Fig. 176.—Aristida mutabilis.
1. A spikelet; 2, 3 and 4. the first, second and the third glume, respectively; 5. grain.
The spikelets are shortly pedicellate, pale-green about 1/4 inch long exclusive of the awn. There are three glumes. The first glume is membranous, oblong-lanceolate, shortly awned, 1-nerved, keeled and scaberulous on the keel and the sides. The second glume is narrower and longer than the first, shortly awned 1-nerved, 2-toothed, obscurely scaberulous and encircling the third glume. The third glume is narrow, convolute, scaberulous, 3-nerved awned with a shortly bearded callus, the awn is three branched articulate to the short column at the base about 3/4 inch long with the middle branch slightly longer than the other two; palea is minute. Lodicules are two and narrow. The grain is narrow as long as the glume and grooved.
This resembles in general habit and appearance Aristida Adscenscionis, but it is not so widely distributed. So far this has been noticed only in Tinnevelly and Nellore districts.
Distribution.—Southern India, the Punjab and Rajputana, also in Arabia and tropical Africa.
Aristida funiculata, Trin. & Rup.
This is a slender annual grass with geniculately ascending stems, radiating on all sides. The stems vary in length from 10 to 20 inches.
The leaf-sheath is glabrous and cylindrical. The ligule is a short membrane ciliate at the margin, or a close set fringe of hairs.