18 



a.— Panicaceae. 



Tribe i. — Panice^. 

 Series i. — 1. Paspalum. 



2. Eriocliloa. 7. Pennisetum. 



3. Panicum. 8. Cenclirus. 



4. Oplismenus. 9. Chamseraphis. 



1. PASPALUM. 



Spikelets one-flowered, not awned, not callous at the base, in one 

 or two rows along one side of slender spikes, either forming the 

 branches of a simple panicle or rarely solitary. 



Glumes three, two outer ones empty, usually membranous and 

 equal, or nearly so, the third flowering, of a firmer texture. 



Palea within the flowering glume smaller and more involute. 



Styles distinct, rather long. 



Grain enclosed in a hardened palea and flowering glume, and free 

 from them. 



Spikes two to five, usually distant. Spikelets orbicular or broadly- 

 ovate, obtuse, about 1 line long ... ... ... ... 1. P. scrobiculatum. 



Spikes two, close together, or scarcely distant. Spikelets ovate- 

 oblong, acute, or acuminate, 1^ to 2 lines long ... ... 2. P. distichum. 



Spikes two or three, digitate or nearly so. Spikelets ovate, 



about | line long ... ... , . . ... ... ... 3. P. brevifoliwm. 



Spikes rather numerous, filiform. Spikelets narrow ovate, about 



f line long ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4. P. minutijiorum. 



1. Paspalum scrobiculatum, Linn. 



Botanical name. — Paspalum, Greek paspalos, one of the millets, 

 (paspale is a Greek word signifying " finest meal ") ; scrobiculatum, 

 Latin scrobiculus, a little ditch or furrow, referring to the outer glumes, 

 which are scrobiculate or furrowed. 



Synonym. — P. orbiculare, Forst. (referring to the orbicular 

 spikelets). 



Vernacular names. — Sometimes called "Ditch Millet," from the 

 situation in which it grows. Called "Cow Grass" in Queensland, 

 according to O'Shanesy. The " Koda Millet" and " Hureek " of 

 India are varieties of this grass. 



