A Handbook Of Some South Indian Grasses Part 29

The _spikelets_ vary from 1/2 to 2/3 inch excluding the awn. There are three _glumes_. The _first glume_ is about 3/8 inch long, lanceolate-linear, narrowed into a short awn. The _second glume_ is longer than the first, 1-nerved and minutely 2-toothed or notched at the base of the awn. The _third glume_ is 5/8 inch long, 3-nerved, nearly smooth. The callus of the third glume is long, densely silkily hairy with three awns not jointed at the base with the glume; _awns_ about 1 inch or more. _Lodicules_ are ovate-lanceolate, fairly large. Grain is narrow, cylindrical.

This gra.s.s grows in open dry situations in many parts of the Presidency.

_Distribution._--All over India.

=Aristida Hystrix, _Linn. f._=

This is a diffuse perennial gra.s.s with a creeping root-stock, with fairly stout sometimes proliferous freely branching stems; branches are stiff, erect, inclined or prostrate, varying in length from 6 inches to 2 feet.

The _leaf-sheath_ is glabrous and cylindric. The _ligule_ is a ridge of close-set hairs. _Nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blades_ are quite flat, narrowly lanceolate-linear very finely ac.u.minate, glabrous on both the surfaces but with tufts of hairs on both sides at the base where the blade joins the sheath, prominently nerved; margin is even and without any hyaline border, the blade varies in length from 2 to 9 inches.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 174.--Aristida Hystrix.

1. A spikelet; 2, 3 and 4. the first, second and the third glume, respectively; 4a. the third glume and its awns; 5. palea of the third glume; 6. lodicules, anthers and the ovary.]

The _inflorescence_ is an effuse panicle, as long as broad, varying in length from 4 to 10 inches; the main rachis is stout, finely scabrid, with stiff slender, horizontally spreading or reclining branches that arise in pairs from the nodes, the branches have swollen bases at the nodes and they are covered by long hairs.

The _spikelets_ are 3/8 inch long excluding the awn. There are three _glumes_. The _first glume_ is chartaceous, lanceolate, ac.u.minate and terminating in an awn, 1-nerved, 3/8 to 1/2 inch including the awn, with the keel very finely scabrous. The _second glume_ is longer than the first, chartaceous, lanceolate, terminating in an awn, 1/2 to 3/4 inch long including the awn, with a smooth keel. The callus of the third glume is short, pointed and villous. The _third glume_ is chartaceous finely scabrid 1/4 to 3/8 inch long excluding the awn, 3-nerved, 3-lobed at the apex and the lobes becoming awns; _awns_ are 1 inch long, the middle one being a little longer. The outer margin of the glume is broader than the inner margin and is rounded at the apex at the base of the awn. There are three _stamens_ and the anthers are pale or purplish.

The style branches are purplish. The _lodicules_ are 1/8 inch long obliquely lanceolate.

This gra.s.s is fairly common in all open dry situations throughout this Presidency.

_Distribution._--Deccan Peninsula and Ceylon.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 175.--Aristida mutabilis.]

=Aristida mutabilis, _Trin. & Rup._=

This is a small tufted annual gra.s.s with simple or branched slender stems spreading at the base, and sometimes geniculately ascending and rooting at the lower nodes, 6 to 12 inches long. The _nodes_ have dark purple rings when dry.

The _leaf-sheath_ is glabrous, with membranous margins and long hairs at the mouth. The _ligule_ is a row of short dense hairs.

The _leaf-blade_ is slender, convolute, rigid, curved, and the tip ending in a sharp point, 1 to 3 inches long.

The _inflorescence_ is a narrow panicle, cylindric, with short crowded branches, some of them remote lower down, peduncle is smooth, and rachis smooth or scaberulous; branches and pedicels are scaberulous.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 176.--Aristida mutabilis.

1. A spikelet; 2, 3 and 4. the first, second and the third glume, respectively; 5. grain.]

The _spikelets_ are shortly pedicellate, pale-green about 1/4 inch long exclusive of the awn. There are three glumes. The _first glume_ is membranous, oblong-lanceolate, shortly awned, 1-nerved, keeled and scaberulous on the keel and the sides. The _second glume_ is narrower and longer than the first, shortly awned 1-nerved, 2-toothed, obscurely scaberulous and encircling the third glume. The _third glume_ is narrow, convolute, scaberulous, 3-nerved awned with a shortly bearded callus, the awn is three branched articulate to the short column at the base about 3/4 inch long with the middle branch slightly longer than the other two; _palea_ is minute. _Lodicules_ are two and narrow. The grain is narrow as long as the glume and grooved.

This resembles in general habit and appearance _Aristida Adscenscionis_, but it is not so widely distributed. So far this has been noticed only in Tinnevelly and Nellore districts.

_Distribution._--Southern India, the Punjab and Rajputana, also in Arabia and tropical Africa.

=Aristida funiculata, _Trin. & Rup._=

This is a slender annual gra.s.s with geniculately ascending stems, radiating on all sides. The stems vary in length from 10 to 20 inches.

The _leaf-sheath_ is glabrous and cylindrical. The _ligule_ is a short membrane ciliate at the margin, or a close set fringe of hairs.

The _leaf-blade_ is flat or convolute, narrowly linear-ac.u.minate, with long scattered hairs on the upper surface and tufts of long hairs at the mouth, and varying in length from 2 to 6 inches and in breadth from 1/20 to 1/12 inch.

The _inflorescence_ is a narrow, lax panicle with short, erect, capillary branches. The spikelets vary in length from 1/2 to 7/8 inch.

There are three _glumes_. The _first glume_ is linear-lanceolate, acute and terminating in an awn, 1-nerved and varying in length from 3/4 to 7/8 inch. The _second glume_ is similar to the first, but narrower and shorter, 1/2 inch or longer. The _third glume_ is very short, and is prolonged towards the apex as a narrow firmly convolute strap forming a twisted column of about an inch jointed at the base, and this ends in three slender scabrid awns of about 1-1/4 inch, the middle one being longer. The glume just below the joint is finely scabrid to a little distance. The _palea_ is short. _Anthers_ are small, purple. The _style_ branches are also purple. _Lodicules_ are oblong, obliquely truncate at the apex and about 1/10 inch long. The grain is cylindric.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 177.--Aristida funiculata.

1. A spikelet; 2, 3 and 4. the first, second and the third glume, respectively; 5. a portion of the column at the top and the basal portions of the awns; 6. the ovary, lodicules and the stamens; 7. palea of the third glume.]

Found in open dry situation in several places, but not widely distributed.

_Distribution._--From the Punjab to Concan and Madras Presidency, Arabia, Baluchistan and Tropical Africa.

32. Sporobolus, _Br._

These are perennial or annual gra.s.ses with varied habit. Inflorescence is an open or contracted or spiciform panicle. Spikelets are small consisting of three membranous glumes, 1-nerved or nerveless. The first and the second glumes are unequal, persistent or separately caducous.

The third glume is ovate or oblong, acute or obtuse, longer or shorter than the second, 1-nerved, paleate; palea is as long as the glume and of the same texture of the glume dorsally narrowly inflexed along the middle line and splitting into two halves. Lodicules are very minute or absent. Stamens one to three. Styles are with short stigmas. Grain oblong, obovoid or round.

KEY TO THE SPECIES.

Glumes I and II both shorter than III.

Panicle rather narrow with short capillary branches; glumes I and II nerveless. 1. S. diander.

Glume I shorter than II and III and II nearly or quite as long as III.

Panicle contracted, narrow and spiciform; glume I 1-nerved. 2. S. tremulus.

Panicle open and effuse.

Branches with spikelets and pedicels appressed. 3. S. coromandelia.n.u.s.

Panicle short; leaves glabrous.

Branches with pedicel and spikelets drooping and not appressed. 4. S. commutatus.

Panicle large; leaves with long hairs. 5. S. scabrifolius.