139. GRAMINEM. [88. Coix. 



mediate tip of the closely appressed acumen of glume ii. Gl. i dorsally 

 compressed with inflexed margins about half way up which become 

 hardened, and inflexed membranous margins above, the keels also 

 winged ; ii broadly ovate with a very long narrow abrupt acumen, 

 the tip of which reaches tip of i and fits in between its 2 flaps, both 

 glumes many-nerved and becoming coriaceous in fruit, i more or less 

 villous. Stigmas -75" long on capillary styles. Callus large rounded. 



Frequent in the Duars and the Sikkim Tarai close to the Purneah border! and 

 no doubt occurs within it. Fl., Fr. Oct. 



This appears to agree with the specimens called bracteata in Herb. Kew, but if ifc 

 is that species the description in the F.B.I, is very inadequate and in many 

 respects it appears to combine the characters of Cookii, Stapf. The pedicelled 

 female spikelets at the base of the inflorescence have long free pedicels about 

 three-fourths length of sessile spkt., those at the top have very short or no free 

 portion except the cup which projects from near the top of the joint. Ped. fem. spkt, 

 "9" long, bract-like, with involute margin to the long and often only glume. The 

 rhachis both of male in all stages and female after flowering exceedingly fragile 

 with cupular ends to the joints. Male inflor. compound, gl. i bract-like, the 

 margins sharply inflexed as far as gl, ii, lane. -acuminate, sometimes with 2 teeth 

 each side of acumen, '45" long ; ii shining narrow oblong acuminate "3" with 

 inflexed margins covering edges of inner glumes, 7-nerved ; iii similar, 3-nerved 

 with an accurately fitting flat palea and 3 st. ; iv '28", nai'rower but similar. Ped. 

 male spkt. "o" with pedicel adnate nearly to tip, gl, i conduplicate, the margin 

 inflexed on one side ; ii '3" sharplj' subalately keeled, 9-nerved ; iii keeled, 3-nerved, 

 •3", its palea with margins folding the 2-3 st. ; iv •28", very hyaline with flat palea 

 and 3 st. 



88. COIX, L. Job's Tears, 



Stout long- and broad-leaved grasses with numerous axillary and 

 terminal spikes sometimes forming a large leafy panicle. Lower 

 spikelet solitary female enclosed in a finally hard polished nut-like 

 bract which sometimes also includes 2 rudimentary spkts. and through 

 which the male portion of the spike projects, Male spikelets 2-3-nate 

 at the nodes of the rhachis, one sessile and 1-2 pedicelled, lanceolate. 

 Glumes 4 ; i and ii subequal empty ; i keeled or winged along the 

 inflexed margins ; iii and iv hyaline, paleate, 3-androus or empty, 

 lodicules 2. Fem. spkt, ovoid acuminate, glumes 4 ; i chartaceous ; 

 ii-iv successively thinner, iv paleate with minute staminodes. Lodi- 

 cules 0, Ovary ovoid, styles 2, free, slender. Grain orbicular, 

 ventrally furrowed, enclosed in the hardened globose ovoid or cylindric 

 involucral bract. Whole spike ultimately deciduous from the trun- 

 cate annulate tip of peduncle. 



The following three species which are distinguished by Roxburgh may be merely 

 varieties of one. Prain distinguishes Lachryma-jobi by its having only 2-3 male 

 spikelets, but it often has many. 



Stems 3-5 ft., leaves relatively broad. Spikes mostly short 

 and spkts. mostly 2-nate .' 1. Lachryma-jobi. 



Stem very tall erect, leaves relatively narrow, spikes elongate 

 often cernuous. Spkts. mostly 3-nate 2, gigantea. 



Stems ver^' long, floating and creeping, spikes elongate drooping 3. aquatica. 



1. C. Lachryma-jobi, L. Horeng, M. (also Danghir in Ranchi) ; 

 Jargadi, 8. ; Kasai, Gond. ; Sankru, H. ; Gurgar, Kunch, Beng. 



A very stout grass with stems often -5" diam, near base and with 

 large broad leaves 4-18" long by 1-2" broad, linear-lanceolate from a 



1063 



