This is a diffuse perennial grass with a creeping root-stock, with fairly stout sometimes proliferous freely branching stems; branches are stiff, erect, inclined or prostrate, varying in length from 6 inches to 2 feet.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous and cylindric. The ligule is a ridge of close-set hairs. Nodes are glabrous.
The leaf-blades are quite flat, narrowly lanceolate-linear very finely acuminate, glabrous on both the surfaces but with tufts of hairs on both sides at the base where the blade joins the sheath, prominently nerved; margin is even and without any hyaline border, the blade varies in length from 2 to 9 inches.
Fig. 174.—Aristida Hystrix.
1. A spikelet; 2, 3 and 4. the first, second and the third glume, respectively; 4a. the third glume and its awns; 5. palea of the third glume; 6. lodicules, anthers and the ovary.
The inflorescence is an effuse panicle, as long as broad, varying in length from 4 to 10 inches; the main rachis is stout, finely scabrid, with stiff slender, horizontally spreading or reclining branches that arise in pairs from the nodes, the branches have swollen bases at the nodes and they are covered by long hairs.
The spikelets are 3/8 inch long excluding the awn. There are three glumes. The first glume is chartaceous, lanceolate, acuminate and terminating in an awn, 1-nerved, 3/8 to 1/2 inch including the awn, with the keel very finely scabrous. The second glume is longer than the first, chartaceous, lanceolate, terminating in an awn, 1/2 to 3/4 inch long including the awn, with a smooth keel. The callus of the third glume is short, pointed and villous. The third glume is chartaceous finely scabrid 1/4 to 3/8 inch long excluding the awn, 3-nerved, 3-lobed at the apex and the lobes becoming awns; awns are 1 inch long, the middle one being a little longer. The outer margin of the glume is broader than the inner margin and is rounded at the apex at the base of the awn. There are three stamens and the anthers are pale or purplish. The style branches are purplish. The lodicules are 1/8 inch long obliquely lanceolate.
This grass is fairly common in all open dry situations throughout this Presidency.
Distribution.—Deccan Peninsula and Ceylon.