HOLE : SOME INDIAN GRASSES AND THEIR CECOLOGY. 63 



Upper leaf of flowering culm 9" — 2\ ft. long, flat, tapering from base, long acumin- Lamina, 

 ate, width at base 0-2 in. to 0-4 in. 



Lower leaves attaining a length of 7 ft. (8 ft. fide Roxburgh) and width of 1 in., 

 but as a rule width not exceeding 0-75 in. and in unfavourable localities sometimes not 

 exceeding 0-13 in. wide. 



Greatest width usually about the middle. Apex long acuminate and narrowed to- 

 wards the base. In basal leaves 1 the concave mid-rib occupies ^ or more of width of lamina 

 at base (often the entire width of the leaf). 



Colour glaucous, mid-rib white. The glaucous colour is caused by a thin covering of 

 wax. 



Margin scabrid and also scabrid, often only on one side of the leaf, on 1 or more intra- 

 marginal nerves below, otherwise smooth but densely white villous at base behind the 

 ligule. 



Truncate, usually a narrow membranous rim not exceeding 0-07 in. high. Of upper Liguie. 

 leaves longer attaining 0-13 in. 



Minutely silky dorsally and ciliate. 



Spikelets in pairs, one pedicelled and one sessile on the capillary jointed branches and inflorescence, 

 branchlets of a terminal panicle. 



Primary rachis glabrous, sulcate, more or less scabrid on ridges. 



Primary branches sub- verti ciliate, compound. Ultimate branchlets triquetrous, more 

 or less villous with long white hairs on angles and on two faces. 



Flowering panicle 1 — 3 ft. long, usually lanceolate, pale cream-coloured to dark red- 

 dish-purple, branches spreading. 



Fruiting panicle oblong, branches adpressed to axis, white to greyish-white in colour. 



Awnless, lanceolate, 0-15 to 0-2 in. long. Sessile and pedicelled similar, each one spikelets. 

 flowered and # . 



Pedicelled fruiting spikelet falling from the pedicel, the sessile spikelet falling later 

 with the attached pedicel and joint of axis. 



Joint of axis triquetrous, \ to subequal sessile spikelet but usually shorter than spike- 

 let, villous on two faces and on margins, villi overtop joint by once to twice length of joint. 



Pedicels triquetrous ^ to f sessile spikelet. Majority of pedicels shorter than proper 

 joint, rarely subequal proper joint. Pedicels villous with long white hairs on two faces 

 and on angles. 



Callus hairs shorter than to subequal the spikelet. 



Lanceolate, chartaceous, with 2 strong lateral nerves and usually 1 — 4 more or less sessile 

 distinct, but fainter, additional nerves. Giume i.' 



Dorsally long villous on basal half or two-thirds, the hairs overtopping the glume by 

 about the glume's length. 



1 Basal leaves are those which mature on the immature 1-year culms. 



[ 63 ]i 



