Fig 154.—Andropogon squarrosus. 1. A portion of a branch; 2. a sessile and a pedicelled spikelet; 3, 4, 5 and 6. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the sessile spikelet; 7. palea of the fourth glume; 8. lodicules, stamens and the ovary; 9, 10, 11 and 12. glumes of the pedicelled spikelet; 13. palea of the fourth glume.
The sessile spikelets are about 1/6 inch long, lanceolate and with a shortly bearded callus. The first glume is ovate-oblong, thickly coriaceous, obscurely 2- to 4-nerved (occasionally 5- to 7-nerved), acute, dorsally flat, with incurved margins and with two rows of tubercle-based minute prickles or mere excrescences at the sides. The second glume is as long as the first, oblong, coriaceous, keeled, with hyaline and ciliolate margins, 1-nerved (sometimes 3-nerved, marginal faint), and with minute prickles on the keel. The third glume is broadly oblong, hyaline, nerveless or rarely with two obscure veins ciliolate at the margins and acute or acuminate. The fourth glume is shorter than the third, linear-oblong, mucronate or very shortly awned at the apex, paleate; palea about two-thirds the length of the glume, lanceolate. Lodicules are two, quadrate and conspicuous though small. Styles and stigmas short. Stamens are three with yellow anthers. Stigmas are purple.
The pedicelled spikelets are similar to the sessile ones, but are slightly smaller and the prickles are less prominent. The fourth glume has no mucro or awn and has three stamens.
This grass is fairly abundant in moist situations, in the margins of tanks and in tankbeds in the Coromandel districts, but in other inland districts it is not so common. In some places it seems to be cultivated. This is the khus-khus grass.
Distribution.—Throughout the plains and lower hills of India, Burma and Ceylon, also said to occur in Java and Tropical Africa.
(Chrysopogon asper, Heyne.)
This is a tufted perennial grass. Stems are stout below with distichous leaves and very slender above, 2 to 3-1/2 feet long.
The leaf-sheaths are distichous and towards the base of the stem are 1/2 inch broad, compressed, keeled and with scattered tubercle-based hairs. The ligule is a short membrane fringed with close set hairs.
Fig. 155.—Andropogon asper.
Leafy shoot, a bit of the stem with leaf-sheaths and a bit of the leaf.
The leaf-blades are broad, distinctly linear, acute or acuminate, coriaceous, glabrous or softly hairy on both the surfaces, with a slender midrib which bears short stiff tubercle-based hairs all along, and margins with similar hairs, but a few leaves towards the base are longer, and varying in length from 12 to 18 inches and in breadth from 1/2 to 3/4 inch.
The panicle is somewhat narrow, 7 to 8 inches long, branches are very slender, whorled, usually with only one spike consisting of a sessile and two pedicelled spikelets.
The sessile spikelets are 1/4 inch long, laterally compressed, with a long callus villous all round, and bisexual. The first glume is coriaceous, linear-oblong, strongly compressed above and with a few stiff short bristles beneath the tip. The second glume is linear, oblong, coriaceous, with an awn as long as itself or shorter, keeled and with short stiff bristles on the keel and on the sides above the middle. The third glume is hyaline, narrow, obtuse, shorter than the second, 2-nerved, ciliate. The fourth glume is the linear, hyaline, 3-nerved base of the awn; the awn is 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches and bent at about the middle.
The pedicelled spikelets are about 1/3 inch, narrowly lanceolate, male or neuter and with short rusty hairs on both the margins of the pedicel and a semi-circular tip. The first glume is thin, 2-toothed or not at the tip, awned, awn being as long as itself or longer, 7-nerved, ciliate at the sides from base to tip; the nerves are either equidistant or the lateral nerves nearer the margin. The second glume is lanceolate-acuminate, not awned, 3-nerved, margins hyaline, and ciliolate. The third glume is hyaline, linear-oblong, 2-nerved, ciliolate. The fourth glume is linear or linear-lanceolate, hyaline, nerveless or 1-nerved.
Fig. 156.—Andropogon asper.
1. Spike; 2, 3, 4 and 5. the first, second,
third and the fourth glume, respectively, of
the sessile spikelet; 6. the ovary, lodicules
and stamens; 7, 8, 9 and 10. the first, second,
third and the fourth glume, respectively, of
the pedicelled spikelet; 11. callus of the
spike.
This grass grows abundantly on the sides of the Kambakkam Drug, Chingleput district, and in Penchalkonda, Nellore district, and seems to be an endemic species. It is usually confined to the hill sides and not found in the plains. This grass is very closely allied to Andropogon Wightianus and it differs from it only in the general habit of the plant and in having bristles on the leaf-sheaths. On the whole this is a coarser and larger plant than A. Wightianus.
Distribution.—Kambakkam Drug in the Chingleput district and Penchalkonda in Nellore district.
(Chrysopogon Wightianus, Nees.)
This is a perennial. Stems are erect or ascending from a creeping root-stock, varying in height from 2 to 3 feet.
The leaf-sheath is flattened, softly hairy or glabrous, often ciliated near the mouth. The ligule is a fringe of very short hairs.
The leaf-blade is narrowly or rarely broadly linear, obtuse or acute and abruptly mucronate, or narrowly drawn into a point glabrous or pubescent, margins shortly ciliate.
The panicle is narrow, 3 to 6 inches long, peduncle smooth below but thinly pubescent above, lower branches long, few in a whorl; rachis is very slender, angular, glabrous or hairy. The spikes are solitary and each one consists of one sessile and two pedicelled spikelets. The callus is long and densely bearded with brown hairs.
Fig. 157.—Andropogon Wightianus.
1. A spike; 2, 3, 4 and 5. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively,
of the sessile spikelet; 6. lodicules, stamens and the ovary; 7, 8, 9 and 10. the first,
second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the pedicelled spikelet.
Sessile spikelets are bisexual, sub-cylindric about 1/4 inch long. There are four glumes. The first glume is chartaceous, laterally compressed, obscurely 4-nerved, glabrous below, hispid near the apex, minutely 2-toothed or not at the apex, not awned or rarely with a short awn. The second glume is chartaceous, distinctly awned, the awn being as long as the glume or longer, hispid above and at the sides also. The third glume is hyaline, linear-oblong, 2-nerved ciliate. The fourth glume is narrow with hyaline margins, with an awn 2 to 3 inches long; awn is hispid below, twisted and geniculate at and less hairy above the middle. Stamens are three. Styles are two and feathery. Lodicules are very small.
Pedicelled spikelets are male or neuter, flattened, hairy, rarely glabrous. The pedicels are half as long or slightly longer than the sessile spikelet, truncate or semi-circular at the top, and with brown villous hairs along the margin. There are four glumes. The first glume is about 3/8 inch, ciliate, along the inflexed margin, 7-nerved, awned; awn equal to or longer than the glume. The second glume is as long as the first, shortly awned or acuminate, 3-nerved, ciliate. The third glume is hyaline, oblong, 2-nerved, sparsely ciliate. The fourth glume is narrow, ciliate, nerveless or rarely 1-nerved, erose or bifid at the top. Anthers three or more.
This grass grows on the plains as well as on the hills. It is very closely allied to Andropogon asper, Heyne, and it is very difficult to distinguish them. Andropogon Wightianus is somewhat smaller compared with Andropogon asper, and the tubercle-based bristles on the leaf-sheaths, so characteristic of A. asper, is absent.
Distribution.—Madras, Chingleput district, Kodaikānal and the Nilgiris.
(Chrysopogon monticola.)
This is a perennial grass.
The stems are usually slender, densely tufted, erect, simple, or branched, leafy especially at the base, varying in height from 1 to 3 feet.
The leaf-sheaths are sparsely hairy or glabrous, the lower somewhat compressed and the upper terete. The ligule is a short, ciliated membrane. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is narrow, linear, acute, rigid, flat, glaucous, smooth or scaberulous, with margins scabrid and ciliated with tubercle-based hairs especially towards the base, and varying in length from 2 to 15 inches.
The inflorescence is an open panicle, ovate or oblong, varying in length from 2 to 5 inches; the rachis is slender, smooth or scaberulous, the branches are capillary, whorled and spreading, tip oblique, bearded and bearing a single sessile and two pedicellate spikelets.
Fig. 158.—Andropogon monticola.
1. Sessile and pedicellate spikelets; 2, 3, 4 and 5. the first, second, third and the
fourth glume, respectively, of the sessile spikelet; 6. anthers, ovary and lodicules; A-1,
A-2, A-3 and A-4. the glumes of the pedicelled spikelet; A-5. lodicules of the pedicelled
spikelet.
The sessile spikelets are bisexual, about 1/4 inch or less, with a long callus bearded on one side with long rusty hairs. There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is chartaceous, linear, complicate, 2-toothed at the tip and with short bristles towards the apex, 4-veined. The second glume is chartaceous, ovate-lanceolate, much broader than the first, ciliate with long rufous bristles on the keel, shortly toothed at the apex with an awn about 1/3 of an inch and with broadly hyaline margins. The third glume is hyaline, narrow-oblong, ciliate and obtuse. The fourth glume is narrow, oblong, hyaline with an awn nearly an inch long. There are three stamens and two lodicules. The stigmas are long and feathery.
The pedicelled spikelets are as long as the sessile and the pedicels are flattened and with long rufous hairs on both the margins. There are four glumes. The first glume is lanceolate, acute and awned between two teeth, 7-nerved and scaberulous. The second glume is lanceolate, acuminate, with thinly ciliate hyaline margins, 3-nerved. The third glume is shorter than the second, narrow, hyaline, ciliate at the margins, 2-nerved. The fourth glume also is small, hyaline, ciliate, and 1-nerved. There are three stamens and two lodicules.
This grass is found growing all over the Presidency on the plains and even on low hills. It grows into a tall plant in rich soils and remains stunted in poor, dry and rocky soils. Cattle eat this grass.
Distribution.—Throughout India and Ceylon and in Africa.
This is a perennial grass more or less tufted in habit and closely allied to Andropogon annulatus, Forsk.
Stems are erect or decumbent below or ascending from a creeping base, rooting at the nodes, smooth, glabrous and much branched, varying in height, from 1 to 2 feet; branches are short, slender and sometimes even capillary, with nodes bearded or not in branches ending in solitary spikes, and completely glabrous when they end in binate spikes.
The leaf-sheaths are glabrous, rather compressed, striate, shorter than the internodes. Ligule is membranous, short, very finely ciliolate or not.
The leaf-blade is linear, finely acuminate, sparsely hairy, sometimes with tubercle-based hairs, becoming glabrous when old with scaberulous margins 2 to 8 inches by 1/10 to 1/6 inch, base rounded mostly with a few long hairs.
Fig. 159.—Andropogon caricosus.
1 and 2. Front and back view of a bit of spike; 3. a sessile and a pedicelled
spikelet; 4, 5 and 6. the first, second and the third glume, respectively, of the sessile
spikelet; 7. awn representing the fourth glume; 8. stamens, lodicules and the ovary;
9. the first glume of the pedicelled spikelet.
The spikes are either binate or solitary varying in length from 1 to 2 inches, joints and pedicels about 1/3 as long as the sessile spikelets, slightly angular or flat, ciliate along one side with white hairs; peduncle is slender, pale or purple, pubescent or glabrous just below the spike.
The spikelets are about 1/8 inch, imbricate, a sessile and a stalked one from the top of each joint, greenish or purple. The sessile spikelet contains a bisexual flower and consists of four glumes. The callus is short, and shortly hairy below. The first glume is somewhat chartaceous, obovate-oblong, obtuse or truncate, 7- to 11-nerved, margin slightly folded, keel shortly rigidly ciliate towards the apex, and thinly ciliate below, dorsal surfaces sparsely hairy below the middle. The second glume is chartaceous, ovate-lanceolate, acute, equal to or slightly longer than the first glume but narrower, 3-nerved, margin infolded, thinly shortly ciliate, dorsally glabrous, shining. The third glume is hyaline, ovate-oblong, acute, nerveless, margins sparsely ciliate or not. The fourth glume is the base of the awn, 3/4 to 1 inch, scaberulous. Stamens are three with yellow or purple tinged anthers, ovary oblong with two feathery stigmas. Lodicules are two, cuneate.
The pedicelled spikelets are either male or neuter and consist of four glumes. The first glume is chartaceous, obovate-oblong, obtuse, many-nerved (thirteen or more), thinly ciliate with long hairs and with a few rigid short hairs towards the apex; margins are slightly infolded, dorsally sparsely hairy without. The second glume is membranous, ovate-lanceolate, acute, 3-nerved (occasionally 4-nerved), margins are thinly ciliate and infolded. The third glume is hyaline, nerveless and ciliate. The fourth glume is hyaline, nerveless, linear and oblong, glabrous, small, the apex is narrowed and deeply bifid. There are three stamens and two lodicules.
This is a common grass flourishing on the bunds of paddy fields and in sheltered places where there is sufficient moisture in the soil. But this is less common than A. annulatus, Forsk. In black cotton soil at Bantanahal in Bellary district it grows to a height of 4 or 5 feet.
Distribution.—Plains and low hills throughout India and Ceylon.
Fig. 160.—Andropogon annulatus.
1. Full plant; 2. base of the leaf and ligule.
This is a densely tufted perennial grass.
The main stem is underground, rhizomiferous, and covered with scale leaves; branches are many arising in tufts, leafy, procumbent at base and afterwards geniculately ascending and ending in inflorescence, occasionally rooting at the nodes and varying in length from 2 to 3 feet. The internodes vary from 1-1/2 to 4 inches, pale or purplish, slightly flattened, smooth and glabrous.
The leaf-sheath is terete, glabrous, shining, green or purplish, closed, with margins where separate ciliated and profusely so at the tip especially the outer or both. The ligule is membranous truncate, glabrous, about 1/16 inch in height. Nodes are purple and softly villous.
Fig. 161.—Andropogon annulatus.
1. Front and back views of a portion of the spike; 2. a sessile and a pedicelled
spikelet; 3, 4, 5 and 6. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of
the sessile spikelet; 7. the ovary, stamens and lodicules; 8, 9 and 10. the glumes of
the pedicelled spikelet.
The leaf-blade is linear-lanceolate, acuminate, scabrid, sparsely hairy, becoming glabrous except at the base and with tubercle-based hairs on the upper surface.
The spikes vary in number from two to nine, erect or slightly spreading, subdigitately fascicled, pale when young and pinkish or brown when old, varying in length from 1 to 2-1/2 inches. The stalk of the whole inflorescence is long, slender, smooth and glabrous. The peduncle of the spikes is from 1/8 to 1/6 of an inch long, thin, slender, glabrous with swollen bases and with a ring of hairs at the node. Joints of the rachis and the pedicels are slightly flattened, ciliated along the narrow edges; the pedicels of the stalked spikelets are half as long as the sessile spikelets. The spikelets are one sessile and one pedicelled and imbricating on the rachis.
The sessile spikelet is as long as the stalked or a little less, with a thick callus, shortly bearded at the base or sometimes glabrous and consists of four glumes. The first glume is elliptic-oblong or oblong, obtuse or truncate, irregularly 2- or 3-toothed, 5- to 9-nerved, sparsely villous with long hairs and margins slightly infolded. The second glume is smaller than the first glume, acute, membranous, 3-nerved and keeled, the margins are ciliate and infolded. The third glume is hyaline, linear, acute, or obtuse, nerveless sparsely hairy at the tip, very much shorter than the second glume. The fourth glume is an awn with a linear hyaline base, erect, about an inch long. Stamens are three, ovary is oblong with two feathery, dark purple stigmas. Lodicules are two, cuneate.
The pedicelled spikelets are male and consist of only three glumes. The first glume is elliptic, oblong, irregularly obtuse, about 11-nerved, margins slightly infolded with long pilose hairs throughout, more along the margin. The second glume is a little smaller, 3-nerved, sparsely hairy only along the marginal nerves, folded inwards, and slightly keeled. The third glume is shorter than the second, hyaline, nerveless, narrow-lanceolate, acute; stamens are three, with green anthers, purple-dotted. Lodicules are two, broad and cuneate.
This grass is found flourishing all over India and grows in cultivated fields and gardens and likes sheltered places. This yields a considerable amount of fodder and stands cutting well.
Distribution. Throughout India in the hills and the plains.
Fig. 162.—Andropogon contortus.
(Heteropogon contortus, Beauv.)
This is a tufted perennial.
The stems are erect or slightly decumbent below, slender, rather compressed towards the base, leafy at the base, simple or branched, densely tufted and varying in length from 1 to 3 or 4 feet.
Fig. 163.—Andropogon contortus.
1. Lower pair of sessile and pedicelled spikelets; 2. upper pair of sessile and
pedicelled spikelets; 3, 4, 5 and 6. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively,
of pedicelled spikelets; 7, 8, 9 and 10. the first, second, third and the fourth glume,
respectively, of the sessile spikelet; 11. ovary.
The leaf-sheath is smooth or sparsely hairy, compressed and shortly auricled or not at the mouth. The ligule is short, truncate and ciliolate.
The leaf-blades are linear, acute or abruptly acuminate, flat, rigid, sparingly ciliate above, with tubercle-based hairs towards the base, scaberulous throughout, and 2 to 12 inches long or more, 1/10 to 1/5 inch broad.
The inflorescence consists of a solitary spike with closely imbricating spikelets.
The spikelets are all on one side, and the lower two to six pairs of pedicelled and sessile spikelets are all males. The sessile spikelets are all female and awned, except the few lower which are male and awnless, 1/4 inch long. The callus is long, acute, bearded with reddish-brown hairs. There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is narrow, linear-oblong, truncate or rounded, somewhat brown, many-nerved, hispid, with incurved margins and membranous tip. The second glume is linear, obtuse, coriaceous, dark-brown, hispidulous, 3-nerved with incurved margins. The third glume is oblong, hyaline, thin, nerveless, short and truncate. The fourth glume is reduced to an awn, 3 inches or more in length. The ovary is linear with two long stigmas.
The pedicelled spikelets are somewhat longer than the sessile 1/3 to 1/2 inch, with very short pedicels. The first glume is lanceolate, obliquely twisted, hispid at the back with long bulbous-based hairs, margins more or less unequally winged. The second glume is oblong lanceolate, acuminate, 5-nerved, thinly ciliate with hyaline margins. The third glume is oblong, hyaline, 1-nerved and ciliate. The fourth glume is obovate-oblong or oblong, hyaline, ciliate, nerveless. There are three stamens.
This grass though coarse forms very good hay if cut before it flowers. The only objection against this grass is the presence of the troublesome awns which get twisted together like the strands of a rope. This is the spear grass of the Anglo-Indians. It grows all over the Presidency and is a troublesome weed when in flower.
Distribution.—All over the Presidency and India. Common in all tropical countries.
(Cymbopogon cæsius, Stapf.)
This is a perennial grass with stout or slender, erect stems rising from a woody base, leafy upward, simple or branched.
The leaf-sheath is smooth and glabrous. The ligule is an oblong-ovate membrane. Nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is long, narrow or broad, narrowly linear-lanceolate, finely acuminate, glaucous especially beneath, thinly coriaceous, glabrous on both the surfaces, base rounded or cordate and amplexicaul, 6 to 10 inches by 1/6 to 1/3 inch.
The panicle is elongate, leafy, narrow, dense or interrupted, compound or decompound, 1 to 2 feet long; bracts are lanceolate, spathiform, finely acuminate, glabrous, varying in length from 1 to 1-1/2 inches, and with hyaline margins; the proper bracts are as long as the spikes or longer.
Fig. 164.—Andropogon Schoenanthus.
1. A sessile and two pedicelled spikelets; 2, 3, 4 and 5. the first, second, third
and fourth glume of the sessile spikelet, respectively; 6. ovary; 7, 8 and 9. the
glumes of the pedicelled spikelets in order.
The spikes are unequal, 1/2 to 2/3 inch long, one 3- to 4-jointed and the other 4- to 6-jointed; the joints and pedicels are narrowly clavate, half as long as the sessile spikelets, tips dilated and toothed, margins villously ciliate, with long hairs.
The spikelets are binate, one sessile and the other pedicelled.
The sessile spikelets in the upper part of the spike are bisexual, lanceolate, 1/6 inch long and those in the lower part of the spike are shorter, obtuse, male. The callus is short and bearded. There are four glumes. The first glume is ovate or obovate-oblong, dorsally flat or nearly so, with a deep narrow-longitudinal median furrow usually below the middle and answering to a ridge on the ventral face, obtuse or 2-toothed at the apex, margined above the middle, with a hyaline, narrow, finely denticulate wing, 2-nerved or nerveless. The second glume is lanceolate, cymbiform, acute or acuminate, 3-nerved, margins hyaline, ciliate, as long as the first chartaceous and the keel with a serrulate wing above the middle. The third glume is linear oblong, hyaline, obtuse, ciliate, nerveless. The fourth glume is the narrowly winged 2-lobed base of the awn, lobes are lanceolate erect and palea of the fourth glume is minute. Lodicules are cuneate. Stamens are three.
The pedicelled spikelets are oblong-lanceolate, acute or obtuse, glabrous and male. There are three glumes. The first glume is glabrous or rarely puberulous, margins incurved, obtuse, 9- to 11-nerved. The second glume is ovate, acute, 3-nerved. The third glume is oblong or linear-oblong, hyaline, apex rounded, ciliate and faintly 2-nerved.
This grass grows all over the Presidency in open dry situations and is very widely distributed.
Distribution.—Throughout India—westward to tropical Africa.
(Themeda, Forsk.)
These are tall grasses, annual or perennial. Leaves are usually long and narrow. The inflorescence consists of racemes or panicles of fascicled spikes in the axils of spathiform bracts. The spikelets vary in number from six to eleven in a cluster, the four lowest being male or neuter, and forming an involucre with whorled or superposed pairs round either 1-sessile bisexual spikelet with two pedicelled spikelets or two superposed bisexual, the lower with one pedicelled, the upper with two.
The involucral spikelets are male or neuter, the largest, and consist of three glumes. The first glume is oblong, lanceolate, dorsally flattened, many-nerved, margins narrowly incurved and keels narrowly winged. The second glume is membranous, lanceolate, acute, 3-nerved, with ciliate margins. The third glume is hyaline, smaller than the second, 1-nerved or this glume may be absent, stamens have large anthers. The pedicelled spikelets are similar to the involucral in every respect but smaller, male or neuter, but the first glume is not winged on the keels. The bisexual (or female) spikelets are smaller than the involucrant spikelets, linear-oblong, subterete, obtuse with a rigidly bearded callus. There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is terete, or dorsally compressed or channelled, coriaceous and at length hardened, margins incurved, dark brown to almost black when old. The second glume is as long as the first, linear, dorsally chartaceous, with broadly incurved membranous margins, 3-nerved. The third glume is very small, hyaline, 1-nerved, epaleate. The fourth glume is the flattened base of the awn, epaleate. The lodicules are two, cuneate. Anthers are rather small. Styles are laterally or terminally exserted. Grain is narrow, obovoid, biconvex, with two grooves on the anterior side and with a long embryo.
This is an annual or perennial. Stems are stout or slender, erect or ascending from a creeping root-stock, simple or branched, 1 to 4 feet.
The leaf-sheath is smooth, compressed. The ligule is a narrow membrane.
The leaf-blade is linear-lanceolate, rigid, erect, acuminate with a setaceous tip, nearly smooth, varying in length from 6 to 20 inches and in breadth from 1/6 to 2/3 inch.
The inflorescence is an elongate panicle, 1 to 2 feet long, consisting of rather distant fascicles of spikes and bracts on capillary, flexuous peduncles; the spikes are sub-flabelliform or sub-globose, 1/2 to 1-1/2 inches broad, sometimes reduced to a few spikelets and bracts; the outer bracts are longer than the fascicles, 1 to 1-1/2 inches long, glabrous or hairy with ordinary or tubercle-based hairs; proper bracts are lanceolate, acute, compressed, glabrous or hairy with membranous margins.
Fig. 165.—Anthistiria tremula.
1. Fascicles of three spikes with the outer bracts and proper bracts; 2. a spike
without its proper bract; 3. the pedicelled and the bisexual spikelets without the
involucral spikelets; 4, the first glume of the involucral spikelet with one wing only;
4a. the first glume of the involucral spikelet with wings to both the keels; 5 and 6. the
second and the third glume of the involucral spikelet; 7, 8 and 9. the glumes of the
bisexual spikelet; 10, 11, 12 and 13. glumes of the bisexual spikelet; 14. ovary.
The involucral spikelets are the longest, in contiguous superposed pairs, about 1/2 inch long, and the rachis of the spike is produced beyond these spikelets. There are three glumes. The first glume is linear-lanceolate, acute, covered with long, often tubercle-based hairs, many-nerved, margins narrowly incurved, and with narrow wings, on both the keels in one of each of the pairs of spikelets and on one keel only in the other of each of these pairs. The second glume is oblong-lanceolate, acute, margins thin and membranous, inflexed, ciliate above the middle, 3-nerved. The third glume is as long as the second, hyaline, very narrowly linear, 1-nerved. Stamens are three and the lodicules are cuneate.
The pedicelled spikelets are usually smaller than the involucral spikelets and similar to them. The first glume is winged on one side in the lowest spikelet and without wings in the others.
The bisexual or (female) spikelets are linear-oblong, obtuse, and the callus with reddish hairs. The first glume is scabrid, deeply channelled at the back, nerveless, narrowly truncate at the tip, and hispid near the apex. The second glume is as long as the first, linear, hyaline, 3-nerved, chartaceous at the back with the sides membranous and incurved. The third glume is small, hyaline, 1-nerved and epaleate. The fourth glume is the narrowed base of the awn which is 1/2 inch long.
This grass is very common in marshes and in wet low-lying places on the hills and occurs also in the plains in Malabar and South Kanara.
Distribution.—The Deccan Peninsula, from the Konkan and Central Provinces southward, and Ceylon.
These grasses are either annual or perennial, with slender freely branching stems. The inflorescence is a panicle consisting of groups of dissimilar spikelets with compressed, boat-shaped spathes on peduncles. Spikelets are of two kinds, sessile and pedicelled. Each peduncle bears 4-pedicelled male or neuter spikelets in a regular whorl forming an involucel around 1 or 2 sessile bisexual spikelets and 2- or 3-pedicelled male spikelets. Involucral spikelets have 3 or 2 glumes, the first two glumes are somewhat similar, the first 3- to 5-nerved and the second 3-nerved, the third glume is one nerved and hyaline. Lodicules are cuneate and retuse. Anthers yellow dotted or tinged violet. Pedicelled spikelets inside the involucral similar to those of the involucral. Sessile spikelets are bisexual or sometimes female, 4-glumed and awned.
KEY TO THE SPECIES.
Fig. 166.—Iseilema laxum.
It is a tufted perennial grass with a stout, short, creeping root-stock. Stems are slender, branched, ascending, 6 to 24 inches long.
The leaf-sheaths are somewhat loose, glabrous. The ligule is a shortly ciliate membrane.
The leaf-blade is linear, obtuse, glabrous and ciliate near the base, 2 to 6 inches long. The leaf-blades in the upper portions of the branches are smaller.
Fig. 167.—Iseilema laxum.
1. A cluster of spikelets with spathes. 2. a cluster consisting of the involucral
spikelets and three inner spikelets; 3. the inner spikelets consisting of one sessile
female or bisexual and 2-pedicelled male spikelets; 4, 5 and 6. the first, second and
the third glume, respectively, of the involucral spikelet.
The inflorescence is a narrow long panicle bearing clusters of spikelets with spathes on slender peduncles, the outer spathes are narrow-lanceolate, glabrous or with a few hairs near the margin, 1/4 to 1 inch long; inner spathes are lanceolate, smaller with membranous margins. Each cluster consists of an involucel of 4 pedicelled spikelets forming a true whorl around 2 pedicelled and 1 sessile spikelets or 3 pedicelled and 2 sessile spikelets. The involucral spikelets are male, oblong-lanceolate, acute, with short flattened pedicels, bearded at the base, and have three glumes. The first glume is oblong-lanceolate, acute, 5- to 7-nerved and ciliate. The second glume is oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, equal or slightly shorter than the first, glabrous, 3-nerved and with infolded margins. The third glume is hyaline, linear, short, irregularly toothed at the apex. The inner pedicelled spikelets are similar to the involucral spikelets, but the third glume is very narrow, linear. The sessile spikelets are female, rarely bisexual, narrowly lanceolate, 1/5 inch long, glabrous and have four glumes. The first glume is lanceolate, chartaceous, truncate or 2-fid at the apex, faintly 5-nerved, with a few long hairs or glabrous, and with margins scaberulous towards the tip to about one-third the length of the glume. The second glume is lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, sub-chartaceous, 3-nerved. The third glume is hyaline, nerveless, apex irregularly cut, short; sometimes this glume is wanting. The fourth glume is a very slender awn of about 1/2 inch.
Fig. 168.—Iseilema laxum.
1. Inner spikelets consisting of 2-pedicelled male and two female or bisexual spikelets;
2, 3, 4 and 5. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the sessile
spikelets; 6. ovary; 7, 8 and 9. the first, second and the third glume, respectively, of
the inner pedicelled spikelet.
This is a widely spread common grass growing in somewhat moist situations. This is the well-known Chengali gaddi of the Telugu districts.
Distribution.—All over Madras and Bombay presidencies.
Fig. 169.—Iseilema anthephoroides.
This is a perennial grass closely resembling Iseilema laxum in its habit, but shorter, stouter and branching more freely. The leaf is similar to that of I. laxum in all its parts.
Fig. 170.—Iseilema anthephoroides.
1. A cluster of spikelets with spathes; 2. the involucral and the inner spikelets; 3. the
inner spikelets; 4 and 5. the glumes of the involucral spikelets; 6, 7, 8 and 9. the four
glumes, respectively, of the sessile spikelet; 10. ovary; 11 and 12. glumes of the inner
pedicelled spikelets.
The pedicelled spikelets of the involucel have firmer harder, shorter and broader pedicels, thickly bearded and consist of two glumes only. The first glume is very strongly 5-nerved, coriaceous, oblong-lanceolate; with scaberulous infolded margins, with long cilia. The second glume is lanceolate, thin, 3-nerved, glabrous. The inner pedicelled spikelets are similar to the pedicelled spikelets of the involucel. The sessile spikelet has four glumes. The first glume is elliptic-lanceolate, apex drawn into a long narrow strip ending in two teeth or truncate, sparsely ciliate at the margins about the middle, faintly 3-nerved. The second glume is shorter than the first, lanceolate, drawn out into an acuminate point at the apex, hairy at the back. The third glume is hyaline, short, oblong, apex broad and irregularly toothed, nerveless. The fourth glume is an awn.
This is very common in the Deccan districts and grows on all kinds of soils. This is a good fodder grass.
Distribution.—Very common in the Ceded districts and Nellore.
The tribe Agrostideæ is a very small one. It is represented in South India only by a few genera. The spikelets are usually 1-flowered and the rachilla is jointed at the base just above the empty glumes and it is not produced beyond the flowering glume. There are only three glumes in the spikelet.
Chlorideæ is also a small tribe with about ten genera, most of them being very common in Southern India. The spikelets are unilaterally biseriate on the rachis which is not jointed at the base. There are one or more flowers in the spikelet, all or only the lowest being bisexual. The rachilla is jointed just above the empty glumes and it is produced or not beyond the flowering glumes. The inflorescence consists of spikes, or spiciform racemes, solitary or digitate, and in some it is paniculate.
These are tufted, annual or perennial grasses. Spikelets are panicled, 1-flowered, laterally compressed, with the rachilla jointed above the empty glumes, 3-glumed. The first and the second glumes are narrow, keeled, 1-nerved, awned or not and persistent. The third glume is very narrow, cylindric, coriaceous, convolute, acuminate, 3-nerved, tip produced into a long 3-partite, naked or hairy awn twisted below the branches, with a minute palea which is convolute round the ovary. Lodicules are two, linear or oblong-linear and hyaline. Stamens are three. Styles are distinct. Grain is long, narrow and cylindrical.
KEY TO THE SPECIES.