Anthoxanthum indicum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 28. 1753; Sac-charum spicatum Linnaeus.

Annual. Culms loosely tufted, erect or decumbent at base, 20–30 cm tall. Leaf sheaths usually glabrous; leaf blades lanceolate to narrowly ovate, flat or margins involute, tough, 2–4 cm, 2–5 mm wide, glaucous, glabrous, margins spiny-scabrous especially near base, apex acute; ligule ca. 0.5 mm. Inflorescence up to 12 cm; spikelets usually densely arranged, ascending or horizontally spreading; rachis scabrous. Spikelets 1.5–2.5 mm (excluding awns); basal callus 0.2–0.5 mm, subacute; glumes narrowly lanceolate, back uniformly hirtellous with short white hairs, midvein scabrous, apex obtuse, clearly demarcated from awn; awn 1–1.5 cm; lemma 0.5–1 mm. Anthers ca. 0.3 mm. Caryopsis terete, narrowly ellipsoid, 1–1.8 mm.

Stream banks, roadsides, other weedy places, on sandy soil. Guangdong, Hainan, Shandong, Taiwan, Yunnan [Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa (probably introduced), Australia (Queensland)].