Fig. 125.—Perotis latifolia.
1 and 2. Spikelets; 3, 4 and 5, the first, second and the third glume, respectively;
6. ovary, stamens and lodicules.
There are three glumes. The first and the second glumes are empty, narrow-linear, purple, scabrid, 1-nerved and awned; awns are capillary, varying in length from 1/3 to 1/2 inch. The third glume is very minute with very small palea. There are three stamens and two small lodicules. Styles are somewhat shorter. The grain is long and cylindric.
This grass grows in open waste places and in dry fields all over the Presidency.
Distribution.—Throughout India.
Andropogoneæ is a very large tribe with about thirty genera. It is very well represented in South India and some genera are of very wide distribution.
The spikelets are usually arranged in pairs at each joint, one sessile and the other stalked. The spikelets may all be similar as in Imperata or they may be different as in Ischæmum and Andropogon. There may be only one flower in the spikelet as in Eremochloa and Saccharum or two as in Ischæmum and Apocopis. In the genera Polytoca and Coix the spikelets are unisexual and the male and female spikelets are found in the same inflorescence, the female being below and the male being continuous with it. The spikelet nearly always consists of four glumes, the first or the first and the second being firmer and coriaceous or chartaceous. The flowering glumes are always shorter than the empty glumes, and are hyaline. The fourth glume is often awned or reduced to an awn.
The main rachis of the inflorescence is usually jointed at the base. In addition to this the rachis may be jointed all along its length, so as to become separated into distinct joints when mature as in Rottboellia, Saccharum and Andropogon, or it may be continuous as in Imperata. The pedicels of spikelets and the lower portions of the rachilla of the spikelets may have long hairs.
Sub. Tribe 1. Maydeæ.
Sub. Tribe 2. Sacchareæ.
Sub. Tribe 3. Ischemeæ.
Sub. Tribe 4. Apludeæ.
Sub. Tribe 5. Rottboellieæ.
Sub. Tribe 6. Eu-Andropogoneæ.
These are tall monoecious annual or perennial grasses. The inflorescences are terminal or axillary spiciform racemes. The lowest-spikelet in the raceme is female and this is enclosed in a bract which at length becomes hardened, polished and nut-like and the other spikelets above it are male. The male spikelets are 2- to 3-nate at each node of the rachis, 1 sessile and 1 or 2 pedicelled, lanceolate and 4-glumed. The first and the second glumes are subequal and empty, and the first glume is winged along the inflated margins. The third and the fourth glumes are hyaline, with three stamens or empty. The female spikelet is ovoid acuminate and has four glumes. The first glume is chartaceous and the others are thin and gradually smaller. The grain is orbicular, ventrally furrowed and enclosed by the polished hard bract.
This is a tall monoecious leafy annual (rarely perennial) grass with stout, smooth, polished, freely branching stems rooting at the lower nodes and varying in length from 3 to 5 feet or more.
The leaf-sheath is long, usually smooth but occasionally with scattered tubercle-based hairs. The ligule is a narrow membrane. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is long, flat, narrow or broad, acuminate, cordate at base, with a stout midrib and many slender veins on both sides, usually glabrous on both sides though occasionally with scattered hairs, and with spinulosely serrate margins, varying from 4 to 18 inches in length and 1/3 to 2 inches in breadth.
The inflorescence consists of nodding or drooping spiciform racemes, 1 to 1-1/2 inches long, terminating the branches. The racemes consist of many male spikelets with one (rarely two) female spikelets at the base; the rachis is stout above, and the part within the bract enclosing the female spikelet is slender.
The male spikelets are imbricating, 2 or 3 at a node of the rachis, one sessile and one or two pedicelled, dorsally compressed, articulate at the base and persistent, very variable in size, 3/8 to 3/4 inch. There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is oblong-lanceolate, chartaceous, 3/5 inch long, acute, many-nerved, concave with inflexed margins bearing narrow green many-veined wings. The second glume is similar to the first, but thinner and without the wings, 5- to 9- or rarely 11-nerved. The third glume is oblong-lanceolate, hyaline, faintly 3- to 5-nerved, paleate and with three stamens. The fourth glume is similar to the third, paleate with or without stamens.
Fig. 126.—Coix Lachryma-Jobi.
1. Inflorescence; 2. the female spikelet; 3. male spikelets; 4, 5, 6 and 8. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of a male spikelet; 7 and 9. palea of the third and the fourth glumes, respectively.]
The female spikelet is enclosed by a closed bract which finally becomes hardened, and there are four glumes in the spikelet. The first and the second glumes are chartaceous. The third and the fourth are hyaline, the former being empty and the latter with an ovary. Lodicules are not present. The ovary is ovoid with very long capillary styles. The grain is orbicular, compressed, channelled at the back and enclosed within the stony, hardened and polished bract.
This grass usually grows in paddy fields. There are two distinct varieties—one a fairly tall one annual and the other a very tall (5 to 10 feet) perennial one. The racemes of the latter are longer and drooping, the male spikelets are in threes and the wings of the first glume are usually broader than in the other form. This species is easily recognized by the polished bract enclosing the female spikelet.
Distribution.—Throughout India.
These are tall monoecious annual or perennial grasses. Inflorescences consist of spiciform racemes with spathaceous bracts; rachis is jointed. Racemes may all be male or with one or two female spikelets at the base. Male spikelets are geminate, one sessile and one pedicelled, 2-flowered or imperfect, and with four glumes, which are subequal. The first glume is membranous, many-nerved, shallowly concave and with a narrow membranous margin. The second glume is narrower, ovate, acute, 5- to 9-nerved. The third glume is membranous, oblong, acute, 3- to 5-nerved, paleate and with three stamens. The fourth glume is very slender, hyaline, linear, paleate with three stamens or empty. Female spikelets are broadly oblong, 1-flowered and with four glumes. The first glume is thick, coriaceous and closely embraces the rachis of the spike by its involute margin and the other glumes are within. The second glume is oblong, many-nerved. The third is narrowly oblong, 3- to 5-nerved, empty. The fourth glume is very narrow, truncate, 3-nerved, paleate. Styles are very long with slender stigmas. Grain is small, fusiform, terete and enclosed in the nut-like polished and hardened first glume.
This is an erect, tall, stout, freely branching, leafy, monoecious perennial grass. The stems are terete, 3 to 6 feet high.
The leaf-sheaths are long, glabrous, or with scattered tubercle-based bristly hairs. The ligule is a narrow membrane. The nodes have a ring of soft long hairs.
The leaf-blades are long, flat, linear, acuminate, with a stout midrib and thickened serrate margins, scabrid above and sometimes with a few tubercle-based hairs, 10 inches to 2 feet long and 1/4 to 3/4 inch broad.
The inflorescence consists of paniculate spike-like racemes terminating the branches and at first enclosed in spathiform bracts, the lower and outer spathiform bracts are one inch or more in length with a long awn at the tip, and the inner proper sheaths are oblong, awned and about 1/2 inch long. The raceme consists of one or more female spikelets at the base and a number of male spikelets above, appearing as if sessile on the top of the female spikelet, but really articulate with the internode below it which is enclosed by the first glume of the female spikelet.
Fig. 127.—Polytoca barbata.
1. Inflorescence; 2, 3, 4 and 5. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively,
of the male spikelet; 4a and 5a. palea of the third and the fourth glume,
respectively; 6. the first glume of the sessile spikelet; 7. female spikelet; 8, 9 and 10.
the second, third and the fourth glume, respectively; 11. palea of the fourth glume;
12. ovary.
The male spikelets are solitary, or binate and then one sessile and one pedicelled, 2-flowered, reaching 3/8 inch in length and consist of four glumes each. The first glume is concave, ovate, acute, pubescent, herbaceous, many-nerved and with a narrow membranous margin on one side only in the pedicelled and solitary spikelets and on both sides in the sessile spikelets. The second glume is narrower, dorsally compressed, ovate, acuminate, 5- to 9-nerved, laterally compressed and with a narrow wing to the keel near the apex in sessile spikelets and dorsally compressed without the keel in the pedicelled and solitary spikelets. The third glume is membranous, oblong, acuminate, 3- to 5-nerved, with three stamens and paleate; the palea is hyaline, broadly linear. The fourth glume is very slender, linear, hyaline, with or without stamens, paleate; palea is flat, narrowly linear. Lodicules are present and they are small. The anthers in the third glume are larger than those in the fourth glume.
The female spikelet is oblong, 1/6 inch long, 1-flowered and with four glumes. The first glume is thickly coriaceous, white, shining, closely embracing the rachis and the other glumes entire at the tip. The second glume is quadrately oblong, many-nerved. The third glume is oblong, narrower than the second, 3- to 5-nerved paleate, empty. The palea of the third glume is narrow, truncate. The fourth glume is narrow, truncate, 3-nerved, paleate; the palea is truncate and wrapped round the ovary. Styles are long and stigmas slender. Lodicules are not present. The grain is fusiform, terete and within the nut-like polished hardened glume.
Distribution.—In damp situations all over India.
These are erect perennial grasses. The inflorescence is a spike-like panicle, with very short filiform inarticulate branches and rachises. Spikelets are binate, 1-flowered, all alike, both pedicelled, articulate at the base and hidden by the very long silky hairs arising from a small callus and from the glumes. There are four glumes. The first two glumes are membranous, lanceolate, and subequal. The third glume is shorter and smaller, hyaline. The fourth glume is still smaller and hyaline. Stamens are two, rarely one. Lodicules are not found. Styles connate below, with stigmas very long, narrow and exserted at the top of the spikelets. Grain is small and oblong.
This is an erect perennial grass with creeping, stoloniferous root-stocks, with aerial stems varying from 6 inches to 3 feet.
The leaf-sheath is loose and glabrous. The ligule consists of long soft hairs. The nodes are naked or bearded.
The leaf-blade is linear, flat, tapering from about the middle towards the top, finely acuminate, and also narrowing towards the base into the stout midrib, margins with fine long hairs at the base, 6 to 18 inches by 1/10 to 1/3 inch, scabrous above and smooth beneath.
The panicle is narrow, spike-like, silvery, 3 to 8 inches; branches are short and appressed and the internodes of spikes are short with the tips dilated.
The spikelets are 1/8 to 1/6 inch concealed by long silvery hairs of the callus and the glumes, articulate at the base; callus hairs are about twice as long as the spikelet or longer.
There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, with ciliate tips and long hairs at the back below the middle, rather thickened towards the base, dorsally hairy, 3- to 7-nerved, nerves not reaching the tip. The second glume is as long as the first, with membranous margins and with long hairs at the back, 3- to 7-nerved. The third glume is hyaline, less than half as long as the first and second glumes, oblong, obtuse or irregularly toothed, nerveless or 1-nerved. The fourth glume is slightly shorter and narrower than the third, ovate, acute, obtuse or toothed, ciliate, nerveless or faintly 1-nerved, paleate; palea is about half as long as the glume, quadrate, toothed or retuse, nerveless, glabrous. There are only two stamens with orange anthers. Styles are slender, long, with purple stigmas. Lodicules are absent. Grain is small and oblong.
Fig. 128.—Imperata arundinacea.
1. A spikelet; 2, 3, 4, and 5. the first, second, third and the fourth
glume, respectively; 6. palea of the fourth glume; 7. two stamens and the ovary.
This is fairly abundant in moist stiff soils. On account of the underground stolons this grass cannot be eradicated easily.
Distribution.—Throughout India.
These are tall perennial grasses. Inflorescence is a much branched open panicle, branches spreading or erect, capillary and fragile. Spikelets are small, 1-flowered, binate, one sessile and the other pedicelled, the sessile spikelet is bisexual and the pedicelled is female and rarely bisexual; sessile spikelets are deciduous with the contiguous joint of the rachis and the pedicel. There are four glumes. The first glume is chartaceous, equal in length to the second, oblong or lanceolate. The second glume is concave. The third glume is hyaline, empty. The fourth glume is very small or absent. Lodicules are present. There are three stamens. Stigmas are laterally exserted. Grain is oblong or sub-globose.
This is a tall perennial grass with a creeping root-stock bearing erect stems and occasionally decumbent or prostrate stolons. Stems vary in length from 5 to 20 feet. Branches and axillary buds grow out piercing the sheaths near the nodes.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous, but woolly at the mouth. The ligule is a distinct ovate membrane. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is very long, narrow linear, acuminate and narrowing downwards into the stout midrib, coriaceous, glabrous and 1-1/2 to 2 feet by 1/8 to 1/4 inch.
The panicle is lanceolate, 8 to 24 inches, silky and the peduncle just below the panicle is softly silky, branches are whorled, three to five at a level, 2 to 4 inches long, rachis of the branches almost capillary, jointed and fragile, joints with long cilia at the back.
The spikelets are binate, one sessile and another pedicelled, both bisexual and alike, lanceolate, 1/8 to 1/6 inch long, callus is minute and bearded with spreading silky hairs 1/2 inch long.
Fig. 129.—Saccharum spontaneum.
1. Two spikelets; 2, 3, 4 and 5. the first, second, third and
the fourth glume, respectively; 6. ovary, stamens and lodicules.
There are four glumes. The first glume is lanceolate, subulate, acuminate, 2-nerved, flattened dorsally, coriaceous at the base and hyaline above it, and with smooth incurved margins. The second glume is about equal to or slightly shorter than the first, lanceolate, acuminate, 1-nerved, keeled with an opaque base; margins and keel are ciliate with fine long hairs. The third glume is hyaline, ovate-lanceolate, nerveless, acute, ciliate. The fourth glume is very slender, ciliate, acuminate, paleate; palea is minute, very variable. Stamens are three. Lodicules are cuneate or quadrate. The grain is very small, oblong.
Distribution.—This occurs all over India along the sides of the river.
The grasses of this genus are either annuals or perennials. The inflorescence consists of spikes, solitary, digitate or fascicled, articulate and fragile; the joints of the floral axis and the pedicels of the pedicelled spikelets are trigonous and hollowed ventrally. Spikelets are binate, one sessile and one pedicelled; the pedicelled spikelets are dissimilar from the sessile and both usually 2-flowered. The sessile spikelets have four glumes. The first glume is coriaceous, oblong or lanceolate, convex more or less, marginally winged above the middle, truncate or two-cuspidate at the apex and awnless. The second glume is as long as the first, coriaceous, concave, acute or obtuse, awned or not. The third glume is hyaline, deeply cleft into two lobes with an awn in the cleft, and 3-nerved, paleate; palea is linear-lanceolate enclosing either stamens and ovary or ovary alone. Lodicules are cuneate or quadrate.
KEY TO SPECIES.
This is a perennial grass, with fairly stout, erect or somewhat decumbent, simple or branched, glabrous, leafy stems, 1 to 4 feet high.
The leaf-sheath is loose, glabrous and auricled. The ligule is a distinct membrane, broad or narrow. Nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is linear-lanceolate, flat, acuminate, narrowed towards the base which may be acute, subcordate or rarely even petiolate, glabrous or sparsely hairy above and glaucous beneath, 4 to 10 inches long and 1/4 to 1 inch broad.
The inflorescence consists of one or two, erect, stout or slender, fragile racemes, 1 to 5 inches long.
Fig. 130.—Ischæmum aristatum.
1. A portion of the raceme showing the joints, sessile and pedicelled spikelets; 2,
3, 4 and 6. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the sessile
spikelet; 5 and 7. palea of the third and the fourth glumes, respectively; 8. ovary,
stamens and lodicules; 9. first glume of the pedicelled spikelet.
The spikelets are 1/6 to 1/3 inch long, the sessile and the pedicelled closely pressed together, glabrous or hairy; the callus of the sessile spikelet broad and thick, with or without hairs. The sessile spikelet is awned and consists of four glumes. The first glume is 1/5 inch long or less, oblong or linear-oblong, cartilaginous below the middle, with two to four (or rarely up to six) marginal nodules on each edge, sometimes these are connected by shallow ridges, thinner above the middle, with green anastomosing veins, tip obtuse or 2-toothed, and margins narrowly incurved. The second glume is chartaceous, lanceolate, acuminate, 1-nerved and with a smooth rounded keel. The third glume is ovate-lanceolate, membranous, 1-nerved, acuminate, male or bisexual with an oblong palea. The fourth glume is cleft to or below the middle into lanceolate acute lobes, with a brownish red awn 1/2 inch or more long at the sinus twisted at the lower portion and straight above, paleate, usually female; palea is linear oblong. The pedicelled spikelet is as long as the sessile, inarticulate on the very thick, short pedicel which is densely or sparsely hairy at the base. The first glume is scimitar-shaped, coriaceous, acute, with a somewhat semi-circular wing. The other glumes are as in sessile spikelets, but the fourth glume has no awn and may have a mucro.
This grass is a variable one. There is much variation in the breadth of the leaves and in the markings and hairiness of the spikelets. The spikelets may be glabrous or hairy and the marking in the first glume of the sessile spikelets varies in the matter of marginal nodules—it may have mere shallow notches or deep well-formed nodules and there may be transverse ridges or they may be absent. This grass is abundant on the West Coast and rare in the East Coast.
Distribution.—Throughout the plains and lower hills of India and Ceylon.
Fig. 131.—Ischæmum aristatum.
A. A portion of the raceme showing the joints; B. a sessile and a pedicelled
spikelet. 1, 2, 3 and 6. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively; 4 and
5. palea of the third and the fourth glume; 7. ovary and lodicules; 8. first glume
of the pedicelled spikelets.
This is an erect annual grass with tufted, leafy, compressed stems varying in length from 10 inches to 2 feet.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous, loose and compressed, with a membranous auricle confluent with the truncate ligule. Nodes usually glabrous but sometimes also puberulous.
The leaf-blade is narrow, linear-lanceolate, flat, base contracted, flaccid, acuminate, rounded at the base, glabrous or sparsely hairy on both the surfaces; the topmost leaf is often reduced to an inflated sheath enclosing the inflorescence partially.
Fig. 132.—Ischæmum rugosum.
1. A part of the raceme showing sessile spikelets with reduced pedicelled spikelets; 2.
a sessile spikelet and a well developed pedicelled spikelet; 3. a reduced pedicelled
spikelet; 4, 5, 6 and 8. the first, second, third and the fourth glume of the sessile
spikelet; 7 and 9. palea of the third and fourth glumes of the sessile spikelet; 10. ovary.
The racemes are usually two, erect, fragile, 1 to 3 inches long with a slight thickening of the peduncle below the inflorescence; the joints are 1/3 to 2/3 as long as the sessile spikelets; trigonous and subclavate, and with long hairs on one side. The spikelets are linear-oblong, glabrous or villous, 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, sessile and stalked spikelets close together; the pedicel of the stalked spikelet is thick about 1/3 or less than the length of the sessile spikelet, ciliate on one side, confluent with the thick callus of the sessile spikelet, which is sparsely bristly. The sessile spikelet consists of four glumes and is awned. The first glume is concave, pale yellow, shining and cartilaginous to about 2/3 its length from the base, and the upper third is membranous, dimidiately ovate; at the back in the cartilaginous portion, there are three to six deep convex smooth ridges running across the glume; the membranous tip is thin and with anastomosing green veins; the margins of this glume are thick, narrowly incurved, ciliolate, and with a narrow wing on the outer margin. The second glume is oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, coriaceous, acuminate, scaberulous, keeled and laterally compressed and on the keel just below the tip there is a narrow ciliate wing. The third glume is ovate-lanceolate, hyaline, acuminate 1- to 3-veined, male or empty, with a narrow hyaline palea. The fourth glume is shorter than the third, deeply cleft into two lanceolate acute lobes, 3-veined at the base; awn up to about 2/3 inch long; palea is linear lanceolate. Stamens are three and lodicules are small and cuneate.
The pedicelled spikelet is very variable. It is shorter than the sessile, with obscure transverse ridges and may consist of four glumes, but without an awn to the fourth glume; sometimes this spikelet is reduced to a single glume.
The grain is broadly oblong, brownish and compressed.
Distribution.—Throughout India and Ceylon.
Fig. 133.—Ischæmum pilosum.
A and B. Ligules.
It is a tall, robust, perennial grass with rhizomes producing numerous creeping stolons densely covered with scaly-sheaths. The aerial stems are erect, freely branching at the base, slender, 2 to 3 feet long, glabrous.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous. The ligule is a distinct glabrous membrane, 1/8 inch long, rounded. Nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is linear, finely acuminate, glabrous but bearded at the base, 6 to 12 inches long and 1/8 to 1/3 inch broad.
The inflorescence consists of two to six softly hairy spikes which are yellow or brown 1 to 4 inches long. Joints and pedicels are slender, sparsely ciliate.
Fig. 134.—Ischæmum pilosum.
1. A sessile and a pedicelled spikelet; 2, 3, 4 and 6. the first, second, third and the
fourth glume, respectively, of the sessile spikelets; 5. palea of the third glume, 7. palea
of the fourth glume; 8. ovary; 9, 10, 11 and 12. first, second, third and the fourth
glume, respectively, of the pedicelled spikelets; 13. palea of the fourth glume.
The sessile spikelets are narrowly lanceolate, 3/4 inch long, with long hairs at the base. The first glume is dorsally hairy, or glabrous, narrowed from the middle upwards, chartaceous, with incurved margins and six or seven anastomosing nerves. The second glume is longer than the first, laterally compressed, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, chartaceous, glabrous but often with long hairs on the keel towards the upper half, 5-nerved, the lateral nerves anastomosing. The third glume is a little shorter than the second, linear-oblong or lanceolate, paleate; palea is membranous, nerveless, and encloses three stamens. The fourth glume is equal to the third glume in length, membranous, hyaline and divided almost to the middle into two acute lobes with an awn 1/4 to 3/8 inch long, paleate; palea is lanceolate, nerveless and encloses three stamens and the ovary and sometimes only the ovary. The pedicelled spikelets are shorter than the sessile but with a shorter awn. The glumes are similar to those of the sessile spikelet; sometimes these spikelets are imperfect or even reduced to a single glume.
This grass grows well in black cotton soils and sometimes it gets very well established and then it is very difficult to eradicate it. Cattle seem to like this grass.
Distribution.—In black cotton soils all over the presidency, but most abundant in the Ceded districts.
Fig. 135.—Ischæmum ciliare.
It is a tufted perennial grass, erect or creeping. Stems are erect or ascending, sometimes decumbent at base, and rooting at the nodes, stout or slender, 6 inches to 2 feet long.
The leaf-sheath is compressed, loose, glabrous or hairy. The ligule is a short, ciliate membrane. Nodes are glabrous or hairy.
The leaf-blade is flat, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, narrowed towards the acute or rounded base, glabrous or hairy, 2 to 6 inches long and 1/6 to 1/2 inch wide.
The inflorescence consists of two spikes, 1-1/2 to 2 inches long; joints and pedicels of the pedicelled spikelets equal, hairy at the back and at the angles.
The sessile spikelets are 1/8 to 1/5 inch long, oblong, bearded at the base. The first glume is coriaceous, convex, polished, smooth or pitted, hairy below, flat and veined above the middle, with broad or narrow ciliate equal wings and with margins narrowly inflexed above and broadly so below. The second glume is coriaceous, equal to or longer than the first, lanceolate, acuminate, or shortly awned, 3- to 5-nerved, keel narrowly winged towards the apex, dorsally ciliate or not. The third glume is ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, ciliate towards the apex, 1- to 3-nerved, paleate; the palea has a coriaceous lanceolate centre, with broad hyaline ciliate wings and encloses three stamens. The fourth glume is hyaline, deeply lobed into two oblong obtuse glabrous or ciliate lobes, with an awn twice as long as the spikelet in the cleft, and paleate; palea is lanceolate, acuminate, 2-nerved. Styles and stigmas are short.
Fig. 136.—Ischæmum ciliare.
1. Spikelets; 2, 3, 4 and 6. the first, second, third and
the fourth glume, respectively, of the sessile spikelet; 5 and
7. palea of the third and the fourth glumes, respectively; 8.
lodicules, stamens and the ovary; 9 and 10. the first and the
second glumes of the pedicelled spikelet.
The pedicelled spikelets resemble the sessile ones in the structure of their glumes and palea.
This grass is very variable in its habit and in the structure of its spikelets. It grows mostly in wet situations, such as the bunds of paddy fields and tanks. Cattle eat the grass eagerly.
Distribution.—All over India and Ceylon.
This is a perennial grass with numerous stiff, thick and wiry roots.
Stems are erect, slender, rising in tufts from a short root-stock, glabrous, leafy towards the base, varying in length from 2 to 3 feet.
The leaf-sheaths are shorter than the internodes usually glabrous, but occasionally with scattered hairs. At the mouth tufts of hairs are present or not. The ligule is a ridge of silky hairs. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blades are erect, flat, slightly glaucous, linear, narrowed to long capillary tips, 5 to 12 inches long and 1/10 to 1/6 inch broad, with prominent nerves and scabrid margins.
The inflorescence is a solitary spike, 2 to 5 inches long, erect and fragile; the joints and pedicels are compressed, somewhat 2-angled, ciliate with long hairs, and about half as long as the spikelets.
Fig. 137.—Ischæmum laxum.
1. A sessile and a pedicelled spikelet; 2. first glume of a sessile spikelet; 3. second
glume of a sessile spikelet; 4 and 5. third and fourth glumes of sessile spikelets; 4a
and 5a. are palea of third and fourth glumes; 6. ovary; 7, 8, 9 and 10. glumes of pedicelled
spikelets; 9a and 10a. palea of third and fourth glumes.
The spikelets are in pairs, one-sessile and one-pedicelled. The sessile spikelets are pale-green, linear-oblong, acuminate with a shortly bearded callus, 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch long. There are four glumes in a spikelet. The first glume is chartaceous, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, 2-toothed with the teeth ending in two short awns, densely ciliated at the apex on one side, conspicuously 6- (rarely) 7-nerved, the two lateral being very strong and running into the apical teeth and the intermediate four nerves being shorter and not running up to the apex, and on the dorsal surface there is a depression, where it is membranous and the nerves on its sides sometimes anastomosing at the upper third of the glume. The second glume is shorter than the first, chartaceous to a certain extent, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, concave, terminating in a fine scabrid awn, 1/2 inch long, with margins ciliate from above the middle to the apex, and with a narrow ciliated wing on the keel at the apex running up to the base of the awn, 3-nerved. The third glume is lanceolate, acuminate, hyaline, nerveless, ciliate, with a linear obtuse palea enclosing three stamens and two lodicules. The fourth glume is hyaline, membranous, deeply split at the apex into two prominent lobes and with an awn in the depression 1/2 inch long, the palea is linear oblong and contains either the ovary alone or both the stamens and the ovary.
The pedicelled spikelets are also as long as the sessile, more conspicuous than the sessile and consist of four glumes, but are not awned. The first glume is lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, chartaceous, with seven strong nerves, very prominent at the back and the mid nerve being most conspicuous, with scabrid keels and closely finely ciliated and folded margins, finely biaristate at the apex. The second glume is lanceolate, finely acuminate, sub-chartaceous, with the margins ciliate from about two-third its length from the apex, 3-nerved, the mid nerve alone being prominent. The third glume is hyaline, nerveless, lanceolate, ciliate in the margin, paleate with 3 stamens or empty. The fourth glume is shorter than the third, hyaline, narrow lanceolate, not awned, ciliate or not at the margin, paleate and with three stamens and two lodicules.
This grass produces a large amount of leaves in good soils and it is liked very much by cattle. It is capable of standing a long spell of dry weather, and is valuable in this respect because it can be depended upon when other grasses fail. It is worth conserving with other grasses. It grows both in rich and poor soils, in open places and also in thickets.
Distribution.—Throughout India and Ceylon.
These are tufted perennial grasses with rigid equitant leaves at the base. The inflorescence consists of a solitary, glabrous, and compressed spike, with a somewhat fragile rachis; the joints are compressed, hollow and clavate. The spikelets are solitary, usually 2-flowered (rarely 1-flowered), secund, closely imbricating, sessile with a short, pedicelled, reduced upper spikelet, and deciduous with the joint. There are four glumes. The first glume is oblong or ovate, flat, smooth, coriaceous, pectinately margined with upcurved spines. The second glume is oblong-lanceolate, acute and 3-nerved. The third glume is hyaline, obtuse, paleate and male. The fourth glume is smaller, hyaline, oblong, obtuse, 1-nerved, paleate, bisexual or female. Lodicules are truncate and slightly oblique. Stamens are three with long anthers. Styles are two with feathery stigmas. The grain is oval, plano-convex.
This is a perennial tufted grass with a woody creeping root-stock. Stems are erect or ascending, slender, strongly compressed, lower parts completely covered by rigid equitant leaves, 6 to 18 inches long or more.
The leaf-sheath is broad, flat, much compressed, glabrous and keeled. The ligule is a short membrane. Nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is linear, glabrous on both sides, 2 to 6 inches long and 3/16 to 1/4 inch broad, with a rounded tip and two unequal lobes.
The spike is solitary, up to 6 inches (or more) in length, joints of the rachis 1/3 to 1/2 the length of the spikelets. Spikelets are solitary, sessile, compressed, secund. The sessile spikelets are 3/16 to 1/6 inch, and consist of four spikelets. The first glume is oblong-lanceolate, dorsally slightly convex, smooth, coriaceous, 7- to 9-nerved, and with pectinate margins consisting of long, spreading, upcurved spines and at the top with subquadrate wings on each side reaching beyond the acute tip. The second glume is chartaceous, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, usually 5-nerved (and occasionally 3-nerved), the mid-nerve keeled with a narrow wing from below the middle to the base and with hyaline margins. The third glume is oblong-obovate, hyaline, thin, paleate with three yellow anthers and two oblong-cuneate lodicules; palea is narrow, oblong, obtuse. The fourth glume is thin, hyaline, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, paleate, and bisexual; palea lanceolate, narrow, two-toothed at the apex, with deep purple anthers and stigmas of the same colour. The lodicules are obliquely truncate. Ovary has a reddish spot between the style branches and just at the apex in the fresh state in the bud and in the open flower.