188 STUDIES IN INDIAN ,SUGARCAN«P 



(5) Tuft of hairs. This is met with, in varyijig degree, in all canes, tt 

 arises in the two upper angles of the leaf sheath where it merges into the lamina, 

 and not infrequently extends downwards on the edge of the sheath and up- 

 wards along the lanuna. It is sometimes very conspicuous and silky white. 

 This tuft of hairs is not very greatly developed in either group. It is small 

 in the Katha section and is not usually decurrent along the edge of the sheath. 

 It is meagre in the Mesangan section, shghtly descending or not, but descends 

 freely in Hallu. In the Sunnabile group the tuft of hairs is small to iuoderate, 

 it is usually decurrent and sometimes very freely so. 



(6) Spineii on the back. Siliceous hairs, frequently adpressed and always 

 directed upwards, are a marked feature of the leaf sheath in many varieties 

 of cultivated and wild Saccharums, an.d, indeed, are sometimes a factor to be 

 reckoned with in harvesting the canes. They appear to be totally absent in 

 both sections of the Saretha group, but are characteristic of members of the 

 Sunnabile series. One of the two specimens of Khadya, however, received 

 from Bombay, appears to be glabrous. The spines are usually concentrated 

 in a small, dense group in the middle of the back of the sheath, rather high up, 

 but have been occasioi\ally recorded near the upper part of the two edges. 

 Occasionally they are not visible, but can be quickly detected by passing the 

 hand gently down the sheath. 



(7) Venation. This is often well marked in the leaf sheath, an.d consists. 

 typically, of fine, parallel hues extending down its whole length. They are 

 particularly well seen in the covered part of the sheath, forming dull lines on 

 the yellow background. In the uncovered portion, they are especially well 

 seen in the Katha section, where they are clear and rather fine and mimerous. 

 They are moderately distinct in the Mesangan section, but are irregular, often 

 thickish, and indistinct in the Sunnabile series, 



(8) Transverse bars. These, as stated above, are also veins, forming cross 

 connections between the longitudinal ones, chiefly in the upper part of the leaf 

 sheath. They are typically present in ^:iaccharum spontaneum and seedlings 

 obtained by crossmg it with cultivated canes. They are often thick and 

 swollen and present the appearance of having been flattened by the pressure 

 of the leaf sheath. Varieties in the Katha section, usually have them well 

 developed, although they are not always very distinct, and sometimes only 

 represented by strong patches of bloom. The transverse bars are less marked 

 in the Mesangan section and are usually absent in Sunnabile varieties or merely 

 indicated by small splashes of darker green. 



