348 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1890. 



1. 119 ; Panicum acariferum. Trin. Sp. Gram, t. 87 ; Melica latifolia, 

 Roxb. Fl. Ltd. I. 328. 



Cespitose ; culm erect, simple, smooth, 4 — 8 ft. high, enveloped iu 

 the sheaths of the leaves ; sheaths hairy at the mouth ; ligula small, 

 ciliate, lacerated ; leaves lanceolate, rather attenuated at the base and 

 pointed at the end, smooth, glabrous, rigid, 8 — 20 in. long by 1 — 4 in. ; 

 panicle terminal, about 2 ft. long, supra- decompound ; branches and 

 branchlets numerous, filiform, bearing subsessile spikelets ; pedicels 

 scabrous ; spikelets lanceolate, \ liu. long, solitary and geminate, un- 

 equally pedicillate ; glumes lanceolate, acuminate, greenish ; 1st glume 

 shorter than the second, half the length or a little more ; third glume 

 longer than the second, acuminate, membranous, 3-nerved ; fourth or 

 flowering glume shorter and thinner than the third, linear lanceolate, 

 ciliate; stamens 2 — 3 ; stigmas plumose. 



It is a tall, elegant grass, especially when in flower. Not common. 

 Grows at Thana, Nassick, East Khandeish and other parts of India ; 

 also in China and the Philippines. A specimen, named a species of 

 bamboo, was received from Baroda. Handsome -plants are seen in the 

 Bombay University Gardens, where they flower in the months of 

 March- April. They were introduced by the Hon'ble Mr. Justice 

 Birdwood. Mr. Duthie says : " It is not uncommon on the plains and 

 on low elevations on the hills, usually in the vicinity of water. The 

 grass is called Kaisar in Chota Nagpur. A decoction of the root is 

 used as a rinse for the mouth in cases of fever." — (Rev. A. Campbell.) 

 In describing the leaves, Roxb. says: "they are much like the leaves 

 employed by the Chinese to put between the boxes and lead canisters 

 in which their teas are packed." 



ZOYSICEiE. 



Tragus, Hall. 



T. racemosa, Hall, Stirp. Ilelv. II., 203 ; Beauv. Agrost. t. 6, 

 fig. 13. Lappa <jo racemosa, "Wildd ; L. aliems, Dalz. and Gib. B. 

 VI. 295; Sibth. Fl. Grac. & 191 1 £. bijfora, Roxb. FL Lnd. I., 281. 



A small nutritious grass, much grazed in the rains. Its small size 

 makes it unfit for stacking. Considered good in Australia for winter 

 feeding. Not favourably spoken of from certain parts of India. 



Found in Surat, Domus, Sind, the Poona districts, Neera, &c. 



