n those in the upper and at the
junction with the sheath the blade is narrow, just as broad or less than
the sheath, and becomes broader about the middle; the length varies from
6 to 10 inches generally, also to 14 inches, and breadth at base 1/4
inch and at the middle 5/16 inch; the upper leaf-blade is generally
shorter, varying from 5 to 10 inches and very broad at the base near the
sheath, about 7/16 inch and gets gradually narrow upwards. It is
convolute when young.

The _inflorescence_ is a compound spike varying in length from 4 to 8
inches, contracted and pyramidal and always erect; the main rachis is
stout, angled with very minute hairs on the ridges and with a tuft of
bristly hairs and also tubercle-based hairs at the place of insertion of
the spikes. _Spikes_ are many (up to 16 or rarely more), simple or
branched, the lower ones longer, but getting gradually shorter upwards,
and varying in length from 1/2 to 2 inches. The rachis of the spike is
angular, with scattered tubercle-based bristly hairs.

[Illustration: Fig. 87.--Panicum Crus-galli.

1 and 2. Front and back views of spike; 3. spikelet; 4 and 5. first and
second glumes; 6 and 7. third glume and its palea; 8. fourth glume,
front and back view; 9. ovary, anthers and lodicules.]

The _spikelets_ are turgid, densely packed on one side of the rachis in
three to five rows, sessile or subsessile, sub-globose or ovoid, with
unequal tubercle-based bristly hairs on the nerves of the glumes and
with short minute hairs on the outer surface of the glumes, 1/12 to 1/8
inch; awn 1/4 inch to 5/16 inch.

There are four _glumes_. The _first glume_ is 1/3 to 1/2 of the third
glume, suborbicular, abruptly acuminate or rarely mucronate and 5-nerved
(very rarely 5- to 7-nerved), clasping at base and margins thinly
ciliolate. The _second glume_ is ovate oblong, short, awned and
5-nerved; sometimes with partial nerves at the apex between the central
and the lateral nerves, and then 5- to 7- or 5- to 9-nerved, hispidly
hairy on the nerves, margins ciliolate. The _third glume_ is as long as
the second, ovate-oblong and the apex abruptly ending in a stout scabrid
nerved awn, varying in length from 1/4 to 3/8 inch, rarely 1 inch; 5- to
7-nerved (two partial at tip), paleate and sometimes with three stamens;
_palea_ is hyaline, ovate-oblong with infolded margins. The _fourth
glume_ is smooth, shining, broadly oblong, faintly 5-nerved, apex
rounded or cuspidate with a few cil