y 4 SOME DISEASES OF CEREALS. 
and a half inches broad. The spikelets (plate II, fig. 1) are pedi- 
cellate, the pedicel being jointed below a bristly involucre, which 
encloses usually one, but sometimes two to six (Prain) or eight 
(Gammie) spikelets. I have rarely found more than two on the 
diseased ears which are those that I have chiefly dissected. The 
rachilla of the spikelet is simple, and not prolonged beyond the 
upper floret. In the other Penniseti, when ripe, the pedicel 
breaks below the involucre which is carried on the fallen spikelet. 
In cultivated bajra the involucre is, however, usually persistent. 
The involucre consists of simple, or more usually, feathery bristles, 
unequal in length, but normally projecting slightly beyond the 
glumes. The lower two glumes on each spikelet are sterile: the 
lowest being always minute and sometimes altogether absent. Its 
veins are not visible. The second is often also minute, but may 
be nearly equal to the fertile glumes, and is three, five, or seven 
veined. Both these are obtuse, or the first is occasionally, and the 
second more often truncate or retuse and ciliated near the tip 
on the margins. The third and fourth glumes are usually fertile ; 
the third enclosing a palea within which are three stamens. The 
palew and stamens are sometimes absent. The lower floret is, 
therefore, male or sterile. The fourth glume is paleate, and en- 
closes three stamens and an ovary, or only the latter. There 
are two minute lodicules. The fertile glumes III and IV are boat- 
shaped, with a more or less shortly mucronate apex, ciliate at the 
margins, and with five or seven veins. ‘The palew are enclosed 
by the fertile glumes, and resemble them except in being more 
delicate. On ripening, the fertile glumes and pale become 
hardened. Within them, in perfect florets, are two minute 
lodicules, three stamens with capillary filaments and versatile 
anthers, slightly bearded at the tip, and the ovary with a simple 
style crowned by two long stigmatic plumes. 
The modifications undergone by diseased ears affect the 
secondary axes of the inflorescence only; and certain parts of these 
toa much greater extent than others. The following account is 
based on the dissection of some hundreds of spikelets from about 
lorty diseased ears, Owing to the variation which I have found 
