ous, strongly
keeled, glabrous but with tufts of soft hairs at the base, 12 to 18
inches long, 1/10 to 1/6 inch broad. The _ligule_ is a ring of hairs.

The _inflorescence_ is a spike-like raceme, varying in length from 5 to
7 inches. The involucels are shortly stalked, with a few unequal
bristles which are free down to the base and two to three times as long
as the spikelet.

_Spikelets_ are lanceolate, acute, solitary, 3/8 inch long.

[Illustration: Fig. 114.--Pennisetum Alopecuros.

A and B. Spikelets front and back view; 1, 2, 3 and 4. the first,
second, third and the fourth glume, respectively; 5. palea of the fourth
glume; 6. the ovary, stamens and lodicules.]

The _first glume_ is very small, almost orbicular, hyaline and
nerveless. The _second glume_ is about 1/3 the length of the third
glume, lanceolate, acuminate, 3-nerved. The _third glume_ is about 1/3
inch long, lanceolate, acuminate, 7- to 11-nerved, epaleate and with
infolded margins. The _fourth glume_ is a little longer than the third,
lanceolate, acuminate, with infolded margins 5- or 6-nerved, paleate and
enclosing a complete flower. The _palea_ is lanceolate, acuminate, as
long as the glume. There are three _stamens_ with long, narrow, yellow
anthers. _Stigmas_ are feathery. _Lodicules_ are either absent or very
minute.

This is a very coarse grass usually growing in stiff soils especially
near wet places.

_Distribution._--Occurs all over Southern India both on the plains and
on low hills.

[Illustration: Fig. 115.--Pennisetum cenchroides.]

=Pennisetum cenchroides, _Rich._=

This grass is a perennial. It consists of aerial branches and
underground rhizomiferous stems, bearing thick fibrous roots and
numerous buds covered by scarious sheaths. The aerial branches are
tufted, erect or decumbent and geniculately ascending when in flower,
much branched from the base, 6 to 24 inches long (under favourable
conditions may reach even 3 to 4 feet in length).

The _leaf-sheath_ is slightly compressed, keeled, with scattered long
hairs outside, shorter than the internodes. The _ligule_ is a short thin
membrane fringed with hairs.

The _leaf-blade_ is linear, tapering to a very fine point 1-1/2 to 6
inches (sometimes 18 to 20 inches) by 1/8 to 1/4 inch scaberulous with
fine long tubercle-based deciduous hairs scattered above, and the lower
surface glabrous or with a few distantly scattered fine long hairs,
broad at the base and constricted at