432 
GRA.MINE.ffi. 
\P asp alum. 
5. P. scrobiculatum^ Linn. ; Kunth, Enum. i. 53. Stems tufted, 
2-3 feet long, with 3-4 glabrous black nodes. Sheaths terete, nearly 
as long as the internodes, pilose at the throat ; central leaves half a 
foot long, acute, in. broad, glabrous. Spikes usually about 3, but 
varying from 1 to 9, ascending, 1-4 in. long, with a keeled channelled 
rachis T ^-| in. broad; spikelets imbricated, glabrous, on very short 
pedicels, broad-oblong, obtuse, T V in. long, arranged in two regular 
rows. Trin. Ic. t. 143. P. Commersoni, Lam. P. Kora, Willd. P. 
mauritanicum, Nees. 
Mauritius, Rodriguez, and Seychelles, frequent in inundated places. P . Jirmum , 
Trin. Ic. t. 125 (figured from a Mauritian specimen) and P. longifolhm , Trin. 
Ic. t. 138, are luxuriant forms with several long spikes. Spread through the 
tropics of the Old World. Her be ct epee. 
3. PANICUMj Linn. 
Empty glumes 2, unequal, muticous. Spikelets 2-flowered, the top 
flower hermaphrodite and seed-bearing, the lower one minute, stami- 
nate or entirely abortive. Flowering glume coriaceous, nearly flat on 
the back, clasping the pale, which is similar in texture but narrower, 
muticous or in one group awned. Hypogynous scales 2, fleshy, trun- 
cate. Stamens 3. Stigmas protruded from the top of the closed 
glumes. Grain plano-convex, clasped tightly and permanently by 
its glumes. — Annuals or perennials, with leafy stems and varied 
inflorescence. Distrib. All tropical and warm temperate regions. 
Much the largest genus of grasses, the species 500 or more 
Subgenus Panicum proper. None of the glumes distinctly 
awned. 
Spikelets in a single congested spike 1. P. conglomeratum. 
Spikelets secund, nearly sessile on the simple flat- 
tened branches of the panicle. 
Panicle narrow. 
Spikelets glabrous. 
Leaves rather obtuse 2. P. brizoides. 
Leaves acuminate 3. P. fluitans. 
Spikelets pilose • . . 4. P. eruciforme. 
Panicle rhomboid. 
Spikelets £ in. long. 
Spikelets glabrous 5. P. ambiguum. 
Spikelets pilose 6. P. javanicum. 
Spikelets ^ in. long 7. P. Petiverii. 
Spikelets in. long 7. P. prostratum. 
Panicle more or less digitate. 
Spikelets 2-3 8. P. didactylum. 
Spikelets 5-9 9. P. sanguihale. 
Branches of panicle distinctly compound. 
Spikelets large, in. or more long. 
Nodes of stem with a dense tuft of hairs . . . * P. molle. 
Nodes of stem glabrous * P. maximum . 
Spikelets small, obtuse. 
