( 29 ) 



Sub-Himalayan tract ascending to 4 or 5,000 feet. It is found also in North 

 Australia. 



33. OPHIURUS, 72. Br. Species about 4, two of which are not 

 uncommon in damp spots in Northern India. It resembles Rotlbcellia 

 in habit, but is technically distinguished by having the spikelets single 

 at each excavation of the rachis, the second or sterile spikelet not being 

 present, at any rate on the upper portion of the spike. 



O. corymbosus, Gcertn. * Syn. — Rotiboellia corymbosa, Linn. Vern* 

 — Rajputana and Bundelkhand: Sonthe ; Berar: Chotoe ; Teling: 

 Pedda panoolcoo (Roxb.). 



Glaucous. Stems many, erect, smooth, 3-5 feet high. Leaves few, 

 sheaths short and smooth. Spikes fascicled, on filiform peduncles, 

 terminal and from the upper axils ; peduncles curved, jointed and brac- 

 teate near the base. 



Common on the black soil in Bundelkhand and the Central Provinces. 

 In Bundelkhand it is used chiefly for thatching, and as fodder when other 

 grasses fail. 



O. Isevis, Benth. (Plate LV.) Syn. — Q.-perforatuSjTvm.- Rottboellia 

 perforata, Roxb. ; Mnesithea I cevis, Kunth. Vern. — Punjab: Satgatua 

 and satgathia (E. Punjab) ; N.-W. Prov.. and Oudh : Gandel (Doab), 

 sarwdra (Pilibhit) ; Bengal: Kurki (Roxb.); Teling: Panookoo 

 (Roxb.). 



Stems erect, smooth, 3-5 feet. Spikes solitary ; rachis perforated 

 so that the backs of the glumes next to the rachis touch each other. 

 Spikelets in lower part of the spike in pairs at each node as in Rottb&llia, 

 but the two of each pair are separated by a kind of partition dividing 

 the cavity of the rachis into two. 



Not uncommon on low-lying pasture land in the plains, and also on 

 the Himalaya, up to 5,000 feet. Cattle eat it when it is young and 

 green. 



34. MANISURIS, Linn. Is represented by a single species found 

 in most tropical countries. It may be readily distinguished by the 

 globular shape of the sessile fertile spikelet of each pair. 



M. granulans, Swartz. {Plate LVI.)* Syn. — Cenchrus granulans, 

 Linn. Vern. — Rajputana: Kangni (Ajmere), dhaturo ghds (Udaipur) ; 

 Cent. Prov.: Agi-mali-gadi (Chanda); Berar: Ratop. 



A hairy annual. Stems branching 1-2 feet. Spikes stalked, terminal 

 and axillary, and sometimes in fascicles, ^-1 inch long. Spikelets in 

 pairs, one sessile and fertile, the other male or neuter and stalked. 



• See also Plate B., Fig. 12, of present Volume. 



