A Handbook Of Some South Indian Grasses Part 18

Rachis jointed above the involucral spikelets 29. Anthistiria.

Rachis jointed below the involucral spikelets 30. Iseilema.

16. Coix, _L._

These are tall monoecious annual or perennial gra.s.ses. The inflorescences are terminal or axillary spiciform racemes. The lowest-spikelet in the raceme is female and this is enclosed in a bract which at length becomes hardened, polished and nut-like and the other spikelets above it are male. The male spikelets are 2- to 3-nate at each node of the rachis, 1 sessile and 1 or 2 pedicelled, lanceolate and 4-glumed. The first and the second glumes are subequal and empty, and the first glume is winged along the inflated margins. The third and the fourth glumes are hyaline, with three stamens or empty. The female spikelet is ovoid ac.u.minate and has four glumes. The first glume is chartaceous and the others are thin and gradually smaller. The grain is...o...b..cular, ventrally furrowed and enclosed by the polished hard bract.

=Coix lachryma-jobi, _L._=

This is a tall monoecious leafy annual (rarely perennial) gra.s.s with stout, smooth, polished, freely branching stems rooting at the lower nodes and varying in length from 3 to 5 feet or more.

The _leaf-sheath_ is long, usually smooth but occasionally with scattered tubercle-based hairs. The _ligule_ is a narrow membrane. The _nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blade_ is long, flat, narrow or broad, ac.u.minate, cordate at base, with a stout midrib and many slender veins on both sides, usually glabrous on both sides though occasionally with scattered hairs, and with spinulosely serrate margins, varying from 4 to 18 inches in length and 1/3 to 2 inches in breadth.

The _inflorescence_ consists of nodding or drooping spiciform racemes, 1 to 1-1/2 inches long, terminating the branches. The racemes consist of many male spikelets with one (rarely two) female spikelets at the base; the rachis is stout above, and the part within the bract enclosing the female spikelet is slender.

The _male spikelets_ are imbricating, 2 or 3 at a node of the rachis, one sessile and one or two pedicelled, dorsally compressed, articulate at the base and persistent, very variable in size, 3/8 to 3/4 inch.

There are four _glumes_ in the spikelet. The _first glume_ is oblong-lanceolate, chartaceous, 3/5 inch long, acute, many-nerved, concave with inflexed margins bearing narrow green many-veined wings.

The _second glume_ is similar to the first, but thinner and without the wings, 5- to 9- or rarely 11-nerved. The _third glume_ is oblong-lanceolate, hyaline, faintly 3- to 5-nerved, paleate and with three stamens. The _fourth glume_ is similar to the third, paleate with or without stamens.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 126.--Coix Lachryma-Jobi.]

1. Inflorescence; 2. the female spikelet; 3. male spikelets; 4, 5, 6 and 8. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of a male spikelet; 7 and 9. palea of the third and the fourth glumes, respectively.]

The _female spikelet_ is enclosed by a closed bract which finally becomes hardened, and there are four _glumes_ in the spikelet. The _first_ and the _second glumes_ are chartaceous. The _third_ and the _fourth_ are hyaline, the former being empty and the latter with an ovary. _Lodicules_ are not present. The _ovary_ is ovoid with very long capillary styles. The grain is...o...b..cular, compressed, channelled at the back and enclosed within the stony, hardened and polished bract.

This gra.s.s usually grows in paddy fields. There are two distinct varieties--one a fairly tall one annual and the other a very tall (5 to 10 feet) perennial one. The racemes of the latter are longer and drooping, the male spikelets are in threes and the wings of the first glume are usually broader than in the other form. This species is easily recognized by the polished bract enclosing the female spikelet.

_Distribution._--Throughout India.

17. Polytoca, _Br._

These are tall monoecious annual or perennial gra.s.ses. Inflorescences consist of spiciform racemes with spathaceous bracts; rachis is jointed.

Racemes may all be male or with one or two female spikelets at the base.

Male spikelets are geminate, one sessile and one pedicelled, 2-flowered or imperfect, and with four glumes, which are subequal. The first glume is membranous, many-nerved, shallowly concave and with a narrow membranous margin. The second glume is narrower, ovate, acute, 5- to 9-nerved. The third glume is membranous, oblong, acute, 3- to 5-nerved, paleate and with three stamens. The fourth glume is very slender, hyaline, linear, paleate with three stamens or empty. Female spikelets are broadly oblong, 1-flowered and with four glumes. The first glume is thick, coriaceous and closely embraces the rachis of the spike by its involute margin and the other glumes are within. The second glume is oblong, many-nerved. The third is narrowly oblong, 3- to 5-nerved, empty. The fourth glume is very narrow, truncate, 3-nerved, paleate.

Styles are very long with slender stigmas. Grain is small, fusiform, terete and enclosed in the nut-like polished and hardened first glume.

=Polytoca barbata, _Stapf._=

This is an erect, tall, stout, freely branching, leafy, monoecious perennial gra.s.s. The stems are terete, 3 to 6 feet high.

The _leaf-sheaths_ are long, glabrous, or with scattered tubercle-based bristly hairs. The _ligule_ is a narrow membrane. The _nodes_ have a ring of soft long hairs.

The _leaf-blades_ are long, flat, linear, ac.u.minate, with a stout midrib and thickened serrate margins, scabrid above and sometimes with a few tubercle-based hairs, 10 inches to 2 feet long and 1/4 to 3/4 inch broad.

The _inflorescence_ consists of paniculate spike-like racemes terminating the branches and at first enclosed in spathiform bracts, the lower and outer spathiform bracts are one inch or more in length with a long awn at the tip, and the inner proper sheaths are oblong, awned and about 1/2 inch long. The raceme consists of one or more female spikelets at the base and a number of male spikelets above, appearing as if sessile on the top of the female spikelet, but really articulate with the internode below it which is enclosed by the first glume of the female spikelet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 127.--Polytoca barbata.

1. Inflorescence; 2, 3, 4 and 5. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively, of the male spikelet; 4a and 5a. palea of the third and the fourth glume, respectively; 6. the first glume of the sessile spikelet; 7. female spikelet; 8, 9 and 10. the second, third and the fourth glume, respectively; 11. palea of the fourth glume; 12. ovary.]

The _male spikelets_ are solitary, or binate and then one sessile and one pedicelled, 2-flowered, reaching 3/8 inch in length and consist of four _glumes_ each. The _first glume_ is concave, ovate, acute, p.u.b.escent, herbaceous, many-nerved and with a narrow membranous margin on one side only in the pedicelled and solitary spikelets and on both sides in the sessile spikelets. The _second glume_ is narrower, dorsally compressed, ovate, ac.u.minate, 5- to 9-nerved, laterally compressed and with a narrow wing to the keel near the apex in sessile spikelets and dorsally compressed without the keel in the pedicelled and solitary spikelets. The _third glume_ is membranous, oblong, ac.u.minate, 3- to 5-nerved, with three stamens and paleate; the _palea_ is hyaline, broadly linear. The _fourth glume_ is very slender, linear, hyaline, with or without stamens, paleate; _palea_ is flat, narrowly linear.

_Lodicules_ are present and they are small. The _anthers_ in the third glume are larger than those in the fourth glume.

The _female spikelet_ is oblong, 1/6 inch long, 1-flowered and with four _glumes_. The _first glume_ is thickly coriaceous, white, shining, closely embracing the rachis and the other glumes entire at the tip. The _second glume_ is quadrately oblong, many-nerved. The _third glume_ is oblong, narrower than the second, 3- to 5-nerved paleate, empty. The _palea_ of the third glume is narrow, truncate. The _fourth glume_ is narrow, truncate, 3-nerved, paleate; the _palea_ is truncate and wrapped round the ovary. _Styles_ are long and stigmas slender. _Lodicules_ are not present. The grain is fusiform, terete and within the nut-like polished hardened glume.

_Distribution._--In damp situations all over India.

18. Imperata, _Cyril._

These are erect perennial gra.s.ses. The inflorescence is a spike-like panicle, with very short filiform inarticulate branches and rachises.

Spikelets are binate, 1-flowered, all alike, both pedicelled, articulate at the base and hidden by the very long silky hairs arising from a small callus and from the glumes. There are four glumes. The first two glumes are membranous, lanceolate, and subequal. The third glume is shorter and smaller, hyaline. The fourth glume is still smaller and hyaline. Stamens are two, rarely one. Lodicules are not found. Styles connate below, with stigmas very long, narrow and exserted at the top of the spikelets.

Grain is small and oblong.

=Imperata arundinacea, _Cyril._=

This is an erect perennial gra.s.s with creeping, stoloniferous root-stocks, with aerial stems varying from 6 inches to 3 feet.

The _leaf-sheath_ is loose and glabrous. The _ligule_ consists of long soft hairs. The _nodes_ are naked or bearded.

The _leaf-blade_ is linear, flat, tapering from about the middle towards the top, finely ac.u.minate, and also narrowing towards the base into the stout midrib, margins with fine long hairs at the base, 6 to 18 inches by 1/10 to 1/3 inch, scabrous above and smooth beneath.

The _panicle_ is narrow, spike-like, silvery, 3 to 8 inches; branches are short and appressed and the internodes of spikes are short with the tips dilated.

The _spikelets_ are 1/8 to 1/6 inch concealed by long silvery hairs of the callus and the glumes, articulate at the base; callus hairs are about twice as long as the spikelet or longer.

There are four _glumes_ in the spikelet. The _first glume_ is ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, with ciliate tips and long hairs at the back below the middle, rather thickened towards the base, dorsally hairy, 3- to 7-nerved, nerves not reaching the tip. The _second glume_ is as long as the first, with membranous margins and with long hairs at the back, 3- to 7-nerved. The _third glume_ is hyaline, less than half as long as the first and second glumes, oblong, obtuse or irregularly toothed, nerveless or 1-nerved. The _fourth glume_ is slightly shorter and narrower than the third, ovate, acute, obtuse or toothed, ciliate, nerveless or faintly 1-nerved, paleate; _palea_ is about half as long as the glume, quadrate, toothed or retuse, nerveless, glabrous. There are only two stamens with orange anthers. Styles are slender, long, with purple _stigmas_. _Lodicules_ are absent. Grain is small and oblong.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 128.--Imperata arundinacea.

1. A spikelet; 2, 3, 4, and 5. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively; 6. palea of the fourth glume; 7. two stamens and the ovary.]

This is fairly abundant in moist stiff soils. On account of the underground stolons this gra.s.s cannot be eradicated easily.

_Distribution._--Throughout India.

19. Saccharum, _L._