PANICE^ 



9> 



Panicam interruptum, Willd 



This is a large perennial grass with stems reaching 5 to 6 feet in 

 length, flourishing in marshes and in the edges of ponds and 

 tanks. 



The stems are long, stout and spongy below, ascending from a 

 creeping and rooting or floating root-stock ; the lower internodes 

 are often Y 2 inch or more in thickness, with nodes bearing in 

 fascicles long stout roots clothed with fine lateral roots; and the 

 upper internodes are long and slender. 



The leaf-sheath is glabrous, striate. The ligule is a short broad 

 membrane. 



The leaf-blade is soft, flat, many-nerved, linear, finely acuminate, 

 margins smooth, base rounded or subcordate, glabrous. 6 to 

 12 inches long, % to Y 2 inch broad. 



The inflorescence is a strict spike-like panicle, 6 to 12 inches 

 long by Ya to J /j inch broad, cylindric, interrupted below ; the rachis 

 terete, stout, channelled. 



The spikelets are glabrous, green, herbaceous, densely packed in 

 small fascicles, ovoid lanceolate, 

 spikelets are imperfect. 



There are four glumes 



4> to 1 5 inch long; many 



KlG. IOO. 



The first glume is hyaline, membranous, 

 about Yb the 

 length of the third 

 glume, broadly 

 ovate or orbicular, 

 obtuse, 5-nerved. 

 The second glume 

 is membranous, 

 ovate-oblong, ob- 

 tuse, prominently 

 9-nerved. The 



third glume is as 

 long as the second 

 but broa der, ovate- 

 oblong. 9-nerved, 

 paleate ; palea is 

 small with three 

 stamens or with- 

 out them. The 

 fourth glume is 

 shorter than the 

 third glume, lan- 

 ceolate, subacute. 



Panicum interruptum. 



1. and 2. Front and back view of a spikelet ; 3. first glume 

 4. second glume ; 5. third glume ; 6. palea of third glume ; ', 

 and 8. the fourth glume and its palea ; 9. ovary, lodicules and thinly coriaceous, 



stamens. white, polishedi 



dorsally convex ; 

 the palea is as long as the glume and thinly coriaceous. There are 

 two small lodicules. 



This is a rank marsh grass growing abundantly in permanent 

 marshes and edges of tanks and ponds. Cattle eat this along with 

 other grasses, when young and not covered with algae. 



Distribution. — In swampy situations throughout India and Ceylon 



