g to linear, 1/8 to 3/4 inch by about 1/20 inch, greenish
or tinged with purple, few to about 25 (or sometimes even up to 42)
glumed, pedicellate; pedicel is capillary, grooved and angular, with a
glandular ring about the middle, spreading sometimes at right angles,
rachilla is persistent.

Empty _glumes_ are unequal. The first _glume_ is hyaline very small,
nerveless or one-nerved, subacute or subobtuse; the second _glume_ is
much longer than the first glume, ovate-oblong subacute, keeled,
membranous and one-nerved. _Flowering glumes_ vary from about 12 to 30
and in some well grown plants as many as 42, broadly ovate, obtuse or
subacute, rigidly membranous, three-nerved (one median and two marginal)
glabrous, keeled and keels are scaberulous near the apex; palea is
oblong linear, a little curved, persistent, a little smaller than the
glume, two-keeled; there are three _stamens_ with small purplish anthers
and two small _lodicules_. The grain is oblong truncate at both ends,
reddish brown, with a prominent groove on the dorsal side; embryo
occupying nearly half the length of the grain.

This grass grows abundantly in somewhat rich soils all over the
Presidency and cattle eat it. It grows quickly and bears a fair amount
of foliage.

_Distribution._--Madras Presidency in the plains; also occurs in Ceylon.

=Eragrostis pilosa, _Beauv._=

This is a densely tufted annual grass. Stems are usually erect, slender
and simple, flaccid, 3 inches to 3 feet.

The _leaf-sheath_ is compressed, glabrous and bearded with long hairs
close to the mouth. The _ligule_ is a ridge of hairs.

The _leaf-blade_ is short, narrow, finely acuminate, 1-1/2 to 4 inches.

The _panicle_ is oblong to pyramidal, flaccid, open or contracted erect
or inclined, 2 to 8 inches; rachis is hairy or glabrous; branches are
very fine filiform or capillary, more or less whorled, lower six inches
long; branchlets are still finer and capillary.

[Illustration: Fig. 225.--Eragrostis pilosa.

1. A portion of a branch with spikelets; 2 and 3. empty glumes; 4.
flowering glumes; 5. palea; 6. grain.]

_Spikelets_ are linear, grey tipped with purple, or often purplish,
scattered, 1/8 to 1/5 by 1/30 to 1/20 inch, with pedicels shorter or
longer than the spikelets. The _empty glumes_ are hyaline, very unequal,
nerveless or the second which is ovate-lanceolate and larger than the
first faintly 1-nerved. The _flowering glumes_ are ovate acute, paleate,
1/10 to 1/