Fig. 117.—Cenchrus biflorus.
1. A portion of the raceme; 2. an involucel; 3, 4, 5 and 7. the first, second, third and the fourth glume respectively; 6 and 8. palea of the third and the fourth glumes; 9. the ovary and stamens; 10 grain.
This grass is not so widely distributed as Cenchrus catharticus. It is confined to some East Coast districts.
Distribution.—The Punjab, Gangetic plain, Concan, Sind and Coromandel. Also said to occur in Africa and Arabia.
Cenchrus catharticus, Delile.
A tufted annual grass with geniculately ascending stems, branching at the base.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous and somewhat inflated. The ligule is a fringe of hairs. Nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is linear-lanceolate, finely acuminate, 1 to 4 inches long and 1/8 to 1/4 inch broad.