The spikelets are turgid, densely packed on one side of the rachis in three to five rows, sessile or subsessile, sub-globose or ovoid, with unequal tubercle-based bristly hairs on the nerves of the glumes and with short minute hairs on the outer surface of the glumes, 1/12 to 1/8 inch; awn 1/4 inch to 5/16 inch.

There are four glumes. The first glume is 1/3 to 1/2 of the third glume, suborbicular, abruptly acuminate or rarely mucronate and 5-nerved (very rarely 5- to 7-nerved), clasping at base and margins thinly ciliolate. The second glume is ovate oblong, short, awned and 5-nerved; sometimes with partial nerves at the apex between the central and the lateral nerves, and then 5- to 7- or 5- to 9-nerved, hispidly hairy on the nerves, margins ciliolate. The third glume is as long as the second, ovate-oblong and the apex abruptly ending in a stout scabrid nerved awn, varying in length from 1/4 to 3/8 inch, rarely 1 inch; 5- to 7-nerved (two partial at tip), paleate and sometimes with three stamens; palea is hyaline, ovate-oblong with infolded margins. The fourth glume is smooth, shining, broadly oblong, faintly 5-nerved, apex rounded or cuspidate with a few cilia; paleate with a single bisexual flower; palea is similar to the glume in structure. Anthers are orange yellow, and lodicules are very small. Stigmas are white. Grain is smooth and ovoid.

This grass grows in paddy fields and wet places generally. It is considered to be a very good fodder grass in Australia and America. This is the "Barn-yard" grass of the Americans, highly valued as a fodder grass.

Distribution.—Throughout India in wet places and in paddy fields.

Panicum stagninum, Retz.

It is an annual. The stems are glabrous, creeping and somewhat prostrate at the base, and the upper portion is erect, 3 to 4 feet long, and rooting at the nodes in the geniculate portion of the stem.

The leaf-sheath is smooth, striate, glabrous, sometimes pubescent about the lower nodes, varying in length from 1-1/2 to 4-1/2 inches. The ligule is distinct, consisting of a fringe of stiff hairs.

The leaf-blade is linear-lanceolate, acuminate or acute, base rounded, glabrous, smooth below, especially in the lower part, and scabrid above and in the upper part, 6 to 12 inches long, by 1/4 to 3/8 inch; the lower leaves have their blades somewhat narrower at the base than in the middle, but the blades in the upper part of the stem and in the middle are of the same breadth; margins are very minutely serrate.

There are four glumes. The first glume is half of the third glume, thin, membranous, hairy, broadly ovate, abruptly cuspidate at the apex, and acuminate, 5-nerved (rarely 3-nerved). The second glume is broadly ovate-lanceolate, concave, acuminate, short awned, 5-nerved with two partial nerves one on each side of the central nerve (7- to 9-nerved at the tip), hairs on nerves, a few tubercled. The third glume is similar to the second, broadly ovate-lanceolate, awned, awn 1/8 to 1/4 inch, paleate with usually three stamens, occasionally neuter. Lodicules are present. The fourth glume is chartaceous, shining, smooth ovate-oblong, apex cuspidate, with a few hairs on the edges at the apex, faintly 5-nerved. The anthers within this glume come out before those of the third glume. Anthers are three, yellowish and lodicules are conspicuous though small.

In this grass very often, purple streaks or bands occur across the leaf blades and the sheath and the spikelets become purple on one side as is met with in P. colonum. This grass is occasionally found in the paddy fields either alone, or along with Panicum Crus-galli.

Distribution.—Throughout the Madras and the Bombay Presidencies and in Ceylon in wet places especially in cultivated ground and in ditches. Occurs more or less throughout India.

Panicum colonum, L.

This is a slender annual growing to a height of 2 feet. The stems are creeping below, erect above, and with roots in the lower internodes of the decumbent part of the stem, smooth, dull green or partly purplish.

The leaf-sheath is glabrous and sharply keeled. The nodes are glabrous or obscurely pubescent. There is no ligule.

The leaf-blade is narrow, lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous but sometimes tubercle-based hairs occur just on the margin at the base of the leaf-blade close to the white band, varying in length from 1 to 6 inches and in breadth 3/16 to 5/16 inch; the margin is minutely and distantly serrate, midrib is quite distinct and there are three main veins on each side and three or four smaller between main ones. The blades of the lower leaves are narrow at the base and broader at about the middle but those of the upper are equally broad at the base, as well as at the middle.

There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is about half of the third glume, broadly ovate or suborbicular, acute, generally 3-nerved, rarely 5-nerved, pubescent between and hispidly hairy on the nerves. The second glume is as long as the third, broadly ovate, cuspidate, 5-nerved sometimes with two partial nerves added one on each side of the central vein, pubescent between the veins and hispid on the veins. The third glume is similar to the second, 5-nerved, tip with a few cilia, paleate; palea is empty oblong-orbicular, subacute. The fourth glume is coriaceous, shining, turgid, broadly ovate, acute, paleate. Sometimes the tip possesses a few cilia. Anthers are three, pale yellow and stigmas dark purple. Lodicules are small but conspicuous.

This grass is common in water-logged situations, in paddy fields and in irrigated dry lands. Sometimes on the blades of this grass purple bands are present and the internodes and the spikes also become purplish.

It is really a weed of cultivation met with generally on rich soils. This grass is considered to be one of the best fodder grasses in India. All kinds of cattle eat it greedily.

Distribution.—It is found throughout India up to 6,000 feet and also in all warm countries.

Panicum prostratum, Lamk.

The plant is a slender annual and it consists of several branches, prostrate and creeping, with adventitious roots at the nodes below, branching or ascending above, all green or sometimes purple above and green below, 4 to 18 inches long.

The leaf-sheath is striate, 1 to 2 inches long, glabrous or very sparsely hairy, purplish above and green below or all green, keeled, margins ciliate on one side only throughout its length. The ligule is a fringe of white hairs. The nodes are glabrous or pubescent.

The leaf-blade is short or long, varying from 1/2 to 2-1/2 inches in length and 3/16 to 5/16 inch in breadth, convolute when young, lanceolate to broadly ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, upper surface glabrous, and the lower glabrous or with a few scattered tubercle-based hairs; margins are very minutely serrate; base is cordate, amplexicaul with a few long slender hairs (sometimes tubercle-based), just close to the white patch on both sides on the margin of the blade about the ligule. The midrib is distinct.

The inflorescence consists of five to fifteen or twenty spikes spreading in all directions, distant or crowded; peduncle varies from 1 to 4 inches. Spikes are 1/2 to 1-3/8 inches, sessile or shortly stalked; the rachis of the spike is slender, trigonous and scaberulous.

There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is very short about 1/4 of the third or less, semilunar, membranous, hyaline, subtruncate, obtuse or acute, generally nerveless, but rarely, obscurely 1- to 3-nerved. The second glume is membranous, ovate, acute, glabrous or pubescent and 7-nerved. The third glume is of about the same length as the second, 5-nerved, always paleate, with or without stamens; palea is broad, margins infolded, 2-nerved, obtuse and hyaline; when stamens are present the lodicules are very conspicuous. The fourth glume is slightly shorter than the third, oblong or elliptic, apiculate, minutely rugulose, thinly coriaceous, with bisexual flower; palea is similar to the glume in texture and markings. Stamens are three with yellowish anthers. Lodicules are small and fleshy.

This plant occurs widely as a weed of cultivation in black cotton as well as other kinds of soil and shows variation in its leaves and spikelets. In some plants growing in somewhat dry places the leaves are shorter and broader, and those in favourable situations have longer narrower leaves. The spikelets are either perfectly glabrous or pubescent and long hairs may or may not be present on the pedicels. As regards colour the whole plant is green or the exposed portions of stems and spikelets are purplish. This grass is liked by cattle and is one of the most nutritious of Indian fodder grasses.

Distribution.—Throughout India and Ceylon in the plains. Common in the Tropics.

Panicum javanicum, Poir.

This is an annual and it branches freely and the branches are decumbent and rooting at the nodes at the base, and erect to some extent at the free end, 1 to 2 feet long; the internodes are glabrous, thinly striate, shallowly channelled on one side.

The leaf-sheath is somewhat compressed and loose, covered with scattered long hairs, some of them being tubercle-based; the margin is ciliate on one side only. The nodes are pubescent with long hairs. The ligule is a distinct fringe of hairs.

The leaf-blade is broadly lanceolate, cordate at base, amplexicaul, acuminate or acute, with scattered long hairs both above and below, and some of the hairs of the under surface are tubercle-based, convolute when young; margin of the leaf is wavy, minutely serrate, and ciliated with distant hairs towards the lower half of the leaf when young; the midrib is prominent below.

There are four glumes. The first glume is small, membranous, less than 1/2 of the third glume, ovate, acute or obtuse, 3- to 5-nerved. The second glume is nearly equal to the third, ovate acute, generally 7-nerved and sometimes 7- to 13-nerved. The third glume is similar to the second in shape, generally 5-nerved and occasionally 7-nerved, paleate with three stamens or empty; palea 2-nerved, ovate or oblong, margins infolded. The fourth glume is ovate or oblong, rugulose, chartaceous, apex with a distinct mucro concealed in the second and third glumes; palea same as the glume in texture, etc. Anthers are yellowish; stigmas are feathery and purple in colour; lodicules are small and fleshy.

This is an excellent fodder grass. Though it is an annual it grows rapidly under favourable conditions. A single plant found growing in the compound of the Agricultural College, Coimbatore, weighed 15 lb. and occupied 15 square feet of the ground. It flourishes in cultivated dry fields and in rich loamy soils. (See fig. 7.)

Distribution.—Plains of India and Ceylon and in Tropical countries generally.

Panicum ramosum, L.

This is an annual with stems erect or ascending from a creeping base, rooting at the lower nodes, 1 to 2 feet long. The stem is slender or stout, usually glabrous though occasionally glabrescent or pubescent, channelled on one side, branched from base upwards, and leafy.

The leaf-sheath is finely striate, keeled, thinly pubescent with the margins ciliate near the ligule. The ligule is only a fringe of short hairs. Nodes are softly hairy.

The leaf-blade is flat, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, softly pubescent or glabrescent on both the surfaces, with rounded or subcordate base and margins minutely serrate and ciliate, 2 to 6 inches long 1/6 to 1/2 inch broad; the midrib is distinct though slender with four to six main veins on each side.

The inflorescence is a pyramidal panicle 2 to 6 inches long, consisting of usually five to ten (rarely also up to twenty) erect or spreading spikes. Spikes are distant, alternate and in some the lower ones are opposite, 1/2 to 2-1/2 inches long or shorter. The rachis of the spike is thin, angular and scaberulous.

The spikelets are usually pubescent, ovoid or obovoid, acute, turgid, 1/8 inch, pale green and some occasionally purplish on one side, alternate close or distant, in pairs lower down and then one with a somewhat longer pedicel, solitary in the upper portions, pedicels with hairs, some of them especially those near the apex being longer.

There are four glumes. The first glume is nearly half the length of the third glume, broadly ovate, subacute, margin overlapping at the base, and usually 5-nerved. The second glume is broadly ovate acute, rather cuspidate, usually 5-nerved (rarely 7-nerved). The third glume is similar to the second glume, 5-nerved, paleate, empty; palea is hyaline oblong, acute. The fourth glume is ovoid-oblong, acute, coriaceous, rugulose, with short broadened stipes, and three faint nerves; palea similar to the glume in texture and markings. Anthers are orange-yellow; style branches are purple. Lodicules are small and fleshy.

This grass is a common weed found in dry cultivated fields and open waste places and is one of the best fodder grasses available.

Distribution.—Plains throughout India and in Afghanistan.

Panicum distachyum, L.

This grass is an annual. Stems are slender, rarely stout, creeping and rooting at the nodes, pale green or purplish, with erect or ascending slender branches, varying in length from 10 to 15 inches, glabrous or pubescent, channelled near the nodes.

The leaf-sheath is glabrous or glabrescent and sometimes hirsute; margin is ciliate. The ligule is a fringe of short hairs. Nodes are glabrous or pubescent.

The leaf-blade is lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, base cordate and subamplexicaul, glabrous or rarely sparsely hairy on both sides; margins are wavy here and there, finely serrate with tubercle-based hairs towards the base, the midrib is slender, not prominent and veins not distinct. There is considerable variation in leaves especially in the length. In the ordinary form it varies from 1/2 to 3 inches and even up to 6 or 7 inches sometimes in length and the breadth from 1/8 to 1/4 inch. In one form which is separated as a variety (var. brevifolium, Wight and Arnott,) the leaves are always short and broad, ovate-lanceolate never exceeding 1 inch in length.

The inflorescence consists of two or three, very rarely four erect or spreading distant spikes on a somewhat slender very hairy peduncle. Spikes are from 1/2 to 2 inches; rachis is slender, flexuous, flattened, scaberulous, with a few long hairs scattered singly along the margins or without these hairs.

There are four glumes. The first glume is membranous, broadly ovate, obtuse with margins overlapping at the base, hardly half the length of the third glume, usually 5-nerved but occasionally 7-nerved. The attachment of the first glume is not close to that of the second glume but is far lower. The second glume is ovate-acute, 7-nerved. The third glume is equal to the second, 5-nerved, paleate, empty; the palea is narrow, hyaline, acute. The fourth glume is ellipsoidal, obtuse, chartaceous, minutely and obscurely rugulose, faintly 3-nerved, with the base somewhat thickened. Palea is similar to the glume in texture. Anthers are orange-yellow. Lodicules are minute and fleshy. Style branches are purple.

This grass is fairly common in open and loamy and sandy soils. The form (var. brevifolium, Wight & Arnott) is fairly common in Coimbatore District.

Distribution.—Plains of India and Ceylon. Not recorded from the Bombay Presidency. It occurs in China, Malaya and Australia.

Panicum interruptum, Willd.

This is a large perennial grass with stems reaching 5 to 6 feet in length, flourishing in marshes and in the edges of ponds and tanks.

The stems are long, stout and spongy below, ascending from a creeping and rooting or floating root-stock; the lower internodes are often 1/2 inch or more in thickness, with nodes bearing in fascicles long stout roots clothed with fine lateral roots; and the upper internodes are long and slender.

The leaf-sheath is glabrous, striate. The ligule is a short broad membrane.

The leaf-blade is soft, flat, many-nerved, linear, finely acuminate, margins smooth, base rounded or subcordate, glabrous, 6 to 12 inches long, 1/4 to 1/2 inch broad.

The inflorescence is a strict spike-like panicle, 6 to 12 inches long by 1/4 to 1/3 inch broad, cylindric, interrupted below; the rachis terete, stout, channelled.

The spikelets are glabrous, green, herbaceous, densely packed in small fascicles, ovoid lanceolate, 1/6 to 1/5 inch long; many spikelets are imperfect.

Panicum trypheron, Schult.

The plant is a tufted annual leafy at the base, with branches spreading a little at the base and then erect, varying in length from 1/2 to 3 feet. Stems are stout or slender, cylindric or slightly compressed towards the base.

The leaf-sheath is striated, green or purple tinged, shorter than the internodes, the upper portion hairy (sometimes tubercle-based) and the lower glabrous, with sometimes ciliate margin. The ligule is a short membrane with a fringe of slender hair-like processes. Nodes are glabrous.

The leaf-blade is flat, convolute when young, linear-lanceolate, acute or narrow linear-lanceolate, acuminate, hairy on both sides (hairs indistinctly bulbous-based); margin is very minutely serrate and often ciliate with tubercle-based hairs; base is narrowed, slightly rounded or cordate; midrib is conspicuous though narrow and keeled; length 1 to 7 inches and breadth 1/8 to 3/8 inch.

The inflorescence is a diffuse panicle 4 to 14 inches long with filiform, divaricate, scaberulous, angled branches; the main rachis is angular, smooth below and scaberulous above; peduncle is cylindric, striate, 2 to 12 inches long. Branches are irregularly distantly alternate, solitary or rarely two, swollen at base, dividing into slender filiform spreading branchlets; the lower branches from 3 to 7 inches in length and getting shorter upwards. Branchlets are 1/2 to 3 inches, capillary, angular and further dividing.

There are four glumes. The first glume is green or purple, broadly ovate, acuminate, clasping at the base, about two-thirds of the third glume, membranous, nerves five, the lateral two stout and anastomosing halfway, finely scaberulous especially on the nerves and more so on the central one. The second glume is slightly longer than the third, green or purple, ovate, acuminate, generally 7-nerved and sometimes also with two more indistinct marginal nerves, i.e., 9-nerved, scaberulous on the nerves. The third glume is pale green or yellow, ovate-oblong, acute or subacute, obscurely scaberulous, 9-nerved (two of the nerves in the middle sometimes not running to the base), paleate, empty. Palea is hyaline, smaller than the glume, oblong, obtuse, minutely two-lobed or two-toothed at the apex; margins broadly infolded. The fourth glume is elliptic obtuse, shorter than the third, smooth, shining, coriaceous, dorsally convex, with a prominent short, broad stipe at the base which is persistent with the glume, 5-nerved, sometimes with seven nerves especially when young (two marginal ones being indistinct). Palea is similar to the glume in texture. Anthers are three, linear, orange yellow. Lodicules are two and prominent though small. Stigmas feathery and white.

P. tenellum, Roxb. Fl. Indica I. 306 is probably not this plant though quoted as a synonym, for it is described as having culms prostrate and rooting at the nodes.

This grass is of wide distribution in the Presidency, but it is nowhere abundant. It is fairly common in cultivated dry fields. Cattle like this grass.

Panicum repens, L.

This is a perennial glaucous grass with stoloniferous and rhizomiferous stems bearing ordinary erect leafy branches, and the branches come out piercing through the leaf-sheath (extravaginal).

Stems are numerous, stiff and erect, 1/2 to 3 feet in length, glabrous, covered below by brownish or whitish scale-leaves, and above with densely distichous leaves.

The leaf-sheath is firm, distinctly striate, glabrous, margins ciliate on both sides up to the point of overlapping and then the outer margin alone ciliate. The ligule is a short thin membrane with very short cilia on the free margin. The nodes are glabrous.

The leaf-blade is glaucous, narrow, lanceolate, thinly coriaceous, acuminate with a hardened tip, 1 to 7 or 9 inches long, 1/2 to 1/4 inch broad, flat or involute when slightly faded, with a few distantly scattered hairs above, especially towards the lower portion of the blade when young, and becoming glabrous later, glabrous on the lower surface, margin is finely serrate and with a few cilia towards the base, some hairs being tubercle-based; base of the blade is rounded or cordate, midrib is prominent and keeled.

There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is hyaline, broadly ovate, rounded and shortly acute or subacute, indistinctly 3- to 5-nerved or nerveless, less than one-third of the height of the third glume. The second glume is membranous, ovate-lanceolate acute, 7- to 9-nerved. The third glume is equal to and broader than the second, always paleate and with three stamens and 9-nerved; palea is hyaline, oblong, obtuse or subacute, margins folded. The fourth glume is white, coriaceous, smooth and shining, oblong, acute, shortly and broadly stipitate, with the margins folded inwards exposing only a third of the palea; palea is similar to the glume in texture and marking. Anthers are deep orange in colour. Lodicules are distinct though small. Stigmas are deep purple when mature, and pale when young.

This grass flourishes in moist situations such as the bunds of paddy fields, tank beds and edges of marshes and is an excellent binder of the soil. When once established it is very difficult to get rid of it, on account of its rhizomes. Owing to the resemblance of the rhizomes to ginger, some call this grass Ginger-rooted grass. Cattle are fond of this grass.

Distribution.—Throughout India, but not so common on the West and not recorded from Bombay. It is said to occur in South Europe, Australia, North Africa and Brazil.

5. Chamæraphis, Br.

These are glabrous marsh or aquatic grasses. Leaves are linear or lanceolate. The inflorescence is a panicle. The spikelets are one-to two-flowered, subsessile and subsecund on the branches which are produced as awn-like bristles beyond the ultimate spikelet, obscurely jointed and persistent on their obconic short pedicels, narrowly lanceolate and terete. The spikelet consists of four glumes. The first glume is very small, hyaline, suborbicular, nerveless and truncate. The second glume is the longest, green, membranous, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate or narrowed into a rigid awn, 7- to 11-nerved. The third glume is lanceolate, acute, or aristately acuminate, 7-nerved, paleate, male or neuter, the palea is smaller than the glume and hyaline. The fourth glume is much smaller than the third, stipitate, bisexual or female, oblong or ovate-oblong, acute, flat, thinly coriaceous, nerveless and paleate; the palea is hyaline, as broad as the glume, acute and nerveless. The lodicules are cuneate. Stamens are three. Stigmas are laterally exserted. Grain is oblong, compressed.

Chamæraphis spinescens, Poir.

A glabrous aquatic or marsh grass, with much branched floating stems. Stems are leafy, elongate, ascending, varying in length from 1 to 3 feet.

The leaf-sheaths are long, smooth, loose, with naked margins. The ligule is a ridge of hairs. The nodes are glabrous.

The leaf-blade is flat, narrowly linear-lanceolate, smooth or scabrid, acuminate, base narrowed, 1 to 3-1/2 inches long and 1/16 to 1/8 inch wide.

The inflorescence is a pyramidal panicle, contracted or diffuse, with a leaf very near its base; peduncle is short; branches of the panicle, filiform, angular, flexuous, bearing one or more spikelets and produced as a bristle beyond the last spikelet.

The spikelets are 1/6 to 1/4 rarely 1/3 inch long including the awn, subsessile and somewhat on one side on the branches, obscurely articulate but persistent on the pedicels, pale or green, lanceolate.

There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is hyaline, suborbicular, rounded at the tip and nerveless, 1/30 inch or less. The second glume is membranous, lanceolate, smooth or setosely scabrid on the sides, 9- to 11-nerved, with a long scabrid awn which is sometimes as long as the body of the glume. The third glume is shorter than the second, finely acuminate, or awned, 7-nerved, membranous, paleate and with three stamens and two lodicules; the palea is shorter than the glume, linear-oblong, subacute. The fourth glume is ovate-lanceolate, nerveless, acute, paleate with three stamens, ovary and two lodicules; palea is hyaline, narrow, quarter the length of the third glume. Grain is obovate oblong.

6. Spinifex, L.

This is a stout, rigid, much branched, gregarious and dioecious grass, flourishing in sand on the sea coast. Leaves are long, narrow rigid, involute, spreading and recurved and thickly coriaceous. Male spikelets are 1- to 2-flowered, subsessile, distichous, jointed on rigid peduncled spikes, which are collected in umbels and surrounded by spathaceous leafy bracts. The spikelets have four glumes. The first two glumes are empty. The third and the fourth paleate and triandrous and sometimes the former is empty. Female spikelets are collected in large globose heads of stellately spreading very long rigid rod-like processes surrounded by shorter subulate bracts. Each spikelet is solitary, and articulate at the very base of a rachis, lanceolate, 1-flowered. There are four glumes. The first three glumes are as in the male spikelets, but larger. The third is paleate, empty. The fourth glume has a female flower. The lodicules are large and nerved. Styles are long, free, with short, feathery stigmas. Grain free within the hardened glumes.

Spinifex squarrosus, L.

A perennial littoral dioecious grass forming bushes. Stems are glaucous, smooth, solid, woody, thick below, freely branching, 5 to 10 feet long or more.

The leaf-sheath is smooth, imbricating, 1/2 to 1-1/2 inches long. The ligule is a row of stiff long hairs.

The leaf-blade is narrow, rigid, thickly coriaceous, concavo-convex tapering from the base to the tip, spreading and recurved, 4 to 6 inches long.

The male inflorescence consists of several spikes, 1 to 3 inches long, forming umbels, with membranous leafy spathaceous bracts which are shorter than the spikes.

The spikelets are usually 2-flowered, smooth, articulate on short peduncles, distichous, 1/3 to 1/2 inch long.

There are four glumes. The first glume is shorter than the second, ovate, obtuse, 7- to 9-nerved. The second glume is similar to the first, but longer. The third and the fourth glumes are longer than the second glume, 5- to 7-nerved, paleate and triandrous; palea of both are lanceolate with ciliate keels.

This grass grows luxuriantly in the sands near the sea on both the coasts of the Madras Presidency.

7. Axonopus, Beauv.

These are annual or perennial grasses. Inflorescence is a panicle consisting of digitate or whorled, slender or stout spike-like racemes. Spikelets are solitary, binate or fasciculate, 2-flowered, jointed on the pedicel and awned. There are four glumes. The first glume is the shortest, ovate, acuminate, aristate or cuspidate, hyaline, glabrous and 3-nerved. The second glume is ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate or awned, 5-nerved, lateral nerves being marginal and hairy. The third glume is oblong or oblong ovate, acute, 5-nerved, paleate, male; palea is very short and small, bipartite. The fourth glume is as long as the third and the second, oblong or ovate, coriaceous, narrowed into a straight terminal awn, paleate and bisexual; palea is oblong, coriaceous and 2-nerved. Lodicules are cuneate. Stamens are three with linear anthers. Stigmas are linear, laterally exserted. Grain is oblong, free within the hardened glume and its palea.