684 CXII. GR AMINES [Ochlandra 



14. OCHLANDRA, Thwaites ; * Fl. Brit. Ind. vii. 418. 



Tufted, gregarious, culm-sheaths thin, persistent. Spikelets mostly ar- 

 rested in their growth, remaining small, with a few large fertile ones, the 

 latter consisting of 2-6 empty and one flowering glume, the glumes as a rule 

 with conspicuous transverse veins. Palea thinly membranous, convolute, 

 often emarginate, longitudinal nerves numerous, two often stronger than the 

 rest. Lodicules 2-12, stamens 6-120, filaments free or more or less connate, 

 anthers long exserted, linear, usually mucronate. Style elongated, stigmas 

 4-8, linear, plumose, usually closely twisted before expanding. Fr. beaked, 

 large, supported by the persistent glumes, pericarp thick, fleshy, filled with 

 starch, endosperm in the immature fr. soft, fleshy, probably crushed by the 

 expansion of the scutellum, as the seed ripens. Some species flower annually, 

 others at long periods, as far as known the inflorescence always bears leaves. 



A. Filaments free. 



1. O. Rheedii, Benth. ; Gamble, t. 107. Vern. Beesha, Amma, Mai. 

 Malabar, Cochin and Travancore, low country near rivers. Culms 10-15 ft. 

 generally mottled dark and light green, internodes about 17 in. long, 1 in. 

 diam., walls \ in. thick. Culm-sheaths 4-6 in. long, purplish green, hairy 

 while young. L. 4-10 by |— 1 in., ending in a long setaceous point, n. 39-45 

 on \ in. Spikelets in distant whorls on long fascicled pedunculate spikes, the 

 peduncles consisting of several long internodes, the fertile spikelets 1-1A in. 

 long. Lodicules 2, lanceolate, h in. long. Stamens 14-17, anthers h in. Fr. 

 oblong, 2^ in. long, § in. diam., crowned by the persistent indurated style. 

 Flowers annually and does not die down after flowering. 



2. 0. stridula, Thwaites ; Gamble, t. 109. Ceylon, low country, very common in the 

 south of the island. May possibly be found in the Peninsula. Gregarious, culms 

 erect, 6-18 ft. high, internodes 12-14 in. long, J-f in. diam. L. 8-12 by 1J-2J in., n. 

 19-22 on J in. Spikelets 1 in. long, lodicules lanceolate, 6-12, persistent round the fr. 

 Stamens numerous, up to 30. Fr. 1 in. long, beak as long. Flowers annually. 



3. 0. Talboti, sp. nova. Vern. Hilda, Mar. ; Wbntenulgi, Kan. North Kanara. 

 Culms numerous, in dense clumps, slender, J-| in. diam., hollow, sometimes scandent, 

 nodes thickened, shining, glabrous. L. glabrous, pale, lanceolate, long-acuminate, 

 8-12 by 1J-2J, pet. J in., sheath glabrous, bristles at month early deciduous, n. 30-36 

 on J in. Spikelets in half-whorls on a terminal erect spike, 4-8 in. long, glabrous or 

 nearly so, a few soft hairs at the tips of glumes, fertile spikelets few, 1J in. long. 

 Empty glumes 3-6, lodicules 6, linear, veined. Stamens 25^0, anthers f.in. long, 

 connective minutely apiculate, filaments long, slender. Fr. ovoid, 2-3 by \ in., nar- 

 rowed into a long beak, supported by 4 persistent glumes. Fl. 1896 throughout North 

 Kanara, had not been seen in fl. for many years in that district. (This species had 

 been identified with 0. Sheedi, var. sivagiriana and with 0. stridula, but Talbot, 

 List 348, justly states that it differs from both.) 4. 0. Beddomei, Gamble, t. 110, 

 "Wainad. "Western slopes of the Nilgiris below Sispara, 3-4,500 ft. Gregarious. 

 1. ovate-lanceolate, long acuminate into a twisted scabrous, setaceous point, 8-12 by 

 1-2J in., n. 15-24 on J in., leaf-sheaths minutely pubescent, with numerous erect stiff 

 bristles at the mouth and decurrent bristly auricles at the sides. Spikelets in few 

 approximate half-whorls in erect terminal spikes 1-3 in. long, clothed with long brown 

 hairs, fertile spikelets li in. long. Empty glumes 2-4, lodicules 5, J-f in. long 

 lanceolate, 3-7-veined. Stamens 20-35, anthers i-f in. long, tip tricuspidate, the 

 anther-cells and connective being apiculate. Fl. on the Sispara ghat in 1875 and 

 1876, died down after flowering ; had not been known to flower for 20 years 

 previously. 



5. 0. Brandisii, Gamble, t. 113. Vern. Ira-Kalli. Tinnevelli ghats above 

 3,500 ft., with 0. travancorica, which it greatly resembles. Leaves smaller on short pet., 

 n. 24-27 on J in., ligule long, membranous. Lodicules 3, lanceolate, J in. long. 

 Stamens about 100, filaments free, anthers f in. long, apiculate. In fl. Feb. 

 1882 D.B. 



* In this genus I have had the kind assistance of Dr. Otto Stapf, who will I hope at 

 an early date publish the result of his researches regarding flowers and seeds of 

 Ochlandra, Melocalamus, and Dinochloa, in continuation of his paper on Melocanna 

 bambusoides. 



