104 



SOUTH INDIAN GRASSES 



Spinifex squarrosus, L. 



A perennial littoral dioecious grass forming bushes. Stems 

 are glaucous, smooth, solid, woody, thick below, freely branching, 

 5 to 10 feet long or more. 



The lea/sheath is smooth, imbricating, % to 1% inches long. 

 The ligule is a row of stiff long hairs. 



The leaf-blade is narrow, rigid, thickly coriaceous, concavo- 

 convex tapering from the base to the tip spreading and recurved, 

 4 to 6 inches long. 



The male inflorescence consists of several spikes, I to 3 inches 

 long, forming umbels, with membranous leafy spathaceous bracts 

 which are shorter than the spikes. 



The spikelets are usually 2-fiowered, smooth, articulate on short 

 peduncles, distichous, V^X-oVx inch long. 



There are four glumes. The flrst glume is shorter than the 

 second, ovate, obtuse, 7- to Q-nerved. The second glume is similar 

 to the first, but longer. The third and the fourth glumes are longer 

 than the second glume, 5- to 7-nerved, paleate and triandrous ; 

 palea of both are lanceolate with ciliate keels. 



Fig. 105. — Spinifex squarrosus. 



Male plant — I. A branch with the male inflorescence ; z. a spike; 3. a spikelet; 4, 

 5, 6 and 7. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively ; 6 a. palea of 

 the third glume ; 6 b. extra paiea like structure found occasionally in the palea of the 

 third glume ; 7 a. palea and lodicules of the fourth glume. 



The female inflorescence is a large globose head consisting of 

 short spikelets articulate at the very base of the rachis, short 

 bracts and very long, spreading rigid rod-like rachises. The 

 spikelets are solitary with four glumes and 2-fiowered. The first 

 glume is oblong-lanceolate, many-nerved, longer than the other 

 glumes. The second glume is shorter, 7-nerved. The third glume is 

 empty, 5-nerved. The fourth glume is ovate-lanceolate and abruptly 

 narrowed above the middle, 5-nerved and paleate, palea is shorter 

 than the glume but broader, 2-nerved and acute. Lodicules are two, 

 large, cuneate at base and strongly nerved. Stigmas are oblong. 

 Grain is rlavate and tipped by the style base. 



