182 
A TEXT-BOOK OF GRASSES 
2 glumes and a sterile lemma, all herbaceous, and 1 
indurated fertile lemma and palea. The sterile lmma may 
contain a staminate flower. The subgenus Dichanthelium, 
—. . 
a 
SS = 
Fie. 21. Panicum 
miliaceum. Inflores- | 
cence, X 24; spikelet and I} 
fruit (fertile lemma and 7 
palea), X7. yh 
cams 
confined to America, 
with its center of dis- 
tribution in the south- 
eastern states, includes 
over 100 species. This 
group is peculiar in 
having simple vernal 
culms with terminal 
spreading panicles, 
the vernal phase usu- 
ally very distinct from 
the later branched or 
autumnal phase in which the 
panicles are much reduced 
and often included in the 
sheaths. The autumnal spike- 
lets are cleistogamous and 
fertile while the vernal spike- 
lets appear to be usually 
unfruitful. Despite the great 
number of species in the 
genus Panicum, few are of 
ecomonic importance. One 
species, P. miliaceum L. 
(Fig. 21), proso millet or 
broom-corn miulet, is culti- 
vated in Europe for the grain 
which is used for food, and 
is sparingly cultivated in this 
country for fodder. It is #n 
