146 



PANICACE^. 



The two lower empty glumes subequal, membranous, the floral 

 glume of the staminate or neuter floret about the length of the two 

 lower glumes; floral glume and jDalea of the fertile floret usually 

 shorter and harder, and the rachilla below supplied with membran- 

 ous appendages or pits. Stamens 3. Styles distinct at the base. 

 Grain oblong, enclosed by glume and palea, but not adherent. 



Grasses with much the haliit of Eupanicum in tlie genus Pani- 

 cum; blade usually broad. Panicle rather dense. 



There are about twenty species found in tropical America, and 

 one of them is also found in India. 



1. I. pallens (Sw.) Munro, Benth. Fl. Hongk. 414 (1861). 

 Panlcum pallens Sw. Prod. 23 (1788). 



A rather slender grass, the leafy branching culms 30-40 cm. 

 high, from creeping bases. Sheaths half as long as the internodes; 

 ligule very short; blades flat, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, more or less 

 hirsute, 5-9 cm. long. Panicles terminal or lateral, linear or 

 slightly spreading, 8-12 cm. long; rays single or in twos, the 

 longest 6-8 cm. long, bearing scattering spikelets on the branches 

 for the whole length. Spikelets oval, 3-3.5 mm. long; first empty 

 glume 3-nerved with a slender beak, second and third 5-nerved; 

 fertile floret oval, obtuse, 2 mm. long. 



Mexico (San Luis Potosi), Pringle 3827, also found in the West 

 Indies and in Brazil. 



Fig. %Q— Ichnantlms pallens. A, B, spikelets. (Richardson.) 



28. (10) Oplismenus Beauv. Fl. Owar. 2:14, t. 58 (1807). 

 Paniculatum Ard. Animad. 2:14 (1764). Oi'thopogon R. Br. 

 Prod. 194 (1810). OpMsjnemis Poir. Encycl. Suppl. 4:271 

 (1816). Hekaterosacline Steud. Syn. PL Gram. 118 (1855). 



