139. GRAMINEM. [45. Oplismenus. 



All our wild specimens have a more or less pronounced fringe of stiff hairs in 

 the place of a ligule, and should therefore according to some authorities be main- 

 tained as a separate species (E. stagnina). 



45. OPLISMENUS, Beauv. 



Leafy weak grasses creeping below then ascending. Leaves ovate- 

 lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, acuminate, flat, with scaberulous 

 margins, base narrower than the middle, unequal, ligule short with 

 long hairs. Spikelets sessile or subsessile, 1 -flowered, solitary or 

 fascicled on a simple spike or on panicled (racemed) secund spikes. 

 Glumes 4. Tnvol. glumes usually subequal, i awned, ii often with a 

 shorter awn ; iii longest 5-9-nerved with a very short awn or not, 

 paleate or not; iv 2-sexual, 5-7-nerved, coriaceous hardening in fruit, 

 palea similar. Lodicules 2, minute stamens 3. Grain free within the 

 glume and pale. 

 Rhachis of spikes without long white hairs. Spkts. over •!" with 



rigid viscid awn to glume i 1. compositiis, 



Rhachis of spikes with long white hairs. Spkts. *1" or less with 



capillary minutely barbellate awns 2. Barmanni 



L 0. compositus, Beauv. Bans-pati, Vera. ; Kau-guria, Or. 



Stems creeping and rooting below then ascending and 1-3 ft. high 

 slender glabrous striate. Leaves lanceolate acuminate 2-7" by 

 •75-1", base often ciliate, ligule short membranous ciliate. Panicle 

 with 3-quetrous rhachis 4-8" long with sub-secund solitary, geminate 

 or clustered distant spikes 1-3" long. Spkts. 1-2-nate, •12-- 14" 

 (exc. awn), sometimes one imperfect reduced to an aM'ned gUime, 

 generally several hairs or long bristles at their insertion. Gl. i, -OS-'l" 

 with a red viscous rigid rather stout awn •15--4" long ; ii 5 (-7)- 

 nerved shortly awned or not, shorter than iii, iii longest, lanceolate, 

 elliptic 7-9-nerved, mucronate; palea narrow or 0; iv lanceolate to 

 elliptic coriaceous shining. All glumes frequently silky or hispidulous. 



In damp shady places, usually sub-gregarious. Rajmahal Hills, Knrz ! Ranchi, 

 especially on the higher elevations ! Palamau, 3000 ft. ! Singbhum, near nalas ! 

 Hazaribagh, on Parasnath, Clarke, etc. ! FL, Fr. Oct.-Dec. Perennial. 



There are numerous forms. That in our area has usually leaves 5-6" long with 

 the sheaths ciliate above and often with long villi at the base of the blade 

 (pubescent beneath in the Parasnath plant). Rhachis shortly hispid-pubescent. 

 Spikes erect or spreading. Spkts. solitary or often with a rudimentary added 

 and frequently with bristles at the base. The awns always glandular. 



It is not eaten by cattle and horses also dislike it. 



2. 0. Burmanni, Beauv. Same vernacular names as the last. 



A very delicate leafy grass diffusely branched with ascending stems 

 6-18" long. Leaves -5-2" long ovate-lanceolate acuminate, with 

 fine scattered white hairs both sides, sheaths closely ciliate towards 

 the mouth. Peduncle usually very long and slender under the short 

 panicle which has 3-6 secund spikes -2—6" long only, the axes of 

 which are clothed with slender white hairs often exceeding the spkt. 

 Spkts. -07-- 1" long, secund, 1-2-nate on short pedicels furnished with 

 slender hairs like those on the axis. Gl. i with a capillary, not viscid 

 but minutely scabrid aAvn •3--4" long, ovate, 3-5-nerved ; ii subequal, 

 5-nerved also awned, awn •1--2" long; iii -l; with an awn about 



999 



