishes in black cotton soils amidst cholam (Andropogon Sorghum), although it thrives equally well in other rich soils. This is considered to be a very good fodder grass.
Distribution.—It is fairly common all over the Madras Presidency, and goes up to 3,000 or 4,000 feet. It occurs in Africa, America and Italy.
Fig. 82.—Panicum flavidum.
This plant is a tufted annual. It branches freely from the base; branches are tufted, decumbent at first but soon becoming erect, slender, glabrous, compressed and leafy, varying in length from 1 to 3 feet.
Leaves are somewhat distichous. The leaf-sheath is compressed, glabrous, sometimes with a tinge of purple, the lower ones swollen at the base and the mouth is hairy. The ligule is a fringe of hairs. Nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is flat, thinly coriaceous, linear-lanceolate and acuminate, or ligulate with a rounded tip, 3 to 5 inches in length, 3/16 to 5/16 inch wide, glabrous or very thinly scaberulous, base rounded or slightly cordate with long white ciliate hairs on the small basal lobes.
Fig. 83.—Panicum flavidum.
1 and 2. Front and back view of a portion of spike; 1a and 2a. the front and back view
of a spikelet; 3 and 4. the first and the second glume, respectively; 5 and 5a. the third
glume and its palea; 6 and 6a. the fourth glume and its palea; 7. anthers and ovary;
8. grain.
The inflorescence is a raceme of spikes, 5 to 10 inches long, erect or inclined on a short or long, glabrous, strongly channelled peduncle; the main rachis is grooved, angled and scaberulous. Spikes are few or many, 1/4 to 1 inch long, erect, pressing on the rachis of the inflorescence along the groove, distant and sessile; the lower spikes are very much shorter than the internodes, but the upper equal to or longer than the internodes; the rachis of the spike is angular, flattened below, erect or slightly recurved.
The spikelets are white, in two rows on a flattened rachis, obliquely ovoid or gibbously globose, glabrous, sessile, 1/8 inch in length.
There are four glumes. The first glume is suborbicular, about half the length of the third glume, usually 3-nerved. The second glume is broadly ovate, obtuse, concave, larger than the first glume and nearly equal to or shorter than the fourth glume, 7-nerved, rarely 7- to 9-nerved, nerves are anastomosing, tip rounded. The third glume is broadly ovate or oblong, equal to or longer than the fourth glume, obtuse, 3- to 5-nerved, paleate, mostly with and rarely without stamens. The anthers are yellow and they do not open until the stigmas and anthers of the fourth glume are thrown out. Lodicules are two and conspicuous. Palea is hyaline with infolded margins. The fourth glume is coriaceous, broadly ovate, tip acutely pointed and almost cuspidate or acute, mucronate, white or brownish, reticulately minutely pitted. Anthers are three and yellow. Stigmas are purplish. Lodicules are small but conspicuous.
This grass is very common throughout the plains and grows in the bunds of paddy fields and in wet situations, and goes up to moderate elevations on the hills. Cattle eat this grass greedily and seem to like it. It is considered to be an excellent fodder.
Distribution.—In wet situations all over India ascending to 6,000 feet. Occurs also in Ceylon, Africa, Tropical Asia and Australia.
Fig. 84.—Panicum fluitans.
This is a perennial grass with prostrate branches which afterwards become erect towards the free ends. The young branches are covered with scale-leaves. Stems are stout, glabrous, smooth and hollow, rooting at the lower nodes.
The leaf-sheath is loose, glabrous, striate, margins not ciliate. The ligule is a ridge with a row of erect long hairs. Nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is firm, linear, finely acuminate, base rounded, rather narrower than the sheath at the white band, very thinly scaberulous above and glabrous below, veins prominent above, 3 to 9 inches long, 1/4 to 7/16 inch broad; margins are slightly incurved and the midrib is conspicuous only at the lower portion of the blade. The scale-leaves persist at the base of the stems.
Fig. 85.—Panicum fluitans.
1 and 2. Front and back view of a spike; 1a. and 2a. front and back view of a
spikelet; 3, 4 and 5. first, second and third glume respectively; 5a. palea of the third
glume and stamens in it; 6 and 6a. fourth glume and its palea; 7. stamens and ovary.
The inflorescence is a compound spike varying in length from 4 to 10 inches, erect; the main rachis is triquetrous, dorsally rounded, glabrous and very thinly scaberulous at the edges. Spikes are many (fifteen and more), sessile, secund, generally longer than the internodes, and appressed to the rachis, 1/4 to 1-1/2 inches long; the rachis of the spike is angular, edges scaberulous and with very fine short hairs.
The spikelets are pale, ovoid, acute, biseriate, imbricate, very shortly pedicellate, glabrous, 1/16 to 1/8 inch, pedicels are hairy with a few long hairs towards the base.
There are four glumes. The first glume is white, thin, membranous, truncate and wavy at the apex, nerveless or sometimes with one to three short nerves, less than one-third of the third glume, broader than long and clasping at the base. The second glume is ovate, obtuse or subacute, concave, submembranous, slightly shorter than the fourth glume, 5-nerved but occasionally 6- or 7-nerved. The third glume is a little longer than the second and the fourth, usually 5-nerved, broadly ovate, acute, paleate, always with three stamens which come out only after the fading of the stigmas and enlargement of the ovary in the fourth glume. Lodicules are distinct and conspicuous; palea is broad with incurved broad margins and hyaline. The fourth glume is thinly coriaceous, shining, striolate, broadly ovate, mucronate, compressed, faintly and thinly 5-nerved and palea with infolded margins. Anthers are yellow. Stigmas are white when young. Lodicules are distinct.
It is a common grass of the wet lands met with in many parts of the Presidency and often confused and united with Panicum punctatum, Burm.
Distribution.—Throughout India and Ceylon. It is also found in Arabia, Afghanistan, Africa and Tropical America.
Fig. 86.—Panicum Crus-galli.
It is a tufted annual with many erect branches growing to a height varying from 2 to 3 or 4 feet and the whole plant is glabrous. Stem is stout or slender, simple or branched.
The leaf-sheath is smooth, glabrous and loose, varying in length from 2 to 6 inches, keeled. The ligule is only a smooth semilunar line without hairs. Nodes are glabrous and the lower nodes bear adventitious roots.
The leaf-blade is narrowly linear-lanceolate, flat, finely acuminate, glabrous or very minutely scabrid with a stout midrib; margin is minutely serrate and with tubercle-based hairs near the base. The blades of the lower leaves are longer than those in the upper and at the junction with the sheath the blade is narrow, just as broad or less than the sheath, and becomes broader about the middle; the length varies from 6 to 10 inches generally, also to 14 inches, and breadth at base 1/4 inch and at the middle 5/16 inch; the upper leaf-blade is generally shorter, varying from 5 to 10 inches and very broad at the base near the sheath, about 7/16 inch and gets gradually narrow upwards. It is convolute when young.
The inflorescence is a compound spike varying in length from 4 to 8 inches, contracted and pyramidal and always erect; the main rachis is stout, angled with very minute hairs on the ridges and with a tuft of bristly hairs and also tubercle-based hairs at the place of insertion of the spikes. Spikes are many (up to 16 or rarely more), simple or branched, the lower ones longer, but getting gradually shorter upwards, and varying in length from 1/2 to 2 inches. The rachis of the spike is angular, with scattered tubercle-based bristly hairs.