202 SOUTH INDIAN GRASSES 



below the middle. The second glume is chartaceous, ovate-lanceo- 

 late, acute, equal to or slightly longer than the first glume but 

 narrower, 3-nerved, margin infolded, thinly shortly ciliate, dorsally 

 glabrous, shining. The third glume is hyaline, ovate-oblong, acute, 

 nerveless, margins sparsely ciliate or not. The fourth glume is the 

 base of the awn, % to I inch, scaberulous. Stamens are three with 

 yellow or purple tinged anthers, ovary oblong with two feathery 

 stigmas. Lodieules are two, cuneate. 



The pedicelled spikelets are either male or neuter and consist of 

 four glumes. The first glume is chartaceous, obovate-oblong, obtuse, 

 many-nerved (thirteen or more) thinly ciliate with long hairs 

 and with a few rigid short hairs towards the apex ; margins are 

 slightly infolded, dorsally sparsely hairy without. The second glume 

 is membranous, ovate-lanceolate, acute, 3-nerved (occasionally 

 4-nerved), margins are thinly ciliate and infolded. The third 

 glume is hyaline, nerveless and ciliate. The fourth glume is 

 hyaline, nerveless, linear and oblong, glabrous, small, the apex is 

 narrowed and deeply bifid. There are three stamens and two 

 lodieules. 



This is a common grass flourishing on the bunds of paddy 

 fields and in sheltered places where there is sufficient moisture 

 in the soil. But this is less common than A. annulatus, Forsk. In 

 black cotton soil at Bantanahal in Bellary district it grows to a 

 height of 4 or 5 feet. 



Distribution. — Plains and low hills throughout India and Ceylon. 



