Fig. 225.—Eragrostis pilosa.
1. A portion of a branch with spikelets; 2 and 3. empty glumes; 4. flowering glumes; 5. palea; 6. grain.
Spikelets are linear, grey tipped with purple, or often purplish, scattered, 1/8 to 1/5 by 1/30 to 1/20 inch, with pedicels shorter or longer than the spikelets. The empty glumes are hyaline, very unequal, nerveless or the second which is ovate-lanceolate and larger than the first faintly 1-nerved. The flowering glumes are ovate acute, paleate, 1/10 to 1/8 inch; palea is sub-persistent and keels of palea scaberulous. Stamens are three with small violet anthers. Grain is ellipsoid laterally pointed at the base.
This grass occurs in wet places or close to the margins of ponds, marshy situations all over the Presidency.
Distribution.—All over India and also in South Europe and most warm countries.
Eragrostis cynosuroides, Beauv.
This is a tall perennial grass freely branching from the base and with stout stolons covered with shining sheaths. The root-stock is stout and creeping. The stems are tufted, smooth, erect, with fascicles of leaves at the base 1 to 3 feet high.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous, slightly compressed, distinctly keeled, as broad or slightly broader than the blade at the mouth. Ligule is a line of short hairs.
The leaf-blade is linear, rigid, glabrous, acuminate with filiform tips, and finely serrulate margins, varying in length from 2 to 10 inches and the basal leaves sometimes reaching 20 inches.