45. Oplismenus.] 139. GRA3IINEJE. 



half the length of that of ii, 7-9-nerved ; empty : iv subequal, ovate, 

 ■acute. 



Gregarious on shady banks and often carpeting the ground in the forest (as in 

 the Betlah Forest. Paiainau). Gay a., Mokim I Santal Parg., iV«.s^-er ! Ranchi and 

 ♦Singbhum ! Hazaribagh (Parasnath), Clarke \ Manbhum, Canq)., common! 

 Palamau! Furi, Wahh I Fl., Fr. Sept.-Nov. 



This also is, I believe, not eaten hy cattle under ordinary circumstances. 



46. PASPALUM, L. 



Annual or perennial Avith linear, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate 

 leaves. Spikelets orbicular to oblong obtuse secund and generally 

 2-seriate on the flattened, winged or 3-gonous rhachis of soUtary 

 <ligitate or racemose spikes. Glumes 3, i absent, ii membranous as 

 long as the floral glumes (rarely short or obsolete), iii empty similar, 

 iv 2-sexual, chartaceous to sub-coriaceous, hardened in fruit. Palea 

 Jiearly as large, hardened in fruit. Lodicules 2 connate. St. 3. 

 ^Styles distinct, stigmas plumose, exserted from near the top. Frt, 

 tightly enclosed in the hardened glume and palea, dorsally subcom- 

 pressed, the flat side turned away from the rhachis. 



1. P. scrobiculatum, L. Kodo, H. ; Khodoa-dhan, Beng. ; Gara- 

 kode. A'. ; Janhe, S. ; Kodus, Or. 

 Stems 2-4 ft. high usually erect or ascending from a creeping 

 rootstock. Glabrous. Lower sheaths inflated and compressed, 

 hairy at the edges and ligule of long hairs hiding the very short 

 membrane. L. up to '4" broad, with scabrous margins. Spikes 2-6, 

 usually about 3 distant spreading on an angular almost 2-winged 

 rhachis, their own rhachis being 2-5" long expanded flat -07" broad, 

 scabrid on the edges. Spikelets very shortly pedicelled broadly 

 ellipsoid or orbicular -1" long subimbricate in two rows. Gl. ii and iii 

 3-7-nerved membranous ; iv crustaceous with inflexed margins embrac- 

 ing the edges of the coriaceous palea. Palea with the lower margins 

 broadly inflexed shallowly lobed and embracing the grain, striolate 

 with minute raised dots. 



Wild in ravines and glades in Singbhum and Purneah ! Santnl Parg., Nnskerl 

 Often cultivated on a small scale and frequently appearing self-sowu in other 

 crops in most districts. In the Santal Parg. and Manbhum it is sown about the 

 beginning of the rains on high land and reaped in November. Fl., Fr. Oct. -Nov. 



Watt states that the grain requires much care in preparation as it sometimes 

 develops a poisonous principle. 



47. PASPALIDIUM, mapf. 



Usually tufted and prostrate or branched from a decumbent base, 

 mostly perennial and growing in wet places with linear flat or involute 

 leaves. Ligule a ciliolate rim. Spikelets ovate to ovate-oblong or 

 ovate-lane, awnless solitary very shortly pedicelled secund on the 

 3-quetrous sometimes marginate rhachis of slender sessile spiciform 

 racemes, which are secund on a common 3-quetrous rhachis of a panicle 

 to which they are more or less appressed to the alternately hollowed- 

 out flanges of the latter. Gl. i minute to half as long as iv, abaxial ; 

 ii dissimilar longer 5-7-nerved ; iii similar to ii Avith the inner side- 



1000 



