ANDROPOGONE/E 



149 



Sacchamm spontaneum, L. 



This is a tall perennial grass with a creeping rootstock bearing 

 erect stems and occasionally decumbent or prostrate stolons. 

 Stems vary in length from 5 to 20 feet. Branches and axillary 

 buds grow out piercing the sheaths near the nodes. 



The leaf-sheath is glabrous, but woolly at the mouth. The ligule 

 is a distinct ovate membrane. The nodes are glabrous. 



The leaf-blade is very long, narrow linear, acuminate and 

 narrowing downwards into the stout midrib, coriaceous, glabrous 

 and 1^2 to 2 feet by l /§ to % inch. 



The panicle is lanceolate, 8 to 24 inches, silky and the peduncle 

 just below the panicle is softly silky, branches are whorled, three 

 to rive at a level, 2 to 4 inches long, rachis of the branches almost 

 capillary, jointed and fragile, joints with long cilia at the back. 



The spikelets are binate, one sessile and another pedicelled, 

 both bisexual and alike, lanceolate, % to Ye inch long, callus is 

 minute and bearded with spreading silky hairs % inch long. 



- 3b 



FlG. 129.— Saccharum spontaneum. 



1. Two spikelets ; 2, 3, 4 and 5. the first, second, third and 

 the fourth glume, respectively ; 6. ovary, stamens and lodictiles. 



There are four glumes. The first glume is lanceolate, subulate, 

 acuminate, 2-nerved, flattened dorsally, coriaceous at the base and 

 hyaline above it, and with smooth incurved margins. The second 

 glume is about equal to or slightly shorter than the first, lanceolate, 

 acuminate, i-nerved, keeled with an opaque base; margins and 

 keel are ciliate with fine long hairs. The third glume is hyaline, 

 ovate-lanceolate, nerveless, acute, ciliate. The fourth glume is 

 very slender, ciliate, acuminate, paleate ; palea is minute, very 

 variable. Stamens are three. Lodicules are cuneate or quadrate. 

 The grain is very small, oblong. 



Distribution.— This occurs all over India along 'he sides of the 

 river. 



