139. GEAMINEJE. [39. Pennisetum. 



shortly ascending stems rarely 4-8" high, often growing in masses 

 with interlaced roots. Leaves ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate -3-1" 

 long, usually spreading nerveless or nearly so, glabrous or sparsely 

 hairy on both surfaces. Panicles 1-2" loose with lower branches -7", 

 or contracted. Spikelets oval •Oo--07" long, glabrous, rarely setulose. 

 Pnrneah, Kurz ! Fl., Sept -Oct. 



39. PENNISETUM, Pers. 

 Annual or perennial usually tall grasses with the spikelets involu- 

 cellate by scabrid or plumose bristles on the rhachis of a very con- 

 tracted spiciform panicle appearing sometimes as a simple spike. 

 Spikelets 1-2-fld. not articulate on their pedicels, 1-3 in each involucel 

 which is often deciduous together with the spkt. Glumes normally 4, 

 but i sometimes reduced to hairs or 0, if present always small ; ii and 

 ill 5-nerved hyaline ; ii often longest (sometimes absent in cultivated 

 species) ; iii palate or not, male or neuter ; iv coriaceous, fem. or 

 2-sexual, articulate at base and falling separately. St. 3, anthers 

 linear. Styles and stigmas long, free or connate at base. Grain free 

 within the glume from narrowly oblong to orbicular (in cultivated 

 plants). 



I. Anther-cells with bearded tips. Styles connate : — 



Robust cultivated plant with stout spike 1. typlwideum. 



II. Anther-cells not bearded : — 



A. Bristles not j)lumose 2. parvijiorum. 



B. Inner bristles copiously plumose : — 



1. Involucel pedicellate with 2-5 spikelets . . . .3. orientale. 



2. Involucel sessile with 1-2 spikelets : — 



Spikelets shortly pedicelled, 1-2 in each involucel, some- 

 what villose. Bristles (inner) densely wooUy-villose . -4. pedieellatunu 



Spikelets sessile in the involucel, solitary, glabrous, 

 inner bristles with close straight villi . . . .5. setosum. 



1. P. typhoideum, Rich. Bajri, H. ; Tuti, K. ; Lendha, *S'. ; Spiked 

 Millet. 

 A tall erect usually stout annual 3-6 ft. high, rooting at the lower 

 nodes, upper nodes sometimes woolly, densely pubescent under the 

 inflorescence. Leaves 1-3 ft. long by -25-2" broad, sheath rather 

 inflated, ligule of hairs. Spikelets •13--18" long crowded into a com- 

 pact cylindrical spike of very varying dimensions, usually 4-8" 

 in the commoner forms by •25-1-2" diam. with hairy or woolly 

 rhachis, they are in clusters of 1-8 on abbreviated hairy branch- 

 lets concealed by the involucels of scabrid and ciliate bristles as 

 long as or exceeding the spkt. Gl. i minute or 0, orbicular or sub- 

 quadrate 1-3 -nerved ; ii rudimentary or or up to ^ iv, truncate 

 obtuse or retuse 3-nerved, very rarely resembling iv ; iii paleate or 

 not, male or neuter, 5-nerved, truncate and apiculate or obtuse ; 

 iv coriaceous or herbaceous, ovate, acute, 5-7-nerved ; palea very 

 broad, truncate, ciliate at tip and back with 2 approximate excurrent 

 nerves. Lodicules 0. Grain oblong, obovoid or pyriform, free with 

 exposed top. 



Cultivated in small quantities throughout our area, more especially in the 

 Northern Tract and on the Central plateau ! Monghyr, Mokim ! 



The Monghyr plant is a very small variety with spikes 3-4" long, -rt-'S" diam. iu 

 flower. 



98^ 



