926 CXLTII. GEAMINE^, 



rather more than -^ in. lonj^, narrowly ovate-lanceolate, aristately acu- 

 minate, hyaline, with 3 slender green nerves, of which the 2 lateral arch to 

 join the midrib below the tip ; upper invol.-gluine I in. long, broadly ovate, 

 cuspidately acuminate, thinly membranous, o-uerved, the 3 central 

 nerves slender, green, the 2 lateral nerves marginal, bristly A\ith long 

 coarse purplish hairs \\hich reach -^\ in. long ; lower floral glume ^ in. 

 long, ovate-oblong, obtuse, male, paleate, the palea small, 2-partite ; 

 upper floral glume ^ in. long (or more), including the awn, which is 

 nearly as long as the glume, ovate, acute, coriaceous, often faintly 

 ciliolate and with slightly incurved margins ; palea as long as the glume, 

 coriaceous, elliptic-oblong, subobtuse. Fl. B.I. v. 7, p. 64; Trim. Fl. 

 Ceyl. V. 5, p. 166; Woodr. in Jonrn. Bomb. Nat. v. 13 (1901) p. 434; 

 Prain, Beng. PI. p. 1173. Urocldoa chnicina, Kunth, Eevis. Gram. (1829) 

 v. 1, p. 31 ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 289.— Flowers : Oct. 



KoNKAN : Stocks ! S. M. Country : Dharwar, Woodrow ; Badaiui, Woodrow ! 



9. OPLISMENUS, Beauv. 



Slender leafy weak grasses ; stems creeping below; branches ascending. 

 Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, thin, flat ; margins scaberulous, 

 base narrow, auricled on one side ; ligule a ridge of long hairs. Spike- 

 lets solitary or 2-uate, disarticulating at the base, in small clusters or in 

 spike-like more or less secund racemes along a common axis, subterete, 

 awned. Glumes 4 ; invol. -glumes similar, more or less subequal, 

 herbaceous to membranous, 3-7 -nerved, both usually with straight awns ; 

 lower floral glume resembling the upper invol. -glume, 5-9-nerved, empty, 

 rauticous or very shortly awned, with or without a hyaline 2-nerved or 

 more or less reduced palea; upper floral glume 2-sexual, as long as or 

 shorter than the lower, chartaceous to coriaceous, 5- 7-nerved, muticous ; 

 palea of similar texture, about equal to the glume, 2-nerved. Lodi- 

 cules 2, minute, cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct, long ; stigmas 

 exserted at the top of the glume. Grain oblong-ellipsoid, free within 

 the hardened glume and palea. — Disteib. Species about 8, in the warmer 

 parts of the world. 



A tall branching grass ; awns stout, smooth, obtuse 1. 0. compositus. 



A small diffuse grass; awns capillary, minutely scaberulous 2. 0. BHrmanni. 



1. Oplismenus compositus, Beauv. Agrost. (1812) p. 54. A tall 

 branching grass ; stems 1-3 ft. long, slender, branched, and creeping 

 below ; branches ascending, leafy, rooting from the lower nodes. 

 Leaves variable, 2-6 by g-f in., ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 

 thin, flat, glabrous or hairy, base narrow, auricled on one side ; sheaths 

 glabrous or pubescent, with ciliatc margins. Panicle 3-10 in. long ; 

 peduncle long or short; branches ol: panicle usually distant, 1-3 in. 

 long; rhachis glabrous or pubescent, angular, grooved. Spikelets 

 distant, ^ in. long (excluding the awn), lanceolate-ellipsoid, green ; 

 pedicels very short, often with a tuft of hairs at the base. Glumes 4 ; 

 lower invol.-glume ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, j\ in. long (without the 

 awn, which is about i in. (or more) long and truncate at the apex, 

 glabrous, often purple), 5-nerved, membranous ; upper in vol. -glume 

 •1- in. long (including a short mucro or awn), rather broader than the 

 lower invol.-glume, 5-7-nerved, membranous; lower lloral glume, ,\ in. 

 long, membranous, broadly ovate, subacute, the midrib prolonged behind 



