HOLE : SOME INDIAN GRASSES AND THEIR (ECOLOGY. 113 



Andropogon monticola is probably the most valuable fodder grass in this locality and 

 on grazed areas it is severely handicapped by being constantly eaten down, level with the 

 ground, which not only seriously diminishes the vigour of the plant, but prevents the pro- 

 duction of flowers and seed. Moreover in such burnt and grazed areas, on sandy soil, 

 Zizyphus Jujuba frequently appears, woodland then replacing the grassland. 



This plant is not infrequently seen growing in the middle of Zizyphus bushes on 

 grazing grounds and therefore has some capacity for withstanding shade, but in shady 

 stations its place is usually taken by Apluda varia. Plants of this species are only rarely 

 found on poorly aerated heavy soil and on loam its place is usually taken by Andropogon 

 intermedins, or Andropogon contortus. Plants taken from sandy soil and then cultivated 

 on loam often adapt themselves with considerable difficulty to the new soil conditions and 

 the species appears to be as a rule sensitive as regards soil-aeration. This is a point of 

 considerable importance as this valuable grass is sometimes cultivated and a case has been 

 seen where the attempt to introduce it on heavy soil had ended in failure. 



94. A perennial, usually gregarious and Development 

 forming centrifugal clumps as in Aristida. The young basal culms examined of this species season of' 

 show an average of 11 very short basal internodes, carrying closely imbricating scale-like Activity and 

 leaves, with little or no lamina, after which each leaf carries a more or less well-developed 

 lamina. 



The flowering culms examined show, in addition to the short basal internodes, 1 11 long 

 internodes and finally the panicle, thus giving 11 green leaves for the culm, and indicating 

 11 months as the period of vigorous vegetative activity. The culms are annual, but the 

 exact period of activity varies considerably with the locality and the quantity of available 

 moisture. 



In the moist loamy soil of the Dehra Dun Experimental Garden vigorous growth was 

 observed throughout the winter of 1909-10, which however was exceptionally mild. In 

 moist localities, therefore, growth apparently continues more or less throughout the year. 

 In the dry localities where this species is usually found locally, however, there is as a rule 

 a well-marked period of rest during December and January and in such places the usual 

 period of vigorous activity is 9 months from February to October. 



The majority of the culms start growth in February and flowering takes place in 

 September — October. Culms commencing vigorous growth in February have shown an 

 average number of 9 long internodes. After the production of the terminal panicle, the 

 axillary shoots developing from the lower nodes of the culm ( = secondary culms) proceed to 

 flower in their turn and in this way flowering may continue for several weeks or even 

 months. 



1 It must be noted that the number of short basal internodes varies with the position of the calm. Calms which originate at, or 

 below, the ground surface usually show the greatest number of short basal internodes, while culms which arise from the upper axils 

 of older calms often show only I or 2 such internodes, and sometimes none at all. 



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