DESCRIPTIONS OF TRIBES AND GENERA. 43 



cicles of spikes in the axils of the leaves composed of $ 

 spikelets above and ? below ; the latter with rather 

 long sterile glumes that are cartilaginous below and 

 chartaceous above, completely enclosing the narrow 

 joints of the rachis. 



Species three, in the East Indies, one (P. macrophylht 

 Benth.) in Louisiade Archipelago. 



5. (34) Chionachne Brown. Culm much branched, 

 branches terminated by spikes that are subtended by a 

 sheathing leaf. Spikes with 1-5 ? and many (usually 

 in pairs) $ spikelets. Similar to Coix (see below r ), but 

 the fruit capsule is formed by the first empty glume. 



Species three, in the East Indies, Malayan Archipel- 

 ago to Australia. 



6. (35) Sclerachne Brown. Like the preceding, but 

 the spikes, which are half enclosed in the leaf-sheath, 

 have only one <? spikelet, and the $ spikelet has an 

 appendage upon the first empty glume. Species one (S. 

 punctata Brown) in Java. 



7. (32) Coix L. (Lithagrostis Gartn.). Culm branched 

 repeatedly, branches ending in one or two short, ivory- 

 like, nearly globose capsules with an orifice at the top, 

 and surrounding the ? inflorescences, each of which con- 

 tains one fertile and 1-2 sterile (often reduced to a pedicel) 

 spikelets ; the $ inflorescence projects out of the orifices 

 of the capsules, and is composed of spikelets in pairs. 

 The capsule is formed by the sheath of the leaf at the 

 base of the $ inflorescence, and often shows a rudimen- 

 tary blade. Glumes of the ? spikelets delicate ; style 

 long, stigma short, hairy. 



Species 3-4, in India and China, and from there (0. 

 Lacryma L., Tear-grass ["Job's Tears"], Fig. 12) spread 

 throughout the tropical zone ; cultivated in China be- 

 cause the fruit is believed valuable as a diuretic and anti- 

 phthisis. In Catholic countries the fruit capsule is used 

 for rosaries. 



Tribe II. — Andropogoneje. 



Spikelets in spike-like racemes (cf. remarks on May- 

 dew), two (rarely only one) at each joint of the usually 



