ANDROPOGONE/E 207 



Andropogon contortns, L 



(Heteropogon con tortus, Beaux'. ) 



• 



This is a tufted perennial. 



The stems are erect or slightly decumbent below, slender, 

 rather compressed towards the base, leafy at the base, simple or 

 branched, densely tufted and varying in length from I to 3 or 4 

 feet. 



Fig. 163. — Andropogon contortus. 



I, Lower pair of sessile and pedicelled spikelets ; 2. upper pair of sessile and 

 pedicelled spikelets ; 3,4, 5 and 6. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respect- 

 ively, of pedicelled spikelets : 7, 8, 9 and 10. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, 

 respectively, of the sessile spikelet ; II. ovary. 



The leaf-sheath is smooth or sparsely hairy, compressed and 

 shortly auricled or not at the mouth. The ligule is short, truncate 

 and ciliolate. 



The leaf-blades are linear, acute or abruptly acuminate, flat, 

 rigid, sparingly ciliate above, with tubercle-based hairs towards 

 the base, scaberulous throughout, and 2 to 12 inches long or more, 

 1/10 to 1/5 inch broad. 



The inflorescence consists of a solitary spike with closely 

 imbricating spikelets. 



The spikelets are all on one side, and the lower two to six pairs of 

 pedicelled and sessile spikelets are all males. The sessile spikelets 

 are all female and awned, except the few lower which are male 



