Abstract
C. gigantea collected from South India is found to be markedly distinct on both morphological and cytological characters. This species is outstanding in its cytology as it showed the presence of the aneuploid number of 12 distinctly large chromosomes which are rather unspecialized. This is an annual sexual species with normal meiosis and good seed setting. The size of the wings of the lower glume of the male spikelets of C. gigantea collectedfrom Calicut (Kerala) and Gopichettipalayam (Tamil Nadu) are narrower when compared with those of C. lacryma-jobi var. lacryma-jobi (local collection) which has very broad wings. Theleaves are long and narrow when compared with those of C. lacryma-jobi. The present study hasshown that the classification of the four species of Coix by Bor (1960) into two groups based on the size of the wings of the lower glume of the male spikelets appears to be invalid, eventhough C. gigantea agrees with this classification in the other morphological features and the ecological habitat.
