Pamcum.] Graminecz. 135 



4. P. fluitans, Retz. Obs. v. 18 (1783), non Roxb. 



Thw. Enum. 359 (in part). P. paspaloides, Pers. Syn. i. 81. C. P. 

 864,897. 



Fl. B. Ind. vii. 30 {paspaloides). Trin. Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 168 (P. 

 truncation). 



Stem 1-4 ft., erect from a stout creeping base, often as 

 thick as a swan's quill, smooth, soft, striate, lower internodes 

 2-5 in., clothed with large loose sheaths, upper 2-3 in., nodes 

 quite glabrous ; 1. 4-8 in., narrowly linear, finely acuminate, 

 softly coriaceous, glabrous, margins quite or nearly smooth, 

 often incurved, base narrow, sheaths often longer than the 

 internodes, glabrous, margins thin, eciliate, ligule a ridge with 

 erect hairs; panicle 8-12 in. long, rhachis strict, erect, angular, 

 glabrous or minutely scaberulous; spikes many, \-\\ in., uni- 

 lateral, sessile, longer than the internodes of the rhachis and 

 often appressed to it, rhachis glabrous or ciliolate ; spikelets 

 t V-tV in., secund, biseriate, imbricate, ovoid, plano-convex; 

 glume I about one-third the length of III, transversely 

 oblong, veinless, white, II and III thinly herbaceous, II as 

 long as IV or nearly so, orbicular-ovate, 7-veined, tip sub- 

 acute or rounded, III ovate, subacute, 5-veined, paleate, 

 empty or male, palea broad, IV sessile, broadly ovoid, 

 mucronate, thinly coriaceous, dorsally compressed, smooth 

 or nearly so, palea with infiexed membranous margins ; grain 

 orbicular, compressed. 



Hotter parts of the Island, in wet places. Cattle are fond of it 

 (Ferguson). 



India, Afghanistan, Arabia, Africa, and America. 



The name P. fluitans, Persoon, being (as Dr. Stapf pointed out to 

 me) earlier by 22 years than P. paspaloides, Retz., should have been 

 adopted for this plant in Fl. B. Ind. Its synonymy, as given in that 

 Flora, is otherwise correct. 



5. P. Crus-g-alli, Linn. Sp. PL 56 (1753). Wel-marukku, S. 

 Thw. Enum. 359, excl. var. f3. P. Crus-corvi and P. aristatum, Moon, 



Cat. 8. C. P. 900, 3237. 



Fl. B. Ind. vii. 30. Host, Gram. Austriac. ii. t. 19. Reichb. Ic. Fl. 

 Germ. t. 29. 



Annual; stem 1-3 ft, stout or slender, simple or branched, 

 erect or base decumbent, leafy, internodes up to 6 in. long, 

 nodes glabrous or hairy ; 1. 6-10 in., narrowly linear-lanceolate, 

 up to £ in. broad, finely acuminate, smooth or scaberulous, 

 flat, mid vein stout, sheaths 2-6 in., loose, glabrous, ligule a 

 semi-lunar glabrous or hairy ridge; panicle 4-8 in., erect or 

 drooping, rhachis stout, angled, glabrous, smooth or scaberulous, 

 usually bearded at the insertion of the spikes ; spikes £-3 in. 

 long, gradually shorter upwards, longer than the internodes, 



