A Taxonomic study of Family Poaceae in Goa
Thesis submitted to Goa University for the award of degree of
Doctor of Philosophy in
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By Harshala S. Gad
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Department of Botany Goa University, Goa — 403 206 June 2007 6 z STATEMENT
As required by the University Ordinance 0.19.8 (ii), I state that the present thesis "A
Taxonomic Study of Family Poaceae in Goa" is my original contribution and the same has not been submitted on any occasion for any other degree or diploma of this
University or any other University/ Institute. To the best of my knowledge, the present study is the first comprehensive work of its kind from the area mentioned. The literature related to the problem investigated has been cited. Due acknowledgments have been made wherever facilities and suggestions have been availed of.
6116 PO / Place: Goa University (Harshala S. Gad)
Date: .20 / C /2-001 Candidate CERTIFICATE
As required by the University Ordinance 0.19.8. (IV), this is to certify that the thesis
entitled "A Taxonomic Study of Family Poaceae in Goa", submitted by Miss Harshala
S. Gad for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Botany, is based on her
original and independent work carried out by her during the period of study, under my
supervision.
The thesis or any part thereof has not been previously submitted for any other
degree or diploma in any University or institute.
Place: Goa University Date: 2,0 6 . 7_oo7- Research Guide ACKNOWLEDGMENT
"Education is the way in which one learn skills, gains knowledge and understanding about the world around and oneself' Anonymous
I owe my indebtedness and gratitude to my research guide Dr. M. K. Janarthanam, Reader, Department of Botany, Goa University for introducing me to the world of grasses and inspiring me to step in the field of Agrostology. He guided me patiently, with useful suggestions and constant encouragement and support throughout my work.
My sincere thanks to Prof. D. J. Bhat, Head Department of Botany, Goa University, for his encouragement and support.
I am extremely grateful to my fellow researcher friends, Ashish Prabhugaonkar, Jyotsna R. N. Dessai, Mrs. Emilia Mascarenhas (Lecturer, Department of Botany, St. Xavier's College, Mapusa), Mrs. Rupa Herlekar (Lecturer, Bhavan's College, Chowpatti, Mumbai) and brother Anil Gad for accompanying me in fieldwork and for the help extended by them in various ways during course of this work.
I am thankful to Joint Director and In-charge of BSI (Pune) and MH (Coimbatore) for permitting me to consult their respective herbaria and library.
I owe my sincere thanks to the Director of Meteorological Observatory of India, Goa branch, Altinho, Panjim for permitting me to use meteorological records of the year 2003-2005.
My sincere thanks to the Head of the Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur for permitting me to consult their herbarium.
My special thanks to Prof. S. R. Yadav, Department of Botany, Shivaji University, for all his help rendered to me during my stay at Kolhapur and for his valuable suggestions and encouragement.
My sincere thanks to Prof. N. Ravi, Kollam, Kerala, for confirmation of the identity and his comment on Ischaemum yadavii sp. nov.
I owe my thanks to Dr. J. E Veldkamp, Rijksherbarium, Ledien, Netherlands,for the Latin diagnosis of Ischaemum yadavii sp. nov.
I am grateful to Goa University, for granting me research studentship.
My sincere thanks to subject expert Dr. P. K. Sharma, Reader, Department of Botany Goa University, for his valuable comments, suggestion and encouragement.
I owe my thanks to Prof. G. N. Nayak, Dean of Faculty of Life Sciences and Environment & Chairman of FRC for his valuable comments and support.
I am thankful to my teachers Dr. Nandkumar Kamat, Dr. B. F. Rodrigues, Dr. S. Krishnan and Dr. (Mrs.) Vijaya Kerkar for their encouragement and support. My special thanks to Dr. Girish Potdar, Mayur Kamble, Shankar Shendage and Nilesh Malpure for their timely help during my stay at Kolhapur.
My sincere thanks to Sachin Punekar for extending his help during my stay in Pune.
My sincere thanks to research scholars and my friends Dr. Rupali Bhandari, Dr. Pratibha Jalmi, Janet Vaz, Radhika Nair, Puja Gawas, Govind Parab, Supriya Desai, Vanessa Rodrigues, Kavita Shivkumar for their cooperation and help.
Special thanks to my junior friends Deval Naik, Sonia Faldessai, Nagratna Chari, Namrata Mhalsekar, Santa Yadav, Nikita D'Souza and Swapnaja Dhargalkar for their help.
My special thanks to Mr. Vithal Naik, Mr. Gajanan Tani, Mr. Ramesh Tari, Mrs. Ana D'Souza, Mr. Krishna Velip, Mr. Satish Pereira and Mr. Suresh Fondekar technical and ministerial staff, Department of Botany, Goa University for extending their help.
Finally, I take this opportunity to thank my Parents and brother Raj endra Gad for their support and encouragement throughout my work. CONTENTS
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1
Chapter 2 MATERIALS AND METHODS 7
Chapter 3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
(i) Systematic treatment 16
(ii) Analysis 311
Chapter 4 CONCLUSION 319
Chapter 5 SUMMARY 320
REFERENCES 323
APPENDIX LIST OF FIGURES
Fig. 1 Map of study area
Fig. 2. Monthly average rainfall of year 2003-2005
Fig 3. Tripogon sivarajanii Sunil.
Fig 4. Arthraxon lanceolatus (Roxb.) Hochst var. raizadae (Jain, Hemadri et Deshpande)
Fig 5. Bhidea burnsiana Bor
Fig 6. Chrysopogon tandulingami P. V. Sreekumar, V. J. Nair & N. C. Nair.
Fig 7. Dichanthium paranjpyeanum (Bhide) W. D. Clayton.
Fig 8. Dimeria stapfiana C. E. Hubb. ex Pilger
Fig 9. Ischaemum bolei Almeida
Fig 10. Ischaemum manilaliana sp. nov.
Fig 11. Ischaemum muticum L.
Fig 12. Ischaemum sahyadrica sp. nov.
Fig 13. Ischaemum santapaui Bor
Fig 14. Ischaemum thomsonianum Stapf ex Fischer.
Fig 15. Ischaemum tranvancorense Stapf ex Fischer.
Fig 16. Ischaemum yadavii Harshala Gad & Janarth. sp. nov.
Fig 17. Vetiveria zizanoides (L.) Nash. Fig 18. Glyphochloa acuminata (Hack.) W. D. Clayton var. acuminata
Fig 19. Glyphochloa divergens (Hack.) W. D. Clyton.
Fig 20. Glyphochloa goaensis (R. S. Rao & Hemadri) W. D. Clayton
Fig 21. Glyphochloa henryii Janarth., Joshi et Rajkumar
Fig 22. Glyphochloa talbotii (Hook. f.) W. D. Clayton
Fig 23. Glyphochloa veldkampii M. A. Fonseca & Janarth.
Fig 24. Mnesithea clarkei (Hack.) Koning & Sosef
Fig 25. Ophiuros bombaiensis Bor
Fig 26. Isachne setosa Fischer
Fig 27. Urochloa panicoides P. Beauv.
Fig. 28: Schematic representation of taxonomic distribution of grass species in Goa.
Fig. 29: Endemic grass species of Western Ghats in Goa: their taxonomic and habitatwise distribution.
Fig. 30: Occurrence of grass taxa on lateritic plateaus in relation to altitude:
Fig. 31: Schematic representation of haibitatwise distribution of grass species in Goa.
Fig. 32: Dendrogram showing similarity between habitats based on the distribution of species.
Fig 33: Proportion of endemic Andropogoneae to total endemic grasses on plateaus
Fig 34: Grasses on low and high altitude plateaus of Goa
Fig 35: Number of habitats vs number of grass taxa Clayton.
Fig. 19: Glyphochloa divergens (Hack.) W. D. Clyton.
Fig. 20: Glyphochloa goaensis (R. S. Rao & Hemadri) W. D. Clayton
Fig. 21: Glyphochloa henryii Janarth., Joshi et Rajkumar
Fig. 22: Glyphochloa talbotii (Hook. f.) W. D. Clayton
Fig. 23: Glyphochloa veldkampii M. A. Fonseca & Janarth.
Fig. 24: Mnesithea clarkei (Hack.) Koning & Sosef
Fig. 25: Ophiuros bombaiensis Bor
Fig. 26: Isachne setosa Fischer
Fig. 27: Urochloa panicoides P. Beauv.
Fig. 28: Schematic representation of taxonomic distribution of grass species in Goa.
Fig. 29: Endemic grass species of Western Ghats in Goa: their taxonomic and habitatwise distribution.
Fig. 30: Occurrence of grass taxa on lateritic plateaus in relation to altitude.
Fig. 31: Schematic representation of haibitatw* distribution of grass species in Goa.
Fig. 32: Dendrogram showing similarity between habitats based on the distribution of species.
Fig. 33: Proportion of endemic Andropogoneae to total endemic grasses on plateaus
Fig. 34: Grasses on low and high altitude plateaus of Goa
Fig. 35: Number of habitats vs number of grass taxa LIST OF PLATES
Plate 1: Spikelets — A. Leersia hexandra; B. Oryza rufipogon; C. Centotheca lappacea; D. Arundo donar, E. Aristida setacea; F. Danthonidium gammiei; G. Chloris barbata; H. Dactyloctenium aegyptium; I. Eragrostis atrovirens; J. E. tenella; K. E. viscosa; L. Indopoa pauperculus; M. Sporobolus piliferous; N. S. virginicus; 0. Tripogon capillatus; P. 7'. sivarajanii.
Plate 2: Spikelets — A. Arthraxon hipidus var. hispidus; B. A. lanceolatus vr. raizadae; C. Bhidea burnsiana; U. Dichanthium paranjpyeanum; E. D. pertusum; F. Dimeria blatteri; G. Eulalia fimbriata; H. Spodiopogon rhizophorus; I. Themeda triandra; J. Saccharum spontaneum; K. Sorghum halepense; L. Glyphochloa acuminata var. acuminata; M. G. acuminata var. stocksii; N. G. acuminata var. woodrowii; 0. G. divergens; P. G. forficulata; Q. G. goaensis; R. G. henryi; S. G. mysorensis; T. G. ratnagirica; U. G. talbotii; V. G. veldkampii.
Plate 3: Spikelets of Ischaemum — A. I. bolei; B. I. dalzellii; C. I. indicum; D. I. jayachandranii; E. I. mangaluricum; F. I. molle; G. I. muticum; H. I. raizadae; I. I. rugosum; J. I. santapaui; K. I. semisagittatum; L. I. thomsonianum; M. I. timorense; N. I. travancorense; 0. I. tumidum; P. I. yadavii sp. nov. ; Q. Ischamum sahyadrica sp. nov.; R. Ischaemum manilaliana sp. nov.
Plate 4: Spikelets — A. Acroceras munroanum; B. Arundinella leptochloa; C. A. metzii; D. A. nepalensis; E. A. pumila; F. A. tuberculata; G. Brachiaria miliformis; H. Coelachne simpliuscula; I. Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum; J. Echinochloa colona; K. E. crusgalli; L. Eriochloa procera; M. Isachne setosa; N. Oplismenus compositus; 0. Panicum notatum; P. P. paludosum; Q. P. psilopodium; R (1 & 2). Paspalidium flavidum; S. Paspalum paspalode; T. Pennisetum polystachyon. INTRODUCTION
The family Poaceae forms the fourth largest group among the families of flowering plants and comprises of 793 genera and about 10, 000 species (Watson &
Dallwitz, 1994). Of the 793 genera, about 390 are monotypic or ditypic, and 23 have about 100 or more species, and contain approximately half of all grass species. Almost the third of the species are concentrated in 10 largest genera (viz. Agrostis, Aristida,
Calamagrostis, Digitaria, Eragrostis, Festuca, Panicum, Paspalum, Poaand Stipa), each with 200 or more species. With the few highly significant exceptions, the genera of family Poaceae are very homogeneous (Watson & Dallwitz, 1994). The grass family occurs in the great diversity of form and spread over a wide range of habitats.
Grasses survive in even the most stressful extremes of climate (Simpson, 1990).
Grasses are considered more essential to the nutrition, well being or even existence of human than any other group of plants (Simpson, 1990). Almost one-quarter of world's vegetation cover is composed of grasses (Jacob et al., 1999). The economic importance of grass lies in their paramount role as food as 70% of the world's farmland is planted with crop grasses and over 50% of world calories come from grasses (Sreekumar and Nair, 1991). Sugarcane, wheat, rice and maize forms first four grasses in global production.
Grass cover in India Poaceae is the largest family in India that comprises of about 1300 species
belonging to 268 genera (Karthikeyan et al., 1989). There is some consensus among
scientists that true grasslands do not occur in India. India is considered to be a land of
forests and grasses have spread and colonised in areas that have been opened up when
forests were cleared for various uses. Dabadghao and Shankarnarayan (1973) reduced
1 major grassland types in India to four groups, viz. i) Sehimal Dichanthium, ii)
DichanthiumICenchrusl Lasiurus, iii) PhragmitesISacharuml Imperata, and iv)
Themeda/Arundinella. They include the tropical and sub tropical types and the temperate alpine type. Sehimal Dichanthium is the largest of the four grass zones of
India. All of the southern states supports this type of grass cover.
Phytogeographically, two grass domains occur in India, viz. Temperate Himalayan region including Indo-Gangetic plains and the Tropical Peninsular Indian region
(Sampson et al., 2001).
Endemism in grasses:
Being the largest family in India, it is also represented by large number of
endemic taxa. About 430 grass taxa are strictly endemic to India and 40% of them are
concentrated in Peninsular India (Jain, 1986). There are 14 genera endemic to India of
which 12 are monotypic (Kiran Raj et al., 2003). The monotypic endemic genera are
Chandrasekharaniana Nair et al., Danthonidium C. E. Hubb. Hubbardia Bor,
lndopoa Bor, Limnopoa C. E. Hubb., Manisuris L., Pogonachne Bor,
Pseudodichanthium Bor, Silentvalleya Nair et al., Trilobachne Schenck ex. Henr. and
Triplopogon Bor. Other endemic genera are Bhidea Stapf (3 spp.), Glyphochloa W. D.
Clayton (10 spp. and 3 varieties) and Lophopogon Hack. (2 spp.). Genera such as
lschaemum L., Isachne R. Br., Arthraxon P. Beauv, Dichanthium Willemet, Dimeria
R. Br., and Ochlandra L. are known for their species diversity and endemism in India
(Kiran Raj et al., 2003).
Previous work in India
Several taxonomists contributed to the systematic study of grasses of India.
Lisboa (1896) dealt with grasses of Bombay. Hooker (1896) reported about 135 genera
including five new genera, 734 species including 126 new species, two subspecies and
2 39 varieties of grasses in 'Flora of British India'. The chapter on tribe Bambuseae was written by J. S. Gamble. The monumental work on grasses of India was by Bor (1960), whose extensive studies on grasses resulted in publication of 'Grasses of Burma,
Ceylon, India and Pakistan' which encompass 242 genera and 1274 species excluding
Bamboos. The checklist of the Monocots with updated nomenclature and distribution was published by Karthikeyan et al., (1989). At regional level several studies have been carried out that have relevance to the present work. Cooke (1901-1908) in his
'Flora of Presidency of Bombay' dealt with family Poaceae along with other
Angiosperm families and reported 72 genera (including four genera of bamboos) and
223 species. Six species were mentioned under non-indigenous category and 15 under
cultivated species. Intensive studies on grasses of Bombay was carried out by Blatter
and McCann (1934) which resulted in compilation of 'Grasses of Bombay' which
provides illustrations for 189 species of the total described 312 species, 6 varieties and
2 sub varieties referable to 110 genera. Achariar and Mudaliar (1921) studied the
grasses of Madras and adjoining areas and published handbook on South Indian
Grasses which gave an account of 103 taxa including three varieties referred under 42
genera where genus Panicum included assemblage of several other genera viz.,
Isachne, Brachiaria, Echinochloa, Paspalidium etc and Genus Andropogon included
assembage of genera such as Dichanthium, Ve tiveria, Heteropogon, Chrysopogon
etc., which were also treated under single genus by Hooker (1896). Fischer (1934-
1936) gave an account of 132 genera and 381 species and three varieties of grasses
including Bamboos in Gamble's Flora of Presidency of Madras.
Ved Prakash and Jain (1979) compiled 'Fascicles of Flora of India' for tribe
Garnotieae which accounted for two genera viz., Cyathopus comprising of one species
and Garnotia with 13 taxa including two varieties. They classified genus Garnotia into
3 two sections i.e. Garnotia and Scoparia based on leaf morphology and robustness of habit. Section Scoparia comprises of four species and remaining 10 taxa are included under section Garnotia. Accounts of tribe Isachneae was compiled by Ved Prakash and Jain (1984) which gives description of four genera and 36 species including two varieties. Here, five taxa including two varieties are described under genus Coelachne,
29 species under genus Isachne and one species each under genus Limnopoa and
Sphaerocaryum. Patunkar (1980) published 'Grasses of Marathwada' (Maharashtra) and 'Grasses of Junnar and surroundings' were studied by Hemadri (1980) wherein he described 144 taxa including 44 varieties of grass species referable to 64 genera.
Matthew (1982, 1988) illustrated 184 taxa by line drawings in 284 plates in
'Illustrations to flora of Tamilnadu Carnatic' and Britto and Matthew (1983) provided descriptions for all 183 species and one variety. Roy (1984) in Grasses of Madhya
Pradesh gave an account of 257 species referable to 102 genera. Kulkarni (1988) reported 114 grass species referable to 56 genera for adjacent Sindhudurg district of
Maharashtra. Almeida (1990) studied and gave an account of 153 species and seven varieties of grasses distributed under 57 genera in 'The Flora of Savantwadi', that forms part of the Sindhudurg district. Sreekumar and Nair (1991) worked on grasses of
Kerala and described 296 species distributed in 103 genera including two new genera,
28 new grass species and four species as new record to the Indian grass flora.
Negi and Naithani (1994) in Handbook on Indian Bamboos described 103 taxa including three varieties and one forma distributed under 19 ind Egenous and three
exotic genera. The handbook also provided concise information on the vernacular
names, description, distribution, phenology, silviculture, management and utilization
of important bamboos and provided list distibution note of 26 bamboo species, which
are rare in India. Lakshminarasimhan (1996) provided an account of 104 genera and
4 373 grass species in 'Flora of Maharashtra'. Shulda (1996) studied the grasses of
North-Eastern India which covered seven states of the region comprising of Arunachal
Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. His work resulted in describing 480 taxa distributed in 138 genera of which 88 taxa have been illustrated by line drawings. Among the 138 genera Bambusa accounts for maximum
(19 species) species in the region followed by Dendrocalamus (14 species). Moulik
(1997) gave an account of grasses and bamboos occurring in India, provided descriptions to 1274 taxa distributed in 250 genera. Bhat and Nagendran (2001) described 158 grass species under 72 genera from Dakshin Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka. Fonseca (2003) carried out systematic studies on a genus
Glyphochloa restricted to Peninsular India. In the recent years work on grasses of
Maharashtra was carried out by Potdar (2006) who described 300 species and 10 varieties of grasses referable to 109 genera.
Many botanists have added grass species as new taxa to the family Poaceae from India. Ravi and Anil Kumar (1992), Ravi (1995, 1996), Mohanan and Ravi
(1996), Ravi and Mohanan (1997), Ravi et al., (1998), Muktesh Kumar et al., (1999),
Muktesh Kumar, Seethalakshmi et al., (1999), Muktesh Kumar et al., (2001), Pradeep
and Sunil (1999) Ravi et al., (2000a, 2000b), Muktesh Kumar et al., (2001), Ravi et al.,
(2001a, 2001b) and Sunil and Pradeep (2001) added new grass taxa from Kerala.
Veldkamp and Salunkhe (2000), Potdar et al., (2003), Salunkhe and Potdar (2004),
Potdar et al., (2004) added new grass taxa from Maharashtra. Additions of new taxa to
the family Poaceae in recent years show that eight species each were added under
genus Dimeria R. Br., and Ischaemum L., followed by five species under genus
Ochlandra L.,three species to genus Chrysopogon Trin, two species to Tripogon Roem
& Schutt and one each to genus Eulalia Kunth, Mnesithea Kunth and Themeda Forssk.
5 Previous work in study area
The family Poaceae occupies second position in dominance among the
Angiosperms of the state of Goa (Rao, 1985-1986). Earlier Vartak (1966) reported 92 grass species for the broader area of Gomantak encompassing areas from Karnataka and Maharashtra of which only seven grass species were actually referred from Goa.
Rao (1985-1986) listed 62 species of grasses in 38 genera for the state and later
Naithani et al., (1997) described 4 species of bamboo under four different genera along with other woody angiosperm tree species of Goa. To this 24 grass species were added by Rajkumar et al. (1999) and four by Joshi and Janarthanam (2004). Two new species were added under the genus Glyphochloa by Janarthanam et al. (2000) and Fonseca
and Janarthanam (2003). As these additions to the grass flora of Goa indicate to the
gaps in the existing taxonomic studies, an extensive survey of the grasses of the state is
needed. Hence, the present work has been undertaken with the following objectives:
OBJECTIVES
To survey, collect, document and critically carry out the taxonomic studies on
the grass flora of Goa. MATERIALS AND METHODS
The taxonomic study on family Poaceae of Goa state was taken up in the year
2003. Different habitats were intensively surveyed by undertaking periodical field trips from January 2003- November 2005. The specimens collected were given collection numbers and carried to laboratory in polythene bags to prevent desiccation and wilting. The field data such as habit, inflorescence details, phenology, habitat, associated plant species etc. were noted down in the field. The collected grass specimens were processed for herbarium using standard herbarium techniques. Ethyl alcohol saturated with mercuric chloride was used to poison specimens. The processed specimens were mounted on standard herbarium sheets. The morphological details were studied by dissecting specimens under WILD M3Z Leica stereo microscope. The
descriptions in details were written by observing dissected floral parts under stereo
microscope and illustrations of floral parts were drawn using drawing tube attached to
M3Z Leica stereo microscope. Photographs of floral parts were taken using Olympus
SZ 51 stereo microscope attached with DP 12 camera or with Olympus SZ 51 stereo
microscope using Nikon Coolpix 4500 camera.
The specimens described were identified using local and regional floras and
other relevent grass litrature. The identification of specimens was confirmed by
comparing with authentic herbarium specimens available at BSI (Botanical Survey of
India, Western Circle herbarium, Pune), MH (Madras herbarium of Botanical Survey
of India, Southern Circle, Coimbatore), SUH (Shivaji University herbarium at
Kolhapur), GUH (Goa University herbarium, Goa — GUH is not an acronym but used
for convenience). Specimens available in these herbaria were also studied for their
morphological details using hand lens and details on the herbarium labels were noted.
7 The identified, mounted herbarium specimens are deposited in the Herbarium,
Department of Botany, Goa University, Goa. During present study nine habitats were recognised for grasses following Joshi & Janarthanam (2004) with slight modification.
They are: 1. Cultivated land: cultivated and harvested paddy fields, coconut grooves, arecanut yards and banana plantations, 2. Epiphytic: tree trunks, 3. Forests: Under growth of moist deciduous forests, semi-evergreen forests and forest margins, 4.
Grassy hill slopes, 5. Halophytic: sandy beaches, Khazan lands, Mangroves, and other halophytic places, 6. Lateritic rocky plateaus: hard latrite, lateritic rocky plateau with little soil cover and water puddles on lateritic rocky plateaus, 7. Habitations: road sides, hedges, public parks, roof tops, compound walls and backyards, 8. Fresh watercourses: sandy riverbanks, stream banks, rocky stream beds, wet lands (fresh water) and 9. Water falls: on moist rocks, vertical rocky profiles moistened by seasonal waterfalls, water spray and trickles. Analysis of distributional data of grasses in various habitats was carried out using Multi Variate Statistical Package (MVSP).
Study area
The geographical area of study is confined to the state of Goa. Geographically,
Goa is situated between 73° 40' 33" and 74° 20' 13" E and 14° 53' 54" and 15° 48' N, with Sindhudurg district of the Maharashtra state in the North, Belgaum and Uttara
Kannada district in the East along the Western Ghats, Uttara Kannada district in the
South and by the Arabian Sea in the West. The total area is about 3702 km 2 and administratively divided into two districts, viz., North Goa and South Goa, which
comprises of 11 talukas, viz. Pernen, Bardez, Bicholim, Satari, Tiswadi, Ponda,
Mormagoa (smallest), Salcete, Sanguem (largest), Quepem and Canacona (Gune,
1979). Goa can be divided into three physiographic units (Rao, 1985 - 1986): 1) Hills
8 Fig. 1. Study Area — Goa State (IRS ID LISS-III Image)
rinheraMIrse
Kernm ekg
410011 = Evergreen 1-1 'Annatvergreen ri Mani DeCidt1005 1=1 Feenintinn Agnorhare. I Fellow = Ilgatedlady = SeMernerg
0 Kiemelets
ikhrra irdel *A Bairn firparmi,6es Ilium Oft and valleys along the Ghat zone, 2) Narrow coast line and 3) Undulating plateau on mainland between the hills and coast. The plateaus and the moist deciduous forests of
Western Ghats occupy the major portion of the land areas in the state of Goa (Gune,
1979). The Ghats occupy approximately 600 km 2 of area with an average height range of 800 m. The highest peak in Goa is Sonso gad (1,166 m) in Satari. The plateaus of mainland of Goa are of varying heights, which do not exceed beyond 100 m and not less than 30 m. Their tops are usually leveled and in few places deeply notched with gullies. The study area is well drained with rivers and streams. The principal rivers are
Mandovi and Zuari which empty themselves in the Arabian sea. Other small rivers are
Sinquerim, Chapora, Tiracol, Sal, Talpona, Galgibaga, Mapusa, and Madhaei, all
originating in the Sahyadri ranges which lie outside the state boundary.
Climate: The climate of Goa state can be categorised into four seasons, the winter
from December to February, summer from March to May, the south west monsoon
season from June to September, the post monsoon which begins in October and lasts
up to November. Most of the year faces a distinct dry period of six- seven months
from November to May.
Rainfall: The southwest monsoon winds bring rains to the state of Goa. These
monsoons reach Goa by the first week of June and the state receives maximum amount
of rainfall from June to August. The rainfall starts declining by September. The state
also receives pre-monsoon showers in month of April and May and post monsoon
showers in Month of October and November. A great variation (Fig. 2) in the rainfall
pattern in recent years have been witnessed in the state.
Temperature: The average temperature in the study area ranges from 30° C maximum
to 20 ° C minimum. The temperature rises from March to May.
Humidity: The climate in Goa is tropical and due to close proximity to Arabian Sea
9
the state is humid in condition and humidity ranges from 60 — 95 %.
Fig. 2. Monthly average rainfall of year 2003 - 2005
1400
1200
1000 m
in 800 20031 l l - 2004
fa 600 in 400 Ra
200
0 0 Feb April June Aug Oct Dec Months
Physiographic Units: The Goa state can be conveniently divided into three physiographic units. They are:
1. Hills and valleys along the ghat zone: The Western Ghats with continuous range of
Sahyadri hills form the commencement of the high hill range in the east. The foot- slopes of this hill range touch Ponda in the central Goa, Saari in the north, Sanguem in east and the interior of Canacona in the South. These ranges cover about one third of the total Goa.
2. Coast lines: The western and south-western parts of Goa constitute the coastal plains lined by Arabian sea. Coast line is layered with sandy soils and alluvium along river banks.
3. Plateaus: Covered with residual laterites of the detrital type.
Geology: The greater part of Goa is covered with Prec. ambrian rocks, except for a narrow strip along the north-eastern border of Goa in Saari taluka which is covered by the Deccan trap of Cretaceous to lower Eocene age. The Precambrian rocks consist of
10 quartzite, quartz-sericite schist, metavolacanics, quartz-chlorite-schist, quartz-chlorite- biotite schist, meta-gray-wacke, conglomerate (tilloid), pink phyllite with lenticular bodies of bended manganiferous and ferrogenous quartzites and upper meta- graywacke intruded by ultra basic sills and dykes, porphyritic granite and gneissic granite, dolerite dykes and vein quartz. In the recent times these rocks have under gone laterization. The pink phyllite are invariably converted into laterite at the surface, while the greywake are converted into metabasalts occassionally. The tilloid and gneissic granites are not laterized. The rocks along the coast have undergone laterization to varying degree where laterite profile extend to a depth of 50-75 m from the surface. The narrow strip of Deccan trap has some sporadic cover of laterite.
Meta -volcanics with beds of quartzite and quartz -sericite schist:
The meta-volcanics consist essentially of schistose and massive meta basalts
with the associated tufts agglomerate and partly of quartzporphyry. The schistose
meta-basalt is extensively present between Polem and Talpona, on the northern and
southern slopes of Barcem hill and between Betul and Adnem. Amygdular variety is
present in the Mormugao headlands, west of Xeldem and south of Gocoldem and
around Arvalem.The massive variety of meta basalt occurs on the conspicuously high
ridges of Morpirla-Molorem, Barcem-Vaul, Gocoldem-Mangal, Gaodongrem-
Cusquem, Banda-Usgao and Candepar and in the ghat section from Salguinim to
Kumari Peak. The quartz-porphyry which is present as narrow strip near Vaul, Xeldem
and Padi. The quartzites and quartz-sericite schist occur as narrow beds within the
meta-basalts. Good outcrops of quartzite are present near Caranzol, Codal, Tambdi and
on Asvelicho Dongor, on the Olon hill east of Molem and as narrow caught up patches
in the Quepem gneissic granite on the Cuncolim hill, south of Sanvordem between
Deulimola and Sanvorcotem and near Rowle.
11 Quartz-chlorite-biotite schist, quartz-chlorite schist with thin beds of quartzite, slate, meta-graywacke and conglomerate (Tilloid):
The entire Kalay hill and Tolsoi hill are completely comprises of conglomerate, the Bati hill and the area between Ribandar and Cumbarjua canal by graywake, the
Boma hill and the area between Moissal and Cundaim by quartz chlorite schist and the area between Durbhat to Agonda and querim by quartz-chlorite biotite schist while the area around cavorem, the area between Marangara and Mangueshi and that between
Borbatta and Vasco are made up of graywake, conglomerate and quartz-chlorite schist.
Pink ferruginous phyllite with limestone, manganigferrous chert-breccia and banded ferruginous qurtzite:
The pink ferruginous phyllite horizon has a wide distribution. It extends from river Talpona in the northwest to Salguinim in the southeast over a length of about 95
Km. In the central and south central parts of Goa, the pink phyllite occurs over an extensive area from Viliena on the east to Rivona on the west. Narrow strips are present near Betul and around Siroda. Magnesium rich crystalline limestone intercalated with chert bands occurs in the north-eastern part of Goa and are well exposed between Vainguinim on east and Ivrem Curdo on the west. The manganiferous chert breccia are present in the south Goa, south Sanvordem. The banded magnetite quartzite is fairly extensively present around Viliena and Barazon.
Upper Meta - Graywake:
The upper meta greywake overlies the pink phyllite conformably and occurs
over an extensive area between Vainguinim, Gonteli, Birondem in the north-east and
between Dodamarg, Mopa and beyond in northern Goa.
Ultrabasic and Basic intrusives:
12 Various schistose rocks are intruded by the ultrabasic rocks represented by talc- chlorite schist, peridotites and amphibolites and basic rocks represented by gabbro.
Talc-chlorite schist occurs near Xeldem in the gneissic granites and in the road cuttings of Pernem-Pacem-Corgaon road, around Malpem and MaMa. Peridotite occurs as long lenticular patches within the basic rocks on the Usgaon hill.
Porphyitic Granite: In the south Goa between Butpal on the east to the sea coast on the west, a linear granitic body occurs in general east-west direction. Deccan trap extend all along
Goa border from north east of Vainguinim up to the Goa-Karnataka-Maharashtra border north-east of Choraundem. It occurs at altitude varying from 600 m to 700 m.
Laterite: A mantle of laterite varying in thickness up to 15 m occurs extensively over almost all the rock types. Pink phyllite, graywake and quartz-chlorite schist are
generally less laterised. The metabasalts show partial laterisation. The thickness of
laterite mantle extend up to 15 m depending upon the vicinity to sea coast, the nature,
chemical composition of the original rocks and the topography.
Soil types: The major soil types of Goa are (Dhope, 1956): 1) The Lateritic soil which
is derived from pink phyllite is the major soil type observed in the study area and this
is formed due to heavy rainfall and high temperature. It is highly acidic, brownish
black to reddish brown, well drained, 2) Red gravel soil derived from micaceous
granite gneiss covers the undulated plateaus mixed with black soil adjoining the river
banks, 3) Alluvium Soils including coastal alluvium along coastal belt and in the low
lying situations, it is acidic, reddish brown to yellowish red with coarse texture, 4)
Sandy coastal soils .occurring along the coastal belt, is acidic with moderated organic
13 matter and 5) Saline soil occurring mostly in the Khazan land along the foot plains of the river. Its silty-clay looms are excessively saline where as the hills and valleys along the Ghat zone are with crystalline rocks of Granite and Quartz.
Vegetation types: Vegetation in the state is broadly classified by Rao (1985) into the following types: i) Estuarine vegetation of Mangroves, ii) Strand and creek vegetation, iii) Plateau vegetation including: a) scrub jungles and b) Moist deciduous forests the major vegetation type in Goa, iv) Semi-evergreen forests and v) Evergreen forests.
Semi-evergreen and evergreen forests are the second major vegetation type in Goa occurring in patches along the upper ghat regions above 500 m. The three types of forest found in Goa together constitute about 1591 km 2 which is about 43 percent of the total geographical area of the state. About 30 percent of the geographical area is covered with moist deciduous forest, which is about 71 percent of the total forest.
Semi evergreen covers an area of about 10 percent constituting about 23 percent of the forest area. Evergreen forest covers about 3 percent of the geographical area of the state, which is about six percent of the forest area (Anonymous, 2002). i) Estuarine vegetation of Mangroves: Occurring along the tidal fronts of swampy river banks. Major areas of mangrove vegetation are Mandovi and Zuari river banks, pure mangrove strands are found at Chorao wildlife sanctuary (Janarthanam et al., 1996-
1999). Other important Mangrove habitations are found along Ribandar cause way, inlet of Diwar, extending up to Banastari and Amona and Mapusa. Cortalim along
Zuari extends up to Shiroda, Sanvordem and to Maxem further South. The Main tree species are Bruguirea gymnorhizae, Rhizophora conjugata, R. mucronata, Kandelia candel, Sonneratia apetala, Avicennia officinalis, A. marina, Acanthus i•icifolius,
Aegiceras corniculata and shrubs found are Excoecaria agallocha, Clerodendrum inermis, Salvadora persica and halophytic climbers/stragglers includes Caesalpinia
14 crista, Derris trifolia etc. ii) Strand and creek vegetation: Confined to few patches along coastal region, the important plant species found here are Ipomoea pescaprae, Spinifex littoreus,
Sesuvium portulacastrum, Launea fallax, Cyperus arenarius and other Cyperaceae and
Poaceae members. iii) Plateau vegetation: Covers major portion of Goa with a) scrub jungles and b) moist deciduous forests. a) Scrub Jungles: This type of vegetation is rare in state and occurs on undulated gullies of rocky plateaus, extending from 50 — 200 m. Generally the plants found occurring are Calycopteris floribunda, Holarrhena pubescens, Ixora coccinea,
Zizyphus spp., Grewia nervosa, Neonotis foetida, Eriochloa spp. and Murdania semiteres. b) Moist deciduous forests: Much of the forest in Goa falls under this category with altitude range of 200 — 500 m. Mostly dominated by Terminalia-Xylia-Lagerstroemia association. Other plants found are Careya arborea, Catunaregam spinosa, Lannea coromandelica, Sapium insigne, Dendrocalamus strictus etc. iv) Semi-evergreen forests: Important tree species found are Holigarna arnottiana,
Aporusa lindleyana, Diospyros spp, Hopea ponga, Hydnocarpus pentandra, Olea dioica, Ixora brachiata, Terminalia spp., Dillenia pentagyna, Memecylon talbotianum,
Vateria indica etc.
v) Evergreen forests: The important tree species found are Calophyllum apetalum, Cinnamomum verum, Diospyros spp. Garcinia spp., Holigarna grahamii, Hopea ponga, Hydnocarpus pentandra etc.
15
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
(a) Systematic Treatment
POACEAE: The family Poaceae is represented by five subfamilies, 11 tribes, 70
genera. and 155 species and 5 infraspecific taxa in Goa. The systematic treatment of
the family is given below. Classification proposed by Watson and Dallwitz (1992) has
been followed in the present work. The tribe under each subfamily, genera under each
tribe and species within each genus are arranged in alphabetical order. Each species
has been provided with relevant nomenclature that has been updated by applying
ICBN (Greuter et al., 2000) and latest literature.
Key to the subfamilies:
1. Culms woody or herbaceous; internodes usually hollowed; lemma awn or awnless, awn when present mostly straight rarely geniculate (2) 1. Culms non woody mostly herbaceoues or rarely rigid; internodes usually solid; lemma awned or awnless, awn when present usually geniculate (3)
2. Leaf blade often pseudopetiolate, often with transverse veins, often spatheate, rarely espatheate; lemmas awned or awnless, awn when present non geniculate Bambusoideae 2. Leaf blade not pseudopetiolate, without transeverse veins; lemmas awned or awnless, awn when present straight or geniculate Arundinoideae
3. Spikelets always with 2-florets, usually with basal staminate or rarely empty florets and upper hermaphrodite; axis articulated or non articulate; spikelets falling along with glumes or disarticulating in groups of two spikelets together Panicoideae 3. Spikelets with 1-many hermaphrodite florets; axis non articulated, persistent; spikelets usually falling above glumes or breaking rarely below the glumes (4)
4. Leaf blades mostly cross veined; spikelets compressed laterally, with an apically prolonged rachilla, with incomplete florets apically or both apically and basally Centothecoideae 4. Leaf blades without cross veins; spikelets compressed dorsiventrally, without apically prolonged rachilla, very rarely with proximal incomplete florets Chloridoideae
16
Sub family: Arundinoideae
Key to the tribes:
1. Lemma with trifid awn Aristidaeae (Aristida) 1. Lemmas when awned with simple awn (2)
2. Rachilla forming spathulate structure; lemma lobed, awned in sinus Danthonieae (Danthonidium) 2. Rachilla not forming spathulate structure; lemma entire, acute, not awned Arundineae
Tribe: Aristideae Aristida L. L. Sp. Pl. 82. 1753. A genus of about 250 species distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions
of the world, of which 10 species occur in India and one in Goa.
Aristida setacea Retz. Obs. Bot. 4: 22. 1786; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 225. 1896;
Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1008. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1809. 1934; Blatt. &
McCann, Bombay Grass. 211. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 412. 1960; Britto & Matthew in
Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1803. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 511. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl.
Sindhudurg 503. 1988; Matthew, Further Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic t. 714. 1988;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 247. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 146.
1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 328. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma
et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 397. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass.
155. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 560. 2002. Aristida adscensionis sensu
Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 511, 1986 non L. 1753.
Tufted perennial. Culms up to 150 cm high, erect; nodes, glabrous. Leaf sheath
keeled, up to 10 x 0.8 cm; ligule a membranous rim, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade
linear-lanceolate, up to 30 x 0.4 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex, convolute,
glaucous. Panicles spiciform, up to 35 cm long; main axis terete, smooth; racemes up
17 to 10 cm long; rachis terete, slender, smooth. Spikelets linear-lanceolate, c. 15 mm long, awned. Pedicel 1-10 mm long, flat, scabrid along the margins. Callus bearded, c.
3 mm long. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 8 x 1 mm, aristate at apex, chartaceous, 1- nerved, nerve keeled; arista c. 4 mm long, scabrid. Upper glume oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate, c. 12 x 1 mm, aristate at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; arista c.
3 mm long, scabrid. Lemma linear-lanceolate, c. 12 x 1.5 mm, awn at apex, chartaceous-subcoriaceous, convolute; awn c. 35 mm long, scabrid, trifid at apex.
Palea small, oblong, c. 1 x 0.3 mm, delicate, hyaline. Stamens 3; anthers c. 3 mm long, yellow. Ovary oblong, c. 6 mm long. (Plate 1 E).
Fl. & Fr.: September-March.
Habitat: Fairly common on lateritic rocky plateau, open hill slopes, dry open wastelands, along road sides and rare along field margins.
Note: This species is similar to A. adscensionis L. but differs by the awned glumes and robust taller culms.
Specimen examined: Goa: Gudi-Paroda, 1 mile beyond Margao, 7. 11. 1962, R. S.
Rao 84485 (BSI); Quepem, 18. 9. 1997, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 975 (GUH);
Tilamol-Rivona, 29. 3. 1998, M. K. Janarthanam,Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 1470
(GUH); Arpora-Bardez, 21. 9. 2003, Harshala Gad 66 (GUH); Verna, 10. 10. 2003,
Harshala Gad 86 (GUH). Maharashtra: Nanja, 12. 10 1994, C. B. Salunkhe 7946
(SUH).
Tribe: Arundineae Key to the genera:
1. Lemmas silky hairy in the basal region; rachilla glabrous; ligule a membranous rim with entire apex; spikelets dense Arundo 1. Lemmas glabrous; rachilla densely silky hairy; ligule a membranous rim with fimbriate apex; spikelets not dense Phragmites
18 Arundo L. L. Sp. Pl. 81. 1753. A genus of about three species distributed in the tropical and temperate region of the world of which one species occur in India and Goa.
Arundo donax L. Sp. Pl. 1: 81.1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 302. 1896; Cooke, Fl.
Bombay 2: 1051. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1805. 1934; Blatt. & McCann,
Bombay Grass. 204.1935; Bor, Grass. India 413, f. 44. 1960; Matthew, Ill. Fl.
Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 812 & 813. 1982; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu
Carnatic 3: 1807. 1983; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 187. 1989; Almeida,
Fl. Savantwadi 2: 113. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 330. 1991; Bhat &
Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 116. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 563. 2002.
Perennial. Cu1ms reed like, up to 220 cm high, erect rarely decumbent, with creeping rhizomes, rooting at lower nodes; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded, up to
2.5 cm wide, rigid, bearded at mouth; ligule a membranous rim; leaf blade lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, up to 50 x 3 cm, rounded to shallowly cordate at base. Panicles up to 40 cm long, compact, densely spiculate; main axis terete; branches erect, verticillate, up to 15 cm long; rachis angular, scabrid. Spikelets lanceolate, c. 15 mm
long, 2-3 flowered. Pedicel angular, up to 5 mm long, scabrid on angles. Rachilla up to
1.5 mm long, glabrous. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 12 x 2 mm, acuminate at apex,
chartaceous, 3-nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, c. 11 x 2 mm, acuminate, chartaceous,
3-nerved, seated on c. 0.5 mm long rachilla at base. Florets hermaphrodite. Lemmas
lanceolate, c. 12 x 2 mm, acuminate at apex, chartaceous-subhyaline, 5-nerved,
densely villous in basal region; hairs silky white, up to 5 mm long. Paleas elliptic-
oblong, c. 5 x 1 mm, margins infolded, truncate and ciliate at apex, subhyaline, 2-
nerved, 2-keeled; keels ciliolate at apical region. Stamens 3; anthers c. 2 mm long,
19 yellow. Ovary oblong, c. 1 mm long; style c. 2 mm long; stigma c. 2 mm long. (Plate 1
D).
Fl. & Fr.: Throughout the year.
Habitat: Common in marshy fields, cultivated lands, in gardens, habitations.
Note: This species is often confused with Phragmites vallatoria (Pluk. ex L.) Veldk. due to its close resemblance of habit. But Arundo donax differs in having yellowish - purple to greenish purple panicles, broader leaves, hairy lemma and glabrous rachilla.
Species is commonly known as `Knell', rhizomes are considered to have medicinal value and are used in curing stomach ailments.
Specimen examined: Goa: Agoada, 5. 7. 1965, John Cherian 88600 (BSI);
Saldolsem-Canacona, 20. 10. 2004, Harshala Gad 144 (GUH). Maharashtra: Wathar,
5. 10. 1989, C. B. Salunkhe 7107 (SUH). Tamilnadu: Bunds of Vedanthgal water birds Sanctuary Chingleput Dt. Tamilnadu, 29. 9. 1974, A. N. Henry 45507 (MH).
Phragmites L. L. Sp. Pl. 81. 1753 et Gen. P1. ed. 5. 35. 1754. A genus of about three species, distributed in tropical and temperate regions of
the world, of which two species occur in India and one in Goa.
Phragmites vallatoria (Pluk. ex L.) Veldk. in Blumea 37. 233. 1992;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et at, Fl. Maharashtra Monocot 569. 1996; Yadav &
Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 601. 2002. Arundo vallatoria Pluk. ex L. Herb. Amb. 15. 1754.
Phragmites karka (Retz.) Trin. ex Steud. Nom. Bot. ed. 2. 2: 324. 1841; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 7: 304. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1007. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl.
Madras 1807. 1934; Bor, Grass. India 416. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak,
India. 117. 1966; Matthew, Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 914 & 915. 1982; Britto &
20 Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1890. 1983; Karthikeyan et al., Fl.
Ind. Enum. Mono. 247. 1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 331. 1991. Arundo karka Retz. Obs. Bot. 4: 21. 1786. Phragmites maxima Blatt. & McCann, Bombay
Grass. 202.1935.
Perennials. Cu1ms rhizomatous, up to 200 cm high, reed like, erect, tufted;
nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded, longer than internodal region, up to 1.5 cm wide,
rigid, glaucous; ligule a membranous rim, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear to linear-
lanceolate, up to 48 x 2 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex, convolute. Panicles
pyramidal, up to 40 cm long, lower nodes bearded. Spikelets linear-lanceolate, c. 12 x
0.8 mm, 2-3-flowered; rachilla densely villous; hairs silky, white, up to 8 mm long.
Pedicel angular, up to 1 cm long, scabrid. Lower glume oblong-lanceolate, c. 4 x 1
mm, acute to acuminate at apex, chartaceous, purplish green in coloured, 1-nerved,
nerve keeled. Upper glume lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, c. 5 x 1.5 mm, acute at
apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved, seated on c. 0.5 mm long rachilla at base. Florets
hermaphrodite. Lemmas oblong-lanceolate, c. 10 x 1 mm, margins incurved,
mucronate in centre of obtuse apex, chartaceous, 1-nerve. Palea oblong, c. 3 x 0.5 mm,
acute at apex, subhyaline, 2-nerved, 2-keeled; keels scabrid. Caryopsis oblongoid.
Fl. & Fr.: May to June.
Habitat: Rare; along sandy coastal areas.
Note: Found growing along with Saccharum spontaneum L. This species is similar to
Arundo donax L. but differs by its narrow leaves, densely villous rachilla and glabrous
lemmas. Species forms new distributional record to Goa.
Specimen examined: Goa: Miramar, Tiswadi, 12. 5. 2004, Harshala Gad 108 (GUH).
Maharashtra: Ghumiki, 13. 9. 1992, C. B. Salunkhe 8532 (SUH). Kerala: Chindakki
21 forest, 12. 1. 1980, N. C. Nair 65416 (MH); Kidangara, Changancherry, 24. 10. 1984,
V. T. Antony 902 (MH); Along the bank of Vembanad Lake, Alleppey, 18. 4, 1988,
M. S. Swaminathan 88235 (MH).
Tribe: Danthonieae Danthonidium C. E. Hubb. C. E. Hubb. in Hook. Ic. P1. t. 3331. 1937. A monotypic genus endemic to Peninsular India.
Danthonidium gammiei (Bhide) C. E. Hubb. in Hook. Ic. Pl. sub t. 3331. 1937; Bor,
Grass. India 479. f. 53. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India 115. 1966;
Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 516. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 204.
1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 120. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass.
361. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 447. 1996;
Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 118. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Koihapur
571. 2002. Danthonia gammiei Bhide in J. Proc. Asiat. Soc. Bengal n. s. 7: 513, t. 6.
1912; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 200.1935.
Annual. Culms slender, 12 — 78 cm high, puberulous, erect; nodes glabrous.
Leaf sheath keeled, up to 4 x 0.4 cm, sparsely hairy along the margins; ligule a rim of hairs; leaf blade linear-filiform, up to 9 x 0.5 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex, covered with long hairs on adaxial surface. Racemes solitary, spiciform, 2-9 cm long, rachis filiform, puberulous. Spikelets lanceolate, c. 15 x 1.5 mm, awned. Callus hairy, sharply acute at base; hairs c. 2 mm long. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 12 x 2 mm, aristate at apex, chartaceous, 5-nerved, nerves scabrid; arista c. 3 mm long, scabrid.
Upper glume lanceolate, c. 11 x 2 mm, acuminate or aristate at apex, chartaceous, 3-5- nerved; arista c. 4 mm long, scabrid. Lemma oblong, c. 4 x 2.5 mm, coriaceous, lobed at apex, awned in sinus; lobes ending into setae at apex and tuft of hairs at base on
22 both sides; awn up to 15 cm long, with c. 6 mm long, column, dark brown, twisted; setae c. 5 mm long, scabrid. Palea oblong to oblong-lanceolate, c. 3.5 x 0.8 mm, margins delicate, hyaline, ciliate, notched at apex, subhyaline, keeled; keel forming a spathulate rachilla; rachilla c. 1 mm long. Stamens 3, anthers c. 2 mm long. Ovary oblong, c. 2 mm long; style 1.5 mm long; stigma c. 1.5 mm long, purple coloured.
(Plate 1 F).
Fl. & Fr.: September to October
Habitat: Fairly common on lateritic rocky plateaus.
Note: This species is endemic to peninsular India.
Specimen examined: Goa: Verna plateau, 10. 10. 2003, Harshala Gad 90 (GUH).
Maharashtra: Nangartas-Ambolim, Savantwadi, Ratnagiri district, 10 . 10. 1970, B.
G. Kulkarni 121566 (BSI); Chowke, 3. 10. 1993, C. B. Salunkhe 8306 (SUH). Kerala:
Bela, 1. 10. 1982, R. Ansari 74424 (MH).
23
Subfamily: Bambusoideae
Key to the supertribes of Bambusoideae:
1. Culms herbaceous, commonly unbranched above; spiklelets espatheate; lodicules commonly 2, rarely ciliate; stigma usually two Oryzodae (Tribe: Oryzeae) 1. Culms woody, branched above; spikelets spatheate; lodicules usually 3 or more, ciliate; stigma usually 3 or more . Bambusodae (Tribe: Bambuseae)
Tribe: Bambuseae
Key to the genera ( Adapted from Naithani et al., 1997):
1. Culms unarmed (2) 1.Culms armed Bambusa
2. Stamens 6; caryopsis small (3) 2. Stamens 6-120; caryopsis large Ochlandra 3. Culms stout, branching extra vaginal Denrocalamus 3. Culms week, vinelike, branching extravaginal Pseudoxytenanthera
Bambusa Schreber Schreber. Gen. 236. 1789 (nom. cons.) A genus of about 120 species, distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of
the world, mostly Asia, Africa and America, of which 15 species occur in India and
one in Goa.
Bambusa bamboos (L.) Voss, Besch. Pflanzendeutsche Gaerten 2: 584. 1896; Negi &
Naithani, Handbook of Indian Bamboos 97. 1994; Naithani et al., Forest Fl. Goa t.
131, 615. 1997. Bambusa arundinacea (Retz.) Willd. Sp. Pl. 2: 245. 1799; Gamble in
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 395. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1046. 1908; Fischer in
Gamble, Fl. Madras 1859. 1934; Britto & Matthew in Matthew Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic
3: 1808. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 490. 1986; Majumdar in Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind.
24 Enum. Mono. 274. 1989; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra
Monocot. 412. 1996. Bambos arundinacea Retz. Obs. Bot. 5: 24, 1789.
Thorny, strong bamboo. Culms hollow, deep green, root stock stout, up to 30 m tall, up to 10 cm in diameter at base, nodes swollen, lower nodes armed with 2-3 recurved spines, intrenodes 15-30 cm long; with recurved branches. Culm sheaths up
12 — 40 x 12-30 cm broad at base, coriaceous, rounded at apex, covered with dense golden brown ciliate hairs; ligule entire to fringed rim. leaf sheath up to 20 cm long, glabrous to pubescent with blackish hairs, rounded at apex, imperfect blade triangular, up to 10 cm long, ciliate along margins, acuminate at apex, glabrous on dorsal surface, covered with deep brown on black hits on adaxial surface. Leaves linear-lanceolate, 18 x 3 cm, scabrid along margins, acute at apex, glabrous to puberulous on abaxial surface. Panicle bearing loose clusters of spikelets. Spikelet sessile, lanceolate, 4-6 flowered, 2.5 cm long, acute at apex. Glume 2 or absent, ovate, 5.5 mm long, lanceolate, shortly mucronate at apex. Lemma lanceolate, as long as glumes. Palea lanceolate, as long as or longer than lemma, 2-keeled. Lodicules 3, two sub-obtuse, the third lanceolate. Stamens 6. Ovary elliptic-oblong. Caryopsis oblong, up to 6 mm long,
grooved on one side.
Fl. & Fr.: Gregarious flowering, a flowering gap of 44-49 years has been mentioned
by Bennet & Gaur (1990) c. f. Negi & Naithani 1994.
Habitat: Along banks of streams and in semi evergreen forest.
Note: Locally known as 'Velu' and culms are used as secondary timber, scaffolding
material, making articles like baskets, mats, bags, caps and furniture etc. Young tender
shoots locally known as 'Keel' are harvested and used as vegetable and made into
25 pickles. Description is adapted from sources cited above as specimen was not found in flowering.
Specimen examined: Satari, s. d. Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam s. n. (GUH).
Dendrocalamus Nees Nees in Linnaea 9: 476. 1835. A genus of about 35 species, distributed in China, Indomalayan region,
Indomalesian, Indian, Indo-Chinese and Malesian, of which 10 species and two varieties occur in India and one in Goa.
Dendrocalamus strictus (Roxb.) Nees in Linnaea 9: 476. 1834; Gamble in Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India 7: 404. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1049. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl.
Madras 1858. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 285. 1935; Vartak, Enum.
Plant. Gomantak, India. 117. 1966; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 496. 1986; Majumdar in
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 276. 1989; Negi & Naithani, Handbook of
Indian Bamboos 32. 1994; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra
Monocot. 449. 1996; Naithani et al., Forest Fl. Goa 611. 1997. Bambos stricta Roxb.,
PI. Cor. 1: 58, t. 80. 1795.
A deciduous densely tufted bamboos, culms up to 15 m high, up to 7 cm in diameter, culms glaucous when enclosed in sheath, dull green when young turning to straw yellow colour when grows old or on drying, rooting at basal nodes; nodes
swollen; internodes up to 30 cm long. Culm sheaths 6-25 x 10-15 cm, ciliate along
margins, shallowly auricled at base of imperfect leaf blade, coriaceous, covered with
golden yellow to golden brown hairs, ligule a narrow rim; imperfect blade triangular,
3-6 cm long, hairy on both surfaces. leaves linear-lanceolate, 2.5 - 20 x 2.5 cm,
acuminate at apex; acuminate tip twisted. Panicle vary in length, spikelets collected
26 into globular heads. Spikelets spinescent, mixed with many sterile spikelets; with 2 or
3 fertile florets. Glumes elliptic-lanceolate, c. 1 cm long. Lemma ovate, c. 8 mm long, ciliate along margins, acuminate or ending into 2 mm long spine at apex. Palea ovate to obovate, 2-keeled, emarginate at apex; keels ciliate. uppermost paleas not keeled.
Stamens 6. Stigma plumose. Caryopsis ovoid or ub-globose, c. 6.5 mm long, beaked.
Fl. & Fr.: Flowering irregularly, usually November-March.
Habitat: Occurring in forest and grown around habitations. A component of moist deciduous forest.
Note: Locally known as 'Maan'. Culms used as secondary timber and secondary timber, as scaffolding material, making articles like baskets, mats, bags, caps and furniture etc.
Specimen examined: Goa: Camurlim, Bardez, s.d., Harshala Gad 346 (GUH).
Ochlandra Thw. Thw. Enum. Pl. Zeyl. 376. 1864. A genus of about 12 species, distributed in Madagascar, India and Ceylon, of which seven species occur in India and one in Goa.
Ochlandra talbotii Brandis, hid. Trees 684. 1906; Cooke 2: 1050; Majumdar in
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 279. 1989; Naithani et al., Forest Fl. Goa
611. 1997.
Culms numerous, growing in dense clumps, slender, 3-6 m, tall, 6-18 mm in
diameter, hollow, sometimes scandent; nodes thickened, shining. Culms sheath
smooth, striate, rounded with 2 small ciliate auricle at the top; ligule short fimbriate;
imperfect blade subulate, acuminate at apex. Leaf sheath smooth; ligule short; leaves
20-30 x 3.5 x 6 cm, lanceolate, ending in a long setaceous point at apex. Inflorescence
27 terminal spike, 10-20 cm long spike, whorls about 2.5 cm apart at the base, congested at apical region. Spikelet 2-6, 6-30 mm long, fertile spikelets few, 3 cm Ion. Glumes 3-
6, broadly ovate, acute, spinulose-mucronate. Lemma larger than glumes, acute at apex. Lodicules 6, linear, veined. Stamens 25-40, exserted; filaments free; anthers 12 mm long, sagittate at the base. Ovary prolonged into a slender style; stigma 5.
Caryopsis ovoid, 50 x 8 mm, glabrous, shining, narrowed into long beak, supported by persistent glumes.
Fl. & Fr.: Monocarpic.
Habitat: In forests along riverbanks
Note: Rare in study area. Description is adapted from sources cited above, as specimen could not be collected in flowering. (This species has not been included in analysis as it was collected later).
Specimen examined: Colem, s. d. Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam s. n. (GUH).
Pseudoxytenanthera Soderstrom & Ellis, R. Soderstrom & Ellis, R., Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 72: 52. 1988. Monotypic genus, Endemic to Southern India and Sri Lanka.
Pseudoxytenanthera stocksii (Munro) Naithani in J. Nat. Hist. Soc. 87: 440. 1990.
Oxytenanthera stocksii Munro in Linn. Soc. Lond. 26: 130. 1868; Gamble in Hook. F.,
Fl. Brit. India 7: 403. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1048. 1908. Pseudotenanthera
stocksii (Munro) Majumdar in Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 280. 1989.
A medium-sized bamboo. CuIms up to 9 m tall; internodes 15-30 x 2.5-3.5 cm,
branches few at the node. Cu1m sheath 15-22 x 7-17 cm, covered on dorsal surface
with deciduous reddish brown hairs mixed with black bulbous-based white hairs.
Imperfect blade subulate, rounded at base, acuminate at apex, with long fringed auricle
28 on the top of the sheath; ligule c. 7 mm long, fimbriate at apex. Leaves 10 -20 x 1-2 cm, liner-lanceolate; sheath striate, glabrous or pubescent when young, ligule long, lacerate. Panicle of spicate heads with many closely packed spinous spikelets; heads about 2.5 cm in diameter supported by rounded, chaffy bracts. Spikelets 1- 1.2 cm,
long, many fertile florets mixed up with a few sterile florets. Glumes ovate,
mucronate, 5-7-nerved. Lemma ovate, sub-acute, mucronate at the back. Palea of the
lower flowers as long as the lemmas, 2-keeled; that of upper flower concave,
convolute, blunt. Stamens long exserted. Ovary ovoid, hairy.
FL & Fr.: Monocarpic
Habitat: In evergreen forests along streams.
Note: Locally known as 'Kondo' used for poles etc. Description is adapted from
sources cited above as specimen could not be collected in flowering.
Specimen examined: Sanguem, s.d. Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam s. n. (GUH).
Tribe: Oryzeae Key to the genera:
1. Lower glumes absent; keel of lemma and palea spinulose Leersia 1.Lower glumes present; keel of lemma and palea scabrid (2)
2. Glumes > 2 mm long; culms rigid; leaves linear, rigid Porteresia 2. Glumes < 2 mm long; culms not as above; leaves linear- lanceolate, not rigid Oryza
Leersia Soland. ex Sw. Sw., Prodr. Veg. Ind. Occ. 21. 1788.
A genus of about 18 species distributed in tropical and temperate regions of the
world, of which two species occur in India and one in Goa.
29 Leersia hexandra Sw., Prodr. Veg. Ind. Occ. 21. 1788; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 94.
1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1042. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1845. 1934;
Bor, Grass. India 599. 1960; Matthew, Ill. FL Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 888 & 889.
1982; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, FL Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1871. 1983;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 241. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 140.
1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 430. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 534. 1996; Rajkumar et al., in J. Bombay Nat. Hist.
Soc. 96: 182. 1999; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 111. 2001; Yadav &
Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 590. 2002. Homalocenchrus hexandrus Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl.
777. 1891; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 272, t. 185. 1935.
Perennial. Cu1ms up to 80 cm high, erect or trailing, rooting at lower nodes; upper nodes vinous; hairs retrorse. Leaf sheath up to 5-10 x 0.25 cm, rounded, scaberulous; ligule truncate, c. 3 mm long, lacerate at apex, membranous; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 9-13 x 0.6 cm, rounded to shallowly cordate at base, acuminate at apex, scabrid. Panicle up to 10 cm long; racemes 1-3.5 cm long; rachis angular, scabrid. Spikelets asymmetrically oblong, compressed, c. 4 x 1.2 mm, subacute at apex, subcoriaceous, greenish yellow. Pedicel angular, 1-10 mm long, scabrid. Glumes absent. Lemma oblong, laterally compressed, c. 4 x 1 mm, acute at apex, coriaceous,
5-nerved, keeled; lateral nerves scabrid; keel spinulose; spines c. 0.5 mm long. Palea oblong, laterally compressed, c. 4 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, coriaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve keeled; keel spinulose; spines c. 0.5 mm long. Lodicules 2, denticulate at apex. Stamens 6; anthers c. 3 mm long, yellow. Ovary oblong; stigma c. 2 mm long, white to cream coloured. (Plate 1 A).
Fl. & Fr.: August to November.
30 Habitat: Common along field margins, wetlands, marshy areas, shallow ponds, lakes; rare in backwater areas.
Note: Culms hollowed, rooting at nodes when submerged or floating in water. This grass superficially looks like Oryza species, but differs in having slender culms, retrorse hairs on nodes, retrorse spines on culms, smaller spikelets and longer spines on keels of lemma and palea.
Specimen examined: Goa: Ciba campus, 4. 1. 1997, S. Rajkumar 465 (GUH);
Calangute 21. 9. 2003, Harshala Gad 63 (GUH); Khorlim-Old Goa, 2. 11. 2004,
Harshala Gad 162 (GUH). Maharashtra: Kudal, 11. 10. 1992, C. B. Salunkhe 8650
(SUH).
Oryza L. L., Sp. Pl. 333. 1753. A genus of about 25 species distributed in the tropical region of the world, of
which 13 species occur in India and two in Goa.
Key to the species:
1. Lemma awned or aristate at apex; culms purplish green 0 rufipogon 1. Lemma acute to apiculate at apex; culms green 0. sativa
Oryza rufipogon Griff. Notul. 3: 5. 1851; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono.
241. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 142. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala
Grass. 432. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 545.
1996; Rajkumar et al., in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 96: 182. 1999; Bhat & Nagendran,
Sedges and Grass. 113. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 595. 2002.
Annual. Cu1ms up to 50 cm high, erect, tufted, rooting at lower nodes; nodes
glabrous. Leaf sheath keeled, up to 9 x 0.8 cm, with prominent veins on dorsal surface;
31 ligule ovate, c. 1 cm long, membranous; leaf blade linear lanceolate, up to 20 x 0.6 cm, lower ones narrowed at base, upper ones rounded to shallowly cordate at base, serrulate along the margins, acuminate at apex, scabrid on the adaxial surface. Panicles up to 15 cm long; branches up to 5 cm long; rachis trigonous, c. 0.5 mm wide.
Spikelets oblong, laterally compressed, c. 8 x 3 mm, awned, deciduous. Pedicel up to
1.5 mm, long, dilated at apex. Lowe and upper glumes similar, subequal,ovate-oblong, c. 2 x 0.5 mm, acuminate at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel scabrid.
Lemma ovate-oblong, laterally compressed, c. 7 x 4 mm (when spread), cuspidate ,at apex, coriaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve keeled; cusp up to 8 mm long, scabrid; nerves scaberulous. Palea oblong, c. 8 mm long, apiculate at apex, coriaceous, scaberulous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel scabrid. Lodicules 2, oblong, c. 1 mm long.
Stamens 6; filaments short, c. 0.5 mm long; anthers 2-3 mm long, yellow. Stigma c.
1.5 mm long, purple. Caryopsis oblongoid, c. 5 mm long. (Palte 1 B).
Fl. & Fr.: August-October.
Habitat: Very common in marshy fields, shallow ponds and puddles on lateritic rocky plateaus.
Note: This species is similar to 0. sativa but can be distinguished from its purplish green culms and panicles and long awned spikelets. It is considered as an obnoxious weed in paddy fields as it is found competing with cultivated rice. The grains are known to have long viability.
Specimen examined: Goa: Loliem, 24. 8. 1996, M. K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi &
S. Rajkumar 76 (GUH); Near Bodgeshwar temple-Mapusa, 16. 8. 2003, Harshala Gad
36 (GUH). Maharashtra: Yawateshwar, 1. 9. 1991, C. B. Salunkhe 8461 (SUH);
Yawteshwar, December 1992, Bachulkar-Cholekar 3121 (SUH).
32 Oryza sativa L. Sp. Pl. 333. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 92. 1896; Cooke, Fl.
Bombay 2: 1043. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1844. 1934; Blatt. & McCann,
Bombay Grass. 274.1935; Bor, Grass. India 605. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant.
Gomantak, India. 117. 1966; Britto & Matthew in Matthew Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3:
1878. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 509. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 546. 1988;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 241. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 142.
1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 433. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 545. 1996; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 595.
2002.
Annual. Culms up to 100 cm high, erect, tufted; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded, ciliate along the margins; ligules ovate, up to 8 mm long, membranous; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 35 x 1 cm, rounded at base, scabrid along margins, acuminate at apex, scabrid on both the surfaces. Panicles up to 25 cm long; rachis angular, scabrid. Spikelets oblong, 5-10 mm long. Pedicel angular, scabrid, discoid at apex. Lower and upper glumes reduced to minute scales, lanceolate, subequal in size, c. 1.5 x 0.3 mm, acute at apex, coriaceous, 1-nerved. Lemma laterally compressed, ovate-oblong, c. 8 x 4 mm (when spread), acute to apiculate at apex, coriaceous, scaberulous on dorsal surface, 3-nerved, central nerve keeled; keel scabrid. Palea laterally compressed, oblong, c. 8 x 3.5 mm, apiculate at apex, coriaceous, scaberulous on dorsal surface, 1-nerved; nerve keeled; keel scabrid. Stamens 6; anthers c. 3 mm long. Caryopsis oblongoid, brown coloured.
FL & Fr.: August to March.
Habitat: Cultivated as staple food.
Note: Cultivated throughout the state for its edible grains.
33 Specimen examined: Goa: Aloma, Pernem, 29. 9. 2005, Harshala Gad 222 (GUH).
Porteresia Tateoka Tateoka in Bull. Nat. Sci. Mus. Tokyo 8: 406. 1965.
A monotypic genus, distributed in India and Burma.
Porteresia coarctata (Roxb.) Tateoka in Bull. Nat. Sci. Mus. Tokyo 8: 406. 1965;
Kathikeyan, Fl. Ind. Enum. Monocot. 252. 1989. Oryza coarctata Roxb. Fl. India 2:
206. 1832; Hook. f , Fl. Brit. India 7: 93. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1042. 1908;
Bor, Grass. India 604. 1960.
Perennial. Culms angular, rigid, up to 60 cm high, erect, tufted, rhizomatous; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded, keeled; ligule short, membranous; leaf blade linear lanceolate, up to 23 x 0.4 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex, rigid. Panicles up to
15 cm long; rachis trigonous, smooth. Spiklets asymmetrically oblongoid. Lower and upper glumes similar in shape and size, subulate, c. 2.5 x 0.2 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous. Lemma laterally compressed, oblong, c. 12 x 2 mm, margins narrowly inturned, scabrid, acuminate at apex, coriaceous, 5-7-nerved. Palea laterally
compressed, c. 12 x 1.5 mm, margins narrowly inturned, acuminate at apex,
coriaceous, scabrid, 3-nerved. Stamen 6; anthers c. 5 mm long. Caryopsis oblongoid.
Fl. & Fr.: August-September.
Habitat: Occasional along back water areas.
Note: A component of Mangrove vegetation. Similar to Oryza sativa L. but differs
from it by long scaly glumes.
Specimen examined: Goa: Chorao. 20. 11. 2004, Harshala Gad 171 (GUH).
34 Subfamily: Centothecoideae
Tribe: Centotheceae
Centotheca Desv. Desv., Nouv. Bull. Sci. Soc. Philom. Paris 2: 189. 1810 (Centosteca)
A genus of about four species distributed in tropical Africa, Asia and
Polynesia, of which one species occur in India and Goa.
Centotheca lappacea (L.) Desv. in Nouv. Bull. Sci. Soc. Philom. Paris 2: 189. 1810;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 322. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1043. 1908; Fischer in
Gamble, Fl. Madras 1848. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 274. 1935, p. p.;
Bor, Grass. India 457, f. 50. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 117. 1966;
Matthew, Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 821 '& 822. 1982; Britto & Matthew in
Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1878. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 492. 1986; Kulkarni,
Fl. Sindhudurg 511. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 196. 1989;
Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 115. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 354.
1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 422. 1996; Bhat
& Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 121. 2001. Cenchrus lappaceus L. Sp. P1. ed. 2.
1488. 1763.
Perennial. Culms up to 100 cm high, tufted, erect, nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded, shorter than internodal region, up to 13 x 0.7 cm, slightly keeled, margins
imbricate, ciliate along one margin, bearded at mouth; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1
mm long, ciliate at apex; leaf blade elliptic-lanceolate, up to 14 x 3 cm, obliquely
rounded at base, undulated along one margin, acute to acuminate at apex, with
projection of false reticulate veins on abaxial surface. Panicles pyramidal, up to 30 cm
long, open; main axis angular, scabrid. Racemes alternately whorled, up to 16 cm long.
35 Spikelets elliptic-lanceolate, c. 8 x 2 mm, 2-4 flowered. Pedicel up to 6 mm long, scabrid. Rachilla extended above last apical floret. Lower glume ovate-lanceolate, c.
2.5 x 1.2 mm, acuminate at apex, chartaceous, 3-5 nerved, central nerve scabrid. Upper glume elliptic-lanceolate, c. 4 x 1.5 mm, acuminate at apex, chartaceous, scaberulous,
7-nerved. Lemma oblong-lanceolate, c. 5 x 2 mm, margins with retrorse tubercle- based bristles at apical region, acute at apex, chartaceous, with reticulate venation pattern on inner surface, 7-nerved; nerves scabrid at the basal region, covered with retrorse tubercle-based bristles at apical region; bristles c. 1 mm long. Palea linear- lanceolate, c. 3.5 x 1 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 2-nerved, 2-keeled; keels scabrid towards apex. Stamens 3; anthers c. 2 mm long, yellow. Ovary ovate, c. 1 mm long; style c. 1 mm long; stigma c. 1.5 mm long, white. (Plate 1 C).
FL & Fr.: September-November.
Habitat: Occasional on forest floors, along forest margins in shade, rarely in cultivated areas.
Notes: Leaves with reticulate false venation on abaxial surface from which grass can be identified in field in its vegetative condition.
Specimen examined: Goa: Molem-Anmode, 19. 10. 1997, M. K. Janarthnam,
Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 1157 (GUH); Mopa-Pernem, 29. 9. 2005, Harshala Gad
226 (GUH). Maharashtra: Danoli, 6. 11. 1994, C. B. Salunkhe 7286 (SUH).
36
Sub family: Chloridoideae Tribe: Chloridoid assemblage
Key to the genera:
1. Inflorescence a solitary raceme or digitate or subdigitate spikes (2) 1. Inflorescence a panicle (9)
2. Spikelets single flowered (3) 2. Spikelets usually 2 to many-flowered (4)
3. Inflorescence a cylindrical raceme; lower glume present; both the glumes aristate at apex, chartaceous Perotis 3. Inflorescence a narrow, lanceolate, spiciform raceme; lower glume absent; upper glume acute to sub acute at apex, coriaceous to crustaceous Zoysia
4. Inflorescence a spike, solitary or many, digitate to subdigitate; lemma entire, awnless (5) 4. Inflorescence a solitary raceme or spike; lemma lobed at apex, awned in sinus (8)
5. Lemma aristate; florets dissimilar, lower one fertile and upper sterile or empty Chloris 5. Lemma aristate or not; florets similar, fertile (6)
6. Spikelets with 1-floret Cynodon 6. Spikelets with many-florets (7)
7. Lemma aristate; axis of spikes ending into a sharp pointed tip Dactyloctenium 7. Lemma not aristate; axis of the spikes ending into a spikelet Eleusine
8. Inflorescence a spiciform spike; lemma 2-lobed at apex Indopoa 8. Inflorescence a raceme; lemmas 2- 4 lobed at apex Tripogon
9. Spikelets with 1-floret, not laterally compressed Sporobolus 9. Spikelets with 2 to many-florets, laterally compressed (10)
10. Lemmas often lobed or toothed at apex Leptochloa 10. Lemmas entire; not lobed or toothed at apex (11)
11. Rachis flat, winged on both sides; glumes acuminate to cuspidate at apex; spiklets falling entire Dinebra 11. Rachis flexuous, not winged; glumes acute at apex; spikelets usually breaking up at maturity, not falling entire Eragrostis
37 Chloris Sw. Sw. Prod. Veg. Ind. Occ. 25. 1788 A genus of about 55 species distributed in tropical and warm temperate region of the world, of which about 10 species occur in India and two in Goa.
Key to the species:
1. Spikes wide open; spikelets with 2-sterile lemmas; upper glume not winged along the margins at apical region, acuminate at apex C. barbata 1. Spikes not wide open; spikelets with solitary sterile lemma; upper glume winged along margins at apical region, aristate at apex C. virgata
Chloria barbats Sw. Prod. Veg. Ind. Occ. 25. 1788; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 292.
1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1035. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1838. 1934;
Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 256. t. 171. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 465. 1960;
Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 116. 1966; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl.
Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1820. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 493. 1986; Matthew, Further Ill.
Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic t. 732. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 197.
1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 146. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass.
357. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 425. 1996;
Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 127. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur
567. 2002.
Annual. Culms up to 54 cm high, tufted, erect; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath keeled; ligule a membranous rim, c. 0.3 mm long, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear- lanceolate, up to 24 x 0.4 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex. Spikes digitate, 3-8 in number, up to 5 cm long, densely spiculate. Spikelets subsessile, 2-seriate, obovate, c. 2 mm long, 2-flowered. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 1 x 0.4, acuminate at apex, hyaline, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel scabrid. Upper glume lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.5 mm,
38 acuminate at apex, hylaline, purple in colour, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keels scabrid.
Lower floret hermaphrodite, upper floret empty. Fertile lemma ovate to ovate-elliptic,
c. 2 x 1 mm, awned at apex, coriaceous, 3-nerved, with submarginal fringes of white
hairs; awn c. 5 mm long, scabrid. Palea oblong-elliptic, c. 1.8 x 0.5 mm, mucronate,
hyaline, 2-nerved, 2-keeled. Sterile lemmas 2, seated on c. 1 mm long glabrous
rachilla; lemmas obovate, c. 1 x 1 mm, awned in center of truncate apex, coriaceous,
3-nerved; awn c. 5 mm long, scabrid. Caryopsis trigonous, c. 0.6 mm long. (Plate 1 G).
FL & Fr.: Throughout the year.
Habitat: Very common along roadsides, habitations, open dry wastelands, cultivated
fields, and salt marshes.
Note: This species differs from other species of the genus by its pink wide open
spikes, and presence of 2-sterile lemma. This species form new distributional record to
Goa.
Specimen examined: Goa: Goa University campus, Taleigao, 23. 10. 1996, Vaishali
Joshi & S. Rajkumar 348 (GUH); Goa University campus, Taleigao, 5. 8. 2003,
Harshala Gad 24 (GUH). Kerala: Paravur, 23. 5. 1978, C. N. Mohanan 55753 (MH).
Maharashtra: Samberwadi, December 1995, Bachulkar-Cholekar 20188 (SUFI);
Ashta, 26. 9. 1993, C. B. Salunkhe 7507 (SUH). Tamilnadu: Pattukottai, 19. 5. 1978,
V. J. Nair 56508 (MH).
Chloris virgata Sw. Fl. Ind. Occ. 1. 203.-1797; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 291. 1896;
Blatt. & Mc Cann, Bombay Grass. 255. t. 170. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 468. 1960;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 197. 1989; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et
al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 427. 1996; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 567. 2002.
39 Annual. Culms up to 50 cm high, erect; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath keeled, shorter than internodal region, 2.5-4.5 x 0.3 cm; ligule a membranous rim, c. 0.5 mm
long, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 7 x 0.2 cm, rounded at base,
acuminate at apex, sparsely tubercle-based hairy on both surfaces. Spikes digitate 4-6
in number, up to 4 cm long, densely spiculate; rachis trigonous, scabrid. Spikelets
sessile to subsessile, 2-seriate, obovate, 3 mm long, 2-flowered. Glumes persistent on
rachis. Lower glume oblong-lanceolate, c. 1.5 x 0.3 mm, subacute at apex,
chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel scabird. Upper glume elliptic-lanceolate, c. 2
x 0.5 mm, obtuse at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel scabrid, ending
into cusp; cusp c. 1 mm long, scabrid. Lower floret hermaphrodite. Lower lemma
oblong-ovate, c. 2 x 2 mm, acute at apex, apex fringed by tuft of hairs on both sides,
chartaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve keeled, with submarginal fringes of hairs; hairs c.
3 mm long; keel, hairy, aristate at subapical region; arista c. 10 mm long, scabrid.
Palea obovate, c. 2 x 0.5 mm, margins inflexed, cleft at apex, subhyaline, 2-nerved, 2-
keeled; keels scabrid. Sterile lemma solitary, seated on c. 1 mm long rachilla; lemma
obovate, c. 1.5 x 1 mm, margins winged on both the sides at apical region, hyaline,
apex truncate, lobed in center, aristate in sinus, chartacaeous, 3-nerved; arista up to 8
mm long, scabrid. Caryopsis oblongoid, 1 mm long.
Fl. & Fr.: September to January.
Habitat: Common in open dry waste palces, along roadsides, habitation areas,
cultivated lands.
Note: This species differs from other species of the genus by greyish-green spikes,
cuspidate upper glume winged aristate and solitary sterile lemma. A weed in cultivated
lands. This species form new distributional record to Goa.
40 Specimen examined: Goa: St cruz, Tiswadi, 25. 9. 2003, Harshala Gad 70 (GUH).
Maharashtra: Bhidae tank, Nagpur, 13. 11. 1957, K. Subramanyam 4569 (MH);
Majra village, Bhiwkund, 20. 12. 1976, S. Karthikeyan 148525 (BSI); Gadinglaj, 3.
10. 1989, C. B. Salunkhe 8425 (SUH); Kathavadi, January 1993, Bachulkar-Cholekar
3409 (SUH). Tamil Nadu: Kattupalli, Ponneri Taluka, 7. 9. 1985, D. Narasimhan 912
(MN).
Cynodon Rich. Rich. in Pres. Syn. Pl. 1:85. 1805. A genus of about 10 species distributed in tropical and subtropical region of the
world, of which three species occur in India and one in Goa.
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Syn. Pl. 1: 85. 1805; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 288.
1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1033. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1835. 1934;
Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 249, t. 166. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 469, f. 52. 1960;
Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 116. 1966; Matthew, Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu
Carnatic t. 838. 1982; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1829.
1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 495. 1986; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 203. 1989;
Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 118. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 360.
1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 422. 1996; Bhat
& Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 128. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 570.
2002.
Perennial. Culms terete, slender, up to 25 cm long, creeping, rhizomatous,
rhizomes slender; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath keeled, laterally compressed, more than
half the length of internodes, c. 2 mm wide, margins hyaline; ligule a membranous
rim, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 5 x 0.2 cm, rounded at base,
41 acuminate at apex, glabrous, sparsely hairy at base. Racemes digitate, 3-5 in number, c. 3 cm long, rachis trigonous, scabrid along the angles. Spikelets elliptic-lanceolate, c.
2 x 1 mm; lower glume elliptic-lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.2 mm, margins hyaline, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keels scabrid. Upper glume elliptic- lanceolate, c.1.2 x 0.3 mm, margins hyaline, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keels scabrid. Lemma ovate-oblong to oblong, c. 2 x 1 mm, margins narrowly incurved, hyaline, ciliolate, acute-subacute at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve keeled. Palea elliptic lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.8 mm, margins hyaline, narrowly winged at apex, acute at apex, subhyaline, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keels scabrid. Stamens 3; anthers c. 1 mm long, cream coloured. Ovary oblong, c. 0.5 mm long; style c. 0.5 mm long; stigma c. 1 mm long.
Fl. & Fr.: Throughout the year.
Habitat: Common in cultivated fields, habitations, backwaters, sandy coasts, wetlands, marshy areas, salt marshes and along roadsides.
Note: This is a cosmopolitan species and is considered as very good lawn grass and very good fodder. This species is considered an obnoxious weed in cultivated fields.
Locally this grass is known as `Haryali' or `Durva' and is used in religious rituals, and also considered to have medicinal value.
Specimen examined: Goa: Masarde village near Valpoi, 2. 5. 1963, K. C. Kanodia
88371 (BSI); Harmal beach, 3. 9. 1997, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 923 (GUH);
Camurlim-Bardez, 8. 1. 2003, Harshala Gad 5 (GUH). Maharashtra: Jakatwadi, July
1992, Bachulkar-Cholekar 3209 (SUH).
42 Dactyloctenium Willd. Willd. Enum. Hort. Berol. 1029. 1809. A genus of about 13 species distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world of which four species occur in India and one in Goa.
Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd. Enum. Pl. Hort. Berol. 1029. 1809; Fischer in
Gamble, Fl. Madras 1840. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 262, t. 176. 1935;
Bor, Grass. India 489, f. 54. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India 116. 1966;
Matthew, Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic t. 839. 1982; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl.
Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1831. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 496. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl.
Sindhudurg 516. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 204. 1989; Almeida,
Fl. Savantwadi 2: 120. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 367. 1991;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 445. 1996; Bhat &
Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 130. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 571. 2002.
Cynosurus aegyptius L. Sp. Pl. 72. 1753; Eleusine aegyptia (L.) Desf., Fl. Atlant. 1:
85. 1798; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 295. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1038. 1908.
Annual. Culms up to 70 cm high, erect or creeping, stoloniferous; rooting at
lower nodes; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded, keeled on back, basal sheath as
long as or longer than internodal region and upper ones less than half the length of
internodal region; up to 0.8 mm wide, sparsely to densely tubercle-based hairy in
apical region; hairs up to 2 mm long; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1 mm long,
fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear to linear-lanceolate, up to 18 x 0.5 cm, rounded at
base, margins scabrid, acuminate at apex, densely hirsute on abaxial surface; hairs
tubercle-based, c. 2 m long. Spikes digitate, 1-5 in number, each up to 5 cm long;
rachis triangular, ending into short apicualate tip. Spikelets broadly ovate, c. 4 x 5 mm,
up to 4-flowered. Lower glume laterally compressed, boat shaped or elliptic-ovate
43 when spread, c. 3 x 1.5 mm, acuminate at apex; chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel scabrid. Upper glume broadly oblong-ovate to orbicular, c. 2 x 2 mm, aristate at
apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; arista c. 1.5 mm long, scabrid; keel scabrid.
Lemmas ovate-elliptic, c. 3 x 2 mm, aristate, chartacaeous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled;
arista c. 1 mm long, scabrid; keels scabrid. Paleas elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, c. 2 x 1
mm, margins inflexed, acute at apex or cleft at apex, subhyaline, 2-nerved, 2-keeled;
keels narrowly winged; wings ciliolate along the margin. Caryopsis oblong-ovate,
laterally compressed, 1 mm long. (Plate 1 I-I).
Fl. & Fr.: Throughout the year
Habitat: Common in moist open areas, cultivated paddy fields, along roadsides,
habitations, lateritic rocky plateaus, and along sandy coastal halophytic areas.
Note: Closely related to D. aristatum Link. but differs by the stoloniferous culms and
shorter apiculate tip of the rachis. Species is considered as good fodder grass before
spikelets mature. As mentioned by Bor (1960) it is rich in cyanogenetic glycosides and
therefore is a danger to stock at certain times. The grains were eaten in India and
Africa in times of scarcity, and have unpleasant taste and said to cause internal
disorders.
Specimen examined: Goa: Miramar, 25. 3. 1998, M. K. Janarthanam & Vaishali
Joshi 1447 (GUI-); Goa university Campus, Taleigao, 18. 7. 2003, Harshala Gad 20
(GUH); Miramar, 15. 8. 2003, Harshala Gad 32 (GUH). Maharashtra: Visapur, 30. 9.
1992, C. B. Salunkhe 7118 (SUH); Kanher, Janaury 1994, Bachulkar-Cholekar 6104
(SUH).
44 Dinebra Jacq. Jacq. Fragm. Bot. Ill. 77. 1809. A genus of about three species distributed in tropical regions of the world, of which one species occur in India and Goa.
Dinebra retroflexa (Vahl) Panz. in Denkschr. Acad. Wiss. Munchen 270, t. 12. 1814;
Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1841. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 264, t.
177. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 491. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 116.
1966; Matthew, Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 849 & 850. 1982; Britto & Matthew in
Matthew Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1843. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 498. 1986;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 210. 1989; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 470. 1996; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 576. 2002.
Cynosurus retroflexus Vahl, Symb. Bot. 2: 20. 1791. Dinebra arabica Jacq. Fragm.
Bot. 77. t. 121. f. 1. 1809; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 297. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2:
1039. 1908.
Annual. Cu1ms up to 90 cm high, erect or geniculate, tufted; nodes glabrous, brancing at nodes. Leaf sheath keeled, up to 5 x 0.7 cm, margins hyaline; ligule truncate, membranous, c. 1.5 mm long, lacerate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 15 x 0.5 cm, truncate or rounded at base, acuminate at apex, sparsely hairy; hairs silky white up to 3 mm long. Panicles up to 30 cm long, densely spiculate, main axis angular; spikes whorled, up to 6 cm long. Rachis flat, c. 1 mm wide, deeply channeled
on abaxial surface, winged on both sides. Spikelets sessile, arranged alternately on
rachis; 2 or 3-flowered. Florets hermaphrodite. Lower glume oblique-lanceolate, c. 5 x
0.8 mm, acuminate-cuspidate, chartaceous, 1-3-nerved; cusp short, scabrid. Upper
glume obliquely-oblong, c. 6 x 1 mm, cuspidate at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve
keeled; cusp scabrid. Rachilla glabrous. Lemma ovate to elliptic lanceolate, c. 2 x 1
45 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, keeled; keel scabrid. Palea lanceolate, c. 1.5 x 0.5 mm, margins infolded, subacute at apex, chartaceous, 2-nerved, nerves keeled; keel scabrid. Stamens 3; filaments c. 0.2 mm long; anthers c. 0.2 mm long, yellow.
Ovary ovate, c. 0.2 mm long; style c. 0.2 mm long; stigma c. 0.5 mm long, purple in colour.
Fl. & Fr.: August-October.
Habitat: Occasionally seen in saline marshes, rare on gravel red soil along road sides.
Note: Found growing in halophytic conditions along with Leptochloa malabarica (L.)
Veldk.
Specimen examined: Goa: way to Molem, 27. 9. 1998, M. K. Janarthanam & S.
Rajkumar 1663 (GUH); Panaji, 3. 9. 2005, Harshala S. Gad 199 (GUH). Tamil Nadu:
Kumbakonam, Thanjavur dist. 16. 4. 1987, S. Ragupathi 361 (MH).
Eleusine Gaertn. Gaertn. Fruct. 1: 7: 1789. A genus of about nine species distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of
the world of which two species occur in India and Goa.
Key to the species:
1. Ligule a tuft of hairs; grains exposed when mature E. coracana 1. Ligule truncate, membranous; grains remain enclosed in the floral parts when mature E. indica
Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn. Fruct. 1: 8, t. 1. f. 11. 1789; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7:
294. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1939. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1839.
1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 260, t. 173. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 492.
1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India 116. 1966; Britto & Matthew in
Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1848. 1983; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 526. 1988;
46 Matthew, Further Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 768 & 769. 1988; Karthikeyan et al.,
Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 212. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 127. 1990; Sreekumar &
Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 370. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl.
Maharashtra Monocot. 475. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 133. 2001;
Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 577. 2002. Cynosurus coracanus L. Syst. Nat. ed. 10.
2: 875. 1759.
Annual. Culms up to 60 cm high, erect, nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath laterally compressed, keeled, as long as or longer than internodal region, up to 10 x 1 cm; ligule a tuft of hairs, c. 1 mm long; leaf blade linear to linear-lanceolate, c. 35 x 0.5 cm, rounded at base, acute at apex, glabrous, midrib keeled on abaxial surface. Spikes digitate to subdigitate, 4-7 in number, each up to 6 cm long, turning inwards during maturity of grains. Rachis trigonous, 1.5 mm wide, flat on abaxial surface. Spikelets compact, dense, broadly oblong-ovate or orbicular, c. 5 x 5 mm, 3-5-flowered. Lower
glume ovate-elliptic to elliptic-oblong, c. 3 x 1 mm, subacute at apex, chartaceous, 1-
nerved, nerve keeled; keel winged, scabrid. Upper glume oblong to ovate-oblong, c. 4
x 2 mm, obtuse at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel winged, scabrid.
Lemma ovate-elliptic, c. 4 x 2.2, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled;
keel winged, scabrid. Palea elliptic, c. 3 x 1.5 mm, margins inflexed, subacute at apex,
subhyaline, 2-nerved, nerves keeled; keels winged; wings scabrid along the margins.
Caryopsis orbicular, c. 2 x 2 mm, dark brown in colour.
Fl. & Fr.: August to March
Habitat: Cultivated.
Note: Cultivated for edible grains; commonly known as "Nachne"
Specimen examined: Goa: Taleigao, Tiswadi, 18. 2. 2005, Harshala Gad 173 (GUH).
47 Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. Fruct. 1: 8. t. 1, f. 11. 1789; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7:
293. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1037. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1839.
1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 259. t. 172. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 493.
1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India 116. 1966; Matthew, Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu
Carnatic tt. 855 & 856. 1982; Britto & Matthew in Matthew Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3:
1848. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 499. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 526. 1988;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 212. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 127.
1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 371. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma
et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 473. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass.
133. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 579. 2002. Cynosurus indicus L. Sp. Pl.
72. 1753.
Annual. Cu1ms up to 75 cm high, tufted, erect; nodes glabrous, swollen;
internodes laterally compressed. Leaf sheath as long as internodal region, c. 0.5 cm
wide, glabrous shiny, keeled; ligule truncate, membranous, c. 0.5 mm long; leaf blade
linear to linear lanceolate, up to 28 x 0.5 cm, rounded to shallowly cordate at base,
acute at apex, midrib keeled on abaxial surface, sparsely hairy on adaxial surface; hairs
soft, c. 4 mm long. Spikes digitate to subdigitate, 1-8 in number, up to 10 cm long.
Spikelets oblong-lanceolate, c. 6 x 2 mm, up to 6-flowered. Lower glume oblong to
ovate- oblong, c. 2 x 0.8 mm, subacute at apex, chartaceous, 1-3-nerved, central nerve
keeled; keel scabrid. Upper glume oblong, c. 2.5 x 1 mm, margins hyaline, obtuse at
apex, chartaceous, 5-nerved, central nerve keeled; keels scabrid above middle region.
Lemmas ovate-oblong, c. 3.5 x 1.5 mm, subacute, chartaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve
keeled; keel scabrid above middle region. Palea oblong-lanceolate, c. 2.5 x 1 mm,
margins infolded, subacute at apex, subhyaline, 2-nerved, nerves keeled; keels scabrid.
48
Lodicules 2, c. 0.5 mm long, denticulate at apex, cuneate at base. Stamens 3; anthers
c. 0.8 mm long, yellow. Ovary ovate to obovate, c. 0.5 mm long; style c. 1 m long;
stigma c. 1 mm long, deep purple in colour.
Fl. & Fr.: Throughout the year.
Habitat: In moist places, fields, along roadsides, and habitations.
Note: Cosmopolitan; a polymorphic species showing variation in number and length
of spikes, differs from other species of the genus by it subdigitate spikes and
unexposed grains. Considered as very good fodder grass.
Specimen examined: Goa: Barazon (Goa), 7. 10. 1970, N. P. Singh 125094 (BSI);
Goa University campus, 18. 10. 1997, M. K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi & S.
Rajkumar 1123 (GUH); Taleigao, Tiswadi, 8. 1. 2003, Harshala Gad 6 (GUH).
Maharashtra: Lanja, 12. 10. 1994, C. B. Salunkhe 7374 (SUH).
Eragrostis Wolf Wolf, Gen. Pl. 23. 1776. A genus of about 350 species; distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of
the world; 36 species occur in India and nine in Goa.
Key to the species: 1. Spiklelets breaking up at maturity from below upwards (2) 1. Spikelets breaking at maturity from above downwards (6)
2. Spikelets up to 3 mm long; lemma with purple spot at the tip; culms slender E. pilosa 2. Spikelets over 3 mm long; lemma without purple spot at the tip; culms stronger (3)
3. Spikelets puplish pink, > 20-flowered (4) 3. Spikelets laden-grey, < or up to 20-flowered (5)
4. Spikelets up to 20 mm long, drooping, 8-60-flowered E. tremula 4. Spikelets up to 5 mm long rarely > 5 mm long, not drooping, up to 20 flowered E. uniloides
49
5. Ligule a rim of hairs; leaves glaucous; culms > 100 cm long E. atrovirens 5. Ligule a membranous rim; leaves not glaucous; culms < 60 cm long .. E. gangetica
6. Panicles effuse (7) 6. Panicle spiciform (8)
7. Plants viscous; panicle narow; spikelets dense, branches not hairy in the axils E. viscosa 7. Plants not viscous; panicle spreading; spikelets sparse, branches hairy in the axils E. tenella
8. Keels of palea smooth or scabrid but never ciliate; panicles up to 40 cm or more long E. japonica 8. Keels of palea ciliate; panicles up to 15 cm long E. ciliaris
Eragrostis atrovirens (Desf.) Trin. ex Steud. Nom. Bot. ed. 2. 1: 562. 1840; Bor,
Grass. India 503. 1960; Britto & Matthew in Matthew Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1854.
1983; Matthew, Further Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 772 & 773. 1982; Karthikeyan
et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 215. 1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 377, t. 77.
1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 481. 1996; Bhat
& Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 136. 2001. Poa atrovirens Desf. Fl. Atlant. 1: 73. t.
14. 1798.
Perennial. Culms up to 110 cm high, tufted; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath
slightly keeled, up to 8 x 0.6 cm, glabrous; ligule a rim of hairs; leaf blade linear-
lanceolate, up to 17 x 0.5 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex, involute, sparsely
covered with tubercle-based hairs; hairs up to 4 mm long. Panicles ovate-pyramidal,
up to 22 x 12 cm, lax; branches comprising of 2-10 spikelets. Spikelets oblong-
lanceolate, c. 5 x 1.5 mm, 4-10 flowered, purplish green. Lower glume ovate, c. 1 x
0.5 mm, subacute to obtuse at apex chartaceous, 1-nerved. Upper glume ovate, c. 1.5 x
0.8 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Lemmas ovate c. 1.8 x 1 mm, acute at
apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved; nerves scabrid. Palea deciduous, elliptic-lanceolate, c. 1.5
x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved, lateral nerves keeled; keels ciliolate.
50 Stamens 3; anthers c. 0.8 mm long. Ovary elliptic, c. 0.5 mm; style c. 0.5 mm long; stigma c. 0.5 mm long; cream coloured. Caryopsis ellipsoid, c. 1 mm long, dark brown. (Plate 1 I).
Fl. & Fr.: July to October.
Habitat: Occasional in fields, marshlands, shallow ponds.
Note: This species forms new distributional record to the state of Goa. Considered as weed in cultivated paddy fields.
Specimen examined: Goa: Shirlim, Salcete, 17. 7. 2004, Harshala Gad 120 (GUH);
Shirlim, Salcete, 14. 9. 2005, Harshala Gad 202 (GUH). Kerala: Thenmala, Quilon dt.
18. 5. 1978, N. Mohanan 54857 (MH); Kurisumala, Kottayam dt. Kerala, 8. 11. 1984.
V. T. Antony 934 (MH). Maharashtra: Mangao, 20. 10. 1991, C. B. Salunkhe 8123
(SUH).
Eragrostis ciliaris (L.) R. Br. in Tuckey, Narr. Congo. App. 478. 1818; Stapf in
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 314. 1896; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1825. 1934; Blatt.
& McCann, Bombay Grass. 231, t. 154. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 506. 1960; Rao, Fl.
Goa 2: 500. 1986; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 215. 1989;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 483. 1996; Yadav &
Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 580. 2002. Poa ciliaris L. 'Syst. Nat. ed. 10. 2: 875. 1759.
Eragrostis ciliaris var. brachystachya Boiss., Fl. Orient. 5: 582. 1884; Stapf in Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 315; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1023. 1908; Bor, Grass. India 506. 1960.
Annual. Cu1ms 15-60 cm high, procumbent at base, geniculate to erect. Leaf
sheath striate, usually bearded at mouth with long hairs; ligule a fringe of short hairs;
leaf blade linear, acuminate. Panicles up to 15 cm long, spiciform, interrupted, 362
51 compact and cylindric, appearing hairy from the long cilia of the paleas; branches short, glabrous. Pedicel short, glabrous. Spikelets c. 2.5 mm long, 6-12-flowered, laterally compressed. Glumes subequal, ovate-lanceolate, 1-5 mm long, acute.
Lemmas oblong, c. 1 mm long, subtruncate at apex; palea oblong laterally compressed, c. 1 mm long, 2-nerved, 2-keeled; keels with long, rigid cilia; stamens 3. Caryopsis ovoid.
Fl. & Fr.: November.
Habitat: Sandy coast.
Note: The occurrence of this species in state is reported on authority of Rao (1986). however, there are no specimens from Goa at BSI to confirm its occurrence. The description is adapted from sources cited above.
Eragrostis gangetica (Roxb.) Steud. Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 266 1854; Cooke, Fl. Bombay
2: 1025. 1908 p. p.; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1826. 1934; Blatt. & McCann,
Bombay Grass. 236. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 508. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant.
Gomantak, India 116. 1966; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3:
1829. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 495. 1986; Matthew, Further Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic t.
774. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 216. 1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl.
Kerala Grass. 380. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra
Monocot. 483. 1996; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 580. 2002. Poa gangetica Roxb.
Fl. India 1: 341. 1820. Eragrostis stenophylla Hochst. ex Miq. in Verh. Konink-Ned.
Inst. 3. 4: 39. 1851 p. p.; Stapf in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 318. 1896.
Annual. Culms tufted, up to 58 cm high, erect, branching at lower nodes; nodes
slightly geniculate, glabrous. Leaf sheath laterally compressed, up to 3 mm wide,
52 keeled; lower ones as long as or longer than internodal region; upper ones half the length of internodal region; ligule a membranous rim, c. 0.5 mm long; leaf blade
linear-lanceolate, up to 12 x 0.2 mm, rounded and hairy at base, acuminate at apex.
Panicles up to 15 cm long, branches alternate, angular, scabrid, up to 3 cm long;
racemes up to 3 cm long, comprising of 1-6 spikelets; rachis angular scabrid. Pedicel
angular, scabrid, 1-10 mm long. Spikelets oblong-lanceolate, 3-6 x 1.5 mm,
comprising of up to 20- florets, greenish grey in colour, florets falling from below
upward; rachilla zig-zag. Lower glume elliptic-laneolate, c. 0.8 x 0.5 mm, acute to
subacute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved; nerve scabrid. Upper glume ovate-lanceolate,
c. 1 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved; nerve scabrid. Lemmas ovate, c.
1.2 x 1 mm, subacute, chartaceous, 3-nerved; central nerve keeled, scabrid in apical
region. Paleas oblanceolate, c. 1 x 0.25 mm, margins infolded, obtuse at apex,
chartaceous, 2-nerved; nerves keeled, keels ciliate. Lodicules 2, obovate, c. 1 mm
long, denticulate at apex. Stamens 2; anthers 0.2 mm long, purple in colour; filaments
c. 1 mm long. Ovary ovate, c. 0.2 mm long; style c. 0.5 mm long; stigma c. 0.5 mm
long, white. Caryopsis c. 0.25 x 1 mm, ovate-orbicular.
Fl. & Fr.: September-October.
Habitation: Occasional to rare in marshy land and fields
Specimen examined: Goa: Querim, 16. 10. 1996, M. K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi
& Rajkumar 220 (GUH); Molem, 12. 10 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam
283 (GUH). Maharashtra: Narayangaon (Junnar), Poona District, 14. 10 1965, K.
Hemadri 107094 (BSI); Shivaji University campus, Kolhapur, 13. 9. 1992, C. B.
Salunkhe 7363 (SUH).
53 Eragrostis japonica (Thunb.) Trin. in Mem. Acad. Sci. Petersb. 6. 1: 405. 1831; Bor,
Grass. India 509. 1960; Matthew, Ill, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 864 & 865.,1982;
Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1855. 1983; Kulkarni, Fl.
Sindhudurg 528. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 216. 1989; Almeida,
Fl. Savantwadi 2: 128. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 382. 1991;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 484. 1996; Yadav &
Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 580. 2002. Poa japonica Thun. Fl. Japon. 51. 1784. Eragrostis
diarrhena (Schult.) Steud. Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 266. 1854; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras
1826. 1934; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 500. 1986. Poa diarrhena Schult. Syst. Veg. 2. Mant. 616.
1867. Eragrostis interrupta sensu Stapf in Hook. f., Brit. India 7: 316. 1896 non (R.
Br.) P. Beauv. 1812; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 233. 1935 p. p. E. interrupta
var. diplachnoides (Steud.) Stapf in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India. E. interrupta var. koenigi
Stapf in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 316. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1024. 1908. E.
interrupta var. tenuissima Stapf in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 316. 1896.
Annual. Culms up to 80 cm high, erect, tufted; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath
longer than internodal region, up to 12 x 0.5 cm; ligule truncate, membranous,
fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 26 x 0.6 cm, narrowed or cordate
at base, acuminate at apex. Panicles lanceolate, up to 40 cm long, effuse-lax, branches
verticillate; racemes up to 4 cm long; rachis angular, scabrid on angles. Spikelets
ovate, 5-7 flowered, purplish green. Pedicel trigonous, angular, scabrid on angles.
Lower glume oblong, c. 0.5 x 0.2 mm, obtuse at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve
keeled. Upper glume oblong-lanceolate, c. 0.8 x 0.2 mm, subacute and fimbriate at
apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled. Lemmas ovoid c. 1 x 0.5 mm, obtuse and
fimbriate at apex chartceous, 3-nerved, central nerve keeled. Palea obovate-oblong, c.
54 0.8 x 0.2 mm, subacute at apex, hyaline, 2-nerved, nerves keeled; keels scabrid.
Stamens 2; anthers c. 0.2 mm long. Ovary ovoid, c. 0.1 mm long.
Fl. & Fr.: October-November.
Habitat: Common in cultivated lands and along harvested paddy field bunds.
Note: Differs from other species of the genus by its effuse purplish pink panicle.
Considered a weed in cultivated fields.
Specimen examined: Goa: Querim, 16. 10. 1996, M. K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi
& S. Rajkumar 229 (GUH); Palyem, Pernem, 29. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K.
Janarthanam 302 (GUH); Ghodemal, Quepem, 15. 11. 2005, Harshala Gad 314
(GUH). Kerala: Thannimoodu, Mukkali, Palghat District, 27. 1. 1980, 65724 (MH).
Maharashtra: Vengurla, 10. 10. 1993, C. B. Salunkhe 8009 (SUH).
Eragrostis pilosa (L.) P. Beauv. Ess. Agrost. 71. 162. 175. 1812; Stapf in Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 7: 323. 1812; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1028. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl.
Madras 1827. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 241. 1935; Bor, Grass. India
512. 1960; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1859. 1983; Rao,
Fl. Goa 2: 501. 1986; Matthew, Further Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic t. 778. 1988;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 217. 1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala
Grass. 385. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 487.
1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 138. 2001. Yadav & Sardesai, Fl.
Kolhapur 581. 2002. Poa pilosa L. Sp. Pl. 68. 1753.
Annual. Culms up to 80 cm high, erect. Leaf sheath keeled; ligule a membranous rim, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 12 x 0.3 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex. Panicles 5-30 cm long; branches angular, 1-13 cm
55 long. Spikelets elliptic-lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.5 mm, scabrid. Lower glume oblong, c. 0.3 x 0.2 mm, obtuse at apex, chartaceous. Upper glume oblong-lanceolate, c. 1 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel scabrid. Lemmas ovoid, c. 1.2 x 0.5 mm, obtuse at apex, subcoriaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel scabrid. Palea boat shaped, c. 0.8 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, subcoriaceous, 2-nerved, nerves keeled; keels scabrid. Stamens 3; anthers c. 0.2 mm long, purple. Ovary oblong; stigma purple.
Fl. & Fr.: August-September.
Habitat: Occasionally seen growing around habitations.
Note: Spikelets breaking from below upward, lemmas often with purple spot at apex.
Specimen examined: Goa: Margao-near Rest house, K. C. Kanodia 89457 (BSI); Goa
University campus, 24. 4. 1997, M. K. Janarthanam, S. Rajkumar & Vaishali Joshi 781
(GUH); Curtorim, 29. 9. 1997, Vashali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 1042 (GUH); Children's park, Campal, Panajim, 15. 8. 2003, Harshala Gad 28 (GUH). Maharashtra: Aajra,
13. 10 1991, C. B. Salunkhe 8125 (SUH).
Eragrostis tenella (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem & Schult., Syst. Veg. 2: 576. 1817; Stapf in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 315. 1896; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 232, t. 154.
1935; Bor, Grass. India 513. 1960; Rao, Fl. Goa 501. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg
528. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 217-218. 1989; Almeida, Fl.
Savantwadi, 2: 129. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 390. 1991;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 489. 1996; Bhat &
Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 138. 2001. Poa tenella L. Sp. Pl. 69. 1753. Eragrostis tenella (L.) P. geauv. ex Roem. & Schult. var. breviculmis Stapf in Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 7: 316. 1896. E. tenella (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult. var. plumosa (Retz.)
Stapf in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 315. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1024. 1908; Blatt.
56 & McCann, Bombay Grass. 232. 1935. Eragrostis plumosa (Retz) Link, Hort. Berol.
1: 192. 1827; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1826. 1934. Poa plumosa Retz. Obs. Bot.
4: 20. 1786.
Annual. Culms slender, up to 45 cm high, tufted, erect to rosette; nodes glabrou. Leaf sheath keeled, less than half the length of internodal region, up to 2.5 x
0.3 mm, sparsely-densely hairy in apical region, ciliate along one margin, bearded at mouth; hairs tubercle-based; ligule a membranous rim, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, c. 7 x 0.3 mm, rounded at base, glabrous. Panicles pyramidal, up to
10 x 3.5 cm, branches whorled, up to 2.5 cm long, hairy in axils; hairs c. 1 mm long; rachis trigonous, scabrid. Spikelets oblong-ovate, c. 2 x 1 mm, 5-flowered. Lower glume ovate-lanceolate, c. 1 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Upper glume oblong-lanceolate, c. 1.2 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerves scabrid. Lemmas ovoid, c. 1 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved. Palea oblong-lanceolate, c. 1 x 0.3 mm, 2-nerved, nerves keeled; keels ciliate. Stamens 3; anthers c. 0.1 mm, long, yellow. Ovary ovate. (Plate 1 J).
Fl. & Fr.: October-November.
Habitat: Occasional along road sides, and sandy coasts in shade.
Note: This species differs from other species of the genus by the presence of hairs at the juncture of main axis. This species form new distributional record to Goa.
Specimen examined: Goa: Morjim, Pernem, 29. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K.
Janarthanam 299 (GUH). Maharashtra: Sonala hills near Bavanbir, 17. 12. 1982, P.
G. Diwakar 163094 (BSI); Sangli city, 29. 9. 1989, C. B. Salunkhe 8348 (SUH).
Tamilnadu: Gopalapuram, Puduppatti, 15. 2. 1979, S. R. Srinivasan 60813 (MH);
Athikkadavu, 31. 7. 1975, E. Vajravelu 46392 (MH).
57 Eragrostis tremula Hochst. ex Steud. Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 269. 1854; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 7: 320. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1027. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras
1827; Bor, Grass. India 514. 1960; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 501. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl.
Sindhudurg 529. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 218. 1989; Sreekumar
& Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 392. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl.
Maharashtra Monocot. 491. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 139. 2001.
Annual or perennial. Culms up to 85 cm high, erect; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath slightly keeled, up to 8 cm long, glabrous; ligule a rim of hairs; leaf blade linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, up to 15 x 0.4 cm, rounded to shallowly cordate at base, acuminate at apex. Panicles up to 35 cm long, lax, loosely spiculate, bearded in axils; hairs up to 5 mm long, silky white. Spikelets oblong, c. 20 x 2 mm, 8-58 flowered, drooping. Pedicel up to 2 cm long, scabrid. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.5 mm, acuminate at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Upper glume c. 1.5 x 0.5 mm, acuminate at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Lemmas ovoid, c. 2 x 2 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous,
3-nerved, central nerve scabrid in apical region. Palea elliptic-oblong, persistent, c. I x
0.5 mm, acute at apex, 2-nerved, nerves keeled; keels scabrid. Stamens 3; anthers c.
0.3 mm long. Ovary orbicular, c. 0.5 mm long; style c. 0.5 mm long; stigma c. 0.5 mm long, cream-white in colour.
Fl. & Fr.: September-November.
Habitat: Very common along sandy coast and rare in salt marshes.
Note: This species differs from other species of the genus by long drooping spikelets.
A component of sandune vegetation and a very good sand binder.
58 Specimen examined: Goa: Terekhol near Shiroda, 16. 11. 1965, B. G. Kukarni
108018 (BSI); St. Cruz, 25. 3. 1998, M. K. Janarthanam & Vaishali Joshi 1464
(GUH); Miramar, 13. 11. 2003, Harshala Gad 95 (GUH); Morjim, Pernem, 29. 10.
2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 297 (GUH). Maharashtra: Dapoli, 17. 10.
1993, C. B. Salunkhe 7230 (SUH). Kerala: Muzhappilangad, Cannanore District, 16.
12. 1979. V. S. Ramchandran 65259 (MH).
Eragrostis uniloides (Retz.) Nees ex Steud. Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 264. 1854; Fischer in
Gamble, Fl. Madras 1826. 1934; Bor, Grass. India 515. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant.
Gomantak, India 116. 1966; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3:
1858. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 501. 1986; Matthew, Further Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic t.
783. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 218. 1989; Almeida, Fl.
Savantwadi 2: 129. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 392. 1991;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 491. 1996; Bhat &
Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 140. 2001. Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 581. 2002.
Poa uniloides Retz. Obs. Bot. 5: 19. 1789. Eragrostis ambilis sensu Stapf in Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India 7: 317. 1896 non Wight & Arn. Ex Nees, 1838; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2:
1025. 1908.
Annual. Culms up to 46 cm high, tufted, erect or geniculate; nodes glabrous.
Leaf sheath rounded, ligule a membranous rim, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear to
linear-lanceolate, up to 15 x 0.6 mm, acute at apex. Panicles up to 15 cm long, lax,
densely spiculate. Spikelets ovate-oblong, up to 20-flowered, purplish green. Lower
glume lanceolate, c. 1.5 x 0.5 mm, acuminate at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Upper
glume ovate- lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.7 mm, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Lemmas oblong-ovate,
c. 2 x 1.8 mm, acuminate at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved. Palea elliptic, c. 1.8 x 0.6
59 mm, margins ciliate, hyaline, 2-nerved, 2-keeled; keels scabrid. Stamens 3; anthers c.
0.6 mm long, violet. Ovary ovate; style c. 0.5 mm long; stigma c. 1 mm long, white.
Caryopsis obovate, c. 0.5 x 0.3 mm, reddish brown.
Fl. & Fr.: July-November.
Habitat: Very common in cultivated fields, moist places, lateritic rocky plateaus, halophytic conditions, along the road sides, habitations and puddles.
Note: Cosmopolitan in distribution; considered a very good fodder grass.
Specimen examined: Goa: Porvorim, Bardez, 8. 11. 1963, S. R. Rao 92858 (BSI);
Goa University campus, Taleigao, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 980 (GUH); Chorao,
24. 9. 1997, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 1031 (GUH); Miramar, 29. 9. 2003,
Harshala Gad 77 (GUH). Maharashtra: Dodamarg, 3. 11. 1991, S. R. Yadav 7449
(SUH); Kas, December 1995 Bachulkar-Cholekar 20084 (SUH).
Eragrostis viscosa (Retz.) Trin. in Mem. Acad. Sci. Petersb. 6. 1: 397. 1830; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1826. 1934; Bor, Grass. India 515. 1960; Britto & Matthew in
Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1858. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 501. 1986; Matthew,
Further Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic t. 784. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum.
Mono. 218. 1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 393. 1991;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 493. 1996; Bhat &
Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 140. 2001. Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 581. 2002.
Poa viscosa Retz. Obs. Bot. 4: 20. 1786. Eragrostis tenella (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. &
Schult. var. viscosa (Retz.) Stapf in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 315. 1896; Cook, Fl.
Bombay. 2: 1024. 1908.
60 Annual. Cu1ms up to 30 cm high, erect to genicualte; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath keeled; ligule a membranous rim, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 8 x 0.3 cm, rounded to shallowly cordate at base, acuminate at apex. Panicles up to 10 x 5 cm long, pyramidal densely spiculate, viscous or glandular; branches 0.5 —
2.5 cm long, angular, hairy at joints with main axis. Spikelets lanceolate, 2 x 0.5-0.8 mm, 5-flowered; pedicel angular, 0.5-1.5 mm long, scabrid, slightly dilated at apex.
Lower glume ovate, c. 0.8 x 0.5, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Upper glume ovate-lanceolate, c. 1 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Lemmas elliptic, c. 0.8 x 0.3 mm, obtuse at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved. Palea elliptic-lanceolate to falcate, c. 0.6 x 0.3 mm, obtuse at apex, subhyaline, 2- nerved, nerves keeled; keels ciliate. Caryopsis obovate, c. 3 x 2 mm, yellowish brown. (Plate 1 K).
Fl. & Fr.: August-November.
Habitat: Common along road sides, habitations, in gardens, and on open gravely red soil.
Note: This species differs from other species of the genus by its viscous culms and panicle. This species is a new distributional record to Goa.
Specimen examined: Goa: Goa university Campus, Taleigao, 18. 10. 1997, Vaishali
Joshi & S. Rajkumar 385 (GUH); Dona Paula, 15. 8. 2003, Harshala Gad 29 (GUH);
Kakra village, Taleigao, 23. 9. 2003, Harshala Gad 69 (GUH). Maharashtra:
Jamwadi tank, 22. 9. 1978, S. Karthikeyan 156545 (BSI); Ajra, 13. 10. 1991, C. B.
Salunkhe 7535 (SUH); Parli, December 1995 Bachulkar-Cholekar 20055 (SUH).
Indopoa Bor Bor in Kew Bull. 13: 225. 1958.
A monotypic genus endemic to Peninsular India.
61 Indopoa paupercula (Stapf) Bor in Kew Bull. 13: 225. 1958; Bor, Grass. India 523.
1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 117. 1966; Kulkami, Fl. Sindhudurg
537. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 229. 1989; Lakshminarasimhan in
Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 506. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and
Grass. 142. 2001. Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 585. 2002. Tripogon pauperculus
Stapf in Hook. Ic. Pl. t. 2442. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1036. 1908; Blatt. &
McCann, Bombay Grass. 266. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 522. 1960.
Annual. Culms up to 10 cm high, slender, tufted. Leaf sheath 1-1.5 x 0.2 cm, margins hyaline; ligule a membranous rim, lacerate at apex; leaf blade linear to linear- lanceolate, up to 3.5 x 0.15 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex involute. Spike spiciform, interrupted, up to 6 cm long. Spikelets subsessile to sessile, 3 or 4 flowered.
Callus densely hairy; hairs c. 0.25 mm long. Lower glume ovate-oblong, c. 2 x 1 mm, cleft at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Upper glume ovate, c. 3 x 1 mm, cleft at apex, cuspidate in sinus, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled. Lemmas oblong-lanceolate, c.
4 x 1 mm, lobed at apex, awned in sinus, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve keeled; lobes aristate at apex; arista short unequal, up to 4 mm long; awn up to 8 mm long with 3 mm long column, twisted, scabrid; keel scabrid. Palea elliptic, c. 2.5 x 0.5 mm, margins serrulate, acute at apex, hyaline, 2-keeled. Oval) , oblong, c.
2.2 mm long; style 0.5 mm long; stigma 0.5 mm long. (Plate 1 L).
Fl. & Fr.: August to November.
Habitat: Common on lateritic rocky plateaus.
62 Note: This species is endemic to Peninsular India and easily identified by its slender small culms and spiciform spikes. This species flowers first among the grasses growing on lateritic rocky plateaus.
Specimen examined: Goa: Camurlim plateau, Bardez, 5. 10. 2004, Harshala Gad 130
(GUH); Kundaim Plateau, Ponda, 28. 8. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janartham 187
(GUH).
Leptochloa Beauv. Beau. Agrost. 71. 166, t. 15, f. 1. 1812. A genus comprising of 37 species distributed in tropical and warm temperate regions of the World of which one species occur in Indiaoneone in Goa.
Leptochloa malabarica (L.) Veldk. Blumea 19: 64. 1971; R. Nowack in Rheedea 4
(2): 84. 1994; Rajkumar et al., 182. 1999. Diplachne fusca (L.) Beauv. ex Roem. &
Schult., Syst. Veg. 2: 615. 1817; Hook. f., Fl. Brit India 7: 329. 1896; Cooke, Fl.
Bombay 2: 1030. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1829. 1934; Blatt. & McCann,
Bombay Grass. 246, t. 163. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 492. 1960; Matthew, Ill. Fl.
Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 851 & 852. 1982; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu
Carnatic 3: 1844. 1983; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 368, t. 75. 1991;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 471. 1996. Festuca fusca L. Sp. ,131. ed. 2. 109. 1762.
Perennial. Culms tufted up to 100 cm high, rooting and branching at lower
nodes; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath keeled, glaucous; ligule ovate, memebranous, c. 3
mm long, acute; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 36 x 0.3 cm, rounded at base,
acuminate at apex, rigid glaucous. Panicles up to 30 cm long, lax, densely spiculate.
Spikelets oblong-lanceolate, 5-9 x 1.5 mm, up to 8-flowered. Lower glume lanceolate,
63 c. 2 x 0.5 mm, acuminate, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Upper glume oblong-lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.8 mm, mucronate at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Lemmas oblong, c. 3.5 x 1 mm,
3-lobed at apex, chartcaeous, 3-nerved, villous along the nerves below middle region; lateral lobes acute, central lobe shortly cuspidate. Palea oblong, c. 2 x 0.5 mm, delicate, hyaline, 2-nerved, nerves keeled; Keels scabrid. Stamens 3; anthers c. 1 mm long, yellow. Ovary oblanceolate, c. 0.5 mm long; style c. 0.5 mm long; stigma c. 1 mm long, white.
Fl. & Fr.: August-October.
Habitat: Common in salt marshes and other halophytic conditions.
Note: Grows in halophytic conditions along with Ischaemum rugosum Salisb occupying large areas.
Specimen examined: Goa: Cortalim, 14. 11. 1996, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 331
(GUH); Loutolim, Salcete, 9. 8. 2003, Harshala Gad 26 (GUH); Panajim, 03. 9. 2005,
Harshala Gad 200 (GUI-1). Maharashtra: Gangavati on Kanakgiri Road 6 Km. 8. 5.
1977, N. P. Singh 147024 (BSI).
Perotis Aiton Aiton, Hort. Kew 1: 85. 1782. A genus of 10 species distributed in the tropical region of the world of which two species occur in India and one in Goa.
Perotis indica (L.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 2: 787. 1891; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras
1814. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 220. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 611. 1960;
Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India 117. 1966; Matthew, Ill. Fl.Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 912 & 913. 1982; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1888.
64 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 511. 1986; Kulkarni, FL Sindhudurg 551. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 216. 1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 434. 1991;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 483. 1996; Bhat &
Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 123. 2001. Anthoxanthum indicum L. Sp. Pl. 28. 1753.
Perotis latifolia Aiton, Hort. Kew ed. 1: 85. 1789; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 98. 1896;
Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1016. 1908.
Annual. Cu1ms terete, up to 60 cm high, erect or geniculate, rooting at basal nodes, nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded, up to 5 cm long, imbricate; ligule membranous rim; leaf blade oblong to oblong-lanceolate, up to 5 x 1 cm, rounded or cordate at base, undulate along margins, acute at apex, glabrous, scabrid. Raceme up to
20 mm long. Spikelets oblong to oblong-lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.2 mm, awned. Pedicel short. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 2.5 x 0.5 mm, cuspidate at apex, chartaceous, 1- nerved, nerve sacbrid; cusp up to 15 mm long, scabrid, purple in colour. Upper glume oblong to oblong-lanceolate, c. 3 x 1 mm, cuspidate at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, hispid; cusp up to 15 mm long, scabrid. Lemma oblong-lanceolate, c. 1 x 0.2 mm, acute at apex, subhyaline to chartaceous, 1-nerved. Palea oblong-lanceolate, c. 1 x 0.2 mm, acute at apex, delicate, hyaline. Stamens 3, minute, c. 0.2 mm, long, yellow.
Ovary ovate, c. 1 mm long; style short; stigma c. 0.2 mm long.
Fl. & Fr.: September-November.
Habitat: Common along sandy coast.
Note: A component of sand dune vegetation, very good sand binder.
Specimen examined: Goa: Panajim along Coastal areas, 6. 11. 1962, S. R. Rao 84378
(BSI); Miramar, Panajim, 29. 9. 2003, Harshala Gad 73 (GUH); Morjim, Pemem, 29.
65
10 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 294 (GUH). Maharashtra: Ratnagiri,
29. 9. 1991, C. B. Salunkhe 7691 (SUH).
Sporobolus R. Br. R. Br. Prod. 169. 1810. A genus of about 160 species distributed in tropical and warm temperate region
of the world, of which 19 species occur in India and four in Goa.
Key to the species:
1. Plant a perennial; culms stoloniferous, creeping; leaves involute S. virginicus 1. Plant an annual or perennial; culms not stoloniferous, erect; leaves flat .... (2)
2. Culms up to 20 cm long; panicles spiciform, up to 5 cm long; lower glume more than half the length of spikelet S. piliferous 2. Culms more than 20 cm long; panicle effuse, > 5 cm long; lower glume less than half the length of spikelet (3)
3. Plant an annual; lower glume orbicular; panicles effuse S. tenuissimus 3. Plant a perennial; lower glume oblong; panicle spiciform .... S. indicus var. flaccidus
Sporobolus indicus (L.) R. Br. Prodr. 170. 1810 var. flaccidus (Roem. & Schult.)
Veldk. in Blumea 35: 433. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra
Monocot. 613. 1996; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 608. 2002. Agrostis elongata (R.
Br.) Roth ex R. & S. var. flaccida Roth ex Roem. & Schult. Syst. Veg. 2: 368. 1817.
Sporobolus diander (Retz) P. Beauv. Ess. Agrost. 26. 147. 178. 1812; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 7: 247. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1017. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl.
Madras 1817. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 221. 1935; Bor, Grass. India
629. 1960; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1905. 1983; Rao,
Fl. Goa 2: 515. 1986; Matthew, Further Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic t. 826. 1988.
Sporobolus indicus var. diander (Retz.) Jovet & Guedes in Bull. Centre Et. Rech. Sc.
66 Biarritz 7: 65. 1968 & in Taxon 22: 163. 1973; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum.
Mono. 264. 1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 437. 1991; Bhat & Nagendran,
Sedges and Grass. 152. 2001.
Perennial. Culms up to 120 cm high, tufted; nodes glabrous. Leaves linear 10 -
40 x 0.2 — 0.8 cm, rounded or shallowly cordate at base; ligule truncate, membranous
or row of hairs. Panicles contracted, spiciform, 15-35 cm long. Spikelet obovoid, 1.5-
2.5 mm long, greyish. Lower glume oblong, obtuse or rounded at apex, chartaceous.
Upper glume ovate, 0.5-1 mm long, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Lemma ovate, 1.5-2 mm
long, delicate, 2-nerved. Stamens 3; anthers c. 0.5 mm long, cream colured with violet
margins; stigma cream coloured. Grain oblong, c. 1 mm long.
Fl. & Fr.: June-December.
Habitat: Moist-gravelly area.
Note: This species has been inculded on the authority of Rao (1986). The description
is adapted from sources cited above.
Sporobolus piliferous (Trin.) Kunth. Enum. Pl. 1: 211. 1833; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
7: 251. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1020. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1817.
1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 226, t. 151. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 632.
1960; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1906. 1983; Kulkarni,
Fl. Sindhudurg 558. 1988; Matthew, Further Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic t. 827. 1988;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 264. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 157.
1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 438. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma
et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 614. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Seds and Grass.
67 152. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 608. 2002. Vilfa pilifera Trin. Diss. Bot.
157. 1824.
Annual. Culms up to 20 cm high, tufted, erect, branching at lower nodes; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded c. 3 mm wide, hairy along one margin, bearded at mouth; ligule a fimbriate rim, c. 0.2 mm; leaf blade linear lanceolate, up to 5 x 0.3 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex, sparsely tubercle-based hairy on both surfaces; hair, c. 1.5 mm long. Panicles spiciform, up to 5 cm long; racemes short, contracted.
Spikelets elliptic-lanceolate to lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.8 mm. Pedicel angular, up to 2 mm long; abscission slightly dilated at apex. Lower glume elliptic-lanceolate to lanceolate, c. 1.5 x 0.5 mm, chartaceous, acute. Upper glume ovate-lanceolate, c. 2 x 1.5 cm, subacute to obtuse at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, scabrid on nerve. Lemma ovate- lanceolate, c. 2 x 1 mm, margins narrowly inturned, acute at apex, chartaceous, shiny,
3-nerved. Palea ovate-oblong, c. 2 x 2 mm, subacute at apex, subhyaline, 2-nerved.
Caryopsis ovoid, c. 1.5 x 1 mm. (Plate 1 M).
Fl. & Fr.: August-November.
Habitat: Occasionally common on lateritic rocky plateaus.
Note: This species differs from other species of the genus by its smaller culms and shorter spiciform panicles. Found growing along with Indopoa paupercula (Stapp Bor on lateritic rocky palteau. It is a new report to the state of Goa.
Specimen examined: Goa: Camurlim plateau, Bardez, 5. 10. 2004, Harshala Gad 128
(GUH); Kundaim plateau, 28. 8. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 186
(GUH). Maharashtra: Gaganbavada, 3. 9. 1989, C. B. Salunkhe 8885 (SUH);
Malwan, 2. 9. 1990, C. B. Salunkhe 8305 (SUH). Tamilnadu: Attakatti, Coimbatore
District, 20. 11. 1980, M. Chandrabose 69034 (MH).
68 Sporobolus tenuissimus (Schrenk) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 3: 369. 1893; Bor, Grass.
India 633. 1960; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 516. 1986; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono.
265. 1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 440. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in
Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 615. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and
Grass. 153. 2001. Panicum tenuissimum Schrenk in Denkschr. Bot. Ges. Regensb. 2:
26. 1822. Sporobolus minutiflorus (Trin) Link, Enum. Hort. Berol. 1: 88. 1827; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India, 7: 248. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1019. 1908; Fischer in Gamble,
Fl. Madras 1816. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 223. 1935.
Annual. Culms erect, up to 75 cm high, nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded; ligule a membranous rim, fimbriatum at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 30 x
0.5 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex. Panicles effuse, up to 40 x 6 cm, branches angular, up to 4 long. Spikelets lanceolate, c. 1 x 0.2 mm, acute at apex, greyish green.
Lower glume orbicular, c. 0.2 x 0.2 mm, rounded at apex, hyaline. Upper glume ovate- orbicular, c. 0.5 x 0.3 mm, acute and sparsely bearded at apex, subhyaline, 1-nerved.
Lemma lanceolate, c. 1 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved. Palea oblong- elliptic, c. 0.4 x 0.2 mm, obtuse at apex, chartaceous, 2-nerved, nerves keeled. Stamens
3; anthers c. 0.3 mm long, violet in colour. Caryopsis oblong, c. 0.5 mm long.
Fl. & Fr.: August-November.
Habitat: Common in moist places and around habitations.
Specimen examined: Goa: Miramar, 31. 8. 1996, M. K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi
& S. Rajkumar 108 (GUH); Camurlim, Bardez, 7. 9. 2003, Harshala Gad 40 (GUH).
Kerala: Tellicherry, Cannannore District, 16. 8. 1980, V. S. Ramachandran 66989
(MH). Maharashtra: Vengurla, 6. 10. 1991, C. B. Salunkhe 7976 (SUH)
69 Sporobolus virginicus (L.) Kunth, Rev. Gram. 1: 67. 1829; Hook. f., Fl. Brit India 7:
249. 1896; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1818. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay
Grass. 224, t. 149. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 634. 1960; Britto & Matthew in Matthew,
Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1907. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 516. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl.
Sindhudurg 558. 1988; Matthew, Further Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic t. 830. 1988;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 265. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 157.
1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 440. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 615. 1996; Rajkumar et al., J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.
96: 182. 1999; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 153. 2001. Agrostis virginica L.
Sp. Pl. 63. 1753.
Perennial. Culms up to 25 cm high, erect, stoloniferous, rhizomatous, rhizome creeping; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded, c. 0.6-2.5 cm long, glabrous; ligule a row of hairs, 0.2-1.5 mm long; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, 0.5-6 x 0.3 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex, involute. Panicles up to 8 cm long, contracted-subspiciform; racemes 0.5-2.5 cm long. Spikelets lanceolate, c. 2.5 x 0.5 mm, shortly pedicelled.
Pedicel up to 2 nun long. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled. Upper glume lanceolate, c. 2.5 x 1 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-3-nerved, 2-keeled. Lemma lanceolate c. 2.2 x 1 mm, 1-nerved,
1-keeled. Palea elliptic, c. 2 x 1 mm, truncate at apex, delicate-hyaline, 2-nerved, nerves keeled. Stamens 3; anthers 1-1.5 mm long, purple; connectives up to 2 mm long. Ovary oblong, 0.5 nun long; style c. 0.5 mm long; stigma c. 1 mm long, white.
(Plate 1 N).
Fl. & Fr.: June-November.
70 Habitat: Common in saline marsh lands and along sandy coast.
Note: Very good sand binder; primary colonizer on sand dunes along with Ipomea pes-capre (L.) R. Br.
Specimen examined: Goa: Miramar, 31. 8. 1996, M. K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi
& S. Rajkumar 109 (GUH); Miramar, 24. 7. 1997, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 109
(GUH); Miramar, 24. 7. 1997, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 789 (GUH); Miramar,
Harshala Gad 71 (GUH); St. Cruz, Tiswadi, 12. 10. 2004, Harshala Gad 139 (GUH);
Cumbhar-Jua, Ponda, 10. 6. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 176 (GUH).
Tripogon Roem & Schult Roem & Schult. Veg. 2: 34. 1817; Hook f. Fl. Brit. India 7: 285. 1896. A genus of about 30 species distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions
of the world, of which about 17 species occur in India and two in Goa.
Key to the species:
1. Awn of the lemma flexous, as long as or longer than lemma; spikelets up to 4-flowered T capillatus 1. Awn of lemma not flexous, shorter than lemma; spikelets up to 9-flowered T. sivarajanii
Tripogon capillatus Jaub. & Spach, Ill. Pl. Or. 4: 47 t. 332. 1851; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 7: 284. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1036. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras
1833. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 269. t. 179. 1935; Bor, Grass. India
629. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India 117. 1966; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg
560. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 270. 1989; Almeida, Fl.
Savantwadi 2: 160. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 401. 1991;
71 Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 628. 1996; Bhat &
Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 148. 2001.
Annual. Cu1ms slender, up to 40 cm high, erect or geniculate; nodes glabrous.
Leaf sheath as long as or longer than internodal region, up to 1.5 mm wide, shiny; ligule short, membranous, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade filiform up to 30 cm long, hairy on adaxial surface; hairy soft silky, c. 2.5 mm long. Racemes up to 26 cm long, rachis trigonous, flat, shallowly channeled on adaxial surface. Spikelets up to 42 in number, oblong lanceolate, 6 x 1.5 mm, 4-flowered, subsessile; the uppermost floret imperfect or reduced. Lower glume lanceolate, shallowly notched on one side, c. 2 x 1.5 mm, acuminate-cuspidate at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Upper glume oblong-lanceolate, c. 3.5 x 1 mm, cuspidate at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved; cusp up to 2.5 mm long, scabrid. Floret 1 mm apart. Lemmas elliptic-lanceolate c.. 3 x 1 mm, bearded at base, two-lobed at apex, awned in sinus, chartaceous; lobes cuspidate at apex; cusp c. 4 mm long; awn up to 25 mm long, flexuous, scabrid. Paleas oblanceolate-oblong, c. 2 x 0.5 mm, margins infolded, subacute, ciliate at apex chartaceous, 2-nerved, 2-keeled; keels ciliate, ovary oblong, c. 1.5 mm long. (Plate 1 0).
Fl. & Fr.: September-October.
Habitat: Rare on tree trunks among moss, and on black boulders.
Note: Mostly found growing on trees found on plateaus at higher elevations. Differs from other species of the genus by flexuous, long awn.
Specimen examined: Goa: Surla plateau, Saari, 2. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K.
Janarthanam 243 (GUH). Maharashtra: Durga Khilla 30 Km West of Junnar, 20. 9.
1968, K. Hemadri 117916 (BSI); Gaganbawda, 3. 9. 1989, S. R. Yadav 7938 (SUH);
72 Yawteshwar, October 1994, Bachulkar-Cholekar 6109 (SUH); Mahableshwar, 15. 9.
1991, C. B. Salunkhe 7502 (SUH).
Tripogon sivarajanii Sunil, Sida 18 : 809. 1999.
Tufted perennial. Cu1ms up to 80 cm long; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath longer
than or double the length of internodal region; internodes rounded, slightly keeled, up
to 15 x 0.6 cm, glabrous, closely clasping culms, rigid; ligule narrow truncate,
membranous, fimbriate at apex, c. 0.5 mm long; leaf blade linear-lanceolate to
filiform, up to 60 x 1 cm, bearded at mouth, narrowed at base, acuminate at apex, pale
green and villous on adaxial surface; veins distinct on upper surface, smooth shiny and
dark green on abaxial surface. Racemes up to 35 cm long, rachis subangular-flattened,
c. 1 mm wide, glabrous. Spikelets oblong-lanceolate, c. 8 x 2 mm, 9-flowered. Lower
glume broadly lanceolate, shallowly notched on one side, c. 2 x 1 mm, acute at apex,
chartaceous, 1-nerved. Upper glume elliptic lanceolate, c. 2.5 x 1 mm, acute at apex,
chartaceous, 1-nerved. Lemmas ovate, 3 x 1.5 mm, margins hyaline, 2-lobed at apex,
awned in sinus, chartaceous, 3-nerved; lobes acuminate at apex; awn c. 2 mm long,
scabrid. Palea elliptic-lanceolate, c. 2.5 x 0.5, margins infolded, bifurcate-shortly lobed
at apex, chartaceous, 2-keeled; keels ciliate. Lodicules 2, c. 0.2 mm long, denticulate at
apex. Stamens 3; anthers c. 1.2 mm long. Ovary elliptic, minute; style c. 0.5 mm long;
stigma c. 0.5 mm long. (Fig. 3; Plate 1 P).
Fl. & Fr.: September-November.
Habitat: Common on cliffs.
Note: Considered endemic to Kerala and known only from type locality. Its
occurrence in Goa forms extended distribution and new record to the state.
73 Fig 3. Tripogon sivarajanii Sunil. A. habit; B. spikelet; C. lower glume; D. upper glume; E. lemma; F. palea Specimen examined: Surla-Satari, 2.10.2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam
244 (GUH).
Zoysia Willd. Willd. in Neul. Schr. Ges Naturf. Fr. Berlin 3: 440. 1801 A genus of about 10 species distributed in the Coastal areas of Tropical and subtropical regions of the world of which two species occur in India in Goa.
Key to the species:
1. Ligule a membranous rim, fimbriate at apex; pedicel subangular, dilated at apex; racemes up to 3.5 cm Z matrella 1. Ligule obscure or a narrow membranous rim, entire at apex; pedicel angular, discoid at apex; racemes up to 1.5 cm long Z. japonica
Zoysia matrella (L.) Men. in phillip J. Sci. Bot. 7: 230. 1912; Fischer in Gamble, Fl.
Madras 1815. 1934; Bor, Grass. India 684. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak,
India. 117. 1966; Matthew, Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 959 & 960. 1982; Britto &
Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1914. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 519.
1986; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 216. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2:
162. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 445. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in
Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 632. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and
Grass. 125. 2001. Agrostis matrella L. Mant. Pl. 2: 185. 1771. Zoysia pungens Willd.
In Ges. Naturf. Fr. Berlin Neue. Schrift. 3: 441. 1801; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 99.
1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1016. 1908 (repr. ed). Ostredamia matrella (L.) Kuntze,
Rev. Gen. Pl. 2: 781. 1891; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 219. t. 146. 1935.
Perennial. Culms tufted, rhizomatous, up to 30 cm high, erect to trailing; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded, keeled on dorsal surface, up to 2 x 0.3 cm; ligule a membranous rim, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate up to 10 x 0.2 cm, rounded at base, acute at apex. Racemes up to 3.5 cm long, densely spiculate.
74 Spikelets concealing rachis; rachis trigonous, scabrid on angles. Spikelets obliquely oblong lanceolate, 1-flowered, shortly pedicelled. Pedicel subangular, dialated at apex.
Lower glume absent. Upper glume ovate, laterally compressed, c. 3 x 2 mm (when spread), acute at apex, coriaceous to crustaceous, 1-3 nerved, lateral nerves obscure.
Lemma elliptic-lanceolate, c. 2 x 1 mm, margins hyaline, acute at apex, chartaceous,
1-nerved. Palea oblong lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.8 mm, delicate hyaline, 2-nerved, 2-keeled.
Stamens 3, anthers c. 1 mm long. Stigma 2 mm long, white coloured.
Fl. & Fr.: August-September.
Habitat: Common along sandy coast and saline marsh lands.
Note: This species forms new report to the state of Goa. A very good sand binder and grown as lawn grass.
Specimen examined: Goa: Harmal beach, 3. 9. 1997, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar
925 (GUH); Morjim, 29. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad, & M. K. Janarthanam 295 (GUH).
Maharashtra: Malwan, 2. 9. 1990, C. B. Salunkhe 7287 (SUH).
Zoysia japonica Steud. Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 414. 1855; Bor, Grass. India 684. 1960.
Perenial. Cu1ms up to 8 cm high, erect to geniculate, branching at lower nodes, nodes glabrous. Leaf blade rounded, c. 1.5 mm wide, rigid; ligule obscure to narrow membranous rim; leaf blade acicular, linear lanceolate, 1 x 3.5 x 0.1 cm, rounded at base, acute at apex, convolute. Racemes up to 1.5 cm long, densely spiculate consealing rachis; rachis triangular, scabrid on angles. Spikelet oblong-lanceolate, c.
2.5 x 0.5 mm, 1-flowered, pedicelled. Pedicel up to 1.5 mm, long, angular, slightly dilated to discioid at apex, scabrid on angles. Lower glume absent. Upper glume oblong to oblong lanceolate, c. 2.5 x.1.2 mm, subacute at apex, coriaceous, 1-nerved.
75 Lemma oblong-lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.8 mm, obtuse at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved. Palea minute, hyaline. Ovary oblong, c. 0.5 mm long; style c. 1 mm long.
Fl & Fr.: August to October.
Habitat: Cultivated.
Note: An introduced lawn grass.
Specimen examined: Goa: Goa University campus, Taleigao, 20. 9. 2003, Harshala
Gad 58 (GUH).
76 Subfamily: Panicoideae
Key to the super tribes:
1. Inflorescence usually espatheate, the axes persistent or condensed into deciduous spikelet clusters; spikelets solitary, always pedicelled, all alike in form; female-fertile lemma well developed, firm or indurated, usually awnless, entire at apex; the palea well developed Panicodae
1 Inflorescence often spatheate, the axes usually disarticulating, not condensed into spikelets; spiklelets in pairs or in threes, combinations of sessile and pedicelled, female fertile lemma usually reduced to a hyaline base, often bifid at apex, palea commonly reduced, vestigial or absent Andropogonodae
Super tribe: Andropogonodae
Tribe: Andropogoneae
Key to the subtribes:
1. Spikelets unisexual; without hermaphrodite florets; the male and female-fertile florets in different spikelets; lodicules absent Maydeae 1. Spikelets bisexual, with hermaphrodite and staminate florets mixed in same spikelets; lodicules present (2)
2. Joints of rachis without a basal callus knob and usually with a basal hairy callus; spikelets not embeded or sunken in the cavities of rachis; pedicel not fused with rachis; proximal incomplete floret usually sterile; upper lemma of sessile spikelet very often incised or cleft; usually awned; upper palea of sessile spikelet often absent, otherwise generally relatively short or much reduced, commonly nerveless Andropogoninae 2. Joints of rachis with a basal callus knob, without a hairy callus; spikelets more or less embeded or sunken in the cavities of rachis; pedicel fused with rachis; proximal incomplete florets often staminate; upper lemma of the sessile spikelet entire, awnless; upper palea of sessile spikelet present, often relatively long, often 2-nerved Rottboelliinae
Subtribe: Andropogoninae Presl
Key to the genera
1. Spiklelets solitary Dimeria
• 1. Spikelets mostly paired or rarely in threes; one sessile and the other two pedicelled (2)
2. Inflorescence a true or false panicle (3) 2. Inflorescence a solitary, digitate or subdigitate raceme (13)
77
3. Panicles interrupted by spathes (4) 3. Panicles not interrupted by spathes .(7)
4. Leaves aromatic; racemes fascicled Cymbopogon 4. Leaves not aromatic; racemes not fascicled .(5)
5. Basal joints of racemes bulbous; upper glume beaked at apex Apluda 5. Basal joints of racemes not bulbous; upper glume not beaked (6)
6. The sessile and pedicelled spikelets subtended with 2 pairs of involucral spikelets at base Themeda 6. The sessile and pedicelled spikelets not subtended with involucral spikelets at base Pseudanthistiria
7. Panicle densely silky villous (8) 7. Panicles not silky villous (10)
8. Spikelets awned; leaves petiolate, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate; joints of rachis linear; lower glumes toothed at apex Spodiopogon 8. Spikelets awnless; leaves not petiolate, lanceolate to linear- lanceolate; joints of rachis terete; lower glumes subacute to acute at apex (9)
9. Panicle spiciform, cylindrical; leaves not rigid lmperata 9. Panicle effuse; leaves rigid Saccharum
10. Spikelets awnless; lower glume muricate or spinulose Ve' tiveria 10. Spikelets awned; lower glume glabrous to hairy, not muricate or spinulose (11)
11. Inflorescence a panicle or digitate to subdigitate raceme; joints of rachis and pedicels with translucent median furrow; upper lemma of sessile spikelet reduced to a hyaline base of the awn Dichanthium 11. Inflorescence a panicle; joints of rachis and pedicel without translucent median line; upper lemma of sessile spikelet well developed, not as above, often bifid and awned in sinus (12)
12. Spikelets in threes, with one sessile and the other two pedicelled; glumes usually arsitate, rarely without arista Chrysopogon 12. Spikelets paired, one sessile the other pedicelled; glumes not aristate Sorghum
13. Racemes solitary, with homogamous spikelets arranged at base of racemes and heterogamous spikelets arranged above Heteropogon 13. Racemes mostly two, spikelet not as above (14)
14. Spikelets not disarticulating in groups; sessile and pedicelled spikelets similar Eulalia
78 14. Spikelets disarticulating in groups; sessile and pedicelled spikelets dissimilar (15)
15. Racemes two to many; upper lemma of the sessile spikelets usually acute, rarely cleft at apex, awned from back or awn basifixed Arthraxon 15. Racemes usually two rarely three or more; upper lemma of sessile spikelet cleft at apex, awned in sinus, awn not basifixed (16)
16. Upper glume of sessile spikelet deeply lobed, aristate in sinus Bhidea 16. Upper glume of sessile spikelet entire, not lobed or aristate at apex . Ischeamum
Apluda L. L. Gen. P1. ed. 5. 35. 1754. A monotypic genus distributed in tropical regions of the world.
Apluda mutica L. Sp. Pl. 82. 1753; Bor, Grass. India 93. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant.
Gomantak, India 113. 1966; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 485. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 502.
1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 183. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi
106. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 32. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in
Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 390. 1996; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur
558. 2002. A. varia Hack. in DC Monogr. Andropog. 6: 196. 1889; Cooke, Fl.
Bombay 2: 956. 1908; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 150. 1896. A. varia Hack. subsp. aristata Hack. in DC Mon. Phan. 6: 96. 1889; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 150. 1896;
Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 29, t. 20. 1935. A. varia subsp. aristata Hack. var. ciliata Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 151. 1896. A. varia subsp. aristata var. rostrata
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 151. 1896. A. varia subsp. aristata Hack. var. villosula
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 151. 1896. A. varia subsp. mutica Hack. var. ciliata Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 151. 1896. A. varia subsp. mutica Hack. var. humilis Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 7: 151. 1896.
Annuals or perennials. Cuims up to 240 cm high, creeping or erect; nodes
79 glabrous. Leaves pseudo petiolate at base; petiole up to 2 cm long; ligule membranous, c. 2 mm long; leaf blade elliptic-lanceolate, up to 22.5 x 1 cm, attenuate, petiolate, scabrid on both sides. Inflorescence a false panicle, interrupted, up to 50 cm long; raceme solitary, enclosed in spathe; spathe peduncled, elliptic-ovate, up to 8 x 4 mm, hyaline and ciliate along margins, caudate or bearing rudimentary blades at apex, several nerved. Basal joints bulbous, c. 2 x 2 mm, chartaceous, bearing clusters of triose of spikelets. Sessile spikelets c. 6 mm long, laterally compressed, awned. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 6 x 2.5 mm, narrowly winged above middle region along margins, shortly bifid at apex, chartaceous, 12-nerved; wings ciliate, hairy on ventral surface.
Upper glume boat shaped, c. 6 x 3 mm, ciliate along margins, beaked at apex, chartaceous, 10 - nerved, central nerve keeled. Lower floret staminate. Lower lemma oblong-lanceolate c. 5 x 2 mm, winged at apical region along margins, obtuse at apex, delicate, hyaline, hairy on dorsal surface, faintly 3-nerved; wings ciliate. Palea oblong, c. 5 x 1 mm, hyaline, 2-nerved, nerves keeled. Lodicules 2, obovate, c. 0.5 x 0.5 mm, denticulate at apex. Stamens 3. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma oblong, c. 4 x 2 mm, margins ciliate, 2-lobed at apex, awned in sinus, delicate, hyaline, 3-nerved; lobes acute at apex; awn c. 6 mm long, geniculate, scabrid, with 3 mm long dark brown column. Palea ovate, c. 2 x 1.5 mm, acute at apex, delicate, hyaline, 2-nerved, nerves keeled. Stamens 3; anthers c. 3 mm long. Ovary oblong, c. 1 mm long; style c.
2.5 mm long; stigma c. 4 mm long, pink in colour. Sterile pedicelled spikelets lanceolate-falcate, c. 5 x 1 mm, laterally compressed, ciliate along margins, subcoriaceous, 9- nerved. Pedicelled fertile spikelets oblong-lanceolate, c. 5 x 1.5 mm.
Pedicel oblong, c. 5 x 2 mm, ciliate along margins, faintly 5- nerved. Lower glume
lanceolate, c. 5 x 1.5 mm, chartaceous, 13 - nerved. Upper glume ovate-lanceolate, c. 5 x 1.5 mm, infolded and hyaline along margins, chartaceous, puberulous, 10-nerved.
80
Florets similar to that of sessile spikelets; upper lemma entire, unawned.
Fl. & Fr.: September - December.
Habitat: Found growing along roadsides in open areas on lateritic rocky plateaus with
thin layer of top soil and gravel.
Note: A highly variable species; due to its polymorphic characters several subspecies
and varieties have been erected. Culms rarely small and slender, usually tall and
robust. Whole plant serves as fresh and dry fodder. Dry inflorescence are coloured and
used in flower arrangement.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Chimbel water reservoir, 8. 11. 1963, R. S. Rao 92898
(BSI); Kakra, 4. 11. 1996, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 293 (GUH); Molem, 22. 11.
1996, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 293 (GUH); Bambolim, 16. 10. 2003, Harshala
Gad 94 (GUH). Maharashtra: Islampur, 20. 10. 1989, C. B. Salunkhe 7791 (SUH);
Devgad, 17. 10. 1990, S. R. Yadav 7932 (SUH); Chalkewadi, November 1992,
Bachulkar-Cholekar 3120 (SUH).
Arthraxon P. Beauv. P. Beauv. 111, t. 11. 1812. Phalaris Thunb., Fl. Japan 44. 1784. A genus of about seven species of which four species occur in India and three
in Goa.
Key to the species
1. Pedicelled spikelets present; racemes usually two, rarely three with broad based spicules on marginal and submarginal nerves .A. lanceolatus 1. Pedicelled spikelets absent; racemes more than two, digitate or subdigitate without any broad based spicules on maginal and sumarginal nerves (2)
2. Pedicelled spikelets reduced to scabrid pedicel or hirsute projection or absent; glumes of sessile spikelets acute at apex A. hispidus 2. Pedicelled spikelet absent; glumes of sessile spikelets aristate at apex..A lancifolius
81 Arthraxon hispidus (Thunb.) Makino in Bot. Mag. Tokyo 26: 214. 1912; Fischer in
Gamble, Fl. Madras 1728. 1934; Bor, Grass. India 99. 1960; Jain in J. Indian Bot. Soc.
51 (1) 173. 1972; Welzen in Blumea 27: 266. 1981; Kulkami, Fl. Sindhudurg 54.
1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 197. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2:
108. 1990; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 398. 1996;
Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 242. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur
561. 2002. Phalaris hispida Thunb., Fl. Japan 44. 1784. Arthraxon ciliaris P. Beauv.,
Ess. Agrost. 111, t. 11. f. 6. 1812; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 145. 1896; Cooke, Fl.
Bombay 2: 970. 1908. A micans (Nees) Hochst. in Flora 39: 188. 1856; Bor, Grass.
India 101. 1960. A. nudus (Steud) Hochst., in Flora 188. 1856; Bor, Grass. India 101.
1960; Jain in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51 (1) 178. 1972; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 110.
1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 39. 1991; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and
Grass. 244. 2001. A. submuticus (Nees ex Steud) Hochst., in Flora 188. 1856; Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India 7: 144. 1896; Bor, Grass. India 102. 1960. A. breviaristatus Hack. in
DC. Monogr. Phan. 6: 350. 1889; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 144. 1896; Bor, Grass.
India 99. 1960. A. inerinis Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 145. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2:
968. 1908; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 74, t. 45. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 100.
1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 114. 1966; Jain in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51:
174. 1972; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 109. 1990; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 487. 1986. A.
quartinianus (A. Rich.) Nash in N. Amer. Flora 17: 99. 191; Fischer in Gamble, Fl.
Madras 1728. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 78, t. 49. 1935; Bor, Grass.
India 102. 1960; Jain in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51: 179. 1972; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg
54. 1988; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 110. 1990; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 487. 1986;
Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 41. 1991; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass.
242. 2001. A. hookeri (Hack.) Henr. in Blumea 4: 526. 1941; Bor, Grass. India 99.
82 1960; Jain in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51: 174. 1972. A. nitidulus Stapf ex Bor, Grass. India
101. 1960; Jain in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51: 174. 1972. A. satarensis Almeida J. Bombay
Nat. Hist. Soc. 66: 515. 1970; Jain et al., in Bull. Bot. Surv. India 12: 274. 1970; Jain, in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51: 181. 1972. A. inermis Hook. f. var. tzvelevii Jain in Sci &
Cult. 37: 55. 1971; Jain in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51: 174, f. 6. 1972.
Annuals. Culms up to 90 cm long, erect, decumbent to trailing, rooting at basal nodes; nodes villous. Leaf sheath covering more than half the length of internodal region, densely tubercle-based hairy along one margin, dorsal surface glabrous to sparsely covered by tubercle-based hairs; ligule membranous, c. 1 mm long, lacerate to fimbriate at apex; leaf blade ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 3 - 6 x 0.8 - 1.5 mm, caudate to amplexicaul at base, ciliate in basal region along margins, acute to acuminate at apex, tubercle-based hairy; hairs c. 1 mm long. Racemes digitate to sub- digitate, 2-9 in number, 2.5 - 5 cm long. Joint of rachis angular to linear, shallowly channeled on ventral surface, scabrid to hairy. Sessile spikelets linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, 3 - 4 mm long, awned. Lower glume lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 3 - 4 x 1 mm, inturned and hyaline along margins, acute at apex, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, purplish-green in colour, 7 - 10-nerved, echinate to scabrid on nerves above middle region. Upper glume boat shaped, 3 - 4 x 1 mm, hyaline and retrorsely ciliate along margins, acute at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve keeled; keel echinate on back above middle region. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma lanceolate, c. 1.5 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, hyaline. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma linear-lanceoalate c. 2 x 0.5 mm, basifixed awn, acute at apex, hyaline, 1- nerved; awn c. 10 mm long, geniculate, with c. 5 mm long, twisted, dark brown column. Ovary oblong. Pedicelled spikelets absent or reduced to c. 3 mm long scabrid pedicel, or to a hirsute projection at the base of sessile spikelets. (Plate 2 A).
83 FL & Fr.: August - November.
Habitat: Common on open grassy hill slopes, on field bunds, habitations, road sides, moist vertical surfaces of black boulders and along stream banks.
Note: This species is polymorphic and shows lot of variations in length of culms, digitate to subdigiatate arrangement of racemes, angular to linear and scabrid to hairy joints of rachis and pedicelled spikelets that is absent or reduced to a minute hairy projection at the base of sessile spikelets or to c. 3 mm long scabrid pedicel. Based on different morphotypes collected from different areas, several species and varieties have been erected and treated under different names. Due to polymorphic nature of this species, the two different morphotypes collected from study area are treated under single species following Welzen (1981).
Specimens Examined: Goa: Caranzol, 30. 9. 1970, N. P. Singh 124837 (BSI);
Kolem, 9. 10. 1996, M. K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 220 (GUH);
Calem, 9. 9. 2004, Harshala Gad 122 (GUH); Chorla Ghat, 2. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad
& M. K. Janarthanam 230 (GUH); Gaondongri, Canacona, 15 . 11. 2005, Harshala
Gad 320 (GUH). Surla, Saari, 22. 11. 2005, Harshala Gad 340 (GUH).
Arthraxon lanceolatus (Roxb.) Hochst. in Flora XXXIX 188. 1856. A species of about four varieties of which two occur in Goa.
Key to the varieties
1. Lower glume of sessile spikelets glabrous on dorsal surface var. meeboldii 1. Lower glume of sessile spikelets densely woolly on dorsal surface ..... var. raizadae
Arthraxon lanceolatus (Roxb.) Hochst var. meeboldii (Stapp Welzen in Blumea 27:
287. 1981; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind: Enum. Mono. 185. 1989; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 401. 1996; Rajkumar et al., in J. Bombay
84 Nat. Hist. Soc. 96: 181. 1999; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 244. 2001;
Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 561. 2002. A. meeboldii Stapf in Kew Bull. 449.
1908; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 969. 1908; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1728. 1934;
Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 76, t. 47. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 101. 1960; Vartak,
Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 114. 1966; Jain in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51: 176. 1972.
Arthraxon purandharensis Bharucha in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 52: 481. 1954; Bor,
Grass. India 102. 1960; Jain in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51: 179. 1972.
Annuals. Culms prostrate, up to 20 cm long; nodes villous. Leaf sheath rounded, more than half the length of internodal region, up to 3 x 0.2 cm, densely ciliate along one margin, upper ones enclosing inflorescence spatheolate; ligule membranous, c. 0.5 mm long, lacerate at apex; leaf blade lanceolate to elliptic- lanceolate, up to 2 x 0.6 cm, cordate at base, bulbous-based hairy along margins, acute at apex, bulbous-based hairy on both surfaces. Racemes 1-3 in number, up to 4.5 cm long. Peduncle terete, filiform, glabrous. Joints of rachis linear-subangular, c. 3 mm long, chartaceous, densely hairy on lateral sides; hairs c. 2 mm long. Sessile spikelets linear-lanceolate, c. 5 x 1 mm, awned; callus annular, short, c. 0.5 mm long, bearded.
Lower glume linear-lanceolate, dorsally compressed, c. 5 x 1 mm, infolded hyaline wings along margins, subacute at apex, chartaceous, 4-nerved, 2-keeled; keels pectinate or tubercle-base hairy above middle region; hairs c. 1 m long. Upper glume boat shaped, c. 4 x 2 mm, hyaline and cilaite along margins, shortly 2-lobed at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved, keeled on back, scabrid on lateral sides of keel; cilia c. 0.5 mm long; keel serrulate. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma oblong-lanceolate, c.
1.5 x 0.2 mm, acute at apex, hyaline. Upper floret epaleate, hermaphrodite. Upper lemma boat shaped, c. 2.5 x 0.8 mm, acute at apex, subhyaline, deeply channeled on back, awned; awn basifixed, up to 13 mm long, geniculate, scabrid, with c. 6 mm long,
85 dark brown, twisted, column. Stamens 3; anthers c. 1 mm long, yellow. Ovary lanceolate. Pedicelled spikelets lanceolate, dorsally compressed, unawned. Pedicel linear, c. 1 mm long, hairy along the lateral sides; hairs c. 2 mm long, silvery white.
Lower glume oblong-lanceolate, c. 3 x 1.5 mm, acute at pex, chartaceous, 6-nerved,
scabrid on nerves. Upper glume elliptic-lanceolate, c. 3 x 1 mm, hyaline along
margins, acute at apex, chartaceous, scabrid on dorsal surface, 3-nerved. Lower floret
epaleate, empty. Lower lemma oblong-lanceolate, c. 2 x 1 mm, narrowly winged
above middle region along margins, subacute at apex, hyaline; wings hyaline, delicate.
Upper floret epaleate, staminate. Upper lemma elliptic-lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.8 mm, acute
at apex; subhyaline.
Fl. & Fr.: October - November.
Habitat: Common along hill slopes, moist vertical surfaces of black boulders along
road cuttings of ghat areas, and rarely on lateritic rocky plateaus.
Note: This species closely resembles Arthraxon lanceolatus (Roxb.) Hochst var.
raizadae (Jain, Hemadri et Deshpande) Welzen and can be distinguished by glabrous
non woolly ghillies. This species is found growing along with Ischemum raizadae
Hemadri & Billore and Arthraxon lanceolatus var. raizadae on black boulders
withstanding heavy flow of waterfalls.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Surla, 3. 11. 1996, M. K. Janarthanam & S. Rajkumar
309 (GUH); Surla, Satan, 2. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 246
(GUH), Vagueri hill, Satan, 19. 11. 2005, Harshala Gad 325 (GUH); Chorla, 22. 11.
2005, Harshala Gad 331 (GUH). Maharashtra: Sangameshwar, 21. 10. 1994, C. B.
Salunkhe 8760 (SUH); Kas, October 1995 Bachulkar-Cholekar, 20021 (SUH).
86 Arthraxon lanceolatus (Roxb.) Hochst var. raizadae (Jain, Hemadri et Deshpande)
Welzen in Blumea 27: 287. 1981; Karthikeyan et al., FL Ind. Enum. Mono. 185. 1989;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 401. 1996. A. raizadae Jain et al., in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51: 103. 1972; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2:
111. 1990.
Annuals. Culms up to 65 cm high, creeping or ascending, rooting at lower nodes; upper nodes villous, puple in colour. Leaf sheath rounded, more than half the length of internodal region, up to 3 x 0.3 cm, densely ciliate along one margin, sparsely tubercle-based hairy on dorsal surface above middle region, upper ones enclosing inflorescence spatheolate; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1 mm long; leaf blade lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, up to 2 x 0.8 cm, cordate at base, tubercle-based hairy along margins, acuminate at apex, tubercle-based hairy on both surfaces; hairs c.
2 mm long. Racemes rarely solitary, mostly 2 or 3 in number, up to 5 cm long. Joints of rachis linear-subangular, c. 3 mm long, chartaceous, densely hairy on dorsal surface and at apex; hairs c. 2 mm long. Spikelets paired. Sessile spikelets linear-lanceolate, c.
5 x 1 mm, awned; callus annular, short, c. 0.5 mm long, sparsely bearded at base.
Lower glume linear-lanceolate, dorsally compressed, c. 5 x 0.8 mm, margins narrowly inturned, subacute at apex, chartaceous, densely woolly on dorsal surface with silky shaggy hairs, 2-keeled, 6-nerved, lateral nerves with broad based spicules; keels pectinately toothed; spicules on lateral nerves with bundle of stiff hairs. Upper glume boat shaped, c. 5 x 2 mm, hyaline along margins, acute at apex, chartaceous, hirsute, 3- nerved, keeled on back. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma oblong- lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.2 mm, subacute at apex, hyaline, 1-nerved. Upper floret epaleate, hermaphrodite. Upper lemma boat shaped, c. 3 x 1 mm, acute at apex, subhyaline, deeply channeled on back, awned; awn basifixed, up to 16 mm long, geniculate, with
87 c. 5 mm long, dark brown, twisted, column. Stamens 3; anthers c. 1 mm long, yellow.
Ovary lanceolate. Pedicelled spikelets lanceolate, dorsally compressed, unawned.
Pedicel linear, c. 1.5 mm long, hairy along lateral sides; hairs c. 2 mm long, silvery white. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 4 x 1 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, densely woolly on dorsal surface, 7-nerved, submarginal and marginal nerves covered with broad based spicules. Upper glume elliptic-lanceolate, c. 3.5 x 1 mm, hyaline along margins, acute at apex, chartaceous, scabrid on dorsal surface, 3-nerved. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma oblong-lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.5 mm, subacute at apex,
subhyaline, 1-nerved. Upper floret epaleate, staminate. Upper lemma elliptic-
lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.8 mm, shortly cleft at apex, subhyaline, 1-nerved. (Fig. 4; Plate 2
B)
Fl. & Fr.: October - November.
Habitat: Common along hill slopes, moist vertical surfaces of black boulders along
road cuttings of ghat areas, open forest hill slopes near streams.
Note: This species closely resembles Arthraxon lanceolatus (Roxb.) Hochst var.
meeboldii (Stapp Welzen and can be distinguish by woolly glumes. This species is
found growing in close association with Arthraxon lanceolatus var. meeboldii on hill
slopes and on black boulders withstanding heavy flow of annual water falls. So far
known to be endemic to Maharashtra, its forms new record to Goa.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Vagueri hill, Safari, 19. 11. 2005, Harshala Gad 326
(GUH); Chorla, Satari, 22. 11. 2005, Harshala Gad 332 (GUH). Maharashtra:
Mahableshwar, Satara Dt., 25. 12. 1969, K. Hemadri 98585 J-Isotype (MH); Kelghar
Ghat, 8. 11. 1994, C. B. Salunkhe 8690 (SUH).
88 H G
I mm
5 cm
Fig 4. Arthraxon lanceolatus (Roxb.) Hochst var. raizadae (Jain, Hemadri et Deshpande) Welzen. A. habit; B. joint of rachis; C-E. sessile spikelet: C. lower glume; D. upper glume; E. upper lemma; F. pedicel; G. lower glume of pedicelled spikelet; H. upper glume of pedicelled spikelet. Arthraxon lancifolius (Trin.) Hochst., in Flora 39: 188. 1856; Fischer in Gamble, Fl.
Madras 1729. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 77, t. 48. 1935. Bor, Grass.
India 100. 1960; Jain in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51: 176. 1972; Welzen in Blumea 27: 288.
1981; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 487. 1986; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 185. 1989;
Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 38. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al.,
Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 402. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 244.
2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 562. 2002. Andropogon lancifolius Trin. In
Mem. Acad. Sci. Petersb. 6, 2: 271. 1832. Arthraxon microphyllus auct. non. (Trin.)
Hochst 1856; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 147. 1896 p. p.; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 970.
1908; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 110. 1990. A. lancifolius var. hindustanicus Jain et al., in J. Indian Bot. Soc. 51: 176. 1972. A. microphyllus Trin. var. hindustanicus (Jain, et al.,) S. M. & S. R. Almeida in J. Nat. Hist. Soc. 82: 445. 1985; Almeida, Fl.
Savantwadi 2: 110. 1990.
Annual. Cu1ms up to 100 cm long, creeping, geniculate or erect, rooting at lower nodes; upper nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath slightly keeled on back; ligule a row hairs, c. 0.5 mm long; leaf blade lanceolate, up to 3 x 0.6 cm, rounded to cordate at base, tubercle based hairy along the margins, acuminate at apex, tubercle-based hairy at the basal region. Racemes enclosed in spatheolated leaf sheath when young, 3 - 8 in number, up to 2.5 cm long. Joints of rachis linear, c. 1 mm long, densely hairy; hairs c.
2 mm long. Spikelets solitary, pedicelled spikelets absent. Sessile spikelets lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.3 mm. Lower glume.lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.5 mm, chartaceous, bifid, aristate at apex, 6-nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.6 mm, hyaline along margins, aristate at apex, chartaceous; arista c. 1.5 mm long. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma linear-lanceolate, c. 1 x 0.2 mm, acute at apex, hyaline. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma lanceolate, c. 1 x 0.5 mm, awned, delicate, hyaline; awn
89 up to 8 mm long, geniculate, scabrid, with c. 3 mm long, twisted, brown colour column. Stamens 2; anthers c. 0.5 mm long, yellow-purple in colour. Ovary oblong, c.
1 mm long; style short; stigma c. 1 mm long, white in colour.
Fl. & Fr.: August to November.
Habitat: Common on compound walls, walls of old fort, field margins and habitations, and rarely on grassy hill slopes and on vertical cut surfaces of moist black boulders.
Note: This species differs from other species of the genus by its aristate lower and upper glume. This species is considerer as very good fodder grass and is known locally as 'Karpill.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Valpoi, 3. 10. 1970, N. P. Singh 124097 (BSI); Borim,
24. 9. 1997, M. K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 1036 (GUH);
Camurlim, Bardez, 7. 9. 2003, Harshala Gad 42 (GUH); Raibandar, Tiswadi, 28. 8.
2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 191 (GUH); Alorna fort, Alorna, Pernem,
29. 9. 2005, Harshala Gad, 224 (GUH); Vaguerim hill, Satari, 19. 11. 2005, Harshala
Gad 327 (GUH). Kerala: Kurisumala, Kottayam Dt. 8. 11. 1984, V. T. Anthony
947(MH). Maharashtra: Sangli, 25. 9. 1990, S. R. Yadav 8549 (SUH); Devgad 26. 9.
1992, C. B. Salunkhe 8106 (SUH); Kari, November 1992, Bachulkar-Cholekar 5139
(SUH).
Bhidea Stapf ex Bor Stapf ex Bor in Kew Bull. 1948: 445. 1949. A genus of three species, distributed in India of which two species occur in
Goa.
90 Key to the species
1. Ligule fimbriate at apex; abscission of rachis slightly oblique B. burnsiana 1. Ligule lacerate at apex; abscission of rachis extremely oblique B. fischeri
Bhidea burnsiana Bor in Kew Bull. In 1948: 445. 1949 & Grass. India 103. 1960;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 188. 1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala
Grass. 45, t. 5. 1991; Lakshminarsimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot.
413. 1996: Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 246, t. 72. 2001.
Annuals. Culms tufted, up to 40 cm high, erect, 4-nodded; nodes swollen, geniculate, basal nodes glabrous, upper nodes villous. Leaf sheath rounded, keeled on dorsal surface, up to 3 x 0.3 cm, glabrous; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1 mm long, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 7 x 0.2 cm, narrowed and rounded at base, sparsely hairy along margins; acuminate at apex; hairs c. 3 mm long. Racemes
2, up to 6 cm long, shortly exerted from spathes. Joints of rachis linear-clavate, c. 4 mm long, slightly oblique at apex, coriaceous, densely villous on dorsal angle; hairs c.
1 mm long. Sessile spikelets lanceolate, 8 x 1-1.5 mm, acuminate at apex, coriaceous, faintly 3- nerved, lateral nerves keeled; keels broadly winged; wings subequal, hyaline.
Upper glume oblong, c. 5 x 2 mm,3- hyaline along margins, lobed at apex, subcoriaceous, 3-nerved, scabrid on both sides of central nerve; lateral lobes acute, central lobe broad at base, aristate at apex; arista 3 x 0.5 mm. Lower floret empty, epaleate. Lower lemma oblong, c. 4 x 1 mm, winged along margins, slightly truncate to obtuse at apex, hyaline, 1-nerved; wings subequal, delicate hyaline. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma c. 4 x 1.5 mm, hyaline along margins, lobed at apex, awned in sinus, chartaceous, 3-nerved; lobes acute; awns up to 15 mm long, geniculate, scabrid, with c. 9 mm long, twisted, dark brown column. Palea ovate, c. 1.5 x 0.5 mm, acute at apex, delicate, hyaline. Stamens 3; connective 0.5 mm long; anthers
91 Fig 5. Bhidea burnsiana Bor A. habit; B. joint of rachis; C. sessile and pedicelled spikelet; D. lower glume of sessile spikelet; E. upper glume of sessile spikelet; F. pedicel; G. lower glume of pedicelled spikelet; H. upper glume of pedicelled spikelet. _ _ unequal in size; smaller two c. lmm long and larger one c. 1.5 mm long. Ovary oblong; style c. 1.5 mm long; stigma c. lmm long, cream coloured. Caryopsis oblong, c. 2 x 0.5 nun. (Fig. 5; plate 2 C)
Fl. & Fr.: September — October.
Habitat: Common on lateritic rocky plateaus in the crevices of rocks.
Note: Found growing along with Dimeria woodrowii Stapf and Danthonidium gammiei (Bhide) C. E. Hubb.; endemic to Peninsular India, forms new record to Goa.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Verna, 16. 10. 2003, Harshala Gad 89 (GUH); Pernem,
29. 9. 2005, Harshala Gad 227 (GUH); Tisk-Usgao, Ponda, 12. 10. 2005, Harshala
Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 272 (GUH). Maharashtra: Ganpatiphule, 20. 8. 1990, C.
B. Salunkhe 7826 (SUH).
Bhidea fischeri Sreekumar in Kew Bull. 42: 683. 1987; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala
Grass. 47, t. 6. 1991.
Annual. Culms up to 28 cm high, erect, 4-nodded; nodes swollen, geniculate, lower ones glabrous, upper villous. Leaf sheath c. 2 x 0.3 cm, slightly keeled, glabrous; ligule membranous, truncate and lacerate at apex, up to 1 mm long; leaf blade up to 4 x 0.2 cm, linear-lanceolate, sparsely hairy along margins, narrowed and rounded at base, acuminate at apex; hairs c. 3 mm long. Racemes 2, 1 - 3.5 cm long, shortly exerted from spathe. Joints of rachis c. 4 mm long, linear-clavate, coriaceous, extremely oblique at apex, densely villous on dorsal angle, hairs c. 1 mm long. Sessile spikelets c. 6 x 1.5 mm (excluding aristate central lobe), lanceolate, awned; callus c. 1 mm long, cuneate at base, densely villous. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 6.5 x 1.5 mm, acuminate at apex, coriaceous, 2-nerved, nerves keeled; keels winged; wings hyaline,
92 unequal, c. 0.5 mm wide on one side, and 0.25 mm wide on other. Upper glume oblong, 5 - 6 x 2 mm, hyaline, infolded along margins, 3-lobed at apex, coriaceous, 3- nerved; lateral lobes acute, central lobe broad at base aristate at apex, c. 4 mm long.
Lower floret empty. Upper floret hermphrodite. Upper lemma oblong-lanceolate, c.
3.5 x 1 mm, hyaline along margins, lobed at apex, awned in sinus, subcoriaceous, 3- nerved; lobes acute at apex; awn up to 10 mm long, geniculate, scabrid, with c. 6 mm long, twisted, dark brown column. Palea ovate, c. 1 x 0.6 mm, acute at apex, delicate, hyaline. Lodicules two, denticulate at apex, c. 0.5 mm long. Stamens 3; anthers c. 1.5 mm long, yellow. Ovary oblong, c. 0.5 mm long; style c. 1.5 mm long; stigma c. 1 mm
long, cream coloured. Caryopsis oblongoid. Pedicelled spikelets c. 7 x 1.5 mm, empty.
Pedicel linear-clavate, c. 0.2 mm long, densely villous on dorsal angle, hairs c. 1 mm
long, white in colour; callus sparsely bearded. Lower glume asymmetrically-
lanceolate, c. 6 x 1.5 mm, chartaceous, faintly 3-nerved, broadly winged on one side;
wing hyaline. Upper glume lanceolate, c. 6 x 1 mm, hyaline along margins, shortly
aristate at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved, lateral nerves keeled.
FL & Fr.: September - October.
Habitat: Common on lateritic rocky plateaus in crevices of the rocks.
Note: Found growing in association with Bhidea burnsiana Bor; endemic to Kerala,
forms a new distributional record to Goa.
Specimens Examined: Goa University campus, Taleigao, 9. 10. 2003, Harshala Gad
82 (GUH); Shiroda, Ponda, 20. 9. 2004, M. K. Janarthanam 126 (GUH); Surla, Saari,
2. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 247 (GUH). Kerala: Mukkarikandam,
Cannanore Dt., 18. 10. 1981, P. V. Sreekumar 71754-Holotype (MH).
93 Chrysopogon Trin. Trin. Fund. Agrost. 187. 1820. A genus of about 25 species, distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world of which 16 species occur in India and two in Goa.
Key to the species
1. Upper lemma of sessile spikelets aristate; culms creeping at base; panicles up to 10 cm long C. aciculatus 1. Upper lemma of sessile spikelets distinctly awned; culms not creeping at base ; panicle over 10 cm long C. tandulingamii
Chrysopogon aciculatus (Retz.) Trin. Fund. Agrost. 188. 1822; Fischer in Gamble,
Fl. Madras 1738. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 68. 1935; Bor, Grass. India
115. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India 114. 1966; Matthew, Ill. Fl.
Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 829 & 830. 1982; Britto & Matthew 'in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu
Carnatic 3: 1822. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 493. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 512.
1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 197. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2:
140. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 59. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in
Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 429. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and
Grass. 248. 2001; Andropogon aciculatus Retz. Obs. Bot. 5: 22. 1789; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 7: 188. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 984. 1908.
Perennials. Cu1ms stoloniferous, tufted, up to 50 cm high, creeping and decumbent, nodes glabrous. Leaves basally aggregated; leaf sheath keeled; ligule a membranous rim, c.1 mm long; leaf blade linear lanceolate, 1-12 x 0.5 cm, rounded at base, acute at apex. Panicle pyramidal, up to 8 cm long, open; branches whorled.
Spikelets in clusters of triads; one sessile and other two pedicelled. Sessile spikelets
lanceolate, awned; callus densely bearded, c. 0.5 mm long. Lower glume lanceolate, c.
3.5 x 1 mm, chartaceous, 3-nerved, lateral nerves keeled, sparsely villous and scabrid
94 on dorsal surface. Upper glume lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.8 mm, ciliate along margins, chartaceous, 3-nerved, lateral nerves keeled, scabrid on dorsal surface, margins ciliate.
Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma c. 2.5 x 1 mm, ciliate along margins, hyaline, 2-nerved, nerves keeeled. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma ovate, c.
2 x 1 mm, aristate at apex, delicate, hyaline, 1-nerved; arista c. 6 mm long, straight, scabrid. Palea oblong c. 2 x 0.2 mm, delicate, hyaline. Caryopsis oblongoid, c. 2 x 0.8 mm. Pedicelled spikelet lanceolate, c. 3 x 1 mm, unawned. Pedicel linear, c. 2 mm long, glabrous. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 3 x 1 mm, chartaceous, 3-5-nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.8 mm, hyaline, ciliate along margins, chartaceous, 3-nerved.
Lower floret epaleate, empty. Upper floret staminate. Floral parts similar to that of sessile spikelets. Upper lemma non aristate.
Fl. & Fr.: July - October.
Habitat: Commonly grown as lawn grass, found in moist open waste lands.
Note: Grown as lawn grass.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Margao, 22. 8. 1963, K. C. Kanodia 89455 (BSI); Goa
University Campus, Taleigao, 11. 7. 1997, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 736 (GUH);
Bondla wildlife Sanctuary, 2. 8. 2003, Harshala Gad 22 (GUH); Goa University campus, Taleigao, 10. 10. 2003 Harshala Gad 84 (GUH). Kerala: Tellicherry,
Cannanore Dt., 15. 7. 1978, V. S. Ramachandran 57664 Bekal, Kasargod Dt.
28. 9. 1982, R. Ansari 74370 (MH). Maharashtra: Aajgao, 25. 9. 1992, S. R. Yadav
7897 (SUH).
95 Chrysopogon tandulingami P. V. Sreekumar, V. J. Nair & N. C. Nair in J. Bombay
Nat. Hist. Soc. 80: 198, f. 15. 1983; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 198.
1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 63, f. 10. 1991. C. lancearius sensu
Rajkumar et al., in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 96: 181. 1999, non (Hook. f.) Haines,
1924.
Perennials. Culms rhizomatous or stoloniferous, up to 100 cm high, tufted, erect; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath rounded, keeled, up to 12 cm long, glabrous; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1 mm long, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade acicular or linear, rigid, convolute in dry condition, up to 10 x 0.3 cm, rounded at base, acute at apex, sparsely hairy at basal region. Panicles up to 18 cm long, wide open; branches whorled at basal node, alternate above, 2-8 cm long; nodes villous. Peduncle slender, terete, glabrous to villous at basal region bearing cluster of three spikelets; one sessile spikelet flanked by two pedicelled spikelets. Sessile spikelets oblong to oblong-lanceolate, laterally compressed, grooved, c. 6 mm long; callus c. 3 mm long, densely bearded with c. 1 cm long golden-brown hairs. Lower glume oblong, c. 5 x 1 mm, coriaceous, setose towards apex, yellow-green. Upper glume oblong, c. 6 x 1.5 mm, obtuse and cuspidate at apex, coriaceous to crustaceous, setose on dorsal surface, 5-7-nerved; cusp up to 15 mm long, scabrid. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma linear-oblong, c. 5 x 1 mm, ciliate along margins, obtuse at apex, delicate, hyaline, 3-nerved. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma oblong to oblong-lanceolate, narrowed at base, awned at apex, delicate, hyaline below middle region and coriaceous above, 3-nerved; awn up to 60 mm long, geniculate, scabrid, golden-yellow in colour, with c. 30 mm
long, twisted, densely hairy, golden-yellow column. Lodicules 2, obovate, denticulate
at apex, c. 0.5 mm long. Stamens 3; anthers c. 4 mm long, yellow in colour. Ovary
ovate, c. 0.5 mm long; style c. 1 mm long; stigma c. 2.5 mm long, cream colour.
96 Pedicelled spikelets lanceolate, c. 9 mm long, purplish in colour, unawned. Pedicel angular, c. 4 mm long, dilated at apex, covered with c. 1 mm long golden-yellow hairs; callus glabrous to hairy; hairs c. 1 mm long, golden-brown. Lower glume lanceolate, c.
9 x 1.2 mm, infolded, hyaline and sparse setose hairs all along the margins, cuspidate at apex, chartaceous, 7-nerved; cusp up to 12 mm long, scabrid, golden-yellow. Upper glume lanceolate, c. 9 x 1.5 mm, infolded, hyaline, lined by sparse shaggy hairs along the margins, acute to acuminate at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved. Lower floret epaleate,
empty. Lower lemma oblong-lanceolate, c. 8 x 1 mm, ciliate along margins, delicate,
hyaline, faintly 2-nerved. Upper floret staminate. Upper lemma oblong-lanceolate, c. 4
x 0.8 mm, ciliate along margins, acute at apex, delicate, hyaline, 3-nerved. Palea
oblong, c. 1.5 x 0.4 mm, obtuse at apex, delicate, hyaline. Stamens 2; anthers c. 6 mm
long, yellow. (Fig. 6)
Fl. & Fr.: October.
Habitat: Lateritic rocky plateaus.
Note: This species can be differentiated from other species of the genus by its
convolute, rigid leaves, wide open panicle with few spikelets. So far known to be
endemic to Kerala, its occurrence in Goa flips extended distribution' to species and
new record Goa..
Specimens Examined: Goa: Taleigao, 23. 10. 1996, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar
348 (GUH); Goa University campus, Taleigao, 6. 10. 2003, Harshala Gad 81 (GUH);
Verna, Salcete 10. 10. 2003, Harshala Gad 91 (GUH). Kerala: Near Cashew Project,
Periye, Cannanore Dt. 18. 10. 1981, P. V. Sreekumar 71758 — Isotype (MH); Periye,
Kasargod Dt. Kerala, 2. 10. 1982, R. Ansari 74464 (MH).
97 Fig 6. Chrysopogon tandulingami P. V. Sreekumar, V. J. Nair & N. C. Nair. A. habit; B. joint of rachis; C-E. sessile spikelet: C. sessile spikelet; D. lower glume of sessile spikelet; E. upper glume of sessile spikelet. Cymbopogon Spr. Spr. Pl. Min Cogn. Pugil 2: 14. 1815.
A genus of about 40 species distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of
Africa, Asia and Australia, of which 20 species occur in India and one in Goa.
Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf in Kew Bull. 1906: 357. 1906; Fischer in Gamble,
Fl. Madras 1756. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 103. 1935; Bor, Grass.
India 126. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 116. 1966; Karthikeyan et al.,
Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 201. 1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 70. 1991;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 441. 1996; Bhat &
Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 259. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 568. 2002.
Andropogon citratus Dc. Cat. Hort. Monsp. 78. 1813.
Perennials. Culms stoloniferous, up to 200 cm high, tufted, erect. Leaf sheath
rounded, up to 18 x 1 cm, distinctly ridged, serrate on margins; ligule membranous, c.
2 mm long, lacerate at apex; leaf blade lanceolate, up to 70 x 1 cm, rounded at base,
serrate along margins, acuminate at apex. Panicles interrupted, lax, up to 60 cm long,
racemes enclosed in spathe, boat shaped, enclosing 2 or 3 racemes; peduncle up to 4
mm long, glabrous. Racemes up to 1.5 cm long. Joints of rachis flattened, linear, c. 1.5
mm long, channeled on adaxial surface, hairy along margins; hairs c. 1 mm long.
Sessile spikelets lanceolate, c. 5 x 1 mm, awned. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 5 x 1 mm,
infolded, and winged above middle region along margins, acute at apex, chartaceous to
subcoriaceous, 5-nerved, lateral nerves keeled; wigs membranous, serrate along
margins. Upper glume elliptic-lanceolate or boat shaped, c. 4 x 1 mm, hyaline and
retrorsely ciliate along margins, acute at apex, coriaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve
keeled; keel winged above middle region. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma
oblong-lanceolate, c. 3.5 x 0.5 mm, winged along margins above middle region,
98 notched at apex delicate, hyaline, 1-nerved; wings hyaline, retrorsely ciliate. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma oblong, c. 2 x 0.5 mm, lobed at apex, awned in sinus, delicate, hyaline; lobes acute at apex; awn c. 9 mm long, with c. 4 mm long, brown column. Stamens 3; connectives short; anthers c. 1.2 mm long. Ovary oblong;
style c. 1 mm long; stigma c. 1 mm long, off white in colour. Pedicelled spikelets
lanceolate. Pedicel linear, c. 2.5 mm long, channeled on adaxial surface, hirsute along
lateral sides; hairs c. 1.5 m long. Lower glume lanceolate, c. 4 x 1 mm, chartaceous, 9-
nerved, keeled on back; keel serrulate. Upper glume ovate, c. 4 x 1.5 mm, infolded and
winged along margins above middle region, chartaceous, 5-nerved; wings hyaline,
retrorsely ciliate. Lower floret empty. Upper floret epaleate, staminate; floral parts
similar to that of sessile spikelets.
Fl. & Fr.: January - March.
Habitat: Cultivated in kitchen gardens.
Note: This species is grown in kitchen gardens due to its medicinal properties and is
locally known as 'Ganjan'. Leaves are boiled in water along with leaves of Oscimum
sanctum L. and the decoction taken orally to cure common cold. Leaves are also used
in preparing tea commonly known as Lemon tea.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Taleigao, 9. 2. 2005, Harshala Gad 172 (GUH).
Dichanthium Willemet Wilimet in Listen, Ann. Bot. 18: 11. 1796 A genus of about 65 species distributed in tropical regions of the world of
which 32 species occur in India and four in Goa. The genus Bothriochloa Kuntze,
Capillipedium Stapf and Dichanthium Willemet are considered as congeneric (de Wet
& Harlan 1966) based on their cytogenetical studies and hence the species belonging
99 to all three genera are treated under single genus Dichanthium. Their treatment has been followed by Clayton (1977) and Jain and Deshpande (1978). de Wet & Harlan's views is followed in the present work.
Key to the species: 1. Inflorescence a panicle D. filiculme 1. Inflorescence solitary digitate racemes (2)
2. Raceme solitary; upper glume of sessile spikelets apiculate at apex D. paranjpyeanum 2. Racmes more than two, digitate or subdigitate; upper glume of sessile spikelets not apiculate at apex (3)
3. Lower glume of sessile spikelets shortly lobed at apex and with circular pit on dorsal surface D. pertusa 3. Lower glume of sessile spikelet obtuse at apex and never pitted on dorsal surface D. annulatum
Dichanthium annulatum (Forssk.) Stapf in Prain, Fl. Trop. Afr. 9:; 178. 1917;
Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1741. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 94.
1935; Bor, Grass. India 133. 1960; Matthew, Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic tt. 844 &
845. 1982; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1833. 1983; Rao,
Fl. Goa 2: 497. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 517. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind.
Enum. Mono. 205. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 121. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair,
Fl. Kerala Grass. 76. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra
Monocot. 452. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 260. 2001; Yadav &
Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 572. 2002. Andropogon annulatus Forssk. Fl. Aegypt-Arab.
173. 1775; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 196. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 988. 1908.
Annuals. Cu1ms up to 150 cm high, erect, creeping or geniculate at basal nodes; branching at each node; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath keeled, shorter than internodal region, up to 9 x 0.5 cm, bearded at mouth with long hairs; hairs up to 6 mm long, silky, white; ligule truncate, membranous, c. 1.5 mm long, lacerate at apex. Leaf blade
100 linear-lanceolate, up to 16 x 0.5 cm, narrowed and rounded at base, acute at apex, tubercle-based hairy on adaxial surface. Racemes 2-5 in number, subdigitate, each up to 6 cm long, shortly pedunculate; peduncle up to 0.5 cm long, glabrous. Joints of rachis subangular to linear flattened, c. 2 mm long, villous along one side and at apex; hairs c. 1 mm long. Sessile spikelets oblong, c. 3 mm long, awned, hairy. Lower glume oblong, c. 3 x 1 mm, narrowly winged at apical region and wings ciliate along margins, obtuse at apex, chartaceous, 5-7-nerved, hairy below middle region, lateral nerves covered with tubercle-based hairs; hairs c. 2 mm long. Upper glume oblong- lanceolate, c. 3 x 1 mm, narrowly infolded and retrorsely ciliate along margins, subacute and bearded at apex, chartaceous, 2-keeled; keels scabrid. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.8 mm, acuminate at apex, chartaceous-subhyaline. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma stipitate, c. 1.5 mm long, subhyaline, awned; awn up to 12 mm long, golden yellow, with c. 8 mm long twisted column. Palea linear-lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.8 mm, acuminate at apex, delicate, hyaline. Ovary oblong, c. 1.5 mm long. Pedicelled spikelets oblong, c. 3 x 1 mm, unawned. Pedicel subangular to linear, flattened, c. 2 mm long, villous along one margin and at apex. Lower glume oblong, c. 3 x 1 mm, tubercle-based hairy along margins, obtuse to rounded at apex chartaceous, 7-9-nerved. Upper glume oblong- lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.5 mm, infolded and retrorsely ciliate along margins, acute at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved. Lower floret absent. Upper floret staminate. Upper lemma oblong, c. 2 x 1 mm, hyaline to subhyaline, obtuse at apex. Stamens 3, anthers minute, c. 0.2 mm long, yellow.
FL & Fr.: August - November.
Habitat: Common in open areas other then lateritic rocky platelts, open waste lands, field margins, halophytic conditions, habitations and along road sides.
101 Note: This species is considered as an excellent fodder for cattle.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Raibandar, Panajim, 11. 11. 1997, Vaishali Joshi & S.
Rajkumar 1174 (GUH); Taleigao 12. 10. 2004, Harshala Gad 132 (GUH); St. Cruz,
12. 10. 2004, Harshala Gad 135 (GUH); Anjuna, Bardez, 2. 9. 2005, Harshala Gad
194 (GUH); Goa University campus, Taleigao, 22. 9. 2005, Harshala Gad 214 (GUH).
Maharashtra: Pusegaon, 15. 10. 1989, C. B. Salunkhe 7149 (SUH); Debewadi,
August 1994, Bachulkar-Cholekar 6151 (SUH).
Dichanthium filiculme (Hook. f.) Jain & Deshpande in Bull. Bot. Surv. India 20: 134.
(1978) 1979; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 454.
1996; Rajkumar et al., in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 96: 181. 1999; Bhat &
Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 261. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 573. 2002.
Andopogon filiculmis Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 181. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 982.
1908. Capillipedium filiculme (Hook. f.) Stapf in Hook. Ic. Pl. sub, t. 3085. 1922;
Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1730. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 82.
1935; Bor, Grass. India 111. 1960; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 511. 1988; Karthikeyan
et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 194. 1989.
Annual. Culms up to 85 cm high, slender, decumbent or trailing, rooting at
nodes; upper nodes villous. Leaf sheath rounded, keeled, covering more than half the
length of internodal region, c. 0.5 cm wide; ligule ovate, membranous, c. 0.5 mm long,
fimbriate at apex; leaf blade lanceolate, up to 13 x 0.8 mm, lower leaves narrowed at
base, upper ones rounded at base, acuminate at apex, scabrid. Panicles up to 10 cm
long, open, branches whorled, up to 5 cm long, densely villous at nodes. Rachis
filiform, terete, up to 1 cm long, hairy at base, discoid at apex. Rachilla linear, flat, c. 2
mm long, hairy on both sides. Spikelets in pairs of two, one sessile the other
102 pedicelled. Sessile spikelets elliptic-oblong, c. 2.2 x 0.5 mm, awned; callus short, densely hairy. Lower glume ovate-oblong, c. 2.2 x 1 mm, subacute to obtuse at apex, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, villous on dorsal surface, 5-7-nerved. Upper glume elliptic c. 2.2 x 0.8 mm, narrowly inturned and sparsely ciliate along margins, subacute and bearded at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma ovate, c. 0.8 x 0.5 mm, acute to shallowly 3-lobed at apex, delicate, hyaline.
Upper floret epaleate, hermaphrodite. Upper lemma c. 2 mm long, stipitate and
subhyaline at base, awned at apex; awn c. 12 mm long, scabrid, with 7 mm long,
scabrid, twisted, golden brown column. Stamens 3; anthers c. 2 mm long, yellow.
Pedicelled spikelets elliptic-lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.8 mm. Pedicel linear to filiform, c. 2
mm long, hairy. Lower glume elliptic-lanceolate, c. 2.8 x 1 mm, acute at apex,
chartaceous to subcoriaceous, hairy on dorsal surface, 9-nerved. Upper glume
lanceolate, c. 2.5 x 1 mm, hyaline margins, acute at apex, chartaceous, 5-nerved,
margins hyaline, ciliate above middle region. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Upper
floret absent. Lower leinma oblong-elliptic, c. 2.5 x 1 mm, delicate, hyaline.
Fl. & Fr.: October-November.
Habitat: Common on cut surfaces of hills, along field bunds and compound walls.
Note: Mostly found growing in Sugar cane cultivation. This species is an excellent
fodder grass.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Surla, 8. 11. 1996, M K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi &
S. Rajkumar 339 (GUH); Molem, 22. 11. 1996, M K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi & S.
Rajkumar 413 (GUH); Molem 12. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 280
(GUH); Ghodemal, Quepem, 15. 11. 2005, Harshala Gad 316 (GUH). Maharashtra:
Paud, Pune, 18. 10. 1956, S. K. Jain 8266 (BSI); Thoseghor, August 1995, Bachulkar-
103 Cholekar 21021 (SUH); Devdari 26. 10. 1989, C. B. Salunkhe 7328 (SUH). Kerala:
Bank of Kunthipuzha, Palghat Dt., 4. 12. 1980, N. C. Nair 69107 (MH).
Dichanthium paranjpyeanum (Bhide) W. D. Clayton in Kew Bull. 32: 579. 1978;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 758. 1996;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 206. 1989. Andropogon paranjpyeanus
Bhide in J. Proc. Asiat. Soc. Bengal (n. s.) 7: 514. 1911. Eremopogon paranjpyeanus
(Bhide) Blatt. & McCann, in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 32: 427. 1928; Blatt. &
McCann, Bombay Grass. 94. 1935. Schizachyrium paranjpyeanum (Bhide) Raiz. &
Jain in Proc. Indian Sci. Congr. Abs. 3: 130. 1953; Bor, Grass. India 216. 1960;
Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 556. 1988; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 155. 1990;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 588. 1996; Yadav &
Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 604. 2002.
Annual. Culms tufted, wiry, up to 50 cm high, erect, nodes glabrous, upper most bearded, leaf sheath half the length or more than half the length of internodal region, up to 5 x 0.4 cm, keeled on back; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1 mm long,
ciliate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 12 x 0.3 cm, rounded at base,
undulated along one margin, acuminate at apex, densely hairy on both surfaces, midrib
prominent. Raceme solitary, up to 5 cm long. Joints of rachis linear, flattened, c. 3.5
cm long, coriaceous, hairy on lateral sides, abscission slightly oblique at apex, hairy.
Sessile spikelets oblong, 4 x 1 mm, awned. Lower glume oblong, c. 4 x 0.6 mm,
inturned and ciliate at apical region along margins, subacute to obtuse and hyaline at
apex, coriaceous, 7-nerved. Upper glume boat shaped, oblong, c. 4 x 1.5 mm (when
spread), ciliate at apical region along margins, apiculate at apex, chartaceous to
subcoriaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve scabrid. Lower floret absent. Upper floret
104 Fig 7. Dichanthium paranjpyeanum (Bhide) W. D. Clayton. A. habit; B. sessile and pedicelled spikelet; D-F. sessile spikelet: D. lower glume (dorsal view); E. lower glume (ventral view); F. upper glume; G. lower glume of pedicelled spikelet; H. upper glume of pedicelled spikelet. harmaphrodite. Upper lemma stipitate, c. 3 mm long, awned; awn up to 20 mm long, scabrid, with c. 10 mm long, dark brown column. Palea oblong, c. 2 x 0.5 mm, winged and ciliate along margins, obtuse at apex, delicate, hyaline. Ovary ovate; style c. 0.5 nun long; stigma c. 1.5 mm long. Pedicelled spikelets oblong lanceolate, unawned.
Pedicel linear, flattened, c. 3 mm long, hairy lateral sides. Lower glume oblong- lanceolate, c. 5.5 x 1.5 mm, inturned along margins, truncate and lacerate at apex, chartaceous, 7-nerved, lateral nerves keeled; keels and central nerve scabrid. Upper glume boat shaped, lanceolate, c. 5.2 x 1 mm, inflexed and ciliate along margins, acute at apex, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, 3-nerved. Lower floret absent. Upper floret epaleate, staminate. Upper lemma oblong, c. 4.5 x 1 nun, ciliate along margins, obtuse at apex, subhyaline, 1-nerved. Stamens 3; anthers c. 3 mm long. (Fig. 7; Plate 2 D).
Fl. & Fr.: September - October.
Habitat: Lateritic rocky plateaus.
Note: This species has been shifted from genus to genus before placing it in genus
Dichanthium; this species is distinct from other species of the genus in having solitary raceme. So far known to be endemic to Maharashtra, its collection from Goa forms new distributional record. This species is relished by cattle before spikelets mature and usually avoided due to its long awn.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Surla, 2. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janrthanani
235 (GUH). Maharashtra: Radhanagari, 1. 10.1994, S. R. Yadav 7376 (SUH).
Dichanthium pertusa (L.) W. D. Clayton in Kew Bull. 32: 4. 1977;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 459. 1996; Yadav &
Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 575. 2002. Holcus pertusus L. Mant. 301. 1771. Andropogon
105 pertusus (L.) Willd. Sp. Pl. 4: 922. 1806; Hook. f., Fl. Brit India 7: 173. 1896; Cooke,
Fl. Bombay 2: 978. 1908. Amphilophis pertusa (L.) Nash ex Stapf in Agric. News W.
Indies 15: 179. 1916; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1731. 1934; Blatt. & McCann,
Bombay Grass. 84. 1935. Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) A. Camus in Ann. Soc. Linn.
Lyon, 1930, n. s. 76: 164. 1931; Bor, Grass. India 109. 1960; Matthew, Ill. Fl.
Tamilnadu Carnatic t. 816. 1982; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu
Carnatic 3: 1809. 1983; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 189. 1989;
Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 54. 1991.
Perennial. Cu1ms stoloniferous, up to 100 cm high, erect, creeping or geniculate at base; nodes densely bearded, branching at each node. Leaf sheath laterally compressed, keeled, shorter than intemodal region, lower ones up to 5 cm long and upper most up to 10 x 0.5 cm, sparsely hairy at basal region, bearded at mouth; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1 mm, fimbriate at apex. Leaf blade linear to linear-lanceolate, up to 17 x 0.5 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex, sparsely hairy at base; hairs up to 5 mm long. Racemes subdigitate to digitate, up to 7 in number, each up to 6 cm long, hairy. Joint of rachis linear, c. 2 mm long, subcoriaceous, densely villous on dorsal surface and at apex; hairs c. 2 mm long, silky white. Sessile spikelets oblong, c. 3 x 1 mm, awned, purple in colour; callus c. 0.5 mm long, densely villous; hairs c. 2 mm long. Lower glume elliptic-oblong, c. 2 x 0.5 mm, subacute and shortly lobed at apex, chartaceous, densely hairy below middle region with circular pit above in centre, faintly 7-nerved, 2-keeled; keels pectinate above. Upper glume boat shape or elliptic-lanceolate, c. 3.2 x 1 mm, acuminate at apex, subcoriaceous, 3- nerved. Lower floret absent. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma stipitate, c. 1.5 nun long, awned at apex; awn up to 12 mm long, scabrid, golden yellow in colour, with c. 8 mm long, dark brown twisted column. Palea ovate-lanceolate, c. 3 x 0.8 mm,
106 narrowly winged along margins, subacute at apex, delicate, hyaline, 2-nerved, nerves keeled. Stamen 3; anthers c. 1.5 mm long. Ovary ovate. Pedicelled spikelets elliptic- lanceolate, c. 4 x 1 mm, unawned. Pedicel linear, c. 2.5 mm, long, subhyaline, densely villous; hairs c. 2.5 mm long, silky white. Lower glume elliptic-oblong, c. 3 x 1 mm, shortly bifid at apex, chartaceous, 12-nerved, 2-keeled, scabrid on dorsal surface; keels pectinate. Upper glume elliptic-lanceolate, c. 3.5 x 0.8 mm, retrorsely hairy along margins, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, acute at apex, faintly 3-nerved, lateral nerves keeled. Lower floret absent. Upper floret staminate. Upper lemma elliptic-oblong, c. 3 x 0.8 mm,winged and retrosely ciliate along margins, delicate, hyaline, 2-nerved, nerves keeled. (Plate 2 E)
Fl. & Fr.: September- November.
Habitat: Occasionally along road sides, field margins, and on latentic rocky plateaus with top gravel soil cover.
Note: This species is a new record to Goa. This species is similar to Dichanthium
annulatun (Hook. f.) Jain & Deshpande and differentiated from it by its pitted lower
glume. This species is an excellent fodder grass.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Shirlim, Salcete, 14. 9. 2005, Harshala Gad, 203 (GUH);
Saligao, Bardez, 29. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 287 (GUH);
Mandrem, Pernem, 29. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 301 (GUH).
Maharashtra: Gadhinglaj 14. 12. 1989, C. B. Salunkhe 7803 (SUH). Tamil Nadu:
Vedanthangal, W. B. Sanctuary, Chengalepatu Dt. 29. 1. 1976, A. N. Henry 47112
(MH); Kanadukathan, Karaikkudi, Ramnathapuram Dt., N. C. Nair 52992 (MH).
107
Dimeria R. Br. R. Br. Prodr. 204. 1810. A genus of about 79 species distributed in tropical Asia and Madagascar of
which 46 species occur in India and four in Goa.
Key to the species 1. Racemes always two; spikelets up to 4 mm long; upper glume not winged on keel (2) 1. Racemes more than two; spikelets > 4 mm long; upper glume winged on keel (3)
2. Spikelets < 3 mm long; rachis trigonous, flexuous, serrulate along margins; ligule lacerate D. ornithopoda 2. Spikelets > 3 and < 4 mm long; rachis angular, not flexuous, entire along margins; ligule fimbriate D. woodrowii
3. Spikelets < 6 mm long; culms slender; racemes 4-6 in number D. hohenackeri 3. Spikelets > 6 mm long; culms not slender; racemes 2-4 in number (4)
4. Spikelets 8-12 mm long; upper glume up to 12 mm long, broadly winged on back of the keel; rachis c. 0.5 mm wide D. blatteri 4. Spiklelets up to 8 mm long; upper glume c. 8 mm long, narrowly winged on back of the keel; rachis c. 0.1 mm wide D. stapfiana
Dimeria blatteri Bor in Kew Bull. 1949: 70. 1949; Bor, Grass. India 140. 1960;
Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 520. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 209.
1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 124. 1990; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl.
Maharashtra Monocot. 467. 1996; Rajkumar et al., in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 96:
181. 1999; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 576. 2002.
Annuals. Culms tufted, up to 70 cm high, erect; nodes sparsely villous. Leaf
sheath half the length of internodal region, 1-5 cm long, upper most enclosing
inflorescence spatheolate, up to 10 cm long, keeld on back, glabrous; ligule a
membranous rim, c. 0.5 mm long, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to
10 x 0.5 cm, oblique and rounded at base, acuminate at apex, densely tubercle-based
108 hairy; hairs c. 4 mm long. Racemes 2 or 3 in number, each up to 8 cm long; rachis terete, c. 0.5 mm wide. Spikelets laterally compressed, oblong, c. 12 x 1.5 mm, awned, pedicelled. Pedicel terete, curved, lower most c. 2 mm long and upper ones c. 1 mm long, abscission oblique at apex. Callus oblong, c. 1 mm long, densely hairy; hairs c. 1 mm long. Lower glume elliptic-oblong, c. 7 x 1 mm, hyaline along margins, acute at apex, coriaceous in lower 314 th region, chartaceous above, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel rounded on back, densely hairy below, scabrid above. Upper glume laterally compressed, elliptic-oblong, c. 12 x 2 mm, acute at apex, coriaceous, nerves obscure, keeled on back; keel broadly winged; wing c. 5 mm wide above, narrowed at base, subcrustaceous at basal 2/3 rd region, with sparsely hairy, hyaline above with few hairs at the apex of wing; hairs c. 4 mm long. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower
lemma oblong-lanceolate, c. 5 x 0.8 mm, delicate, hyaline along margins, acute at
apex, hyaline. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma oblanceolate, c. 5 x 1 mm
(when spread), lobed at apex, awned in sinus, coriaceous, 1-nerved; lobes acute at
apex, awn up to 18 mm long, geniculate, scabrid, with c. 11 mm long, dark brown
column. Stamens 2, anthers c. 5 mm long. Stigma c. 1 mm, long, white. Caryopsis
oblong. (Plate 2 F).
Fl. & Fr.: September - October.
Habitat: Occasional on lateritic rocky plateaus.
Note: This species differs from other species of the genus by its larger more then 8
mm long spikelets, and broadly winged keel of upper glume. This species is endemic
to Peninsular India.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Goa University campus, Taleigao, 11. 9. 2003, Harshala
Gad 51 (GUH); Calem, Sanguem, 12. 10. 2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam
109 286 (GUH). Maharashtra: Pawas, 6. 10. 1991, C. B. Salurikhe 8682 (SUH).
Dimeria hohenackeri Hochst ex Miq. in Verh. Ned. Inst. 3, 4: 35. 1851; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 7: 103. 1896; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1713. 1934; Bor, Grass. India
142. 1960; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 522. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., FL Ind. Enum.
Mono. 210. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 124. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl.
Kerala Grass. 90. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra
Monocot. 468. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 269. 2001; Yadav &
Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 576. 2002.
Annuals. Culms up to 80 cm high, erect; nodes sparsely villous. Leaf sheath rounded, up to 4.5 x 0.5 cm, glabrous; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1 mm long, fimbriate at apex; leaf balde linear-lanceolate, up to 11 x 0.3 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex, sparsely covered with tubercle-based hairs on both surfaces.
Racemes 4 - 6 in number, digitate, each up to 10 cm long; rachis trigonous, slender, c.
0.3 mm wide. Spikelets laterally compressed, linear-lanceolate, c. 5.5 x 1 mm, awned,
shortly pedicelled. Pedicel c. 1 mm long. Callus short, hairy; hairs c. 0.3 mm long.
Lower glume linear-lanceolate, c. 5 x 1 mm, acute at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved,
nerve keeled; keel ciliate on back. Upper glume oblong-lanceolate, c. 5. 5 x 2 mm,
hyaline and ciliate along margins, acuminate at apex, chartaceous, 1-nerved, nerve
keeled; keel winged above; wing narrow, hairy on back; hairs c. 0.5 - 3 mm long.
Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma oblanceolate, c. 4 x 0.3 mm, ciliate above
middle region along margins, acute at apex, hyaline, 1-nerved. Upper floret
hermaphrodite. Upper lemma oblong c. 5 x 1 mm, notched at apex, awned in sinus,
delicate, hyaline, 1-nerved; lobes acute at apex; awn up to 12 mm long, geniculate,
scabrid, with c. 8 mm long, dark brown column. Stamens 2, anthers c. 2.5 mm long,
110 yellow. Ovary oblong; stigma c. 1 mm, long, white. Caryopsis oblong.
Fl. & Fr.: September - November.
Habitat: Common on lateritic rocky plateaus, with gravel and topsoil cover, rare in fields.
Note: This species is characterized by its long slender weak culms, slender angular rachis and forma an excellent fodder grass. This species forms a new record to Goa.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Goa University Campus, Taleigao, 11. 9. 2003, Harshala
Gad 48 (GUH); Partagal Canacona,20. 10. 2004, Harshala Gad 146 (GUH); Polem,
Canacona, 9. 11. 2004, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 170 (GUH); Netorlim, 15.
11. 2005, Harshala Gad 323 (GUH). Maharashtra: Akeri-Mangaon Rd. Savantwadi,
Ratnagiri Dt., 12. 11. 1965, B. G. Kulkarni 106428 (BSI); Sakharpa, 1. 10. 1989, C. B.
Salunkhe 8546 (SUH).
Dimeria ornithopoda Trin. Fund. Agrost. 167, t. 14. 1820; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7:
104. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 945. 1908; Fischer in Gamble Fl. Madras 1713.
1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 8. 1935; Bor, Grass. India 142. 1960; Vartak,
Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 113. 1966; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl.
Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1842. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 498. 1986; Kulkami, Fl.
Sindhudurg 522. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 210. 1989; Almeida,
Fl. Savantwadi 2: 125. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 98. 1991;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 468, 1996; Rajkumar
et al., in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 96: 181. 1999; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur
576. 2002.
Annuals. Culms up to 38 cm high, erect, geniculate at basal node; nodes
111 villous. Leaf sheath laterally compressed, basal ones longer than internodal region, upper ones more than half the length of internodal region, c. 2.5 x 0.3 cm, keeled on back, glabrous; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1 mm long, lacerate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 9 x 0.3 cm, truncate at base, sparsely tubercle-based hairy along szrulate margins, acuminate at apex. Racemes 2 in number, arising from axils of leaves above basal node, each up to 5 cm long; rachis flexuous, trigonous, c. 0.3 mm wide, serrate on angles. Spikelets laterally compressed, asymmetrically-oblong, c. 2.8 x 0.3 mm, awned, sessile. Callus short, c. 0.1 mm long, densely villous. Lower glume linear-oblong, c. 2.5 x 0.5 mm, hyaline along margins, acute at apex, coriaceous, 1-
nerved, nerve keeled; keel scabrid. Upper glume oblong-lanceolate, c. . 2.8 x 0.5 mm
(when spread), hyaline along margins, acute at apex, crustaceous below middle region, coriaceous above, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel scabrid. Lower floret epaleate, empty.
Lower lemma linear-lanceolate, c. 0.8 x 0.1 mm, acute at apex, delicate, hyaline.
Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma oblong-lanceolate c. 2 x 0.5 mm, shortly cleft at apex, awned in sinus, delicate, hyaline, 1-nerved; lobes acute at apex, awn up to 9 mm long, geniculate, scabrid, with c. 3.5 mm long, golden-brown, twisted column. Caryopsis oblong, c. 1.5 mm long, golden-yellow.
Fl. & Fr.: September-November.
Habitat: Common on cut surfaces of hills, along water puddles on open grassy areas
other then lateritic rocky plateaus, field bunds, compound walls and usually in moist
conditions.
Note: This species differs from other species of the genus by its flexuous, trigonous
rachis, slender racemes, smaller spikelets and glumes without wing.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Chimbel reservoir, 9. 11. 1963, R. S. Rao 92928 (BSI);
112 Queriem, 16. 10 1996, M, K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 231 (GUH);
Mayem lake 31. 8. 1997, M. K. Janarthanam & Rajkumar 909 (GUH); Goa University campus, 1. 10. 1997, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 1057 (GUH); Colem-Sonal, 11. 10.
1997, M, K. Janarthanam, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 1086 (GUH); Nagargao,14.
11. 1997, M. K. Jnarthanam, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 185 (GUH); Goa
University campus, Taleigao, 10. 10. 2003, Harshala Gad 85 (GUH); Camurlim,
Bardez, 5. 10. 2004, Harshala Gad 131 (GUH); Ghodemal, Quepem, 15. 11. 2005,
Harshala Gad 315 (GUH). Maharashtra: Kas, October 1991, Bachulkar-Cholekar
5141 (SUH); Radhanagari, 25. 10. 1992, S. R. Yadav 7790.
Dimeria stapfiana C. E. Hubb. ex Pilger in Engl. & Prantl, Pflanzenf. 14e: 109. 1940;
Bor, Grass. India 144. 1960; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 498. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 523.
1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 210. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2:
125. 1990; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 469. 1996;
Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 273. 2001. Woodrowia diandra Stapf in Hook.
Ic. Pl. t. 2447. 1996; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 241. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 1012.
1958. Dimeria diandra Stapf ex Bhide in J. Proc. Asiat. Soc. Bengal (N. S. ) f: 516.
1911, non Griff. 1851; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 9. 1935.
Annuals. Culms tufted, up to 53 cm high, erect; nodes sparsely villous. Leaves
basally aggregated; leaf sheath less than half the length of intemodal region, c. 4 x 0.5
cm, basal ones laterally compressed, upper ones rounded, keeled on back; ligule a
membranous rim, c. 0.5 nun long, fimbriate at apex; leaf balde linear-lanceolate, up to
10 x 0.4 cm, truncate at base, serrulate along margins, acuminate at apex, densely
tubercle-based hairy on ventral surface and along margin. Racemes up to 4 in number,
each up to 8.5 cm long; rachis angular, c. 0.1 mm wide. Spikelets laterally compressed,
113 c. 8 x 1.5 mm, awned, pedicelled. Pedicel angular, c. 1 mm long, abscission discoid and oblique at apex. Callus oblong, c. 1 mm long, densely hairy. Lower glume oblong, c. 6 x 1 mm, hyaline along margins, acute at apex, coriaceous, 3-nerved, keeled; keel rounded on back, densely hairy at base, scabrid on back with 2 or 3 hairs at apex.
Upper glume oblong-lanceolate, c. 8 x 2 mm, hyaline and ciliate along margins, acute at apex, subcoriaceous, 3-5 nerved, keeled on back above middle region; keel rounded on back, smooth, shiny, densely hairy at base, scabrid at apical region, with sparse hairs at apex of the wing; hairs c. 2 mm long. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma oblanceolate, c. 3.2 x 1 mm, ciliate along one margin, rounded at apex, hyaline,
1-nerved, nerve keeled. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma oblong, c. 5 x 1 mm, delicate, hyaline at narrowed base, lobed at apex, awned in sinus, coriaceous above, 1-nerved; lobes subacute at apex, awn up to 20 mm long, geniculate, scabrid, with c. 7 mm long, dark brown column. Stamens 2, anthers c. 3.2 mm long. Ovary elliptic-lanceolate, c. 0.5 mm long; style c. 1 mm long; stigma c. 2 mm, long. (Fig. 8).
Fl. & Fr.: September - November.
Habitat: Lateritic rocky plateaus.
Note: This species is similar to Dimeria blatteri Bor, but differs in having spikelets not more than 8 mm long, and upper glume with rounded corky narrow wing. This
species is used as dry fodder.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Foot hills of Patim, Sanguem, 14. 11. 1963, R. S. Rao
84753 (BSI), Porvorim, 7. 11. 1963, R. S. Rao 92843 (BSI); Polem, Canacona, 9. 11.
2004, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 168 (GUH); Vagueri hill, 19. 11. 2005,
Harshala Gad 328 (GUH). Maharashtra: Vengurla 10. 10 1993, C. B. Salunkhe,7708
(SUH).
114 Fig 8. Dimeria stapfiana C. E. Hubb. ex Pilger A. habit; B. pedicel; C. spikelet; D. lower glume ; E. upper glume; F. lower lemma; G. upper lemma. Dimeria woodrowii Stapf in Hook., Ic. Pl. t. 2314. 1894; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7:
104. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 945. 1908; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 8.
1935; Bor, Grass. India 144. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 113. 1966;
Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 523. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 210.
1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 125. 1990; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl.
Maharashtra Monocot. 470, 1996.
Annuals. Cu1ms up to 13 cm high, erect, geniculate at basal nodes; nodes sparsely villous. Leaf sheath up to 2 cm long; ligule a membranous rim, c. 0.5 mm long, fimbriate at apex; leaf balde linear-lanceolate, up to 4 x 0.2 cm, rounded to cordate at base, acuminate at apex, tubercle-based hairy on ventral surface. Racemes digitate, 2 in number, each up to 3 cm long; rachis angular, c. 0.5 mm wide, narrowly winged on both sides. Spikelets laterally compressed, oblong-laneolate, c. 3.5 x 0.8 mm, awned, pedicelled. Pedicel trigonous, c. 0.8 mm long. Callus short, densely villous. Lower glume oblong, c. 3 x 0.5 mm, hyaline along margins, acute at apex, coriaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve keeled. Upper glume oblong, c. 3.3 x 1 mm, hyaline along margins, acute at apex, coriaceous, 1-nerved, nerve keeled; keel hairy on back. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma oblong, c. 2.2 x 0.2 mm, acute at apex, delicate, hyaline, 1-nerved. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma oblong, c.
3 x 1 mm, lobed at apex, awned in sinus, delicate, hyaline, 1-nerved; lobes acute at apex, awn up to 12 mm long, geniculate, scabrid, with c. 7 mm long, dark brown
column. Stamens 3, anthers c. 1 mm long. Caryopsis oblong, c. 1.4 mm long, brown.
Fl. & Fr.: August - October.
Habitat: Lateritic rocky plateaus.
Note: This species shows unique seed dispersal mechanism, peduncle bends towards
115 ground when spikelets mature and racemes circinately coil towards the axis or inward to form a rounded ball which detaches from the parent plant and roll on the plateau to disperse the grains in crevices of the rocks.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Loliem, 10. 9. 1997, Vaishali Joshi & Rajkumar 944
(GUH); Taleigao, 23. 10. 1997,Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar, 357 (GUH); Goa
University campus, Taleigao, 11. 9. 2003, Harshala Gad, 49 (GUH); Shiroda, Ponda
20. 9. 2004, M. K. Janarthanam 125 (GUH). Maharashtra: Malwan, 2. 9. 1990, C. B.
Salunkhe 7635 (SUH).
Eulalia Kunth Kunth, Rev. Gram. 1: 160. 1819. A genus of about 30 species, distributed in the tropical and subtropical region of which 14 species occur in India and two in Goa.
Key to the species 1. Culms slender, weak; racemes 2 - 4 in number, < 10 cm long E. fimbriata 1. Culms stout, rigid; racemes 4 - 12 in number, up to 20 cm long E. trispicata
Eulalia fimbriata (Hack) Kuntze, Rev. Gen pl. 2: 775. 1891; Bor, Grass. India 155.
1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 113. 1966; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 502. 1986;
Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 530. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 220.
1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 130. 1990; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl.
Maharashtra Monocot. 495, 1996; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 582. 2002. Pollinia fimbriata Hack. in DC. Mon. Phan. 6: 164. 1889; Stapf in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7:
122. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 950. 1908.
Annual. Culms weak, up to 76 cm high; nodes glabrous, leaves mostly basally
aggregated, internodes slender, glabrous, shiny. Leaf sheath laterally compressed,
116 covering less than half the length of internode, keeled on back, c. 4 x 0.4 cm, hairy at collar; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1 mm long, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear- lanceolate, up to 19 x 0.3 mm, truncate to rouged at base, acuminate at apex, sparsely villous on ventral surface; hairs c. 2 mm long. Racemes digitate to subdigitate, 2- 4, up to 7 cm long, densely villous. Joints of rachis triangular, c. 2 mm long, densely hairy along the angles, slightly oblique at abscission. Spikelets in pairs, one sessile the other pedicelled, awned, similar. Sessile spikelets oblanceolate, c. 4 x 1 mm. Lower glume oblanceolate, c. 4 x 1 mm, hyaline, infolded along margins, subacute to obtuse at apex, chartaceous, 2-nerved, nerves keeled; keels densely hairy; hairs c. 1.5 mm long, white in colour. Upper glume elliptic, c. 3.5 x 1 mm, hyaline, ciliate along margins, acute, chartaceous, 1-3-nerved. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma oblanceolate, c.
3.8 x 0.5 mm, hyaline, infolded along margins, obtuse at apex, hyaline, 2-nerved, nerves keeled; keels ciliate. Upper floret epaleate, hermaphrodite. Upper lemma linear, hyaline at base, lobed at apex, awned in sinus; lobes acute at apex; awn c. 18 mm long, geniculate, scabrid, golden yellow in colour, with c. 9 mm long, twisted, golden yellow column. Ovary elliptic. Pedicelled spikelets same as that of sessile spikelets.
Pedicel triangular, c. 2 mm long, densely hairy along the angles, slightly oblique at
apex. (Plate 2 G).
FL & Fr.: September - November.
Habitat: Lateritic rocky plateaus and open areas with gravel and little soil cover;
rarely in fields.
Note: Cu1ms weak and slender. This species forms very good wet as well as dry
fodder.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Porvorim, 7. 11. 1963, R. S. Rao, 92844 (BSI); Goa
117 University campus 20. 9. 1997, Vaishali Joshi & S. Rajkumar 983 (GUH); Goa
University Campus, Taleigao, 15. 8. 2003, Harshala Gad 34 (GUH); Goa University
Campus, Taleigao, 22. 9. 2005, Harshala Gad 215 (GUH); Tisk Usgao, Ponda, 12. 10.
2005, Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 273 (GUH). Maharashtra: Amboli, 21. 10.
1990, C. B. Salunkhe 8475 (SUH); Kas, November 1991, Bachulkar-Cholekar 3057
(SUH).
Eulalia trispicata (Schult) Henr. in Blumea 3: 453. 1940; Bor, Grass. India 264. 1960;
Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 114. 1966; Matthew, Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu
Carnatic tt. 870 & 871. 1982; Britto & Matthew in Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic
1860. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 502. 1986; Kulkarni, Fl. Sindhudurg 530. 1988;
Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 221. 1989; Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 130.
1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 104. 1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma
et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 496. 1996; Bhat & Nagendran, Sedges and Grass.
274. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 582. 2002. Andropogon trispicatus Schult.
Veg. 2, Mant. 452. 1824. Eulalia argentea Brongn. in Duperr. Voy. Conquille Bot. 2
(2): 92. 1830; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 52. 1935. Eulalia tristachya Kuntze,
Rev. Gen. Pl. 2: 775. 1891; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras. 1715. 1934. Pollinia
argentea Trin. in Bull. Acad. Sci. Petresb. 1: 71. 1836; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 111.
1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 950. 1908.
Perennial. Culms stoloniferous, reed like, up to 170 cm high; nodes glabrous,
internodes slender, glabrous, shiny. Leaves basally collected; leaf sheath as long as or
more than half the length of internodal region, rounded, mid rib slightly keeled on
back; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1 mm long, fimbriate at apex; line on back with row
of c. 5 mm long, white hairs; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 28 x 0.6 mm, truncate
118 to rounded at base, acuminate at apex, densely tubercle-based hairy at base, sparsely hairy on ventral surface; midrib prominent, c. 1 mm wide, rounded on dorsal surface.
Racemes digitate to subdigitate, 4-12 in number, up to 19 cm long, densely villous.
Joints of rachis trigonous, c. 3 mm long, oblique at apex, densely hairy along the angles and at the apex; hairs on angles short and hairs at apex, c. 3 mm long. Spikelets in pairs, one sessile the other pedicelled, awned, similar. Sessile spikelets, elliptic- oblong, c. 4 x 1 mm, awned; callus short, trigonous, densely hairy. Lower glume elliptic-oblong, c. 4.x 1 mm, chartaceous, truncate at apex, 2-nerved, nerves keeled, densely hairy at basal region along the keels, margins hyaline, infolded; hairs c. 2 mm long. Upper glume elliptic, c. 3.8 x 1.2 mm, chartaceous, subacute at apex, 1-nerved, nerve keeled, submarginally and marginally hairy, margins hyaline, incurved; keel hairy below middle region. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma lanceolate, c.
4 x 0.5 tnrn, subhyaline below middle region and hyaline above, ciliate at apical region. Upper floret epaleate, hermaphrodite. Upper lemma oblong, c. 2 x 0.5 mm, chartaceous, lobed, awned in sinus, 3-nerved; lobes acute at apex; awn c. 18 mm long,
geniculate, scabrid, golden yellow in colour, with c. 10 mm long, twisted, dark brown
column. Caryopsis obovate-oblong, c. 1.5 x 0.5 mm,brown. Pedicelled spikelets
elliptic-oblong, c. 3 x 0.8 mm, awned same as that of sessile spikelets. Pedicel angular,
c. 2 mm long, densely hairy along the angles. Florets same as that of sessile spikelets.
FL & Fr.: October - November
Habitat: Grassy hill slopes.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Molem 22. 11. 1996, Vaishali Joshi & Rajkumar 414
(GUH); Dodamarg, 8. 11. 2004, M. K. Janarthanam 163 (GUH); Arpora, Bardez, 29.
10. 2005, Harshal Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 290 (GUH); Chorla Ghat, 22. 11. 2005,
Harshala Gad 336 (GUH). Maharashtra: Ramghat, 22. 10. 1990, S. R. Yadav 7763
119 (SUH); Ghataei, August 1991, Bachulkar-Cholekar, 3102 (SUH).
Heteropogon Pers. Pers. Syn. Pl. 2: 533. 1807. A genus of about seven species distributed in tropical region of the world of which six species occur in India and one in Goa
Heteropogon contortus (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem & Schult. Syst. Veg. 2: 836. 18117;
Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1743. 1934; Blatt. & McCann, Bombay Grass. 109.
1935; Bor, Grass. India 163. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 114. 1966;
Matthew, Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic U. 876 & 877. 1982; Britto & Matthew in
Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1864. 1983; Rao, Fl. Goa 2: 503. 1986; Kulkarni,
Fl. Sindhudurg 536. 1988; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Mono. 226. 1989;
Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 2: 132. 1990; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 112.
1991; Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 503. 1996; Bhat
& Nagendran, Sedges and Grass. 282. 2001; Yadav & Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 583.
2002. Andropogon contortus L. Sp. Pl. 1045. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 104.
1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 990. 1908.
Perennials. Cu1ms up to 150 cm high, tufted, erect; nodes glabrous. Leaf sheath laterally compressed, longer than internodal region, c. 6 mm wide, sharply keeled on back, glaucous on inner surface; basal ones with long tubercle-based hairs at collar; ligule a membranous rim, fimbriate at apex; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, up to 15 x 0.5 cm, rounded at base, acute at apex, sparsely tubercle based hairy on adaxial surface; hairs c. 6 mm long. Racemes solitary, terete, up to 6 cm long (excluding awn), with
lower homogamous spikelets and upper heterogamous spiklets. Homogamous
spikelets sessile, lanceolate. Lower glume c. 7 x 1.2 mm, margins infolded, delicate
120 hyaline, acute at apex, chartaceous, 14-nerved, 2-keeled, tubercle based hairy on dorsal surface. Upper glume oblong-lanceolate, c. 6 x 1 mm, narrowly inturned, and winged above middle region along margins, acute at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved; wing hyaline, ciliate. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma oblong-lanceolate, c. 5.5 x
1 mm, narrowly inturned and winged at apical region along margins, chartaceous, 1- nerved, nerve keeled; wings delicate, hyaline, ciliate. Upper floret staminate. Upper lemma oblong-lanceolate, c. 5 x 1 mm, narrowly winged along margins, acute at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved; wings hyaline, ciliate. Stamens 3; filaments c. 1 mm long, anthers c. 3 mm long, yellow. Homogamous pedicelled spikelets oblong-lanceolate, c.
7 x 1.2 mm. Pedicel subclavate to linear, c. 1 mm long. Lower glume asymmetrically lanceolate, c. 7 x 1.2 mm, winged along margins, acute at apex,, chartaceous, 1-nerved, rounded on one side and angled on the other, tubercle based hairy on dorsal surface; wings infolded, serrate along margin; hairs c. 2 mm long. Upper glume asymmetrically oblong-lanceolate, c. 7 x 1.5 mm, winged along one margin, acute at apex, chartaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve keeled; wing delicate, hyaline, ciliate. Lower floret empty. Lower lemma oblong-lanceolate, c. 6 x 1 mm, narrowly winged along margins, truncate at apex, chartaceous to subhyaline, 1-nerved; wings delicate, hyaline, ciliate. Palea oblong-lanceolate, c. 5.5 x 1 mm, winged above middle region
along margins, subhyaline, 1-nerved; wings delicate, hyaline, ciliate. Heterogamous
sessile spikelets oblong-lanceolate, c. 6 mm long, awned. Lower glume elliptic-
oblong, c. 6 x 1.5 mm, margins inflexed obtuse to truncate at apex, coriaceous, 8-10
nerved, 2-keeled, densely hairy on dorsal surface. Upper glume c. 5 x 0.8 mm,
incurved along margins, hyaline and acute at apex, coriaceous, 3-nerved, central nerve
keeled. Lower floret epaleate, empty. Lower lemma oblong, c. 3 x 0.8 mm, truncate
and lacerate at apex, delicate, hyaline, 3-nerved. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper
121 lemma linear, hyaline at base of awn, c. 4 mm long, delicate, hyaline, 1-nerved; awn c.
75 mm long, golden-brown, geniculate, with c. 35 mm long, hirsute, twisted, dark brown colour column. Pedicelled spikelets unawned, similar to that of homogamous sessile spikelets.
Fl. & Fr.: September - November.
Habitat: Common on plateaus with gravely soil cover, along road sides, hill slopes, fields, saline conditions, open dry waste lands and habitations.
Note: This species shows variation in culm length and hairiness of leaves. Sparse to dense tubercle-based hairs on glumes. Considered as good fodder grass before spikelets matures; cattle avoid this grass after maturity of spikelets due to its long awns.
Specimens Examined: Goa: Porvorim, 8. 11. 1963, S. R. Rao 92851 (BSI); Goa
University campus, 15. 9. 1997, S. Rajkumar & Vaishali Joshi 960 (GUH); Goa
University campus, 11. 9. 2003, Harshala Gad 50 (GUH); Dodamarg, 9. 10. 2005,
Harshala Gad & M. K. Janarthanam 250 (GUH). Maharashtra: Parali, January 1991,
Bachulkar-Cholekar, 5142 (SUH); Oni, 13. 10. 1994, C. B. Salunkhe, 7211 (SUH)
Imperata Cyr. Cyr. Pl. Rar. Neap 2: 26, t. 11. 1792.
A genus of about eight species distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of
the world, of which one species occur in India and Goa.
Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeusch. Nom. Bot. ed. 3: 10. 1797; Blatt. & McCann, 42.
1935; Bor, Grass. India, 169. 1960; Vartak, Enum. Plant. Gomantak, India. 113. 1966;
Matthew, Ill. Fl. Tamilnadu Camatic tt. 880 & 881. 1982; Britto & Matthew in
122 Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3: 1864. 1983; Karthikeyan et al., Fl. Ind. Enum.
Mono. 229. 1989; Sreekumar & Nair, Fl. Kerala Grass. 114. 1991;
Lakshminarasimhan in Sharma et al., Fl. Maharashtra Monocot. 505. 1996; Yadav &
Sardesai, Fl. Kolhapur 585. 2002. Lagurus cylindricus L. Syst. Nat. ed. 10. 878. 1759.
Imperata arundinacea Cyr. Pl. Rar. Neap. 2: 26 t. 11. 1792; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7:
106. 1896; Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 946. 1908. 1. cylindrica var. koenigi Dur. Et Schinz.
Consp. Flor. Afr. 5: 694. 1894; Fischer in Gamble, Fl. Madras 1743. 1934. I. cylindrica var. major (Nees) N. E. Hubb. ex C. E. Hubb. & Vaughan, Grass. Maur. 96.
1940; Bor, Grass. India 170. 1960.
Perennials. Cu1ms up to 45 cm high, rhizomatous; nodes villous. Leaf sheath rigid up to 5 cm long; ligule a membranous rim, c. 1 mm long, fimbriate at apex; leaf
blade linear-lanceolate, up to 15 x 0.5 cm, narrowed at base, acute at apex, with
prominent midrib. Panicle cylindrical up to 7.5 cm long, fluffy white; racemes short, c.
2 cm long, densely silky villous; rachis angular. Spikelets solitary, pedicelled, oblong-
lanceolate, c. 3 mm long, callus densely silky hairy; hairs c. 10 mm long. Pedicel
angular, c. 1.5 mm, long, discoid at apex, sparsely silky hairy. Lower glume elliptic to
elliptic-lanceolate, c. 2.5 x 0.6 mm, subacute at apex, chartaceous, 3-5-nerved,
densely hairy on dorsal surface; hairs c. 10 mm long silky, white. Upper glume
elliptic-lanceolate, c. 2.5 x 0.6 mm, bearded at acute apex, chartaceous, 5-7-nerved,
sparsely hairy on dorsal surface; hairs c. 10 mm long, silky, white. Lower floret empty,
epaleate. Lower lemma oblong, c. 1 x 0.6 mm, lacerate and ciliate at apex, hyaline, 1-
nerved. Upper floret hermaphrodite. Upper lemma broadly ovate-oblong, c. 1 x 0.8
mm, lacerate at apex, subhyaline, ciliate,00 1-nerved. Palea ovate, c. 1.5 x 2 mm,
truncate and fimbriate at apex. Ovary oblong, c. 1 mm long; style c. 1.5 mm long;
stigma c. 1.5 mm long.
123
Fl. & Fr.: August to September.
Habitat: Along fresh water canals and water stagnated fields.
Note: This species is a new record to Goa.
Specimen examined: Goa: Nagzar, Pernem 22. 8. 2006, M. K. Janarthanam s. n.
(GUH).
Ischaemum L. L., Sp. Pl. 1049. 1753. A genus of about 60 species distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of
the world of which 51 species occur in India and 18 in Goa.
Key to the species
1. Racemes usually paired, rarely 3; sessile spikelets usually awnless (2) 1. Racemes always two; sessile spikelets distinctly awned (4)
2. Racemes shortly exerted from the spathe or remain enclosed in spathe; sessile spikelets awnless 1. muticum 2. Racemes well exerted from the spathe; spikelets awned or awnless (3)
3. Cu1ms decumbent; racemes usually two, rarely 3; spikelets awnless to distinctly awned in upper region of the racemes; basal leaves sagittate to cordate at base 1. bolei 3. Cuims erect; racemes always two; spikelet with or without rudimentary awn; basal leaves rounded at base I jayachandranii
4. Lower glume of the sessile spikelets winged at apical region (5) 4. Lower glume of sessile spikelets not winged at apical region (7)
5. Lower glume of sessile spikelets broadly winged on both sides at apical region; lower glume of pedicelled spikelets not winged along lateral sides; shortly aristate at apex indicum 5. Lower glume of sessile spikelets broadly winged on one side with or without narrow wing on the other side at apical region; lower glume of pedicelled spikelet broadly winged on one of the lateral side; subacute at apex (6)
6. Lower glume of sessile spikelet oblong; winged on one side at apical region; lower glume of pedicelled spikelet winged
124