VI 



PREFACE. 



Mr. A. Wingate, C.S., CLE., late of Udaipur, sent me a large and 

 valuable collection of native-named fodder grasses from that district. 



I have received an interesting collection of grasses from the Salt 

 Range, prepared by Dr. Warth, who has recently been investigating 

 the coal resources of that district. 



Bhai S&dhu Singh, and Pundit Sundar Lai, forest officers attached 

 respectively to the Jeypur and Patiala States, have each contributed 

 useful collections accompanied with vernacular names. 



From the Commissariat Department, in addition to Capt. Wingate's 

 contributions, I have received native-named sets from Allahabad, 

 Bareilly and Rawalpindi. 



Professor Hackel of St. Polten, Hungary, who is at present engaged 

 in the preparation of a monograph of the grass family for the new 

 edition of DeCandolle's " Prodromus," has recently favoured me with 

 many valuable notes on some specimens of Indian grasses despatched 

 to him from the Saharanpur herbarium. I have by this means been 

 able to give greater accuracy to the nomenclature of many of the 

 species enumerated in the following pages. 



I wish also to acknowledge with gratitude the kind assistance rend- 

 ered by Sir W. Davies, K.C.S.L, late Financial Commissioner of the 

 Punjab, Mr. ft. S. Whiteway, C.S. and Mr. C. G. Palmer, C.E., in the 

 way of additions and corrections in the alphabetical list of vernacular 

 names. This list, together with the equivalent botanical names, will, 

 it is hoped, prove useful in facilitating the identification of many 

 of the Indian grasses. 



Concerning the material which constitutes the main portion of the 

 book, it will be found that the genera are arranged strictly in accord- 

 ance with the " Genera Plantarum " of Bentham and Hooker, the 

 species being placed alphabetically under each genus. 



The analytical table given on page xiii is intended for the use of 

 those persons who may wish to follow up the subject for themselves, 

 and to acquire a more intimate knowledge of the genera of Indian 

 grasses. 



A short glossary of the technical terms which occur in the descrip- 

 tive portions of this work is given on page ix. 



There are many jungle plants not belonging to the grass family, 

 which are readily eaten by cattle, and some of them are without doubt 

 more nutritious than a large number of the grasses enumerated in this 



