1198 CXLTII. GliAMlNE-H. 



Beng. PI. p. 1210. Coicv Lachryma, Linu. Syst. ed. 10 (17.51) p. 1261 ; 

 Gnih. Cat. p. 240 ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 289 ; Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 2, 

 p. 492. — Flowers : Oct. Veen, lidn-jondhala. 



KoNKAN : Grahum. Deccan : Graham ; Lauoli, Woodrow ; Panchgani Ghat, 

 Coo/ce'. Gujarat: Graham. — Distrib. Throughout tlie hotter and damper parts of 

 India, wild or cultivated ; Ceylon, Tropical Asia, cultiyated in Africa and America. 



36. POLYTOCA, Br. 



Tall stout erect braucliiug annual or perennial leafy monoecious 

 grasses ; stem spongy within ; nodes bearded ; flowering branches 

 fascicled- Leaves long, Hat. Intlorescence of spike-like racemes, 

 terminating the branches, at first enclosed in spathiform bracts; racemes 

 all male or with one or more female spikelets at the base. Male 

 SPiKELETS 2-flowered, sometimes imperfect. Glumes 4 (with sometimes 

 a terminal rudimentary one), all subequal in length ; invol.-glumes 

 empty ; lower invol.-glume herbaceous, sballowly concave, many-nerved, 

 with a narrow*membranous margin; upper invol.-glume narrower, ovate, 

 acuminate, 5-9-nerved ; lower floral glume membranous, oblong, acu- 

 minate, 3-5-nerved, paleate, triandrous ; upper floral glume very slender, 

 linear, hyaline, paleate, triandrous or empty. Lodicules 2, cmieate. 

 Anthers long. Pemale spikelets broadly oblong, l-Howered ; lower 

 invol.-glume thickly coriaceous, closely embracing' the rhachis of the 

 spike by its involute margins, with many obscure nerves, the other 

 3 glumes enclosed in the lower invol.-glume, hyaline ; upper invol.- 

 glume oblong, many-nerved ; lower floral glume narrower, oblong, 

 3-5-nerved, empty ; upper floral glume very narrow, truncate, 3-nerved, 

 paleate. Styles very long; stigmas slender. Grain small, fusiform, 

 terete, enclosed in the nut-like polished hardened glume. — Distkib. 

 Species 8, tropical Asiatic and Australian. 



Leaves 18-24 by 2-3 in. ; lower invol.-glume of female spikelet 



3-lobed at the'tip 1. P. Cookei. 



Leaves 6-12 by g-| in. ; lower invol.-glume of female spikelet entire 



at the tip 2. P. harhata. 



1. Polytoca Cookei, Stcq^f, in IIoolc Icon. Phmt. v. 24 (1895) 

 t. 2333. x\nnual; stem 3 ft. (or more) high, smooth ; uodes bearded. 

 Leaves 18-24 by 2-3 in., linear-lanceolate, acuminate, more or less 

 hispid on both sides with bulbous-based hairs, and with thickened 

 and ciliate margins ; sheaths rather loose, striate, hairy with bulbous- 

 based hairs ; ligule short, subhyaline, hairy with yellowish hairs. 

 Flowering branches fascicidately ciowded in the axils of the upjier 

 leaves, each with a linear acuminate pubescent bract at the base. 

 Male panicles reaching 3 in. long. Male spikelets 3 in. long, 

 geminate, one longer than the , other, shortly pedicellate or sessile. 

 Glumes 4 ; lower invol.-glume lanceolate, acuminate, pubescent, many- 

 nerved, w itli a hyaline more or less inflexed margin ; upper invol.- 

 glume sliphlly shorter and thinner than the lower one, with slender 

 nerves. Floral gliimcs slightly shorter than the lower invol.-glume, 

 glabrous, few-nerved, liyalino. Anthers 3, linear. Female spikelkts 

 X in. long ; lower invol.-glume crtistaceous, oblong, the margins connate 

 at the base, closely embracing the upper invol.-glume. the ajjcx with a 

 3-lobed crest the lateral lobes of which are obliquely truncate, the 



