108 



SOUTH INDIAN GRASSES 



Axotiopus cimicinus, Beauv. 



It is a perennial grass. Stems are tufted, erect or slightly 

 decumbent at the base, I to 2 feet long. 



The leaf-sheath is distinctly striate, covered with scattered long 

 tubercle-based hairs, very rarely glabrous, keeled. The ligule 

 consists of a row of hairs. The nodes are hairy. 



The leaf-blade is flat, ovate-lanceolate, broad and cordate at 

 base, subacute or obtuse, with a distinct midrib and three main 

 veins on each side of it, glabrous on both sides, but usually with 

 tubercle-based hairs on the two sides of the midrib, on the lower 

 side, the margins are distinctly ciliate with tubercle-based long 

 stiff hairs and very finely serrate ; the blade varies in length from 

 M to 3 inches and in breadth from M to Y 2 inch. 



The inflorescence consists of three to ten spikes springing from the 

 top of a slender glabrous peduncle 2 to 6 inches long. The spikes 

 are whorled, about 3 inches or so in length, naked towards the 

 base to about one-fourth of its length, the rachis is fine, filiform, 

 scabrid. 



The spikclets are solitary or binate, dorsally compressed, pale 

 green or reddish, very shortly pedicelled, l /\ to 5/16 inch long 

 inclusive of the short awn, pedicel is cupular at the tip. 



There are four glumes in the spikelet. The first glume is some- 

 what narrow ovate-lanceolate, hyaline, acuminate and 3-nerved. 



The second glume is 

 membranous, ovate- 

 lanceolate, twice as 

 long as the first 

 glume, cuspidately 

 acuminate, 5-nerved ; 

 the two marginal 

 nerves are provided 

 with long reddish 

 bristly hairs. The 

 third glume is oblong 

 lanceolate, obtuse, 

 5-nerved, a little 

 shorter than the 

 second glume, 



paleate and with 

 stamens ; palea is 

 short. The fourth 

 glume is coriaceous, 

 ovate- lanceolate 

 nearly as long as 

 the second glume, 

 awned at the apex, paleate, with three stamens and an ovary; 

 the palea is as long as the glume, elliptic oblong, obtuse. Lodicules 

 are small, cuneate. 



This is a common grass growing in the plains and lower hills 

 in waste places. 



Distribution. -Occurs all over India. 



FlG. 108. — Axonopus cimicinus. 

 A portion of the spike showing spikelets ; 



2, 3. 4 



and 5. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respec- 

 tively ; 4a and 5a the palea of the third and the fourth 

 glume, respectively ; 6. lodicules, stamens and the ovary. 



