Fig. 159.—Andropogon caricosus.
1 and 2. Front and back view of a bit of spike; 3. a sessile and a pedicelled spikelet; 4, 5 and 6. the first, second and the third glume, respectively, of the sessile spikelet; 7. awn representing the fourth glume; 8. stamens, lodicules and the ovary; 9. the first glume of the pedicelled spikelet.
The spikes are either binate or solitary varying in length from 1 to 2 inches, joints and pedicels about 1/3 as long as the sessile spikelets, slightly angular or flat, ciliate along one side with white hairs; peduncle is slender, pale or purple, pubescent or glabrous just below the spike.
The spikelets are about 1/8 inch, imbricate, a sessile and a stalked one from the top of each joint, greenish or purple. The sessile spikelet contains a bisexual flower and consists of four glumes. The callus is short, and shortly hairy below. The first glume is somewhat chartaceous, obovate-oblong, obtuse or truncate, 7- to 11-nerved, margin slightly folded, keel shortly rigidly ciliate towards the apex, and thinly ciliate below, dorsal surfaces sparsely hairy below the middle. The second glume is chartaceous, ovate-lanceolate, acute, equal to or slightly longer than the first glume but narrower, 3-nerved, margin infolded, thinly shortly ciliate, dorsally glabrous, shining. The third glume is hyaline, ovate-oblong, acute, nerveless, margins sparsely ciliate or not. The fourth glume is the base of the awn, 3/4 to 1 inch, scaberulous. Stamens are three with yellow or purple tinged anthers, ovary oblong with two feathery stigmas. Lodicules are two, cuneate.
The pedicelled spikelets are either male or neuter and consist of four glumes. The first glume is chartaceous, obovate-oblong, obtuse, many-nerved (thirteen or more), thinly ciliate with long hairs and with a few rigid short hairs towards the apex; margins are slightly infolded, dorsally sparsely hairy without. The second glume is membranous, ovate-lanceolate, acute, 3-nerved (occasionally 4-nerved), margins are thinly ciliate and infolded. The third glume is hyaline, nerveless and ciliate. The fourth glume is hyaline, nerveless, linear and oblong, glabrous, small, the apex is narrowed and deeply bifid. There are three stamens and two lodicules.
This is a common grass flourishing on the bunds of paddy fields and in sheltered places where there is sufficient moisture in the soil. But this is less common than A. annulatus, Forsk. In black cotton soil at Bantanahal in Bellary district it grows to a height of 4 or 5 feet.
Distribution.—Plains and low hills throughout India and Ceylon.
