pectively; 5. palea of the third glume; 6. ovary, anthers and
lodicules.]

There are two (rarely three) _glumes_ in the spikelet. The _first glume_
is very minute, hyaline, obtuse and it is very often not present. The
_second glume_ is about 1/8 inch, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, strongly
3-ribbed with rows of stout, spreading hooked spines along the ribs and
encloses a single floret. The margins of this glume are membranous and
somewhat scaberulous. The _third glume_ is about 1/12 inch, oblong
lanceolate, membranous minutely hairy, 3-nerved and finely pointed at
the apex; the _palea_ is as long as the glume, hyaline, 2-nerved,
lanceolate, subacute and irregularly toothed at the apex. _Stamens_ are
three, with slender filaments, anthers are short, broad and pale yellow.
The style branches are pale and feathery. _Lodicules_ are two, fleshy
and cuneate or subquadrate. The grain is free inside the glume and the
palea, linear oblong, slightly compressed and pale brown, the embryo
occupies about 1/3 the length of the grain.

This is one of the commonest grasses growing everywhere in tufts with
usually prostrate branches. In some situations the branches are erect.

_Distribution._--Plains of India throughout and Ceylon. It is found in
all the warm regions of the world.

15. Perotis, _Ait._

These are slender annual or perennial grasses with short broad leaves.
Inflorescence is a spike or spiciform raceme. The spikelets are
1-flowered, sessile or shortly pedicelled and jointed. There are three
glumes in the spikelet. The first and the second glumes are empty,
subequal, narrowly linear with a strong midrib which is produced into a
long capillary awn. The third glume is very small, hyaline, lanceolate,
acute, 1-nerved and with a perfect flower; palea is small, narrow,
hyaline and nerveless. Stamens are three with short anthers. Styles are
short and united at the base with very short stigmas. The grain is long
and narrow, longer than the flowering glume.

[Illustration: Fig. 124.--Perotis latifolia.]

=Perotis latifolia, _Ait._=

This grass is an annual with slender leafy stems, branching at the base,
prostrate at first and then geniculately ascending, terminating in
inflorescences and varying in length from 3 to 15 inches.

The _leaf-sheaths_ are glabrous, usually all short except the one next
to the inflorescence which is two or three times as long as the lower
sheaths. The _nodes_ are purple and glabrous.

Th