The leaf-blade is linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate acuminate, flaccid, softly villous on both the surfaces, margins often crisped, base rounded, 2 to 6 inches by 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
The inflorescence consists of a long or short, slender, shining peduncle bearing two or three rigid, flattened, flexuous, jointed spikes, the rachis is broad, herbaceous, with a flat, broad, closely nerved wing on both the sides and with a distinct flat midrib and jointed, each joint bears on the under surface at the articulation, a solitary, globose cluster of two to three perfect 1-flowered glabrous spikelets surrounded by many short spinescent glumes of imperfect ones. The spikes vary in length from 1 to 2 inches and in breadth from 1/10 to 1/6 inch and are glabrous.
The clusters of spikelets are about 1/4 inch in diameter, often partially sunk, in a concavity of the rachis; the perfect spikelets are 1/5 to 1/4 inch long and the imperfect are shorter.
Fig. 121.—Trachys mucronata.
A and B. The spikelets; 1, 2 and 3. the first, second and the third glume, respectively; 4. palea of the third glume; 5 and 6. the fourth glume and its palea; 7. lodicules, ovary and stamens.
In the perfect spikelet there are four very unequal glumes. The first glume is minute, tooth-like, triangular or lanceolate, acute, nerveless, 1/16 to 1/12 inch long. The second glume is elongate, linear-lanceolate, acute, sometimes ciliate below the middle, membranous, narrower than the third glume, hyaline, strongly 3-nerved, 1/16 by 1/6 inch. The third glume is 1/5 by 1/8 inch the largest in the spikelet, broadly and obliquely ovate or obovate, cuspidately acute, with nine to many green nerves, paleate; the palea is very small, about 1/20 inch long, oblong, hyaline and rigidly coriaceous. The fourth glume is much narrower and shorter than the third glume, linear oblong, acuminate, chartaceous, smooth, dorsally convex, with incurved margins, bisexual and paleate; the palea is as long as the glume, acuminate, hyaline, the margins inflexed below the middle, ovate, acute. Lodicules are minute or absent. Stamens are three with linear anthers. Styles are very long with slender stigmas. The grain is oblong, compressed.
This grass grows abundantly in cultivated dry fields and in the sand near the sea-shore and it is easily recognized by the clusters of spikelets in the spike.
Distribution.—The Deccan Peninsula—both in the interior and on the sea coast.