Polytoca.~\ CLXXIII. GRAMINEJB. (J. D. Hooker.) 101 



embracing the rachis, at length crustaceous ; II thin, acuminate; III 

 hyaline, epaleate ; IV hyaline, paleate, fertile. Staminodes and lodicules 

 0. Ovary minute ; styles long, stigmas slender. Grain very small, 

 orbicular, enclosed iu the hardened outer gls. Species 8, tropical Asiatic 

 and Australian. 



* Infl. mostly compound ; male spikelets terminal, superposed, Miry ; 

 fern. 3-7. Pedicelled fern, spikelets of one bract-like gl. terminating the 

 joint of the rachis. Spathes always tightly closed. 



1. P. bracteata, Br. in Bennett PL Rav. Jav. 20, t. 5 ; male spikes 

 rather stiff, pedicelled , spikelets mostly (nearly all) rudimentary and 

 adnate to the rachis. Steud\ Fyn. Gram. Coix heteroclita, Soxb. Fl. 

 Ind. III. 572 ; Wall.-Gat. n. 862', . \ 



SIKKIM TERAI, ASSAM and the KHASIA HILLS, ascending to 5000 ft. BURMA, 

 on the Shan hills, Collett. DISTRIB. Tonkin. 



Stem 3-5 ft., stout or slender ; sheaths and leaves glabrous, or hirsute with 

 tuhercled-based hairs. Leaves 1^-2 ft. by f-1 in., margins rough, base contracted. 

 Inflorescence 3-6 in., usually long-pedicelled and digitate ; lower branches spreading 

 ordeflexed; rachis hairy. Male spikelets in., glabrous or pubescent; fern, spike- 

 lets le^s than in., pale, shining rudimentary pedicelled spikelets lanceolate, ^-1 

 in. long, at length spreading ; gl. I oblong, obtuse or emarginate, 2-keeled. 



2. P. Wallichiana, Benth. in Journ. Linn. Soc. xix. (1881) 52 ; male 

 spikes slender flexuous, pedicelled spikelets free. Cyathorhachis Walli- 

 chiaria, Nees ex Steud. Syn. Gram. 403. Gen. Nov. Wall. Cat. n. 8629. 



BURMA; Prome and Tenasserim, Wallich-, Pegu, M'Lelland, &c. ; Tenasserim, 

 Wallidi, Heifers. 



Stem leaves and sheaths glabrous or hispid with tubercle -based bristles. Leaves 

 2-3 ft. by 1-1 in., lower narrowed from the middle to the base. Terminal infl. 

 often long peduncled, branches 2-2^ in. ; lateral more or less enclosed in the spathe ; 

 rachis hairy. Male spikelets % in. ; fern, as long, pale, shining; rudimentary 

 pedicelled spikelets f in., lanceolate, at length spreading. 



** Terminal infl. only compound ; male not spathaceous, fern, spatha- 

 ceous, spathe at length expanded, lateral of simple spikes. Pedicelled fern, 

 spikelets of 2 jls., pedicels adnate to the rachis. 



3. P. Cookii. Stapf in Hook. Ic. PI. t. 2333 ; male infl. very fragile, 

 spikes 2-3 in., pedicelled spikelets free, fern, spikelets glabrous, gl. I 

 3-lobulate at the tip. 



N. CANARA and the CONCAN, Jacquemont, &c. 



Annual. Stem 3 ft. and leaves more or less hispid with tubercle-based hairs. 

 Leaves 1^-2 ft. by 2-3 in., margins thickened. Male infl. often long -peduncled, 

 rachis villous ; spikdets i in. Fern, spikes 1 in. long ; spathe 1-1 i by -in.,at 

 length open above ; rachis glabrous ; spikelets in. ; rudimentary gl. like I and H 

 of male, but smaller. 



** All infls. of simple bisexual spikes ; spikelets glabrous. 



4. P. semiteres, Benth. in Gen. Plant, iii. 1113. Spathes 1-1| in. 

 always closed, fern, spikelets 2 or more. Chionachne Wightii, Munro ex 

 Benth. in Gen. Plant. I. c. Tripsacum ? semiteres, Wall. Gat. n. 8628. 



The DECCAN PENINSULA; Palamcotta, Wight. BURMA; Taong-dong hills, 

 Wallich. 



Rootstock creeping; stems 2-2| ft., stiff, glabrous. Leaves 8-10 by - in., 

 rigid, tip setaceous, margins thickened ; sheaths glabrous or hairy. Spathe l-l in. 

 Spikes l-3 iu., male part stout, rachis glibrous ; spikelets \~\ in. glabrous; 



