GRAMINEiE. 463 



the base, nor between the glumes, and rachilla not 

 produced beyond the top glume. Basal, empty, glumes 

 much smaller than the spikelet, equal or unequal. 

 Flowering glumes three-nerved, deciduous from the 

 rachilla : paleas two-nerved, persistent on the rachilla or 

 deciduous. Grain minute, free in the glume and palea. 

 Species about 100 in warm countries. 



Eragrostis amabilis Wight and Anwtt ; Herh. Wight 

 Prop. 1777 \', F.B.I, vii 317, CIVS. Stem rooting at the 

 lower nodes, 6 to 18 inches, slender. Leaves quite 

 glabrous (mouth of sheath occasionally with one or two 

 hairs, and a very small ligule) : blade 2 to 3 inches, 

 strongly ribbed, acute, inclined to become rolled. 

 Flowering stem 5 to 6 inches above the last leaf, purplish 

 Spikelets '%. to'^ and by /^ to % inch, purplish 

 stalked in bunches, whorls, or on short, J^ inch, spikes, 

 at irregular intervals along the main axis of the panicle : 

 glumes 1/16 to 1/12 inch, with purple tips and green 

 nerves, the lateral nerves straight and strong. Palea as 

 long as its glume, scabrid along the two nerves. Grain 

 ellipsoid 1/30 to 1/50 inch. 



Nilgiris : Pykara, flowering May. Fyso?i 2890. Bourne 

 1038, 2387. 



Gen. Disl. All over India from Kashmir to Burma and Ceylon. 



Eragrostis tcnuifolia Hochst. ; F.B.L vii 322, CIV 19 

 Stems tufted, I to 2 feet. Leaves up to 6 inches long 

 in large specimens, with a few hairs only, outside, at the 

 junction of blade and stalk. Panicle 3 to 6 inches by 

 i^ to 2 inches, its branches ramifying near the base. 

 Spikelets 1/5 to 1/4 inch, by half as broad, with about 

 nine flowers (seven to thirteen) : glume i minute (1/50 

 inch) nerveless ; gl. ii half as long again, one-nerved ; 

 flowering glumes i/io to 1/12 inch. Grain 1/12 inch' 

 slightly compressed, grooved on the dorsal side. 



