Jlndropogon. triandria digynia. 277 



Obs. This species comes remarkably near to A. Schoenantltus 

 both in habit and taste. 



For the virtues of the roots of this plant, see Dr. Blane's 

 account thereof in the second part of the 80th volume of the 

 Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London ; 

 also Asiatic Researches, iv. p. 109. The virtues seem to re- 

 side almost entirely in the larger parts of the root, marked 

 with annular cicatrices, the taste is agreeably aromatic, with 

 some degree of bitterness. 



36. A. Martini. R. 



Perennial, erect. Panicles linear, sub-secund ; spikelets 

 paired, three-jointed, with common spathes only ; hermaphro- 

 dite corolsof one valve, and an awn ; maleawnless. 



A native of the high lands of Balla-ghat. General Martin 

 collected the seeds while there with the army, during the last 

 war with Tippoo Sultan, and has reared abundance of it at 

 Lucknow. 



It is also now plentiful in the Company's Botanic garden, 

 raised from seed sent from thence by that gentleman, whose 

 name I have applied as a specific one for this elegant plant. 



Root perennial, with long wiry fibres. Culms erect, from 

 three to six feet high, often ramous, smooth, filled with a 

 spongy pith. Leaves very long, tapering to a very fine point, 

 smooth in every part and of a soft delicate texture. Sheaths 

 shorter than the joints on full grown plants, with a membra- 

 naceous stipulary process at the mouth. Panicles as in A. 

 Iwarancusa ; spikelets paired, but with oidy three joints. 

 Floicers also paired, &c. as in the former species, only there 

 the lowermost pair on the most sessile of the two spikelets 

 are both male, and one of them rests upon a smooth, convex, 

 callous receptacle instead of a pedicel. Rachis jointed, and 

 woolly. Calyx as in A. Iwarancusa. Corol one-valved, a 

 long black awn occupies the place of the other, which has 

 two small filaments near its base. Nectary, &c. as in the 

 foregoing species. 



R3 



