Fig. 138.—Eremochloa muricata.A. Sessile spikelet; B. sessile and a pedicelled spikelet; 1, 2, 3 and 4. the first, second, third and the fourth glume of the sessile spikelet; 3a and 4a. palea of the third and fourth glumes of the sessile spikelet; 5. ovary, anthers and lodicules.
Thepedicelled spikeletis reduced to an inflated body, as long as the sessile spikelet. It is pointed towards both ends, green with anastomosing veins on the outside and membranous, white and nerveless on the other side. The part of the pedicelled spikelet corresponding to the spikelet looks as if the margins of the first and second glumes are confluent all round.
Distribution.—South India and Ceylon.
These are annual or perennial grasses with slender stems. The spikes are compressed, 2- to 3-nate, or solitary at the ends of slender branches, with a rachis not jointed; joints are short, slender and villous. Spikelets are closely imbricating in two series, sessile, solitary, the upper reduced to a small pedicel 1- to 2-flowered, the lowest few on the spike, imperfect, male or neuter. There are four glumes. The first glume is large, broadly obovate or obcordate, cuneate, villous with brown hairs, 7- to 9-nerved. The second glume is as long as the first, but narrower, thinner, oblong to ovate, spikelet truncate and 3-nerved. The third glume is hyaline, narrow, paleate, male or empty. The fourth glume is hyaline, linear, entire or 2-fid, awned, bisexual with a very short palea. Lodicules are absent. Stamens are two or three with linear anthers. Styles are short and stigmas slender and exserted. The grain is small, oblong and narrow.
Fig. 139.—Apocopis Wightii.
This is a low and densely tufted or tall erect annual grass. Stems are leafy, branching freely, 3 to 8 inches long.
Theleaf-sheathis loose, usually hairy, rarely also glabrous and hairy at the mouth. Theliguleis a small lacerate membrane.
Theleaf-bladeis linear-lanceolate, acuminate, hairy on both sides and with tubercle-based hairs, rarely glabrous, 3/4 to 3 inches by 1/12 to 1/8 inch.
Theinflorescenceconsists of two racemes, closely appressed together on a very slender peduncle; the joints are shorter than the spikelets and with long brown hairs.
Thespikeletsare oblong, 1/8 to 1/5 inch long, the callus is short, hairy with long brown hairs. Thefirst glumeis cuneately obovate or obcordate, yellowish with red brown tips or dark brown with yellow tips, chartaceous below, membranous, hyaline and ciliate at the truncate, emarginate or retuse apex, 7- to 9-nerved, the nerves abruptly ceasing towards the apex. Thesecond glumeis as long as the first, broadly oblong, sides sharply folded inwards, 3-nerved, rarely nerveless, with long hairs at the back towards the base and with short cilia at the apex. Thethird glumeis as long as the first, hyaline, thin, linear-oblong, nerveless, ciliate at the apex, paleate, usually with two stamens or empty;paleaas long as the glume, hyaline and nerveless. Thefourth glumeis slightly longer than the other glumes or equal, very narrowly oblong or linear, membranous, awned and paleate;awnis 2 to 6 times the length of the glume, 7/8 to 1-1/4 inch long;paleais hyaline, thin, nerveless, convolute, broadly oblong to almost quadrate oblong, apex with very short cilia. Grain is minute and oblong.
Fig. 140.—Apocopis Wightii.1. Spike; 2. a spikelet; 3, 4, 5 and 7. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively; 6 and 8. palea of the third and the fourth glume; 9. ovary.
This grass varies very much in its spikelets. In one form they are smaller and hairy and in the other they are larger and glabrous except for a few stray hairs here and there. The former one is more widely distributed and the latter seems to be confined to certain localities in the south of the Presidency.
Distribution.—Throughout the Deccan Peninsula, Behar, Central India, Burma and Ceylon.
These are small densely tufted perennial grasses, with very narrow leaves. The spikes are very short at the ends of very fine branches, solitary, binate or fascicled, with very fragile rachis; joints are very short, slender with cupular tips. The spikelets are binate one sessile and the other shortly pedicelled, with the callus villous. There are four glumes. The first glume (of both the sessile and the pedicelled spikelets) is oblong, truncate, irregularly 3- to 4-toothed, 5- to 7-nerved and dorsally convex. The second glume is narrow lanceolate, longer than the first, 3- to 5-nerved, hispidly villous dorsally below the middle and on the sides, aristate or awned. The third glume is oblong lanceolate, hyaline, acute or aristate, 1-nerved, male or neuter, with a linear palea. The fourth glume is hyaline, as long as the third, entire or 2-fid and awned in the pedicelled and not awned in sessile spikelets, paleate with female or bisexual flowers. Lodicules are not present. Stamens are two. Stigmas are long.
This is a small annual grass with slender, tufted, erect stems varying in height from 4 to 12 inches.
Leaf-sheathsare glabrous or with scattered hairs. Theliguleis a fringe of close-set long hairs.Nodesare covered with long hairs below, but nodes nearer the inflorescence are glabrous.
Leaf-bladesare very finely linear, acuminate, rigid, erect, glabrous below, with long hairs on the upper surface to about quarter the length of the blade and densely hairy near the mouth, and varying in length from 2 to 6 inches.
Theinflorescenceconsists of usually two closely appressed spikes, though appearing as one, 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, pilose with ferrugineous hairs; the peduncle is capillary and enclosed by the upper leaf-sheath.
Fig. 141.—Lophopogon tridentatus.1. Awnless lower spikelet; 2. a lower sessile and an upper pedicelled spikelet; 3. the first glume of an awnless lower spikelet; 4. the first glume of a lower spikelet that is awned; 5. the first, glume of the upper or pedicelled spikelets; 6, 7 and 9. the second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the upper pedicelled spikelets; 8 and 10. palea of the third and the fourth glumes; 11. ovary and anthers.
Thespikeletsare densely imbricate, binate at each joint, the upper being shortly pedicelled and the lower sessile or subsessile. Thelower spikeletsare 1/5 inch long with a tuft of brownish hairs at the tip of the callus. Thelower spikeletsat the very base of the inflorescence are awnless and contain only two male flowers, whereas those above in the inflorescence are awned and contain one male flower and one hermaphrodite or female flower.
There are fourglumesin the spikelet. Thefirst glumein the awnless spikelets is coriaceous, oblong, cuneate, very sparsely hairy or glabrous, shorter than the second glume, 7-nerved, 5-toothed at the apex, two teeth being broader and shorter and three sharper and longer. Thesecond glumeis longer than the first, 1/5 inch long, sub-chartaceous, lanceolate, 3-nerved, 2-fid at the tip and awned or aristate, margin hyaline and with longbrownish hairs on the marginal nerves. Thethird glumeis hyaline, a little shorter than the second, lanceolate-linear, tip bifid or irregularly toothed, paleate with two stamens or rarely empty; thepaleais linear, about as long as the glume, tip irregularly toothed. Thefourth glumeis hyaline, as long as the third glume, 2-fid at the tip, awnless with a very minute arista in the cleft or not, paleate with two stamens;paleanarrow and hyaline. Thefirst glumeof the lower spikelets above is somewhat narrower, 5- or 3-toothed with long hairs at the margins and with tufts of hairs at the back about the middle. The pedicelled or upper spikelets also have fourglumesand bear one male flower and one bisexual flower. Thefirst glumeis shorter than the second glume, narrow, oblong, cuneate, 3-toothed with marginal hairs and tufts of hairs at about the middle at the back, 7-nerved all nerves running straight. Thesecond glumeis longer than the first, 1/5 inch long, sub-chartaceous, lanceolate, 2-fid at the tip, awned with hyaline margins, 3- to 7-nerved, marginal nerves with long brown hairs, and also with two tufts of hairs at about the middle or without it. Thethird glumeis hyaline, nerveless, linear-lanceolate, shorter than the second glume, tip irregularly toothed or unequally bifid, paleate with two stamens;paleais linear about as long as the glume. Thefourth glumeis hyaline, about 1/6 inch long, lanceolate, 2-fid at the tip, awned in the cleft, lobes are hairy;awnis 3/4 inch long, paleate, usually bisexual, rarely female;paleais two-thirds of the glume in height, broadly ovate or quadrate, lobulate at the apex.Stylesare very long, purple,antherslong, yellow. Grain narrow ellipsoidal or cylindric as long as the palea.
This grass is found in Chingleput, Nellore and Chittoor districts in open waste places in loamy soils.
Distribution.—The Konkan, Kanara and Central Provinces.
These are tall leafy slender perennial grasses, with branching stems erect or geniculately ascending from a creeping or decumbent base. The inflorescence is a leafy panicle of many small spikes enclosed in spathiform bracts. Spikes are of one linear joint gibbously bulbous at the base, and jointed on the peduncle at the base of the spathe by a minute curved pedicel. Spikelets are three, a sessile, 2-flowered bisexual one in front, and two pedicelled ones behind, one of which is imperfect and reduced to a glume and the other perfect male or rarely bisexual. The two pedicels are flat, prolonged from one side of the rounded rachis, oblong linear, truncate with a few long hairs along the margin. Sessile spikelets have four glumes. The first glume is chartaceous, linear oblong, many-nerved, shortly bifid at the apex, longer than the other glumes. The second glume is thinner, dorsally gibbous, keeled, 5- to 9-nerved, beaked and minutely bifid. The third glume is hyaline, oblong, acute, 3-nerved, paleate and male. The fourth glume is hyaline, deeply bifid, awned in the sinus, bisexual with a minute palea. The pedicelled spikelet has also four glumes. The first and the second glumes are nearly equal, rather chartaceous. linear-oblong, acute or acuminate, many-nerved. The third glume is hyaline, oblong-lanceolate, 3-nerved, paleate and male. The fourth glume is hyaline, bifid, paleate, 1-nerved, female or bisexual. Lodicules are two. Stamens are three. Grain is oblong.
This is a tall leafy perennial grass with wiry roots. Stems are densely tufted, branched, geniculately ascending, erect or the branches scandent, solid, smooth and polished, 1 to 7 feet.
Theleaf-sheathis glabrous or slightly hairy, the upper ones being shorter and dilated into spathes with subulate tips. Theliguleis a short stiff slightly lacerate membrane.
Theleaf-bladeis linear-lanceolate, finely acuminate, base narrowed into a petiole, scaberulous on both the surfaces.
Theinflorescenceconsists of simple spikes, each in a spathiform bract, and forming clusters terminating the stem and the branches. Thespikeshave their bases rounded and swollen and each spike consists of a sessile bisexual spikelet and two flat linear, truncate, parallel pedicels, one terminated by a spikelet, and the other by a solitary minute glume. Spathes are 1/8 to 1/3 inch long, sessile or pedicellate, green, cymbiform, with subulate tips.
Fig. 142.—Apluda varia.A. A cluster of spikes containing five spikes with their spathes; B and C. spikes.
Thesessileas well as thepedicelled spikeletshave fourglumes. Thesessile spikeletsare 1/8 to 1/5 inch long. Thefirst glumeis spreading or erect, chartaceous, many-nerved, two-toothed at the apex and with narrow hyaline margins from about the middle to the apex. Thesecond glumeis compressed, dorsally gibbous, keeled, 7-nerved. Thethird glumeis hyaline, oblong-lanceolate, 3-nerved, paleate with three stamens;paleais narrow. Thefourth glumeis shorter than the third, deeply 2-fid and awned in the cleft, bisexual or female, 3- to 5-nerved below the cleft, the lateral nerves arching and meeting the mid-nerve just at the cleft, with a small ovate palea. There are twolodicules. Thepedicelled spikeletsare dorsally compressed. Thefirst glumeis lanceolate, oblong, subacute, many-nerved, coriaceous and glabrous. Thesecond glumeis as long as the first, many-nerved, lanceolate-oblong, coriaceous and glabrous. Thethird glumeis hyaline, shorter than the second, 3-nerved, paleate and with three stamens. Thefourth glumeis shorter than or equal to the third, hyaline, 1-nerved rarely with two short lateral nerves, female or imperfect.Lodiculesare two.
A very common grass occurring in the plains and lower hills, all over the Presidency and grows well in all kinds of soil.
Distribution.—All over India.
Fig. 143.—Apluda varia.1, 2, 3 and 4. The first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the sessile spikelet; 3a and 4a. are the palea of the third and the fourth glume, respectively; 5. stamens, ovary and lodicules; 6, 7, 8 and 10. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the pedicelled spikelet; 9 and 11. palea of the third and the fourth glumes.
These are tall, annual or perennial grasses, with leafy stems and narrow leaves. The spikes are few or many, solitary or panicled, with a jointed usually fragile rachis; the joints are rounded or compressed, hollowed on one side and excavated at the tip. The spikelets are usually binate, one-sessile closing or sunk in the cavity of the joint and the other pedicelled, smaller than the sessile or rudimentary with the pedicel usually adnate to the joints and equal to or shorter than it. The sessile spikelets are bisexual, 1- to 2-flowered, equal to or shorter than the joint and four-glumed. The first glume is coriaceous dorsally flattened, obtuse, margins narrowly incurved. The second glume is thinner than the first, broadly ovate, acute and gibbously convex. The third glume is hyaline, ovate, acute, male or neuter, with a membranous palea. The fourth glume is hyaline, bisexual, broadly ovate, acute with a hyaline, ovate-lanceolate palea. There are three stamens with linear anthers. There are two cuneate lodicules. Styles are two with laterally exserted stigmas. The grain is broadly oblong. The pedicelled spikelets are smaller than the sessile, male or neuter, with four glumes. The first glume is herbaceous, many-nerved, ovate-acute, minutely bifid at the apex. The second, third and the fourth are more or less similar to those of the sessile spikelet.
KEY TO THE SPECIES.
Spike solitary, the first glume of the sessile spikelet broadly winged.R. Myurus.Spikes fascicled, the first glume of the sessile spikelet narrowly winged.R. exaltata.
This is a tufted perennial with creeping stems which branch freely into ascending compressed branches, 10 inches to 2 feet high.
Theleaf-sheathis quite glabrous and compressed. Theliguleis a short ciliate membrane.Nodesare glabrous.
The leaf-bladeis flat, linear, acute, glabrous, 2 to 6 inches long.
Theinflorescenceconsists of a solitary terminal or axillaryraceme1 to 2 inches long; joints are shorter than the spikelets, excavate on one side and with a pore which is hidden by the sessile spikelet. Thesessile spikeletconsists offour glumes. Thefirst glumeis somewhat fiddle-shaped, dilated above the middle into an orbicular wing, and towards the base into two auricles joined by a transverse ridge, scaberulous, 5-nerved. Thesecond glumeis somewhat membranous, ovate, acute and 3-nerved. Thethird glumeis hyaline, thin, oblong, obtuse and nerveless. Thefourth glumeis lanceolate, nerveless and without a palea, bisexual. There are two cuneatelodicules. Thepedicelled spikeletsalso have four glumes and the pedicels usually free, but also sometimes adnate. Thefirst glumeis oblong, obtuse, winged on one side only, 5-nerved. Thesecond glumeis boat-shaped, chartaceous, 3-nerved crested with a semi-circular wing at the apex. Thethird glumeis hyaline, broadly oblong, obtuse, 3-nerved with a lanceolate hyaline palea. Thefourth glumeis oblong, obtuse, male.
Fig. 144.—Rottboellia Myurus.
1. A portion of the raceme showing front view; 2. a portion of the raceme showing the back view; 3. a sessile and a pedicelled spikelet showing the front side; 4. the same showing the back side; 5, 6, 7 and 8. the first, second, third and the fourth glume of the sessile spikelet, respectively; 9 ovary and lodicules; 10, 11, 12 and 14. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the pedicelled spikelet; 13 and 15. palea of the third and fourth glumes of the sessile spikelet.
This is very common in dry somewhat sandy places in the East Coast districts.
Distribution.—Common in Deccan peninsula.
This grass is usually annual and rarely perennial. Stems are stout, erect, hispid, branching from the base, varying in height from 3 to 10 feet.
Theleaf-sheathsare loose, hispid with tubercle-based hairs, or glabrous, with mouth contracted. Theliguleis short and ciliate.
Theleaf-bladeis linear-lanceolate, setaceously-acuminate with a stout midrib prominent beneath, hispid or scabrid above, smooth or sometimes scaberulous and glaucous beneath, spinulosely scabrid at the margin, 5 to 24 inches by 1/4 to 1 inch.
Fig. 145.—Rottboellia exaltata.1 and 2. A portion of the spike, back and front view; 3, 4, 5 and 7. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the sessile spikelet; 6 and 8. palea of the third and the fourth glumes of the sessile spikelet; 9. ovary; 10, 11, 12 and 14. the first, second, third and the fourth glume of the pedicelled spikelet; 13 and 15. palea of the third and the fourth glume of the pedicelled spikelet.
Theracemesare stout, cylindrical below and very narrow and with imperfect spikelets above, joints are smooth and rounded dorsally. Thesessile spikeletsare as long as the joint or slightly shorter and has four glumes. Thefirst glumeis ovate-oblong, thickly coriaceous, smooth at the back with a truncate base and a transverse ridge at the base inside, many-nerved, with very narrow inflexed margins and very narrow wings at the top, the apex is obtuse or emarginate. Thesecond glumeis equal to the first glume in height, chartaceous, gibbously convex, broadly ovate, acute, 9- to 11-nerved, and with a short wing to the keel at the apex. Thethird glumeis oblong or elliptic-oblong, rigid with a hyaline centre and coriaceous at the sides, 3-nerved, paleate and with three stamens;paleais as long as the glume, coriaceous with inflexed hyaline margins.Lodiculesare cuneate, with toothed edge. Thefourth glumeis a little shorter than the third, ovate from a broad base, hyaline and acute, 1-nerved, paleate and usually with an ovary and twolodicules:paleais hyaline, as long as the glume.but narrower, nerveless.Lodiculesare quadrate; grain somewhat large oblong and compressed. Thepedicelled spikeletsare usually imperfect.
This grass occurs all over the Presidency in cultivated dry fields.
Distribution.—Throughout the lower hills and plains of India and in Australia and Africa.
These are erect slender perennial grasses with narrow leaves. The spikes are solitary and slender, with a fragile, articulated rachis; the joints are terete, ribbed, all but a few upper with two equal and similar sessile spikelets, sunk in sub-opposite oblong cavities, separated by a hyaline septum, and with sometimes a minute glume representing a third spikelet (the pedicelled) on the upper margin of the joint. The sessile spikelets are one-flowered, nearly as long as the internode. There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume closing the mouth of the cavity in the joint is obliquely oblong, obtuse, smooth with narrowly incurved margins. The second and the third glumes are as long as the first, obtuse and hyaline. The third glume is empty, paleate or not. The fourth glume is rather small, oblong, obtuse, bisexual and palea shorter than the glume. The lodicules are not present. The stamens are three. Ovary is very small with stigmas not exserted. The grain is narrowly oblong compressed. The pedicelled spikelets are confined to the upper 1-flowered joints of the spike and their pedicels are confluent with the walls of the joints and their margins are marked by two ribs. The first glume is very minute and the other glumes are absent.
This is an erect slender perennial grass with smooth simple or branched stems varying in height from 2 to 4 feet.
Theleaf-sheathis terete, tight, glabrous. Theliguleis a short toothed membrane.Nodesare glabrous.
Theleaf-bladeis flat, linear from a narrow base, glabrous or base hairy; apices of upper leaves acuminate, and those of the lower obtuse, with finely serrate margins and a midrib prominent below, 6 to 12 inches long and 1/10 to 1/6 inch wide.
Racemesare short, exserted from the uppermost sheath, erect, 4 to 8 inches long; joints are 1/5 inch long, contracted in the middle, with two equal and similar spikelets, sunk in the opposite oblong cavities separated by a thin hyaline septum and sometimes with a minute glume of the third spikelet on the upper margin of the joint.
Fig. 146.—Mnesithea lævis.1 and 2. Portions of a spike; 3, 4, 5 and 6. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively; 7. palea of the fourth glume; 8. ovary; 9 and 10. a part of the spike at the terminal portion.
Thesessile spikeletsare 1-flowered, as long as the joint and varying in length from 1/7 to 1/5 inch and have fourglumes. Thefirst glumeis obliquely oblong, coriaceous, smooth, obtuse, margins narrowly incurved, truncate and pitted at the base, 5- to 7-nerved. Thesecond glumeis as long as the first hyaline, oblong and obtuse. Thethird glumeis like the second but thinner and slightly broader, paleate or not, empty. Thefourth glumeis rather smaller than the third, oblong, obtuse, bisexual and paleate; thepaleais shorter than the glume.Lodiculesare not present.
This grass is usually found in dry fields all over the presidency but it is nowhere abundant.
Distribution.—Throughout India and Ceylon.
These are erect leafy much branched annual grasses. Leaves are amplexicaul and cordate at the base. The inflorescence consists of small, terete, axillary and terminal spikes with peduncles often confluent in a leafy spiciform panicle; the rachis is fragile with short broad joints, deeply excavate opposite the sessile spikelets and the tips with two pits. Spikelets are in dissimilar pairs, one globose, sessile and bisexual and the other ovate, pedicelled, neuter with the pedicels adnate to, or closely appressed to the joint of the rachis. The sessile spikelet has four glumes. The first glume is globose, hard, coarsely pitted, with an oblong ventral opening opposite the cavity in the joint of the rachis. The second glume is chartaceous, minute, oblong, 1-nerved immersed in the cavity of the first glume and closing the opening. The third and the fourth glumes are hyaline and minute. The lodicules are broadly cuneate. Anthers are minute. The styles are free and stigmas are short exserted from the opening in the first glume. Grain is sub-globose.
This is a freely branching annual with stems leafy to the top and varying in length from 1 to 2-1/2 feet.
Theleaf-sheathis inflated, covered with scattered tubercle-based hairs. Theliguleis a short membrane with ciliate margin.Nodesare with long hairs.
Theleaf-bladeis linear, cordate and amplexicaul at base, acute, flat, flaccid, with scattered tubercle-based hairs on both the surfaces, 4 to 10 inches by 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
Thespikesare solitary, axillary and terminal and 1/4 to 1 inch, the peduncles of the spikes are often confluent in a leafy spathiform panicle; the rachis is fragile with short joints deeply excavate on one side.
Fig. 147.—Manisuris granularis.1 and 2. The front and back view of a bit of a spike; 3, 4, 5 and 6. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the sessile spikelet; 7. ovary anthers and lodicules; 8, 9, 10 and 12. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the pedicelled spikelet; 11 and 13. palea of the third and fourth glumes.
Thespikeletsare 1- to 2-flowered in dissimilar pairs, one globose, sessile and bisexual and the other ovate, pedicelled, neuter; the pedicel is adnate to the joint of the rachis.
Thesessile spikelethas fourglumes. Thefirst glumeis hard, globose, foveolate, with an oblong opening, faintly nerved. Thesecond glumeis chartaceous, immersed in the cavity of the joint, and filling the opening. Thethird glumeis small hyaline and empty. Thefourth glumeis hyaline, small and paleate. The grain is sub-globose.Lodiculesare broadly cuneate.
Thepedicelled spikeletsalso have fourglumes. Thefirst glumeis ovate, sub-chartaceous, winged on one side with a broad hyaline ciliate wing, 5- to 7-veined. Thesecond glumeis cymbiform, compressed laterally, with a dorsal hyaline ciliate wing to the keel, 5- to 7-veined. Thethird glumeis hyaline, membranous, oblong, 2-nerved and paleate or not, and with or without stamens.Thefourth glumeis similar to the third, but slightly smaller, paleate and with three stamens.
This grass occurs in open loamy soils and in cultivated dry fields.
Distribution.—Throughout India and Ceylon and also in most of the tropical countries.
The grasses of this genus are either perennial or annual and vary very much in habit. The inflorescence consists of solitary, binate, digitate, or panicled racemes. The rachis is usually jointed and fragile. Spikelets are binate, a sessile female or bisexual and a pedicelled male or neuter. The sessile spikelet is 1-flowered and has usually four glumes. The first glume is coriaceous or chartaceous, dorsally compressed, with incurved margins, usually 2-keeled. The second glume is as long as the first, thinner, with a median keel, laterally compressed, awned or not. The third glume is hyaline, empty, nerveless and without a palea. The fourth glume is hyaline, narrow or broad, 2-fid and awned, or reduced to an awn more or less dilated at the base, paleate or not. There are two lodicules and three stamens. Stigmas are feathery. Grain is free. The pedicelled spikelets are usually smaller than the sessile and have three or four glumes and are awnless.
KEY TO THE SPECIES.
A. Sessile spikelets all similar.B. Racemes of many spikelets.C. Peduncle of racemes enclosed in spathiform leaf-sheaths.D. Joints of rachis and pedicels of upper spikelets slender and tips obliquely truncate.Racemes solitary, pedicelled spikelets similar to the sessile, glume 1 of sessile spikelets pitted.1. A. foveolatus.DD. Joints of rachis and pedicels of upper spikelets clavate or trumpet-shaped and tips cupular with toothed margins.Racemes binate, pedicelled spikelets differing from the sessile, glume I of the sessile spikelets deeply channelled.2. A. pumilusCC. Peduncle of racemes not enclosed in spathiform leaf-sheath.Racemes many, fascicled or panicled, glume I of sessile spikelets glabrous and pitted.3. A. pertusus.Racemes many and whorled in the panicle; glume I of sessile spikelets muricate on the margins.4. A. squarrosus.BB. Racemes of 3 spikelets on the capillary whorled branches of an erect panicle.Pedicels of upper spikelets half as long as the sessile spikelets or longer.Leaves broad.Leaf-sheaths covered densely with bristly hairs.5. A. asper.Leaf-sheaths covered with soft hairs.6. A. WightianusPedicels of upper spikelets not half as long as the sessile spikelet.Leaves glabrous and narrow7. A. monticola.AA. The lowest one or more sessile spikelets in all racemes, or at least in one or two, differing from all those above.Racemes digitate, rarely solitary, spikelets all alike in form but differing in sex.Pedicel 1/3 as long as the sessile spikelets; nodes usually glabrous; ligule usually short and membranous.8. A. caricosus.Pedicel 1/2 as long as the sessile spikelets; nodes bearded; ligule large and membranous.9. A. annulatus.Racemes solitary; lower sessile spikelets very unlike the pedicelled or upper spikelets which are cylindric.Margin of glume 1 of the pedicelled spikelet unequally winged; ligule is a broad truncate membrane.10. A. contortus.Racemes two, both sessile, or one sessile and the other pedicelled on a peduncle which is more or less sheathed by a proper spathe, divaricate or deflexed.Leaf base broad and cordate11. A. Schœnanthus.
N.B.—This genus is now split into several separate genera, each subgenus being raised to the rank of a genus. But in this book the nomenclature adopted in Hooker's Flora of British India is followed.
N.B.—This genus is now split into several separate genera, each subgenus being raised to the rank of a genus. But in this book the nomenclature adopted in Hooker's Flora of British India is followed.
Fig. 148.—Andropogon foveolatus.
The stems are slender at first, slightly decumbent at the base and then erect, covered at base with silkily villous sheaths, branches freely above before flowering, the lower portion of stems alone being leafy.
Theleaf-sheathis somewhat scaberulous, partly green and partly purplish, always shorter than the internode. Theliguleis short, truncate, hyaline and ciliate.Nodesare tumid and purplish with a ring of hairs.
Theleaf-bladeis linear, narrow, sometimes even filiform, acuminate slightly cordate at the base, scabrid throughout with a few scattered long bulbous-based hairs near the base to a distance of less than 1/2 inch about it and varies from 2 to 4 inches in length.
Fig. 149.—Andropogon foveolatus.1 and 2. Sessile and pedicelled spikelets; 3, 4, 5 and 6. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the sessile spikelet; 7. lodicules, anthers and ovary; 8, 9 and 10. the two glumes and the palea of the pedicelled spikelet.
Thespikesare solitary, 1 to 1-3/4 inch long exserted far above the small spathiform leaf-sheaths, peduncles are capillary and scaberulous, pedicels and joints are somewhat flattened, and have along both the narrow margins long, white, ascending hairs; callus is short with a ring of short white hairs.
There are two kinds ofspikelets,sessile and pedicelled, and both are oblong-lanceolate and equal. Thesessile spikeletconsists offourglumes. Thefirst glumeis lanceolate, flat and smooth, keels scabrid with usually a deep dorsal pit, 4-nerved. Thesecond glumeis lanceolate, acute, as long as the first, 3-nerved. Thethird glumeis small, membranous, linear-lanceolate, nerveless. Thefourth glumeis the dilated base of the awn, awn is about 3/4 inch twisted to half its length, scabrid, the lower twisted part dark and the upper pale. There are threestamensand twolodicules.Ovaryhas two featherystigmas. Thepedicelled spikeletshave only two glumes and contain three stamens. Thefirst glumeis oblong-lanceolate, 5-nerved, pitted above the middle, with recurved margins and scabrid keels and nerves. Thesecond glumeis lanceolate, membranous, hairy at the top, 3-nerved with margins infolded;paleais oblanceolate, thinly membranous, nerveless and ciliated at the top; there are threestamensand twolodicules.
This is a fairly common grass occurring all over the Presidency much liked by cattle and yields plenty of foliage if properly looked after. It grows on all kinds of soils, even laterite.
Distribution.—Throughout India.
Fig. 150.—Andropogon pumilus.
It is a tufted annual with numerous radiating branches, growing on all directions, bent below and erect above; they vary in length from 6 inches to 18 inches, but sometimes when growing under favourable conditions attain the length of 2-1/2 feet. The stem is slender, green, or pale reddish in the exposed portions and pale in parts covered by sheaths slightly flattened, smooth.
Theleaf-sheathsare smooth, compressed, distinctly keeled. Theliguleis a short, truncate, white, glabrous membrane. Thenodesare glabrous.
Theleaf-bladeis linear, finely acuminate, glabrous, but sometimes somewhat scabrid along the nerves and with scattered long delicate hairs above especially when young, varying in length from 1 to 7 inches and 1/10 to 1/8 inch in breadth.
Theinflorescenceconsists of paired spikes with very slender peduncles arising from flattened, glabrous, acuminate spathes, varying in length from 1/2 to 1-1/4 inches. Thespikesare spreading and one of them always slightly longer than the other, reddish or pale green, 1/2 to 1 inch long; therachisconsists of five to eight flat joints broadened at the top and ending in a cup, densely ciliate on both the margins, but hairs on one margin are shorter than those on the other. Each joint bears a sessile and a pedicelled spikelet.
Fig. 151.—Andropogon pumilus.1. A portion of the spike to show the arrangement of the spikelets; 1. the first glume of the sessile spikelet; 2. second glume of the sessile spikelet; 3 and 4. third and fourth glumes of the sessile spikelet; 5. anthers, lodicules and the ovary; A, B and C. the three glumes of the pedicelled spikelets.
Thesessile spikeletis about 3/16 inch with an awn 7/16 inch long. There are fourglumesin the spikelet. Thefirst glumeis narrow, linear, membranous, grooved, finely bicuspidate at the apex, with incurved margins and two nerves ending in tubercles below. Thesecond glumeis a little longer than the first, narrow, lanceolate, boat-shaped, thinly coriaceous with membranous margins, 1-nerved and shortly awned. Thethird glumeis about 2/3 of thesecond glume in length, and shorter than the first glume, linear-lanceolate, hyaline, nerveless or sometimes very obscurely 2-nerved. Thefourth glumeis narrow linear, hyaline with two very fine lobes at the apex with an awn between, 7/16 inch long.Paleais hyaline and very small.Stamensare three,ovarywith two long reddish featherystigmas.Lodiculessmall and cuneate. Grain is long and narrow.
Thepedicelled spikeletshave only three glumes, and are slightly shorter than the sessile ones, pedicel is similar to the joint. Thefirst glumeis ovate-lanceolate, thinly coriaceous, distinctly many-nerved, acuminate, margins infolded and membranous. Thesecond glumeis ovate-lanceolate, membranous, glabrous and 3-nerved. Thethird glumeis short, oblong-lanceolate, nerveless or faintly 2-nerved. There are three stamens.
This grass is variable in its size. In dry soils such as laterite soils, it is a very small plant not exceeding 9 or 10 inches across its spread. But in good soil and under favourable conditions the plant measures across 5 or 6 feet. Cattle eat the grass before it flowers and do not relish it so much when in flower.
A common grass flourishing all over the Presidency.
Distribution.—Occurs in drier parts throughout India.
Fig. 152.—Andropogon pertusus.
This grass is perennial. Stems are tufted, very slender, widely creeping on all sides, purplish, but the flowering branches are erect or ascending from a geniculate base, leafy at base, the nodes of the creeping branches rooting and bearing tufts of branches which finally become independent plants at each node, the creeping branches vary in length from 1 to 3 feet and the erect ones from 10 to 18 inches or more.
Theleaf-sheathsare terete or somewhat compressed, glabrous, sometimes ciliated near the node and shorter than the internode. Theliguleis a truncate membrane, slightly ciliate or not.Nodesare bearded.
Theleaf-bladesin the prostrate branches are crowded, short linear-lanceolate, finely acuminate, soft, shortly hairy along the nerves, sparsely ciliate near the rounded base, varying in length from 1 to 2 inches and in breadth 1/8 to 1/4 inch; but on the flowering branches the leaves are longer, sometimes as long as twelve inches with bigger sheaths.
Fig. 153.—Andropogon pertusus.1. A portion of a spike; 2. a pair of spikelets; a. sessile and b. pedicelled; a-1. first glume; a-2. second glume; a-3. third glume; a-4. fourth glume and awn; a-5. ovary and stamens; a-6. grain; b-1. first glume of pedicelled spikelet front and back; b-2. second glume front and back; b-3. third glume.
Theinflorescenceconsists of three to nine, slender, flexuous, erect, purplish spikes, 1 to 2 inches long, alternately arranged on a thin, long, slender, smooth peduncle of about six inches;rachisis slender and the joints and pedicels are densely silky with long hairs.
Thespikeletsare in pairs, one sessile and one-pedicelled, both are equal, purplish or pale. Thesessile spikeletconsists of four glumesand contains a complete flower and the callus is short and bearded with long hairs. Thefirst glumeis coriaceous, oblong-lanceolate, acute, truncate or emarginate, slightly hairy, or glabrous with a deep pit above the middle (sometimes with two or three pits also) 7- to 9-nerved with a few long hairs below the middle and with margins infolded and shortly ciliate. Thesecond glumeis lanceolate-acuminate and finely pointed at the tip and the point projecting slightly beyond the first glume, 3-nerved or 3- to 5-nerved, membranous, slightly hairy or glabrous, obscurely keeled. Thethird glumeis thin, membranous, shorter than the second glume, linear-oblong, subobtuse or acute at the tip and nerveless. Thefourth glumeis the base of the awn and theawnis not twisted, bent at about the middle, 1/2 to 2/3 inch long; there is no palea.Anthersare three and yellow;stigmaspurple. The grain is oblong-obovate, slightly transparent.
Thepedicelled spikeletsare slightly narrower than the sessile, generally not pitted (though pitted in some plants), and not awned, and each one consists of three glumes only; the pedicel is more than half as long as the sessile spikelets. Thefirst glumeis slightly hairy, oblong-lanceolate, acute or obtuse, ciliate at the margins, 7- to 9-, or 13-nerved, generally without pits, but occasionally with one, two or three pits; the keels are ciliolate throughout the length. Thesecond glumeis membranous, ovate-lanceolate, acute, with incurved margins, 5-nerved. Thethird glumeis hyaline, linear-oblong, glabrous and thinly ciliate at the tip or not with or without stamens.
This is an excellent fodder grass and it grows quickly and stands cutting very well. Cattle eat this grass very well.
Distribution.—This grass is found all over India in the plains or lower elevations of hills.
(Vetiveriazizanioides.)
This is a densely tufted perennial grass with branching root-stocks and spongy aromatic roots.
The stems are leafy, with equitant, hard, leaf-sheaths at the base, smooth and polished, solid, 2 to 3-1/2 feet high.
Theleaf-sheathsare smooth, coriaceous, glabrous, keeled and compressed. Theliguleis a very short membrane.
Leaf-bladesare narrowly linear, erect, strongly keeled and flat, acuminate, glabrous both above and below, very much narrower than the sheath at the base, 1 to 2 feet by 1/3 to 3/4 inch.
Thepanicleis conical, erect with branches, fascicled, varying in length from 4 to 12 inches. Thespikesconsist of both sessile and pedicelled spikelets, that are either grey, green, or purplish.