ice as long as the first, linear-lanceolate, with a
very short awn and 2-toothed at the tip, 1-nerved, persistent. The
_third glume_ is rigid, lanceolate-linear, 3-nerved, scaberulous all
over; paleate and awned; awn is nearly as long as the glume, rigid. The
_fourth glume_ is similar to the third glume in all respects but
shorter. The rachilla is produced beyond the fourth glume and it
terminates in an awned rudimentary glume. The third glume as well as the
fourth glume contains a perfect flower and the grain is developed always
in the third and mostly in the fourth also. The grain is oblong,
brownish, dorsally concave and ventrally raised and convex. The grain in
the fourth glume is usually much smaller than that found in the third
glume.

This usually grows amidst thickets and occurs all over this Presidency.

_Distribution._--Mysore, Burma, Ceylon and Seychelle Islands.

35. Cynodon, _Pers._

These are perennial grasses with stems creeping and rooting at the
nodes, and producing tufts of barren branches and flowering stems at the
nodes. The inflorescence consists of two to six spikes in terminal
umbels. The spikelets are small, 1-flowered, laterally compressed,
sessile, alternately 2-seriate and imbricate on one side of the rachis.
The spikelet has three glumes. The first two glumes are empty, thin,
keeled, and acute or mucronate. The third glume is the largest,
boat-shaped, 3-nerved, with ciliate keels, palea is 2-keeled, somewhat
shorter than the glume. Lodicules are two. The anthers are somewhat
large. Grain is oblong, free.

KEY TO THE SPECIES.

Glumes I and II shorter than III.

Underground stems present.

Hairs on the margins and keels of
glume III pointed and not clavate. 1. C. dactylon.

Underground stems absent.

Hairs on the margins and keels of
glume III clavellate and pointed at
the apex. 2. C. intermedius.

Glume I shorter than II but II equal to or
longer than III--

Hairs on the margins and keels of
glume III clavellate and rounded at
the apex. Underground stems
absent. 3. C. Barberi.

[Illustration: Fig. 190.--Cynodon dactylon.]

=Cynodon dactylon, _Pers._=

This is a perennial grass with creeping branches and also with numerous
deeply penetrating underground stems covered with white scale-leaves.
Stems are prostrate, widely creeping and