Chapter 9

TRIBE IV--ANDROPOGONEÆ.

Andropogoneæ is a very large tribe with about thirty genera. It is very well represented in South India and some genera are of very wide distribution.

The spikelets are usually arranged in pairs at each joint, one sessile and the other stalked. The spikelets may all be similar as in Imperata or they may be different as in Ischæmum and Andropogon. There may be only one flower in the spikelet as in Eremochloa and Saccharum or two as in Ischæmum and Apocopis. In the genera Polytoca and Coix the spikelets are unisexual and the male and female spikelets are found in the same inflorescence, the female being below and the male being continuous with it. The spikelet nearly always consists of four glumes, the first or the first and the second being firmer and coriaceous or chartaceous. The flowering glumes are always shorter than the empty glumes, and are hyaline. The fourth glume is often awned or reduced to an awn.

The main rachis of the inflorescence is usually jointed at the base. In addition to this the rachis may be jointed all along its length, so as to become separated into distinct joints when mature as in Rottboellia, Saccharum and Andropogon, or it may be continuous as in Imperata. The pedicels of spikelets and the lower portions of the rachilla of the spikelets may have long hairs.

Sub. Tribe 1. =Maydeæ.=

The spikelets are all unisexual, spicate, the male and female spikelets are dissimilar, and are on the same or on different spikes.

Fruiting spikelets enclosed in a stony nut-like polished bract 16. Coix.

Fruiting spikelets with the first glume forming a crustaceous nut-like envelope to other glumes and grain 17. Polytoca.

Sub. Tribe 2. =Sacchareæ.=

The spikelets are all similar, in compound racemes or panicles; the first glume not sunk in the hollow of the rachis. Spikelets are 1-flowered.

Rachis not fragile; spikelets in cylindrical silvery thyrsus 18. Imperata.

Rachis fragile; spikelets in open very much branched silky panicles 19. Saccharum.

Sub. Tribe 3. =Ischemeæ.=

Spikelets many, dissimilar, in solitary, digitate or fascicled racemes or spikes; first glume not sunk in the hollow of the rachis.

Margins of the first glume of the sessile spikelet inflexed.

Spikes rarely solitary; spikelets binate, 2-flowered and awned 20. Ischæmum.

Spikes solitary; spikelets 1-flowered; first glume of the sessile spikelet pectinate 21. Eremochloa.

Margins of the first glume of the sessile spikelet not inflexed.

Spikes solitary or binate; spikelets 1- to 2-flowered, diandrous; first glume broad and truncate 22. Apocopis.

Spikes 2 or more; spikelets binate, upper alone awned 23. Lophopogon.

Sub. Tribe 4. =Apludeæ.=

Spikelets three on an inarticulate rachis 24. Apluda.

Sub. Tribe 5. =Rottboellieæ.=

Spikelets similar or dissimilar, 1- to 2-flowered, solitary, 2- or rarely 3-nate on the internodes of an articulated spike or raceme, not awned; the first glume is not keeled, sunk in a cavity of joints of the rachis; sessile spikelets 4-glumed.

Sessile spikelets single; first glume flat 25. Rottboellia.

Sessile spikelets geminate in all except the uppermost joints 26. Mnesithea.

Sessile spikelets binate; first glume globose, pitted 27. Manisuris.

Sub. Tribe 6. =Eu-Andropogoneæ.=

Spikelets are dissimilar, 1-flowered, 2-(rarely) 3-nate on the whorled articulate branches of simple or compound racemes or panicles; glumes four, first glume not keeled, fourth glume usually awned.

Spikelets binate below and 3-nate at the top on a spicate or panicled inflorescence 28. Andropogon.

Spikelets in two superposed series. Upper series of one or more sessile bisexual or female spikelets with one terminal pedicelled male spikelet.

Rachis jointed above the involucral spikelets 29. Anthistiria.

Rachis jointed below the involucral spikelets 30. Iseilema.

16. Coix, _L._

These are tall monoecious annual or perennial grasses. The inflorescences are terminal or axillary spiciform racemes. The lowest-spikelet in the raceme is female and this is enclosed in a bract which at length becomes hardened, polished and nut-like and the other spikelets above it are male. The male spikelets are 2- to 3-nate at each node of the rachis, 1 sessile and 1 or 2 pedicelled, lanceolate and 4-glumed. The first and the second glumes are subequal and empty, and the first glume is winged along the inflated margins. The third and the fourth glumes are hyaline, with three stamens or empty. The female spikelet is ovoid acuminate and has four glumes. The first glume is chartaceous and the others are thin and gradually smaller. The grain is orbicular, ventrally furrowed and enclosed by the polished hard bract.

=Coix lachryma-jobi, _L._=

This is a tall monoecious leafy annual (rarely perennial) grass with stout, smooth, polished, freely branching stems rooting at the lower nodes and varying in length from 3 to 5 feet or more.

The _leaf-sheath_ is long, usually smooth but occasionally with scattered tubercle-based hairs. The _ligule_ is a narrow membrane. The _nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blade_ is long, flat, narrow or broad, acuminate, cordate at base, with a stout midrib and many slender veins on both sides, usually glabrous on both sides though occasionally with scattered hairs, and with spinulosely serrate margins, varying from 4 to 18 inches in length and 1/3 to 2 inches in breadth.

The _inflorescence_ consists of nodding or drooping spiciform racemes, 1 to 1-1/2 inches long, terminating the branches. The racemes consist of many male spikelets with one (rarely two) female spikelets at the base; the rachis is stout above, and the part within the bract enclosing the female spikelet is slender.

The _male spikelets_ are imbricating, 2 or 3 at a node of the rachis, one sessile and one or two pedicelled, dorsally compressed, articulate at the base and persistent, very variable in size, 3/8 to 3/4 inch. There are four _glumes_ in the spikelet. The _first glume_ is oblong-lanceolate, chartaceous, 3/5 inch long, acute, many-nerved, concave with inflexed margins bearing narrow green many-veined wings. The _second glume_ is similar to the first, but thinner and without the wings, 5- to 9- or rarely 11-nerved. The _third glume_ is oblong-lanceolate, hyaline, faintly 3- to 5-nerved, paleate and with three stamens. The _fourth glume_ is similar to the third, paleate with or without stamens.

1. Inflorescence; 2. the female spikelet; 3. male spikelets; 4, 5, 6 and 8. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of a male spikelet; 7 and 9. palea of the third and the fourth glumes, respectively.]

The _female spikelet_ is enclosed by a closed bract which finally becomes hardened, and there are four _glumes_ in the spikelet. The _first_ and the _second glumes_ are chartaceous. The _third_ and the _fourth_ are hyaline, the former being empty and the latter with an ovary. _Lodicules_ are not present. The _ovary_ is ovoid with very long capillary styles. The grain is orbicular, compressed, channelled at the back and enclosed within the stony, hardened and polished bract.

This grass usually grows in paddy fields. There are two distinct varieties--one a fairly tall one annual and the other a very tall (5 to 10 feet) perennial one. The racemes of the latter are longer and drooping, the male spikelets are in threes and the wings of the first glume are usually broader than in the other form. This species is easily recognized by the polished bract enclosing the female spikelet.

_Distribution._--Throughout India.

17. Polytoca, _Br._

These are tall monoecious annual or perennial grasses. Inflorescences consist of spiciform racemes with spathaceous bracts; rachis is jointed. Racemes may all be male or with one or two female spikelets at the base. Male spikelets are geminate, one sessile and one pedicelled, 2-flowered or imperfect, and with four glumes, which are subequal. The first glume is membranous, many-nerved, shallowly concave and with a narrow membranous margin. The second glume is narrower, ovate, acute, 5- to 9-nerved. The third glume is membranous, oblong, acute, 3- to 5-nerved, paleate and with three stamens. The fourth glume is very slender, hyaline, linear, paleate with three stamens or empty. Female spikelets are broadly oblong, 1-flowered and with four glumes. The first glume is thick, coriaceous and closely embraces the rachis of the spike by its involute margin and the other glumes are within. The second glume is oblong, many-nerved. The third is narrowly oblong, 3- to 5-nerved, empty. The fourth glume is very narrow, truncate, 3-nerved, paleate. Styles are very long with slender stigmas. Grain is small, fusiform, terete and enclosed in the nut-like polished and hardened first glume.

=Polytoca barbata, _Stapf._=

This is an erect, tall, stout, freely branching, leafy, monoecious perennial grass. The stems are terete, 3 to 6 feet high.

The _leaf-sheaths_ are long, glabrous, or with scattered tubercle-based bristly hairs. The _ligule_ is a narrow membrane. The _nodes_ have a ring of soft long hairs.

The _leaf-blades_ are long, flat, linear, acuminate, with a stout midrib and thickened serrate margins, scabrid above and sometimes with a few tubercle-based hairs, 10 inches to 2 feet long and 1/4 to 3/4 inch broad.

The _inflorescence_ consists of paniculate spike-like racemes terminating the branches and at first enclosed in spathiform bracts, the lower and outer spathiform bracts are one inch or more in length with a long awn at the tip, and the inner proper sheaths are oblong, awned and about 1/2 inch long. The raceme consists of one or more female spikelets at the base and a number of male spikelets above, appearing as if sessile on the top of the female spikelet, but really articulate with the internode below it which is enclosed by the first glume of the female spikelet.

The _male spikelets_ are solitary, or binate and then one sessile and one pedicelled, 2-flowered, reaching 3/8 inch in length and consist of four _glumes_ each. The _first glume_ is concave, ovate, acute, pubescent, herbaceous, many-nerved and with a narrow membranous margin on one side only in the pedicelled and solitary spikelets and on both sides in the sessile spikelets. The _second glume_ is narrower, dorsally compressed, ovate, acuminate, 5- to 9-nerved, laterally compressed and with a narrow wing to the keel near the apex in sessile spikelets and dorsally compressed without the keel in the pedicelled and solitary spikelets. The _third glume_ is membranous, oblong, acuminate, 3- to 5-nerved, with three stamens and paleate; the _palea_ is hyaline, broadly linear. The _fourth glume_ is very slender, linear, hyaline, with or without stamens, paleate; _palea_ is flat, narrowly linear. _Lodicules_ are present and they are small. The _anthers_ in the third glume are larger than those in the fourth glume.

The _female spikelet_ is oblong, 1/6 inch long, 1-flowered and with four _glumes_. The _first glume_ is thickly coriaceous, white, shining, closely embracing the rachis and the other glumes entire at the tip. The _second glume_ is quadrately oblong, many-nerved. The _third glume_ is oblong, narrower than the second, 3- to 5-nerved paleate, empty. The _palea_ of the third glume is narrow, truncate. The _fourth glume_ is narrow, truncate, 3-nerved, paleate; the _palea_ is truncate and wrapped round the ovary. _Styles_ are long and stigmas slender. _Lodicules_ are not present. The grain is fusiform, terete and within the nut-like polished hardened glume.

_Distribution._--In damp situations all over India.

18. Imperata, _Cyril._

These are erect perennial grasses. The inflorescence is a spike-like panicle, with very short filiform inarticulate branches and rachises. Spikelets are binate, 1-flowered, all alike, both pedicelled, articulate at the base and hidden by the very long silky hairs arising from a small callus and from the glumes. There are four glumes. The first two glumes are membranous, lanceolate, and subequal. The third glume is shorter and smaller, hyaline. The fourth glume is still smaller and hyaline. Stamens are two, rarely one. Lodicules are not found. Styles connate below, with stigmas very long, narrow and exserted at the top of the spikelets. Grain is small and oblong.

=Imperata arundinacea, _Cyril._=

This is an erect perennial grass with creeping, stoloniferous root-stocks, with aerial stems varying from 6 inches to 3 feet.

The _leaf-sheath_ is loose and glabrous. The _ligule_ consists of long soft hairs. The _nodes_ are naked or bearded.

The _leaf-blade_ is linear, flat, tapering from about the middle towards the top, finely acuminate, and also narrowing towards the base into the stout midrib, margins with fine long hairs at the base, 6 to 18 inches by 1/10 to 1/3 inch, scabrous above and smooth beneath.

The _panicle_ is narrow, spike-like, silvery, 3 to 8 inches; branches are short and appressed and the internodes of spikes are short with the tips dilated.

The _spikelets_ are 1/8 to 1/6 inch concealed by long silvery hairs of the callus and the glumes, articulate at the base; callus hairs are about twice as long as the spikelet or longer.

There are four _glumes_ in the spikelet. The _first glume_ is ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, with ciliate tips and long hairs at the back below the middle, rather thickened towards the base, dorsally hairy, 3- to 7-nerved, nerves not reaching the tip. The _second glume_ is as long as the first, with membranous margins and with long hairs at the back, 3- to 7-nerved. The _third glume_ is hyaline, less than half as long as the first and second glumes, oblong, obtuse or irregularly toothed, nerveless or 1-nerved. The _fourth glume_ is slightly shorter and narrower than the third, ovate, acute, obtuse or toothed, ciliate, nerveless or faintly 1-nerved, paleate; _palea_ is about half as long as the glume, quadrate, toothed or retuse, nerveless, glabrous. There are only two stamens with orange anthers. Styles are slender, long, with purple _stigmas_. _Lodicules_ are absent. Grain is small and oblong.

This is fairly abundant in moist stiff soils. On account of the underground stolons this grass cannot be eradicated easily.

_Distribution._--Throughout India.

19. Saccharum, _L._

These are tall perennial grasses. Inflorescence is a much branched open panicle, branches spreading or erect, capillary and fragile. Spikelets are small, 1-flowered, binate, one sessile and the other pedicelled, the sessile spikelet is bisexual and the pedicelled is female and rarely bisexual; sessile spikelets are deciduous with the contiguous joint of the rachis and the pedicel. There are four glumes. The first glume is chartaceous, equal in length to the second, oblong or lanceolate. The second glume is concave. The third glume is hyaline, empty. The fourth glume is very small or absent. Lodicules are present. There are three stamens. Stigmas are laterally exserted. Grain is oblong or sub-globose.

=Saccharum spontaneum, _L._=

This is a tall perennial grass with a creeping root-stock bearing erect stems and occasionally decumbent or prostrate stolons. Stems vary in length from 5 to 20 feet. Branches and axillary buds grow out piercing the sheaths near the nodes.

The _leaf-sheath_ is glabrous, but woolly at the mouth. The _ligule_ is a distinct ovate membrane. The _nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blade_ is very long, narrow linear, acuminate and narrowing downwards into the stout midrib, coriaceous, glabrous and 1-1/2 to 2 feet by 1/8 to 1/4 inch.

The _panicle_ is lanceolate, 8 to 24 inches, silky and the peduncle just below the panicle is softly silky, branches are whorled, three to five at a level, 2 to 4 inches long, rachis of the branches almost capillary, jointed and fragile, joints with long cilia at the back.

The _spikelets_ are binate, one sessile and another pedicelled, both bisexual and alike, lanceolate, 1/8 to 1/6 inch long, callus is minute and bearded with spreading silky hairs 1/2 inch long.

There are four _glumes_. The _first glume_ is lanceolate, subulate, acuminate, 2-nerved, flattened dorsally, coriaceous at the base and hyaline above it, and with smooth incurved margins. The second _glume_ is about equal to or slightly shorter than the first, lanceolate, acuminate, 1-nerved, keeled with an opaque base; margins and keel are ciliate with fine long hairs. The _third glume_ is hyaline, ovate-lanceolate, nerveless, acute, ciliate. The _fourth glume_ is very slender, ciliate, acuminate, paleate; _palea_ is minute, very variable. _Stamens_ are three. _Lodicules_ are cuneate or quadrate. The grain is very small, oblong.

_Distribution._--This occurs all over India along the sides of the river.

20. Ischæmum, _L._

The grasses of this genus are either annuals or perennials. The inflorescence consists of spikes, solitary, digitate or fascicled, articulate and fragile; the joints of the floral axis and the pedicels of the pedicelled spikelets are trigonous and hollowed ventrally. Spikelets are binate, one sessile and one pedicelled; the pedicelled spikelets are dissimilar from the sessile and both usually 2-flowered. The sessile spikelets have four glumes. The first glume is coriaceous, oblong or lanceolate, convex more or less, marginally winged above the middle, truncate or two-cuspidate at the apex and awnless. The second glume is as long as the first, coriaceous, concave, acute or obtuse, awned or not. The third glume is hyaline, deeply cleft into two lobes with an awn in the cleft, and 3-nerved, paleate; palea is linear-lanceolate enclosing either stamens and ovary or ovary alone. Lodicules are cuneate or quadrate.

KEY TO SPECIES.

Racemes two or three; the first glume of the sessile spikelet dorsally flat, not channelled or depressed along the middle line.

Margin of the first glume of the sessile spikelet incurved narrowly from the base to the apex.

First glume of sessile spikelets with nodulose margins. 1. I. aristatum.

First glume of sessile spikelets closely transversely ribbed. 2. I. rugosum.

First glume of the sessile spikelet translucent, bicuspidate at the tip and with smooth margins. 3. I. pilosum.

Margin of the first glume of the sessile spikelet broadly incurved from below the middle.

First glume of the sessile spikelet with smooth margins, callus bearded. 4. I. ciliare.

Raceme solitary; the first glume of the sessile spikelet deeply grooved at the back along the middle line. 5. I. laxum.

=Ischæmum aristatum, _L._=

This is a perennial grass, with fairly stout, erect or somewhat decumbent, simple or branched, glabrous, leafy stems, 1 to 4 feet high.

The _leaf-sheath_ is loose, glabrous and auricled. The _ligule_ is a distinct membrane, broad or narrow. _Nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blade_ is linear-lanceolate, flat, acuminate, narrowed towards the base which may be acute, subcordate or rarely even petiolate, glabrous or sparsely hairy above and glaucous beneath, 4 to 10 inches long and 1/4 to 1 inch broad.

The _inflorescence_ consists of one or two, erect, stout or slender, fragile racemes, 1 to 5 inches long.

The _spikelets_ are 1/6 to 1/3 inch long, the sessile and the pedicelled closely pressed together, glabrous or hairy; the callus of the sessile spikelet broad and thick, with or without hairs. The _sessile spikelet_ is awned and consists of four glumes. The _first glume_ is 1/5 inch long or less, oblong or linear-oblong, cartilaginous below the middle, with two to four (or rarely up to six) marginal nodules on each edge, sometimes these are connected by shallow ridges, thinner above the middle, with green anastomosing veins, tip obtuse or 2-toothed, and margins narrowly incurved. The _second glume_ is chartaceous, lanceolate, acuminate, 1-nerved and with a smooth rounded keel. The _third glume_ is ovate-lanceolate, membranous, 1-nerved, acuminate, male or bisexual with an oblong palea. The _fourth glume_ is cleft to or below the middle into lanceolate acute lobes, with a brownish red awn 1/2 inch or more long at the sinus twisted at the lower portion and straight above, paleate, usually female; _palea_ is linear oblong. The _pedicelled spikelet_ is as long as the sessile, inarticulate on the very thick, short pedicel which is densely or sparsely hairy at the base. The _first glume_ is scimitar-shaped, coriaceous, acute, with a somewhat semi-circular wing. The other _glumes_ are as in sessile spikelets, but the fourth glume has no awn and may have a mucro.

This grass is a variable one. There is much variation in the breadth of the leaves and in the markings and hairiness of the spikelets. The spikelets may be glabrous or hairy and the marking in the first glume of the sessile spikelets varies in the matter of marginal nodules--it may have mere shallow notches or deep well-formed nodules and there may be transverse ridges or they may be absent. This grass is abundant on the West Coast and rare in the East Coast.

_Distribution._--Throughout the plains and lower hills of India and Ceylon.

=Ischæmum rugosum, _Salisb._=

This is an erect annual grass with tufted, leafy, compressed stems varying in length from 10 inches to 2 feet.

The _leaf-sheath_ is glabrous, loose and compressed, with a membranous auricle confluent with the truncate _ligule_. _Nodes_ usually glabrous but sometimes also puberulous.

The _leaf-blade_ is narrow, linear-lanceolate, flat, base contracted, flaccid, acuminate, rounded at the base, glabrous or sparsely hairy on both the surfaces; the topmost leaf is often reduced to an inflated sheath enclosing the inflorescence partially.

The racemes are usually two, erect, fragile, 1 to 3 inches long with a slight thickening of the peduncle below the inflorescence; the joints are 1/3 to 2/3 as long as the sessile spikelets; trigonous and subclavate, and with long hairs on one side. The _spikelets_ are linear-oblong, glabrous or villous, 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, sessile and stalked spikelets close together; the pedicel of the stalked spikelet is thick about 1/3 or less than the length of the sessile spikelet, ciliate on one side, confluent with the thick callus of the sessile spikelet, which is sparsely bristly. The _sessile spikelet_ consists of four glumes and is awned. The _first glume_ is concave, pale yellow, shining and cartilaginous to about 2/3 its length from the base, and the upper third is membranous, dimidiately ovate; at the back in the cartilaginous portion, there are three to six deep convex smooth ridges running across the glume; the membranous tip is thin and with anastomosing green veins; the margins of this glume are thick, narrowly incurved, ciliolate, and with a narrow wing on the outer margin. The _second glume_ is oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, coriaceous, acuminate, scaberulous, keeled and laterally compressed and on the keel just below the tip there is a narrow ciliate wing. The _third glume_ is ovate-lanceolate, hyaline, acuminate 1- to 3-veined, male or empty, with a narrow hyaline palea. The _fourth glume_ is shorter than the third, deeply cleft into two lanceolate acute lobes, 3-veined at the base; awn up to about 2/3 inch long; _palea_ is linear lanceolate. Stamens are three and _lodicules_ are small and cuneate.

The pedicelled spikelet is very variable. It is shorter than the sessile, with obscure transverse ridges and may consist of four glumes, but without an awn to the fourth glume; sometimes this spikelet is reduced to a single glume.

The grain is broadly oblong, brownish and compressed.

_Distribution._--Throughout India and Ceylon.

=Ischæmum pilosum, _Hack._=

It is a tall, robust, perennial grass with rhizomes producing numerous creeping stolons densely covered with scaly-sheaths. The aerial stems are erect, freely branching at the base, slender, 2 to 3 feet long, glabrous.

The _leaf-sheath_ is glabrous. The _ligule_ is a distinct glabrous membrane, 1/8 inch long, rounded. _Nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blade_ is linear, finely acuminate, glabrous but bearded at the base, 6 to 12 inches long and 1/8 to 1/3 inch broad.

The _inflorescence_ consists of two to six softly hairy spikes which are yellow or brown 1 to 4 inches long. Joints and pedicels are slender, sparsely ciliate.

The _sessile spikelets_ are narrowly lanceolate, 3/4 inch long, with long hairs at the base. The _first glume_ is dorsally hairy, or glabrous, narrowed from the middle upwards, chartaceous, with incurved margins and six or seven anastomosing nerves. The _second glume_ is longer than the first, laterally compressed, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, chartaceous, glabrous but often with long hairs on the keel towards the upper half, 5-nerved, the lateral nerves anastomosing. The _third glume_ is a little shorter than the second, linear-oblong or lanceolate, paleate; _palea_ is membranous, nerveless, and encloses three stamens. The _fourth glume_ is equal to the third glume in length, membranous, hyaline and divided almost to the middle into two acute lobes with an awn 1/4 to 3/8 inch long, paleate; _palea_ is lanceolate, nerveless and encloses three stamens and the ovary and sometimes only the ovary. The _pedicelled_ _spikelets_ are shorter than the sessile but with a shorter awn. The _glumes_ are similar to those of the sessile spikelet; sometimes these spikelets are imperfect or even reduced to a single glume.

This grass grows well in black cotton soils and sometimes it gets very well established and then it is very difficult to eradicate it. Cattle seem to like this grass.

_Distribution._--In black cotton soils all over the presidency, but most abundant in the Ceded districts.

=Ischæmum ciliare, _Retz._=

It is a tufted perennial grass, erect or creeping. Stems are erect or ascending, sometimes decumbent at base, and rooting at the nodes, stout or slender, 6 inches to 2 feet long.

The _leaf-sheath_ is compressed, loose, glabrous or hairy. The _ligule_ is a short, ciliate membrane. _Nodes_ are glabrous or hairy.

The _leaf-blade_ is flat, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, narrowed towards the acute or rounded base, glabrous or hairy, 2 to 6 inches long and 1/6 to 1/2 inch wide.

The _inflorescence_ consists of two spikes, 1-1/2 to 2 inches long; joints and pedicels of the pedicelled spikelets equal, hairy at the back and at the angles.

The _sessile spikelets_ are 1/8 to 1/5 inch long, oblong, bearded at the base. The _first glume_ is coriaceous, convex, polished, smooth or pitted, hairy below, flat and veined above the middle, with broad or narrow ciliate equal wings and with margins narrowly inflexed above and broadly so below. The _second glume_ is coriaceous, equal to or longer than the first, lanceolate, acuminate, or shortly awned, 3- to 5-nerved, keel narrowly winged towards the apex, dorsally ciliate or not. The _third glume_ is ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, ciliate towards the apex, 1- to 3-nerved, paleate; the _palea_ has a coriaceous lanceolate centre, with broad hyaline ciliate wings and encloses three stamens. The _fourth glume_ is hyaline, deeply lobed into two oblong obtuse glabrous or ciliate lobes, with an awn twice as long as the spikelet in the cleft, and paleate; _palea_ is lanceolate, acuminate, 2-nerved. _Styles_ and _stigmas_ are short.

The _pedicelled spikelets_ resemble the sessile ones in the structure of their glumes and palea.

This grass is very variable in its habit and in the structure of its spikelets. It grows mostly in wet situations, such as the bunds of paddy fields and tanks. Cattle eat the grass eagerly.

_Distribution._--All over India and Ceylon.

=Ischæmum laxum, _L._=

This is a perennial grass with numerous stiff, thick and wiry roots.

Stems are erect, slender, rising in tufts from a short root-stock, glabrous, leafy towards the base, varying in length from 2 to 3 feet.

The _leaf-sheaths_ are shorter than the internodes usually glabrous, but occasionally with scattered hairs. At the mouth tufts of hairs are present or not. The _ligule_ is a ridge of silky hairs. The _nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blades_ are erect, flat, slightly glaucous, linear, narrowed to long capillary tips, 5 to 12 inches long and 1/10 to 1/6 inch broad, with prominent nerves and scabrid margins.

The _inflorescence_ is a solitary spike, 2 to 5 inches long, erect and fragile; the joints and pedicels are compressed, somewhat 2-angled, ciliate with long hairs, and about half as long as the spikelets.

The _spikelets_ are in pairs, one-sessile and one-pedicelled. The _sessile spikelets_ are pale-green, linear-oblong, acuminate with a shortly bearded callus, 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch long. There are four glumes in a spikelet. The _first glume_ is chartaceous, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, 2-toothed with the teeth ending in two short awns, densely ciliated at the apex on one side, conspicuously 6- (rarely) 7-nerved, the two lateral being very strong and running into the apical teeth and the intermediate four nerves being shorter and not running up to the apex, and on the dorsal surface there is a depression, where it is membranous and the nerves on its sides sometimes anastomosing at the upper third of the glume. The _second_ _glume_ is shorter than the first, chartaceous to a certain extent, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, concave, terminating in a fine scabrid awn, 1/2 inch long, with margins ciliate from above the middle to the apex, and with a narrow ciliated wing on the keel at the apex running up to the base of the awn, 3-nerved. The _third glume_ is lanceolate, acuminate, hyaline, nerveless, ciliate, with a linear obtuse _palea_ enclosing three stamens and two _lodicules_. The _fourth glume_ is hyaline, membranous, deeply split at the apex into two prominent lobes and with an awn in the depression 1/2 inch long, the _palea_ is linear oblong and contains either the ovary alone or both the _stamens_ and the _ovary_.

The _pedicelled spikelets_ are also as long as the sessile, more conspicuous than the sessile and consist of four glumes, but are not awned. The _first glume_ is lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, chartaceous, with seven strong nerves, very prominent at the back and the mid nerve being most conspicuous, with scabrid keels and closely finely ciliated and folded margins, finely biaristate at the apex. The _second glume_ is lanceolate, finely acuminate, sub-chartaceous, with the margins ciliate from about two-third its length from the apex, 3-nerved, the mid nerve alone being prominent. The _third glume_ is hyaline, nerveless, lanceolate, ciliate in the margin, paleate with 3 stamens or empty. The _fourth glume_ is shorter than the third, hyaline, narrow lanceolate, not awned, ciliate or not at the margin, paleate and with three stamens and two _lodicules_.

This grass produces a large amount of leaves in good soils and it is liked very much by cattle. It is capable of standing a long spell of dry weather, and is valuable in this respect because it can be depended upon when other grasses fail. It is worth conserving with other grasses. It grows both in rich and poor soils, in open places and also in thickets.

_Distribution._--Throughout India and Ceylon.

21. Eremochloa, _Buse._

These are tufted perennial grasses with rigid equitant leaves at the base. The inflorescence consists of a solitary, glabrous, and compressed spike, with a somewhat fragile rachis; the joints are compressed, hollow and clavate. The spikelets are solitary, usually 2-flowered (rarely 1-flowered), secund, closely imbricating, sessile with a short, pedicelled, reduced upper spikelet, and deciduous with the joint. There are four glumes. The first glume is oblong or ovate, flat, smooth, coriaceous, pectinately margined with upcurved spines. The second glume is oblong-lanceolate, acute and 3-nerved. The third glume is hyaline, obtuse, paleate and male. The fourth glume is smaller, hyaline, oblong, obtuse, 1-nerved, paleate, bisexual or female. Lodicules are truncate and slightly oblique. Stamens are three with long anthers. Styles are two with feathery stigmas. The grain is oval, plano-convex.

=Eremochloa muricata, _Hack._=

This is a perennial tufted grass with a woody creeping root-stock. Stems are erect or ascending, slender, strongly compressed, lower parts completely covered by rigid equitant leaves, 6 to 18 inches long or more.

The _leaf-sheath_ is broad, flat, much compressed, glabrous and keeled. The _ligule_ is a short membrane. _Nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blade_ is linear, glabrous on both sides, 2 to 6 inches long and 3/16 to 1/4 inch broad, with a rounded tip and two unequal lobes.

The _spike_ is solitary, up to 6 inches (or more) in length, joints of the rachis 1/3 to 1/2 the length of the spikelets. _Spikelets_ are solitary, sessile, compressed, secund. The _sessile spikelets_ are 3/16 to 1/6 inch, and consist of four spikelets. The _first glume_ is oblong-lanceolate, dorsally slightly convex, smooth, coriaceous, 7- to 9-nerved, and with pectinate margins consisting of long, spreading, upcurved spines and at the top with subquadrate wings on each side reaching beyond the acute tip. The _second glume_ is chartaceous, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, usually 5-nerved (and occasionally 3-nerved), the mid-nerve keeled with a narrow wing from below the middle to the base and with hyaline margins. The _third glume_ is oblong-obovate, hyaline, thin, paleate with three yellow _anthers_ and two oblong-cuneate _lodicules_; _palea_ is narrow, oblong, obtuse. The _fourth glume_ is thin, hyaline, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, paleate, and bisexual; _palea_ lanceolate, narrow, two-toothed at the apex, with deep purple _anthers_ and _stigmas_ of the same colour. The _lodicules_ are obliquely truncate. _Ovary_ has a reddish spot between the style branches and just at the apex in the fresh state in the bud and in the open flower.

The _pedicelled spikelet_ is 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.

22. Apocopis, _Nees._

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.

=Apocopis Wightii, _Nees ex Steud._=

This is a low and densely tufted or tall erect annual grass. Stems are leafy, branching freely, 3 to 8 inches long.

The _leaf-sheath_ is loose, usually hairy, rarely also glabrous and hairy at the mouth. The _ligule_ is a small lacerate membrane.

The _leaf-blade_ is 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.

The _inflorescence_ consists of two racemes, closely appressed together on a very slender peduncle; the joints are shorter than the spikelets and with long brown hairs.

The _spikelets_ are oblong, 1/8 to 1/5 inch long, the callus is short, hairy with long brown hairs. The _first glume_ is 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. The _second glume_ is 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. The _third glume_ is as long as the first, hyaline, thin, linear-oblong, nerveless, ciliate at the apex, paleate, usually with two stamens or empty; _palea_ as long as the glume, hyaline and nerveless. The _fourth glume_ is slightly longer than the other glumes or equal, very narrowly oblong or linear, membranous, awned and paleate; _awn_ is 2 to 6 times the length of the glume, 7/8 to 1-1/4 inch long; _palea_ is hyaline, thin, nerveless, convolute, broadly oblong to almost quadrate oblong, apex with very short cilia. Grain is minute and oblong.

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.

23. Lophopogon, _Hack._

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.

=Lophopogon tridentatus, _Hack._=

This is a small annual grass with slender, tufted, erect stems varying in height from 4 to 12 inches.

_Leaf-sheaths_ are glabrous or with scattered hairs. The _ligule_ is a fringe of close-set long hairs. _Nodes_ are covered with long hairs below, but nodes nearer the inflorescence are glabrous.

_Leaf-blades_ are 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.

The _inflorescence_ consists 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.

The _spikelets_ are densely imbricate, binate at each joint, the upper being shortly pedicelled and the lower sessile or subsessile. The _lower spikelets_ are 1/5 inch long with a tuft of brownish hairs at the tip of the callus. The _lower spikelets_ at 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 four _glumes_ in the spikelet. The _first glume_ in 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. The _second glume_ is 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 long brownish hairs on the marginal nerves. The _third glume_ is hyaline, a little shorter than the second, lanceolate-linear, tip bifid or irregularly toothed, paleate with two stamens or rarely empty; the _palea_ is linear, about as long as the glume, tip irregularly toothed. The _fourth glume_ is 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; _palea_ narrow and hyaline. The _first glume_ of 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 four _glumes_ and bear one male flower and one bisexual flower. The _first glume_ is 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. The _second glume_ is 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. The _third glume_ is hyaline, nerveless, linear-lanceolate, shorter than the second glume, tip irregularly toothed or unequally bifid, paleate with two stamens; _palea_ is linear about as long as the glume. The _fourth glume_ is hyaline, about 1/6 inch long, lanceolate, 2-fid at the tip, awned in the cleft, lobes are hairy; _awn_ is 3/4 inch long, paleate, usually bisexual, rarely female; _palea_ is two-thirds of the glume in height, broadly ovate or quadrate, lobulate at the apex. _Styles_ are very long, purple, _anthers_ long, 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.

24. Apluda, _L._

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.

=Apluda varia, _Hack._=

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.

The _leaf-sheath_ is glabrous or slightly hairy, the upper ones being shorter and dilated into spathes with subulate tips. The _ligule_ is a short stiff slightly lacerate membrane.

The _leaf-blade_ is linear-lanceolate, finely acuminate, base narrowed into a petiole, scaberulous on both the surfaces.

The _inflorescence_ consists of simple spikes, each in a spathiform bract, and forming clusters terminating the stem and the branches. The _spikes_ have 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.

The _sessile_ as well as the _pedicelled spikelets_ have four _glumes_. The _sessile spikelets_ are 1/8 to 1/5 inch long. The _first glume_ is spreading or erect, chartaceous, many-nerved, two-toothed at the apex and with narrow hyaline margins from about the middle to the apex. The _second glume_ is compressed, dorsally gibbous, keeled, 7-nerved. The _third glume_ is hyaline, oblong-lanceolate, 3-nerved, paleate with three stamens; _palea_ is narrow. The _fourth glume_ is 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 two _lodicules_. The _pedicelled spikelets_ are dorsally compressed. The _first glume_ is lanceolate, oblong, subacute, many-nerved, coriaceous and glabrous. The _second glume_ is as long as the first, many-nerved, lanceolate-oblong, coriaceous and glabrous. The _third glume_ is hyaline, shorter than the second, 3-nerved, paleate and with three stamens. The _fourth glume_ is shorter than or equal to the third, hyaline, 1-nerved rarely with two short lateral nerves, female or imperfect. _Lodicules_ are 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.

25. Rottboellia, _Linn. f._

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.

=Rottboellia Myurus, _Benth._=

This is a tufted perennial with creeping stems which branch freely into ascending compressed branches, 10 inches to 2 feet high.

The _leaf-sheath_ is quite glabrous and compressed. The _ligule_ is a short ciliate membrane. _Nodes_ are glabrous.

_The leaf-blade_ is flat, linear, acute, glabrous, 2 to 6 inches long.

The _inflorescence_ consists of a solitary terminal or axillary _raceme_ 1 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. The _sessile spikelet_ consists of _four glumes_. The _first glume_ is 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. The _second glume_ is somewhat membranous, ovate, acute and 3-nerved. The _third glume_ is hyaline, thin, oblong, obtuse and nerveless. The _fourth glume_ is lanceolate, nerveless and without a palea, bisexual. There are two cuneate _lodicules_. The _pedicelled spikelets_ also have four glumes and the pedicels usually free, but also sometimes adnate. The _first glume_ is oblong, obtuse, winged on one side only, 5-nerved. The _second glume_ is boat-shaped, chartaceous, 3-nerved crested with a semi-circular wing at the apex. The _third glume_ is hyaline, broadly oblong, obtuse, 3-nerved with a lanceolate hyaline palea. The _fourth glume_ is oblong, obtuse, male.

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.

=Rottboellia exaltata, _L.f._=

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.

The _leaf-sheaths_ are loose, hispid with tubercle-based hairs, or glabrous, with mouth contracted. The _ligule_ is short and ciliate.

The _leaf-blade_ is 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.

The _racemes_ are stout, cylindrical below and very narrow and with imperfect spikelets above, joints are smooth and rounded dorsally. The _sessile spikelets_ are as long as the joint or slightly shorter and has four glumes. The _first glume_ is 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. The _second glume_ is 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. The _third glume_ is oblong or elliptic-oblong, rigid with a hyaline centre and coriaceous at the sides, 3-nerved, paleate and with three stamens; _palea_ is as long as the glume, coriaceous with inflexed hyaline margins. _Lodicules_ are cuneate, with toothed edge. The _fourth glume_ is a little shorter than the third, ovate from a broad base, hyaline and acute, 1-nerved, paleate and usually with an ovary and two _lodicules_: _palea_ is hyaline, as long as the glume. but narrower, nerveless. _Lodicules_ are quadrate; grain somewhat large oblong and compressed. The _pedicelled spikelets_ are 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.

26. Mnesithea, _Kunth._

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.

=Mnesithea lævis, _Kunth._=

This is an erect slender perennial grass with smooth simple or branched stems varying in height from 2 to 4 feet.

The _leaf-sheath_ is terete, tight, glabrous. The _ligule_ is a short toothed membrane. _Nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blade_ is 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.

_Racemes_ are 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.

The _sessile spikelets_ are 1-flowered, as long as the joint and varying in length from 1/7 to 1/5 inch and have four _glumes_. The _first glume_ is obliquely oblong, coriaceous, smooth, obtuse, margins narrowly incurved, truncate and pitted at the base, 5- to 7-nerved. The _second glume_ is as long as the first hyaline, oblong and obtuse. The _third glume_ is like the second but thinner and slightly broader, paleate or not, empty. The _fourth glume_ is rather smaller than the third, oblong, obtuse, bisexual and paleate; the _palea_ is shorter than the glume. _Lodicules_ are not present.

This grass is usually found in dry fields all over the presidency but it is nowhere abundant.

_Distribution._--Throughout India and Ceylon.

27. Manisuris, _Sw._

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.

=Manisuris granularis, _L.f._=

This is a freely branching annual with stems leafy to the top and varying in length from 1 to 2-1/2 feet.

The _leaf-sheath_ is inflated, covered with scattered tubercle-based hairs. The _ligule_ is a short membrane with ciliate margin. _Nodes_ are with long hairs.

The _leaf-blade_ is 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.

The _spikes_ are 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.

The _spikelets_ are 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.

The _sessile spikelet_ has four _glumes_. The _first glume_ is hard, globose, foveolate, with an oblong opening, faintly nerved. The _second glume_ is chartaceous, immersed in the cavity of the joint, and filling the opening. The _third glume_ is small hyaline and empty. The _fourth glume_ is hyaline, small and paleate. The grain is sub-globose. _Lodicules_ are broadly cuneate.

The _pedicelled spikelets_ also have four _glumes_. The _first glume_ is ovate, sub-chartaceous, winged on one side with a broad hyaline ciliate wing, 5- to 7-veined. The _second glume_ is cymbiform, compressed laterally, with a dorsal hyaline ciliate wing to the keel, 5- to 7-veined. The _third glume_ is hyaline, membranous, oblong, 2-nerved and paleate or not, and with or without stamens. The _fourth glume_ is 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.

28. Andropogon, _L._

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. pumilus

CC. 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. Wightianus

Pedicels of upper spikelets not half as long as the sessile spikelet.

Leaves glabrous and narrow 7. 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 cordate 11. A. Schoenanthus.

_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.

=Andropogon foveolatus, _Del._=

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.

The _leaf-sheath_ is somewhat scaberulous, partly green and partly purplish, always shorter than the internode. The _ligule_ is short, truncate, hyaline and ciliate. _Nodes_ are tumid and purplish with a ring of hairs.

The _leaf-blade_ is 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.

The _spikes_ are 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 of _spikelets,_ sessile and pedicelled, and both are oblong-lanceolate and equal. The _sessile spikelet_ consists of _four_ _glumes_. The _first glume_ is lanceolate, flat and smooth, keels scabrid with usually a deep dorsal pit, 4-nerved. The _second glume_ is lanceolate, acute, as long as the first, 3-nerved. The _third glume_ is small, membranous, linear-lanceolate, nerveless. The _fourth glume_ is 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 three _stamens_ and two _lodicules_. _Ovary_ has two feathery _stigmas_. The _pedicelled spikelets_ have only two glumes and contain three stamens. The _first glume_ is oblong-lanceolate, 5-nerved, pitted above the middle, with recurved margins and scabrid keels and nerves. The _second glume_ is lanceolate, membranous, hairy at the top, 3-nerved with margins infolded; _palea_ is oblanceolate, thinly membranous, nerveless and ciliated at the top; there are three _stamens_ and two _lodicules_.

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.

=Andropogon pumilus, _Roxb._=

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.

The _leaf-sheaths_ are smooth, compressed, distinctly keeled. The _ligule_ is a short, truncate, white, glabrous membrane. The _nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blade_ is 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.

The _inflorescence_ consists of paired spikes with very slender peduncles arising from flattened, glabrous, acuminate spathes, varying in length from 1/2 to 1-1/4 inches. The _spikes_ are spreading and one of them always slightly longer than the other, reddish or pale green, 1/2 to 1 inch long; the _rachis_ consists 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.

The _sessile spikelet_ is about 3/16 inch with an awn 7/16 inch long. There are four _glumes_ in the spikelet. The _first glume_ is narrow, linear, membranous, grooved, finely bicuspidate at the apex, with incurved margins and two nerves ending in tubercles below. The _second glume_ is a little longer than the first, narrow, lanceolate, boat-shaped, thinly coriaceous with membranous margins, 1-nerved and shortly awned. The _third glume_ is about 2/3 of the second glume in length, and shorter than the first glume, linear-lanceolate, hyaline, nerveless or sometimes very obscurely 2-nerved. The _fourth glume_ is narrow linear, hyaline with two very fine lobes at the apex with an awn between, 7/16 inch long. _Palea_ is hyaline and very small. _Stamens_ are three, _ovary_ with two long reddish feathery _stigmas_. _Lodicules_ small and cuneate. Grain is long and narrow.

The _pedicelled spikelets_ have only three glumes, and are slightly shorter than the sessile ones, pedicel is similar to the joint. The _first glume_ is ovate-lanceolate, thinly coriaceous, distinctly many-nerved, acuminate, margins infolded and membranous. The _second glume_ is ovate-lanceolate, membranous, glabrous and 3-nerved. The _third glume_ is 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.

=Andropogon pertusus, _Willd._=

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.

The _leaf-sheaths_ are terete or somewhat compressed, glabrous, sometimes ciliated near the node and shorter than the internode. The _ligule_ is a truncate membrane, slightly ciliate or not. _Nodes_ are bearded.

The _leaf-blades_ in 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.

The _inflorescence_ consists 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; _rachis_ is slender and the joints and pedicels are densely silky with long hairs.

The _spikelets_ are in pairs, one sessile and one-pedicelled, both are equal, purplish or pale. The _sessile spikelet_ consists of four glumes and contains a complete flower and the callus is short and bearded with long hairs. The _first glume_ is 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. The _second glume_ is 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. The _third glume_ is thin, membranous, shorter than the second glume, linear-oblong, subobtuse or acute at the tip and nerveless. The _fourth glume_ is the base of the awn and the _awn_ is not twisted, bent at about the middle, 1/2 to 2/3 inch long; there is no palea. _Anthers_ are three and yellow; _stigmas_ purple. The grain is oblong-obovate, slightly transparent.

The _pedicelled spikelets_ are 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. The _first glume_ is 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. The _second glume_ is membranous, ovate-lanceolate, acute, with incurved margins, 5-nerved. The _third glume_ is 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.

=Andropogon squarrosus, _L.f._=

(_Vetiveria zizanioides._)

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.

The _leaf-sheaths_ are smooth, coriaceous, glabrous, keeled and compressed. The _ligule_ is a very short membrane.

_Leaf-blades_ are 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.

The _panicle_ is conical, erect with branches, fascicled, varying in length from 4 to 12 inches. The _spikes_ consist of both sessile and pedicelled spikelets, that are either grey, green, or purplish.

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.

=Andropogon asper, _Heyne._=

(_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.

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.

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.

=Andropogon Wightianus, _Steud._=

(_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.

_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, Kodaikanal and the Nilgiris.

=Andropogon monticola, _Schult._=

(_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.

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.

=Andropogon caricosus, _L._=

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.

_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.

=Andropogon annulatus, _Forsk._=

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.

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.

=Andropogon contortus, _L._=

(_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.

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.

=Andropogon Schoenanthus, _L. Var. cæsius._=

(_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.

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.

29. Anthistiria, _L. f._

(_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.

=Anthistiria tremula, _Nees_=.

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.

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.

30. Iseilema, _Hack._

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.

Panicle slender, lax; involucral spikelets 1/6 inch; pedicel slender, terete 1. I. laxum.

Panicle crowded, leafy; involucral spikelets 1/6 inch or more, very strongly nerved; pedicel harder, firmer and flattened 2. I. anthephoroides.

=Iseilema laxum, _Hack._=

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.

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.

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.

=Iseilema anthephoroides, _Hack._=

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.

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.