an
the second, 1- to 3-nerved, the _second glume_ is longer than the first,
3- to 5-nerved, and the nerves are very close to the middle one in the
keel. The _third_ and the succeeding _glumes_ are ovate, cuspidately
acuminate, 3-nerved, nerves villous below the middle and paleate;
_palea_ is oblong, lanceolate, truncate and minutely 2-toothed, keels
villous below the middle. _Anthers_ are small. _Lodicules_ are also
small and cuneate. _Styles_ are long and slender. Grain is orbicular to
ovate, concavo-convex, red-brown, and transversely rugose.

This grass is usually found in somewhat damp situations all over the
Presidency, though somewhat local in its distribution.

_Distribution._--Sandy shores of the Coromandel and Carnatic coasts.

[Illustration: Fig. 208.--Eleusine aegyptiaca.]

=Eleusine aegyptiaca, _Desf._=

This grass is an annual with erect or creeping branches. Stems are erect
or prostrate, compressed, smooth, spreading and rooting at the nodes, 6
to 18 inches long. Nodes are thickened and sometimes proliferous.

The _leaf-sheath_ is compressed and glabrous. The _ligule_ is short and
membranous.

The _leaf-blade_ is linear, tapering to a fine point, flat, glaucous,
glabrous or hairy, 1 to 6 inches long and 1/12 to 1/6 inch, wide.

[Illustration: Fig. 209.--Eleusine aegyptiaca.

1. Front and back views of a portion of spike; 2. a spikelet; 3 and 4.
the first and the second glumes; 5 and 6. flowering glume and its palea;
7. ovary and anthers.]

_Spikes_ are digitate, 2 to 6, 1/2 to 1-1/2 inches long. _Spikelets_ are
flat, densely crowded on one side of the floral axis, spreading at right
angles, 3- to 5-flowered, _glumes_ five to seven. The _first glume_ is
ovate acute. The _second glume_ is equal to the first or slightly
longer, broadly ovate, awned. The flowering _glumes_ are ovate,
mucronate or awned, paleate; _palea_ is shorter than the glume,
ovate-oblong, obtuse or 2-fid. _Anthers_ are small. Grain is reddish,
rugose and sub-globose.

This is a very common grass occurring as a weed in cultivated fields and
in open places. It is a well-known fodder grass.

_Distribution._--Throughout the plains in India and Ceylon.

38. Dinebra, _Jacq._

These are leafy annual grasses. The inflorescence is a narrow pyramidal
raceme of slender, spreading or deflexed spikes. Spikelets are small,
biseriate and crowded on one side of the spike and not jointed at the
base; rachilla is slender, jointed and