2^2 



SOUTH INDIAN GRASSES 



Cynodon intermedius, Rang. & Tad. 



This grass is a widely creeping perennial. 



The stems are slender, glabrous, creeping superficially and root- 

 ing at the nodes, but never rhizomiferous, leafy with slender erect 

 or geniculately ascending flowering branches, and varying in 

 length from 12 to 18 inches. Nodes are slightly swollen, glabrous, 

 green or purplish. 



The leaf-sheath is smooth, glabrous, slightly compressed, spar- 

 sely bearded at the mouth, shorter than the internode, except the 

 one enclosing the peduncle which is usually long. The ligule is a 

 shortly ciliated rim. 



The leaf-blade is linear, flat, finely acuminate, scaberulous 

 above and along the margins, smooth below except in some portions 

 of the midrib, ^ to 7 inches in length and 3/16 to V\ inch in 

 breadth. 



The inflorescence consists of four to eight long, thin, slender, 

 slightly drooping, digitateiy arranged spikes, 2 to 4 inches long on 



Fig. 193. — Cynodon intermedius. 



1 and 2. Front and back view of a portion of a spike ; 3. a spikelet ; 4. first 

 glume : 5. second glume ; 6. third glume ; 7. palea with the rachilla at its back ; 8. Lodi. 

 cules, stamens and the ovary ; 9. clavellate and pointed hairs of the margins and keel 

 of the third glume (very much enlarged) ; 10. grain. 



a long smooth peduncle ; the rachis is tumid and pubescent at its 

 base, slender, somewhat compressed and scaberulous. 



The spikelets are rather small, narrow, greenish or purplish, 

 1/15 inch long or less, the rachilla is slender, produced to about 

 half the length of the spikelet behind the palea. There are three 

 glumes. The first and the second glumes are lanceolate acute or 

 acuminate, I-nerved, keeled, keel obscurely scabrid, very unequal, 

 the first glume being always shorter than the second glume. The 

 third glume is obliquely ovate-oblong, chartaceous, longer than 

 the second glume, obtuse or subacute and 3-nerved; the margins 

 and keel with close set clavellate hairs pointed at the apex ; palea 

 is chartaceous, 2-keeled, keels obscurely scaberulous and without 

 hairs. There are three stamens with somewhat small purple 

 anthers. Ovary with purple stigmas and two small lodicules. Grain 

 is oblong reddish brown, with a faint dorsal groove. 



