ORYZE.-E 



T27 



Hygrorhiza aristata, Nees. 



This is a floating aquatic grass. Stems are spongy, branching 

 diffusely, I foot long, with feathery whorled roots in dense masses 

 at the nodes ; branches are short, erect and leafy. 



The leaf-sheath is smooth, inflated, compressed, with ciliate 

 margins. The Jigule is a narrow membrane. Nodes have whorls of 

 roots. 



The leaf-blade is linear or ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, glabrous, 

 glaucous beneath, base rounded or subcordate, I to 3 inches long 

 and Yz to % inch broad. 



The inflorescence is a panicle, 2 inches long and broad, some- 

 what triangular in outline ; the rachis and the branches are stiff, 

 slender and smooth, the lower branches are a little deflexed. 



The spikelets are very narrow, sessile or pedicellate, articulated 

 on the pedicel, i-flowered and i-glumed. The glume is about 

 % inch long (excluding the awn) and the awn is as long as the 



Fig. 120. — Hygrorhiza aristata. 



I. Branch ; 2. part of a leaf with ligule ; 3. spikelet ; 4 and 5. glume and its pale* ; 

 6. lodicules and ovary. 



glume or slightly longer, lanceolate, with five strong nerves and 

 the lateral ones forming thickened margins ; the palea is as long as 

 the glume. Stamens are six and lodicules two. 



Found in ponds and tanks. 



Distribution. — All over India and Ceylon. 



