MIGAHID AND HAMMOUDA'S

FLORA

OF

SAUDI ARABIA

SECOND EDITION REVISED AND ILLUSTRATED

BY

AHMAD MOHAMMAD MIGAHID

P R O F E S S O R O F B O T A N Y F A C U L T Y O F S C I E N C E R I Y A D H U N I V E R S I T Y

VOLUME II MONOCOTYLEDONS

R I Y A D H U N I V E R S I T Y P U B L I C A T I O N 1978

Flora of Saudia Arabia V. 2 has undergone a few technical and scientific editing to

be ready for web publishing. Please be aware of these editing. Spelling and for-

matting corrections also have been carried out. Still there might be some errors

exist.

I’m presenting this book to share with many of you who can not afford to buy it or

find it. Good luck.

Why …… I thought it would be wonderful to edit and share this book then uploading

it to the web.

Note:

1. Many pictures that have been inserted in the book were downloaded from the web.

2. Added comments are in red colored-font.

3. Some pages at end of the book have been dropped.

4. Errors still exist because this book had been scanned then OCR have been performed

on it.

Eng. Salem Al Shekaili…

UAE

2010-9-22

Sub Class II MONOCOTYLEDONES

Order 35. HELOBIAE

Family 96. POTAMOGETONACEAE Bum.

1. POTAMOGETON L.

Submerged plants with creeping rhizomes.

Leaves alternate or opposite, entire or toothed,

with a membranous sheath in the axil envelop-

ing the bud. Flowers whorled in spikes appear-

ing above the water surface during anthesis

where they normally get pollinated by wind.

Perianth false, of 4 green segments, anthers 4,

sessile, carpels 4 with 4 sessile ovaries. Ovary

uni-locular, 1-ovuled. As resting winter buds

for vegetative reproduction these plants pro-

duce "turions" (A thick-fleshy-young overwin-

tering bud) at the summit of rootstock and of-

ten also on stem and branches. There are esti-

mated to be around 90 species in this genera.

1. P. nodosus Poir. ( = P. natans L., part-

ly, P. fluitans Roth.): Perennial herbs. All or

most of the leaves floating, the lower ones sub-

merged but disappearing early, all with long

petioles and broad blades; the blades oblong-

lanceolate to elliptic, leathery with entire mar-

gin. Leaf 15 cm long by 4 cm wide. Peduncle

stout; spike < 5 cm long but dense-flowered. In

flowing and stagnant water of ponds.

S, SH.

Order 36. LILIFLORAE

Family 97. LILIACEAE A. Juss.

POTAMOGETONACEAE—LILIACEA E

A) Underground part

of stem bulb or

corm.

1.Stem arising from a corm,

leaves radical……….. Colchcium 1

2.Stem arising out of a bulb, flowers in

racemes or corymbs.

a)Perianth tube cylin-drical, Leaves

linear ……………Dicadi 2

b)Perianth tube elongated, segments

erect,leaves 2, narrow

……..Bellevalia 3

c) Flowers yellow or

greenish-yellow with

narrow segments,

solitary or umbelled.

Leaves linear, grass-

like, more than 2

…………..Gage 4 B) Underground part root-

stock or not well developed.

1. Branches leaf-like,

leaves scale-like

….....Asparagus 5

a) Perianth segments free, stem

herba ceous…...Asphodelus. 6

b) Perianth segments united at

base, stem usually wood…Aloe 7

*Leaves fleshy, radical, fruit capsule **Leaves leathery all large, radical, cartila-

ginous…...Sansevieria 8

1. COLCHICUM L.

Herbs with a corm wrapped in several tu-

nics When flowering usually stemless, with

the leaves not or little developed, flowers be-

ing borne directly on the corm and enveloped

at the base by a scarious radical sheath. After

flowering a short underground stem develops

between the corm and the ripening fruits, the-

se finally appearing as a terminal cluster of cap-

sules supported by a crown of rosetted leaves.

Seeds globular.

1. C. ritchii R. Br. : Small, slender, perennial

herb with a short-necked corm. Leaves linear, de-

veloping together with the flowers, channeled

when young, later increasing in size and becom-

ing plane or undulated, 10-20 cm. long, 5-15 cm.

broad, glabrous. Flowers 2-8 together, pink or

white , limbs of perianth obtuse, one-third of the

length of the tube.

NJ, E.

2. C. cornigerum (Schweinf.) Tackh. et Drar

( = C. szovitsi i ): Stout perennial herb with long-

necked corm, 3-4 cm. long and broad. Leaves lin-

ear to lanceolate, glossy glabrous, undulated, up to

30 cm. long and 3 cm. broad. Flowers 2-many to-

gether, white or lilac. Anthers yellow. Capsule

relatively large, with a long beak.

NJ, E.

2. DIPCADI Medic.

Bulbous herbs with linear, radical, fleshy

leaves. Inflorescence a lax raceme, mostly

brown. Flowers usually small, greenish or

brownish. Perianth brown, deeply cleft into 6

acute lobes; the 3 outer lobes longer and spread-

ing, the 3 inner ones shorter and erect. Capsule

membranous, 3-lobed and 3-valved at the top.

Seeds black, flattened, in one row.

1. D. erythraeum Webb & Berth. ( = D.

LILIACEAE

serotinum Medic., Uropetalum ery-

thraeum Boiss.) : Perennial bulbous plant,

with a grey, ovate-conical bulb, 2-4 cm.

long, about as large as a walnut. Leaves 3-

4, narrow, linear, fleshy, as long as or

longer than the scape. Inflorescence ra-

ceme, 6-12-flowered, with 12-15 mm.

long flowers. Pedicel short. Capsule large,

deeply 3-grooved. In bud stage with con-

spicuous acute scarious flower bracts

about times as long as the petioles.

NJe, E, NH.

2. D. tacazzeanum Baker ( = Urope-

talum tacazzeanum Hochst. ex A. Rich.):

Bulb globose, 2-5 cm. in diameter, tunics

pale. Leaves 2-3, linear, flat, glabrous, up

to 10 cm. long. Peduncle slender, 15-22

cm. long. Inflorescence lax raceme, 6-12-

flowered. Pedicel very short. Perianth

green; tube oblong-cylindrical, 6 mm.

long; inner segments 2 mm. shorter, outer

ones subulate, falcate, In rocky land.

SH.

3. BELLEVALIA Lapeyr.

Bulbous plants with racemed, rarely

spiked, flowers. Leaves strap-shaped or

lanceolate, with a membranous margin

which is either ciliate or scabrous, rela-

tively large. Flowers subtended by small

membra-nous bracts, the upper flowers

may be sterile. Bracts solitary. Perianth

tubular at the base or campanulate to turbinate,

with 6 spreading limbs shorter than the tube, not

constricted at the mouth, white, violet or blue in

bud but usually turning grey or green or yellow-

ish when open. Filaments connate with the peri-

anth throughout the tube. Ovary trilocular, with 2

-6 ovules in each locule. Anthers introrse, at-

tached at their middle. Style elongated, with a

capitate un-divided stigma. Seeds globose or el-

lipsoid, smooth, black or bluish with white hi-

lum, not caruncled.

1. B. flexuosa Boiss. ( = Hyacinthus flexu-

osus Bak.): Perennial, bulbous, small, stout de-

sert herb. Bulb globular to ovate, black-

tunicated, 1.5-3.5 cm. long. Leaves typically 4-5,

linear-lanceolate, prostrate or erect, longer than

the scape, with membranous denticulate-ciliate

often wavy margins. Scapes 1-4 together, as-

cending or flexuous. Raceme loose-flowered, 3-6

cm. long, commonly as long as the scape. Pedi-

cels ascending, then spreading or nodding at the

tip, shorter than the flower. Bracteoles minute,

bifid. Perianth 8 mm. long, with teeth half as

long as the tube, white - and green-nerved in

bud, turning lurid at maturity. In deserts and

stony places.

E.

4. GAGEA Salisb.

Small bulbous plants with narrow grass-like

leaves. Flowers solitary, corymbose or in cymose

umbels supported by a few narrow leaves. Peri-

LILIACEAE

anth funnel-shaped, 6-parted; with narrow

flat segments connate at the base, inside

golden yellow, outside with green center.

Stamens inserted at the base of the peri-

anth. Style subulate, 3-angled, with capi-

tate 3-lobed stigma. Capsule membranous

with ovoid, angled or flattened seeds.

Bracts absent. Bulb solitary, erect.

1. G. reticulata (Pall.) A. & H.

Schultes: A small perennial herb, usually

growing in tufts. Bulbs with thin, reticulat-

ed, brown coats, also sheathing the stem

base. Leaves filiform, 1-2 mm. wide, not

channeled, often recurved. All roots uni-

form. Flowers 1-3, small, or rigid, pubes-

cent pedicels. Perianth segments also pu-

bescent, long acute, 12-18 mm. long, 2-3

mm. broad. Capsule up to 15 mm. long,

when ripe reaching up to 2/3 of the peri-

anth. In sandy and stony places.

SH.

5. ASPARAGUS L.

Perennial plants with clustered fleshy,

tuberous roots or short rootstocks produc-

ing aerial, annual or perennial, branching

stems. Leaves reduced to minute dry

scales or spines, with modified leaf-like

stems (cladophylls) in their axils. Flowers

small, axillary, either solitary or, rarely,

umbelled or racemed, each on a jointed

pedicel. Perianth segments 6, equal. Sta-

mens 6, with distinctly filiform filaments and

introrse anthers. Fruit a globose berry, originally

trilocular with 2 ovules in each locule, but later,

by abor-tion the fruit becomes 1-2-seeded only.

1. A. stipularis Forssk. : Perennial with intri-

cately branched stem. Aspect of a leafless herba-

ceous plant with straggling and winding thorny

branches. Stem climbing or straggling over the

ground, frutescent with solitary, alternate, spiny

cladophylls which are not flattened, over 1 cm.

long, arising in the axils of scale leaves. Berry

black, a little smaller than a pea. In sandy and

stony ground.

SH.

2. A. nitis Rich. ( = A. asiaticus L.): Perenni-

al. A much branched climbing shrub. Main stem

woody with short branchlets. Leaves produced

into deflected pungent spines. Cladodes 6-15 in a

cluster, 6-12 mm. long. Flowers usually several

in an axillary cluster; pedicels articulated below

the middle. Perianth 3 mm. long. Stamens nearly

as long as perianth. Ovules several in each cell.

Berry of the size of a pea, usually 1-seeded.

NH, S.

3. A. africanus Lam. : A much branched, tall,

woody, prickly shrub, with glabrous ashy-grey

bark. Main stem terete woody, branchlets

straight, rod- shaped. Stem with numerous short

prickles. Cladodes numerous together, 12-25

mm. long. Flowers umbelled. Berry usually 1-

seeded, 4 mm. in diameter. On rock at edges of

LILIACEAE

wells.

S.

6. ASPHODELUS L.

Annual or perennial herbs. Roots fi-

brous or of numerous clustered spindle-

shaped tubers. Stem a leafless scape- Inflo-

rescence raceme or panicle. Perianth of 6

free segments, pink or white, with green or

reddish midrib. Capsule leathery, locu-

licidal, 3- valved.

1. A. fistulosus L. v. tenuifolius Cav.

( = A. tenuifolius Cav.): Small annual

herb. Leaves many, forming a dense basal

rosette, semiterete, keeled on the lower

surface, tapering subulate, scabrous at

least in the lower portion, shorter than the

scape. Inflorescence lax panicle. Pedicels

short, articulated in the middle. Flowers

small, white or flesh-colored, usually with

a red, orange or bluish band at the back of

the perianth segments. Capsule globose, 3

mm. in diameter. In sandy and loamy

fields, valleys, sandy and rocky deserts.

N, NH, S, SH, NJ, NF, E, R.

2. A. refractus Boiss. ( = A. pendu-

linus Coss. & DR.): Annual herbs. Leaves

terete, hollow, sticky. Scape up to 45 cm.

long, often forked. Racemes many- flow-

ered. Fruit pedicels reflexed. On sandy

ground.

E.

7. ALOE Tourn. ex L.

Stemless or caulescent frutescent plants with

rosettes of very large fleshy spiny-toothed

leaves containing a bitter juice. Scape simple or

forked. Flowers numerous, mostly densely ra-

cemed on an elongated scape, tubular, red, or-

ange or yellow. Perianth tubular, cylindrical,

straight or slightly curved, regular, 6-cleft. Sta-

mens 6, erect, adherent to base of perianth. Ova-

ry 3-ceIled, with numerous ovules in each cell.

Capsule loculicidal. Seeds flat-tened, black,

sometimes winged.

1. A. vera L. ( = A. perfoliata v. vera L.):

Stem short, thick. Leaves crowded, lanceolate,

erect-spread-ing, somewhat concave on upper

side with a spiny- toothed margin. Scape

branched, longer than leaves covered with

scales. Racemes long and dense. Bracts short,

lanceolate, membranous, longer than the pedi-

cel Flowers pendulous, imbricated, yellow.

SH, S.

8. SANSEVIERIA Thumb.

Herbaceous perennials with a short and

thick creeping rhizome from which clusters of

stiff, erect, coriaceous, fiber containing,

large, usually variegated leaves are pro-

duced. Peduncle stout with several empty

bracts. Racemes dense with several flow-

ers to each bract and pedicels articulated

near the middle. Flowers bracteate, green-

ish-white or yellowish. Perianth petaloid,

with a cylindrical tube and 6 linear lobes.

Fruit a 1-3-seeded berry, membranous,

soon bursting. Seeds globose.

1. S. ehrenbergeri Schweinf. ex Baker:

Perennial plant with creeping rhizome.

Leaves rosetted, outer ones small, ovate,

central ones subterete, very rigid, up to 1.5

or 1.8 m. in length and about 4 cm. broad,

with an acute groove on the upper surface.

Peduncle with panicle 1.5-1.8 m. long. In-

florescence a deltoid panicle, with many

ascending branches. Flowers many in a

cluster. Pedicels articulated at the apex.

Bracts minute, membranous. Perianth

white, tinged with red; lobes longer than

the tube. Stamens as long as perianth

leaves. On mountain slopes at low alti-

tudes.

SH, S.

LILIACEAE

Potamogeton nodosus

Gagea reticulata (a & b), Pancratium sickenbergeri (c), Dipcadi erythreaum (d)

a

b d

c

Pancratium sickenbergeri

Gagea reticulata

Asphodelus fistulosus

Aloe vera Asphodelus fistulosus

Aloe vera

Dracaena ombet

Dracaena ombet

Dracaena ombet

Asparagus nitis

Allium desertorum

Allium sphaerocephalon

Family 98. AGAVACEAE J. G. Agardh

1. DRACAENA Vand. ex L.

Usually shrubs or small trees with sword-like

or broad leaves crowned in rosettes at the summit

of the stem or its branches. Inflorescence panicle.

Flowers bisexual, greenish or yellow. Perianth

with linear free segments. Stamens 6, inserted at

the throat of the perianth tube. Ovary 3-celled,

ovules solitary. Style long, filiform with capitate

stigma. Fruit a globose berry, often by abortion 1-

2-seeded.

1. D. ombet Ky & Peyr. : Small stout tree

with forked stem and branches. Leaves up to 60

cm. long, forming dense terminal rosettes, with

thick denticulate margins. Flowers pinkish, about

6 mm. long, arranged in a panicle 30 or more cm.

long. In mountains at high altitudes.

NH, E, R.

Family 99. ALLIACEAE J. G. Agardh

1. ALLIUM L.

Perennial scapose herbs with truncated bulbs.

A naked scape springs from the bulb. Leaves

mostly only radical, but often clasping the base of

the scape for some distance, with a characteristic

garlic-like odour due to the presence of certain

volatile oils. Inflorescence a cymose umbel, en-

closed when young in a membranous sheath

formed by 2 (1-3) papery bracts, which splits lat-

er. Flowers small, white or colored, usually nu-

AGAVACEAE-ALLIACEAE

merous umbellate, protandrous, insect-

pollinated. Perianth of 6 petaloid, free or

united segments in 2 series, stamens 6, pis-

til with 3-celled superior ovary, slender

style and entire or 3-parted stigma. Fruit a

membranous, 3-valved, loculicidal capsule.

Seeds black, angular or rounded.

1. A. desertorum Forssk. : A small de-

sert herb, up to 10 cm. high, with fibrous

coated bulbs; outer tunics thick, inner stri-

ated. Leaves very fine-grooved, exceeding

the scape. Umbel nodding in bud, later

spreading, 10-20-flowered, with much une-

qual pedicels. Perianth white, red keeled,

narrowly-cylindrical with acutish segments

6-8 mm. long. In deserts.

N, E.

2. A. laceratum Boiss. et Noe: Bulbs

ovate, with pale punctate tunics. Stem up

to 1 m. high, leafy to one-third of its

height. Leaves 3, linear, 10-15 mm. broad,

with a ciliate margin and puberulent

(covered with very fine hairs) on the 2 sur-

faces of the lamina. Spathe ovate, often

bifid, shorter than the pedicels, acuminate

for a long dis-tance. Umbel up to 7 cm. or

more in diameter, many- flowered. Pedi-

cels twice as long as the flowers. Perianth

segments 7-10 mm. long, yellowish or pale

rose- colored. Perianth cylindrical campan-

ulate. Filaments a little shorter than the

perianth. Style exsetted.

N, E.

3. A. sphaerocephalon L. : Perennial or bien-

nial round-headed plant. Bulbs ovoid 7.5-20 mm.

thick, with coriaceous, brown, entire tunics.

Leaves 3-5, semiterete, shorter than the scape, 2-4

mm. broad, sometimes grooved above. Scape of

considerable length, 30-80 cm. high, clothed to

one-third its length with smooth leaf sheaths.

Spathe at length lobed membranous, half as long

as the umbel, deciduous. Umbel dense, globular,

rose or deep purple with a darker nerve; the outer

pedicels as long as flowers, the inner shorter. Per-

ianth purple to pink, segments 4 mm. long, ob-

long. Capsule longer than perianth, with strongly

exserted style.

N, E.

Family 100.AMARYLLIDACEAE Jaume St-Hil.

1. PANCRATIUM L.

Perennial herbs with large bulbs up to 5 cm. in

diameter. Flowers umbelled, large, white, with a

narrow long tube dilated at the apex and 12-17

cm. long; 2-4 flowers together, included in a large

ovate membranous spathe. Perianth segments 6,

narrow, spreading or reflexed, linear, Corona pre-

sent, in the form of obconical (inverted cone

shape) cup of staminal origin, 2-3 cm. long,

toothed at the throat (the filaments appendaged at

the base so as to form a toothed staminal cup car-

rying the free parts of the filaments with their

versatile anthers.) The free filaments with their

AMARYLLIDACEAE

anthers are carried at the top of the corona

between its teeth. Leaves rosetted, strap-

shaped, often spirally twisted in dry locali-

ties. Scape solitary, solid, compressed with

blunt edges.

1. P. maximum Forssk. : Bulb large

globose, outer tunics dull brown. Leaves 4-

5, linear, glabrous, not crisped, 30 cm.

long, 1.5 cm. broad. Peduncle short, 1-

flowered. Perianth tube greenish cylindri-

cal, 10 cm. long, with lanceolate white seg-

ments. Spathe tubular, membranous, 5 cm.

long. Staminal cup (corona) 5 cm. long,

faintly lobed at the throat. In sandy soil.

SH.

2. P. sickenbergeri Asch. et Schweinf.

ex Boiss. : The smallest species. Bulb

about 4 cm. across, globose with a long

neck. Leaves decumbent from a short erect

base appearing after flowers, glaucous,

strap- shaped, spirally twisted, 5-8 mm.

broad. Scape ap-pearing before the leaves,

rather short, carrying an umbel of 4-8 flow-

ers. These only 7-8 cm. long, with the tube

half that length. Staminal cup (corona)

large with bifid teeth. Capsule rounded at

base and tip. In sandy and gravel deserts.

SH, NH.

3. P. tortuosum Herb. ( = P. tortifoli-

um Boiss.): Perennial herb with a globose

bulb, 3.5-5 cm. across, with a cylindrical

neck. Scape short, lateral, appearing with the

leaves. Leaves 6-12 together, up to 30 cm. long,

broadest in the lower part, upwards narrow, acu-

minate twisted spirally, moderately firm, the ba-

sal part with scarious sheaths. Flowers short-

pedicelled, 2-5 together in the umbel, very large

and fragrant. Perianth 20 cm. or more long, pure

white, with a 15 cm. long green tube, ascending,

linear, over 5 cm. long lobes and a 3 cm. long

staminal cup. Staminal cup (corona) obconical

toothed between the short free ends of the fila-

ments. Capsule rounded at both ends. In sandy

and rocky places and near the coast.

NH, SH.

Family 101. I RID ACE AE A. Juss.

1. IRIS L.

Herbaceous perennial plants with bulbs, rhi-

zomes or corms, sword-like or grassy leaves and

large showy, regular flowers subtended by green

bracts, often appearing successively, each new

flower opening when the older one has withered.

Perianth of 6 segments united at the base, the 3

outer ones "falls' hanging or horizontal, the 3 in-

ner "standards" erect or arched inward or out-

ward, all of them narrowed below into a claw, the

"haft". Anthers extrorse (Facing outward) hidden

under the 3 petaloid, coloured stylar branches.

Receptive stigmatic surface on the under sides of

the stylar branches facing the anthers. Fruit a 3-

celled, many-seeded capsule.

IRIDACEAE-JUNCACEAE

1. I. sisyrinchium L. ( = Gynandriris

sisyrinchium (L.)) Pari.): Perennials with

ovate or small globose corms wrapped in

brown or black, coarsely fibrous- netted

coats. Leaves few, narrow, up to 45 cm.

long, prominently nerved, often falcate.

Flowers 3-4 cm. long, terminal and lateral,

in shades of lilac, blue or purple, outer seg-

ments always with white or yellowish

base. Racemes 2-4-flowered. Stamens ad-

hering to the stylar branches. Perianth tube

slender, longer than the ovary, with blue

limbs. Differs from all other Iris species in

having a corm (others have bulb or rhi-

zome) and in the stamens adhering to the

style branches (in others free). Seeds or-

ange-red, ovoid, rugose (having many

wrinkles) and substipitate. In deserts.

NJ, N, E.

Order 37. JUNCALES

Family 102. JUNCACEAE A. Juss.

1. JUNCUS L.

Marsh plants, usually with sympodial

rhizomes, developing one aerial leafy

branch every year. Culm typically un-

branched, leafless or leafy, if leafy the

leaves being terete, sheathing at base, hol-

low or grooved or flat. Flowers solitary,

clustered or capitate. Inflorescence a termi-

nal or falsely-lateral cyme, in the latter

case the growth of the culm is continued

above the inflorescence by a stem-like leaf. The

small inconspicuous flower protogynous, wind-

pollinated. Perianth of 6 calyx-like segments.

Stamens 6. Fruit a 3-celled capsule or, by retrac-

tion of septa, 1-celled, loculicidally 3-valved with

numerous seeds. Placentation parietal.

1. J. acutus L. : Stout, tufted, perennial plant,

up to 1 m. high. Leaves stiff, pungent, borne at

the base of culm. Flowers typically aggregated in

a compact, head-like, falsely-lateral cyme; some-

times the cyme is rich and open. Capsule subglo-

bose-trigonous, about 3 mm. broad, 2-3 times

longer than the perianth. Seeds with a large white

appendage. In salt- marshy places.

E.

2. J. subulatus Forssk. : Tall, slender perenni-

al plant with the aspect of the preceding and of

the next, but with the flowers very small and clus-

tered in a rich, repeatedly branched terminal

cyme. Rhizome creeping to long distances. Culms

leafy, with rigid, pungent leaves. Capsule obtuse

or short-mucronate as long as the perianth, 3 mm.

long. In marshy places and along irrigation ca-

nals.

SH.

3. J. rigidus C. A. Mey. ( = J. arabicus (Asch.

et Buch.) Adams., J. maritimus v. arabicus Asch.

et Buch. ex Boiss.): A densely tufted perennial

rush 60 cm. or more high, with slender, pungent

stems. Inflorescence typically contracted, loose

cyme, 15-20 cm. long, with large, pale, separated

flowers. Capsule elliptical lanceolate, slightly ta-

JUNCACEAE

pering at apex, a little longer than the peri-

anth. Aspect of J. acutus, but capsule only

1-1-5 mm. broad, only a little exserted

above the perianth. Inner perianth segments

obtuse (in J. acutus retuse). Seeds with

very short white appendage.

E, NJe.

4. J. maritimus Lam. : A densely tufted

perennial rush 1 m. or more high, with a

short horizontal rhi-zome. Culms numer-

ous, terete, pale green, finely striated.

Leaves few, basal, terete resembling the

stems, dilated at the base into pale-brown

sheaths. Spike much repeatedly branched,

lateral, 15 cm. long. Bracts rigid, pale-

green, ovate-lanceolate. Capsule oblong,

acute, as long as the perianth. Seeds dis-

tinctly or indistinctly tailed, Marsh plants.

E, N.

5. J. littoralis C. A. Mey. : Tall, pun-

gent plant like Nos. 1 & 3, but spikelets

smaller and more numerous, in a rich com-

pound cyme with elongated, often 10- 12

cm. long rays. Capsule 2-2.5 mm. long,

mostly 1.5 mm. broad, exceeding the peri-

anth; seeds long- tailed.

SH.

6. J. bufonius L. : Small tufted annual

herb (all other species perennial), up to 20

cm. high, with leafy culm. Leaves slender,

small, channeled above. Flowers, in the

type solitary, in a spreading terminal cyme.

Perianth segments acute, 4-6 mm. long, green or

light brown with scarious margin. Capsule brown

glossy, oblong, obtuse or shortly apiculate.

SH.

Order 38 COMMELINALES

Family 103. COMMELINACEAE R. Br.

1. COMMELINA L.

Succulent procumbent weeds with sky-blue or

yellow irregular flowers having free petals. Leaves

entire, rather fleshy. Rhizomes fibrous, somewhat

swollen. Inflorescence cymose, included entirely or

partly within a folded or tunnel-shaped spathe, few-

flowered. Stamens 3-2 anterior, fertile and 3-2

dorsal, sterile. Ovary cells 2 anterior, equal, 2-10

ovuled, dehiscent in fruit, the third dorsal, 1-ovuled

or empty or suppressed.

1. C. forsskalei Vahl (non Hochst. ex C. B. CI.):

Perennial much branched herb, weak-rooting from

the lower nodes of the stem. Stem 20-40 cm. long

glabrous or nearly so. Leaves oblong, 4-5 cm. long

and about 1 cm. broad, with obtuse tips and wavy

crisped margins. Peduncles scattered and partly

exserted from the leaf-sheaths. Spathes attain a

length of 12-18 mm., being obliquely funnel-

shaped, glabrous or sparsely hispid. Petals intensely

blue. Capsule small, 3-1- seeded; dorsal cell

scabrous subindehiscent, 1-seeded; ventral cells 2-

ovuled, 0-1-seeded. Seeds smooth. Flowers small,

intensely blue. Weed along irrigation canals in

sandy and gravelly soil.

Iris sisyinchium

Juncus rigidus

Juncus rigidus

Juncus maritimus

COMMELINACEAE

Commelina forsskalei

I.Spikelets 1-flowered, without elongation of the axis beyond the flower, rarely 2-flowered, upper fer-

tile and lower male or sterile.

A) Spikelets surrounded by involucre of bristles.

1.Axis of spikelet jointed above the involucre, involucre bristles stiff, spikelets in spike-like pani

cles ………...Setaria 1

2. Axis of spikelets jointed below the involucre.

a) Bristles of involucre numerous, pinkish, rachis wavy…...Cenchrus 2

b) Bristles of involucre finer and longer …...Pennisetum 3

B) Spikelets without an involucre of bristles.

1. Spikelets with 2 outer glumes and one flower arranged in one-sided panicled

spike……………..Paspalum 4

2. Spikelets with one hermaphrodite flower in panicles

a) Panicle open, spreading, with capillary branches……….Tricholaena 5

b) Panicle open, loose, much divided……….Panicum 6

3. Spikelets in clusters of 3-6.

a) Clusters of spikes in hard involucre……….Anthephora 7

b) Clusters of spikes without an involucre……...Tragus 8

4. Spikelets solitary along the rachis.

a) Outer glume convex, with hooked spines……..Latipes 9

b) Outer glumes compressed and keeled………...Alopecurus 10

II. Spikelets arranged in pairs, one sessile and one stalked.

A) Spikelets all alike, hermaphrodite.

1. Racemes arranged in panicles along a slender main axis, silky…….Saccharum 11

2. Spikelets in a hirsute, terminal spike, rachis brittle…….

a) Lower glume with a fringe of penicillate warts, spikelets 1-flowered…….Elionurus 12

b) Not so, spikelets 2-flowered……..Lasiurus 13

3. Panicles spike-like, outer glumes with long awns……. Polypogon 14

B) Spikelets of 2 kinds, the sessile ones hermaphrodite, the stalked male or neutral.

1.Hermaphrodite spikelets with a decurrent appendage along rachis…….Themeda 15

2. Spikelets solitary or digitate, clustered……….Andropogon 16

3. Spikelets at tips of capillary branches of spreading panicle……..Chrysopogon 17

4. Inflorescence a dense panicle……..Cymbopogon 18

5. Inflorescence lax panicle of remote pairs of spikes……...Hyparrhenia 19

6. Spikelets in pairs along branches of open panicle……….Sorghum 20

Family 104. GRAMINEAE A. Juss.

GRAMINEAE

III. Spikelets sessile in notches on the rachis.

A) Spikelets solitary in each notch.

1. Outer glumes 2 in the terminal spikelets, in the lateral single…...Lolium 21

2. Flowering glumes persistent, fruit free.

a) Glumes narrow, linear-lanceolate……..Eremopyrum 22

b) Glumes short, broad, at tip truncate, toothed or awned…..Aegilops 23

B) Spikelets 3 in each notch, 1-flowered, flowering glume awned…...Hordeum 24

IV. Spikelets in two approximated rows, forming one-sided spike.

A) Spikelet containing one hermaphrodite flower.

1. Spikelet awned, spikelets 1-4, terminal…...Schoenfeldia 25

2. Spikes digitate, 3-5…...Cynodon 26

3. Spikelets bearing above the hermaphrodite flower, a male or empty flower.

a) Outer glumes 4…...Ctenium 27

b) Spikes digitate or subdigitate.

Spikelets subdigitate, with kneed awns…...Dichanthium 28

**Spikelets digitate with straight awns…...Chloris 29

c) Spikes short and dense…...Melanocenchris 30

B) Spikelet containing 2 or more hermaphrodite flowers.

1. Spikes 1-3, terminal.

a) Flowering glume with a long awn…...Tetrapogon 31

b) Flowering glume awnless, spikes 2-3 together, spikelets3-4-flowered,

leaf broad…...Coelachyrum 32

2. Spikes more than 3.

a) Spikelets very densely crowded.

Spikes ending in a point…...Dactyloctenium 33

**Spikes terminated by a spikelet Eleusine 34

b) Spikelets not densely crowded, many-flowered with a tough axis, spikes distant

Desmostachya 35

V. Spikes racemed or corymbose.

A) Spikes 1-2 mm. broad…...Digitaria 36

B) Spikes broader.

1. Glumes acuminate, pointed or awned, spikes 4-ranked…...Echinochloa 37

2. Spikelets compressed…...Brachiaria 38

3. Spikes appressed to the common axis…...Paspalidium 39

4. Spikes flexuous, spreading…...Urochloa 40

VI. Spikelets in panicles, sometimes in equal-sided spikes.

A) Spikelets 1-flowered.

1. Panicle head-like, head solitary, terminal, woolly, of plumose hairs…...Lagurus 41

2. Outer glumes 4…...Phalaris 42

3. Outer glumes 2.

a) Flowering glumes harder than outer ones.

Flowering glumes narrow, with 3-branched awn.

+ The 3 branches naked…….Aristida 43

++At least one of them plumose …...Stipagrostis 44

**Flowering glume narrow with simple long twisted awn 10 cm. long……...Stipa 45

b) Flowering glumes thinner than outer glumes.

Fruit not enclosed by the glumes…..Sporobolus 46

+ Spikelets of 2 kinds, fertile surrounded by sterile, ligule long…..Lamarckia 47

++Spikelets all alike.

.Flowering glumes cleft to numerous awn-shaped teeth, panicle

spike-like…...Enneapogon 48

..Flowering glume with 1-3 awns. —Flowering glume with

a delicate dorsal awn and 2 long

lateral awns…….Trisetaria 49

=Flowering glume with a tuft of long hairs, papery, mostly unarmed, spikelets large.

i. Spike soft, silvery silky…..Imperata 50

ii. Spike stiff not silky…... Ammophila 51

=Not as above.

i. Hairy grass, spike stiff …... Astenatherum 52

ii. Spike soft, silky, with long awns…...Eremopogon 53

iii. Flowering glumes shorter than outer ones…...Agrostis 54

iv. Continuation of the axis of spikelet usually with empty

glumes ...Lophochloa 55

B) Spikelets 2- or more-flowered.

1. Green with woody base, nodes bearded……. Danthoniopsis 56

GRAMINEAE

2. Not so.

a) Flowering glumes bearing a twisted awn.

* Fruit slightly grooved.

+Each lemma 1-awned, spikelets large…...Bromus 57

++Each glume 3-awned……..Triraphis 58

**Fruit deeply grooved………...Avena 59

b) Flowering glumes bearing a straight awn or unarmed.

* Axis of spikelets covered with long hairs.

+Glumes about equal, lemmas densely and soft hairy……….Arundo 60

++ Glumes typically unequal, lemmas long acuminate, glabrous……...Phragmites 61

** Axis of spikelets glabrous.

+Spikelets few, very large………..Trachynia 62

++Not so.

*.Flowering glumes 1-3-nerved.

+Panicles spreading …...Sphenopus 63

++Panicles with short thick branches ………...Cutandia 64

+++ Flowering glumes keeled, spikes many-flowered …………..Eragrostis 65

**Flowering glumes 5-many-nerved.

+ Spikelets in glomerules arranged in panicles ………..Dactylis 66

++ Spikelets not in glomerules.

i. Spikelets imbricate in short spikes …….Aeluropus 67

ii. Outer glumes with membranous margins ……..Schismus 68

iii. Panicles spreading, flowering glumes awned ……….Poa 69

1. SETARIA P. Beauv.

Mostly annual grasses, with flat leaves. Inflo-

rescence terminal, cylindrical, spike-like panicle,

dense or somewhat loose and lobed. Spikelets

awnless, pedicelled, of Panicum type, having un-

der the joint of the pedicel a one-sided involucre

of yellowish or reddish scabrid bristles persisting

after the spikelet has fallen. Spikelets 2-flowered,

the lower sterile or staminate, the upper perfect,

rounded on the back and flat on the ventral sur-

face. Glumes unequal, membranous, the lower

smaller than the upper. Lower glume broad, 3-

nerved, less than half the length of the spikelet.

Second glume and sterile lemma equal, or the

glume shorter. Fertile lemma hard, either smooth

or transversely wrinkled.

1. S. glauca (L.) P. Beauv. ( = Panicum

glaucum L., S. lutescens (Weigel) F. T. Hubb.):

A loosely tufted annual with erect or geniculate

culms, 30-60 cm. tall. Leaf blades soft, linear-

acuminate, with keeled sheaths and flat scabrous

blades villous on the upper surface near the base.

Inflorescence an erect, cylindrical, false, spike-

like panicle, dense, 5-10 cm. long and 1 cm.

broad, with numerous yellow, or sometimes red or

green, bristles in groups of 5-20 below each spike,

and thrice as long as spikelets. Weed of cultivated

land. ■

E, NJ.

GRAMINEAE

2. S. verticillata (L.) P. Beauv. ( =

Panicumverti- cillatum L.): A densely

tufted annual with glabrous erect or genicu-

late culms reaching a height of 90 cm.,

much branched at the base. Leaves flat, lin-

ear acuminate, flaccid, green, more or less

pilose, rough, 5-8 mm. broad. Panicle spike

-like, at first cylindrical dense and bristly,

at maturity interrupted, green or purplish, 5

-10 cm. long. Bristles of involucre 2-1,

twice as long as spikelet, retrorsely sca-

brous. In fields, gardens and waste land.

E, NJ, NH, SH.

3. S. viridis (L.) Beauv. ( = Panicum

viride L. : Annual, 30-60 cm. tall. Culm

erect. Leaves linear, 3-25 cm. long, 5-7

mm. broad, acuminate, scabrous. Panicle

dense, cylindrical, spike-like, green or pur-

plish, with pubescent axis, as contiasted

with the scabrous axis of S. verticillata.

Bristles of involucre 3-6, green or purplish,

upwardly barbed, 3-4 times as long a as

scabrous. Weed in fields.

E, NJ, S, SH.

2 . CENCHRUS L.

Annual or perennial low branching

grasses with erect or decumbent culms and

narrow flat leaf blades. Ligule a rim of

hairs. Inflorescence a solitary spike- like

panicle consisting of bur-like, sessile involucres

of more or less fused bristles or spines containing

awnless, sessile spikelets, solitary or in clusters of

2-7; involucres falling with the spikelets at ma-

turity; bristles of involucre plumose. Rachis of

inflorescence zigzag-curved. Spikelets with 2 flo-

rets, the lower male or barren, the upper her-

maphrodite; lower lemma as long as spikelet,

membranous, the upper chartaceous to coria-

ceous, Stamens 3, lodicules none. It is estimated

that this genus consist of about 25 species.

1. C. ciliaris L. ( = Pennisetum ciliaris (L.)

Link): A perennial with tufted culms, erect or ge-

niculately ascending from a woody rootstock,

stout, up to 1 m. high. Leaf-blades linear, acumin-

ate, glabrous or hairy. Inflorescence pale or pur-

plish false spike, dense, often flexuose, up to 10

cm. long or more and 2 cm. broad. Spikelets soli-

tary or in clusters of 2-3, seated on short stout

pedicels, and enveloped by an involucre of 2

kinds of unequal bristles, an outer circle of slen-

der, scabrid bristles, and an inner circle of thick-

er, longer bristles connate at the base into a small

circular disc and densely plumose-hairy around

the spikelet. One awn (Bristle) in each crown

longer than the rest, being 16 mm. long, the oth-

ers equal, not exceeding 12 mm.

SH, S, N, NJ, NF, E.

2. C. setigerus Vahl: Perennial or annual tuft-

ed branched grass, glabrous or hairy. Inflo-

rescence a dense spike-like raceme up to 8 cm.

GRAMINEAE

long and 5-8 mm. broad. Burs small, green,

3-4 mm. long, toothed with the teeth con-

nate for half their length. Awn-like bristles

absent, or if present forming a fringe at the

base of the bur. In.wadis on rock.

H, NH.

3. C. pennisetiformis Hochst. & Steud.

( = Pennisetum ciliaris (L.) Link.): An-

nual grass of varied aspect, up to 50 cm.

tall. Spike varying from long and dense to

short and lax. Bristles white, green or dark

purple, the outer ones awn-like, inner ones

thickened or flat and connate at the base

into a small cup, upwrads usually awn-like

and plumose-hairy. In sandy deserts.

NH, S, NF, NJ.

3. PENNISETUM L. C. Rich.

Annuals or perennials with spikelets of

Panicum type in a dense spike-like pani-

cle. Spikelets either solitary or in groups of

2-5, surrounded by an involucre above the

joint of the pedicel, falling off with the

spike- let; the outer bristles of the involu-

cre scabrous, the inner plumose-hairy. Flo-

rets 2 in each spikelet, the lower male or

barren, the upper hermaphrodite. Bristles

of the involucre free from the very base

and not connate into a disc as in Cenchrus. They

fall attached to the spikelet and not remaining on

the rachis as in Setaria.

1. P. divisum (Forssk. ex J. F. Gmel.) Henrard

( = P. dichotomum (Forssk.) Del.): Perennial

desert bush with the aspect of Lasiurus hirsu-

tus. Plants rush-like, growing in large thickets.

Culms geniculately ascending, up to 150 cm. tall,

from a very stout woody rootstock. Sheaths of

culms yellow, empty, persistent at the swollen

nodes. Leaf blades rigid, glaucous, pungent. In-

florescence false spike, cylindrical, 5-10 cm. long

and 10-15 mm. broad; rachis of involucre sca-

brous, with white, unequal awns. Spikelets soli-

tary rarely twin. In sandy places.

E, NJ, SH, NF, NH, S, N, R.

2. P. orientale L.C. Rich, in Pers. ( =P.

setaceum ssp. orientale (L. C. Rich.) Maire, P.

sinaicum Decne, Cenchrus orientalis Willd. ex

Boiss.): A perennial tufted grass from a very stout

rhizome. Leaves linear acuminate, flat or rolled,

up to 10 cm. long. False spike terminal, loose,

about 10 cm. long and 10-15 mm. broad, lax and

interrupted below. Spikelets in stalked clusters

surrounded by an involucre of unequal purple

awns, up to 2 cm. long, one and half to twice as

long as the spikelets, all softly plumose at the

base, of spreading fine hairs. On stony moist

land.

NJe.

GRAMINEAE

3. P. elatum Hochst. et Steud.: Perenni-

al desert grass, resembling P. divisum ex-

cept for its hairy rachis and purplish awns.

Culms tall, indurated below, forked with

few empty sheaths. Leaves few, remote,

with narrow sheath and short convolute

lamina; sheath shorter than internode.

Spikes solitary, sessile or subsessile. In de-

serts.

NJ.

4. P. purpureum Schumach. : Robust

perennial grass, often forming bamboo-like

clumps. Culms erect, 1.80-7.50 m. tall and

up to 2.5 cm. diameter at the base, arising

from the nodes of creeping rhizomes. Leaf-

sheaths usually glabrous; ligule a dense

ciliate rim, with hairs up to 12 mm. long;

lamina linear acuminate, 30-120 cm. long

and 4 cm. broad, usually hairy towards the

base. False spikes usually yellow or

brownish, sometimes purple or blackish-

purple, cylindrical, erect, 7.5-30 cm. long

and 12-30 mm. broad, excluding the awns.

Awns unequal, often dark yellow, brown or

purplish, 12-16 mm. or more long. Spike-

lets solitary or in clusters of 2-5, about 6

mm. long, glabrous.

H.

5. P. setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. ( = P.

ruppellii Steud.): Densely tufted perenni-

al grass, with long narrow leaves. Culms

simple, about 1 m. tall, terminated by a long,

nodding, pink or purple, very rich plumose false

spike. This up to 30 cm. with awns up to 35 mm.

Easily distinguishable from other species by its

longer and denser spike, with its very long awns.

Rachis straight. Spikelets 1-3 together, with long

hairs on the pedicels. On rocky ground.

SH, NH, S.

6. P. typhoideum Rich. ( = P. spicatus

Willd., P. alopecuroides L., Holcus spicatus

L.): Resembles maize. Stout grass, 2-3 m. high.

Flower-spike like a cat-tail, 30-50 cm. long.

Wild plant, rarely cultivated.

NH, N, SH, S, NJ, NF, E.

4. PASPALUM L.

Annual or perennial grasses with linear, flat

leaf- blades. Inflorescence digitate or panicle of

false spikes. Spikelets awnless of Panicum type,

plano-convex solitary or grouped, subsessile in 2

rows and edgewise on one side of the rachis.

Stigmas purple-black. Lower glume reduced;

lower flower reduced, upper one bisexual.

1. P. paspaloides (Michx.) Scribn. ( = P.

distichum L., P. digitaria Poir.): Perennial

grass with creeping rhizome. Culms arise from

the nodes of the rhizome and reach a height of up

to 40-50 cm., smooth and glabrous except for the

stiffly hairy nodes. Leaves flat, linear, acute

hairy at the mouth and ligules short membra-

GRAMINEAE

nous; leaf blades up to 12 cm. long, gla-

brous, dark-green. False spikes in a termi-

nal pair, 2.5 cm. long and 3 mm. broad,

each consisting of a flattened rachis on the

under surface of which are situated 2 rows

of shortly pedicelled, closely packed

spikelets. Spikelets oblong or elliptic-

oblong, acute, flattened on one surface,

convex on the other, 2.5-3.5 mm. long; the

upper glume as long as the spikelet, ap-

pressed-pubescent. In moist habitats.

E.

5. TRICHOLAENA Schrad.

Perennial grasses, rarely annual, with

mainly involute leaves. Panicle spreading,

open, with capillary branches. Spikelets

small, all alike, silky, 1-flowered,

with a conspicuous tuft of silky white

hairs. Lower glume small, villous ;upper

glume equal in length to sterile lemma,

both short-awned or membranous, beset

with long, mucronate, silky hairs, notched.

Fertile lemma smooth and rigid, obtuse,

boat-shaped, shorter than the spikelet.

1. T. teneriffae (L. f.) Link. ( = Pani-

cum teneriffae R. Br., Melinis tener-

iffae Hack., M. somalensis Mez., T. leu-

cantha Hochst. ex A. Rich.): Perennial,

tufted, blue-green, hairy or glabrescent

with wiry culms and indurated rootstock.

Culms 30-60 cm., branching at the base, ascend-

ing. Leaves linear, rigid, convolute 8-10 cm.

long, spreading, in flower with capillary branch-

es. Spikelets oblong, long-pedicelled, 2 mm.

long, but with the white hair-tuft 5 mm. long or

more. In sandy soil and rocky ground.

SH, NJ.

6. PANICUM L.

Annual or perennial grasses with an open,

loose much divided panicle. Leaves linear-

lanceolate. Spikelets mostly solitary, grain-like,

awnless, 2-flowered, the upper perfect, the lower

staminate or reduced. Glumes 2, in most species

unequal, herbaceous, membranous, the lower

glume very minute (sometimes obsolete), the up-

per equal to the sterile lemma. Spikelets falling

entire.

1. P. repens L. ( = P. leiogonum Del.): Per-

ennial grass with creeping rhizome. Culms stiff

and thick below, arising from swollen nodes of

the rhizome, glabrous, 50-80 cm. high. Leaves 2-

ranked, convolute, linear, villous or glabrescent,

10-35 cm. long and 4-5 mm. broad. Ligule mem-

branous ciliated ring. Panicle terminal, loose and

open, richly branched; branches capillary flexu-

ous, either solitary or few together. Spikelets ar-

ranged in twos loosely along the branches of the

panicle, pedicelled, white. In moist sandy places.

N, E.

GRAMINEAE

2. P. coloratum L. : Perennial,

similar to the preceding but with tufted

culms. Leaves with flat blades. Spikelets

purple, in a spreading pyramidal panicle.

First glume short-pointed, about one-third

the length of the spikelet. (In P. repens it

is truncate, only one-fifth.) Weed in fields

and along canal banks.

SH.

3. P. turgidum Forssk. : Perennial de-

sert grass, growing in dense tangled bushes

up to 1 m. high, or more. Culms hard,

woody, reed-like, densely branched, thick-

ened at the nodes, with clusters of brown

empty leaf sheaths at the swollen nodes.

Rootlets felty, often covered with adherent

sand, thus of a corky appearance. Branches

clustered, arising from the nodes and cov-

ered at their bases with the clusters of leaf-

sheaths. Panicle pale, lax, few-flowered.

Only species with almost equal glumes.

Abundant in sandy deserts.

SH, S, NH, N, NF, NJ, E, R.

7. ANTHEPHORA Schreb

Spikelets falling in clusters, with an in-

volucre of hairs or bristles at the base, the

spikelets themselves neither surrounded

nor subtended by bristles. Lower glume

indurated.

1. A. hochstetteri Nees ex Hochst. : Tufted

perennial grass up to 1 m. high. Culm glabrous, 2

-3-noded; uppermost internode up to 45 cm. long,

representing the peduncle. Leaf sheaths finely

striate, the lower hairy, the upper glabrous; lami-

na linear, with acute apex, up to 40 cm. long, gla-

brous. False spike dense, cylindrical, straw-

colored or purplish, 10-17 cm. long, in clusters of

up to 10 spikes each, villous at the base.

SH, NH, NJe.

8. TRAGUS Haller

Small or medium-sized annual grasses, with

somewhat rigid, short, flat leaf blades with bristly

-ciliated margins; ligule reduced to a rim of very

short hairs. Inflorescence a compound, spike-like

raceme made up of clusters of spikelets or burs (2

-5) seated at the tip of a common pedicel and

crowded on a vertical straight, angled, scabrid

axis. Spikelets 1-flowered, awnless, hermaphro-

dite, all alike, or one or more of a cluster some-

what reduced, often in pairs face to face, covered

with rows of hooked bristles. Each cluster of

spikelets or "bur" falls entire. The bur is a sort of

small contracted spike. Lower glume very small

or absent, upper prickly; lemma membranous,

small.

1. T. racemosus (L.) All. : An annual small

herb with fascicled culms mostly decumbent at

the base rooting at the nodes; culms smooth and

glabrous, often profusely branched, up to 30 cm.

GRAMINEAE

tall. Leaves rigid, flat, linear, with ciliate

scabrous margins; blade 1-3 cm. long, 2-3

mm. broad at the base; uppermost leaves

with inflated sheath embracing the base of

the panicle; lower sheaths striate, smooth

and glabrous, clasping; ligule a thick row

of short hairs. Panicle cylindrical, 6 cm.

long and 8-10 mm. broad. Burs consisting

each of 2 fertile and 1-2 sterile spikelets of

which the acuminate apex is protruding

beyond the spines. In dry places, both

sandy and rocky.

NJe, NJw, E, NF.

2. T. beteronianus Schult ( = T. major

Stapf): An annual grass with many smooth

and glabrous stems, prostrate at the base

and sometimes rooting at the nodes, finally

erect. Leaf-blades glaucous, almost cordate

at the base, lanceolate-acuminate, 2-4 mm.

wide below, up to 3 cm. long, rigid, flat,

with spaced spinous hairs on the margin;

lower sheaths clasping the culms, smooth

and glabrous, the uppermost with or with-

out a rudimentary blade, inflated, enclos-

ing the base of the inflorescence. Inflo-

rescence cylindrical, very dense, 2-5 cm.

long, spikelets small (2-3 mm.) in clusters

of 2-3 which fall attached to the common

pedicel. Similar to T. racemosus, except

that the spikes are relatively longer, denser

and narrower, being only 3-5 mm. broad.

SH, NH, E.

9. LATIPES Kunth

Small perennial grasses. Inflorescence spike-

like raceme. Leaves not bristly-margined. Spike-

lets 1- flowered, prickly as in the preceding ge-

nus, but in pairs on a flat, hard truncate pedicel

and falling with it. Glumes prickly , the lower

glume of one of the 2 spikelets of each pair very

hard, flat and recurved. Lemmas membranous.

1. L. senegalensis Kunth ( = Leptothrium

senegalense (Kunth) ): Perennial (short lived ),

rigid, tuftedly branched small grass. Leaves short,

patent, the upper ones sheathing the racemes.

Ligule a rim of hairs. Raceme up to 15 cm. long.

Spikelets reddish-brown, pedicels broad flat. As-

pect of Tragus racemosus but distinguished by

its broad, flat pedicels (in Tragus absent or mi-

nute, thin). In sandy and rocky places. 15-50 cm

high with numerous short leaves on the stems.

SH, NF.

10. ALOPECURUS L

Annual leafy grasses with flat leaf-blades, and

aspect of Agrostis, but spikelets articulating

below glumes and thus falling entire. Inflo-

rescence an oblong or terete, dense spike-like or

capitate panicle, of many closely packed 1-

flowered, hermaphrodite spikelets. Spikelets

firmly compressed and seated on and deciduous

from the cupule-like tips of short pedicels.

Glumes boat-shaped, subequal, free or slightly

united below. Lemma scarious, hyaline, truncate,

GRAMINEAE

awned at the back below the middle. Lig-

ules scarious. A genus of 25 to 35 spe-

cies . Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alopecurus

1. A. myosuroides Huds. ( = A.

agrestis L.): Annual, medium-sized gla-

brous grass with tufted slender culms. Pan-

icle spike-like, 5-10 cm. long, about 5 mm.

broad, tapering at both ends. Branches of

panicle with 1-2 spikelets each. Glumes

equal, white, ciliated on the keel, with 3

green nerves. Weed in wheat fields.

NH.

11. SACCHARUM L.

Erect, perennial, often very tall grasses,

with polished culms and linear flat, often

broad leaf-blades. Inflorescence a large

silver-silky much branched terminal,

plume-like, open panicle. Rachis breaking

up into joints at maturity, with the spikelets

attached. Spikelets twin at each joint of the

branches of the panicle, one sessile, the

other pedicelled, both bisexual, awnless, 2-

flowered; with a villous involucre, re-

presented by hairs from the lower part of

the glume; the pedicelled spikelet falling

from its pedicel, the sessile spikelet decid-

uous accompanied by the adjoining pedi-

cel. Glumes 2, nearly equal, membranous,

longer than florets.

1. S. spontaneum L. v. aegyptiacum (Willd.)

Hack. ( = S. bif lorum Forssk., S. aegyp-

tiacum Willd.): Perennial tall grass, 3-5 m. high,

growing in dense clumps. Culms terete, solid, ap-

pressed silky above. Leaves very long, dark

green, linear, stiff with white conspicuous midrib,

5-10 mm. broad. Panicle feathery, silvery, 50-60

cm. wide. Branches of panicle villous- silky; base

of spikelets with an involucre of a ring of hairs

twice as long as spikelet. Glumes pale, purplish.

On canal banks, waste places and sandy moist

soil.

NH, S, SH, NJ.

12. ELIONURUS Humb. et Bonpl. ex. Willd.

emend Kunth

Perennial caespitose grasses, rarely annual (E.

royleanus), usually reddish or purplish in color.

Culms fastigitately branched with flat leaf-blades.

Inflorescence solitary, terminal, silky-hairy, erect,

straight short spike, often embraced at the base by

the uppermost leaf-sheath, straw colored or more

often reddish in color. Rachis fragile, very brittle

with subclavate joints, 2-toothed above with a ses-

sile and a pedicelled spike at each joint (or with 3

spikelets). Spikelets 2-flowered, destitute of peni-

cillate warts. Sessile spikelets with equal glumes,

the lower 2-toothed, the upper acute, convex on

the dorsal surface; lemmas hyaline, awnless, pa-

leas usually absent. Lower floret male or empty,

GRAMINEAE

upper bisexual. Pedicelled spikelets with a

male or empty floret.

1. E. royleanus Nees ex A. Rich. : An

annual grass. Culm from a few up to 40 or

50 cm. with bearded nodes, tall, tufted,

erect or somewhat geniculate at the base,

simple or more often fatigitately branched

above, glabrous except at the nodes. Leaf-

blades linear-acuminate, 5-10 cm. long, 1-2

mm. broad, lower sheaths tight, the upper

spathaceous, bladeless, pale- green, finally

turning deep red and concealing the erect

spike. Leaf-blades at base with bulbous

long hairs. Inflorescence up to 5 cm. long.

Lower glume of the sessile spikelet elliptic,

2-keeled with a series of penicillate tuber-

cles on the keel. Pedicelled spikelets con-

sisting of 2 acicular glumes, empty.

H.

13. LASIURUS Boiss.

Perennial grasses, often woody below, with

very firm linear or convolute leaf-blades.

Inflorescence a terminal, solitary, cylindri-

cal, fragile, silky-hairy, spike-like raceme.

Spikelets hirsute, in pairs at each node of

which one is sessile and the other pedi-

celled, or in threes at the lower nodes, of

which one or the two laterals sessile, 2-

flowered, the third or middle one pedi-

celled, appressed to the axis, sterile. Axis of

spike jointed, very brittle. The lower flower

of each sessile spikelet male, the upper hermaph-

rodite. Joints and pedicels long-bearded. Glumes

unequal, the lower flat on the back, densely ciliate

on the keels, the upper boat-shaped; lemmas and

paleas hyaline.

1. L. hirsutus ( Forssk. ) Boiss. ( =

Saccharum hirsutum Forssk., Rottboellia hir-

suta Vahl, Elionurus hirsutus Munro): Perenni-

al bushy desert grass, 30-60 cm. high, character-

ized by its brittle, silky spike. Culm erect, woody

below, branching. Leaf sheath with dilated beard-

ed mouth, lamina linear convolute. Spike 10-14

cm. long and 1 cm. broad, silver-silky. Lower

glume larger than upper, sometimes bifid at the

tip. Pale yellow bushy desert grass with aspect of

Pennisetum divisum from which it differs in its

brittle silky (not scabrid tough) spike.

SH, NH, N, S, NJe, E, NF, R.

14. POLYPOGON Desl.

Annual grass with aspect of Agrostis, but

spikelets disarticulating below the glumes, thus

falling entire. Leaf-blades flat. Inflorescence a

very dense, bristly panicle of many, small, awned

spikelets. Spikelets with one bisexual sessile

flower, falling entire at maturity; callus below the

glumes slightly swollen. Glumes much longer

than florets, keeled, awned a little below the tip,

which may be undivided or bilobed. Lemma

about half as long as the glume, short-awned.

Pales hyaline 2-nerved.

GRAMINEAE

1. P. monospeliensis (L.) Desf. : Annu-

al grass, with loosely tufted or solitary,

erect, smooth and glabrous culms, 15-45

cm. high. Leaves short, broad, flat, dark-

green, up to 15 cm. long, with scarious lig-

ules 5-6 mm. long. Panicle peduncled,

ovoid to oblong or cylindrical, dense, soft,

bristly, pale-green more or less interrupted

or lobed ,6-15 cm. long and 2-3.5 cm.

thick. Spikelets 2-3 mm. long; Glumes

equal, 1-2 mm. long, ciliate-margined, end-

ing in a straight awn, 3-7 mm. long. Lem-

ma 4-toothed, half as long as the glumes,

short-awned. Weed in moist sandy places

and along irrigation canals.

NH, N, SH, S, NJ, NF, E, R.

2. P. semiverticillatus (Forssk.) Hyl. ( =

Phalaris semiverticillata (Forssk.) Chris-

tens., A. verticillata Vill., Polypogon

viridis (Gouan) Beistr.):A loosely tufted

perennial grass, with culms up to 100 cm.

tall, smooth and glabrous. Panicle erect,

lobed, with densely spiculate, semiverticil-

late branches, green or purple- flushed, 3-

10 cm. long, dense but interrupted, with

whorled short branches, spikelet-bearing

from the base. Spikelets lanceolate, 2-2.5

mm. long; glumes toothed on the keel. Pa-

lea as long as lemma.

SH.

15. THEMEDA Forssk.

Of Andropogon type. Coarse annual or peren-

nial grasses with narrow leaves and erect, low or

very tall culms, with reed-like stems. The unit of

the inflorescence is a spatheolate raceme of 7-9-

11 spikelets together in one cluster. In each clus-

ter the lowest pair, or pairs, of spikelets are re-

duced and form a sort of involucre around the 1-3

upper fertile spikelets; thus the clusters are tassel-

like, each embraced by a spathe-like sheath. Clus-

ters (spatheolate racemes) arranged in a narrow,

very lax panicle. Awns stout, silky, terminating

the lemmas in the fertile spikelets.

1. .T. triandra Forssk. ( = Anthistiria

imberbis and ciliata Retz., T.forsskalii Hack.):

Perennials up to 1 m. high, densely tufted. Culms

glabrous, up to 1.5 m., terminated by a panicle

made of clusters of spikelets, each cluster em-

braced by a spathe or, spatheole; spathes and

spatheoles compressed, boat- shaped. Spikelets

large, reddish, sterile ones awnless. often with tu-

bercle-based hairs. Awn curved, dark- brown, up

to 7 cm. Leaves keeled, shorter than the inter-

nodes. Distinguished from other species by its

panicle which is very lax with spaced groups of

spikelets, and the lower glumes of the involucral

spikelets which are more than 6 mm. long.

S, SH.

16. ANDROPOGON L.

Perennial grasses with linear spike-like racemes

in terminal pairs at apex of culm and its branches.

Awn glabrous arising from the sinus of the bifid

GRAMINEAE

lemma. Together with the 7 genera

Cymbopogon, Hyparrhenia, Themeda.

Dichanthium, Eremopogon, Chrysopo-

gon and Sorghum distinguished by the

following characters: spikelets imbricated,

usually in pairs of one sessile and fertile

and the other pedicelled and male or ster-

ile. Glumes awnless, rigid and enclosing

the membranous lemmas. Fertile lemma

usually awned and bifid; awn glabrous,

kneed and twisted.

1. A. distachyos L. ( = Pollinia dis-

tachya Spreng.): Dense tufted grass, up to

1 m. tall. Culms simple, erect, slender, gla-

brous, rarely over 3 mm. wide. Racemes

dense, up to 10 cm. long and 5 mm. broad,

in a terminal pair. Sessile spikelets 1 cm.

long, glabrous or sometimes hairy, with a

kneed awn up to 2 cm. long. Pedicellate

spikelets narrower and terminated by a

bristle up to 6 mm. long. Weed in fields

and along irrigation canals.

SH, S, NH.

2. A. faveolatus Del.: Bluish-green tuft-

ed grass. Culms erect hirtulous at the

nodes. Leaves sparingly ciliate at margin,

on lower surface and at mouth of sheath.

Racemes 4-5 cm. long and 3 mm. broad.

Rachilla and pedicels white hairy. Lower

floret of spikelet sterile, glumes of perfect

floret short-ciliate at tip. In sandy places.

SH, S, NH.

17. CHRYSOPOGON Trin.

Of Andropogon type. Perennial grasses, usu-

ally decumbent at the base, with narrow leaf

blades, and sheaths which are often sharply

keeled. Inflorescence an open, naked, loose ter-

minal panicle. Spikelets at apex of capillary long

branches, awned, in clusters of 3, one sessile and

2 pedicelled, articulated to the bearded tips of the

capillary branches, the three spikelets falling unit-

ed like a true spikelet. Glabrous awns arising

from the sinus of the bifid lemma, and plumose

ones from the glumes.

1. C. aucheri (Boiss.) Stapf v. quinqueplum-

is (A. Rich.) Stapf ( =Andropogon quinque-

plumis Hochst. ex Steud.): Perennial grass. Culm

bases woody, abundantly branched forming clus-

ters of culms and short leafy branches. Culms

slender, 30-60 cm. high. Leaf- sheaths very tight,

glabrous. Leaves short, crowded at the base; lig-

ule a ciliate rim; lamina linear, 2.5-10 cm. long

and 2-3 mm. broad. Panicle oblong, exserted, 5-

10 cm. long, of capillary, whorled branches,

bearded at tip. In each whorl up to 12 capillary

branches. Sessile spikelets linear-subulate, up to 8

mm. long; callus densely bearded with tawny

hairs; glumes subequal, the upper produced into a

plumose awn 1-2 times the length of the spikelet.

GRAMINEAE

Pedicellate spikelets with membranous

glumes produced into plumose awns. The

species derives its name, 5 plumes, from

the 5 plumose awns of each cluster of

spikelets, of which 4 are borne by the 4

glumes of the 2 pedicelled spikelets and

the fifth by the upper glume of the sessile

spikelet. In rock crevices.

SH, S, N, NJ, E.

8. CYMBOPOGON Spreng.

Of Andropogon type. Perennial tufted

aromatic grasses, with dense growth, linear

coarse leaf-blades and erect culms. Panicle

compound spathaceous, made of 2 short

racemes, surrounded together by a spathe-

like sheath. Spikelets in pairs seated at

each joint of the rachis of the raceme, one

spikelet of each pair sessile, the other pedi-

celled. The lower one or two pairs in each

raceme homogamous (male or empty).

Spikelets 2-flowered, the lower male or

sterile, the upper hermaphrodite in the ses-

sile, male or sterile in the pedicellate spike-

let. Awn glabrous, arising from the sinus of

the bifid lemma.

1. C. nervatus (Hochst.) Chiov. : An-

nual herbs. Culms erect, up to 1 m. high,

glabrous, smooth. Leaf sheaths glaucous,

long, slipping early from culm, ligule

membranous, lamina linear, tapering, up to

30 or more cm. long and 12 mm. broad. Panicle

spatheate, narrow, dense, 10-15 cm. long; spathes

narrowly lanceolate, long, acuminate; spatheoles

very narrow, 12-16 mm. long. Racemes in pairs,

finally more or less spreading, 12-16 mm. long.

Fertile spikelets lanceolate-oblong, 3-6 mm. long.

E.

2. C. schoenanthus (L.) Spreng. ( = Andro-

pogon schoenanthus L.): A typical desert spe-

cies containing an aromatic oil that persists in the

leaves for many years. Leaves very thin, filiform,

1 mm. broad. Panicle lax, loose, with usually sim-

ple branches (in other species compound branch-

es). In dry stony places.

SH, NH, N, S, NJ, NF, E, R

19. HYPARRHENIA Anderss.

Of Andropogon type. Annual or perennial

coarse grasses with flat leaf blades. Inflorescence

a spatheate loose panicle of pairs of narrow, spike

-like, short racemes , each raceme pair surround-

ed by a spathaceous sheath, the pairs together

forming a compound panicle. Spikelets paired,

one sessile hermaphrodite, the other pedicelled,

male. Only the fertile spikelets awned, others

awnless. Spikelets 2-flowered, the lower floret

rudimentary, the upper fertile in the sessile spike-

lets, male or sterile in the pedicellate spikelets.

Awn finely-hirsute, arising from the sinus of the

bifid lemma.

GRAMINEAE

1. H. hirta (L.) Stapf ( = Andropogon

hirtus L.): Tufted perennial grass, 50-100

cm. tall, with glabrous culms branching

above and glabrous nodes. Leaves narrow,

1-3 mm. broad, scabrous at the margin,

convolute, glaucescent, rolled or folded.

Panicle 10-20 cm. long. Spike-like racemes

in pairs, slightly divergent, somewhat nod-

ding, flattened, 2-3 cm. long and 5 mm.

broad; rachis and pedicels densely short-

hairy. Spikelets only 1 mm. broad, varying

from scantily hairy to densely villous, rare-

ly glabrous. Glumes of perfect spikelets

equal, obtuse, the lower many-nerved.

Awn keeled, up to 3 cm. long. On sandy

ground and in rocky fissures.

SH, NJe, S, N, E, NF, R.

20. SORGHUM Moench

Of Andropogon type. Usually tall an-

nuals or rarely perennial herbs, with stout

erect culms, broad, flat, linear leaf-blades

and large, spreading, terminal naked pani-

cles. Panicles made up of few to many

pairs of spikelets. Spikelets 2-3 together on

the branches of the panicle, one sessile fer-

tile, the others pedicelled, sterile or male,

Spikelets 2-flowered, the lower floret in

sessile and pedicelled spikelets alike re-

duced to an empty lemma; upper floret bi-

sexual in sessile spikelets, male or sterile in

pedicelled ones. Glumes coriaceous equal,

the lower flattened and keeled, the upper

shallowly boat-shaped. Lemmas hyaline, bifid,

with a long, geniculate, twisted awn arising from

the sinus of the bifid lemma. Awn deciduous. Pa-

leas minute or absent.

1. S. virgatum (Hack.) Stapf. : Annual grass,

sometimes perennial; rhizomes absent. Panicle

narrow,

contracted, up to 60 cm. long and 1-5 cm. broad,

with suberect, slender branches. Leaves up to 15

mm. broad. Spikelets yellowish-green, sometimes

purple, up to 7 mm. long, deciduous. Weed in

fields on sandy soil.

NH.

21. LOLIUM L.

Medium-sized, glabrous, annual or perennial

grasses, with flat leaf blades. Inflorescence a ter-

minal, interrupted, lax, flattened spike of spike-

lets, distinctly and alternately arranged at the

nodes in the cavities of a more or less tough axis;

rachilla disarticulating above the glumes and be-

tween the florets. Spikes mostly solitary, sessile,

3-many-flowered, flat, turning the edge to the

rachis, 2-ranked. Florets bisexual or the upper

ones more or less reduced. Only the outer glume

developed, the inner one usually reduced or ab-

sent. The developed glumes, except in the termi-

nal spikelet, firm, 5-7-nerved. Lemmas obtuse,

sometimes awned or aristate, rounded at the back.

1. L. perenne L. : A densely perennial grass,

or may be annual in arid countries. Culms simple,

GRAMINEAE

erect, glabrous, up to 90 cm. tall, very

leafy, bearing clusters of leaves at the base.

Leaf-blades glossy, firm, linear, up to 20

cm. long and 5 mm. broad, flat, folded in

the bud, together with the sheaths glabrous

and smooth. Inflorescence a straight, lax

spike, 5-20 cm. long. Spikelets flattened

awnless, 5-10-flowered, ad- pressed to the

culm, up to 2 cm. long. Glume acute, lan-

ceolate, a little shorter than the spikelet;

lemmas blunt. In fields and roadsides.

NH, SH.

2. L. multiflorum Lam. : An annual or

biennial grass, with solitary or fascicled

culms 30 to 80 cm. tall, slightly rough sca-

brous towards the top, otherwise smooth

and glabrous, geniculate. Spike up to 30

cm. long, with numerous spikelets, more

spaced towards the base. Spikelets not so

tightly adpressed to culm as L. perenne,

awned, 10-20-flowered, lanceolate, and

may reach a length of 3 cm. Variable in

habit. Weed in fields and along canal

banks.

NH, N, SH, S, NJ, NF, E.

3. L. temulentum L. : Annual, tall, ro-

bust grass, with glabrous, tufted, rarely sol-

itary, stiff culms up to 60 cm. tall. Leaves

firm, flat, linear, 5-10 mm. broad, with the

blades linear-acuminate, auricled at the

base, up to 30 cm. long. Spike rigid, lax, up

to 30 cm. long. Spikelets swollen, elliptical (in all

other species lanceolate), 3-8-flowered, as long as

internode or longer. Glumes very firm, sometimes

up to 3 cm. long. Lemmas obtuse. Fruit thick,

swollen (in all others thin). Weed in fields.

SH.

4. L. rigidum Gaudin: An annual grass with

many fascicled, geniculately ascending culms, up

to 80 cm. tall, often branched at the base. Leaves

flat, linear- acuminate with short brown ligule.

Plant bluish- green, scabrous of rigid stiff habit.

Sterile leaf-shoots lacking. Spike stiff, often in-

curved, up to 30 cm. long. Spikelets flattened

oblong or lanceolate, 3-10-flowered, up to 2 cm.

long, appressed to the rachis. Glumes linear-

lanceolate, upper glume nearly as long as the

spikelet, coriaceous. Lemmas awnless, or short-

awned, papery, scabrous, muticous. In rocky and

sandy fields.

NH, N, SH, S, NJ, NF, E.

22. EREMOPYRUM (Ledeb.) Jaub. et Sp.

Small annual grasses with geniculate culms

and flat leaf-blades. Inflorescence a compact,

short, dense, pectinate-looking spike, consisting

of a fragile axis with very short internodes, the

spikelets being seated alternately at each node.

Spikelets laterally compressed, several-flowered

with bisexual florets, imbricated, patent; florets

bisexual or the uppermost rudimentary, rachilla

disarticulating above the glumes and below the

GRAMINEAE

florets. Glumes keeled, coriaceous, with

thick midrib, equal, strongly nerved, as

well as the lemmas long-pointed, but not

awned.

1. E. distans (C. Koch) Nevski. in Ko-

mar. ( = E orientate (L.) Jaub. & Sp. v.

Lasianthum (Boiss.) Maire, Secale ori-

ent ale L., Agropyrum lasianthum

Boiss. and A. distans C. Koch): Annual

grass distinguished by its woolly spikelets.

Culms fasciculate, geniculate at the base,

erect, smooth and glabrous, up to 15 cm.

tall, pilose below the spike. Leaf-blades

flat, 6-8 cm. long and 2-3 mm. broad,

scabrid on the margin and on the upper

surface, smooth below, linear-acuminate,

glabrous or with a few scattered hairs on

the upper surface. Spike oblong, densely

villous, 2.5-5 cm. long and 1.5-2.5 cm.

broad. Spikelets 3-5-flowered, 1.5-2.5 cm.

long, the lower florets hermaphrodite, the

upper more or less reduced. Glumes nar-

rowly linear-acuminate, keeled, with their

awns as long as the lemmas (6 mm. long)

pilose.

23. AEGILOPS L.

Annual grasses with narrow flat leaf

blades, rarely rolled. Culms usually kneed

at the base. Inflorescence awned spike con-

sisting of hermaphrodite, solitary spikelets, all

alike or the upper rudimentary, seated flat-wise at

the nodes of a fragile or tough axis and falling

with the adjacent joint or that next below, sup-

ported below by 1-several vestigial spikelets.

Spikelets cylindrical or more or less ovoid in

shape, 2-5-flowered. Glumes rather thick, leath-

ery, with rounded back and truncate, toothed or

awned apex. Lemmas chartaceous or membra-

nous below becoming firmer and definitely

nerved towards the tips; toothed or awned above;

paleas 2-keeled.

1. A. triuncialis L. ( = A. variabilis Eig.): A

glaucous annual grass about 7.5 cm. tall,

branched at the base and erect or geniculate as-

cending. Leaf-blades linear acuminate 10 cm.

long, glabrous or sparsely hairy; lower leaf-

sheaths often hairy, scarious. Spike on a long-

exserted peduncle, 4-6 cm. long, excluding the

awns. Spikelets scabrous decreasing in size up-

wards, falling entire or divided; glumes of the

lowest spikelets 7-10 mm. long, with nerves of

unequal breadth and shallow furrows between

them, scabrid or covered with short silvery hairs,

usually with 3 teeth or awns, often the two outer

teeth awned and the central one not awned; the

awns of the uppermost spikelets much the long-

est, being 3-6 cm. long.

NH, SH, E, R.

2. A. kotschyi Boiss. v. palaestina Eig. ( = A.

triaristata Willd.): An annual grass with many

GRAMINEAE

erect or ascending culms branched from

the base. Culm 20 cm. long, with short,

lanceolate-acuminate rough leaves, the

margins of which are often ciliated with

hairs, especially at base; sheaths sparsely

hairy below. Spike thick, of 4(2-6) spike-

lets, roughly lanceolate in outline, 2-3 cm.

long. Spikelets slightly inflated above the

middle. Glumes broad, 5-6 mm. long, trun-

cate, strongly nerved, ending in 3-4 paral-

lel, antrorse-barbed, flat, 3-nerved, often

patent awns. Distinguished by its several-

awned glumes.

E, NJ, NF.

24. HORDEUM L.

Annuals with flat leaf-blades auricled at

the base. Inflorescence erect compressed,

bristly dense spike. Spikelets 1-flowered,

awned, usually 3 together at each node.

Each triplet of spikelets consists of a ses-

sile bisexual spikelet flanked by 2 sessile

or pedicelled imperfect lateral spikelets

seated alternately at the nodes of a tough

or fragile rachis; sometimes lateral spike-

lets reduced to bristles; the three spikelets

falling together. Rachilla produced in the

central spikelet. Glumes subulate, linear,

rigid, mostly awn - like, sometimes ex-

panded at the base. Lemma 5 - nerved, ta-

pering into a long awn, rounded on the

back, Palea 2 - nerved; lemma and palea adherent

to the grain or the latter free.

1. H. leporinum Link (= H. murinum v.

leporinum (Link) Bory et Chaub. and ssp. lep-

orinum (Link) Arcangeli, H. ambiguum

Doell. in Mart.): An annual grass with erect or

ascending solitary or loosely fasciculate, genicu-

late culms 10-50 cm. tall. Leaf blades linear acu-

minate, up to 10 cm. long, glabrous or sparsely

hairy, flat or convolute. Spike relatively short and

thick. Lemmas of the lateral spikelets about twice

as long as the lemma of the central spikelet. The

hairy glumes of the lateral spikelets long-ciliated

on both edges, wider than those of the middle

spikelet. In dry sandy places.

NJe.

25. SCHOENFELDIA Kunth

Spike crowded, 2-ranked, usually solitary,

very flexible. Spikelets small, 1-flowered, sessile.

Awn long, curved, terminating the lemma.

1. S. gracilis Kunth: Annual grass, up to 1 m.

high, with tufted, slender culms. Leaves narrow,

linear, enrolled, pilose on the upper surface near

the base; ligules short, ciliate. Spike solitary,

rarely 2-3-digitate, narrow, pale green or golden,

10-12 cm. long. Awns curved, 2-3 cm. long, one

from each spikelet.

E.

GRAMINEAE

26. CYNODON L. R. Rich.

Perennial grasses with creeping rhi-

zomes and short narrow leaf-blades. Lig-

ule a rim of hairs. Inflorescence a collec-

tion of narrow, 1-2 mm broad spikes digi-

tately arranged at the tips of the culms

Spikelets all alike, 1-flowered, awnless,

laterally compressed, biseriate. Glumes

more or less equal, thin, keeled, lemma

longer and broader than the glumes, firmly

membranous or chartaceous, boat-shaped;

paleas 2-keeled. Resembling Digitaria

sanguinalis, but in that species ligules

scarious and spikelets paired of one sessile

and one pedicelled together.

1. C. dactylon (L.) Pers. (= Panicum

dactylon L., Dactylon officinale

Vill.): (Bermuda grass). Perennial, with

creeping rhizomes bearing many erect

branches with 2-ranked, short, linear, acu-

minate crowded leaves; ligule reduced to a

fringe of hairs. Spikes digitate, few togeth-

er, often purple, few cm. long, spikelets

solitary, each of one fertile floret and one

or several empty lemmas. Lemmas broad,

keeled, often villous, the fertile one with a

fine slender awn or mucro from between

the short teeth of a bifid apex, the sterile

one awned or awnless. In fields and sandy

places all the year round.

NH, N, SH, S, NJ, NF, E, R.

27. CTENIUM Panz.

Spikes solitary. Spikelets each with one fer-

tile floret and 2 imperfect florets below it, and 2

or more imperfect florets above it; upper glume

with a stiff bristle from the back.

1. .C. elegans Kunth. : Tufted annual or

perennial herb, 40-50 cm. high. Leaves few, nar-

row. Spikes solitary, curved, up to 30 cm. long.

Spikelets very narrow, densely packed on one

side of the axis, like the teeth of a comb.

E.

28. DICHANTHIUM Willemet.

Of Andropogon type. Annual or perennial

grass with flat leaf-blades. Inflorescence 3-9 sub-

digitate spike-like racemes, consisting of jointed,

fragile axes, at the articulations of which the

spikelets are situated in pairs, one sessile and one

pedicelled. Florets 2; in the sessile spikelets the

lower sterile, the upper hermaphrodite; in the

pedicelled spikelets both florets or one of them

male, or both of them sterile, the florets of the 2-

4 lowest pairs sterile. Glumes of equal length, the

lower flat, many-nerved, the upper boat-shaped.

Lemmas hyaline, the upper terminated gradually

by a glabrous geniculate, narrow awn. Paleas mi-

nute or absent.

1. D. annulatum (Forssk.) Stapf ( =

Andropogon annulatus Forssk.): A perennial

grass with a thick woody rhizome. Culms dense-

GRAMINEAE

ly tufted, geniculate or erect, up to 1 m.

high, long-bearded at the nodes. Inflo-

rescence of several spike-like subdigitate

racemes, purplish in color, consisting of

several, overlapping sessile and pedicelled

spikelets. Sessile spikelets awned. Awns

long, slender, kneed.

NJe, NJw, H.

29. CHLORIS Swartz

Annual or perennial grasses with erect

culms, sometimes decumbent at the base,

and usually flat leaf-blades. Inflorescence

3 or more digitate, silky villous spikes.

Spikelets awned, villous, usually wedge-

shaped, all alike, 2-4-flowered, crowded,

sessile, laterally compressed, biseriate and

secund on a straight axis; rachilla disartic-

ulating above the glumes, continuous be-

tween the florets. Each spikelet with only

one fertile floret, all the others being re-

duced to empty lemmas; lowest lemma

usually broad, chartaceous, 3-nerved, often

ciliate on the marginal nerves, awned be-

low the emarginate tip; palea equal in

length to the lemma. Lemmas keeled,

broad and villous; fertile lemma with a

straight awn from the sinus between the 2

lobes of the apex, sterile-one awned or

awnless.

1. C. prieurii Kunth ( = C. punctulata

Hochst. ex Steud.): Perennial grass.

Leaves finely pubescent (in all others glabrous).

Spikelets 4-6-awned, without a hairtuft.

2. C. virgata Swartz ( = C. meccano Hockst.

et Steud., C. barbata v. meccana Asch. et

Schweinf., C. virgata v. elegans Stapf): Annual

grass, decumbent and rooting at the base, much

variable in size from a few cm. to a tall robust

grass, reaching a height of 50 cm., smooth and

glabrous even at the nodes. Leaf- blades linear-

acuminate up to 15 cm. long, flat, flaccid, rather

rough on the margins, hairy towards the base,

upper sheaths somewhat inflated, smooth and

glabrous. Spikes 2-8 cm. long, soft, silky, due to

the spikelets having a terminal hair-tuft from the

upper margin of the lemma.

NJ.

30. MELANOCENCHRIS Nees

Annual or perennial grasses with flat or con-

volute leaves. Inflorescence simple, one-sided

spike, bearing few, remote, small, sessile spikelet

clusters. Each cluster turbinate and softly hairy,

with numerous exserted awns; it is made of sev-

eral spikelets grouped together and falling off

entire, like a true spikelet. Spikelets 1-2-

flowered. Lower glume linear, upper with a broad

hyaline wing on each side, both glumes 3 -

nerved with the mid nerve produced as a scabrid

purplish awn.

1. M. abyssinica (R. Br.) Hochst. ( = Grac-

ilea royleana Hook, f., M. royleana Nees):

Tall, capillary, branched, nodding annual grass,

GRAMINEAE

with culms 10-20 cm long. Leaf blades

short, narrow, with bearded ligules. Spike-

clusters 12 mm. long, including awns.

Glumes equal, awn-like, plumose hairy.

Lemmas membranous, ovate, 3-nerved, all

nerves protruding into short awns. On dry

sunny rocky ground.

SH.

31. TETRAPOGON Desf.

Perennial grasses, closely allied to

Chloris. Spikelets 3-4-flowered, 2-ranked,

either in one solitary spike, or the spike

split upward into 2 erect ones adnate by

their inner face. Spikelets always with

more than 2 awns. Awns long, arising just

below the tips of the lemmas.

1. T. villosus Desf. ( = Chloris villosa

Pers.): Tufted perennial grass. Leaves

short, glabrous, blue-green, crowded in

dense rosettes at the base of the plant.

Spike thick, 4-7 cm. long and 1.5 cm.

broad (including the awns). Spikelets vil-

lous, pale-yellow; glumes small, 2-3 mm.

long. In rocky places.

SH, S, NJ.

2. T. spathaceus (Hockst.) Hack, ex

Dur. & Schinz ( = Chloris spathacea

Hochst. ex Steud.): Perennial tufted small

herb. Culm slender, leafy. Spike 4-5 cm. long,

partly enveloped by the inflated spathaceous

sheath of the uppermost leaf. Spikelets densely

silky-villous. Glumes much unequal, the lower

long, acuminate up to 1 cm. long, exceeding the

spikelet. In rocky places.

SH.

32. COELACHYRUM Hochst. et Nees

Annual small grasses with short leaves. Spikes

dense, 3-6, digitately or corymbosely arranged.

Spikelets few-flowered, awnless, not keeled.

1. C. brevifolium (Hochst.) Nees ( = Erag-

rostis coelachyrum Benth., Eleusine brevifo-

lia Hochst. & Steud. ex Boiss.): Annual, about 15

cm. high. Leaves broad, short, acuminate, with

reduced ligules. Spike whitish-green with dark

nerves, 2 cm. long and 5 cm. broad. The plant

looks like Echinocloa colonum. In sandy plac-

es.

SH.

33. DACTYLOCTENIUM Willd.

Annuals with flat leaves. Inflorescence an um-

bel of digitate spikes; similar to the Genus Eleu-

sine, except that the spikes here are terminated

by the naked tip of the rachis. Spikelets patent,

sessile, laterally compressed, densely crowded

and imbricate, 2-seriate and secund on the axis;

flowers 3-5, hermaphrodite, with a short

awn or mucro on the second glume and the

lemmas. Glumes subequal, firmly com-

pressed, the lower persistent, the upper de-

ciduous, awned or mucronate with the awn

or mucro curved; paleas 2-keeled, hyaline.

It is estimated that species in this genus are

13.

1. D. aegyptium (L.) P. Beau v. ( = Cy-

nosurus aegyptius L.): Annual grass with

erect culms, or stems prostrate at the base,

rooting at the nodes, finally erect, smooth

and glabrous. Leaf-blades linear acumin-

ate, up to 15 cm. long, ciliate at the margin,

glabrous or tubercled near the base, with

bulbous short hairs; ligule short ciliate. In-

florescence digitate, of 2-6 spreading

spikes, about 5 mm. broad and 10 mm.

(sometimes up to 50 mm.) long, pale to

dove grey. Spikelets 3-4- flowered, com-

pressed, densely imbricate in 2 rows along

one side of the flat rachis; rachis flexuous,

ending in an acuminate tip. Lower glume 1

-nrved. Weed in fields

NH, N, SH, S, NJ, NF, E, R.

2. D. scindicum Boiss. ( = Eleusine

scindica Duthie, E. glaucophylla Munro

ex Benth.): Similar to the preceding, but

with shorter, more crowded, spikes. Inflo-

rescence more or less head-like. Leaf-

blades and sheaths copiously covered with

long soft hairs. Second glume and lemmas have

longer awns than in D. aegyptium.

SH, NH.

34. ELEUSINE Gaertn.

Spikes digitate, broad, one-sided. Spikelets 3-

many-flowered, awnless, sessile, 2-ranked, ar-

ranged alternately on the flattened rachis. Some-

times one or 2 spikes occur at a short distance

below the terminal digitate cluster. Rachis of

spike not terminated by a naked tip. This species is

comprised of 9 annual and perennial species Eleusine

compressa is excluded from the genus ELEUSINE

and now considered as a synonymous with Och-

thochloa compressa (Forssk.) see:

Taxonomic Status of the Disputable Eleusine com-

pressa (Gramineae), Khidir W. Hilu, Kew Bulle-

tin,Vol. 36, No. 3 (1981), pp. 559-563

1. E. compressa (Forssk.) Asch. & Schweinf.

ex Christens. ( = E. flugellifera Nees): Perennial

with creeping rhizome, branched and rooting at

the nodes. Rhizomes usually leafy and thickened.

Pale-green stiff grass with long acuminate leaves.

Spikes 2-3 cm. long, pale. Spikelets compressed

and closely imbricate. Glumes and lemmas thin,

scabrous, ciliated on the keel. In sandy places.

NH, N, SH, S, NJ, NF, E, R.

2. E. coracana (L.) Gaertn.: Cultivated

under the common name "African millet" or

―Finger millet”. Annual. Culms tufted, ro-

bust, erect or ascending, usually branched,

50–120 cm tall. Leaf sheaths glabrous; leaf

blades flat, 30–60 × 0.6–1.2 cm, pilose or

glabrous; ligule 1–2 mm. Inflorescence sub-

digitate, racemes 5–20, stout, often incurved

at maturity, 5–10 × 0.8–1.5 cm, hairy at

base. Spikelets very closely imbricate,

ovate, 5–9 mm, florets 6–9, not disarticulat-

ing at maturity; glumes lanceolate-oblong,

scabrid along the winged keel; lower glume

3-veined, 1.5–3 mm; upper glume with ad-

ditional veins in keel, 1.8–5 mm; lemmas

triangular ovate, 2.2–4.7 mm, keel 3-veined,

scabrid and narrowly winged, subacute; pa-

lea narrowly ovate, keels scabrid, winged.

Grain yellowish brown, globose, finely stri-

ate-punctate. Cultivated cereal crop.

E, NJe.

3. E. indica (L.) Gaertn. Annual grass of

variable size. Culms erect or ascending,

branched below. Spikes flat, straight, 4-15

cm. long in digitate clusters of 2-6, with

one or two extra spikes at a short distance

below the terminal cluster. Glumes persis-

tent and lemmas deciduous. In sandy plac-

es.

NH, N, SH, S, NJ, NF, E, R.

35. DESMOSTACHYA Stapf

Perennial rigid grasses with very long

rosetted leaves. Inflorescence elongated

spike-like panicle. Spikelets all alike, hermaphro-

dite, many-flowered, awnless, flat and keeled,

much compressed, sessile, or subsessile, much

crowded, falling entire. Glumes very unequal,

lanceolate, 1-nerved, membranous, shorter than

the lemmas. Lemmas ovate - acute, keeled, mem-

branous; palea 2-keeled, shorter than the lemmas.

1. D. bipinnata (L.) Stapf ( = Briza bipima-

ta L., Leptochloa bipinnata (L.) Hochst., Erag-

rostis bipinnata (L.) Muschl., E. cynosuroides

(Retz.) Beauv., Stapfiola bipinnata (L.) Ktze):

A robust, tufted, perennial grass over 1 m. tall,

with a thick creeping, widely spreading rhizome.

Culms terete, forming massive tufts. Leaves up to

50 cm. long, in a compact basal rosette; leaf

blades linear, convolute. Leaf rosette surrounded

by empty sheaths. Inflorescence narrow, erect,

cylindrical, spike-like panicle, up to 40 cm. long

and 2.5 cm. broad, bipinnate, flattened, made up

of densely crowded or spaced, ascending or

spreading short spikelets. Spikelets sessile, flat,

imbricated, 6-12- (sometimes up to 18-) flowered,

5 mm. long, closely packed on short branches.

Resembling Imperata cylindrica when out of

flower. On canal banks and waste land.

SH.

36. DIGITARIA Heist, ex Fabr.

Of Panicum type. Perennials or annuals with

small awnless spikelets. Culms erect, mostly de-

cumbent at the base. Leaves narrow, flat, often

soft. Inflorescence digitate, made of spike-like

racemes 1-2 mm. broad on the top of the

culm or its branches. Spikelets sessile or

short-pedicelled arranged alternately in 2

rows alongside the rachis, 2-flowered; low-

er floret of each spikelet reduced to a sim-

ple small glume, upper floret only fertile.

Glumes unequal, the lower as long as the

spikelet, narrow, rarely absent. Looks like

Cynodon, but spikelets here grouped 3-2

together and ligules scarious.

1. D. sanguinalis (L.) Scop. ( = Pani-

cum sanguinale L.): Annual, often pur-

plish grass. Culms ascending, often rooting

at the base, branching from the nodes.

Leaves linear acuminate, slightly hairy, up

to 15 cm. long and 8 mm. broad; sheaths

covered below with a dense hirsute cover-

ing of tubercle-based hairs. Racemes 5-12

cm. long, at length spreading, often pur-

plish. Spikelets acute, 3 mm. long; lower

glume very short, upper larger. In fields

and waste places.

N, S, E, H.

2. D. nodosa Pari. : Perennial, densely

tufted grass with tall, glabrous culms swol-

len at the base and surrounded there by

empty hairy sheaths. Spikelets pale-green,

few mm. long, densely hairy. Leaves nar-

row, with long spreading hairs at the mouth

of the sheath.

SH, NH,

37. ECHINOCHLOA P. Beauv.

Annual or perennial grasses, with flat, often

flaccid leaf-blades. Inflorescence a panicle made

up of racemes of spikelets in false spikes. Leaves

without ligules, or ligules reduced to a rim of

hairs. Spikelets hispid, sessile or pedicelled,

closely packed, usually awned, dorsally com-

pressed, rounded on the back, flat on the ventral

surface, 2-flowered, arranged in spike-like ra-

cemes along the main axis. Spikelets of Panicum

type. Glumes unequal, membranous, the lower

much smaller, mucronate, the upper as long as the

spikelet, mucronate or short-awned.

1. E. colonum (L.) Link. ( = Panicum colo-

num L:): Annual. Culm simple or branching from

the base, often rooting at the basal nodes. Leaves

flat, scabrous. Panicle (false spike) terminal, 5-10

cm. long, composed of simple, alternate or nearly

opposite, oblong spikes 1-2 cm. long; axis of pan-

icle at the insertion of lower spikes sometimes

hairy. Spikelets in 4 rows on a rough axis. Second

glume and sterile lemma with hispid- scabrous

nerves. In fields and moist places.

E, NJ, SH.

38. BRACHIARIA Griseb.

Annual or perennial grasses of Panicum type,

with narrow, flat leaf-blades and upright culms

often decumbent at the base. Inflorescence a pan-

icle of several racemosely arranged, remote or

closely packed, spike-like racemes. Spikelets

awnless, short-pedicelled or nearly sessile; un-

like other genera of Panicum type in hav-

ing the first (short) glume facing the rachis

and not turned away from it. Glumes une-

qual, the lower very much smaller than the

upper, which is almost as long as the

spikelet. Lower lemma of the same texture

and shape as the upper glume.

1. B. leersioides (Hochst.) Stapf ( =

Panicum leersioides Hochst.): Annual,

pale-green, tufted grass, with glabrous

culm and acuminate leaves. Racemes re-

mote, patent, loose - flowered, about 2 cm.

long. Spikelets small, glabrous, 2 mm.

long, with few long hairs on the short ped-

icels. In valleys, weed in fields, along irri-

gation canals.

NH, SH.

2. B. eruciformis (Sibth. & Sm.)

Griseb. ( = B. isachne Stapf, Panicum

eruciforme Sibth. & Sm.): A loosely tuft-

ed annual grass, with branching, genicu-

late, hairy-noded culms, creeping and

rooting at the nodes. Leaves softly pubes-

cent, linear-lanceolate, 2-6 cm. long and 3-

4 mm. broad; sheaths more or less hairy.

Inflorescence a series of erect, stiff,

spaced, 2-ranked spike-like racemes not

exceeding 15 mm. in length. Spikelets

light-green, pubescent, 2 mm. long. Weed

in cultivated land.

SH.

3. B. regularis (Nees ) Stapf ( = Panicum

regulare Nees, P. petiverii Balf. f.): Annual,

60 cm. tall, densely pubescent. Leaves broader

and racemes longer than in other species. Ra-

cemes very loose, ascending or spreading up to 6

cm. long. Spikelets finely pubescent, large,

sometimes long-pedicelled, in which case the

inflorescence looks like an open panicle. Second

glume and sterile lemma terminating in a short

mucro. In sandy ground and valleys.

SH.

4. B. ramosa (L.) Stapf: Annual herb, loosely

tufted, up to 60 cm. or more high. Culms ascend-

ing or rooting at the base, branched below. Leaf

linear- lanceolate, finely long-acuminate at the

apex, up to 15 cm. long and 6-25 mm. broad, lig-

ule a rim of short, white hairs. Panicle more or

less exserted, narrowly oblong, 5-15 cm. long, of

many solitary spike-like racemes. Racemes slen-

der, the lower ones 35-60 mm. long. Spikelets

solitary or in pairs or clusters, greenish, at length

pale, straw-colored, somewhat swollen, ovoid,

subulate or apiculate at the apex, 3 mm. long.

SH.

39. PASPALIDIUM Stapf

Tall glabrous robust perennial grasses. Inflo-

rescence panicle made up of numerous erect

false spikes on a long alternately grooved axis.

False spikes dense, 2-rowed; appressed

alternately to the outer sides of the axis, at

least in its lower part. Spikelets of Pani-

cum type, glabrous, awnless, 2-rowed on

the axis of the false spike. Lower floret of

the spikelet male or reduced to a lemma,

upper one fertile, Glumes unequal, first

glume, truncate, about one-third of the

length of the spikelet. Fruit transversely

rugose.

1. P. geminatum (Forssk.) Stapf ( =

Panicum geminatum Forssk., Paspalum

fluitans Retz.): Perennial tall yellowish-

green grass, up to 1 m. or more tall. Lower

stems prostrate and rooting, culms robust,

ascending. Leaves 8-16 cm. long and up

to 12 mm. broad. Panicle up to 40 cm.

long with an alternately grooved axis, on

which are arranged numerous false spikes;

of these the lower are 3-4 cm. long and the

upper gradually shorter. Spikelets 2-

rowed, 2-3.5 mm. long. Glumes very une-

qual. Near streams and ditches and along-

side irrigation canals.

SH.

40. UROCHLOA

Small grasses with short broad leaves.

Inflorescence loose false spike spreading

from the base and usually many times as long as

the internodes of the short common axis. Spike-

lets small, awnless, of Panicum type; first

glume small truncate, second glume and fertile

lemma equal, glabrous, strongly nerved. Fruit

transversely rugose.

1. U. trichopus (Hochst.) Stapf: Perennial tufted

herb, 30-90 cm. high. Culms erect or ascending,

simple or rarely branched. Leaf-sheaths ciliate

along the outer margins, silky pubescent at the

nodes, ligule a ciliate rim, lamina 7-15 cm. long

and 8-25 mm. broad, with an often amplexicaul

base. Inflorescence of 4-9 sessile or subsessile,

spike-like racemes. Racemes very dense, solitary,

2-rowed, up to 6 cm. long. Spike-lets very close,

imbricate, broad ovate, 4-5 mm. long. Lower

glume almost as long as the upper. In sandy plac-

es.

SH.

41. LAGURUS L.

Inflorescence a head-like panicle. Head soli-

tary, terminal, of about the size of a hazelnut,

woolly with capillary, naked dark awns, exserted

from the pale wool.

1. L. ovatus L. : Small softly pubescent grass

with inflated leaf-sheaths. Glumes woolly to the

tip. Lemma thin, glabrous, rarely adpressed hairy.

SH.

42. PHALARIS L.

Annual or perennial grasses with linear

flat leaf- blades. Inflorescence head or

densely-spiked compact panicle, elliptical

or oblong, sometimes lobed. Spike- lets

strongly compressed, 3-flowered, the low-

er 2 florets reduced to scale-like lemmas,

the upper fertile, sessile, hermaphrodite.

Glumes keeled, often regularly or irregu-

larly winged on the keels or wingless, boat

- shaped, equal, white with green nerves.

1. P. minor Retz. : Small annual grass

15-30 cm. high with upper leaf sheaths in-

flated to envelope the panicle. Panicle

spike-like ovate-oblong, 15-30 mm. long.

Glumes white-margined; keel with fringed

toothed wing. Sterile floret one, linear, vil-

lous, one- third to one-half as long as the

fertile one. Distinguished from other spe-

cies by having one scale ( = sterile lemma)

at the base of the lemma (in all others

two). Weed in fields and on way sides.

NH, N, SH, S, NJ, NF, E.

2. P. canadensis L. : Robust, tall annual

grass, 30-60 cm. high. Panicle ovate to ob-

long, 2.5-4 cm. long. Glumes entire and

broadly winged, white- margined, semi-

ovate with entire wing, pale with green

stripes. Fertile lemmas 5-6 mm. long, ster-

ile lemmas 2 and at least half as long as the

fertile ones. Weed in wheat fields.

NH.

43. ARISTIDA L.

Perennial desert herbs, tufted at the base, rare-

ly annuals, commonly known as 3-awned grass.

Leaves narrow, often convolute. Inflorescence

loose panicle enclosed at the base in the upper-

most leaf sheath. Spikelets pedicelled, awned, 1-

flowered, hermaphrodite. Rachilla disarticulating

obliquely above the narrow glumes, not produced

beyond the floret. Florets perfect, stipitate;

glumes membranous, lanceolate, acuminate, per-

sistent, equal or unequal, rarely the lower longer

than the upper, sometimes shortly awned. Lemma

indurated, convolute, terete, ending in a 3-parted

awn of which all three branches are usually na-

ked. Stamens 3, styles 2. Similar to Stipagrostis,

except in the 3-parted awn, none of the branches

of which is plumose.

1. A. adscensionis L. ( = A. submucronatus

Schum.): An annual grass with erect or ascending

culms often branching from the base, smooth and

glabrous, often dwarf but occasionally reaching a

height of 50 cm. Leaf blades often flat, very short

or up to 15 cm. long, more or less rough. Panicle

purplish, nodding, 12-20 cm. long and 2 cm.

broad. Glumes unequal, linear subulate, the lower

about 7 mm., the upper about 10 mm. long. Lem-

ma continuous with the awn. Awn 15-20 mm.

long, of naked scabrid, glabrous bristles.

SH, NH, S, E.

2. A. mutabilis Trin. & Rupr. : Annual

grass, 30-40 cm. high. Leaf sheaths crowd-

ed at the base of the culm, densely striate;

ligule a ciliate rim; lamina rather rigid, lin-

ear up to 10 cm. long. Panicle lax up to 15

cm., long-exserted, with solitary branches

up to 7 cm. long, naked from the base to

the middle, the spikelets at the summit

densely congested and forming curved

false spikes. Lemma up to 6 mm. long, in-

cluding the densely-hairy conical callus

and the laxly- twisted column of awns;

awns very fine, the central one usually 2.5

mm. longer than the others, which are only

15-17 mm. long. Stalk of awns only few

mm.

NH, SH.

3. A. funiculata Trin. & Rupr. : Tufted

small annual grass, 5-10 cm. high with

very long naked awns, giving the plant a

straggling bristly aspect. Glumes unequal,

the lower one longer. The 3 awns 5-7 cm.

long, joined below into a stalk about 2 cm.

long. Leaf-sheaths with long fine hairs at

the mouth; the leaf-blades convolute capil-

lary, finely pilose. In sand.

SH, S, NH,

4. A. meccana Hochst. ( = A.

schweinfurthii Boiss.): Tufted annual

grass. Culms glabrous erect, branching

from the base. Leaves curved, convolute,

sheaths glabrous, bearded at ligule. Panicle dense

contracted, only 5-7 cm. long, with branches

mostly 2 cm. long not or little naked below, bear-

ing spikelets down to the base. Glumes unequal;

awns up to 25 cm. long.

SH, NH, S.

44. STIPAGROSTIS Nees

Usually perennial densely tufted desert grass-

es, rarely annuals. Leaf-blades rolled or folded,

subterete, rarely flat; ligule a dense fringe of

hairs. Panicle loose, open or contracted. Spikelets

all alike, one-flowered, hermaphrodite, short-

pedicelled; rachilla disarticulating above the

glumes, not produced beyond the floret; glumes

persistent, membranous, narrow, equal or une-

qual, mostly 3-nerved. Lemma indurated coria-

ceous, 3-nerved, convolute, terete, ending in a 3-

parted awn having a common columnar stalk; all

3 branches of the awn or the central one only

may be plumose-hairy.

1. S. obtusa (Del.) Nees ( = Aristida ob-

tusa Del.): A perennial herb forming very dense

tufts, from which erect, 1-noded, glabrous culms

emerge up to 30 cm. Leaves short capillary,

curved convolute, crowded in dense basilar tufts;

lower sheath short, persistent, more or less wool-

ly near the margins. Culms not hairy at the nodes.

Panicle narrow, up to 15 cm. long. Spikelets

about 10-12 mm. long. Awn consisting of one

central feather and 2 lateral naked bristles; central

feather naked in the lower third, feather

obtuse. Anthers about twice as long as the

lemma.

SH, S, N, NF, E, NJ.

2. S. lanata (Forssk.) De Winter ( =

Aristida lanata Forssk.): A perennial

grass with very thick roots and woody

rootstock. Culms erect or decumbent at the

base, branched or simple , the lower inter-

nodes very densely lanate, the upper pilose

or glabrous;

sheaths glabrous. Leaves narrow-capillary,

convolute, often curved, up to 10 cm.

long, densely hirsute on the upper surface.

Panicle up to 10 cm. long, more or less

enclosed in the upper leaf sheath. Column

(stalk) of the awn 4-5 mm. long; awn con-

sisting of one long central feather and 2

short slightly feathery lateral bristles. Cen-

tral feather up to 3.5 cm. long feathery on-

ly in the upper half; lateral branches up to

2.5 cm. long, plumose in the central third.

NJe, NJw.

3. S. plumosa (L.) Munro ex T. Anders

( = Aristida plumosa L.): A fine,

densely tufted, annual or perennial grass

with thin culms. Lower leaf sheaths usual-

ly woolly (in all other species glabrous).

Culms not with spreading hairtufts at the

nodes. Leaf-blades rigid, convolute, fili-

form, flexuous, often curved in a half or a full

circle. Inflorescence a panicle about 15 cm. long.

Awn much variable in length, up to 50 mm., con-

sisting of one central feather and 2 naked lateral

bristles. Feather acute, with exserted naked tip.

Awn naked in the lower third, immediately

above the tips of the lateral bristles and all the

way down; feathery part of awn up to 3 cm. long,

lateral awns up to 20 mm. long. Glumes 3-

nerved. Sandy deserts and loamy soil,

NH, S, N, NF, NJe, E, R.

4. S. raddiana (Savi) De Winter ( = A. rad-

diana Savi): A perennial slender tall grass, 10-

40 cm. high, with glabrous nodes and internodes,

except the lowest internode which is hairy. Culm

not with spreading hairtuft at the nodes. Leaf-

blades setaceous, filiform, pilose above scabrous

below. Panicle oblong, up to 20 cm. long. Plant

distinguished by its very long, soft plumes up to

50 mm. long. Awn consisting of one central,

very long, feather and 2 lateral naked bristles.

Awn feathery down to the joint of the lateral

bristles. Spikelets erect. Glumes glabrous; lower

16-18 mm., upper 13-15 mm. long. Lemma

about 4 mm. long.

N Je.

5. S. ciliata (Desf.) De Winter ( = Aristida

ciliata Desf. in Schrad.): Only species with

spreading hair tufts at the nodes. A densely caes-

pitose perennial, with erect or geniculate ascend-

ing culms, which are conspicuously bearded at

the nodes. Leaf blades usually curved,

convolute, filiform, flexuous, up to 15 cm.

long, in dense tufts; ligules long-ciliated;

basal sheaths pale yellow, glabrous. Pani-

cle loose, 20-25 cm. long and 5-6 cm.

broad. Spikelets 9-12.5 mm. long,

pale, often with a purple spot at the base.

Glumes glabrous, nearly equal, linear-

lanceolate, obtuse; lemma hirsute at the

base; awns slightly exserted consisting of

one central feather and 2 lateral naked

bristles, central branch naked in the lower

part.

6. S. hirtigluma (Steud.) De Winter ( =

Aristida hirtigluma Steud.): Tall annual

grass with very long soft plumes. Leaf-

sheaths bearded at the mouth. Panicle

open, very rich, 15-20 cm. long and 4 cm.

broad. Culms not with spreading hair-tufts

at the nodes. Glumes hirtellous, lanceolate,

obtuse, pubescent, only 10-12 mm. long,

the upper longer than the lower. Awn con-

sisting of one central feather and 2 lateral

naked spines. Feather acute, with exserted

naked tip. Middle awn up to 6 cm. long,

naked or sparingly hairy in the basal part,

lateral awns naked, up to 12 mm. long, the

common stalk of awn-branches twisted

and usually hairy below the joint of the

side branches.

SH, NH, S, N, NF, NJ.

7. S. scoparia (Trin. et Rupr.) De Winter ( =

Aristida scoparia Trin. et Rupr.): Tall, perenni-

al stiff, glabrous desert grasses with pungent

leaves, growing in straggling bushes. Leaves fili-

form, thick, rigid, convolute, pungent, up to 30

cm. long, often curved; ligule a rim of short

hairs. Rhizome creeping, many- stemmed. Spike-

lets long-pedicelled, arranged in a tax panicle 10-

15 cm. long. Glumes unequal, the lower 18-20

mm. long, the upper somewhat shorter. Awn con-

sisting of 3 nearly equal feathers. Spikelets one-

flowered. On sand dunes, often hummock-

forming.

NJe, E.

45. STIPA L.

Tufted perennials, rarely annuals, with very

thick roots and woody rootstock. Culms erect or

decumbent at the base. Leaves convolute, rigid,

filiform, curved. Inflorescence an open or con-

tracted panicle of pedicelled spikelets. Spikelets

1-flowered, deciduous above the glumes and sup-

ported immediately at the base by the upper leaf-

sheath, hermaphrodite, very narrowly elliptical or

terete, stipitate, rachilla not produced above the

floret. Glumes membranous, lanceolate, long and

narrow, subulate-acuminate, longer than the flo-

rets. Lemma hard convolute, enclosing the palea,

narrow, jointed at the tip to a very long twisted,

usually geniculate, naked or plumose single awn,

which is kneed and twisted below.

1. S. capensis Thunb. ( = S. retorta Cav-

an., S.. tortilis Desf.): An annual tufted herb

profusely branched at the base. Culms leafy,

erect or shortly decumbent, kneed below,

reaching a height of up to 40 cm., but usually

much less. Leaves narrow, flat or convolute,

pubescent above; sheaths lax, the uppermost

often inflated and including the base of the

inflorescence. Panicle rich, dense, contracted

after flowering, 10 cm. long. Spikelets sil-

very, very densely crowded. Glumes nearly

equal, longer than the floret, upper 20 mm.,

lower 18 mm. long. Lemma flattened, jointed

at the tip to the awn. Awn single, 8-10 cm.

long, once or twice geniculate and much

twisted and appres- sed-hairy below middle.

In sands of dry places.

NJe, E, N, NH, SH, S, NF.

46. SPOROBOLUS R. Br.

Pale stiff perennial grasses with creeping

rhizomes and pungent leaves, ligule a rim of

hairs. Spikelets small, awnless, hermaphro-

dite, terete, 1-flowered, disarticulating above

the glumes, arranged in a narrow spike or

panicle. Glumes membranous, unequal, trun-

cate or acute. Paleas membranous, nearly

equal. Aspect of Agrostis; differing from

other grasses in the grains having a free peri-

carp.

1. S. arabicus Boiss. ( = S. marginatus

Hochst. ex A. Rich., S. platidus Nees): Perenni-

al herb with long runners; culms about 30 cm.

high. Leaf blades narrow, lanceolate, tapering to

an acute point, about 6 cm. long and 3 mm.

broad. Spike about 10 cm. long and 4.5 cm.

broad, with branches up to 2.5 cm. long. Spike-

lets linear-lanceolate, up to 2 mm. long.

N, E.

2. S. spicatus (Vahl) Kunth: Perennial grass

with naked creeping rhizomes, which may be

several meters long, rooting at the nodes, with

tufts of leaves and short culms at the rooting

nodes. Leaves scabrous on upper surface gla-

brous on lower; blades linear involute pungent;

sheaths long. Spike narrow, acute, long- pedun-

cled, 5-6 cm. long and 2-3 mm. thick. In sandy

deserts, often forming hummocks, in salty places.

NH, SH.

47. LAMARCKIA Moench

Annual herbs with flat leaves and 1-sided

dense panicles. Spikelets dimorphic in pendulous

clusters on the panicle, each cluster falling as a

unit , glossy, whitish, golden yellow or purple-

flushed. Upper spikelets fertile, 2-flowered, one

floret pedicelled, hermaphrodite, the other rudi-

mentary, sterile aristate; the lower spikelets ster-

ile. Some spikelets in each cluster with exserted

small awns.

1. L. aurea (L.) Moench: Annual, pale-

green, soft glabrous grass 10-35 cm. high.

Leaves flat, soft linear acuminate, with

very long scarious ligules. Panicle oblong,

golden colored, 3-7 cm. long and 1-2 cm.

broad, with nodding branches. Spikelets

glossy, of 2 kinds: sterile and fertile, the

terminal in each cluster fertile, 2 mm. long,

1-flowered, awned. In addition, there are in

each cluster 1-3 sterile spikelets, 6-8 mm.

long, awnless, consisting of numerous im-

bricated obtuse empty lemmas. In sandy

fields, roadsides and rocky places.

S, SH.

48. ENNEAPOGON Desv. ex Beauv.

Annual or perennial grasses with flat

leaf-blades. Leaves narrow and ligule re-

duced to a rim of hairs. Inflorescence small

compact bristly panicle of spike-like as-

pect, somewhat lobed, of many short-

pedicelled spikelets on short pubescent

branches. Spikelets lanceolate or ovate,

with 3-6 florets of which the lower 1-3 are

bisexual and the others sterile and often

much reduced; rachilla disarticulating

above the glumes but not between the flo-

rets. Glumes lanceolate, unequal, membra-

nous, awnless, longer than the lemmas.

Fertile lemmas leathery, orbicular, coria-

ceous, broadly elliptic-truncate when flattened, 9-

nerved, the nerves prominent and passing above

into 9 feathery awns.

1. E. schimperianus (Hochst. ex A. Rich.)

Renvoize ( = E. elegans (Nees ex Steud.) Stapf,

Pappophorum elegans Nees ex Steud.): Small

slender perennial herb. Culms 10-40 cm. high,

wiry, erect or ascending from a woody, often

thickened base. Leaves setaceous, flat or rolled,

ligule a ridge of hairs. Panicle silvery white, 3-8

cm. long and less than 1 cm. broad; the branches

very short, rachis villous. Spikelets awned,

awns 4-6 mm. long. Spikelets partly sessile and

partly pedicellate, softly tomentose, nearly white.

NH, S.

2. E. brachystachyus Stapf ( = Pappopho-

rum brachystachyus Jaub. et Sp.): Perennial

small grass, tuftedly-branched, dwarfed glandular

pubescent. Leaves narrow, filiform, convolute,

Panicle blackish- grey, dense, ovoid obtuse, 1-2

cm. long with very short appressed branches.

Spikelets very small, 3- flowered. Glumes 5-

nerved, villous, unequal, shorter than the awns.

Awns about 3 mm. long, double as long as the

lemmas. In sandy dry places.

NH, H.

49. TRISETARIA Forssk.

Annual herbs with solitary or fasciculate culms

erect or geniculate at the base, with flat or rolled

leaves. Inflorescence spicate, dense cylindrical

panicle, contracted or diffused enclosed at the

base in the uppermost leaf-sheath. Spikelets

small, glossy, laterally compressed 2- or more-

flowered with the rachilla prolonged beyond the

last floret. Spikelets seated on short scabrid

branches attached to the scabrid central axis. The

upper floret in each spikelet seated on an elongate

hairy rachilla joint, Glumes unequal, the lower

smaller 1-nerved , the upper 3-nerved. Lemmas

membranous, ordinarily barbed hairy at the base,

bidentate aristate at the top where arises from the

back under the middle point of the notch a kneed

bristle (awn) which is much exserted. This awn

represents the third bristle, the other two being

the two aristate teeth of the same lemma. This

genus is commonly known as "Three-bristled

grass".

1. T. koelerioides (Bornm. et Hack.) Tackh.

( = Trisetum koelerioides Bornm. et Hack.):

Finely pubescent annual grass with tall culms up

to 30 cm., usually minutely hairy. Leaves hairy

with very short ciliate ligule, upper leaf sheathing

the panicle. Panicle long dense, 3-4 cm. long, 1

cm. or more broad, with short branches. Spikelets

on very short thick pedicels. Glumes nearly

equal, lanceolate-acute with elevated nerves. Fer-

tile lemma glabrous, rarely ending in 3 minute

bristles. Awns short, hardly exserted from the

spikelets.

S.

v. aristatum (Bornm. et Hack.) Tackh. :

Spikelets 6-7 mm. long, fertile lemma 3-4 mm.

long, lateral bristle 2 mm. long, often connate at

the base, the middle one 4 mm. long, bent. with

the type.

50. IMPERATA Cyr.

Perennial rhizomatous grasses with erect

culms and narrow flat long linear leaves in a

dense basilar rosette. Inflorescence a terminal,

silky, erect, silvery soft spike-like panicle.

Spikelets all alike, surrounded by hairs from the

callus and bases of the glumes, in pairs at the

joints of the false racemes, one spikelet of each

pair long-pedicelled, the other short-pedicelled,

falling entire. Spikelets 2-flowered, the lower

often reduced to an empty lemma, rarely male,

the upper hermaphrodite. Glumes subequal

membranous enveloped in long silky hairs from

the lower half of the glume and callus. Lemmas

hyaline short; paleas shorter, the lower narrow,

the upper broader.

1. I. cylindrica (L.) Beauv. ( = Lagurus

cylindricus L.): Rhizome hard, scaly. Panicle

up to 20 cm. long. Spikelets 1-flowered, 4-5

mm. long, surrounded by 15 mm. long hairs.

NJ, NJe, SH.

51. AMMOPHILA Host

Tal! seashore perennial grass with a

spike-like panicle. Spikelets yellowish,

large, 1-flowered. Glumes subequal, firm

coriaceous, membranous, the lower 1-

nerved, the upper 3-nerved. Lemma with a

tuft of fine white hairs at its base.

1 A. arenaria (L.) Link

( =Calamagrostis arenariu Roth, Psam-

ma arenaria Roem. & Sch.): Erect, yellow

or blue-grcen grass, with a woody creeping

rhizome from which grow abundantly tuft-

ed, slender aerial branches. Leaves long and

narrow, sharp-pointed; blades velvety-

pubescent on the upper surface, soon be-

coming involute; ligule 1-3 cm. long. Pani-

cle compact, about 30 cm. long. Maritime

on coastal sand dunes.

E.

52. ASTENATHERUM Nevski

Erect perennial densely leafy desert

grasses, with woolly fibrous roots and glau-

cous stems and leaves. Panicle dense, nar-

row, spike-like, enclosed in the uppermost

leaf-sheath. Spikelets large, 3-flowered,

flowers hermaphrodite. Glumes subequal,

acute, strongly nerved, enclosing all the flo-

rets, as long as the florets or longer, includ-

ing the lemmas. Lemma chartaceous, rounded on

the dorsal surface, many-nerved, cleft at the apex

into 2 acuminate lobes, pilose awned in the sinus,

awn short, straight, not exserted from the spikelet.

Palea membranous, 2-keeled, truncate. Stamens

3, lodicules 2, fleshy mucronate.

1. A. forsskalii (Vahl) Nevski ( = Danthonia

forsskalii (Vahl) R. Br.): A loosely tufted peren-

nial grass, 5-30 cm. high, procumbent at the base,

finely velvety-pubescent of very pale color, often

branched. Culms woolly and very thick, roots

sand-covered. Leaf blades glaucous, linear, pun-

gent, usually hairy on both surfaces; sheaths lax,

covered with silky hairs. Panicle dense narrow, 5-

10 cm. long, partly enclosed in the spathe-like

uppermost leaf-sheath. Spikelets 3-flowered, 7-8

mm. long, crowded, pale yellow or tinged with

purple. Glumes subequal, lemma with tufts of

hairs between the 9 nerves, shortly awned from

the sinus . In dry sands.

SH, NJe, R, NF, N, E.

2. A. fragilis (Guinet et Sauvage) Monod ( =

Danthonia fragilis Guinet et Sauvage): Larger

and more robust than the preceding, reaching a

height of up to 1 m. with erect growth. Upper

nodes fragile. Panicle up to 20 cm. long.

E, NF.

53. EREMOPOGON Stapf.

Of Andropogon type. Inflorescence

spike-like, raceme, solitary, terminal.

Awn glabrous at the tip of the lemma.

1. E. foveolatus (Del.) Stapf ( =

Andropogon foveolatus Del.): Perenni-

al tufted branched grass, growing in

cushion-like tufts. Culms slender, erect

capillary above, with 3 bearded nodes.

Leaves sparingly ciliate at lower part of

margins and mouth of sheath. False spike

silky, 4-5 cm. long and 3 mm. broad )

excluding the awns) embraced by a

spathe-like sheath. Awn about 2 cm.

long, bent and twisted. In sandy and

rocky places.

S, H.

54. AGROSTIS L.

Annual, or more often perennial, grass

with flat or involute leaf-blades. Inflo-

rescence a rich panicle, green or purple

with numerous, small awnless spikelets.

Spikelets 1-flowered, hermaphrodite dis-

articulating above the glumes; rachilla

sometimes produced as a naked or peni-

cillate bristle. Glumes more or less equal,

1-nerved up to 2 mm. long. Lemma hya-

line, shorter and thinner than the glumes,

elliptic-oblong, truncate, 5-nerved, the

lateral nerves sometimes excurrent, awn-

less or awned from the middle or the base of the dor-

sal surface, glabrous or hairy. Palea hyaline, 2- nerved

or nerveless, sometimes absent.

1. A. semiverticillata (Forssk.) Christens( = A.

verticillata Vill.): Decumbent perennial weed, bear-

ing aerial leafy flowering branches. The plant is root-

ing at the lower nodes. Leaves linear-lanceolate, 3-8

cm. long. Panicle 4-15 cm. long and 6-25 mm. broad,

green or purplish, with whorled short branches bear-

ing spikelets from the base. Glumes obtuse-tipped,

minutely scabrous hairy on back and keel. On moist

ground as a weed.

SH, S.

55. LOPHOCHLOA Rehb.

Slender annual grasses with flat leaves. Inflores-

cence a compact dense spike-like panicle. Spikelets

firmly compressed with 3-5 bisexual florets, or the

uppermost reduced; "rachilla disarticulating above the

glumes and between the florets, glabrous or hairy.

Glumes equal or unequal, the upper broader and long-

er than the lower, 3-nerved. Lemmas keeled, bifid at

the tip, with tips obtuse or produced as short awns,

glabrous or hairy, awned just below the tip with a

straight awn, with twisted base, palea as long as the

lemma, 2-keeled.

1. L. pumila (Desf.) Bor ( = Avena pumila Desf.,

Koeleria pumila (Desf.) Domin, K. sinaica Boiss.,

Trisetum pumilum Kunth, Trisetaria pumila

(Desf.) Maire): Culms small, numerous together,

erect, fascicled and glabrous. Leaf-blades up to 6 cm.

long, 4 mm. broad, deep-green, shortly ciliate

on the margins. Inflorescence a dense panicle,

often somewhat lobed, up to 3.5 cm. long.

Glumes equal, dark green with scarious mar-

gins, the lower one densely hairy; terminal

part of rachilla with long hairs. Lemmas acute,

glabrous or finely hairy with inconspicuous

nerves. Awn well-developed, glabrous or fine-

ly hairy inserted on one-fifth or more below

the tip of the lemma.

E.

2. L. cristata (L.) Hyl. ( = L. phleoides

(Vill.) Reichenb. Variable in size, hairiness

and shape of panicle, but distinguishable by

its floral characteristics, namely the unequal

glumes, minutely hairy rachilla, and awn in-

serted immediately below the tip of the lem-

ma. Annual grass.

56. DANTHONIOPSIS Stapf

Perennial grass with very thick woody

root. Inflorescence lax contracted panicle,

with short branches to which the spikelets are

attached. Spikelets purple- variegated in clus-

ters of 3 together. Spikelets 2-flowered, lower

floret male, upper perfect. Fertile lemma

hairy, biaristate at the tip, with a long kneed

awn, twisted below, arising from the sinus

between the 2 terminal bristles.

1. D. barbata (Nees) C. E. Hubbard ( =

Tristachya barbata Nees): Perennial with tufted

slender culms bearded at the nodes. Leaves short,

broad and flat, usually less than 6 cm. in length;

blades with scabrous margin, together with the

sheaths hairy on the lower surface. Panicle short,

contracted with 1 or 2 nodding capillary branches.

Spikelets pale-yellow, 9-10 mm. long. Awn 15 mm.

long, articulated above the base. In rocky mountain

regions.

SH, S, E.

57. BROMUS L.

Annual grasses with tubular, closed, leaf sheaths.

Inflorescence a panicle, contracted and erect or

nodding. Spikelets wedge-shaped or lanceolate in

outline, many-flowered with articulated rachillas,

hermaphrodite, rachilla disarticulating above the

glumes and between the florets. Glumes unequal

awnless, shorter than the spikelets, keeled on the

back, the lower 1-3-nerved, the upper 3-9 nerved.

Lower lemma bidentate, with awn arising between

the teeth. Palea 2-keeled.

1. B. fasciculatus C. Presl. : Annual small grass

5-10 cm. high, glabrous. Panicle only a few cm.

long, broom-like, with tapering base widened up-

wards, and with 1-2 mm. long glabrous branches.

Spikelets 5-10-flowered, very lax, of 8-10 remote,

narrowly- linear, awl-shaped nerveless lemmas, not

or but little scarious-margined. Awns at maturity

strongly recurved, almost patent. Lemma biden-

tate with 2 mm. long teeth. Weed in fields; in

sandy places.

SH, S.

2. B. rubens Jusl. ap. L. : A small annual,

tufted, softly pubescent grass, with erect or as-

cending solitary or fascicled culms. Panicle

compact, erect, ovoid, 4-8 cm. long with short

branches and closely packed subsessile spike-

lets. Spikelets including the awns about 4-5 cm.

long. Lemmas broadly scarious-margined, with

straight awn and 4 mm. long hyaline teeth; awn

a little shorter than the lemma often colored red-

dish or purplish. Characterized by its brush-like

reddish aspect due to the numerous erect pur-

plish awns.

NJ.

2. B. arvensis Hochst. & Stend. : Annual

slender glabrous grass up to 30 cm. high. Panicle

few-flowered, lax. Spikelets large with capillary

pedicels. Awns straight, 20 mm. long. In sandy

places.

S.

4. B. tectorum L. : A fine slender annual

grass up to 60 cm. tall, pubescent. Culms simple.

Leaf- blades up to 16 cm. long, acuminate, usu-

ally minutely hairy. Panicle short, soft, tassel-

shaped, nodding of numerous, often purplish

spikelets, on capillary, nodding rarely glabrous,

typically 5-9-flowered, rarely with only 1 fertile

flower. Dry places and desert wadis on sandy soil.

SH, S, N.

5. B. madritensis L. :. Medium-sized annual

grass with fascicled, erect or ascending, smooth and

glabrous or very sparsely hairy culms; culm below

the panicle glabrous or nearly so. Leaf-blades linear

acuminate up to 20 cm. long sparsely hairy or gla-

brous. Panicle contracted, interrupted, erect or

slightly nodding, often fan-shaped in dry speci-

mens, of densely but not compactly arranged spike-

lets. Aspect of B. rubens, but panicle interrupted,

less dense with 1-3 cm. long branches (in B. ru-

bens less than 1 cm. ). The scabrous lemmas some-

what longer than in B. rubens). Differs from B.

fasciculatus in its larger panicle and more broadly

scarious lemmas. Spikelets green or purple, includ-

ing the awns 3.5-6 cm. long, wedge- shaped, in

twos or threes upon the branches, which are up to

3.5 cm. long. Lemmas 13-19 mm. long, 3 mm.

wide, with hyaline teeth at the tip.

E, NJ.

58. TRIRAPAHIS R. Br.

Panicle small, head-like, with exserted fine

straight awns. Glumes mucronate, shorter than the

spikelets. Lemmas villous with 3 awns from the

scarious bifid tip, 2 from the excurrent margin-

nerves and a longer one from the sinus be-

tween the teeth.

1. T. pumilio R. Br. ( = Diplachne

nana Nees, T. glomerata A. Camus):

Dwarf grass a few cm. high, with silvery

purple-flushed, dense head-like panicle,

about 10-15 mm. across. Leaves narrow

acuminate, sheaths with scattered spreading

hairs.

59. AVENA L.

Annual grasses with flat leaf-bla3es. I

florescence an open panicle of large pedi-

celled, pendulous 2-4- flowered hermaphro-

dite spikelets, mostly more than 2 cm. long.

Rachilla fragile in the wild species. Glumes

nearly equal, large, herbaceous, membra-

nous, several- nerved, exceeding the lem-

mas. Lemmas indurated, 7-nerved, bifid at

apex, with a long stout geniculate, below

twisted, awn issuing from the middle of the

dorsal surface.

1. A. barbata Pott ex Link in Schrad. :

Culm solitary or fasciculate, green or some-

what glaucous, glabrous, up to 100 cm. tall.

Leaf-blades linear acuminate, up to 30 cm.

long. Inflorescence a rich panicle. Spikelets

smaller than in other species, 2-or less commonly 3-

flowered. Glumes 20-30 mm. long. Lemmas all ar-

ticulated, bifid and produced at the apex into 2

bristles, 4-5 mm. long, very hairy in the lower half,

with long spreading hairs. Base of the flowers short

and blunt. Pedicels hair-like, curved. Multiform.

Weed in fields, less vigorous in deserts.

S.

2. A. sterilis L. : A coarse annual grass. Panicle

one-sided, with a small number of large spikelets.

Spikelets 2-awned, 3-4-flowered. Flowers connate,

falling as a unit , not one by one as in other species.

Only the 2 (or 3) lowest flowers awned, the small

uppermost ones awnless on a glabrous pedicel.

Lemmas with long spreading hairs varying from

cream to brown or black, with bifid but not awned

tip. Weed in fields.

SH, NH.

3. A. fatua L. : Culms fascicled, erect glabrous,

up to 100 cm. tall. Leaf-sheaths more or less hairy;

leaf-blades up to 30 cm. long, linear. Inflorescence

a rich spreading panicle. Spikelets usually 3-

flowered, with all flowers having kneed awns at the

back, the small uppermost flower with a hairy pedi-

cel. Flowers at maturity falling off one by one from

the rachilla. Rachilla and lower part of the lemmas

with long stiff brown or white hairs, these occa-

sionally scanty or restricted to the very base of the

lemma (v. glabrata). Glumes nearly equal. Lem-

mas with bifid but not awned tip. Awn more than

twice as long as glumes. Culms several to-

gether, but in cultivated land solitary. In

deserts

S.

60. ARUNDO L.

Robust perennial tall stout reed, often 4-

6 m. high, with hollow culms, large ovoid-

lanceolate plume-like panicle and broad

leaf-blades. Inflorescence a large decom-

pound panicle, with the lower branches fas-

cicled Spikelets laterally compressed, few-

flowered, with the florets mostly bisexual.

Rachil'a articulated above the glumes and

between the florets. Glumes about equal,

membranous, long-pointed. Lemmas

densely and softly hairy, bifid with a short

awn in the sinus, 3-nerved, with the central

nerve extending into the short awn. Palea

shorter than the lemma, 2-keeled.

1. A. donax L. : A perennial grass with

woody rhizomes swollen here and there,

and with very stout erect culms up to 4 m.

or more in height, simple or shortly

branched from the nodes, smooth and gla-

brous. Leaves conspicuously 2-ranked, 4-6

cm. broad and up to 60 cm. long, at base

with brown auricles, at tip tapering into a

long point. Inflorescence a symmetrical plum-like

panicle, up to 70 cm. long, much branched. Lem-

mas 3-nerved, with the nerves sometimes produced

as short aristae, pilose on the dorsal surface.

N, NH, SH, S, NJ, NF, E, R.

61. PHRAGMITES Adans.

Tall stout robust perennial reeds with creeping

rhizomes, having the aspect of Arumdo, but pani-

cle more lax, one-sided, acute, triangular in general

outline. Leaf-blades broad flat; culms tall, hollow.

Inflorescence a very large, decompound, plumose

panicle. Spikelets 3-7-flowered, slightly laterally

compressed, the lowest flower of each spikelet

staminate, the others bisexual. Lemmas long, acu-

minate, glabrous. Rachilla bearded with long silky

hairs, disarticulating above the glumes and be-

tween the lemmas. Glumes unequal, keeled, acute,

shorter than the florets, the lower about half as

long as the upper.

1. P. australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. ( =

Arundo phragmites L., A. australis Cav., P.

communis Trin., P. vulgaris (Lam.) Bonnet): A

stout reed-swamp perennial, with long creeping

rhizomes. Culms simple, rigid, smooth and gla-

brous rising up to 5 m. above water surface; in dry

localities much shorter, 1 cm. in diameter or thick-

er at the base, woody, leafy. Leaves flat, firm, 2-

ranked, lanceolate, 1-3 cm. broad at the base, less

broad than in Arundo rough-margined, 20-

60 cm. long, tapering to a long filiform tip.

Panicle 20-30 cm. long and 8-18 cm.

broad, brown or yellowish, finally silvery,

plume-like, erect or finally nodding, much

branched. Spikelets widely gaping, 2-6-

flowered; Lemmas smooth and glabrous;

glumes unequal; rachilla covered with long

hairs.

NH, N, SH, S, NJ, NF, E. R.

63. TRACHYNIA Link

Annual glabrous grasses with flat leaves.

Inflorescence contracted raceme. Spikelets

all similar, 1-3 or more, crowded at the tip

of the long-exserted peduncle. Spikelets

large, green, many-flowered, nearly sessile,

either one terminal or a few alternate and

laterally compressed. Rachilla disarticulat-

ing above the glumes and between the flo-

rets. Glumes unequal. Glumes and lemmas

herbaceous, prominently nerved, rounded

on the back. Lemma finally becoming

leathery, glabrous or hirsute, produced

above into a strong straight awn. Lemmas

nearly equal.

1. T. distachya (L.) Link( = Bromus

distachyos L., Brachypodium distach-

yum (L.) Beauv.): A glaucous annual green herb.

Culms geniculately ascending, 15-40 cm. tall, leafy

to or below the middle. Leaves flat, short and

broad, up to 10 cm. long and 5 mm. broad; they and

their sheaths sparsely hairy. Spikelets 2-3 cm. long

(excluding the awns), up to 20-flowered, either one

solitary terminal, two or three (rarely more), short

pedicelled, crowded, laterally compressed. Glumes

unequal, awnless, shorter than the first lemma.

Lemma rounded on the back, strongly-nerved with

a straight awn arising from the back much longer

than the lemma. In dry fields and waste places.

SH, H.

63. SPHENOPUS Trin.

Small glabrous annual herbs, often purplish with

minute spikelets in a loose diffuse repeatedly

branched capillary panicle. Pedicels club-shaped at

the very apex, carrying awnless, 2-7-flowered mi-

nute spikelets. Rachilla disarticulating above the

glumes and below the florets; glumes very unequal,

the lower much smaller than the upper, membra-

nous, continuous with the pedicel and persistent.

Lemmas membranous, rounded on the back below,

keeled above, deciduous at maturity.

1. S. divaricatus (Gouan) Rehb. ( = Poa

divaricata Gouan): Annual grass with very slender

culms, erect or geniculate at the base, often pur-

plish, smooth and glabrous, up to 13 cm. tall with

dark nodes. Panicle about 6 cm. long and 4 cm.

wide; branches in pairs at each node of the

axis, widely spreading, capillary, smooth,

di- or trichotomously divided and redivid-

ed, the ultimate branchlets carrying the club

-shaped pedicels of the minute spikelets.

Spikelets 2-2.5 mm. long, 3-5 (-7)-

flowered. Leaves short, convolute, with

acute ligules up to 6 mm. long. On alluvial

soil, salty land and calcareous ground.

E.

64. CUTANDIA Willk.

Small annual glabrous much branched

grasses. Leaf-blades much narrower than

the sheaths; ligules scarious lacerated. Pani-

cles numerous, repeatedly branched dichot-

omously, often from each node and partial-

ly enclosed in the upper spathe-like leaf-

sheaths, with short, often divaricate 3-

angled capillary branches. Ramifications of

panicle short, often dichotomous, one-

sided, patent. Spikelets 3-14-flowered, with

the florets fertile, laterally compressed, her-

maphrodite. In the ultimate dichotomy

spikelets seated on short, stout, stiff, 3-

angled pedicels of unequal length. Glumes

indurated, unequal, membranous, keeled, 1-

nerved. Lemmas 3-nerved, muticous or

with a short awn. Rachilla disarticulating.

1. C. memphitica (Spreng.) Benth. ( = Ductylis

memphitica Spreng., Scleropoa memphitica

Pari.): An annual grass. Culms numerous, fascicled,

purple- nodded, some ascending or erect, some ge-

niculate, at the base, smooth and glabrous, up to 30

cm. tall but often much shorter, with conspicuously

dilated sheaths at the nodes. Leaf blades very nar-

row, folded, caducous; Leaf-sheaths dilated, open,

the uppermost often forming a spathe to the panicle.

Panicle 5-10 cm. long with straggling zigzag di-

chotomous branches. Spikelets forked at angles of

60-130 degrees, linear, acute at both ends, 1 cm.

long, 2-4-flowered, young ones terete. Main axis of

panicle with internodes much shorter than the

length of a spikelet. Lemma terminating in a short

pungent mucro. In sandy deserts and semi-deserts.

N, NF, NJe, E.

2. C. dichotoma (Forssk.) Trabut ( = Festuca

dichotoma Forssk.): Smaller than the preceding,

only 5-10 cm. high, very slender. Also differs from

the preceding in the following characters; (a) culm-

sheaths not conspicuously dilated: (b) tips of lem-

mas not produced into a sharp mucro; (c) spikelets

longer; (d) panicleless branched and with shorter

internodes, shorter than the length of a spikelet.

Spikelets with more appressed flowers, subulate,

pungent, patent.

NJe.

3. C. maritima (L) Benth. : Culm 10-30 cm. with

purple nodes. Leaves with purplish sheaths and con-

volute capillary blades. Culms leafy to the

summit. Panicle 5-15 cm. long with gla-

brous branches (in the preceding two sca-

brous-margined). Spikelets up to 15 mm.

long, 5-9 (-14)—flowered. Annual.

65. ERAGROSTIS Host

Mostly annuals, glabrous or glandular,

with narrow-linear leaf-blades. Leaf-sheaths

having a tuft of spreading hairs at the

mouth. Panicle loose (Spike-like in E. cil-

iaris), open or contracted. Spikelets pedi-

celled, many-flowered, awnless, with per-

sistent rachilla and in many species also

with persistent paleas. Florets hermaphro-

dite. Glumes keeled, unequal, membranous,

1-nerved, shorter than the florets, not reach-

ing above the next lemma. Lemmas 3-

nerved, more or less overlapping, keeled.

1. E. aegyptiaca (Willd.) Del. : Tufted

annual grass with numerous culms. Panicle

pale green, contracted, 5 cm. long and 8-10

mm. broad, branches short whorled, 2 or

more together. Spikelets up to 20-flowered,

narrow, 5-6 mm. long and 1 mm. broad,

subsessile or short-pedicelled, acute. Leaf

sheaths at mouth with a tuft of spreading

hairs. In sands.

E, NJe.

2. E. tremula (Lam.) Hochst. ex Steud. : Slen-

der, delicate annual, with a very large, loose, nod-

ding panicle. Spikelets long, many-flowered, not

ciliate, 10-100-flowered, up to 2 mm. broad, usually

curved; pedicels longer than the spikelets. Leaf-

sheaths glabrous except at mouth where there is a

tuft of spreading hairs. On sandy and rocky ground.

SH.

3. E. ciliaris (L.) R. Br. : A small slender tufted

annual grass, more than 30 cm. tall. Leaf-blades lin-

ear-lanceolate, up to 50 cm. long and 5 mm. broad,

hairy on the adaxial surface and with a tuft of hairs

around the throat; ligule a fringe of much shorter

hairs, stem and sheath glabrous. Inflorescence a

contracted narrow cylindrical spike-like panicle, 15

cm. long and 5-7 mm. broad, carrying branches 1-2

cm. long, with stalked spikelets; peduncles shorter

than the spikelets; spikelets many-flowered, awn-

less, about 3 mm. long, ciliated. Glumes acute, sub-

equal, keeled, glabrous and membranous, together

with the lemmas purple-tinged. Florets bisexual

with violet anthers; lemmas obtuse and paleas and

lemmas ciliated with a fringe of hairs from the mar-

gins and sometimes also from the keel.

SH, NJe.

4. E. barrelieri Dav. ( = E. minor Host):

Densely tufted annual grass. Culms simple, genicu-

lately ascending, smooth and glabrous. Leaf

-blades flat, short, linear-acuminate, up to

10 cm. long, Leaf sheaths at mouth with a

tuft of spreading hairs; each sheath with an

exserted or included small naked panicle of

a few spikelets. Panicles oblong-lanceolate,

terminal, but in addition axillary panicles

arise from the lower and basal nodes. Pani-

cles narrow, with stiff, few-flowered

branches. Spikelets 10-15 mm. long, 1-1.5

mm. broad, 12-15-flowered or more, The

pedicels of the spikelets bear a crateriform

gland similar to that in E. poaeoides,

which this species resembles in many re-

spects, particularly in the spikelets.

SH, NJe.

5. E. paposa (Roem. & Schult.) Steud. :

Delicate perennial herb, 15-45 cm. high.

Culms simple, very slender. Leaves short,

very narrow, mouth of sheaths bearded with

long silky hairs. Panicle 8-20 cm. long, axis

filiform. Spikelets very pale-yellow or dark

olive- green, very narrow.

SH, S.

6. E. tenuifolia (A. Rich.) Hochst. ex

Steud.: A slender branched grass. Leaf-

blades long and narrow, 12-15 cm. long,

and 3-5 mm. broad; sheath open hairy with

a distinct tuft of spreading hairs at the

mouth. Inflorescence an open panicle with slender

stalked branches carried in groups at the nodes.

Panicle subtended by a long leaf, about 17 cm.

long, nearly as long as the panicle itself. Spikelets

many-flowered with capillary unequal pedicels.

Glumes unequal, shorter than the first floret, mem-

branous smooth. Spikelet 5-9-flowered, 8-10 mm.

long with the stalk. Florets sessile, alternating, 2-

ranked, spikelet terminated by a floret. Rachilla zig-

zag and smooth. Lemma ovate acute, membranous,

longer than and enveloping the superior membra-

nous palea, both keeled. Florets bisexual.

S, SH.

7. E. pilosa (L.) P. Beauv. ( = Poa pilosa L.):

An annual, tufted, branched grass with erect or

geniculately ascending smooth and glabrous culms.

Leaf blades hairy, somewhat glaucous, up to 15

cm. long, lanceolate-acuminate. Inflorescence a

very large panicle, rich open and capillary; lower

branches axillary, vertical and pilose in the- axils,

upper verticiliate (3-5 together) or alternate, repeat-

edly branched. Spikelets numerous, small, purple, 3

-5 mm. long and 1 mm. broad, 5-11-flowered. Pedi-

cels capillary, nearly as long as or only little longer

than the spikelets. Lemmas usually greyish, with a

purple border at the apex. In sands and moist plac-

es.

NJ, E.

8. E. turgida (Schumach.) De Wild. ( = E. ru-

biginosa Trin): Tufted annual grass 10-60 cm. tall.

Culms erect. Leaves forming a basal tuft;

lamina sometimes red-tinged, 5-10 cm.

long and 3-6 mm. broad. Panicle ovoid to

oblong, open or contracted, 3-17 cm. long,

12-43 mm. broad, branches often divided.

Spikelets red-tinged, contiguous, broadly

ovate or oblong, 4-12 mm. long and 3-5

mm. broad, 8-40-flowered. In sandy soil

and rocky places.

SH.

9. E. tenella (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. &

Sch. : Small capillary annual grass. Stem

erect, stout capillary. Leaves narrow, linear,

5 mm. bread, convolute at the tip. Panicle

very loose, delicate, open; spikelets minute,

long-pedicel led (pedicels longer than

spikelets), ciliated with a fringe of stiff

hairs along the keeled margins of the pa-

leas, 5-7-flowered with obtuse lemmas. Pa-

leas persistent. On stony ground and sandy

soil.

E, SH.

10. E. poaeoides P. Beauv. ( = E. minor

Host): Erect or geniculate annual grass with

ascending culms, somewhat glaucous.

Culms with leafy branches. Leaf-blades

lanceolate-acuminate up to 12 cm. long and

4 mm. broad, glandular on the margins.

Leaf- sheaths at mouth with a tuft of

spreading hairs. Panicle very variable, 4-20 cm.

long, 6-10 cm. broad, very lax and open; panicle

branches solitary, alternate. Spikelets narrow, not

ciliated, pedicelled with pedicels shorter than the

spikelets. Very similar to E. cilianensis, but spike-

lets narrower, 1.5-2 (not 3) mm. broad, about 7 mm.

long, panicle more loose and open (not rather

dense). Also confused with E. barelieri but easily

recognized by its leafy branches (not naked pani-

cles) from the nodes, smaller spikelets and lemmas

having 1-2 glands on the keel.

NJ.

11. E. cilianensis (All.) Vign. -Lut. ( = E.

megas- tachya (Koel.) Link, E. multiflora Asch.):

An annual medium-sized branched grass of disa-

greeable odor when fresh, with fasciculate erect or

shortly decumbent simple or branched culms up to

60 cm. tall, smooth and glabrous, somewhat glau-

cous. Culm with a ring of glands below the nodes,

also the foliage with glandular depressions. Leaf-

blades linear-lanceolate, glaucescent, up to 15 cm.

long and 4 mm. broad, glandular on the margins and

midrib; leaf-sheaths at mouth with a tuft of hairs.

Inflorescence a very dense, usually steel-grey pani-

cle, up to 15 cm. long and 4 cm. broad of crowded

spikelets on very short pedicels. Spikelets not ciliat-

ed, 3 mm. broad; pedicels shorter than the spikelets.

Lemmas broad, often glandular on the keels.

SH, NH, H.

66. DACTYLIS L.

Perennial grasses with flat leaf-blades

and compressed leaf-sheaths. Inflorescence

a few-branched spike-like panicle bearing

the spikelets in dense one-sided clusters or

fascicles. Spikelets few-flowered, of 2-5

bisexual florets each, subsessile. Glumes

unequal, narrow, keeled, somewhat curved,

ciliated on the back of the keel. Lemma 5-

nerved, also keeled and ciliate on the keel,

mucronate at the apex. Palea 2-keeled.

1. D. glomerata L. : Perennial erect

glabrous grass with a short rhizome. Culms

tufted, smooth, glabrous and glaucous, up

to 70 cm. tall. Leaf-blades narrowly- linear,

flat, glaucous, up to 15 cm. long and 8 mm.

broad. Inflorescence panicle, with a few

distant solitary branches, ascending or

spreading, appressed at maturity. Spikelets

2-5-flowered; glumes and lemmas long-

ciliate on the keels. Tip of the lemma emar-

ginated with a short stout spine in the fis-

sure.

E.

67. AELUROPUS Trin.

Perennial grasses with string-like creeping

rhizome bearing aerial leafy branches and

numerous clustered culms from the nodes.

Leaves convolute, on young shoots in 2

rows. Inflorescence a dense capitate or

compound elongated spike-like panicle. Spikelets

small, hairy, subsessile, laterally compressed, sev-

eral- flowered, with 4-18 bisexual florets. Glumes

unequal, keeled, mucronate. Lemmas short-awned

or mucronate, strongly 9-11-nerved, keeled. Palea

thinner, 2- keeled, ciliate on the keels.

1. A. lagopoides (L.) Trin. ex Thwaites ( = A.

repens (Desf.) Pari., A. littoralis v. repens Coss.

et DR.): A perennial grass, sometimes with dense-

ly tufted culms, at other times with widely spread-

ing long prostrate stems from which spring up

spaced erect shoots; stolon or rhizomes, or both,

present, the rhizomes being covered with overlap-

ping scales. Culms up to 15 cm. tall, glaucous; ba-

sal sheaths hairy. Leaf- blades lanceolate, usually

not pungent, glaucous, closely distichous or

spaced; ligule a rim of hairs. Panicle solitary head-

like spike, ovate or oblong up to 1.5 cm. long,

dense, small and one-sided. On sandy moist saline

soil.

SH, NH, N, E, NJ, R, NF.

2. A. massauensis (Fres.) Mattei ( = A. brevi-

folius Nees ex Steud., A. mucronatus Asch., A.

arabicus Steud., partly): More vigorous and with

thicker peduncles than the preceding. Stems

woody and may reach a length of several meters,

either creeping on sand or climbing on shrubs and

trees. Head either small one-sided like the preced-

ing or globose, not one-sided, up to as large as a

hazelnut. Lemmas always mucronate. On

salty flats near seashore.

NH, NJ, SH, S.

3. A. littoralis (Gouan) Pari. : Perenni-

al plant with pungent leaves. Panicle up to

8 cm. long, consisting of a large number of

small spikes less than 1 cm. each, the up-

per ones crowded, the lower usually wider

apart. In salt marshes.

E.

68. SCHISMUS P. Beauv.

Small annual tufted grass with filiform

convolute- subulate leaves. Inflorescence a

dense panicle, small ovoid contracted.

Spikelets compressed, awnless, several-

flowered, with 5-10 bisexual florets, on

short pedicels crowded on and articulated

to the branches. Rachilla disarticulating

above the glumes and between the florets,

jointed, brittle. Glumes subequal, strongly

nerved, with scarious margins, much long-

er than the lowest lemma; lemma rounded

on the back, membranous, hyaline on the

margins and at the bifid or bilobed tip, 9-

nerved, awnless or with a very short awn

in the sinus. Palea as long as or nearly as

long as the lemma, 2-keeled.

GRAMINEAE

1. S. barbatus (Hojer ejusd. L.) Thell. ( =

Festuca barbata Hojer, Schismus calycinus

(Loefl.) C. Koch, S. arabicus Noes): Erect or

prostrate annual grass, often forming small tufts

with very numerous smooth and glabrous culms,

erect or geniculately ascending, 7-15 mm. tall.

Leaf-blades very narrow, involute. Inflorescence a

compact erect panicle, green or purplish, about 3

cm. long and 1 cm. broad, ovoid or oblong-

lanceolate with short branches. Spikelets 4-7 mm.

long, each with 5-10 fertile florets and a rudimen-

tary upper one; rachilla articulated. Glumes nearly

equal, acute, persistent, glabrous, slightly longer

or shorter than the spikelet. Lemmas 2, 3 mm.

long, with bifid tip and hairy margins at the base.

In sandy places.

E, N, NJe, NJw, NH.

69. POA L.

Small annual or perennial grass having the as-

pect of Schismus, but with scarious ligules. Leaf-

blades flat, hooded at the apex. Inflorescence a

panicle, loose or contracted. Spikelets pedicelled,

laterally compressed, 2-many-flowered with per-

fect florets seated on the joints of a fragile rachilla,

keeled, awnless. Glumes somewhat unequal,

acute, shorter than the florets, the lower smaller 1-

nerved, the upper 3-nerved. Lemmas keeled 5-

nerved, hyaline at the tip and on the margins, pu-

bescent or not on the nerves. Palea hyaline, 2-

keeled.

1. P. sinaica Steud. : Perennial grass.

Culms tufted, erect, slender, stiff, glossy,

often bulbous at the base and surrounded

by white scarious sheaths. Leaves capil-

lary. Spikelets crowded, white-glossy, 5-6

-flowered. Lemmas approximate, with

their margins ciliated at the base. Panicle

oblong, 2-5 cm. long and 1 cm. broad,

compact; branches short, stiff, 2-3 to-

gether. In deserts and mountain regions.

N.

2. P. annua L. : A small tufted annual

grass, 10-25 cm. tall, bright-green. Culms

many, erect or geniculate or even somewhat

decumbent, often rooting at the base.

Leaves flaccid, linear, flat, up to 10 cm.

long, dark green with hooded tips. Inflo-

rescence lax, open pyramidal panicle, 3-5

cm. long and 2-4 cm. broad, with solitary or

twin branches carrying few spikelets each.

Spikelets green or variegated with violet.

Lemmas broadly hyaline, silky hairy on the

lateral and keel nerves. Panicle about one

and half times as long as broad. Anthers

long, with lobes 4-5 times as long as broad.

In fields and damp places.

NJ, S.

3. P. infirma Humb. Bonpl. et Kunth

( = P. exilis (Tommasinii) Murb.): An an-

nual grass with many tufted, erect, hardly

GRAMINEAE

geniculate, smooth and glabrous culms up to 30 cm.

tall, rather loosely invested by the sheaths. Similar

to P. annua but pale-green. Leaf- blades up to 10

cm. long, soft, flat. Inflorescence a loose panicle up

to 3 times as long as broad, with the spikelets ap-

pressed to the spreading branches. Lemmas remote.

Anthers much shorter than those of P. annua, an-

ther lobes only twice as long as broad. Weed in gar-

dens.

SH.

GRAMINEAE

Order 40 PRINCIPE S Fam. 105. PALMAE A.

Juss.

A) Stem unbranched, leaves pinnate Phoenix 1

B) Stem branched, leaves palmate-

cleft Hyphaene 2

1. PHOENIX L.

High tree with a tall cylindrical straight un-

branched stem. Leaves pinnate, leaflets, lanceo-

late. Spadix interfoliate, branched. Spathe solitary.

Flowers small, dioecious. Staminate flowers ob-

long or lanceolate, with cupular 3-toothed calyx

and 3 valvate petals. Stamens 6. Female flower

globose. Ovaries 3, ovate- globular, distinct, Fruit

a berry, 1-seeded, soft, edible. Seed with longitu-

dinal vertical groove; horny albumen and dorsal

embryo.

1. P. dactylifera L. : Dioecious tree with

small white flowers on a branched spadix envel-

oped in a large solitary spathe. Leaves 3 m. or

more long. Leaflets lanceolate-linear, acuminate.

Female flower globose. Corolla twice as long as

calyx. Fruit long, succulent, berry, variously col-

ored, saccharine. Stamens 6 in male flower. Culti-

vated, common everywhere.

SH, N, NH, S, NJ, NF, E, R.

2. HYPHAENE Gaertn.

Fan-palms with repeatedly branched dichotomous

stems. Fruit drupe, with unilocular ovary contain-

ing a single central spherical stone. Pericarp suc-

PALMAE—TYPHACEAE—PANDANACEAE

culent, fibrous, sugary, with a glossy brown

surface.

1. H. thebaica (L.) Mart. ( = Cucifera the-

baica Del.): Dioecious tree up to 20 m. tall.

Trunk and branches forked, ringed. Leaves

crowded at tips of branches, palmate fan-

shaped, 20-30 in a terminal crown on each

branch; petiole shorter than the lamina beset

on either side with hooked spines. Flowers

small, yellow. Fruit brown-glossy, punctate,

7-8 cm. long and broad. Produces fruit

without artificial pollination as is usually

done with date-palm. In sandy dry places.

SH, NH, S.

Order 41. PANDANALES Fam. 106.

TYPHACEAE A. Juss.

1. TYPHA L.

Tall marsh herbs with creeping rhizomes

and erect stems more than 2 m. high.

Leaves long, alternate, linear or strap-

shaped, with parallel venation. Flowers

small, naked, densely crowded into a simple

brownish cylindrical spike, which is usually

very dense. Upper part of the spike usually

consists of male flowers, the lower part of

green, later brown, female flowers; male

and female regions of the spike either sepa-

rated or continuous. Male flowers irregular-

ly intermingled with scales or hairs. Fruit a

minute ellipsoid nut, surrounded by hairs.

1. T. domingensis Pers. ( = T. australis Schum. et

Thonn., T. angustata Bory et Chaub.): Leaves

strap-shaped, obtuse, rarely over 1 cm. broad, con-

vex and rounded on the back especially at the

base. Spike light brown; male and female parts 12-

30 cm. apart. In marshy places and ditches.

SH, E.

Fam. 107. PANDANACEAE

1. PANDANUS Rumph. ex L. f.

Trees or shrubs mostly with erect stem. Leaves

sword-like, sharp-pointed, thick and leathery, nar-

row, forming a tuft at the ends of the stem and

branches; the sheathing base passes into the long

blade. Inflorescence terminal with showy bracts,

arranged in 3 rows the lower resembling the foli-

age leaves, the upper becoming smaller and spathe

-like; bracts separated by moderate internodes.

Male inflorescence generally branched, forming a

panicle, the branches of which are true spikes or

spike-like. The female inflorescence is either a

simple head or branched into several sessile or

stalked heads.

1. P. tectorius Sol. : Cultivated tree in Java where

its leaves are used for weaving. Pericarp rich in

fibers. Fruit succulent (many-seeded drupe).

S, SH.

PANDANACEAE

Order 42. CYPERALES Fam. 108. CYPERACE-

AE A. Juss.

A) Flowers unisexual, perianth

persistent around nut….Carex..1

B) Flowers bisexual.

1. Spikelets with a terminal

flower, leaves serrated….Cladium 2

2. Spikelets without a terminal flower,

leaves not serrated.

a) Glumes 2-ranked ….Cyperus .3

b) Glumes not distinctly 2-rauked.

* Style thick at base, leaves flat

Fimbristylis ...4

**Style not thick at base, leaves

keeled…..Scirpus .5

1. CAREX L.

Monoecious plants with male and female flowers

in the same or different spikelets. Spikelets ar-

ranged in a terminal compound spike or raceme.

Male flower of 3 stamens, included; female flower

of a pistil only, completely enclosed within a flask

-shaped perianth (the utricle). Fruit a nut, trignous

or flattened, covered by the flask-shaped perianth

(in all other genera the pistil and nut are lying bare

inside the glume). Perennial herbs with grass-like

leaves.

1. C. divisa Huds. : Perennial grass, with slender

culms often 30-40 cm. long, in rows from a creep-

ing thick woody rhizome. Leaves fine, flat, linear,

2-3 mm. broad. Spikelets small, brown, upper

flowers male, lower female; forming together a

CYPERACEAE

crowded compound terminal spike. Bracts

below the inflorescence long- aristate, often

as long as or longer than the spike. In moist

grassy places.

E.

2. G. stenophylla Wahlenb. : Narrow-

leaved, densely-tufted, small perennials.

Leaves filiform, convolute-grooved, usually

curved, basally rosetted. Similar to the pre-

ceding but with thicker and more crowded

spikelets, which are dark brown. Spikelets

confluent, forming a compound terminal

spike. Bracts below the inflorescence short-

mucronate (not long-aristate as in C. divi-

sa). In moist places.

E.

2. CLADIUM P. Browne

Tall reed-like robust marsh herbs of varied

habitat. Leaves finely prickly-serrated. In-

florescence usually a long panicle, some-

times shortly corymbose; panicles both ter-

minal and axillary. Spikelets small, in light-

brown clusters, 1-2-flowered, of which one

in each spikelet fertile. Rachilla not elongat-

ed above the lowest fertile glume. Glumes

imbricated, 3-ranked, keeled, 5-6 in each

spikelet of which the lower 3 empty. Flow-

ers bisexual, perianth absent. Style linear,

with 3 long branches and stout base. Nut

small, trigonous, brown-glossy, lying bare

inside the glume, crowned by the enlarged style

base.

1. C. jamaicense Grantz. : Glabrous marsh plant

with long stolons clothed with striate, pale-brown,

ovate-lanceolate scales, 2.5 cm. long. Stem 1-2.5

m. high, roundish, with nodes and leaves through-

out its length. Leaves 60-90 cm. long and 3-8 mm.

broad, scabrous-margined. Panicle oblong, often

30-60 cm. long and 7.5-15 cm. broad, lowest pe-

duncle bears a compound corymb of 100-200

spikelets. Spikelets in clusters of 3-10 or solitary,

with 2-1 flowers, the lower bisexual producing a

nut. Style base large, confluent with the top of the

ovary. In marshy places.

SH, NH, E.

3. CYPERUS L.

Glabrous annual or perennial herbs with

leaves sheathing at the bases, sometimes reduced

to simple sheaths. Leaves not prickly-serrated.

Spikelets several, arranged in a terminal crowded

umbel or head (spike), flat, many-flowered; head

supported by 3 or more leaves. Rarely the whole

inflorescence consists of a single spike of spike-

lets, more commonly the spikes or umbels are ar-

ranged in a large compound umbel. Glumes in 2

rows, generally keeled, all fertile or the lower 1-3

empty. Style 2-3-cleft, nut trigonous lying bare

inside the glume. Flowers bisexual; perianth ab-

sent.

1. C. laevigatus L. ( = Juncellus laevigatus

(L.) C. B. CI., Chlorocyperus laevigatus (L.) Pal-

CYPERACEAE

la, Acrellus laevigutus (L.) Palla): Perenni-

al herb with creeping rhizome, bearing nu-

merous slender erect culms, triquetrous

above, leafy at the base, the lowest leaves

reduced to sheaths. Stem leafless; basal

leaves terete, grooved. Spikelets green nu-

merous, together in a simple sessile lateral

cluster (head), up to 12 together; no umbel

rays. Leaves of involucre 2, one forming the

continuation of the culm, the other short or

absent. Glumes very closely imbricated,

obtuse, convex on the outer surface, flat on

the inner surface facing the rachilla. Sta-

mens 3, stigmas 2, nut obovate. In sandy

moist places; along irrigation canals.

NH, SH.

v. distachyos (All.) Coss. & DR.: Clus-

tered creeping rhizomes. Culms erect, tri-

quetrous above, 2-3- leaved at base, the

lowest reduced to sheaths , the upper one

ending in a linear limb. Spikelets up to 20

mm. long, 1-6 together, sessile in a lateral

cluster, linear flattened, blackish-brown,

often curved upwards.

NH, N, SH, S, NJ, NF, E, R.

2. C. esculentus L. ( = C. melanorhi-

zus Del., Chlorocyperus esculentus and

C. aureus Palla, Pycreus esculentus

Hayek): Perennial sedge with the aspect of

C. rotundus and C. longus. Distinguished

by its pale spikelets with strongly-nerved remote

glumes and by its elongated filiform underground

stems, with globular or ovoid, transversely striat-

ed tubers. Spikelets straw-colored, in clustered

spikes. Stem 10-40 cm. high, compressed triangu-

lar, with numerous leaves at the base. Umbels

with 5-10 rays, up to 4 cm. long. Spikelets linear

or oblong, obtnse, 5-11 mm. long 2 mm. broad, 8-

16-flowered. In moist loamy soils. In sandy culti-

vated land, especially near the sea.

NH, SH.

3. C. rotundus L. ( = Chlorocyperus rotun-

dus (L.) Palla, Pycreus rotundus Hayek): Per-

ennial sedge distinguished by its thin long creep-

ing filiform scaly rhizome, often producing long

rows of small rosettes of leaves along the ground

and swollen into black ovoid ellipsoid tubers of

about, the size of a hazelnut here and there.

Culms slender triquetrous, nodeless, leafy only at

the base. Leaves dense. At top culm ends in a

simple or compound umbel of spicate spikelets;

rays of umbel 3-9, unequal, simple or branching,

up to 6 cm. long; longer leaves of involucre as

long as rays or longer. Spikelets linear, reddish-

brown, 15-30 mm. long and about 2 mm. broad,

12-24-flowered. Glumes densely imbricated. In

fields, along roads, in sandy places, on moist

ground.

NH, SH.

4. C. bulbosus Vahl (non Rich.): Perennial

glabrous sedge. Stolons very slender, bearing to-

CYPERACEAE

wards their ends black truncated bulbs, 6-

10 mm. across, ovoid, enclosed in a hard

striated coat. Stems very slender, nodeless,

10-30 cm. long, arising from a bulb, leafy

at the base, with long, 1-2 mm. narrow

leaves, usually exceeding the stem. Bracts

3-6, the lower much exceeding the umbel,

with whip-like ends as the leaves. Spike-

lets reddish brown or dark brown, 8-12

mm. long and up to 2 mm. broad, in a sim-

ple or few-branched lax terminal spike.

Spikelets up to 14-flowered, with

adpressed glumes. In deserts on moist

sandy soil.

SH, NH.

5. C. conglomeratus Rottb. ( = C.

pungens Boeck.): Densely-tufted, pale-

green glabrous perennial plant, with usual-

ly woolly root fibers. Stem compressed, 10

-30 cm. long, round-trigonous obtuse-

angled towards the top, leafy at the base.

Leaves terete, grooved, pungent, with very

obscure midrib and much enrolled margins

when dry. Inflorescence either with 2-4

short (up to 2 cm. long) umbel rays or

forming a head about 35 mm. across.

Bracts 2-4, sometimes a continuation of

the stem. Spikelets pale, 6 or more togeth-

er, 8-16-flowered each; nut trigonous

(having a triangular cross section), style

bifid. Maritime sands and deserts.

N. NJ.

6. C. longus L. (Chlorocyperus longus Pal-

la, Pycreus longus Hayek): Very similar to C.

rotundus but taller, being 0.5 to 1 m. high and

more, robust, with much more swollen stem, es-

pecially below. Rhizomes not tuberous, creeping,

long, woody. Culms triquetrous, leafy at the base.

Leaves not rosetted, 4-7 mm. broad, as long as

culm or shorter. Umbel, compound, with many

unequal rays, 6-10 up to 35 cm. long; the pedicels

of the umbellets also unequal. Spikelets many-

flowered, linear acute, brown or reddish brown,

white- margined or not, 10-25 mm. long, 1-1.5

mm. broad. In ditches.

SH.

v. pallidus Boeck. : Blue-green. Spikelets re-

mote up to 2 mm. broad, with broadly white-

margined glumes, (with the type).

7. C. schimperianus Steud. ( = C. badius

Boiss. partly): Rhizome creeping, thick, woody

with dark brown fibrous sheaths. Stem 60-90 cm.

high, compressed obtuse-angled, swollen down-

wards and surrounded by long reddish sheaths.

The 2 uppermost sheaths with short, 4-5 mm.

broad leaf-blades. Stem nodeless and of leafless

aspect; only upper sheaths with rather short

blades. Umbel 6-10-rayed with unequal, up to 7

cm. long rays. Spikelets 12-24-flowered, glumes

lax, obtuse, dark red or blackish brown. Charac-

terized by its few short leaves and the intensely

colored remote glumes. Marshes and canal banks.

S, SH.

CYPERACEAE

4. FIMBRISTYLIS Vahl

Glabrous or hairy tufted marsh plants,

with the aspect of Scirpus but with bulbous

-based hairy, bifid or trifid, soon deciduous

styles. Perianth absent Culm nodeless, only

leafy at the base. Glumes imbricated all

round the axis. Hypogynous perianth bris-

tles absent.

1. F. ferruginea (L.) Vahl: Glabrous

tufted biennial paint, 30-60 cm. high, with

short or hardly any leaves. Umbel of 5-10

spikelets, simple or slightly compound.

Spikelets solitary , brown, 5-10 mm. long,

in type acute. Nut lenticular, smooth or

punctate. In marshy gravelly places near

water. Flowers all the year.

H.

v. sieberiana (Kunth) Boeck. ( = F.

sieberiana Kunth): Similar to the type but

with obtuse spikelets. In damp places.

2. F. diaphylla Vahl: Annual pubescent

or glabrous herb. Stems tufted, 10-60 cm.

long; leaves narrowly- linear, shorter than

culm. Umbel compound, of many spike-

lets, with unequal filiform rays. Involucral

leaves 2-5, shorter or longer than umbel.

Glumes narrowly white-margined, gla-

brous, ovate, acute. Nut obovate, with lon-

gitudinal and transverse striations. Style

long, dilated at the base, bifid, villous on

the margin.

H.

3. F. bisumbellata (Forssk.) Bub. ( = F. di-

chotoma (L.) Vahl partly): A small annual pubes-

cent plant with tufted culms 15-20 cm. high.

Spikelets numerous solitary, fusiform, green,

many-flowered, 3-8 mm. long, in a terminal or

falsely lateral compound umbel, or head-like in-

florescence. Umbel with unequal rays. Glumes

triangular, glabrous. Nut finely ribbed. Involucre

3-6-leaved. In dry marshes and along canal

banks.

NH, SH.

5. SCIRPUS L.

Heads with many-flowered spikelets. Spike-

lets terete, solitary or variously grouped. Glumes

nearly equal, imbricated, the lower 1-2 often ster-

ile. Inflorescence terminal or falsely lateral, head-

like or umbel-like. Perianth absent or reduced to

a few hypogynous bristles. Style glabrous, terete,

filiform, persistent, not joined with ovary nor

thickened at the base. Stigmas 2 or 3. Scir-

pus holds an estimated 120 species. The genus

has a cosmopolitan distribution, and grows in

wetlands and moist soils. Some species specialize

in saline, marshy, environments .

1. S. holoschoenus L. : Perennial rigid tall

leafy plant with creeping rhizome and tufted te-

rete, nodeless culms. Leaves narrow, linear,

grooved, semiterete, pungent. Spikelets ovate,

very small, sessile in dense, globose ball-like

clusters, which are either sessile or peduncled.

CYPERACEAE

Inflorescence appearing lateral because of

the culm-like leaf supporting it. Glumes

ovate, finely apiculate, dark purplish-

brown. Nut smooth, plano convex. On

rocky moist ground.

v. australis (Murr. ex L.) Koch ( =

Holoschoenus romanus ssp. australis (L. )

Greuter): A pale-green stiff herb, 30-50

cm. high. Culms slender, often arcuate.

Inflorescence contracted with few (usually

3-5) heads, 6-8 mm. in diameter, one ses-

sile and the others peduncled. In sandy and

stony places.

SH.

2. S. litoralis Schrad. ( Schoenplectus

litoralis (Schrad.) Palla): Perennial stout

plant 80-100 cm. or more high with a slen-

der rhizome. Culms either terete or trique-

trous, obscurely striped upwards. Young

plants with a few short lanceolate leaves,

adult ones leafless. Spikelets nearly all sin-

gle, peduncled, oblong, obtuse, 6-10 mm.

long, together forming a rich inflorescence.

Peduncle scabrous. Inflorescence lateral

cymose compound umbel, with unequal

rays, the continuation of the culm trique-

trous, longer than the inflorescence.

Glumes ovate, mucronate, brown, with

membranous margins. Nut planoconvex,

smooth, brown, with 4 dark red plumose

bristles. In swamps, canals and moist plac-

es.

NJ, E.

3. S. inclinatus (Del.) Asch.et Schweinf. ex

Boiss. ( = S. corymbosus Heyne ex Roth, S.

brachyceras Hochst.): Stout tall plant with swol-

len leafless, terete culms surrounded at base by

thin empty sheaths and arising from a horizontal

rhizome. Spikelets partly sessile, crowded, partly

in lateral clusters on long unequal, spiny-tipped

branches. Glumes acute, shortly mucronate, mar-

gins scarcely membranous. Nut smooth, black.

The culm often bends over after flowering and

the terminal point roots in the mud giving rise to

new plants. In this case the flower-bearing shoots

grow steadily upwards.

S, SH.

Order. 43. MICRO SPERMAE Fam. 109. OR-

CHIDACEAE

1. ORCHIS

Sepals and petals connivent (touching) or

spreading. Labellum directed forward, spurred.

Column short, erect. Anthers entirely adnate ( sta-

mens attached to petals), cells parallel, with beak

between them. Pollinia (mass of pollen) with a

viscid gland at base of candicle. Ovary generally

twisted. Herbs with tuberous roots.

1. O. palustris Jacq. : Stem stiff, terete. Leaves

stiff, linear, gradually tapering from the base, 10-

20 cm. long and 3-5 mm. broad. Inflorescence

loose bracteate spike, 5-10 cm. long; bracts linear-

lanceolate, acute, longer than the ovary, 3-nerved.

Flowers pink. Labellum spreading, longer than the

ORCHIDACEAE

calyx, fan-shaped, 3-lobed; lateral lobes

rounded, the middle one as long as or long-

er than the lateral. Spur cylindrical, straight,

obtuse, shorter than the ovary. In wet fields

and swamps.

E.

Cyperus rotundus

Orchis palustris

Iris sisyrinchium

Iris sisyrinchium

Allium sphaerocephalon

Allium sphaerocephalon

Juncus rigidus

Juncus rigidus

Dichanthium annulatum

Pennisetum divisum

Pennisetum divisum

Panicum turgidum

Poa annua

Schismus barbatus

Schismus arabicus

Schismus arabicus

Trachynia distachya

Aeluropus lagopoides

Dactyloctenium aegyptium

Eleusine indica

Eleusine indica

Cutandia memphitica

Pennisetum ciliare

Aleopecurus myosuroides