8 



SOUTH INDIAN GRASSES 



erect and even if they are not entirely so they become erect at the 

 time of flowering. They are attached to the soil by a tuft of 

 fibrous roots arising from the base of the stems. But in perennials 



Fig. 8.— Prop roots of 



Andropogon Sorghum. 



Fig. 9. — Aerial roots of Ischsemum ciliare. 



in addition to erect branches, creeping branches, stolons and 

 rhizomes may occur. 



The stern is either cylindrical or compressed and consists of 

 nodes and internodes. In most grasses the internodes are usually 

 hollow, the cavity being lined by the remains of the original pith 

 cells. However, there are also grasses in vhich the stems remain 

 solid throughout. In many grasses the basal portions of stems are 

 more leafy and the internodes are short, but in the upper portions 

 the internodes become longer separating the leaves one from the 

 other. 



In young shoots the leaves grow much faster than the internodes 

 and consequently internodes remain small, and leaves become very 

 conspicuous. The youngest portions of the shoots are by this 

 means always well protected by the surrounding leaf-sheaths. 

 As soon as leaves have grown fully, the internodes begin to 

 elongate rapidly separating the leaves. At first growth in length 

 takes place throughout its length in the internode and when it gets 

 older this elongation ceases. But, however, the lower portion of 

 the internode close to the node and which is enclosed by the leaf- 

 sheath retains its power of growth for a considerable time. 



Branches arise from the axils of leaves and when a considerable 

 number of the axillary buds, especially from the lower nodes, 

 develop into branches the plant becomes tufted in habit. In most 

 grasses branches grow upwards through the sheath and emerge at 

 its mouth as aerial branches. Such branches are called intra- 

 yaginal branches or stems. But in some grasses axillary buds, 



