Botanical name: Themeda quadrivalvis    Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
Synonyms: Andropogon quadrivalvis, Themeda chinensis, Themeda dacruzii

Grader Grass is an annual grass with stems moderately robust, erect or geniculate at base, about 1 m tall. Grader grass gets its name from the fact that it spreads easily during road grading and other soil disturbance activities. Leaf sheaths are hairless or with tubercle-based bristles at mouth; leaf blades flat or folded, up to 30 x 0.3-0.9 cm, hairless, abruptly pointed to tapering; ligule about 3 mm. Compound panicles are large, dense; spathes and spatheoles lanceshaped-tapering, hairless, innermost 1.3-1.7 cm. Racemes are composed of a triad of 1 stalkless and 2 stalked spikelets above the involucre of 2 homogamous pairs. Homogamous spikelets all stalkless, arising at same level, barren, both glumes present, 4.5-6 mm, lanceshaped, stiffly bristly in upper half with 3-4 mm, tubercle-based bristles. Stalkless spikelet 4-4.5 mm, stalked spikelet 4-6 mm, barren. Grader Grass is found on dry hill slopes, at altitudes of 400-3000 m, in the Indian Subcontinent to N. Thailand, Andaman Islands, including the Himalayas. Flowering: June-December.

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The flower labeled Grader Grass is ...