22. Anthistibia.] 97. GRAMINEM. [24. Eleusinb. 



Btalks in the axils of leafy bracts, Ihe globose or fan-shaped 

 fascicles panicled. Spikes inside the involucre reduced to one 

 sessile and two barren slender pedicelled spikelets. Sessile 

 fertile spikelet brown with an awn 2'' long, 



Nalas and depressions, chiefly on the shady sides of hills. Fls. Nov. 



Bristles on spikelets and spathe, if present, few. 



2. A. ciliata, L- 



Somewhat resembling the last or weak and somewhat 

 Ifcrambling. Spikelets and spathes nnder the spikes usually 

 clothed with numerous tubercle-based bristles and spikelets 

 much smaller than in last. Awn 1-1|". 

 Moist errassy places. Fls. Nov. 



8. A. gigantea, Gav. Kus ghas, S. 



A very large ca33pitose grass 10-20 ft. high with stout 

 rootstock, flatteued stems, and markedly equitant leaves 2-5 ft. 

 fey §-*f' ' with scabrous margins. Panicles very long slender 

 with nodding branches. In volucral spikelets §-§*. Fertile 

 spikelets 2-3 densely rufously hirsute. 



Along nalas and ravines, not very common. Fls. Nov.-Dec. 



L. glabrous. Callus of sessile spikelet pungent barbed with rufous 

 hairs, so that the ripe fruita become a pest in places where it is frequent. 

 Awn usually absent. 



Cynodon dactylon, Pers. The Dub grass although of 

 little forest value deserves notice as being probably the best 

 fodder grass, at least for horses, in India; 



It is a prostrate and ascending somewhat glaucous grass with short 

 stems and markedly distichous short leaves with a hairy ligule. The 

 gpikelets are minute A-rV' secund in 2-5 digitate spikes 1-2'' long on a 

 Blender erect peduncle and with very slender rachis. Glumes 3 only, I 

 and II empty ovate with scabrid keels, III larger ovmbiform awnleBS 

 with scabrid keel and margin 



Comparatively scarce in Chota Nagpur, usually in damp sandy place&. 



JBleusine Coracana, Goertn, Iri, Ho ; Kode, K.8., is a grass very 

 toommonly cultivated for its grain. It is 1J-3 ft. high with compressed 

 stems and 4-6 digitate stout usually incurved spikes. It is rather stringy 

 as a fodder. A. wild species E. aegyptiaca, Desf., with more slender spikes 



582 



