162 SOUTH INDIAN GRASSES 



2 i . Eremochloa, Buse. 



These are tufted perennial grasses with rigid equitant leaves at 

 the base. The inflorescence consists of a solitary, glabrous, and 

 compressed spike, with a somewhat fragile rachis; the joints are 

 compressed, hollow and clavate. The spikelets are solitary, usual- 

 ly 2-flowered (rarely I-flowered), secund, closely imbricating, 

 sessile with a short, pedicelled, reduced upper spikelet, and deci- 

 duous with the joint. There are four glumes. The first glume is 

 oblong or ovate, fiat, smooth, coriaceous, pectinately margined with 

 upcurved spines. The second glume is oblong-lanceolate, acute 

 and 3-nerved. The third glume is hyaline, obtuse, paleate and 

 male. The fourth glume is smaller, hyaline, oblong, obtuse, I- 

 nerved, paleate, bisexual or female. Lodicules are truncate and 

 slightly oblique. Stamens are three with long anthers. Styles 

 are two with feathery stigmas. The grain is oval, plano-convex. 



