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corn, or maize. The following remarks are taken from Mr. Bentham's 

 valuable paper on the genera of grasses published in the Journal of the 

 Linnean Society, and already referred to. " This most important, 

 widely diffused, and most striking grass is only known in a cultivated 

 state, or perhaps as an escape from cultivation. With most of the 

 general characters of the tribe, to which it gives its name, it is excep- 

 tional not only in that tribe, but in the whole order by the manner in 

 which its numerous female spikelets are densely packed in several verti- 

 cal rows round a central spongy or corky axis. How far this arrange- 

 ment may have gradually arisen after so many centuries of cultivation 

 can only be a matter of conjecture." 



Z.Mays, Linn, Vern, — General: MahJca; Punjab: Makki and 

 kukri (Stewart); N.-W. Prov^ : Bara juar and bari junri (Eastern 

 Districts) ; Bengal : Makrai and jouar (Chutia Nagpur), mukka (Roxb). ; 

 Santal : Joudra (Campbell); Teling : Joona and moka (Roxb.) 



Extensively cultivated both in the plains and on the hills as a rainy 

 season crop. The stalks and leaves when young contain a large amount 

 of saccharine matter, and afford excellent fodder for cattle. 



TRIBE III. ORYZEJE. 



13. HYGRORHIZA, Nees. Contains a single species confined to 

 India. It is an aquatic grass, either floating on the surface of the water, 

 or creeping on wet ground. Each spikelet contains only two glumes, of 

 which the outer one is awned. The stamens are six, and there is no pale. 



H. aristata, Nees. Syn. — Leersia aristata, Roxb. Vern. — Pun- 

 jab : Pastdl (Drummond); N.-W. Prov. : Passai, passdri and passdhi, 

 also par sal (Saharanpur), and tinni (Partabgarh). 



Stems long, lower portions usually submerged and emitting numerous 

 roots from the joints. Leaves cordate, lanceolate, obtuse, scabrous. 

 Spikelets narrow, 1 -flowered. 



Roxburgh says that cattle are fond of this grass. The grain, where 

 the supply is plentiful, is eaten by certain of the poorer classes, who 

 collect it by sweeping over the plants with baskets. The grain ripens 

 in September. 



14. ORYZA, Linn. Rice and its numerous varieties belong to this 

 genus. It differs in floral structure from Hygrorhiza by having four 

 glumes instead of only two ; the two outer ones are minute or setiform, 

 the inner upper ones (sometimes called pales) are rigid, and one of them 

 is often awned. There are no pales, and the stamens are 6. 



O. sativa, Linn* Vern. — Kashmir: Dein and tdni( Stewart); Pun- 



• See also Plate B., Fig. 7, of present Volume. 



