the second or slightly longer, laterally
compressed, 3-nerved, smooth but scaberulous along the keel, awned;
there are three scabrid _awns_, varying in length from 1/2 to 3/4 inch,
continuous with the glume without a column, not jointed, and the middle
awn is longer than the lateral ones; the callus is long, pointed and
villous. There is a minute _palea. Lodicules_ are two, similar to the
palea in size, linear oblong. _Anthers_ are yellow dotted with purple.
The _ovary_ is oblong linear with two white feathery _stigmas_.

Grain is long and linear.

This when young is eaten by cattle, but they do not like it when in
flower.

_Distribution._--Occurs all over the Presidency in the plains and the
low hills.

=Aristida setacea, _Retz._=

This is a tall coarse perennial grass with hard, smooth and polished,
stout, erect simple or branched stems, 3 to 4 feet. Roots are stout and
wiry.

The _leaf-sheath_ is glabrous, cylindrical. The _ligule_ is a row of
short hairs. The _nodes_ are glabrous.

The _leaf-blade_ is linear, coriaceous, convolute, glabrous, strongly
nerved, 6 to 12 inches long.

The _inflorescence_ is a contracted _panicle_ varying from 6 to 18
inches with short, erect or subsecund branches.

[Illustration: Fig. 173.--Aristida setacea.

1. The spikelet; 2 and 3. the first and the second glume; 4. the lower
portion of the third glume, anther, ovary and the lodicules; 5. palea of
the third glume.]

The _spikelets_ vary from 1/2 to 2/3 inch excluding the awn. There are
three _glumes_. The _first glume_ is about 3/8 inch long,
lanceolate-linear, narrowed into a short awn. The _second glume_ is
longer than the first, 1-nerved and minutely 2-toothed or notched at the
base of the awn. The _third glume_ is 5/8 inch long, 3-nerved, nearly
smooth. The callus of the third glume is long, densely silkily hairy
with three awns not jointed at the base with the glume; _awns_ about 1
inch or more. _Lodicules_ are ovate-lanceolate, fairly large. Grain is
narrow, cylindrical.

This grass grows in open dry situations in many parts of the Presidency.

_Distribution._--All over India.

=Aristida Hystrix, _Linn. f._=

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
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