186 SOUTH INDIAN GRASSES 



glumes. The first glume is lanceolate, flat and smooth, keels scabrid 

 with usually a deep dorsal pit, 4-nerved. The second glume 

 is lanceolate, acute, as long as the first, 3-nerved. The third 

 glume is small, membranous, linear-lanceolate, nerveless. The 

 jonrth glume is the dilated base of the awn, awn is about Y\ inch 

 twisted to half its length, scabrid, the lower twisted part dark and 

 the upper pale. There are three stamens and two lodicules. 

 Ovary has two feathery stigmas. The pedicelle d spikelets have only 

 two glumes and contain three stamens. The first glume is oblong- 

 lanceolate, 5-nerved, pitted above the middle, with recurved 

 margins and scabrid keels and nerves. The second glume is 

 lanceolate, membranous, hairy at the top, 3-nerved with mar- 

 gins infolded; palea is oblanceolate, thinly membranous, nerveless 

 and ciliated at the top; there are three stamens and two lodicules. 



This is a fairly common grass occurring all over the Presidency 

 much liked by cattle and yields plenty of foliage if properly looked 

 after. It grows on all kinds of soils, even laterite. 



Distribution. — Throughout India. 



