MM I.KI- iiK INK 



(.'») .Sii .1. 1 ». Hooker is (lisjiosed to c-ijiisidi-i- that S. 

 viridis. /)'(■<<)/('., is possibly the wilt! foiiii of IS' 

 italiia. This i^^iass does not extend southwards 

 so far as any part of the Bond>ay Presiilenty. 



(G) tS. giacillinia. Hook. /., is confined to Ceylon, and finally 

 there is 



(7) S. forlH'siana, Uonh. /., which has lieen leiorded fiinn 

 the Konkaii by Lislioa. 



Till' purpose of this note is to deseiibe the two cultivated 

 species of the genus as found in the Bond)ay Presidency only. 

 The descriptions are founded on many plots of specimens raised 

 from grain received from all districts duriiit;' the seasons ]i)0(i- 

 I'JO". The characters of the genus with its two species may be 

 shortly expressed as follows : — 



Sktakia. 



Annual, lulled grasses. Sjiike/cl'< smoulh, one Howered. 

 awnless, shortly stalked, articulate and clustered on the very 

 short branches of a spiciform panicle, subtended by persistent 

 involucels of few or many l)arbed bristles (barren branches) 

 which are usually connate at the very base, h'/ium-s 4, membran- 

 ous, with the exception of IV, which l)ocoincs bony, I ecjual to .', 

 Ill or shorter, II almost cijual u> IV. Ill iieutii-, paleate, IV 

 at first coriaceous, becoming bony, plano-convex, bisexual, paleate, 

 ))'{lf coriaceou.s, .ttutyvtis 3, slij/cs 'J, distinct, penicillati' at the 

 tips, (irniii snuxli, free, but permanently 'iiclosed within the 

 thickened glume and pale. 



A short, densely tufted plant, sy/Z/vN erect, nairow. Bri.tllat 

 (■( to H below each spikelct. filnrnr IV traiisv eisely lugose 



I. S. glauca. 



Taller, not densely lulled. -Spi/.i-s usually nodding, broader 

 and longer, lirtst/rs I to !) b(dow cacji s|iikclct. ^7'///M• IV (piite 



smooth 'J. ,S italica. 



Sfid's straw colouivil : with short oi' no bristles, secondary 

 spikes arranged spirally, siiit'acs convex, tlnMr 



