gement of the spikelets; 1.
the first glume of the sessile spikelet; 2. second glume of the sessile
spikelet; 3 and 4. third and fourth glumes of the sessile spikelet; 5.
anthers, lodicules and the ovary; A, B and C. the three glumes of the
pedicelled spikelets.]

The _sessile spikelet_ is about 3/16 inch with an awn 7/16 inch long.
There are four _glumes_ in the spikelet. The _first glume_ is narrow,
linear, membranous, grooved, finely bicuspidate at the apex, with
incurved margins and two nerves ending in tubercles below. The _second
glume_ is a little longer than the first, narrow, lanceolate,
boat-shaped, thinly coriaceous with membranous margins, 1-nerved and
shortly awned. The _third glume_ is about 2/3 of the second glume in
length, and shorter than the first glume, linear-lanceolate, hyaline,
nerveless or sometimes very obscurely 2-nerved. The _fourth glume_ is
narrow linear, hyaline with two very fine lobes at the apex with an awn
between, 7/16 inch long. _Palea_ is hyaline and very small. _Stamens_
are three, _ovary_ with two long reddish feathery _stigmas_. _Lodicules_
small and cuneate. Grain is long and narrow.

The _pedicelled spikelets_ have only three glumes, and are slightly
shorter than the sessile ones, pedicel is similar to the joint. The
_first glume_ is ovate-lanceolate, thinly coriaceous, distinctly
many-nerved, acuminate, margins infolded and membranous. The _second
glume_ is ovate-lanceolate, membranous, glabrous and 3-nerved. The
_third glume_ is short, oblong-lanceolate, nerveless or faintly
2-nerved. There are three stamens.

This grass is variable in its size. In dry soils such as laterite soils,
it is a very small plant not exceeding 9 or 10 inches across its spread.
But in good soil and under favourable conditions the plant measures
across 5 or 6 feet. Cattle eat the grass before it flowers and do not
relish it so much when in flower.

A common grass flourishing all over the Presidency.

_Distribution._--Occurs in drier parts throughout India.

[Illustration: Fig. 152.--Andropogon pertusus.]

=Andropogon pertusus, _Willd._=

This grass is perennial. Stems are tufted, very slender, widely creeping
on all sides, purplish, but the flowering branches are erect or
ascending from a geniculate base, leafy at base, the nodes of the
creeping branches rooting and bearing tufts of branches which finally
become independent plants at each node, the creeping branches vary in
length from 1 to