ANDROPOGONE^ 



219 



Iseilema anthephoroides, Hack. 



This is a perennial grass closely resembling Iseilema laxum in 

 its habit, but shorter, stouter and branching more freely. The leaf 

 is similar to that of /. laxum in all its parts. 



The pedicelled spikelets of the involuted have firmer, harder, 

 shorter and broader pedicels, thickly bearded and consist of two 

 glumes only. The first glume is very strongly 5-nerved, coriaceous, 

 oblong-lanceolate; with scaberulous infolded margins, with long 

 cilia. The second glume is lanceolate, thin, 3-nerved, glabrous. 





FlG. :7c- Iseilema anthephoroides. 



1. A cluster of spikelets with spathes; 2. the involucral and the inner spikelets : 3. the 

 inner spikelets ; 4 and 5. the glumes of the involucral spikelets ; 6, 7, 8 and 9. the four 

 glumes, respectively, of the sessile spikelet ; 10. ovary: n and 12. glumes ol the inner 

 pedicelled spikelets. 



The inner pedicelled spikelets are similar to the pedicelled 

 spikelets of the involucel. The sessile spikelet has four glumes. 

 The first glume is elliptic-lanceolate, apex drawn into a long narrow 

 strip ending in two teeth or truncate, sparsely ciliate at the margins 

 about the middle, faintly 3-nerved. The second glume is shorter 

 than the first, lanceolate, drawn out into an acuminate point at the 

 apex, hairy at the back. The third glume is hyaline, short, oblong, 

 apex broad and irregularly toothed, nerveless. The fourth glume 

 is an awn. 



This is very common in the Deccan districts and grows on all 

 kinds of soils. This is a good fodder grass. 



Distribution.— Very common in the Ceded districts and Nellore. 



