BOMBAY GBASSES. 361 



any considerable extent for hay, but it makes splendid feed, if cut 



while young. It will yield about 1| tons per acre It makes 



a splendid pasture plant, and that is generally what we use it for. 

 Stock are generally fond of it, until it goes to seed, and they some- 

 times use it when dry in winter." It is a common grass in the 

 Kandian country, Ceylon. 



S. rupestris. Trinius describes a grass under the name of Vilfa 

 nipestris, and gives a figure in his Species Gram. This however 

 appears to be a small variety of S. indicus. 



S. diander, Beauv., Agrost., 26 ; Dalz. and Gibs., Bomb. Fl., 296, 

 Agrostis diander, Retz, Obs., V., 19; Roxb., Fl. Ind., I, 317; Vilfa 

 diandra, Trin., Agrost., I, 38. 



Ver. — Cliireya-ka-dana. In Bengal it is called Bena-goni, Roxb. 



An erect, glabrous grass, 1|— 3 ft. high. Culm slender. Nodes 

 glabrous. Sheath slightly bearded at the mouth, shorter than the 

 internodes. Ligula very short, ciliated. Leaves chiefly at the base 

 of the culm, very narrow and tapering to a fine point. Panicle 

 contracted, 6 in. long, often longer, usually bending over a little. 

 Inferior branches about 1 in. long. Spikelets 1 in. long, rather 

 acute, glabrous. Outer empty glumes very obtuse, the outer very 

 short. 



Flowering glume longer, rather obtuse or somewhat acute. Palea 

 broad, obtuse, not so readily splitting as in other species. Gi'ain 

 obovoid, not easily separable from the pericarp. 



Not common ; said to be common in the plains of North-West 

 Provinces and at moderate elevations on the Himalaya ; in fact it is 

 widely spread in India. It grows also in Australia, and is said to be 

 very common about Colombo and elsewhere in the Western Pro- 

 vinces. 



Reported from Poena to be a good fodder grass fit for grazing. 

 Said to be readily eaten by horses and cattle at Lahore, and is also 

 favourably mentioned at Gujranvalla and Shapur. Mr, Fergusson 

 says that cattle in Ceylon do not like this and the last described 

 species. 



8, orientalis, Kunt. Bnum., I, 211; Dalz. and Gibs., Bomh. Fh 

 295; Vilfa orientalis, Nees., Agrost. Brazil^ 393. Under Agrostis; 

 Agrostis elongata, Roth,, Nov. Sp., 41. 



