SOUTH INDIAN GRASSES 



The spikelets are softly hairy and are shortly stalked. The 

 pedicels of spikelets are hairy and sometimes one or two long 



hairs are also found on them. 

 Each of these spikelets consists 

 of four green membranous struc- 

 tures called glumes. The first 

 two glumes are unequal, the first 

 being very small. The second 

 and the third glumes are broadly 

 ovate-oblong with acute tips. 

 Both are of the same height and 

 texture, but the second is 7- 

 nerved and the third 5-nerved. 

 The fourth glume is membranous 

 when young, but later on it 

 becomes thick, coriaceous and 

 rugose at the surface. Just 

 opposite to the fourth glume there 

 is a fiat structure with two nerves, 

 similar to the glume in texture. 

 This is called the palca. The 

 fourth glume and its palea adhere 

 together by their margins. In- 

 side the fourth glume and 

 between it and the palea there 

 are three stamens and an ovary 

 with two styles ending in feathery 

 stigmas. Just in front of the 

 ovary and outside the stamens 

 two very small scale-like bodies 

 These are the lodicules. They are fleshy and well 

 developed in flowers that are about to open. In the spikelet there 

 is only one full flower. The third glume contains no flower in it, 

 but occasionally there may be in its axil three stamens. The first 

 two glumes are always empty and so they are called empty glumes. 

 (See fig. 4.) In mature spikelets the grain which is free is 

 enclosed by the fourth glume and its palea. 



Fig. 4. — Parts of the spikelets of 



Panicum javanicum. 



A. A spikelet ; 1 , 2, 3 and 4. the first, 



second, third and the fourth glume, 



respectively ; 3a. palea of the third 



palea of the fourth glume ; 



6. stamens ; 7. ovary ; 



glume ; 4a. 

 5. lodicules 

 8. stigmas. 



are found. 



