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. The _panicle_ is strict, erect, narrowly pyramidal, often interrupted, varying in length from 6 to 18 inches and breadth from 1/2 to 2 inches. Branches are many, short, crowded, densely clothed from the base with sessile, imbricating, much compressed deflexed spikelets. [Illustration: Fig. 226.--Eragrostis cynosuroides. 1. A branch with spikelets; 2. flowering glumes with their palea; 3 and 4. empty glumes; 5 and 6. flowering glume and its palea.] The _spikelets_ are secund, biseriate, shining, pale brown, 1/2 inch long, up to 30-flowered. The _empty glumes_ are unequal, the second being the larger. The _flowering glumes_ are coriaceous, ovate, acute as long as the second or slightly longer, paleate, palea is sub-coriaceous and shorter than the glume. _Stamens_ are three. Grain is obliquely ovoid, laterally compressed. This grass grows usually in moist sandy loams, sand dunes, and is very common on the Coromandel coast and in the Deccan Districts. _Distribution._--Throughout in the plains of India. =Eragrostis bifaria, _Wight Ex Steud._= This is a densely tufted perennial grass. Stems are simple, erect, glabrous, somewhat compressed, 1 to 3 feet high, and the base clothed with the old remains of the leaf-sheaths. The _leaf-sheath_ is scaberulous, keeled. The _ligule_ is a line of fine hairs. The _leaf-blade_ is wiry, narrow, linear, flexuous, rigid, acute, smooth, flat or complicate, keeled, 2 to 3 inches long and up to 1/6 inch wide. The _spikes_ are solitary, 10 to 12 inches long bearing spikelets unilaterally. [Illustration: Fig. 227.--Eragrostis bifaria. 1 and 1_a._ Spikelets; 2. and 3. empty glumes; 4 and 5. the flowering glume and its palea; 6. the ovary, stamens and the lodicules.] The _spikelets_ are ovate or ovoid to oblong, much compressed, usually 15- to 20-flowered and up to 40 and then linear, 1/4 to 2/3 inch long, spreading, green or olive grey. The _empty glumes_ are one-nerved and keeled. The _first glume_ is longer than the second glume, very acute or acuminate. The _second glume_ is smaller than the first, with stout rounded keel. The _flowering glumes_ are as long or slightly shorter than the first glume, broadly ovate, sub-acuminate, with faint nerves and paleate; _palea_ is shorter than its glume and with ciliate wings to the keel. _Stamens_ are three. Grain is free. This grass is very common in the plains in somewhat wet situations all over the Presidency. _Distribution._--Deccan Peninsula in India and also in Tropical Africa. 43. Oropetium, _Trin._