49. Brack I ARIA.] 139. GRAMINE.E. 



the axis and the convex side of gl. iv away from the axis) closely 

 appressed to and 2-seriate (sometimes obscurely) on the 3-quetrous 

 or flat rhachis of spiciform racemes, which are subsessile on the 

 rhachis of a simple or somewhat compound (racemes sometimes 

 branched near the base) panicle. Gl. i shortest, usually very small ; 

 ii 5-7 -nerved ; iii resembling ii and subequal but side nerves more 

 towards the margin (unequally spaced), male or neuter, palea with 

 conspicuous inflexed flaps below, rarely absent ; iv oblong or elliptic 

 muticous or contracted into an apiculus, crustaceous with involute 

 margins tightlj^ embracing the 2-keeled palea. Lodicules 2. St. 3. 

 Styles distinct. Grain tightly enclosed, more or less flattened on 

 both faces. 



Very close to Brochiaria aud the difference in the orientation of the spikelets 

 not always very clear (see note under Urochloa and U. reptans), 

 I. Spikelets minute, "Oo-'OS" long', crowded : — 



Pedicels all very short, racemes simple with filiform rhachis 



on a simple panicle 1. isachne, 



II. .Spikelets •1--15":— 



A. Pedicels very short. Racemes 2-4 simple, spreading . . 2. distacht/itm. 



B. Spkts. solitary and 2-nate, one of each pair with elongated 



pedicels or all pedicels elongated. Racemes often with a 

 short branch at the base : — 



1. Leaves lanceolate with cordate base ciliate or ciliolate 



(linear in one form of ramosa but then spkts. 



crowded) : — 

 Spkts. mostly densely crowded, spikes suberect close, 



rhachis often with few fine hairs 3. ramosa. 



Spkts. remote, spikes few distant without hairs . . 4. Kurzii. 



2. Leaves linear, glabrous. or minutely pubescent at base : — 



Spkts. remote in lax rather irregular racemes . . . 5. remota, 



1. B. isachne, Roth. 



A very slender grass Avith many decumbent and ascending stems 

 <3-18" long, the nodes and mouth of sheaths bearded. Leaves 

 narrowly lanceolate, lower 1-3-5" upper often very small, acuminate. 

 Spikelets -OS-'OT" long only, crowded, distichously secund in erect 

 or suberect spikes •3--8" long closely alternately arranged on the 

 angular rhachis of a simple raceme, and longer than its internodes. 

 Rhachis of spikes flattened, villous, as ar-e the spikelets. 



Rajmahal (Santal Parg.), Mokim ! Singbhum. Clarice ! Fl., Fr. Oct.-Nov. 



L. glabrous or softly hairy slightly narrowed to the rounded base. Rhachis of 

 spikes narrower than the spikelet. Spkts. very pale, glumes membranous, 

 i minute, only about 'Ol" long, but very broad and embracing the rhachilla; ii 

 elliptic-ovate,' silky, 3-nerved, acute, iii = ii, back rather depressed, margins 

 inflexed, 3-nerved, silky; iv -05" oval, smooth polished; palea rather concave on 

 the back. 



2. B. distachyum, comb. nov. Syn. Panicum distachyum, L. 



A slender creeping grass with ascending stems 8-20" long, glabrous 

 or panicle sparsely hairy. Leaves lanceolate to linear-lanceolate or 

 linear acuminate 2-6" by •12--25" widest at the rounded or amplexi- 

 caul base ; sheaths closely ciliate. Spkts. spicately arranged in two 

 (-one) series on the 2-4 spreading flattened branches l-2-5"-long of a 

 simple panicle-rhachis, elliptic -oblong, glabrous, •1--15" long (mostly 

 about -12"). Gl. i embracing the spkt. and margins overlapping 

 below, one-third to nearly ^ spkt., 3-nerved, obtuse or subacute ; 



100-1 



