100 A FLORA OF MANILA 
In low lands, especially near the sea, fl. all the year; widely distributed 
in the Philippines, but local. Tropical Asia and Africa through Malaya 
to Australia. 
35. CENTOTHECA Desvaux 
A rather tall perennial grass with broad leaves. Panicles terminal, 
the branches long, spreading or ascending, spike-like. Spikelets 1- or 
2-flowered, secund, not jointed on the very short pedicels, the rachilla 
jointed at the base and between the flowering-glumes. Glumes 5, the 
first and second oblong-ovate, keeled, empty, the flowering-glumes oblong, 
7-nerved, naked, or the upper one bearing soft, erect or deflexed, spines 
above the middle. (Greek “point” or “pin” and “receptacle” in allusion 
to the spiny upper glume.) 
Species one, or 2 or 3 closely allied forms, Tropical Asia, Africa, Malaya 
and Australia, the following in the Philippines. 
1. C. latifolia (L.) Trin. (C. lappacea Desv.). 
Erect, rather stout, 0.25 to 1 m high, glabrous or slightly hairy. Leaves 
broad, lanceolate, acuminate, 7 to 15 cm long, 1 to 3 em wide. Panicles 
terminal, 10 to 20 cm long, broad, the branches numerous, spreading, 
smooth. Spikelets green, about 5 long, numerous, pedicelled. 
In thickets, Masambong, fl. Nov._Jan.; common and widely distributed 
in the Philippines in forests and thickets, possibly introduced. Tropical 
Africa and Asia through Malaya to Australia and Polynesia. 
36. PHRAGMITES Trinius 
Coarse, tall, perennial grasses with long flat leaves and 3- to 7-flowered 
spikelets in large, decompound terminal panicles, not jointed on the pedi- 
cels. Rachilla jointed between the flowering glumes, silky-penicillate with 
very long hairs. Glumes all glabrous, the first and second unequal, oblong- 
lanceolate, 3-nerved, thin, persistent, the third much longer, the flowering 
glumes subulate-lanceolate, hyaline, subaristate. (Greek “growing in 
hedges” in allusion to its habit.) 
A small genus in most tropical and warm countries, 2 species in the 
Philippines. 
1. P. vulgaris (Lam.) Trin. (P. communis Trin.). Tambo (Tag.). 
A coarse erect grass 1.5 to 3.5 m high, the stems nearly 1 cm thick. 
Leaves up to 50 cm long and 2.5 em wide. Panicles somewhat nodding, 
30 to 50 cm long, brownish, rather dense, very many flowered, the branches 
slender. Spikelets linear, about 1 cm long. 
In low wet places along esteros etc., fi. Aug.—Dec.; widely distributed 
in the Philippines. Cosmopolitan. 
37. ERAGROSTIS Beauvois 
Annual or perennial, the stems erect or ascending. Leaves narrow. 
Spikelets few- to many-flowered, in open or contracted panicles, the rachilla 
jointed, breaking up or not. Spikelets laterally compressed. Glumes many, 
the first and second much shorter than the spikelet, equal or unequal, 1- 
nerved, or the second 3-nerved. Flowering glumes densely arranged, over- 
lapping, deciduous, 3-nerved, mostly containing perfect flowers. Palea 
deciduous with its glume, or persistent. Stamens 2 or 3. Grain minute, 
free. (Greek “a spring” and “grass.’’) 
