Plate 1764. 



COIX LACHRYMA, L., var. stenocarpa. 



Graminejj. Tribe Maydeje. 



C. Lachryma, L. ; Kunth, Enum. Plant i. 20, var. stenocarpa ; a forma 

 typica differt tantum : involucris interdum superpositis elongatis 

 anguste cylindraceis, basin versus et ad apicem ssepius leviter angustatis. 



Hab. * Burma/ communicated by Br. G. Watt, Reporter on Economic 

 Products to the Indian Government. We have also a form, with 

 shorter involucres, collected at Mergui by Mr. Griffith. 



Dr. Watt says the strong involucres are c used by the Karens, of 

 Burma, to ornament their garments, and by the Angami Nagas, of 

 Assam, to decorate their earrings.' The Kew Herbarium possesses also 

 a packet of the same involucres, obtained by the Chief Commissioner 

 of Burma, and communicated through the India Office ; also a letter 

 from Mr. R. Bruce, of Balipara, Assam, to Mr. C. H. Read, of the 

 British Museum, saying that the involucres are known to ' the Assamese 

 and the Meris, and called by them the " Cowr monee," or Crow-bead, 

 from the fondness of these birds for this berry/ 



I have not thought it necessary to describe in detail the floral struc- 



figured, for the typical form, in Webb 



d 



Berthelot, ' Hist. Nat. Canar.,' tabb. 242-3, and in Martius, ' Flora 

 Bras.' (Grammes*), ii. pt. 2, tab. 10. 



Our involucres vary from 5 to 9 lines in length. They are usually 



D. Oliver. 



h 



Fig. 1. Spikelet of staminate flowers. 2. Outer glume of same. 3. Stamens 

 and lodicules. 4. Pistillate floret. 5. Glumes of same, laid open. 6. iwu. 

 7. Sulcate face of caryopsis. 8. Same, transverse section. Enlarged. 



