Us~W*%1 ' 



- 



( 36 ) 



Indus : Sir ghurai (Col. Strong) ; Punjab : Soldra, bur (South Punjab), 

 khair (Jhang), gandhi (J. R. D.), hhawi (Central and N.-W. Punjab) ; 

 Rajput an a : Gander (Ajmere), runa (Merwara), dabsulo (Jeypur); 

 N.-W. Prov. : JBabhori (Etawah) ; Marathi : JardmJcush, azkhir, and 

 khavi (Dymock) ; Hindi : Gandel (Col. Strong). 



Perennial, casspitose. Stems erect, thick and woolly below. Leaves 

 smooth, glaucous, stiff; blades narrow and convolute. Panicles erect, 

 narrowly oblong, composed of distant fascicles of spikes surrounded at 

 the base by blunt boat-shaped yellowish sheaths. Rachis and pedicels 

 of the awnless male spikelets densely clothed with white hairs. Flower- 

 ing glumes of hermaphrodite florets minute, transparent, bidentate, and 

 with a very slender bent awn from between the teeth. 



This is one of the sweet-scented grass, the roots of which are some- 

 times used like khas-khas in the manufacture of tatties. It is common 

 on uncultivated land in Sindh, the Punjab, Rajputana and parts of the 

 N.-W. Provinces ; it is also recorded from Tibet at an elevation of 

 11,000 feet. As a fodder grass it does not rank high in regard to its 

 nutritive qualities. It is, however, largely made use of by cattle when it 

 is young and tender. Its scent is said to affect the flavour of their milk. 

 It is often stacked and forms a useful supply in times of scarcity. Mr. 

 Coldstream says that it will keep good in stack for upwards of 10 or 12 

 years. For horses it is not to be recommended. Mr. J. B. Hallen tells 

 me that the natives of Chattar in Beluchistan state that cattle eat it 

 with impunity, but that horses suffer from colic after feeding on it. 

 Col. Strong also mentions the same circumstance. In the Jhang 

 Settlement Report it is stated that the khair grass grows in hollows 

 where water collects, and seems to prefer kallar, that cows graze upon 

 it if hard pressed, but not otherwise ; also that the bar housewives use 

 wisps of this grass to clean out vessels used for churning and holding 

 milk. A perfume is manufactured from it, and the aromatic oil is some- 

 times used as a cooling medicine. For further information regarding 

 the history and medicinal properties of this grass reference should be 

 made to Dr. Dymock's " Vegetable Materia Medica of Western India," 

 p. 850. 



A. muricatus, Retz. (Plate XXIV.)* Syn.—A. squarrosus, Linn.; 

 Anatherum muricatum, Retz. ; Rhaphis muricata, Nees ; Vetiveria odo- 

 rata, Virey. Vern. — General: Panni and khas-khas (roots); Trans- 

 Indus: Muslikani (Col. Strong); Punjab: Biran (stems) (Kangra), 

 panni (Bagri dialects and S. Punjab), sink (stems) (E. Punjab) ; 



♦ See also Plate C, Fig. 15, of present Volume. 



