Fig. 192.—Cynodon intermedius.
Cynodon intermedius, Rang. & Tad.
This grass is a widely creeping perennial.
The stems are slender, glabrous, creeping superficially and rooting at the nodes, but never rhizomiferous, leafy with slender erect or geniculately ascending flowering branches, and varying in length from 12 to 18 inches. Nodes are slightly swollen, glabrous, green or purplish.
The leaf-sheath is smooth, glabrous, slightly compressed, sparsely bearded at the mouth, shorter than the internode, except the one enclosing the peduncle which is usually long. The ligule is a shortly ciliated rim.
The leaf-blade is linear, flat, finely acuminate, scaberulous above and along the margins, smooth below except in some portions of the midrib, 1/2 to 7 inches in length and 3/16 to 1/4 inch in breadth.
Fig. 193.—Cynodon intermedius.
1 and 2. Front and back view of a portion of a spike; 3. a spikelet; 4. first glume; 5. second glume; 6. third glume; 7. palea with the rachilla at its back; 8. lodicules, stamens and the ovary; 9. clavellate and pointed hairs of the margins and keel of the third glume (very much enlarged); 10. grain.