ANDROPOGONK.K l6l 



glume is shorter than the first, chartaceous to a certain extent, ovate- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, concave, terminating in a fine scabrid awn, 

 1/2 inch long, with margins ciliate from above the middle to the 

 apex, and with a narrow ciliated wing on the keel at the apex 

 running up to the base of the awn, 3-nerved. The third glume is 

 lanceolate, acuminate, hyaline, nerveless, ciliate, with a linear 

 obtuse palea enclosing three stamens and two lodicules. The fourth 

 glume is hyaline, membranous, deeply split at the apex into two 

 prominent lobes and with an awn in the depression 1/2 inch 

 long, the palea is linear oblong and contains either the ovary alone 

 or both the stamens and the ovary. 



The pedicelled spikelets are also as long as the sessile, more 

 conspicuous than the sessile and consist of four glumes, but are 

 not awned. The first glume is lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 

 chartaceous, with seven strong nerves, very prominent at the back 

 and the mid nerve being most conspicuous, with scabrid keels and 

 closely finely ciliated and folded margins, finely biaristate at the 

 apex. The second glume is lanceolate, finely acuminate, subchart- 

 aceous, with the margins ciliate from about two-third its length from 

 the apex, 3-nerved, the mid nerve alone being prominent. The third 

 glume is hyaline, nerveless, lanceolate, ciliate in the margin, 

 paleate with 3 stamens or empty. The fourth glume is shorter than 

 the third, hyaline, narrow lanceolate, not awned, ciliate or not at 

 the margin, paleate and with three stamens and two lodicules. 



This grass produces a large amount of leaves in good soils and 

 it is liked very much by cattle. It is capable of standing a long 

 spell of dry weather, and is valuable in this respect, because it can 

 be depended upon when other grasses fail. It is worth conserving 

 with other grasses. It grows both in rich and poor soils, in open 

 places and also in thickets. 



Distribution. — Throughout India and Ceylon. 



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