1044 CXLVTl. GRAMINE.'E. 



Journ. Eomb. Nat. v. 13 (1901) p. 441 ; Prain, Beng. PL p. 1217. 

 j\Ielica dlcmdra, Koxb. PI. Ind. v. 1 (1832) p. 327; Grab. Cat. p. 236.— 

 PloAvers : Oct. 



Kanaka: Kadgal (N. Kanara).— Distrib. India (Himalayas, Khasia Hille, Central 

 India, Eirma) ; Geylon, Malaya, China, Polynesia, Tropical Africa. 



06. ELYTROPHORUS, Beau\ . 



An animal, erect, glabrous grass. Leaves very narrow, flat. In- 

 florescence of globose clusters of minute sessile spikelets crowded 

 too-ether in long continuous or interrupted catkin-like spikes (rarely on 

 tne short spike-like branches of a very contracted raceme). Spikelets 

 short (many imperfect or reduced to empty glumes), strongly laterally 

 compressed, not articulate at the base, 4-6-flo\vered ; rhachilla very 

 short, articulate at the base and between the flowering glumes, but 

 not beyond the upper. Invol. -glumes subequal, lanceolate, aristately 

 acuminate, hyaline, 1-nerved, glabrous or ciliate, keeled ; floral glumes 

 rather longer, with a long awn, 3-nerved, with ciliate margins, the 

 uppermost°neuter ; palea shorter than the glume, very broad, trun- 

 cately 3-lobed, the lobes ciliate, keels distant, winged, smooth. Lodicules 

 2, obliquely oblong. Stamens 1-3 ; anthers minute. Styles free, long ; 

 stio-matic hairs very short. Grain minute, fusiform or narrowly oblong ; 

 pericarp loose at both ends.— Disteib. Tropical Asia, Africa, and 

 Australia. 



1. Elytrophorus articulatus, Beauv. Ayrost. (1812) p. 67. 

 Annual, 6-24 in. high ; stems erect from a densely fibrous root, as 

 thick as a crow-quill or less. Leaves longer or shorter than the stem, 

 linear, acute, Yo~i ^'^' ^i^'O^^^? smooth, flaccid, base narrow ; sheaths 

 membranous, loose ; ligiile small, membranous, lacerate. Inflorescence 

 6-12 in. long, often longer than the rest of the plant. Spikelets \ in. 

 lono- (including awns), as broad as long. Lower invol.-glume -jL in. 

 long ; upper invol.-glume \ in. long ; floral glume (including awn) 

 i in. long, ovate- lanceolate ; palea jV ^^- ^^^S' broadly oblong, truu- 

 cately 3-lobed. PI. B. L v.. 7, p. 306; Trim. PL Ceyl. v. 5, p. 288 ; 

 Dutliie, Podd. Grass. N. India, p. 61 ; Lisboa, in Journ. Bomb. Nat. 

 V. 7 (1893) p. 379 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 13 (1901) p. 441 ; 

 Prain, Beng. PL p. 1218. — Plowers : Nov.-Peb. Vebn. Jamjli-rdla. 



KoNKAN : Law\ ; Kalyan, Woodrotu. S. M. Country : Londa, Woodrow. Gujarat : 

 Godra, Woodrow. — Distuib. More or less throughout India ; Ceylon, Tropical Asia, 

 ifrica, and Australia. 



67. -ffiLUROPUS, Trin. 



Low much-branched very rigid perennial leafy grasses. Leaves 

 distichous, short, strict, usually convolute, coriaceous, ]nnigent. Spike- 

 lets 6-many-flowered, minute, sessile, densely crowded in terminal 

 villous lieads, laterally compressed, not articulate at the base; rhachilla 

 obscurely jointed at the l-ase, not produced beyond the upper glnino ; 

 internodcs very short. Glumes many, oblong, membranous, apiculate, 

 the margins and tips broadly hyaline. Invol.-glumes unequal, per- 

 sistent ; lower invol.-glume nai'rowly oblong, 1-3-nervcd; upper invol.- 



