ovary anther and lodicules.]

The _inflorescence_ is a contracted panicle, 3 to 5 inches long.
_Spikes_ are from 8 to 20, suberect, usually distant, 1/4 to 1 inch long
and getting shorter upwards; the rachis of the spike is stout, angular,
scaberulous on the angles with a few long hairs towards the base.

The _spikelets_ are small green or partly purplish 1/12 to 1/10 inch
long, globosely ovoid, acute, pubescent with minute hairs on the outer
surface of the glumes and bristly hairs on the nerves, all on one side,
sessile or very shortly pedicelled, two or three from a node, one or two
barren, 3- to 5-seriate.

There are four _glumes_ in the spikelet. The _first glume_ is about half
of the third glume, broadly ovate or suborbicular, acute, generally
3-nerved, rarely 5-nerved, pubescent between and hispidly hairy on the
nerves. The _second glume_ is as long as the third, broadly ovate,
cuspidate, 5-nerved sometimes with two partial nerves added one on each
side of the central vein, pubescent between the veins and hispid on the
veins. The _third glume_ is similar to the second, 5-nerved, tip with a
few cilia, paleate; _palea_ is empty oblong-orbicular, subacute. The
_fourth glume_ is coriaceous, shining, turgid, broadly ovate, acute,
paleate. Sometimes the tip possesses a few cilia. _Anthers_ are three,
pale yellow and _stigmas_ dark purple. _Lodicules_ are small but
conspicuous.

This grass is common in water-logged situations, in paddy fields and in
irrigated dry lands. Sometimes on the blades of this grass purple bands
are present and the internodes and the spikes also become purplish.

It is really a weed of cultivation met with generally on rich soils.
This grass is considered to be one of the best fodder grasses in India.
All kinds of cattle eat it greedily.

_Distribution._--It is found throughout India up to 6,000 feet and also
in all warm countries.

[Illustration: Fig. 91.--Panicum prostratum.]

=Panicum prostratum, _Lamk._=

The plant is a slender annual and it consists of several branches,
prostrate and creeping, with adventitious roots at the nodes below,
branching or ascending above, all green or sometimes purple above and
green below, 4 to 18 inches long.

The _leaf-sheath_ is striate, 1 to 2 inches long, glabrous or very
sparsely hairy, purplish above and green below or all green, keeled,
margins ciliate on one side only throughout its length. The _ligule_ is
a fringe of white hairs. The _nod