N. 0. GRAMINEjE. 
1370 
by preference. It causes, peoples say, as much discomfort to the stomach as 
a woollen loin cloth to the skin, and hence the proverb— “Mandna ki roti, 
kamala ki dhoti.” 
Uses : — Mr. Baden-Powell mentions this plant among his 
drugs, but says nothing about its medicinal properties. Some 
assert that it is astringent. 
1345. E. aegyptiaca, Desf., h.f.b.i., vji. 295. 
Roxb. 344. 
Vem. : — Makra, makri, (Hind ) ; Kakuriya, (Uriya) ; Suntu- 
bukrui, (Santal) ; CaVara-pullu, [Mai (S.P.)] ; Maka-makna, tipakia 
(Bundel.) ; Madana, chimbari, chubrei, bhobra, madhana, kar- 
madhana, (Pb.) ; Malicha, maligha, mansa, (Raj.); Mathna, chi- 
kara, chota mandiya, ute-sirkum, ute-sirla, (C. P.) ; Mhar, 
nachani, natchni, nagli, raj, (Bomb.); Tamida, sodee, (Tam.); 
Muttengapilloo, (Tel.) ; Puta-tana, (§ing.). 
Habitat : — Plentiful all over Northern India, especially on 
cultivated ground. 
An annual, very variable in habit. Stems erect 6-18 in high, 
many, spreading from the crown, decumbent rooting below, then 
ascending and either slender, sub-simple and 12-18 in high, or 
very short, stout, copiously di-trichotomously branched the 
branches often prostrate, short, divaricate, leafy roots capillary. 
Leaves in tall stems 4-6 in., narrowly linear, acuminate flaccid, 
flat smooth in short rebush specimens, £-1 in., subilate lanceo- 
late rigid glabrous or ciliate towards the rounded, subcordate, 
or simple base, margins nearly smooth sheathes compressed 
long in slender states, very short and often inflated in short, 
leaved states, upper sometimes spathiform, ligule obscure, 
.Pedicels long and slender to very short and stout sometimes 
shorter than the upper leaves. Spikes 2-5, digitately radiating 
from the top of the peduncle, under £-1 in. long, in. diam, 
across the spikelets, rhachis narrow, trigonous or dorsally 
flattened, rigid, smooth or puberulous, sometimes excurrent in 
a pungent mucro ; spikelets inniun'rable 3-4 fid many-seriate 
iVl in. long and broad, densely crowded at right angles to the 
rhachis 3-4 fid very strongly compressed regid base bearded, 
