aNdRopo<;<)\t..i-; 



F4I 



Coix lachryma-fofoi, L. 



This is a tall monoecious leafy annual (rarely perennial) grass 

 with stout, smooth, polished, freely branching stems rooting at the 

 lower nodes and varying in length from 3 to 5 feet or more. 



The leaf-shcath is long, usually smooth but occasionally with 

 scattered tubercle-based hairs. The ligule is a narrow membrane. 

 The nodes are glabrous. 



The leaf-blade is long, fiat, narrow or broad, acuminate, cordate 

 at base, with a stout midrib and many slender veins on both sides, 

 usually glabrous on both sides though occasionally with scattered 

 hairs, and with spinulosely serrate margins, varying from 4 to 18 

 inches in length and ^ to 2 inches in breadth. 



The inflorescence consists of nodding or drooping spiciform 

 racemes, I to 1^ inches long, terminating the branches. The 

 racemes consist of many male spikelets with one (rarely twoHemale 

 spikelets at the base ; the rachis is stout above, and the part within 

 the bract enclosing the female spikelet is slender. 



The male spikelets are imbricating, 2 or 3 at a node of the rachis, 

 one sessile and one or two pedicelled, dorsally compressed articu- 

 late at the base and persistent, very variable in size Y% to Y\ inch. 



FlG. 126. Coix Lachryma-Jobi. 



1. Inflorescence ; 2. ihe female spikelet, 3. male spikelets: 4, 5, 6 and 8, the lirst, 

 second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of a male spikelet; 7 and 9. palea of the 

 third and the fourth glumes, respectively. 



There are four flumes in the spikelet. The first glume is oblong- 

 lanceolate, chartaceous, 35 inch long, acute, many-nerved, concave 

 with inflexed margins bearing narrow green many-veined wings- 

 The second glume is similar to the first, but thinner and without the 

 wings 5- to 9- or rarely II-nerved. The third glume is oblong-lanceo- 

 late, hyaline, faintly 3- to 5-nerved, paleate and with three stamens. 

 The fourth glume is similar to the third, paleate with or without 

 stamens. 



The female spikelet is enclosed by a closed bract which finally 

 becomes hardened, and there are four glumes in the spikelet. The 



