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.
Fig. 91.—Panicum prostratum.