BOMBAY GBASSJES. 369 



hispid or scabrous owing to minute murication turned upwards. 

 Branches erect or nodding ; capillary^ plumose or flaccid, 2-3 inches 

 long, generally two together, one a little longer than the other, often 

 arising from a common very short (about h line), rather thick 

 peduncle, which is soon divided into two branches. Each of these is 

 dichotomously subdivided into filiform branchlets, the latter bearing 

 towards the upper part 2-3 spikelets, supported on pedicels 2-5 lines 

 long. The internodes or spaces between the origin of branches are 

 about f to 1 inch. Spikelets 4-5 inches long. First glume pointed, 

 4 lines or 4^ lines long, including the awn-like point ; mid rib 

 prominent, with muricated or stiff hairs turned upwards. Second 

 glume nearly equal, two-toothed or jagged. Flowering glume folded 

 over the flower, 3 lines long, ending in three awns ; the central twisted 

 and bent, 13 lines long, the bent portion about 9 lines long ; the 

 lateral awns straight, not twisted, about 6 lines, terminating a little 

 above the bent portion of the middle awn. The rachis between the 

 outer and flowering glumes is about half a line long, surrounded with 

 numerous white hairs. Stamens 3, Styles 2. Palea minute, two- 

 ribbed, pointed. Caryopsis small, almost rounded. 



This grass appears to resemble a species of Aristida, but its natural 

 place is in Stifci. This elegant grass is common in the Deccan ; 

 also in Burdwan. Used in ornamenting bouquets. 



Spokobolus, R. Br. 



8. commutatus, Bois. Yilfa commutata^ Trin., Sp. Gram., Plate X. 



A small annual. Culms ramous, lower part leafy, upper naked. 

 Leaves shoi't, linear and flat; margins scabrous. Sheaths pilose. 

 Ligula consists of short hairs. Panicle 1-3 inch. long. Branches 

 many in verticles, naked to the middle, short, spreading. Spikelets 

 very small (about I line), acute, glabrous. Inferior glume is 

 shorter by about jth. 



Grows everywhere in India in sandy or stony places, but is not 

 common. Uses not known. 



S. coromandelianus, Kunth., Rtv. Gram. PL, 126; Dalz. and 

 Gibbs., Bomh. Fl., 290 ; Vilfa coromandeliana , Beauv., Agrost., 16 ; 

 Agrostis coromandeliana, Retz. Obs., IV, 19. 

 Trin., Sp. Gram., PI. XI. 

 47 



