Pennisetum. | GRAMINE® (Stapf). 431 
a pale; upper ¢. Glumes usually small and hyaline, lower some- 
times suppressed, upper rarely 2 the length of the spikelet or more 
usually in front and outside the pale, or Stamens Styles 
distinct, slender or connate. Grain enclosed by the slightly Fhe 
and pale (see also P.. typhoideum), broadly oblong, slightly 
dorsally compressed to pugley ; hilum basal, punctiform ; embryo 
large, 1-3 the length of the gra 
rennial or annual; culms simple or — k givers er blades a or 
eentatele: ligules usually reduced to inge of hairs, rarely 
membran 
ous ; panicle siketike eons dense, head 8 merous all 
the 
with an involucre (very rarely a solitary bristle) of often 
ht numerous and éeanlly unequal scabrid or plumose simple rarely branched 
r 
Species about 40, in most warm countries, particularly in dry regions. 
Section 1. Prnicrtzarta: Involucre often peduncled ; 
all or at gir the innermost oe ait Lsbonaeets fruiting floret 
readily deciduous, its valve s, very smooth and 
shining pei, anther tips ea a connate (1) typhoideum. 
Ev-PENNISETUM: In sag cre sessile; all or 
m not readily 
deciduous, its valve scarcely hardened, membra ‘anous ; anther : 
tips naked ; styles free or more or less con ... (2) cenchroides. 
tion GyMNOTHRIx: Involucre sessile; spikelets 
elaine cota, rarely 2-3 in each involucre; wehattos never 
plumose: anther tips usually naked; styles almost free o 
more or less sa nnate or cohering to 4 their length, rarely 
higher up. 
Lodicules distinct ; anther tips naked; styles almost 
Culm ms glabrous, smooth or scaberulous below 
the panicle; blades up to wi - by 2-4 lin. 
gr tert up to 1 ft. long, den 
Panicles 33-6 lin. thick ; saliedaks 2-2} lin. 
‘ssi lanceolate; lower floret barre . (3) macrourum. 
a or a lin. thick; spike 
co 2 lin. lon ovate-oblong ; lower 
7 * (4) natalense. 
Calis mst ae pubescent or adpressedl y hirsu 
fi panicle; b very rey Me iiform 
cme 2-8 in. rac panicles n. long, 
iy adel usually tinged with purple (5) sphacelatum. 
Lodie ies "0 or very minute; anther tips minutely 
penicillate ; eda —_— connate or coherent to } 
their length ... (6) Thunbergii. 
Section 4. Bucxsnorsis: Involucre reduced to a solitary 
'5 Spikelets in long-peduncled, spike-like racemes, 
nging from the upper nodes Fess wy sa cae 
