146 



PANICACE.E. 



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 palea of the fertile floret usually 

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

 ous api)endages or pits. Stamens 3. Styles distinct at the base. 

 (J rain oblong, enclosed by glume and palea, but not adherent. 



Grasses with much the habit of Eupaniciim in the genus Pani- 

 ciim; 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, Henth. Fl. llongk. 414 (1861). 

 Paviciim pallens Sw. Prod. 23 (ITSS). 



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

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

 ligule very short; l>hides flat, ovate or ovate-lanceohite, more or less 

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

 slightly spreading, 8-13 em. 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; iirst empty 

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

 fertile floret oval, obtuse. 2 mm. long. 



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

 Indies and in Brazil. 



A 



Fig. 86 — lehnauthus pallens. 



A, B, spikelets. 



B 



(Hichardson.) 



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

 Poniculafnm Ard. Animad. 2:14 (1764). Otihojwgon R. Br. 

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

 (1816). Hekaterosachne Steud. Syn. PI. Gram. 118 (1855). 



