134 THE TRUE GRASSES. 



zone of the Old World ; one (E. Indica Gartn.) is a weed in 

 all warmer countries. E. Coracana Gartn. (" Korakan" 

 or "Dagussa;" " Mandua" in N. India, "Mania"' in 

 Bengal, " Kagi " in S. India) has thick spikes, and a 

 seed which is marked with very fine comb-like lines. It 

 is probably derived from E. Indica (see above), whose ob- 

 long seeds are marked with more distinct comb-like lines, 

 and whose spikes are more slender. " Korakan" is 

 cultivated in E. India, Sunda Islands, S. China, Japan, 

 and especially through the whole of Africa. In many 

 parts of Africa it forms the principal food in spite of the 

 bitter taste of the flour. A kind of bread or unleavened 

 cake is made from it. In Abyssinia and Niarn Niam a 

 tolerably good beer is brewed from it. In India it is 

 much prized, as it yields good harvests from very poor 

 soil. 



191. (191) Dactyloctenium Willd. Empty glumes 

 strongly mucronate-pointed. The pericarp is absorbed 

 before the fruit is ripe. 



Species one {D. jEgyptiacum Willd., with several varie- 

 ties), which occurs as a weed throughout all warm coun- 

 tries. A decoction is prepared from the seeds, which is 

 used in Africa for inflammation of the kidneys. 



192. (230 §) Coelachyrum Nees. Small, annual plants, 

 with short spikes and no prolongation of the axis ; fruit 

 a utricle whose pericarp is easily loosened at an early 

 period, leaving the shield-shaped seed marked with prom- 

 inent radial Hues. 



Species two, C. brevi/olium Nees in Arabia and G. 

 Indicum Hack. (Eragrostis brevifolia Benth.) in India. 



193. (192) Leptochloa Beauv. (Oxydenia Nutt., Rab- 

 dochloa Beauv.). Inflorescence a panicle formed of 

 numerous slender spikes ; spikelets small, two-oo -flow- 

 ered, rarely one-flowered, compressed ; glumes and palea 

 keeled ; flowering glume obtuse or acute, rarely awned. 



Species twelve, in the warmer countries of both hemi- 

 spheres. One, L. mucronata Kunth, in temperate North 

 America. 



194. (193) Buchloe Engelm. (Bulbilis Bafinesque). Male 

 plant with 2-4 short unilateral spikes, spikelets obtuse, 



