in its leaves and
spikelets. In some plants growing in somewhat dry places the leaves are
shorter and broader, and those in favourable situations have longer
narrower leaves. The spikelets are either perfectly glabrous or
pubescent and long hairs may or may not be present on the pedicels. As
regards colour the whole plant is green or the exposed portions of stems
and spikelets are purplish. This grass is liked by cattle and is one of
the most nutritious of Indian fodder grasses.

_Distribution._--Throughout India and Ceylon in the plains. Common in
the Tropics.

[Illustration: Fig. 93.--Panicum javanicum]

=Panicum javanicum, _Poir._=

This is an annual and it branches freely and the branches are decumbent
and rooting at the nodes at the base, and erect to some extent at the
free end, 1 to 2 feet long; the internodes are glabrous, thinly striate,
shallowly channelled on one side.

The _leaf-sheath_ is somewhat compressed and loose, covered with
scattered long hairs, some of them being tubercle-based; the margin is
ciliate on one side only. The _nodes_ are pubescent with long hairs. The
_ligule_ is a distinct fringe of hairs.

The _leaf-blade_ is broadly lanceolate, cordate at base, amplexicaul,
acuminate or acute, with scattered long hairs both above and below, and
some of the hairs of the under surface are tubercle-based, convolute
when young; margin of the leaf is wavy, minutely serrate, and ciliated
with distant hairs towards the lower half of the leaf when young; the
midrib is prominent below.

[Illustration: Fig. 94.--Panicum javanicum.

1 and 2. Front and back view of a spike; 3, 4, 5 and 6. the first,
second, third and the fourth glume, respectively; 5a and 6a. the palea
of third and fourth glumes; 7. the ovary and the stamens.]

The _inflorescence_ is a panicle of spikes on a short or long erect
slender peduncle. _Spikes_ vary from two to ten in number and in length
from 1/2 to 2 inches, distant and spreading; the rachis of the spike is
zigzag, somewhat flattened with a wavy ridge, scaberulous or glabrous,
swollen towards the base and the swollen part is pubescent.

The _spikelets_ are biseriate, loosely imbricate, ovate, acute,
pubescent or villous (sometimes quite glabrous), sessile or shortly
pedicelled; the pedicels have one or two (rarely more) long hairs.

There are four _glumes_. The _first glume_ is small, membranous, less
than 1/2 of the third glume, ovate, acute or obtuse, 3- to 5-nerve