Dichanthium Annulatum Grass

Dichanthium annulatum a perennial, densely tufted grass, with erect clums up to 3ft. high; inflorescence of subdigitately arranged recemes, usually 3 but often more. Perennial tussock, sometimes stoloniferous, with culms geniculately ascending, foliage to 80 cm and fertile tillers to about 1 m (rarely 1.8 m); pronounced annulus of radiating, 3-5 mm long white hairs on the nodes; leaf blade linear, to about 30 cm long and 2-7 mm wide, margins sparsely pubescent and scaberulous. Inflorescence a sub-digitate panicle, comprising 2-9 (-15) pale green or purplish racemes, each 3-7 cm long; geniculate, twisted awn 8-25 mm long arising from the upper lemma of the sessile spikelet. Caryopsis oblong to obovate, dorsally compressed, ca. 2 mm long (1.9 million/kg), although seed weight (sessile + pedicellate spikelet ) about 500,000/kg. Surface rooted, >90% of roots in top 1 m soil. The grass is common throughout the plains and hills of India up to 5,000 ft. It is often found in hedges, road sides, lawns and pasture grounds, andd thrives in sheltered situations on well-drained soils.