Fig. 171.—Aristida Adscenscionis.
This grass is usually an annual becoming a perennial under favourable conditions. Stems are slender, sometimes even filiform, erect, or ascending, simple or branched, varying in length from 9 inches to 3 feet.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous, thinly striate. The ligule is a row of fine short hairs. Nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is narrow, linear, tapering to a fine point, convolute in bud, scabrid above and smooth below, with a minutely serrate, very narrow, hyaline margin, 1 to 10 inches long and 1/12 inch broad.
The inflorescence is a lax, narrow, subsecund panicle, varying in length from 3 to 12 inches, and with a slender glabrous peduncle; the main rachis is filiform and glabrous; branches are either solitary or binate, unequal; branched either from the middle or the base; pedicels are short and capillary.
Fig. 172.—Aristida Adscenscionis.
1. A spikelet; 2. first and second glumes; 3. palea; 4. lodicules, stamens and ovary;
5. third glume with awns; 6. grain.
The spikelets are narrow, erect, green, occasionally also purplish, 1/4 to 1/3 inch long exclusive of the awn. There are three glumes. The first glume is linear-lanceolate, acute, membranous, 1-nerved with a scaberulous keel, 1/16 to 3/16 inch long. The second glume is longer than the first, linear-lanceolate, acute, occasionally 2-toothed and apiculate, 1-veined about 1/4 inch long and with a smooth keel. The third glume is as long as the second or slightly longer, laterally compressed, 3-nerved, smooth but scaberulous along the keel, awned; there are three scabrid awns, varying in length from 1/2 to 3/4 inch, continuous with the glume without a column, not jointed, and the middle awn is longer than the lateral ones; the callus is long, pointed and villous. There is a minute palea. Lodicules are two, similar to the palea in size, linear oblong. Anthers are yellow dotted with purple. The ovary is oblong linear with two white feathery stigmas.
Grain is long and linear.
This when young is eaten by cattle, but they do not like it when in flower.
Distribution.—Occurs all over the Presidency in the plains and the low hills.
This is a tall coarse perennial grass with hard, smooth and polished, stout, erect simple or branched stems, 3 to 4 feet. Roots are stout and wiry.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous, cylindrical. The ligule is a row of short hairs. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is linear, coriaceous, convolute, glabrous, strongly nerved, 6 to 12 inches long.
The inflorescence is a contracted panicle varying from 6 to 18 inches with short, erect or subsecund branches.
Fig. 173.—Aristida setacea.
1. The spikelet; 2 and 3. the first and the second glume; 4. the lower portion of the
third glume, anther, ovary and the lodicules; 5. palea of the third glume.
The spikelets vary from 1/2 to 2/3 inch excluding the awn. There are three glumes. The first glume is about 3/8 inch long, lanceolate-linear, narrowed into a short awn. The second glume is longer than the first, 1-nerved and minutely 2-toothed or notched at the base of the awn. The third glume is 5/8 inch long, 3-nerved, nearly smooth. The callus of the third glume is long, densely silkily hairy with three awns not jointed at the base with the glume; awns about 1 inch or more. Lodicules are ovate-lanceolate, fairly large. Grain is narrow, cylindrical.
This grass grows in open dry situations in many parts of the Presidency.
Distribution.—All over India.
This is a diffuse perennial grass with a creeping root-stock, with fairly stout sometimes proliferous freely branching stems; branches are stiff, erect, inclined or prostrate, varying in length from 6 inches to 2 feet.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous and cylindric. The ligule is a ridge of close-set hairs. Nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blades are quite flat, narrowly lanceolate-linear very finely acuminate, glabrous on both the surfaces but with tufts of hairs on both sides at the base where the blade joins the sheath, prominently nerved; margin is even and without any hyaline border, the blade varies in length from 2 to 9 inches.
Fig. 174.—Aristida Hystrix.
1. A spikelet; 2, 3 and 4. the first,
second and the third glume, respectively;
4a. the third glume and its awns; 5.
palea of the third glume; 6. lodicules,
anthers and the ovary.
The inflorescence is an effuse panicle, as long as broad, varying in length from 4 to 10 inches; the main rachis is stout, finely scabrid, with stiff slender, horizontally spreading or reclining branches that arise in pairs from the nodes, the branches have swollen bases at the nodes and they are covered by long hairs.
The spikelets are 3/8 inch long excluding the awn. There are three glumes. The first glume is chartaceous, lanceolate, acuminate and terminating in an awn, 1-nerved, 3/8 to 1/2 inch including the awn, with the keel very finely scabrous. The second glume is longer than the first, chartaceous, lanceolate, terminating in an awn, 1/2 to 3/4 inch long including the awn, with a smooth keel. The callus of the third glume is short, pointed and villous. The third glume is chartaceous finely scabrid 1/4 to 3/8 inch long excluding the awn, 3-nerved, 3-lobed at the apex and the lobes becoming awns; awns are 1 inch long, the middle one being a little longer. The outer margin of the glume is broader than the inner margin and is rounded at the apex at the base of the awn. There are three stamens and the anthers are pale or purplish. The style branches are purplish. The lodicules are 1/8 inch long obliquely lanceolate.
This grass is fairly common in all open dry situations throughout this Presidency.
Distribution.—Deccan Peninsula and Ceylon.
Fig. 175.—Aristida mutabilis.
This is a small tufted annual grass with simple or branched slender stems spreading at the base, and sometimes geniculately ascending and rooting at the lower nodes, 6 to 12 inches long. The nodes have dark purple rings when dry.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous, with membranous margins and long hairs at the mouth. The ligule is a row of short dense hairs.
The leaf-blade is slender, convolute, rigid, curved, and the tip ending in a sharp point, 1 to 3 inches long.
The inflorescence is a narrow panicle, cylindric, with short crowded branches, some of them remote lower down, peduncle is smooth, and rachis smooth or scaberulous; branches and pedicels are scaberulous.
Fig. 176.—Aristida mutabilis.
1. A spikelet; 2, 3 and 4. the first, second and the third glume, respectively; 5. grain.
The spikelets are shortly pedicellate, pale-green about 1/4 inch long exclusive of the awn. There are three glumes. The first glume is membranous, oblong-lanceolate, shortly awned, 1-nerved, keeled and scaberulous on the keel and the sides. The second glume is narrower and longer than the first, shortly awned 1-nerved, 2-toothed, obscurely scaberulous and encircling the third glume. The third glume is narrow, convolute, scaberulous, 3-nerved awned with a shortly bearded callus, the awn is three branched articulate to the short column at the base about 3/4 inch long with the middle branch slightly longer than the other two; palea is minute. Lodicules are two and narrow. The grain is narrow as long as the glume and grooved.
This resembles in general habit and appearance Aristida Adscenscionis, but it is not so widely distributed. So far this has been noticed only in Tinnevelly and Nellore districts.
Distribution.—Southern India, the Punjab and Rajputana, also in Arabia and tropical Africa.
This is a slender annual grass with geniculately ascending stems, radiating on all sides. The stems vary in length from 10 to 20 inches.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous and cylindrical. The ligule is a short membrane ciliate at the margin, or a close set fringe of hairs.
The leaf-blade is flat or convolute, narrowly linear-acuminate, with long scattered hairs on the upper surface and tufts of long hairs at the mouth, and varying in length from 2 to 6 inches and in breadth from 1/20 to 1/12 inch.
The inflorescence is a narrow, lax panicle with short, erect, capillary branches. The spikelets vary in length from 1/2 to 7/8 inch.
There are three glumes. The first glume is linear-lanceolate, acute and terminating in an awn, 1-nerved and varying in length from 3/4 to 7/8 inch. The second glume is similar to the first, but narrower and shorter, 1/2 inch or longer. The third glume is very short, and is prolonged towards the apex as a narrow firmly convolute strap forming a twisted column of about an inch jointed at the base, and this ends in three slender scabrid awns of about 1-1/4 inch, the middle one being longer. The glume just below the joint is finely scabrid to a little distance. The palea is short. Anthers are small, purple. The style branches are also purple. Lodicules are oblong, obliquely truncate at the apex and about 1/10 inch long. The grain is cylindric.
Fig. 177.—Aristida funiculata.
1. A spikelet; 2, 3 and 4. the first,
second and the third glume, respectively;
5. a portion of the column at the
top and the basal portions of the awns;
6. the ovary, lodicules and the stamens;
7. palea of the third glume.
Found in open dry situation in several places, but not widely distributed.
Distribution.—From the Punjab to Concan and Madras Presidency, Arabia, Baluchistan and Tropical Africa.
These are perennial or annual grasses with varied habit. Inflorescence is an open or contracted or spiciform panicle. Spikelets are small consisting of three membranous glumes, 1-nerved or nerveless. The first and the second glumes are unequal, persistent or separately caducous. The third glume is ovate or oblong, acute or obtuse, longer or shorter than the second, 1-nerved, paleate; palea is as long as the glume and of the same texture of the glume dorsally narrowly inflexed along the middle line and splitting into two halves. Lodicules are very minute or absent. Stamens one to three. Styles are with short stigmas. Grain oblong, obovoid or round.
KEY TO THE SPECIES.
This is a tufted annual or perennial grass. Stems are slender with leaves tufted at the base, 1 to 3 feet high.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous and smooth, ribbed, the lower short and the upper very long. Nodes are glabrous. The ligule consists of a fringe of minute hairs.
The leaf-blades are usually flat, glabrous, strongly nerved, with filiform tips, 3 to 10 inches by 1/25 to 1/16 inch.
The inflorescence is an erect narrow pyramidal panicle, varying in length from 4 to 10 inches and about 2 inches in breadth. The branches are very fine, spreading and in scattered fascicles, 1/2 to 2 inches long, with many very small spikelets arranged racemosely along the axis. Spikelets are small 1/18 to 1/20 inch long, with very short pedicels. The first glume is very short less than 1/5 inch, broadly oblong, nerveless, hyaline, broadly truncate and erose at the apex. The second glume is a little longer than the first, but shorter than the third, hyaline, broadly elliptic-oblong, nerveless or obscurely 1-nerved. The third glume is broadly ovate-oblong, subacute, 1-nerved, paleate; the palea is plicate in the median line. Stamens are usually two. The grain is obovoid, truncate at the apex, and with a small white swelling in the centre at the apex, rugulose, red-brown.
Fig. 178.—Sporobolus diander.
1. A portion of a branch; 2. a spikelet; 3, 4 and 5. the first, second and the third
glume, respectively; 6. palea of the third glume; 7. anthers and the ovary.
This grass grows usually gregariously in somewhat sheltered situations all over the Presidency on the plains and low hills. This is an excellent fodder grass. It forms fairly large tufts with plenty of green leaves on rich moist soils. When the leaves are young cattle eat this grass very eagerly, but do not seem to care for it when the leaves become old. However by frequent grazing it can be made to produce young leaves in succession. This grass is also an excellent soil binder, as its roots form a perfect matting in any kind of moist soil soon after planting. This is very difficult to eradicate when once established.
Distribution.—Throughout India and Burma.
Fig. 179.—Sporobolus tremulus.
A small tufted perennial grass.
The plant consists of prostrate stems and stolons, filiform and wiry. Stems vary in length from 2 to 18 inches, prostrate or erect, rooting at the lower nodes; flowering branches always ascending.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous, finely striate, shorter than the internode. The ligule is a very short ciliated membrane.
The leaf-blade is narrow linear, pungent, somewhat rigid, flat, distichous, base rounded with or without a few long hairs and varies in length from 1/4 to 1 inch and in breadth from 1/20 to 1/16 inch, but in plants growing in rich moist soils the leaves become longer reaching 3-1/2 inches in length.
The inflorescence is a narrow spiciform panicle with appressed branches and spikelets, sometimes interrupted, varying in length from 3/4 to 1-1/4 inch; both the peduncle and the main rachis are glabrous, and the latter wavy.
Fig. 180.—Sporobolus tremulus.
1. Spike; 2. spikelet; 3 and 4. first and second glumes; 5 and
6. third glume and its palea; 7. ovary and anthers.
The spikelets are 1/16 inch long, oblong-lanceolate, pale, crowded, glabrous, shortly pedicelled on thinly scaberulous filiform short branches. There are three glumes in the spikelet, and all the glumes are membranous and thin. The first glume is a little shorter than the second and about two-third the length of the third glume and 1-nerved. The second glume is a little shorter than the third or equal to but not longer, oblong-lanceolate, subacute or obtuse, 1-nerved and obscurely scaberulous at the back along the nerve. The third glume is broadly oblong, subacute or obtuse, 1-nerved, glabrous, with a palea as long as the glume; the palea is 2-nerved, oblong and truncate at the apex. Stamens are three and anthers are pale greenish yellow. Stigmas are pale. Lodicules are two, small.
This grass is an excellent one for binding the soil and may also prove successful as a fodder grass. It usually flourishes in moist situations, in sandy loams and rich heavy soils.
Distribution.—Plains throughout India and Ceylon.
Fig. 181.—Sporobolus coromandelianus.
The plant is a densely tufted annual varying in size with the nature of the soil, small and stunted in hard dry soils and large and spreading in rich loose and moist soils.
The stems are closely spreading on the ground, rooting sometimes at the lower nodes, branching freely, profusely leafy at the base, covered by a few scale leaves, and 2 to 12 inches long.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous, faintly and finely striate, distichously imbricate, compressed, somewhat keeled, outer margin ciliate, and bearded at the mouth. The ligule is a thin short membranous ridge with a fringe of dense fine hairs. The leaf-sheath enclosing the base of the peduncle is rather long, glabrous with a tuft of short hairs at the mouth.
The leaf-blade is green without any glaucousness about it, 1/2 to 6 inches long, 3/16 to 1/4 inch broad, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, flat, acuminate, slightly coriaceous, many-nerved with a prominent midrib, scaberulous throughout, with a few long scattered deciduous, tubercle-based hairs towards the base, base subcordate, margin cartilaginous, scabrid and finely serrulate.
Fig. 182.—Sporobolus coromandelianus.
1. Portion of a spike showing the verticillate arrangement of the branches and
the glands; 2. spikelet; 3. first glume; 4 and 5. second and third glumes;
6. palea of the third glume; 7. anthers and ovary; 8. grain.
The inflorescence is a pyramidal panicle 1-1/2 to 4 inches long, erect on a terete glabrous peduncle 1-1/2 to 6 inches long, the main rachis is slender, erect, striate, glabrous and has glandular streaks just above the insertion of the branches of the lowest verticil. Branches are capillary, stiff and spreading, horizontally verticillate or subverticillate, the lowest whorl consisting of five to sixteen or seventeen branches and the others from three to nine, shining, swollen at the point of insertion and provided with a glandular scar a little above the point of insertion; branchlets are very close, appressed to the rachis of the branch never drooping or spreading, each bearing two to five spikelets.
The spikelets are small, 1/20 to 1/16 inch subsessile or pedicelled, always appressed to the rachis solitary in the upper portions of the branches, and two to five on the branchlets in the lower portion, pale, green or rarely copper coloured, oblong or lanceolate, acute or acuminate, caducous or glumes one and two persistent.
There are three glumes. The first glume is very small, hyaline, ovate, obtuse, occasionally truncate or acute, about one-fifth of the third glume or less. The second glume is membranous, ovate or oblong-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, thinly scaberulous and 1-nerved. The third glume is as long as or a little shorter than the second glume, 1-nerved and paleate. The palea is as long as the glume, oblong, 2-nerved, splitting in two portions between the nerves as soon as the grain is formed. Stamens are three with reddish purple anthers; stigmas are white at first, but turning brown while withering. Lodicules are two, minute. The grain is oblong, pale, brown and obtuse at both ends, embryo about 1/3 of the grain.
This grass flourishes in all kinds of soils all over the Presidency.
Distribution.—Throughout the plains of India and Ceylon. Also in Afghanistan and South Africa.
Fig. 183.—Sporobolus commutatus.
This is an annual and usually grows in loose tufts. Stems are slender, always erect or ascending, leafy and branching, 2 to 15 inches long.
The leaf-sheath is shorter than the internode, slightly compressed, finely striate, glabrous and occasionally with a few scattered tubercle-based hairs, margin ciliate; the uppermost sheath is cylindric somewhat long and embraces the greater portion of the peduncle and has a bunch of short hairs at the top.
The leaf-blade is narrow linear-lanceolate, acuminate scaberulous throughout, with long tubercle-based hairs scattered all over, but more of them near the base; margins spinulosely distantly serrulate or scabrid, base rounded or subcordate, 1/2 to 4-1/2 inches long and 1/16 to 3/16 inch wide.
Fig. 184.—Sporobolus commutatus.
1. A portion of a branch; 2. spikelet; 3, 4 and 5. first, second and the third
glume; 6. palea of the third glume; 7. ovary and anthers; 8 and 9. grain.
The inflorescence is diffuse, pyramidal, 1 to 3 inches by 3/4 to 2 inches, on a slender glabrous peduncle 1 to 6 inches long, main rachis is slender and angled, with a glandular streak or without it. Branches are effuse, fine, capillary (more so than in S. coromandelianus), obliquely ascending, never stiff and horizontal, verticillate or irregularly subverticillate, the lowest whorl of five to twelve and the others three to seven branches; the rachis of the branches is obscurely scaberulous, slightly swollen at the point of insertion; branchlets are never appressed to the branch, always drooping and spreading on all sides, and bearing two to four spikelets.
The spikelets are about 1/16 inch long, ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate dark or pale green, sometimes purplish, solitary or two to four on long slender pedicels, drooping, never appressed, and with glandular streaks. There are three glumes. The first glume is minute, hyaline, ovate, obtuse or acute, nerveless. The second glume is five or six times as long as the first, ovate lanceolate, 1-nerved, acuminate. The third glume is equal to or a little shorter than the second, ovate-lanceolate, acute, 1-nerved paleate; palea is equal to the third glume, 2-nerved splitting into two halves between the nerves. Anthers are three and purple in colour. Stigmas are white and feathery. Grain as in S. coromandelianus.
In Flora of British India, this plant is included under Sporobolus coromandelianus. These two plants (S. coromandelianus and S. commutatus) are quite distinct and grow side by side. As the differences are not easily seen in herbarium specimens the two plants are put together under the one species S. coromandelianus. The branches are tufted and are usually decumbent at base, leaves quite green and somewhat broad in S. coromandelianus; and in S. commutatus, branches are usually not decumbent at base, generally erect from the base and leaves are green glaucous and somewhat narrow. The most striking difference, however, is in the panicle. The branches of the panicle are always stiff and horizontal in S. coromandelianus and the spikelets are appressed to the branches and never spreading or drooping, whereas in S. commutatus the branches are never stiff and horizontal, always obliquely ascending and the spikelets are spreading and drooping. Judging from living plants these two are undoubtedly distinct and so this plant is treated as a distinct species retaining Kunth's name Sporobolus commutatus. Enumeratio Plantarum, Pl. I, 214.
Distribution.—This occurs in Coimbatore, Madras and Bellary Districts; but it is not so common nor so widely distributed as S. coromandelianus, L.
Fig. 185.—Sporobolus scabrifolius.
The plant is a very pretty one, especially when in flower. It is a loosely tufted annual varying in height from 5 to 30 inches. Stems are slender, terete, 6 to 30 inches long, bent at the base, then geniculately ascending and finally becoming erect, glabrous, pale green or purplish.
The leaf-sheath is shorter than the internode, slightly compressed, obscurely keeled, glabrous and striate, margin is thinly ciliate on one side, especially towards the mouth which is bearded. The leaf-sheath embracing the peduncle is longer than the lower sheaths. The ligule is a fringe of close-set hairs on an inconspicuous ridge. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is glaucous green, 1 to 5 inches long, 1/8 to 3/8 inch broad, linear-lanceolate or lanceolate, acuminate, flat, rounded or subcordate, and amplexicaul at base, scaberulous throughout, with tubercle-based deciduous hairs on both the surfaces, and bearded at the base above the ligule; the margin is thickened, serrulate, ciliate with bulbous-based deciduous hairs.
Fig. 186.—Sporobolus scabrifolius.
1. Portion of a branch; 2. spikelet; 3, 4 and 5. the first, second and third glumes;
6. palea; 7. anthers and ovary; 8. grain.
The inflorescence is an effuse panicle, 2-1/2 to 7 inches long and 1 to 4-1/2 inches broad, pyramidal or elliptic on a slender peduncle 1 to 7 inches long; rachis is striolate, cylindric, glabrous and partly green and partly purplish. Branches are capillary, 1/2 to 2-1/2 inches long, those in the middle of the panicle are often the longest pale green at first but turning purple later, whorled regularly or irregularly, with often a solitary or twin branches intervening, spreading, horizontal, reflexed, rarely one or two erect, dividing into still finer branchlets below, ending in a few solitary spikelets above, swollen at the base near the place of insertion and naked to a short length, scabrid. The lowest whorl consists of five to ten branches and in others they vary from three to eight; the branchlets are spreading and drooping bearing from two to seven spikelets. There are glandular streaks at the base of the branches above the point of insertion in the naked portion and also on the pedicels of the spikelets.
The spikelets are 1/20 to 1/16 inch long, lanceolate, acuminate, on finely capillary pedicels long or short, pale at first and becoming purplish when old. There are three glumes, the first two being empty. All the glumes are 1-nerved and membranous. The first glume is membranous, about two-thirds of the second, sometimes less, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate slightly scaberulous on the keel. The second glume is a little longer than the third, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, scaberulous on the keel. The third glume is oblong-ovate, glabrous, flower bearing, paleate; the palea is shorter than the glume, 2-nerved, splitting into two between the nerves. Anthers are three, small, pale yellow at first but becoming purple when old, stigmas are pale. Lodicules are two and minute. Grain is rounded, slightly compressed, oblique at the base, nearly as long as broad.
Distribution.—In black cotton soils in Coimbatore and Bellary districts.
These are small tufted grasses. The inflorescence is a spike bearing unilaterally turbinate clusters of spikelets which are 2-flowered. The spikelets have usually four, and rarely six glumes and very often the rachilla is produced beyond the fourth glume. The first and the second glumes are narrow (the first being the narrowest), rigid, ciliate with long hairs and awned. The third glume is bisexual, chartaceous, broadly ovate, 3-nerved, shortly awned. The fourth glume is similar to the third but smaller and male. The fifth and sixth glumes when present are small and empty. Lodicules are two and small. Grain linear oblong.
KEY TO THE SPECIES.
This grass is a perennial with stout fibrous roots. Stems are stout, leafy and creeping below, ascending later; naked and slender above, 4 to 10 inches long.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous, shorter than the blade, coriaceous and open above. The ligule is a ridge of hairs.
The leaf-blade is lanceolate, narrowed from the rounded or subcordate base to the acute tip, coriaceous, 3/4 to 1 inch long; margins are ciliate with tubercle-based cilia; the surfaces with or without a few scattered long tubercle-based hairs.
The inflorescence is 1 to 3 inches long, consisting of distant sessile fascicles of four to six spikelets; the rachis of the spike is flexuous; the rachis of the fascicles ends in three subulate empty glumes.
Fig. 187.—Gracilea nutans.
1. A portion of the inflorescence with three fascicles of spikelets; 2. a spikelet without
the first glume; 3, 4, 5 and 8. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively;
6 and 10. palea of the third and the fourth glume, respectively; 7. lodicules, stamens
and the ovary; 9. the rachilla produced beyond the fourth glume.
The spikelets are closely appressed and each one has four glumes. The first and the second glumes are empty, 2/5 inch long, rigidly coriaceous, gradually narrowed from a villous base into an erect, scabrid awn, 1-nerved. The second glume has broad hyaline margins towards the base. The third glume is about 1/10 inch, ovate, with a short scabrid awn at the tip, scaberulous at the back just above the middle, 3-nerved, paleate and with both stamens and ovary; palea is narrow, lanceolate, as long as the glume and 2-toothed at the tip. The grain is oblong, brownish. The fourth glume is about half as long as the third glume, with a short, stout, smooth rachilla, ovate-lanceolate, terminated at the tip by two teeth and a short awn, scabrid above the middle at the back, paleate and male; palea is shorter than the glume; the rachilla is produced beyond the fourth glume and terminates in a thickening.
This grass grows in open somewhat dry loamy and laterite soils in the East Coast districts.
Distribution.—Mysore and the Carnatic and Ceylon.
This is a slender annual grass. Stems are very slender, densely tufted, geniculately ascending or erect, 3 to 8 inches long.
The leaf-sheath is either covered with scattered tubercle-based hairs or glabrous. The ligule is a hairy ridge. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is filiform, linear-lanceolate, acutely pointed, glabrous or nearly so, margins distantly ciliate, 1 to 2 inches long by 1/16 inch or less.
The inflorescence is 1/2 to 3 inches long and consists of fascicles of spikelets; the rachis is trigonous, smooth, and flexuous.
Fig. 188.—Gracilea Royleana.
1. A fascicle of spikelets; 2. the spikelet without the first and the second glumes;
3,4, 5 and 8. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively; 6. palea of
third glume; 7. grain; 9. palea of the fourth glume; 10. rachilla.
The spikelets consist of four glumes. The first glume is rigidly coriaceous, gradually narrowed from a villous base to an erect scabrid awn, 1-nerved. The second glume is also coriaceous, narrowed to an awn but has broad hyaline margins towards the base. The third glume is ovate-lanceolate, scabrid all over the back and with two teeth, one on each side of the awn, paleate; the palea is 2-toothed at the apex and as long as the glume and contains three stamens and the ovary. The grain is oblong brownish. The fourth glume is stalked, shorter than the third glume, distinctly 3-toothed at the apex, scabrid at the back above the middle, paleate and male; the palea is smaller than the glume and 2-toothed at the apex. The rachilla is produced behind the palea and it ends in two small teeth, one being slightly larger than the other.
This grass is a very slender one and it is closely allied to Gracilea nutans. It differs from G. nutans in being an annual and in having filiform leaves, bicuspidate third glume which is scabrid all over the back and a fourth glume distinctly tricuspidate at the apex. This does not occur so widely as Gracilea nutans.
Distribution.—Bellary and Chingleput districts, the Punjab, Rajputana, Concan and Kanara.
Tall slender grasses with very long narrow leaves. Spikelets are 2-flowered, narrow, biseriate, unilateral, imbricate on the rachis of a solitary spike; the rachilla is elongate between the flowering glumes and produced beyond them and terminates in a rudimentary awned glume. There are four glumes. The first two glumes are hyaline, unequal-nerved and persistent. The third and the fourth glumes are chartaceous, narrowly lanceolate, 3-nerved, bicuspidate and awned below the tip; awns are capillary, straight; the callus is bearded and articulate at the base. The third glume bears a bisexual or female flower and the fourth bisexual or male. Lodicules are two. Stamens are three with long anthers. Styles short diverging from the base, with short stigmas laterally exserted.
This is a tall perennial grass with stout roots. Stems are densely tufted on a short woody root-stock, erect, leafy, 1 to 3 feet long.
Leaf-sheaths are compressed and distichous below, glabrous or sometimes with a few hairs close to the margin. Ligule is a ridge with long hairs.
The leaf-blade is very long 1/6 to 1/4 inch broad, auricled at the base, narrowed into very finely acuminate or capillary tips midrib prominent; scaberulous on both the surfaces and with long hairs on the auricles.
The spikes usually solitary, but occasionally binate, 6 to 10 inches long; rachis is quite smooth and dorsally rounded.
Fig. 189.—Enteropogon melicoides.
1. A portion of the spike; 2 and 3. the first and the second glumes; 4. the spikelet
with its callus, flowering glumes and the rachilla; 5 and 8. the third and the fourth
glume; 7. the fourth glume and the rachilla; 6 and 9. palea of the third and the fourth
glume; 10. ovary, stamens and lodicules; 11. grain front and back view.
The spikelets are about 1/4 inch long, erecto-patent. There are four glumes. The first glume is lanceolate, 1-nerved, and persistent. The second glume is twice as long as the first, linear-lanceolate, with a very short awn and 2-toothed at the tip, 1-nerved, persistent. The third glume is rigid, lanceolate-linear, 3-nerved, scaberulous all over; paleate and awned; awn is nearly as long as the glume, rigid. The fourth glume is similar to the third glume in all respects but shorter. The rachilla is produced beyond the fourth glume and it terminates in an awned rudimentary glume. The third glume as well as the fourth glume contains a perfect flower and the grain is developed always in the third and mostly in the fourth also. The grain is oblong, brownish, dorsally concave and ventrally raised and convex. The grain in the fourth glume is usually much smaller than that found in the third glume.
This usually grows amidst thickets and occurs all over this Presidency.
Distribution.—Mysore, Burma, Ceylon and Seychelle Islands.
These are perennial grasses with stems creeping and rooting at the nodes, and producing tufts of barren branches and flowering stems at the nodes. The inflorescence consists of two to six spikes in terminal umbels. The spikelets are small, 1-flowered, laterally compressed, sessile, alternately 2-seriate and imbricate on one side of the rachis. The spikelet has three glumes. The first two glumes are empty, thin, keeled, and acute or mucronate. The third glume is the largest, boat-shaped, 3-nerved, with ciliate keels, palea is 2-keeled, somewhat shorter than the glume. Lodicules are two. The anthers are somewhat large. Grain is oblong, free.
KEY TO THE SPECIES.