314 Graminee. [ Paspalum. 
Plants tufted; spikelets in more than two 
rows; styles dark purple: 
Plant prostrate; spikelets o-15 in. long; 
racemes 5-7 . : : i : - 
Plant erect; spikelets o-1 in. long; 
racemes 9-I7 . . é : 
7. P. dilitatum. 
8. P. Larranagai. 
1. P. vaginatum Sw. Prodr. p. 21 (1785); Hitche. in Contr. U.S. 
Nat. Herb. XVIII, p. 307 (1917). P. distichum Hk. f. in FI. Brit. 
Ind. VIII, p. 12 (1897) pp. non Linn. 
Perennial; stems prostrate, creeping, rooting at the nodes, 
leaves bifarious, I-3 in. long, ;, in. broad, rounded at base, 
acuminate at apex, margins smooth; midrib rather broad; 
sheath 4-1 in. long, mouth hairy; spikes 2, shortly stalked, 
opposite, spreading; rachis narrow, glabrous; spikelets 7 in. 
long, elliptic-lanceolate, acute, biconvex, sessile, glabrous; 
glumes 3, I and II equal and similar, membranous, acute; 
stigmas purple. 
On tidal mud; rather common. Talaimannar; Negombo. F's. 
April, Aug. 
Tropics generally. 
Breakwell, Grasses and Fodder Plants of N.S.W. p. 44, states that 
** Water Couch is known in America as Eternity grass, Knot grass, or 
Joint grass, and there credited with being a particularly valuable fodder 
plant. .. . Dairymen on the Hunter, Manning and Macleay Rivers 
are quite content to devote whole paddocks to it during the summer 
and autumn months rather than lay down Paspalum dilitatum. It 
will stand a good deal of feeding off, and must be considered an 
excellent grass for fattening and producing milk.’’ 
2. P. Metzii Steud. Syn. p. 21 (1854). P. scrobiculatum Hk. f. in 
Fl. Brit. Ind. VII, p. 10 (1897) pp. non Linn. ?P. coromandelianum 
Lamk. Ill. I, p. 175 (1791). 
Perennial; stems tufted or creeping, prostrate, sometimes 
rooting at the lower nodes; leaves 14-5 in. long, up to 0-2 in. 
broad; margins scaberulous, midrib rather broad; sheath 
1-24 in. long; spikes 1-4, usually 2, subsessile, alternate, 
ascending; rachis 0:05 in. broad, glabrous; spikelets under 
fo in. long, sub-orbicular, sessile, glabrous; glumes 3, I and 
II equal and similar, membranous; gl. III coriaceous, 
polished; stigmas white; anthers pale yellow. 
In wet places; common. Peradeniya; Gampola; Anuradhapura; 
Tissa-maha-rama ; Akimena, Galle; Hunasgiriya; Morakande, Gala- 
gedera. Fls. Oct. 
Also in India? 
This appears to be the wild form of P. scrobiculatum rather than 
P. Commersonti. The author is indebted to Dr. A. S. Hitchcock of 
Washington for the identification of this species. 
3. P. SCROBICULATUM Linn. 
This is here restricted to the cultivated plant. 
Part V. 
