The spikes vary in number from two to nine, erect or slightly spreading, subdigitately fascicled, pale when young and pinkish or brown when old, varying in length from 1 to 2-1/2 inches. The stalk of the whole inflorescence is long, slender, smooth and glabrous. The peduncle of the spikes is from 1/8 to 1/6 of an inch long, thin, slender, glabrous with swollen bases and with a ring of hairs at the node. Joints of the rachis and the pedicels are slightly flattened, ciliated along the narrow edges; the pedicels of the stalked spikelets are half as long as the sessile spikelets. The spikelets are one sessile and one pedicelled and imbricating on the rachis.
The sessile spikelet is as long as the stalked or a little less, with a thick callus, shortly bearded at the base or sometimes glabrous and consists of four glumes. The first glume is elliptic-oblong or oblong, obtuse or truncate, irregularly 2- or 3-toothed, 5- to 9-nerved, sparsely villous with long hairs and margins slightly infolded. The second glume is smaller than the first glume, acute, membranous, 3-nerved and keeled, the margins are ciliate and infolded. The third glume is hyaline, linear, acute, or obtuse, nerveless sparsely hairy at the tip, very much shorter than the second glume. The fourth glume is an awn with a linear hyaline base, erect, about an inch long. Stamens are three, ovary is oblong with two feathery, dark purple stigmas. Lodicules are two, cuneate.
The pedicelled spikelets are male and consist of only three glumes. The first glume is elliptic, oblong, irregularly obtuse, about 11-nerved, margins slightly infolded with long pilose hairs throughout, more along the margin. The second glume is a little smaller, 3-nerved, sparsely hairy only along the marginal nerves, folded inwards, and slightly keeled. The third glume is shorter than the second, hyaline, nerveless, narrow-lanceolate, acute; stamens are three, with green anthers, purple-dotted. Lodicules are two, broad and cuneate.
This grass is found flourishing all over India and grows in cultivated fields and gardens and likes sheltered places. This yields a considerable amount of fodder and stands cutting well.
Distribution. Throughout India in the hills and the plains.
Fig. 162.—Andropogon contortus.