Botanical Name - Dactyloctenium aegyptium

----- Dactyloctenium aegyptium ; Beauv . ; F.B.I. V. 7. P. 295. ( Syn. ) Eleusine aegyptiaca, Desf .

----- Annual grass about 1 ft. high or even prostate on dry soils rooting at the nodes, smooth, glabrous. Leaves linear, flat, tapering to a fine point hairy or glabrous, often glaucous. Inflorescence of 2-6 stout digitate spikes, 1/2 to 1 1/2 in. long, radiating from the top of the culm. Rhachis of the spikes often produced in a sharp point. Spikelets many, spreading at right angles to the rachis ; midrib of the lemmas often excurrent as a short awn.

----- Common all over the State between edges of forests and cultivation considered to be a good fodder grass.

----- The other species of food value vastly cultivated in the State are : -

----- 1. Zea Mays, Linn. F.B.I. V. 7. P. 102. The Indian corn. Makayi ( Urdu ), Mokka jounalu ( Tel ).

----- 2. Oryza sativa, Linn. F.B.I. V. 7. P. 92. The Paddy or rice plant. Vern. Dhan ( Urdu ), Vadlu ( Tel ).

----- 3. Saccharum officinarum, Linn F.B.I. V. 7. P. 118. The sugar-cane Vern. Naishakar ( Urdu ), Cheruku ( Tel ).

----- 4. Andropogon Sorghum, Brot, F.B.I. V. 7. P. 183/ Great millet. Vern. Jawari ( Hind ), Jonna ( Tel ).

----- 5. Eleusine Coracana, Gaertn. F.B.I. V. 7. P. 294. The Ragi millet.

----- 6. Tricticum vulgari, Will. F.B.I. V. P. 367. The wheat. Vern. Gaihoon ( Hind ).