( 59 ) 



It is considered to be a good fodder grass for cattle both in the Pun- 

 jab and in Rajputana. 



60. LEPTOCHLOA, Beauv. Contains about 12 species, one of 

 which occurs in Northern India. The flattish spikelets are sessile, or 

 nearly so, and are attached to one side of the slender branches of a long 

 panicle. Glumes without awns ; inferior ones empty. 



L. chinensis, Nees. {Plate LXXI.) Syn. — L. tenerrima, R. and S ; 

 Poa chinensis, Keen.; P. decipiens, R. Br.; Eragrostis dectpiens, Steud. 

 Vern. — N.-W. Prov. : Chdnhel (Allahabad) ; Cent. Prov. : Chipa-chi- 

 ma gadi (Cbanda), /&*>« and phulkia (Seoni). 



Stems creeping below and rooting from the lower nodes, ascending, 

 2-3 feet, slender, glabrous. Leaves narrow, flat, tapering to a fine point. 

 Panicle upwards of one foot long ; branches many, simple, scattered or 

 in clusters along the rachis. Spikelets sessile or nearly so, narrow, 

 4-6-flowered. Outer empty glumes rather unequal, acute ; flowering 

 glumes broader, acute. 



Common in the plains of Northern India and used more or less for 

 fodder, though nothing definite appears to be known regarding its real 

 value. 



TRIBE XI. FESTUCEiE. 



61. PAPPOPHORUM, Schreb. Out of 20 described species the four fol- 

 lowing are recorded as occurring in the Punjab : P. Aucheri, Jaub. and Spach ; P. 

 br achy st achy urn, Jaub. and Spach {Syn. — P. arabicum, Hochst) ; P. elegans, Nees. 

 {Syn. — Calotheria elegans, Wight) ; and P. narnim, Steud. They are perennial 

 grasses with dense spike-like panicles, and the flowering glumes are furnished with 

 numerous and usually plumose awns. I have received no information as to their 

 value for fodder. 



62. DIPLACHNE, Beauv. Species upwards of 14, distributed 

 over the hotter parts of the world. Panicle branches long and slender. 

 Spikelets sessile or nearly so, linear, scattered along the rachis, in two 

 rows, but not sufficiently regular and unilateral for the genus to be 

 placed amongst the Chloridew, to which it is sometimes referred. 



D. fusca, Beauv. Syn. — Festuca fusca, Linn. ; Leptochloa fusca, 

 Kunth. Vern. — N.-W. Prov. : Choti gandar and narri (Aligarh). 



Perennial. Stems prostrate below, and rooting from the lower nodes. 

 Leaves long, linear, rough. Panicle narrow, with long erect spike-like 

 branches. Sipkelets many, short; pedicels compressed, 5-9-flowered. 

 Outer glumes linear lanceolate, unequal, acute. Flowering glumes with 

 two teeth a little below the mucronate apex, keeled. 



Plains of Northern India, on low-lying land where water is liable to 

 lodge. I have observed it growing in great abundance in the more 



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