Ur 



< * ) 



Eupanicum. Spikelets awnless, collected together in a more or les9 spreading 

 panicle, clustered or scattered along its simple or divided branches. Examples. — P. 

 miliaceum, and jument or urn. 



Tricholsena. Panicle loose as in Uupanioum, but fruiting glumes not much 

 hardened, inflorescence ciliate with long hairs. Example. — P. Teneriffce. 



P. antidotale, Ttetz. (Plate III.) Syn. — P. subalbidum, Kunth. 

 Vern. — Trans-Indus: Male and shamuJcha (Stewart); Punjab: Gharam 

 (N.-West and Central), ghamur (E.), girui and mangrur (Stewart), baru 

 and ghamrur (Simla and Kangra), ghirri (Hissar) ; Rajputana : Bar- 

 wdri and bari gagli (Udaipur) ; Santali : Layo-gundli. 



A tall glabrous perennial grass with erect stems thickened at the 

 joints. Leaves long, linear, acuminate ; ligule short and jagged. Pani- 

 cle rather narrow, but loose, the lower branches in clusters, the upper 

 usually solitary. Spikelets in sessile clusters or short spikes. Outer 

 glume acute, less than half the length of the spikelet ; second and third 

 glumes about equal, prominently nerved, the latter enclosing a male 

 flower ; fruiting glume coriaceous, acute, smooth and shining. In gen- 

 eral appearance it resembles Guinea grass. 



Common all over the plains in hedges and amongst bushes. Opinions 

 differ as to the quality of this grass as fodder. It is a tall coarse-look- 

 ing species, and its real value commences probably at those periods when 

 the better class of fodder grasses fails. Mr. Coldstream, writing from 

 Hissar, says that it is grazed only when quite young, as it afterwards 

 acquires a bitter or saltish taste. In the Sirsa Settlement Report it is 

 mentioned that cattle eat it when dry; if they eat it green and young 

 they are apt to swell, sometimes with fatal results. Dr. Stewart says 

 that the smoke from this grass is used for fumigating wounds, also as a 

 disinfectant in small-pox. In Madras it is said to be used medicinally 

 in throat affections. It extends to N. Australia. 



P. cimicinum, Bete. Syn. — Coridochloa Jimoriata, Nees ; Milium cimicinum t 

 Linn. Vern. — Siuri (Dehra Dun). 



Annual. Stems erect, 1-2 feet, sulcate, beset with bulbous-based hairs. Leaves 

 short, broadly lanceolate, acute, base cordate, margin fringed with hairs. Spikelets 

 rather large, two or three together on long slender terminal racemes ; second glume 

 with a thick fringe of reddish hairs along the margin. 



Plains of N.-W. India, and on the hills at low elevations. I have no information 

 regarding its nutritive value. 



P. colonum, Linn. (Plate IV.)* Syn. — P. brizoides, Linn. ; Op- 

 lismenus colonus, Kunth; Echinochloa colona, Kunth. Vern. — General : 

 Sawdnk; Trans-Indus: Sirmabar (Col. Strong); Punjab: Sdhwak 

 (general), jangli sdmah or sdnwak,sdmak (Hissar), chatta (Simla Hills); 



* See also Church's " Food Grains of India," Fig. 5. 



