Panicum.] gramine^:. 411 



glumes glabrous, 3 -nerved, the lowest from £ to | as long as the second and 

 third, which are nearly equal. 



Hongkong, nance. Widely distributed over tropical Asia and Africa. 



5. P. colonum, Linn. Stems erect or decumbent at the base, 2 ft. 

 high or more. Leaves flat, glabrous. Spikes about 8 or 10, sessile, one- 

 sided, distant and usually erect, in a long narrow simple panicle, each one \ 

 to f in. long, and not diminishing much upwards. Spikelets about 1 line 

 long, sessile, and densely crowded in about 4 rows. Outer glumes coarsely 

 pubescent, the lowest nearly \ as long as the second and third, which are 

 nearly equal, often ending in short points ; the third with a palea in its axil. 

 — Oplismenus colonum, Kunth, Enum. i. 142. 



Hongkong, Seemann, Wright. Common in the tropical and subtropical regions of the 

 Old World, and occurring occasionally also in tropical America. 



6. P. Crus-galli, Linn. A coarse decumbent rather broad-leaved an- 

 nual. Panicle 4 to 6 in. long, irregularly pyramidal and rather one-sided. 

 Spikelets pubescent, as in P. colonum, but rather larger, crowded and clus- 

 tered along the spike-like branches, the lowest of which are 1 to 2 in. long, 

 diminishing gradually to the top. Lowest glume very short and broad, the 

 second and third about equal ; the one empty and awnless, the other ending 

 in either a short point or a long coarse awn, and has often a thin palea in its 

 axil. Flowering-glume awnless, smooth and shining. — Oplismenus Crus-galli, 

 Kunth, Enum. i. 143. 



Hongkong, Wright. A common weed in most hot and some temperate countries. 



7. P. compositum, Linn. Stems decumbent at the base, 1 or rarely 

 2 ft. high, rather slender but stiff. Leaves broadly lanceolate, sprinkled with 

 a few long hairs. Spikes few, slender, one-sided, and distant, the lower ones 

 1 to 2 in. long, the upper shorter. Spikelets above a line long, glabrous or 

 slightly pubescent, in distant clusters of 2 or 3, usually surrounded by a few 

 bristly hairs. Lowest glume shorter than the flower, with a rather long awn, 

 the second scarcely longer, with a small point or short awn, the third longer, 

 awnless, with a rudimentary flower in its axil. — Oplismenus compositus, Kcem. 

 and Schult. ; Kunth, Enum. i. 141. 



Hongkong, Hance, Harland. Frequent in most tropical and subtropical countries, espe- 

 cially in the Old World, and extending northwards to Amoy, Loochoo, and Bonin. 



8. P. glaucum, Linn. An erect annual, of a pale green, 1 to 2 ft. high, 

 with flat leaves, rough on the edges. Spikelets small, crowded into a com- 

 pact cylindrical spike (or spike-like panicle) 1 to 1£ in. long, interspersed with 

 very numerous awn-like bristles, inserted under the spikelets, but projecting 

 beyond them ; these are rough with minute erect teeth, felt only when the 

 spike is pushed upwards through the fingers. Lowest glume very small, the 

 second not quite so long as the third, the flowering glume marked with nu- 

 merous minute transverse wrinkles, visible especially as the seed ripens. — 

 Setaria glauca, Beauv. ; Kunth, Enum. i. 149. 



Common on the lower hills, Seemann, Hance, Wilford. Very frequent in tropical and 

 subtropical countries, extending more sparingly into temperate Asia and Europe. 



9. P. plicatum, Lam. ; Kunth, Enum. i. 94. A stout erect grass, 3 to 4 

 or 5 ft. high, glabrous or with hairy sheaths. Leaves long, the larger ones 



