226 



SOUTH INDIAN GRASSES 



Aristida Hystrix, Linn. f. 



This is a diffuse perennial grass with a creeping rootstock, 

 with fairly stout sometimes proliferous freely branching stems ; 

 branches are stiff, erect, inclined or prostrate, varying in length 

 from 6 inches to 2 feet. 



The leaf-sheath is glabrous and cylindric. The ligule is a ridge 

 of close-set hairs. Nodes are glabrous. 



The leaf-blades are quite flat, narrowly lanceolate-linear very 

 finely acuminate, glabrous on both the surfaces but with tufts of 

 hairs on both sides at the base where the blade joins the sheath, 

 prominently nerved; margin is even and without any hyaline 

 border, the blade varies in length from 2 to 9 inches. 



The inflorescence is an effuse panicle, as long as broad, varying 



in length from 4 to 10 inches ; the 

 main rachis is stout, finely scabrid, 

 with stiff slender, horizontally 

 spreading or reclining branches 

 that arise in pairs from the nodes, 

 the branches have swollen bases 

 at the nodes and they are covered 

 by long hairs. 



The spikelets are % inch long 

 excluding the awn. There are 

 three glumes. The first glume is 

 chartaceous, lanceolate, acuminate 

 and terminating in an awn, 

 I-nerved, Y% to % inch including 

 the awn, with the keel very finely 

 scabrous. The second glume is 

 longer than the first, chartaceous, 

 lanceolate, terminating in an awn, 

 % to 24 inch long including the 

 awn, with a smooth keel. The 

 callus of the third glume is short, 

 pointed and villous. The third 

 glume is chartaceous finely scabrid 

 V\ to % inch long excluding 

 the awn, 3-nerved, 3-lobed at the 

 apex and the lobes becoming 

 awns; awns are I inch long, the 

 middle one being a little longer. 

 The outer margin of the glume is 

 broader than the inner margin and 

 is rounded at the apex at the base of the awn. There are three 

 stamens and the anthers are pale or purplish. The style branches 

 are purplish. The lodicules are Y% inch long obliquely lanceolate. 



This grass is fairly common in all open dry situations 

 throughout this Presidency. 



Distribution. — Deccan Peninsula and Ceylon. 



Fig. 174. — Aristida Hystrix. 



1. A spikelet ; 2, 3 and 4. the first, 

 second and the third glume, respectively; 

 4a. the third glume and its awns ; 5. 

 palea of the third glume ; 6. lodicules, 

 anthers and the ovarv. 



