546 GRAMINBJi:. 



88. P. Crus-galli, L. Annual, erect; leaves linear-acnminate, glabrous: Hgule none ; 

 lateral spikes exceeding their internodes ; spi/celeis i-6-seriate, shortly pedicellate, hispi- 

 duloiis ;■ sterile glumes mucronate, the third usually awned, lowest short, the 2 superior 

 equalling or shortly exceeding the fertile flower, the latter elhptical, halt-terete, smooth, 

 mucronate.— 2ViM. Ic. t. 161.— Spikes l"-3", spikelets 2"'-l"' long. The West Indian 

 forms are, P. echinatum, "W. (Trin. t. 163) : spikelets large, very long-awned ; and P. sabu- 

 licolum, Ns. (Trin. t. 163) : spikelets awned, small. — Hab. Trinidad !, dr.; [all temperate 

 and most tropical countries] . 



89. P. spectabile, iV*. Stout; nodes bearded ; leaves long; lanceolate-acuminate, 

 glabreseent : ligule long-ciliate ; spikes numerous, superior exceeding their internodes ; axis 

 bearing bristles; spikelets i-^-seriate, shortly pedicellate, hispid-ciliate ; lowest glume 

 broadly clasping, pointed, half as long as the flower, second mncronate, third awned ; fertile 

 flower ovate, pointed and mucronate, smooth. — Trin. Ic. t. 166. — P. aristatum, Macf. I 

 Oi)lismenus jamaicensis, Kth. — ^Hab. Jamaica !, Macf. ; Antigua !, Wullschl. ; [Tabasco !, 

 Guiana !, Brazil I]. 



Sect. 3. ViKGAKiA, TV. emend. — Fertile flower flat-convex. Spikelets ellipsoidal (or lan- 

 ceolate), pointed, paniculate : pedicels mostly angular, often geminate. 



§ 1. Axis of the panicle once or tmce divided : branches scattered (rarely fascicled) : pe- 

 dicels short, mostly shorter than the spikelet, irregularly or strictly one-sided. ' 



* Fertile flower compressed from the back, transversely wrinkled with dots. 



.^ 90. P. prostratum, Lam. Creeping, radicant at the base ; leaves short, lanceolate- 

 acuminate or ovate-lanceolate, clasping at the ciliate base; panicle short, simply branched; 

 spikelets glabrous, erect, one-sided, one in the pair subsessile ; lowest glume short, suitrun- 

 7 cate, 3 superior exceeding the fertile flower, second 7-, third 5-nerved ; fertile flower ellip- 

 ' tical, compressed from the back, dotted, minutely mucronate. — Trin. Ic. t. 184,185. — 

 P. csespitosum, Sw. P. procumbens, Ns. P. umbrosum, Retx. P. insularum, Steud. — 

 Leaves l"-3", spikes 6"'-13"' long, the latter usually green, spreading -erect; spikelets 1'" 

 long : rhachis often with bristles. — Hab. Jamaica {Sw.), in dry pastures ; Antigua !, 

 Wullschl. ; [Louisiana! and Cuba! to Brazil!; Egypt I and Arabia ! to East Indies I and 

 Australia!]. 



91. P. grossarinm, Z,, Sw. Ascending, csespitose ; leaves lanceolate-linear, acumi- 

 nate, ciliate at the base ; panicle spreading : branches simple, few ; spikelets glabrous (" or 

 puberulous "), erect, irregularly one-sided : lowest glume deltoid, pointed, one-third as long 

 as the spikelet, 3 superior exceeding the fertile flower, both 5-nerved ; fertile flower ellip- 

 tical, bluntish, compressed from the back, dotted. —2ViB. Ic. t. 169. — P. adspersum, Tr. — 

 l'-3' high ; leaves 2"-4" long, 4'" broad ; spikes 2", spikelets about li"' long, the latter 

 cuspidate, green, — Hab. Jamaica! {Linn.), March; Ba\>&\, Forsstriim, Antigua!, WullscM.; 

 [Haiti, S. Barthelemy !]. 



** Fertile flower nearly half-terete, transversely wrinkled with dots. 



92. P. carthagineuse, Sw. Csespitose, branched, prostrate or ascending, pubescent; 

 leaves lanceolate -acuminate; panicle short, narrow; branches few, simple: axis villose- 

 pilose ; spikelets puberulous or glabrous, erect, irregularly one-sided ; lowest glume broadly 

 ovate, pointed, 3-5-nerved, half as long as the spikelets, 2 superior equalling the fertile 

 flower, .second 7-, third 5-nerved ; nerves reticulated by transverse veins ; fertile flower 

 eWifioMsX, pointed, dotted, half-terete. — P. multiculmum, Anders.! i the form with glabrous 

 spikelets.— Stems 6"-13" long ; leaves l"-2" long, 3"'-2"' broad ; panicle l"-2", spikelets 

 li"' long, the latter greenish, purple above. — Hab. Jamaica!, Al.; [Mexico to New 

 Granada; Galapagos I]. 



/ . 93. P. fuscum, Sw. Annual, erect ; 2eff»ej linear- or lanceolate-acuminate, ^/aJro/M: 

 sheath pilose or glabreseent; panicle spreading, simply branched: axis hairy; spikelets 

 , glabrous, erect, irregularly one-sided ; lowest glume deltoid, pointed, 3-nerve'd, one-third 

 f/ to half as long as the spikelet, 2 superior little exceeding the fertile flower, both 7-, or tlie 

 third 5-7 -nerved: nerves reticulated by transverse veins; fertile flower roundish-ellip- 

 soidal, bluntish, dotted, half-terete. — Trin. Ic. t. 206. — 1'-3' high ; leaves 3"-10", spike- 

 lets 1'" long, the latter brown or dark-purple. 



