Cross Grass is a perennial herb, 40-90 cm tall.
Rhizomes are long, woody. Stems are 1.5-2.5 mm in diameter, noded,
trigonous, smooth. Leaves are longer than stem; sheaths dark, often
disintegrating into fibres; blades 4-10 mm wide, folded, prominent
nerves rough. Inflorescence is 20-40 cm, partial inflorescences remote;
partial inflorescences 2-6, ovoid-pyramidal, rather dense, lower long
stalked, flower-cluster-stalks scabrous. Bracts are longer than
inflorescence, long vaginate. Spikes are 5-6 mm, female and male parts
almost equal; glumes ovate, with a short sharp point, brown. Utricles
are longer than glumes, 3.5-4 mm, ovoid or ellipsoid, slightly
inflated, velvet-hairy above; beak abruptly contracted, often curved,
scabrous, bitoothed. Cross Grass is found in forest margins,
grasslands, roadsides, at altitudes of 300-2500 m, in S China, Bhutan,
India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Madagascar.
Flowering: July-August.
Identification credit: Ashutosh Sharma
Photographed in Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh.
• Is this flower misidentified?
If yes,
Your name: Your email: Your comments
The flower labeled Cross Grass is ...