54 



SOUTH INDIAN GRASSES 



Digitaria sanguinalis, Scop. 



Var. Griffithii. 



This is an annual with stems ascending from a prostrate or 

 geniculate base, glabrous and varying in length from I to 3 feet. 



The leaf-sheath is glabrous, thinly herbaceous and loose. The 

 ligule is a distinct membrane and the nodes are glabrous. 



The leaf-blade is linear or linear-lanceolate, fiat, acuminate, 

 varying in length from 2 inches to 12 inches and in breadth Yd to 

 Ys inch. 



The inflorescence is of several slender spikes, usually drooping, 

 2 to 4 inches ; the rachis is filiform and trigonous. 



The spikelets are linear-lanceolate, solitary or in distant pairs, 

 glabrous or ciliate, pedicelled and when binate the upper pedicel 

 often longer than the spikelets, usually spreading and not appressed 

 to the rachis. 



FlG. 73. — Digitaria sanguinalis, Var. Griftithii. 



I. Inflorescence ; 2. a portion of the spike ; 3 and 4. sessile and pedicelled spikelets 

 front and back view, respectively ; 5. the scale-like first glume ; 6, 7 and 8. the second, 

 third and the fourth glume, respectively ; 9. palea of the fourth glume ; 10. the lodicules 

 stamens and the ovary. 



There are four glumes. The first glume is a minute scale. The 

 second glume is shorter than the third and narrower, 5-nerved, 

 ciliate, acute or sometimes with two fine teeth. The third-glume is 

 oblong-lanceolate, acute, 5-nerved (rarely 3-nerved), ciliate on the 

 nerves. The fourth glume is lanceolate, acute, subchartaceous, 

 paleate; palea is like the glume in texture. Anthers are yellow 

 and stigmas are white. Lodicules are two and small. 



This seems to be a good fodder grass. It grows in all kinds of 

 soils. It is not so common in the plains as on the hills, though it 

 occurs in the plains at the base of the hills. 



Distribution. — Throughout India. 



