wned at the back,
villous; the side lobes are acuminate or aristate and the central lobes
are shortly awned. The _fifth_, _sixth_ and _seventh glumes_ are
obovate-cuneate, 7- to 9-nerved, paleate, flower-bearing and 3-lobed,
the side lobes are acuminate and the central lobe is bifid and dorsally
awned; palea is ovate-acute, 2-nerved and ciliolate. The _eighth glume_,
if present, is neuter and imperfect, 3-lobed and shortly awned.
_Lodicules_ are minute. _Stamens_ are two or three with small anthers.
Grain is oblong, compressed, reddish brown.

This grass generally grows in gravelly and somewhat alkaline soils. So
far this has been noticed and collected in Chingleput and Nellore
districts.

_Distribution._--Mysore and the Carnatic, and Ceylon.

41. Pappophorum, _Nees._

This is a perennial grass. Spikelets are contracted spiciform panicles,
1- to 3-flowered, rachilla is jointed at the base. There are 5 to 7
glumes in the spikelet. The _first_ and the _second glumes_ are
membranous, keeled 3- to many-nerved, persistent. The _third_ and the
fourth glumes are much shorter (excluding the awns) than the first two,
coriaceous, orbicular, concave, obscurely many-nerved, cleft into nine
or more equal or alternately longer long-ciliate erect awns. The fourth
and the subsequent glumes are imperfect and they get gradually smaller
and smaller, the last glume being represented only by a rudimentary
glume with three awns. Lodicules are dolabriform and two. Stamens are
three. Styles are free. Grain is obovoid or oblong, free.

[Illustration: Fig. 215.--Pappophorum elegans.]

=Pappophorum elegans, _Nees._=

This grass is perennial with wiry roots. Stems are erect ascending from
a swollen woody base, thinly hairy and rarely glabrous, pale green and
sometimes with red blotches, wiry, varying in length from 1 to 3 feet.

The _leaf-sheath_ is thinly pubescent, some hairs being minutely
gland-tipped.

The _leaf-blade_ is narrow, linear-lanceolate, sharply acuminate,
covered both above and below with hairs, many of which being minutely
gland-tipped, convolute when young. The _ligule_ is a ridge of hairs.
Nodes are pubescent.

The _inflorescence_ is a panicle with short branches, 1 to 3 inches
long, rachis is pubescent; peduncle is 2 to 4 inches long, pubescent.
The _spikelets_ are pale green, sometimes purple tinged and appearing
white when mature, softly pubescent, about 1/4 inch long including the
awn; the rachilla is pro