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SERIES A. PANICAOEJE. 

 TRIBE I. PANICEiE. 



1. PASPALUM, Linn. A large genus confined chiefly to tropical 

 and sub-tropical regions, and abundantly represented in America. It is 

 superficially distinguished from all other genera by the inflorescence, 

 though a few of the Panicums are very similar in this respect. The 

 small empty outer glume characteristic of Panicum is altogether want- 

 ing. Out of 160 known species about five only occur in North- West 

 India. 



P. scrobiculatum, Linn. (Plate I.) Fern.— General : Koda, Jcodon; 

 Punjab : Kodra ; N.-W. Prov. : Kodrdm (Bijnor), mar si (Muttra) ; 

 Teling : Aruga (Roxb.). 



Annual, glabrous. Stems many, 2 feet or more, branching, erect or 

 ascending, compressed. Leaves narrow, gradually tapering to a fine 

 point ; sheaths long, the upper ones spathe-like, often embracing and 

 partially concealing the spikes. Spikes 2-5, terminal and axillary, ses- 

 sile, erect or spreading, 1-3 inches long. Spikelets 1-flowered, ses- 

 sile, arranged in two rows on one side of a broad membranous flattened 

 rachis. (In cultivated specimens there are sometimes three or four rows 

 on portions of the rachis). Outer glumes nearly equal, thin, and with 

 a prominent midrib. Fruiting glume hard and brittle. Pale rather 

 thinner, with auricle-like projecting edges embracing the stamens and 

 pistil. Grain enclosed by, and adhering to, the pale, smooth and round- 

 ish, about the size of a hemp seed. 



Cultivated as a rainy season crop throughout the plains, and at low 

 elevations on the Himalaya. It is usually sown on the poorer kinds of 

 soil, the grain being chiefly consumed by the lower classes. The straw 

 is used as fodder. It is figured in Church's " Food Grains of India, " 

 also in Part II. of " Field and Garden Crops, N.-W. Provinces and 

 Oudh." 



P. Kora, Willd. (Plate II.) Vern. — Hind : Kodu ; Punjab : Kora ; 

 N.-W. Prov. and Oudh : Kodela and kodeli (Pilibhit and Kheri), 

 Jcudpal and panJchdgar (Bhira) ; Rajputana : Chinke (Merwara), sdwan 

 dungarko (Jeypur) ; Cent. Prov. : Kudda jdri and Tcodda gadi (Chan- 



