139. GRAMINE^. [90. Zea. 



involucral bract has a well-developed lamina 2-5" long. The leaves in both are 

 linear and there are no remarks on habit. 



89. EUCHLiENA, Schmd. 



Stout and tall annuals \\dth very broadly linear or oblong leaves. 

 Male spikelets 2-nate (sessile and pedicelled) on the spiciform fascicled 

 branches of a terminal panicle, 2-fld. with coriaceous glumes. Female 

 spikelets in 2 -ranked spikes which are clustered in the leaf axils, not 

 fused as in the Maize, joints trapezoidal oblique articulate excavate 

 with the margins of the excavation embracing the cartilaginous outer 

 glume and with it forming a smooth pseudocarp. 



1. E. mexicana, Schrad., var. luxurians. Syn. Reana luxurians, Brogn. 



A large very succulent grass 3-6 ft. high. Leaves long 2-3" wide. 

 Male spkts. •3--35" long crowded in long spikes in a corymb 6-10" 

 long. Fern, spikes in the leaf axils. 



Native of Central America. Often grown for fodder (by Europeans), but it does 

 not stand drought well. Horses are very fond of it. 



90. ZEA, L. Maize. 



Tall stout annual with large leaves, the axils of the lower bearing 

 the female inflorescences. Male inflorescence terminal on the same 

 plant, of panicled spiciform racemes with 2-nate spikelets shortly 

 unequally pedicelled or one sessile on the inarticulate rhachis, both 

 similar, 2-fld., with subequal ext. glumes 9-10-nerved, floral gl. more 

 or less hyaline 3-5-nerved, palea similar 2-nerved, lodicules fleshy, 

 stamens 3. Female spikelets sessile densely crowded in vertical 

 series on the thick central axis of a cylindro-conical sheathed inflores- 

 cence, which is probabh^ the coalescent axis of several spikes, 2-nate, 

 each with a lower barren and an upper fertile floret ; ext. -glumes very 

 broad, fleshy below, hyaline above, nerveless, ciliate ; floral glumes 

 2 shorter and eciliate. Ovary obliquely ovoid, style very long, 2-fid 

 at the tip, exserted in long silky tassels from the large bracts which 

 sheathe the inflorescence. Fruit large, becoming exserted from the 

 small glumes. 



One species only, native of America. 



1. Z. Mays, L. Bhutta, Makai, Vern. ; Jondra, M. ; Maize ; Indian 

 Corn. 



Cultivated in all districts, but chiefly in Chota Nagpur, Gya and north of the 

 Ganges (Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, etc.). Frequently the first crop sown on jhumed 

 lands. Usually reaped at the end of the r.s. (Sept.-Oct.). 



Yellow, red and white grained varieties are grown in Chota Nagpur ; the usual 

 colour being a deep yellow. Special varieties are grown in gardens for cooking 

 and eating in the unripe state. 



Saftca, which is so often given in water as a drink for horses, is frequently made 

 of ground Maize (at other times of grou.nd parched gram and barley), biit it is 

 considered inferior. 



1065 



