The leaf-sheath is glabrous, but woolly at the mouth. The ligule is a distinct ovate membrane. The nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blade is very long, narrow linear, acuminate and narrowing downwards into the stout midrib, coriaceous, glabrous and 1-1/2 to 2 feet by 1/8 to 1/4 inch.
The panicle is lanceolate, 8 to 24 inches, silky and the peduncle just below the panicle is softly silky, branches are whorled, three to five at a level, 2 to 4 inches long, rachis of the branches almost capillary, jointed and fragile, joints with long cilia at the back.
The spikelets are binate, one sessile and another pedicelled, both bisexual and alike, lanceolate, 1/8 to 1/6 inch long, callus is minute and bearded with spreading silky hairs 1/2 inch long.
Fig. 129.—Saccharum spontaneum.
1. Two spikelets; 2, 3, 4 and 5. the first, second, third and the fourth glume, respectively; 6. ovary, stamens and lodicules.
There are four glumes. The first glume is lanceolate, subulate, acuminate, 2-nerved, flattened dorsally, coriaceous at the base and hyaline above it, and with smooth incurved margins. The second glume is about equal to or slightly shorter than the first, lanceolate, acuminate, 1-nerved, keeled with an opaque base; margins and keel are ciliate with fine long hairs. The third glume is hyaline, ovate-lanceolate, nerveless, acute, ciliate. The fourth glume is very slender, ciliate, acuminate, paleate; palea is minute, very variable. Stamens are three. Lodicules are cuneate or quadrate. The grain is very small, oblong.
Distribution.—This occurs all over India along the sides of the river.