Hongkong, ^a«c^. Widely distributed over tropical Asia and AMoa, 



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



S ""ITf ^'"^'^,«^*' gl^^?^°"«- Spikes about 8 or 10, sessile, one^ 

 sided, distant and usually erect, m a lon^ narrow simple panicle, eact one + 

 to 5 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 i as long as the second and third, which are 

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

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



ni?w^'5T^' ^^^'""'.' ^"gf^t; Common in the tropical and subtropical regions of tlie 

 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, irregulai-ly pyramidal and rather one-sided 

 bpikelets pubescent, as m 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. Elowering-glume awnless, smooth and shining.— OjB&»2e«?« Crus-galli 

 Kunth, Enum. i. 143. " ' 



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



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

 3 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 flowerj with a rather long awn, 

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

 awnless, with a rudimentary ilower in its axU. — OpHsmenus compositus, Eoem. 

 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 wheii the 

 spike is pushed upwards thi-ough the fingers. Lowest glume very small, the 

 second not quite so long as the third, the fldwering 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, Seemanti, 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 gi-ass, 3 to 4 

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



