[Illustration: Fig. 69.--Paspalum scrobiculatum.]

=Paspalum scrobiculatum, _L._=

This is an annual grass, with stems tufted on very short rhizomes, erect
or very shortly bent at base, glabrous, bifariously leafy and varying in
height from 1 to 3 feet or more.

_Leaf-sheaths_ are compressed, glabrous, loose, keeled, mouth hairy or
not. The _ligule_ is a short thin membrane. The _nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blade_ is linear-lanceolate, finely acuminate, keeled with a
distinct midrib, and with very minutely serrulate margins, 6 to 18
inches by 1/12 to 1/3 inch.

The _inflorescence_ consists of 2 to 5 sessile alternate spikes, usually
distant and spreading and varying in length from 1 to 8 inches; the
rachis is flattened and winged.

The _spikelets_ are either orbicular or ovate-oblong, as broad as the
rachis, glabrous, closely imbricating in two rows (rarely in three or
four rows), sessile or rarely geminate on a common pedicel.

There are three glumes. The _first glume_ is concave, 3- to 5-nerved
(rarely 3- to 7-nerved). The _second glume_ is flat, 5-nerved, with two
strong sub-marginal nerves, sometimes with shallow transverse pits along
the margins. The _third glume_ is thickly coriaceous, brownish, shining,
minutely striolate, margins roundly incurved throughout its length,
paleate; the _palea_ is similar to the glume in structure and colour,
margins strongly inflexed and with two broad membranous auricles almost
overlapping just below the middle. There are three _stamens_. The
_stigmas_ are white both when young and while fading. The style branches
are diverging widely and then straight. There are two oblong cuneate
fleshy _lodicules_.

[Illustration: Fig. 70.--Paspalum scrobiculatum.

1 and 2. Front and back view of a portion of spike; 3, 4 and 5.
spikelets; 6, 7 and 8. the first, second, and the third glume,
respectively; 9. palea of the third glume; 10. the ovary, stamens and
the lodicules.]

This grass flourishes all over the Presidency in moist places, such as,
bunds of wet lands, edges of ponds and lakes and in marshy land. There
are two forms of this grass, one with round and another with ovate
oblong spikelets. They also vary in the size of the spikelets--some
forms have small spikelets and others large. Sometimes the spikelets
show variation in the number of glumes.

This grass is also cultivated for its grain. In cultivated forms the
spikelets are larger and the whole plant grows bigger