PLATE No. 419. 
Eragrostis gangetica, Steiul. (Fl. (Jap., Vol. VII., p. (SIT). 
Nat. (Jrder Graniiiie;*. 
Perexxial, tuftecl. — CJulms geniculate, suberect or erect, rather stout, simple 
or branching below, 1 to 3 feet long, glabrous, smooth, about 4-noded, upper 
internodes exsertad. 
Leaves few at the l)ase of each culm ; sheaths glabrous except at the often 
bearded mouth, smooth, firm, nppei- tight, lowest persistent ; ligule a very mimitely 
ciliolate rim ; blades linear, tapering to an acute or setaceous point, 2 to (3 inches 
by 1^ to 2 lines, flat or more often involute, rather rigid, glal)rous, smooth below, 
densely scaberulous and whitish above. 
Panicle oblong, 2 to (> inches long, rarely shorter or longer, genei'ally 
contracted, often nodding, or the lower branches spreading ; axis smootli l^elow ; 
branches solitarv, rather distant, Joivev up to 4 inches long, more or less flexuous, 
filiform, scaberulous, the lowest undivided for ^ to 1 inch or like tlie rest divided 
from near the base, their branchlets usuallv shoil and l)earing shortly pedicelled 
crowded spikelets. 
Spikelets linear-oblong to linear, uj) to 8 lines by 1 line, sometimes rather 
flexuous, usually olive-grey to leaden-grey, 8 to 30-flowered ; rhachilla persistent. 
Glumes subequal, ovate-oblong, acute, up to 1 line long, 1 -nerved, deciduous. 
Valves obliquely oblong, acute to subobtuse, 5 to line hjng, side-nerves slender, 
prominent, keels scaberulous above ; pales deciduous, slightly shorter than the 
valves, keels scabrid. Antliers f to f line long ; grain oblong, | line by ^-5 line, 
brown. 
Habita^t : Natal. Near Durban, ]]l/li</iiisoii C.l; moist sandy soil near 
Pinetown, Biiclianan 115; Unq)unndo, 2000 feet alt., Bncliauau. 254; ( 'lairmont 
50 feet alt., }V(t<>d 7202 ; and without precise locality, dlerrard ()72. 
Also in tropical Africa and throughout tropical Asia. 
Li Australia this grass is said to be a valuable fodder phiiit, palatable and 
nutritious, and unaffected by drought." 
Fi;;- 1, Lower sjliirac : 2, njiper o'lmne : .3, valve ; 3a, valve in profile ; 4, pale : .5, pii^til, 
stamens and lodicnles. ^i// enlanjcd. 
