546 GRAMINEiE. 



88. P. Crus-galli, L. Anuual, erect ; leaves linear-acuminate, glabrous : ligule none; 

 lateral spikes exceeding their internodes ; spikelets 4,-6-seriate, shortly pedicellate, hispi- 

 dulous ; sterile glumes mucronate, the third usually avvned, lowest short, the 2 superior 

 equalling or shortly exceeding the fertile flower, the latter elliptical, half-terete, smooth, 

 mucronate.— Trin. ' Ic. t. 161.— Spikes l"-3", spikelets 2"'-l'" long. The West ludian 

 forms are, P. echinatum, W. (Trin. t. 162) : spikelets large, very long-awned ; and P. sabu- 

 licolum, Ns. (Trin. t. 163) : spikelets awned, small— Hab. Trinidad!, Cr. ; [all temperate 

 and most tropical countries]. 



89. P. spectabile, Ns. Stout ; nodes bearded ; leaves long ; lanceolate-acuminate, 

 glabrcseent : ligule long-ciliate ; spikes numerous, superior exceeding their internodes : axi3 

 bearing bristles; spikelets i-6-seriate, shortly pedicellate, hispid-ciliate ; lowest glume 

 broadly clasping, pointed, half as long as the flower, second mucronate, third awned ; fertile 

 flower ovate, pointed and mucronate, smooth. — Trin. Ic. t. 166. — P. aristatum, Mac/.! 

 Oplismenus jamaicensis, Kth. — Hab. Jamaica!, Mac/.; Antigua!, Wullschl. ; [Tabasco!, 

 Guiana !, Brazil !]. 



Sect. 2. Virgaria, Tr. emend. — Fertile flower flat convex. Spikelets ellipsoidal (or lan- 

 ceolate), pointed, paniculate : pedicels mostly angular, often geminate. 

 § 1. Axis of the panicle once or twice divided : branches scattered (rarely fascicled) : pe- 

 dicels short, mostly shorter than the spikelet, irregularly or strictly one-sided. 

 * Fertile flower compressed from the back, transversely wrinkled with dots. 



90. P. prostratum, Lam. Creeping, radicant at the base ; leaves short, lanceolate- 

 acuminate or ovate-lanceolate, clasping at the ciliate base; panicle short, simply branched ; 

 spikelets glabrous, erect, one-sided, one in the pair subsessile ; lowest glume short, subtrun- 

 cate, 2 superior exceeding the fertile flower, second 7-, third 5-nerved; fertile flower ellip- 

 tical, compressed from the back, dotted, minutely mucronate. — Trin. Ic. I. 184,185. 

 P. cscspitosum, Sw. P. procumbens, Ns. P. umbrosum, Retz. P. insularum, Steud.— 

 Leaves l"-2", spikes 6"'-12'" long, the latter usually green, spreading erect ; spikelets 1' 

 long: rhachis often with bristles. — Hab. Jamaica (Sw.), in dry pastures) Antigua!, 

 Wullschl. ; [Louisiana! and Cuba! to Brazil!; Egypt! and Arabia! to East Indies! and 

 Australia!]. 



91. P. grossarium, L., Sw. Ascending, csespitose ; leaves lanceolate-linear, acumi- 

 nate, ciliate at the base ; paniele spreading : branches simple, few ; spikelets glabrous ("or 

 puberulous "), erect, irregularly one-sided : lowest glume deltoid, pointed, one-third as long 

 as the spikelet, 2 superior exceeding the fertile flower, both 5-nerved ; fertile flower ellip- 

 tical, bluntish, compressed from the back, dotted. —Trin. Ic. t. 169. — P. adspersum, Tr. 

 l'-2' high; leaves 2"-4" long, 4'" broad; spikes 2", spikelets about. H'" long, the latter 

 cuspidate, green. — Hab. Jamaica! [Linn.), March; Saba !, Forsstrom, Antigua !, Wullschl.; 

 [Haiti, S. Barthelemy !]. 



** Fertile flower nearly half-terete, transversely wrinkled with dots. 



92. P. carthaginense, Sw. Csespitose, branched, prostrate or ascending, pubescent ; 

 leaves lanceolate -acuminate ; panicle short, narrow: branches few, simple: axis villose- 

 pilose ; spikelets puberulous or glabrous, erect, irregularly one-sided ; lowest glume broadly 

 ovate, pointed, 3-5-nerved, half as long as the spikelets, 2 superior equalling the fertile 

 flower, second 7-, third 5-nerved : nerves reticulated by transverse veins ; fertile flower 

 ellipsoidal, pointed, dotted, half-terete. — P. multiculmnm, Anders.! • the form with glabrous 

 spikelets.— Stems 6"-12" long ; leaves l"-2" long, 3"'-2'" broad ; panicle l"-2", spikelets 

 \\ m long, the latter greenish, purple above. — Hab. Jamaica!, Al. ; [Mexico to New 

 Granada ; Galapagos !]. 



93. P. fuscum, Sw. Annual, erect ; leaves linear- or lanceolate-acuminate, glabrous : 

 sheath pilose or glabrescent ; panicle spreading, simply branched: axis hairy; spikelets 

 frlabrous, erect, irregularly one-sided ; lowest glume deltoid, pointed, 3-nerved, one-third 

 to half a* long as the spikelet, 2 superior little exceeding the fertile flower, both 7-, or the 

 third 5-7-uerved: nerves reticulated by transverse veins; fertile flower roundish-ellip- 

 soidul, bluntish, dotted, half-terete.— Trin. Ic. t. 206.— 1 '-3' high ; leaves 3"-10", spike- 

 lets 1'" long, the latter brown or dark-purple. 



