* See also Plate A, Fig. 5, in present Volume. 



( 17 ) 



five are found in the plains, including the cultivated bajra {P. typhoideum)* 

 The flowers are arranged in cylindrical spikes as in Setaria, but the in- 

 volucre usually falls off together with the pedicel as in Cenchrus. The 

 bristles, however, are weak, not stiff and hard as in the latter named genus. 



P. Alopecuros, Steud. Syn. — Gymnotlirix Alojjecurus, Nees ;' ' Cenclwus Jior- 

 deiformis, Kottl. Vern. — Rajputana : Moiyar (Mount Abu) ; Bundelkhand : 

 Mo (Lalitpur) ; Cent. Prov. : Morthan (Chanda), mowa (Seoni). 



A coarse grass. Roots furnished with large fleshy fibres. Stems thick. Leaves 

 very tough, narrow, hairy on both sides near the base ; sheaths inflated, polished- 

 Bristles of involucre white or straw-coloured, not plumose. At Chanda in the Cen- 

 tral Provinces it is said to grow on black soil near water. No information has been 

 received regarding its nutritive value. This grass is abundant on Mount Abu along 

 the sides of the water-courses ; it is used for making rope. 



P. cenchroides, Rich. {Plates XII. and XIII.)* Syn.— Cenchrus 

 ciliaris, Linn. Vern. — General : Anjan, dhdman; Trans-Indus : Taura; 

 Punjab: KurTcdn (Stewart), dhamman (Central and South-West); 

 N.-W. Prov. : Charwa (Aligarh), bandri (Allahabad) ; Bundelkhand : 

 Baiba and Jcusa (Banda); Rajputana: Ahdho and bharbhuht (Jeypur). 



Perennial, tufted. Stems many, herbaceous, often decumbent and 

 bent, or ascending, becoming much elongated and subscandent when 

 growing amongst bushes. Leaves narrowly linear, acuminate ; sheaths 

 smooth or hairy. Spikes cylindrical, dense; rachis rough. Bristles of 

 the sessile involucre numerous, unequal, reddish-violet rarely white ; in- 

 ner widening towards the connate base, plumose, 1J times longer than 

 the spikelet. Spikelets in pairs, rarely solitary. 



Common all over the plains of N.-W. India, especially in sandy dis- 

 tricts. It is an excellent fodder grass for both horses and cattle. In 

 the Multan district it is considered to be the best kind of grass for in- 

 creasing the milk of cows. It is the best grass in the Sirsa district, 

 where it is called " dhaman." In the Jhang Settlement Report it is 



stated: — "Dhaman is the best of all grasses. Zamindars believe 



that if in good condition this grass gives a semi-intoxicating effect to 

 the milk of buffaloes who graze on it." 



P. holcoides, Schult. (Plate XLIX.) Syn.—Panicum holcoides, 

 Roxb. Vern. — Bundelkhand : Laraiya (Lalitpur) ; Cent. Prov. : 

 Jiral (Seoni) ; Bengal : Sivati (Roxb.). 



Perennial. Stems erect, branching, 2-4 feet. Bristles of involucre 

 of two sorts, the one twice the length of the flower and woolly from 

 the middle downwards, the other shorter and without wool. The inner 

 bristles appear to be connate, as in Cenchrus. 



