i?ANlCE,E 6? 



I inch long. The rachis of the spike is very slender, angular, 

 flexuous, narrower than the spikelets, scaberulous with a few long 

 cilia at the angles. 



The spikelets are very small, 1/16 inch long, turned all to one side 

 and closely packed in two rows, oblong or oval-oblong, obtuse or 

 subacute, softly hairy, pale green or purplish, with very short 

 pedicels which are pubescent with a few long hairs towards the 

 thickened cupular tips. 



There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is very 

 small, membranous, glabrous, broader than long, cordate or 

 triangular, broadly but shallowly emarginate, nerveless or very 

 obscurely I- to 2-nerved. The second glume is pale or purplish 5- 

 nerved, hairy, as long as the third glume, membranous, oblong and 

 obtuse. The third glume is pale, nearly equal to the second glume 

 with a longitudinal depression at the back, less hairy than the 

 second glume, 3-nerved (rarely 5-nerved also) ; palea is present, and 

 it is hyaline, shorter than the glume, truncate or shallowly retuse, 

 usually barren but occasionally with three stamens. The fourth 

 glume is oblong, rounded, coriaceous, smooth, shining, dorsally 

 flattened, 3- or indistinctly 5-nerved ; palea is similar to the glume 

 in texture and with folded margins. There are three stamens 

 with yellow anthers. Lodicules are two, very small and distinct. 

 Ovary has two styles with feathery stigmas white at first, but 

 turning deep purple while withering. 



This delicate and small grass occurs here and there as mere 

 tufts especially in sheltered situations. It usually flourishes in 

 black cotton soils amidst cholam {Andropogon Sorghum), although 

 it thrives equally well in other rich soils. This is considered to 

 be a very good fodder grass. 



Distribution. — It is fairly common all over the Madras Presi- 

 dency, and goes up to 3,000 or 4,000 feet. It occurs in Africa, 

 America and Italy. 



