3.2.2 Aristida adscensionis L.
Annual grass, rhizomatous, tufted culms branched 2-58 cm in height. Linear leaf blades, flat or folded, scaberous surface, 3.5-16.5 cm in length, 1-1.6 mm in width. Ligule a hairy fringe with very long hair, 0.5 mm in size. Leaf sheath glaucous. Panicle 13-20 cm in length, Spikelets purple or light green in coloure, lanceolate. 3.8-7.9 mm in length with awn extensions. Glumes unequal, lanceolate, tip toothed, brown in colour. Upper glume 1 nerved, 5.5-8.5 mm in length while lower glume 4.8-6.2 mm in length. Keeled lemma present with 3 awn extensions. Lemma size 4.6-7.9 mm, awn length unequal, middle one longer in size then lateral ones. Middle awn 12-18.5 cm in length while lateral ones are 8.2-17 cm in length. Palea thin, membranous, obtuse 0.4-0.8 mm in length. Lodicules elliptical, membranous 1.5-1.7 mm in size. Anthers 1.5-2mm in length. Caryopsis 4.5-5.6 mm in length. (Plate 2a)
3.2.3 A. funiculata Trin. & Rupr.
Annual grass, tufted culms, 12-36 cm in length. Leaf blades flat 4-10 cm in length, 2-3.5 mm in width. Ligule a ciliated fringe 0.3-0.4 mm in length. Panicle linear, about 8-12 cm in length. Spikelets brownish green in colour, Glumes linear, membranous, finely attenuate, unequal, lanceolate, membranous, Upper glume 6.5-7 mm in length, lower 5-6 mm in length. Lemma cylindrical, scabrid surface, 2-3.5 mm in length. Awns extensions present, trifid, unequal, middle one 3-5.5 mm in length. Caryopsis hard, brownish, 3.5-4 mm in length.
3.2.4 Cynodon dactylon (Linn.) Pers.
Perennial grass, prostrate and spreading, rhizomatous or stoloniferous culms creeping at the base and upright at later stages 8-43 cm in length, glaberous surface. Leaf blade flate, scaberous margins, glaberous 2-5.5 cm lengthwise and 1.1-1.4 mm in width. Leaf sheaths glaberous with membranous margins. Hairy ligule a short ciliolate rim, 0.3-0.4 mm in size. Inflorescence: digitate having 4-5 spikes. Spikelets 1.5-4 cm in length, 0.8-2 mm in width. One floret in each spikelet, jointed with rachis, floret 1.6-2.1 mm in length, greenish or violet in color. Glumes unequal, upper glume 1.6-2.8 mm in length, lower 1.3-2.4mm in length, both lanceolate and 1 nerved. Lemma pubescent, 3 nerved, ovate or lanceolate in shape, awnless, 1.6-1.9 mm in length. Palea shorter then lemma, about 1.3 mm in length, 2 keeled. Anthers 0.8 mm in length, caryopsis oblong in shape, 1.2-1.8 mm in size.
3.2.5 Dactyloctenium aegyptium (Linn.)Willd
Annual grass, culms 25-46 cm in length, ganiculately ascending, rooting at lower nodes. Leaf blades flat with hispid margins, 3-14.5 cm in length, 2.5-5 mm in width. Ligule ciliated fringe, 0.8-1.3 mm in length. Inflorescence digitate, 4-6 spikes, 1.5-3.5 cm lengthwise. Spikelets 1.5-3 mm long, ovate, 3 florets present. Glumes equal, lanceolate, 1 nerved, keeled, 2-2.5 mm lengthwise. Upper glume with an awn extension about 1 mm in length. Lemmas 1.5-2 mm in length, lanceolate, 3 nerved, Palea shorter then lemma, hyaline, keeled. Anthers 0.5 mm in length. Caryopsis obovate in shape, 1 mm in length.
3.2.6 Desmostachya bipinnata (Linn.) Stapf.
Tall perennial grass, rhizomatous, culms 100-120 cm in height, Leaf blades stiff, flat,18-56 cm in length, 3-8.5 mm in width. Lacerate membranous ligule 0.5mm in length. Inflorescence: Panicle with clustered spikes 0.8-2.9 mm in length. Spikelets ovate to oblong, 1-2.6 mm in length. Glumes lanceolate, both 1 nerved, unequal in size. Upper glume larger then lower 0.5-1.4 mm in size, lower glume about half as long as upper glume. Lemmas 1-3 nerved, coriacious,1.5 mm in length. 2 keeled membranous palea, almost equal in length to lemma. Anthers 0.4-0.8 mm in length. Caryopsis ovoid in shape and about 1 mm in length.
3.2.7 Eleusine indica (Linn.)Gaertn
Annual grass, tufted culms 21-37 cm tall. Leaf blades linear with a smooth surface, ranging in size from 11-19 cm in length and 2-5 mm in width. Membranous ligule with rough margins, 0.5-0.6 mm in length. Inflorescence digitate,number of spikes usually 3-5, rarely 3. Spikes ranging in length from 2.5 to 7 cm. 4-7 florets present in 1 spikelet. Elleptical spikes with yellowish green colour. Glumes acute, unequal, Upper 1 nerved, scabrid margins 1.9-2.1 mm in length and 0.6- 1 mm in width, Lower glume 3 nerved, 1.5-1.9 mm in length. Lanceolate lemmas with acute tip, 1.2-1.7 mm in length, palea nearly same size as palea. Elleptical caryopsis about 1.5-2.1 mm.
3.2.8 Octhochloa compressa (Forssk.) Hilu.
Perennial grass, stolonifeous, culms 17-24 cm in height, prostrate or ganiculately ascending. Leaf blades linear with a glaucous surface, 1.3-4.5 cm in size, 1.2-1.6 mm in width. Ciliated ligule, 0.5 mm in size. Glaberous leaf sheath with ciliated base. Inflorescence: Digitate 2-4 spikes. Spikes 4-18 cm in length, spikelets 3.5-4.7 mm in length. 2-5
florets in one spikelet. Glumes lanceolate in shape, purple in color, unequal in size. Upper glume 3 nerved, 2.5-3.3 mm in length, lower glume 1-3 nerved, 1.7-2.4 mm in length. Lemmas lanceolate, coriacious, ciliated margins, 2.6-3.8 mm in length. Palea 2 keeled, boat shaped, Anthers 0.4-0.6 mm in length, Style 0.2-0.5 mm. Caryopsis 0.9-1.2 mm in length.