182 



A TEXT-BOOK OF GRASSES 



2 glumes and a sterile lemma, all herbaceous, and 1 

 indurated fertile lemma and palea. The sterile lemma may- 

 contain a staminate flower. The subgenus Dichanthelium, 



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 autimmal 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 millet, is culti- 

 vated in Europe for the grain 

 which is used for food, and 

 is sparingly cultivated in this 

 country for fodder. It is an 



Fig. 21. Panicum 

 miliaceum. Inflores- 



cence, X%; spikeletand 

 fruit (fertile lemma and 



lea), X7. 



