22. Eleusine.J 139. GRAMINEM. 



A. Glumes not awned. Spkts. mostly pointing- forward : — 

 Spikes slender, nearly glabrous at base. Seed oblong obtusely 



3-gonous 1. iiidica. 



Spikes stout, often incurved, pubescent at base, seed globose . 2. coracana. 



B. Glumes awned. Spkts. at right angles to rhachis. Seed sub- 



globose, very rugose 3. cegyptiaca. 



1. E. indica, Gaert.n. Nandia, Or. ; Kodai, M. ; Bir kode, A'. ; Malan- 



kuri, H. (f. Roxb.). 

 A rather robust tufted annual 1-3 ft. high with loose sheaths and 

 usually flat leaf-blades 3-12" long and up to -25" wide. Spikes 3-7 

 erect or spreading at the top of the stem Avith sometimes a subsidiary 

 lower whorl, 2-5" long, the spikelets mostly pointing forwards (empty 

 gl. i and ii often spreading after fall of the fruit). Spikelets up 

 to -25" long, usually much smaller, 3-5-flowered. Gl. i about -07", 

 1 -nerved ; ii 3-nerved close to the keel, sometimes apiculate, not 

 awned ; iii-v (rarely more) -12", but decreasing somewhat in size 

 upwards, cymbiform, obtuse, subobtuse or apiculate, nerves all in 

 the keel, margins broad hyaline ; palea shorter 2-nerved, reduplicate 

 or margins reflexed. Grain -OS-'OG" long, seed chestnut, oblong and 

 obtusely 3-gonous with oblique base, transversely rugose, sometimes 

 obscurely, tip obtuse or rounded. 



Common, Purneah! Santal Parg., iV«st?r ! Monghyr, ilfo-tim ! Unuchi, IFood [ 

 Manbhum, Crtwp. ! Singbhum ! V ari, TVahhl FL, Fr. Aug.-Oct. Annual. 

 Peduncle glabrous below the spikes. Keel of glumes sometimes scaberulous. 



2. E. coracana, Gaertn. Syn. E. indica, var. coracana, J. D. H. 



Marua, H. ; Murha, Beiuj. ; Kode, K., S. ; Mandia, Or. Also 



Mandua, Ragi, vern. 

 Stouter than E. indica, 2-4 ft. high Avith the leaves often far over- 

 topping the stem •2--27" broad with compressed loose sheaths and ligule 

 of hairs. Spikes 4-7, suberect with their ends or whole spike frequently 

 incurved, rhachis of spikes often pubescent at base, somewhat 3- 

 gonous, or back flattened. Spikelets much congested, awnless, 3- 

 6-fld. Fig. glumes more broadly ovate than in indica, and often with 

 1-2 nerves in the sides, variable in size, up to -2" long. Seed globose, 

 dark brown, smooth in some varieties, at other times somewhat 

 rugose, about -07" diam., Avith a depressed black hilum and slightly 

 flattened on one side. 



Cultivated only. Gya, Moldm ! Monghyr, Mokim ! One of the most frequent 

 crops throughout Chota Nagpur and indeed throughout the province ! Fl., Fr. 

 Sept. -Nov. 



This is probably the cultivated form of J?, indica according to Hooker and others. 

 It is often said to be a good fodder. This is not my experience, the leaves though 

 soft have very tenacious vascular strands and I have noticed animals frequently 

 reject them after chewing a few times. It is easily grown and the out-turn of 

 grain very high and of good quality. The form with straight, not incurved, spikes 

 is called E. strictu bj- Boxhurgh. 



3. E. segyptiaca, Desf. Suntu bukuic', S. 



Erect or geniculate at the base, 8"-2 ft. high, often proliferously 

 branched at the thickened nodes. Leaves 2-6" long by •1--2" broad, 

 rarely up to 10" long, ciliate on nerves or midrib and margins ; 

 sheath hairy or ciliate above. Spikes stout, 3-6, '5-1 -3" rarely 2'' 



970 



