The leaf-blade is long, narrow or broad, narrowly linear-lanceolate, finely acuminate, glaucous especially beneath, thinly coriaceous, glabrous on both the surfaces, base rounded or cordate and amplexicaul, 6 to 10 inches by 1/6 to 1/3 inch.
The panicle is elongate, leafy, narrow, dense or interrupted, compound or decompound, 1 to 2 feet long; bracts are lanceolate, spathiform, finely acuminate, glabrous, varying in length from 1 to 1-1/2 inches, and with hyaline margins; the proper bracts are as long as the spikes or longer.
Fig. 164.—Andropogon Schoenanthus.
1. A sessile and two pedicelled spikelets; 2, 3, 4 and 5. the first, second, third and fourth glume of the sessile spikelet, respectively; 6. ovary; 7, 8 and 9. the glumes of the pedicelled spikelets in order.
The spikes are unequal, 1/2 to 2/3 inch long, one 3- to 4-jointed and the other 4- to 6-jointed; the joints and pedicels are narrowly clavate, half as long as the sessile spikelets, tips dilated and toothed, margins villously ciliate, with long hairs.
The spikelets are binate, one sessile and the other pedicelled.
The sessile spikelets in the upper part of the spike are bisexual, lanceolate, 1/6 inch long and those in the lower part of the spike are shorter, obtuse, male. The callus is short and bearded. There are four glumes. The first glume is ovate or obovate-oblong, dorsally flat or nearly so, with a deep narrow-longitudinal median furrow usually below the middle and answering to a ridge on the ventral face, obtuse or 2-toothed at the apex, margined above the middle, with a hyaline, narrow, finely denticulate wing, 2-nerved or nerveless. The second glume is lanceolate, cymbiform, acute or acuminate, 3-nerved, margins hyaline, ciliate, as long as the first chartaceous and the keel with a serrulate wing above the middle. The third glume is linear oblong, hyaline, obtuse, ciliate, nerveless. The fourth glume is the narrowly winged 2-lobed base of the awn, lobes are lanceolate erect and palea of the fourth glume is minute. Lodicules are cuneate. Stamens are three.
The pedicelled spikelets are oblong-lanceolate, acute or obtuse, glabrous and male. There are three glumes. The first glume is glabrous or rarely puberulous, margins incurved, obtuse, 9- to 11-nerved. The second glume is ovate, acute, 3-nerved. The third glume is oblong or linear-oblong, hyaline, apex rounded, ciliate and faintly 2-nerved.
This grass grows all over the Presidency in open dry situations and is very widely distributed.