PANICE/E 



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Paspalnm scrobiculatum, L 



This is an annual grass, with stems tufted on very short 

 rhizomes, erect or very shortly bent at base, glabrous, bifariously 

 leafy and varying in height from I to 3 feet or more. 



Leaf-sheaths are compressed, glabrous, loose, keeled, mouth 

 hairy or not. The ligule is a short thin membrane. The nodes are 

 glabrous. 



The leaf-blade is linear-lanceolate, finely acuminate, keeled with 

 a distinct midrib, and witrTvery minutely serrulate margins, 6 to 

 18 inches by 1/12 to Yz inch. 



The inflorescence consists of 2 to 5 sessile alternate spikes, 

 usually distant and spreading and varying in length from I to 8 

 inches ; the rachis is flattened and winged. 



The spikelets are either orbicular or ovate-oblong, as broad as 

 the rachis, glabrous, closely imbricating in two rows (rarely in three 

 or four rows), sessile or rarely geminate on a common pedicel. 



There are three glumes. The first glume is concave, 3 - to 5-nerved 

 (rarely 3 -to 7-nerved). The second glume is fiat, 5-nerved, with two 



Fig. 70. — Paspalum scrobiculatum. 



I and 2. Front and back view of a portion of spike ; 3, 4 and 5. spikelets ; 6, 7 and 

 S. the first, second, and the third glume, respectively ; 9. palea of the third glume; 10. 

 the ovary, stamens and the lodicules. 



strong sub-marginal nerves, sometimes with shallow transverse pits 

 along the margins. The third glume is thickly coriaceous, brownish, 

 shining, minutely striolate, margins roundly incurved throughout its 

 length, paleate ; the palea is similar to the glume in structure and 

 colour, margins strongly inflexed and with two broad membranous 

 auricles almost overlapping just below the middle. There are 

 three stamens. The stigmas are white both when young and 

 while fading. The style branches are diverging widely and then 

 straight. There are two oblong cuneate fleshy lodicules. 



This grass flourishes all over the Presidency in moist places, 

 such as, bunds of wet lands, edges of ponds and lakes and in 

 marshy land. There are two forms of this grass, one with round 



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