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1919,

Exotheca.']

CLVII. GRAMINEAS (Stapf).

385

2- or 3-noded and simple below the lowest flowering branch, terete
or the lowest internodes more or less compressed, glabrous. Leaf-
s heaths terete or those of the innovations compressed and keeled,
produced at the mouth into firm lanceolate to subulate acute auricles
up to 10 lin. long, glabrous, smooth, the basal more or less persistent ;
ligules s carious, truncate, glabrous, adnate to the auricles of the
sheath ; blades narrowly linear from a gradually attenuated base,
tapering to a long fine point, up to 1 (sometimes almost 1J) ft. by
1-2 lin., folded or those of the culm-leaves flat, firm, pale to glaucous
green, glabrous, rarely hairy, particularly towards the base, rough
upwards on the face and along the margins. Inflorescence, if not
reduced to a single raceme-pair, with all the internodes much elon-
gated, the lowest up to over J ft. long ; simple flowering branches
and the rays of the 2-3-rayed tiers erect, slender ; lowest subtending
leaf of robust specimens resembling the preceding leaf, the follow-
ing with spathaceous sheaths and much reduced blades, always
glabrous. Spatheoles narrow, acute to finely acuminate, 3-5 in.
long, subherbaceous to almost scarious, early and tightly inrolled ;
peduncles strict, ultimately long-exserted from the spatheole,
glabrous, scaberulous upwards and disarticulating at the slightly
widened tips. Racemes about 1 in. long, greenish, mostly tinged
with purple or violet, glabrous (except the upper pedicels), the upper
with a bare filiform glabrous scaberulous base, 7-13 lin. long ; both
bases with upwards widened obliquely truncate tips ; the very
short joints glabrous or with a few rufous cilia; pedicels up to 3J
lin. long, cilia rufous. Fertile spikelet about 7 lin. long, including
the callus, pale or greenish, the beak darker, at length more or less
brown ; callus 2 lin. long, beard dense, short, silky, fulvous to rufous.
Lower glume densely pubescent at the base, loosely so or glabrescent
to glabrous upwards, 9-nerved, nerves very slender when seen from
the inner side, but widened into obtuse more or less distinct ribs
on the back, the 3 intracarinal of the beak prominent and scabrid
like the keels ; upper glume obtuse or deltoid-truncate, pubescent
or glabrous. Lower floret : valve oblong, obtuse, 6-7 lin. long,
faintly 2-3-nerved. Upper floret ^ : valve linear, oblong, carti-
laginous from a narrowed hyaline base, 3J lin. long with narrow
hyaline margins and linear -lanceolate densely ciliate lobes, not much
over ! lin. long ; awn stout, 2J-d in. long, fulvous, column longer
than the bristle, fulvously hirtellous ; valvule obovate, long-ciliate,
over 1 lin. long. Anthers 2 lin. long. Pedicelled spikelets lanceolate-
oblong, 7-8 lin. long, glabrous ; lower glume about 15-nerved,
one side with a marginal nerve, the other with a very narrow wing
and still narrower inflexed flap, both sides (particularly the winged)
more or less involute, terminal bristle up to over 2 lin. long ;
upper glume lanceolate, acute, slightly shorter, 3-nerved, ciliate ;
valves hyaline, ciliate, lower oblong, 3-nerved, 5-5-J lin. long ;
upper linear-oblong, narrowed downwards, 1-neived, under 5 lin.

EL. TROP. APR. VOL. IX. PT. 3. 2 C

386

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Exotheca.

long ; anthers 3-3J lin. long. Homogamous spikelets similar to
the pedicelled members of the trio, but up to 8 lin. long, more oblong,
and broader ; their lower glume muticous, shortly acute, firmer,
broader with narrow herbaceous wings and indexed flaps on both
sides, unequally 9-nerved between the keels, valves slightly longer.
— Anthistiria abyssinica, Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii.
449. Andropogon exothecus, Hack, in DC. Monogr. Phan. vi. 632 ;
Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 711 ; Schweinf. in Bull. Herb.
Boiss. ii. App. ii. 16, 94; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 115, not
in Glied. Veg. Usambara, 57, 58 ; Pilger in Engl. Jahrb. xxx. 268 ;
Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 289.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen ; Sala Dharo, 7550 ft., Pappi, 2290 ; Lesa
Mountains, Pappi, 4702, 4903 ; grassy slopes of Mount Bizen, 5900 ft., Schwein-
furth, 2011. Ambelaco, near Maldi, Schweinfurth , 41. Ocule Cusai ; Soyra
Mountains, 9200-9850 ft., Pappi, 1260. Scimezana ; Guna-Guna, 7200 ft.,
Pappi, 666. Abyssinia : Tigre ; Mount Scholoda, Schimper, 407 ! Wohabit,
Schimper, 514 ! Mount Hedja, Schimper, 1016 ! Samen ; Ghaba Valley,
Steudner, 1090 ! Ankober, Roth ! Arussi Country, Drake- Brockman, 166 !; Geru
Abbas, Drake- Brockman, 251 ! and without precise locality, Schimper , 356 !
1984 ! British East Africa ; Mount Kenya, 7500 ft., Battiscombe. , 842 ! Mau,
9000 ft., Battiscombe, 285 !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Kilimanjaro, 8300-11,000 ft.,
Johnston, 37 ! Ehlers, 26. Marangu, 5600-8850 ft., Volkens, 712 ! 870 ! 984 !
Kinga Mountains, 6550 ft., Goetze, 902. Nyasaland ; near Soche Hill, 3000 ft.,
Kirk ! Nyika Plateau, 6000-7000 ft., Whyte !

45. MON 0CYMBXUM, Stapf.

Spikelets 2-nate, those of each pair differing in sex and structure
otherwise alike in shape, one sessile, the other pedicelled on
the articulate fragile rhachis of many- jointed solitary racemes,
terminating the culms and their branches ; each raceme sup-
ported by a spatheole and forming with it a monostachyum ;
monostachya collected into loose spatheate panicles ; the fertile
spikelets falling with the adjacent joint and the accompanying
pedicel ; joints and pedicels finely filiform with truncate tips.
Florets 2, lower reduced to an empty valve, upper ^ in the sessile
spikelets, $ in the pedicelled. Sessile spikelets dorsally flattened
with rounded sides, awned ; callus short and obtuse, indistinctly
marked off from the lower glume, obscurely bearded. Glumes
subequal, thinly cartilaginous, the lower obtuse, with narrow in-
volute margins, not or very obscurely keeled near the tips, the upper
boat-shaped, rounded on the back, laterally compressed and keeled
in the upper third, usually aristulate, 3-nerved. Valve of the lower
floret hyaline, ciliate, of the upper eciliate, deeply 2-fid with a hyaline
base, margins and lobes, otherwise cartilaginous, eciliate, delicately
awned from between the lobes. Valvule 0. Lodicules 2, minute,
cuneiform, glabrous. Stamens 3. Stigmas laterally exserted ;
styles terminal. Grain oblong, dorsally slightly compressed ; embryo

387

Monocymbium.] clvii. gramine^e (Stapf).

about half the length of the grain. Pedicelled spikelets in outline
and size very similar to the sessile, but mutinous. Valves of both
florets developed, hyaline, or the upper more frequently suppressed.
— A perennial grass with the coloured cymbiform spatheoles of a
Hyparrhenia of the Cymbaria group, but easily recognized by its
solitary racemes.

Species 1, throughout Tropical and South Africa.

( ju**)

1. M. ceresiiforme^ Stapf. Perennial, mostly densely csespitose,
1-4 ft. high, with intravaginal innovations. Culms erect, rarely
ascending from a geniculate or subprostrate base, slender, 6- or
more-noded and simple below the panicle, very rarely with leafy
branches from the lowest nodes (specimens with a geniculate or
prostrate base), glabrous, smooth. Leaf -sheaths terete, tight, gla-
brous or hairy to villous, the lowest longer than or as long as the
internodes, the remainder distinctly shorter ; ligules short to very
short, rounded or truncate ; blades linear from an equally wide base,
tapering to an acute point, 2-6 in. by 1-2 J lin., flat, more or less
erect and rather firm, glabrous or hirsute to villous, pale green,
often at length turning red, midrib white above, slender, primary
lateral nerves about 3 on each side. Spatheate panicle narrow, very
loose, up to 1J ft. long, often much reduced, primary internodes in
strong specimens up to about 7, the lowest 3-4 in. long, rarely
longer, the following very gradually decreasing ; primary branches
forming 5-1 -rayed more or less distant tiers ; lower tiers often with
a compound 1-2-noded ray, all other rays simple, finely filiform,
more or less hairy upwards and bearded at the tips, those of the
lower tiers usually very unequal and up to 3 or 4 or more in. long,
of the upper more or less equal ; lower subtending leaves like the
preceding ones, but with more reduced blades ; the sheaths of the
following more or less spathaceous, but narrow with rudimentary
setaceous blades, the uppermost spatheoloid. Spatheoles narrowly
and permanently cymbiform, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, acutely
acuminate, 10-20 lin. by 1-2 lin. (in profile), scarious, glabrous,
reddish, purplish to dark brown, often brilliantly coloured ; peduncles
very short, permanently enclosed in the spatheole, slightly hairy
upwards. Racemes somewhat secund and usually so enclosed in
the spatheoles that only the pedicelled spikelets are exserted, more
rarely the upper part or the whole of the raceme protruding laterally,

7- 8 lin. long, 6-8-awned ; joints and pedicels about § lin. long. Sessile
spikelets oblong, 1 J-2 lin. long, straw-coloured or tinged with brown,
hairy to villous or glabrescent, hairs white. Lower glume delicately

8- nerved, the 2 outermost nerves close, the following short, evanescent
below the middle, the 2 innermost percurrent, middle nerve 0 ; upper
glume slightly longer, bristle up to 3 lin. long, rarely absent. Lower
floret. : valve lanceolate-oblong, obscurely 2-nerved or nerveless, up
to 2 lin. long. Upper floret : valve linear-cuneate, 2-fid to almost

388 clvii. gramine^e (Stapf). [Monocymbium.

the middle, up to I2 lift, long, lobes linear-lanceolate acute , awn
fine, 5-7 lin. long, kneed at and twisted below the middle ; column
dark scabrid, bristle paler, minutely scaberulous. Anthers 1 lin.
long’ Grain oblong, | lin. long. Pedicelled spikelets : lower glume
much firmer than that of the sessile spikelets, subobtuse, finely and
unequally 7-11-nerved, upper not compressed upwards, 3-5-7-
nerved * lower valve ovate-oblong to oblong, acute, o-nerved,
upper if present narrower, 1-nerved. — Andropogon ceresiaiformis,
Nees FI. Afr. Austr. 109; Steud. Syn. PL Glum. 1. 383; Hack,
in Hook Ic PL 1. 1870, and in DC. Monogr. Phan. vi. 398 ; Durand
& Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 708; Franch. in Bull Soc Hist.
Nat. Autun, viii. 20 (of reprint) ; Rendle m Cat. Afr PL Wei w. 11.
145 ; Cheval. Sudania, 77 ; Eyles in Trans. Pov. Soc. S. Afr. v. 295.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea: Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 511 ! Togo : Agome
Mountains, Baumann, 346 ! Northern Nigeria : Abinsi, Dalziel, 893 ! Jeba,
Barter ! Lokoja, Dalziel, 284 ! confluence of Niger and Benue Rivers, BarUr .

North Central. Middle Oubangui : confluence with the Kemo River, Cheva-

lipr I

Lower Guinea. French Congo: Brazzaville, Chevalier, 11246 ! Mpila,
Tholloa, 47 ! Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool District, Gillet, 2304 . north 01 the
lower Kasai river, Luja, 198 ! Angola : Benguella ; in loose sandy soil at
Gampulna, Gossweiler, 2788 ! Country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas,
Gossweiler, 4074 ! Huilla ; Humpata District, Serra de Oahuia, Weluntsch,

2 Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Kyimbila ; Mabifa Mountains,

1 ft Stop 2640 » Nyasaland : between Kondowe and Karonga, 14 hyte .
Shire Highlands, Buchanan, 16 ! Mount Mlanje, Adamson 405 ! 422 ! Rho-
desia : Salisbury and Inyanga District, Mundy ! M rewa, Appleton, 33 !

Also found in South Africa from North Transvaal to Pondoland in Natal.

Hackel l.c., 399, describes 2 vars., breviaristatus and submuticus, based on
Schweinfurth 2261 and 2191 respectively, which are stated to differ from the
usual form in having the bristle of the upper glume and the awn of the upper
floret of the sessile spikelet either reduced ( breviaristatus ) or quite suppressed
(submuticus). Intermediate conditions, however occur m tne same raceme,
hence it is hardly necessary to distinguish these forms as varieties, ^hwein-
furth 2261 was collected at Gir, 111 Bongoland, and 2191 near Ghatta s Seriba
in Jur ; a var. hirtellus described by Franchet, l.c., and collected near Brazza-
ville by Thollon and again by Chevalier, appears to be merely a depauperated
state ; the same applies to Chevalier’s plant from the Upper Oubangui.

46. ANADELPHIA, Hack, in Engl. Jahrb. vi. 240.

Spikelets 2-nate, those of each pair differing in sex and in shape
(slightly) and structure, one sessile, the other pedicelled (rarely
solitary and accompanied by an empty pedicel) on the articulate
fragile rhachis of 1- to many-jomted solitary racemes, terminating
the culms and their branches ; each raceme supported by a spatheoie
and forming with it a monostachyum ; monostachya collected into
a spatheate panicle ; the fertile spikelets falling with the adjacent
ioint (if any) and the accompanying pedicel ; joints and pedicels
very finely filiform, with truncate tips. Florets 2, lower reduced
to an empty valve, upper ^ in the sessile spikelets, $ or neater

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389

Anadelphia.] clvii. gramine^e (Stapf).

in the pedicelled. Sessile spikelets snbterete or when mature
quite terete, rarely distinctly compressed from the back when in
flower ; callus short or more or less elongated and very acute,
shortly bearded. Glumes subequal, coriaceous to subcoriaceous
downwards ; the lower 2-dentate or 2-mucronate with involute
margins up to two-thirds or more, then finely keeled, the upper
boat-shaped, rounded on the back, keeled, usually minutely emar-
ginate and with a fine bristle from the notch, 3-nerved. Valve of
lower floret hyaline, ciliate, of upper eciliate, more or less 2-fid,
with the base, margins and lobes hyaline, awned from between the
lobes, awn distinctly differentiated into column and bristle. Lodi-
cules 2, minute, glabrous. Stamens 3. Stigmas laterally exserted ;
styles terminal, united at the base. Grain subterete to terete,
shortly beaked from the persistent style-base ; scutellum half the
length of the grain. Pedicelled spikelets similar in outline to the
sessile, but acuminate and usually somewhat longer, often with an
elongated callus ; lower glume with or without a terminal bristle,
upper always muticous. Valves of both florets developed, hyaline,
rarely the upper suppressed. — Perennial (? always) grasses with
narrow blades and narrow stiff and contracted or open and more or
less flaccid spatheate panicles.

Species 9, endemic in West Africa.

* Upper glume of sessile spikelet aristulate ; awn of fertile
floret 4-18 (rarely 21) lin. long.

Racemes reduced to a single pair of spikelets ; panicle
decompound, lax and flaccid ; upper simple rays
6-3 lin. long ; peduncle at maturity shorter (4-44
lin. long) than the spatheole ; spikelets small
(sessile 2 lin., pedicelled up to 3 lin. long) ; awn
of fertile floret 10 lin. long .. . ... ... ... 1. A. trepidaria.

Racemes of 1-5 sessile and as many (or more by 1 ) pedi-
celled spikelets (or empty pedicels) ; if only 1
sessile spikelet then the peduncle more or less
(often far) exserted from the spatheole.
tSessile spikelets 2-24 lin., pedicelled 2-3 lin. long ;
awn of fertile floret 4-7 lin. long.

Sessile spikelets glabrous and glossy except on
the callus and acumen ; simple rays 6-12 lin.
long ; spatheoles 7-10 lin. long.

Peduncles at maturity more or less exserted
terminally from the spatheole ; racemes
with 1-4 sessile spikelets.

Panicle decompound, lax and flaccid ; rays
and peduncles capillary or almost so, the
latter 10-16 lin. long ; awn 4-6 lin. long,
pale brown, almost concolorous ; blades
of upper leaves 2-2^ lin. wide, slightly
contracted and rounded at the base ... 2. A. leptocoma. ^

Panicle less compound, stiff and contracted ;
rays and peduncles finely filiform ,the latter
9-12 lin. long ; awn 7 lin. long, column dark
brown ; blades of upper leaves not quite
1 lin. wide, passing gradually into the base 3. A. lenui folia. Y

390

CLVIl. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[. Anadelphia .

Peduncles very short (3 lin. long when in
flower) ; panicle narrow and stiff, all the
tiers distant and scanty ; racemes with
3-5 sessile spikelets ; awn very delicate,
concolorous, 5 lin. long ; upper leaf-blades
very long and narrow ... ... ... 4. A. long i folia.

Sessile spikelets pubescent ; simple rays 48-24 lin.
long, the outermost of some tiers frequently
barren, with crowded short normal leaves,
hence the panicle interspersed with leaf -tufts
(anomalous?) ... ... ... ... ... 5. A. pubiglumis. ^

f f Sessile spikelets 2^-4 lin., pedicelled 3|~6 lin. long ;
awn of fertile floret 8-21 lin. long ; racemes
always with 2 sessile and 3 pedicelled spikelets.

Peduncle as long as to much longer than the spa-
theole ; awn about 8 lin. long with an
abruptly deflexed bristle ... 6. A. Jiamata.

Peduncle very much shorter (2-3| lin. long) than
and permanently enclosed, in the spatheole ;
awns 1-2 in. long.

Sparingly hairy to glabrous ; the awned valve

shortly 2-lobed or 2-toothed ... ... 7. A. arrecta. ^

Very hairy all over ; the awned valve 2-fid to

the middle 8. A. afzeliana . \/

**Upper glume of sessile spikelet without a bristle, 3-den-
tate ; awn 3 in. long ; racemes with 7 sessile and
2 pedicelled spikelets ... ... 9. A. trispieulata.

1. A. trepidaria^ Stapf. Perennial (?). Culms slender, terete or
somewhat compressed near the base, 3-noded below the panicle.
Leaf-sheaths tight, finely striate, gradually passing into the blades,
up to over 1 in. long, the lower purplish ; ligules very short, rounded,
ciliolate ; blades narrowly linear, long-tapering to a setaceous point,
1J-5 in. long, \ lin. wide, flaccid, flat or involute, minutely papillose
near the base, otherwise glabrous, smooth below, midrib wide and
whitish above, very slender and prominent below, primary lateral
nerves 2 on each side, very fine. Spatheate panicle loose, decom-
pound to the third degree, J-l ft. by 2-4 in. or more or less reduced
and then usually narrow ; primary internodes up to 7 or 8, lowest
about 3J in. long, the following gradually decreasing ; primary tiers
up to 5-rayed, their rays very unequal and (except those of the
uppermost) usually all compound, the longest of the lower tiers up
to over 6 in. long, flexuous to flaccid, with up to 7 secondary mixed
4- or f ewer-rayed tiers, their compound rays bearing 3-1 tertiary
tiers of up to 4 simple rays ; ultimate (simple) rays subcapillary,
6-3 lin. long, asperulous ; lower subtending leaves like the pre-
ceding ones with subfiliform blades often 4-6 in. long, the upper
with very narrow spathaceous sheaths and rapidly reduced or
(the uppermost) suppressed blades. Spatheoles very narrow,
scarious, J-f- in. long, pale brown or purplish, usually with a few
long fine tubercle-based hairs ; peduncles at length up to 4 lin. long,
enclosed in the spathe or their tips laterally exserted, scaberulous,

y & } Vt> 4 .- ;. , e / 4- >'• • £ "l u <t , ■

t * + &!'" ycu- ^ ^

°j ~ (pjy^, ■ : u- -

Anadelphia.] clvii. gramine;e (Stapf). 391

Racemes reduced to a sessile and a pedicelled spikelet ; pedicel
finely filiform, shortly ciliate, 14 lin. long. Sessile spikelet narrowly
lanceolate, up to 2 lin. long, including the short bearded callus.
Glumes subequal, acuminate, glabrous below the puberulous or
scaberulous acumen or quite glabrous except for the short scabrid
keels ; lower chartaceous, 2-mucronate or 2-aristuiate, very finely
5-7-nerved, somewhat flat on the back, but with the sides rounded ;
upper glume lanceolate, subtruncate, 1-3-nerved, with a very fine
bristle about 3 lin. long. Lower floret reduced to an oblong very
obtuse hyaline nerveless or very obscurely 2-nerved valve, 1 \ lin.
long, ciliate upwards. Upper floret ^ : valve lanceolate, 2-fid
to about the middle, 1 lin. long, awn about 10 lin. long, fine, scaberu-
lous, kneed at and twisted below the middle ; valvule 0. Anthers
purple, 1 J lin. long. Pedicelled spikelet £ or barren, narrowly lanceo -
late, acuminate, 2 J-3 lin. long ; glumes very similar, the lower 7-9-
nerved, the upper 5-nerved ; lower valve 3-nerved, upper, if
present, narrowly linear-lanceolate, very acute, 1-nerved, ciliate,
awnless, up to 1 lin. long. — Andro'pogon trepidarius, Stapf in Journ.
de Bot. xix. 100.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 524 ! 531 !

2. A. leptocoma }/KStapf.^ Perennial, innovations intra vaginal.
Culms up to 5 ft. high, erect, glabrous, many-noded below the
panicle. Leaf -sheaths somewhat compressed, keeled and loose,
very firm, glabrous ; ligule reduced to a ciliolate rim ; blades linear,
from an equally wide slightly rounded base, long-tapering, 8-12 in.
long by 2-24 lin., convolute in bud, then flat, somewhat rigid, green,
at length brownish, glabrous or hairy above the ligule, smooth,
scabrid along the margins, midrib slender, prominent below. Spa-
theate panicle subfoliate, loose, decompound to the third degree,
up to over 1 ft. long and 5 in. wide ; primary internodes 4-5, the
lowest 3-4 in. long, the following gradually decreasing ; primary
tiers of 4-6 mostly compound and very unequal rays, the longest
of the lower tiers bearing 7-5 mixed and up to 6-rayed secondary
tiers, their compound rays with up to 4 3-2-rayed tertiary tiers ;
ultimate rays subcapillary, f-J in. long, more or less flexuous, at
length slightly arched or straight ; subtending leaves like the pre-
ceding ones with well-developed blades (of the lowest up to over
3 in. by 2| lin.), but gradually shorter upwards. Spatheoles very
narrow, acute, scarious, 7-10 lin. long, reddish, glabrous ; peduncles
at length exserted by 3-6 lin., capillary, glabrous, very slightly
thickened at the tips. Racemes up to 6 lin. long, lax, with 1-4
sessile and as many pedicelled spikelets or with an additional but
rudimentary terminal pedicelled spikelet or barren pedicel ; joints
subcapillary, 1J-1 lin. long, shortly ciliate ; pedicels very similar,
shorter. Sessile spikelets narrowly linear-lanceolate, 2-2 \ lin. long,

392

CLVII. GEAMINE^: (Stapf).

[Anadelphia.

including the callus ; callus short, acute, with a white or pale-
fulvous beard of its own length. Glumes equal, acuminate, glabrous
below the scaberulous acumen ; lower thinly coriaceous, 2-toothed,
4-5-nerved, the nerves running into the scaberulous keels distinct,
the others very faint, back slightly convex, smooth, scaberulous
upwards ; upper glume linear-oblong, firmly membranous, obscurely
2-toothed, with a fine bristle 2-2-| lin. long from between the teeth,

1 -nerved, glabrous. Lower floret reduced to a linear-lanceolate
acute hyaline nerveless valve, almost as long as the glumes. Upper
floret 1J-1-2 lin. long : valve linear-oblong, 2-fid to one-third or
half, lobes acute, glabrous ; awn very fine, 4-6 lin. long, kneed and
twisted below the middle, column brown, scaberulous like the
paler bristle ; valvule 0. Anthers f-1 lin. long. Pedicelled spikelets
similar to the sessile, but the lower glume 7-9-nerved and the
upper muticous or sometimes obscurely setigerous, 3-5-nerved ; upper
valve entire, awnless, 1 -nerved. — Anadelphia virgata, Hack, in Engl.
Jahrb. vi. 241. Andropogon leptocomus, Trin. in Mem. Acad. Petersb.
6me ser. ii. 261 ; Hack, in Naumann, Reise d. Gazelle, iv. Bot.
t. 2, fig. 2 ; Stapf in Johnston, Liberia, ii. 666. A. tenuiflorus ,
Stapf in Journ. de Bot. xix. 103.

Lower Guinea. Sierra Leone, Blyth ! Liberia : Monrovia, Naumann, 28 !
Dinklage, 1770 ! 2512 !

Hackel, in DC. Monogr. Phan. vi. 396, has suggested that this may be
Diectomis fasciculata, Beauv., Agrost. Expl. planch. 15, t. xxiii. fig. 6. Whilst
the figure leaves no doubt as to its generic identity, the identification of the
species is somewhat uncertain. Assuming, however, that Beauvois’ figure
represents a part of a panicle, magnified about 2-2^ times, as is very likely,
and allowing for a certain heaviness of the engraving and an exaggeration of
the dentation of the glumes, the resemblance to A. leptocoma is indeed very
great. Unfortunately Beauvois’ specimen seems to have been lost.

3. A. tenuifolia, Stapf. Perennial (?). Culms (base unknown)
up to over 3 ft. high, slender, terete, erect, firm, glabrous. Leaf-
sheaths (upper) terete, tight, firm, glabrous ; ligules reduced to a
ciliolate rim ; blades filiform-linear, passing gradually at the base into
the sheath or narrower than the same, up to 6 in. by less than 1 lin.,
flexuous, hirsute towards and bearded at the base, otherwise glabrous,
slightly rough above and on the margins upwards, midrib prominent
below, whitish above, lateral nerves close and more or less prominent.
Spatheate panicle narrow, erect, compound with very few or no
branches of the third order, up to over 1J ft. by lJ-2^ in. ; primary
internodes 8-9, the lowest up to over 5 in. long, the following gradually
decreasing ; primary tiers of up to 4 very unequal rays or the
lowest 1 or 2 branches undivided at the base, the longest rays of the
lower tiers almost up to 1 ft. long, suberect, very slender, bearing
5-7 secondary tiers of up to 4 nearly always simple rays, these like
all the upper simple rays £-§ (rarely 1) in. long, finely filiform, scabe-
rulous, not or very shortly exserted from their spathes ; lowest

Anadelphia.] clvit. gramine/e (Stapf). 393

subtending leaves like the preceding ones but with more filiform
and shorter blades, these rapidly decreasing upwards and becoming
almost setaceous. Spatheol.es very narrow, acute, scarious, 8-9
lin. long, reddish, ' glabrous, early tightly in rolled ; peduncles at
length exserted by 1-3 (rarely more) lin., very finely filiform,
scaberulous upwards with slightly thickened tips. Racemes up to
4 lin. long, lax with 1 or 2 sessile and 1-3 pedicelled spikelets or
barren pedicels ; joints subcapillary, 1 to almost 2 lin. long, very
shortly ciliate ; pedicels similar, sometimes more or less reduced and
quite barren. Sessile spikelets linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 2-2^
lin. long, including the short subacute pale and short-bearded callus.
Glumes equal, acuminate, glabrous and smooth except for the short
scaberulous keels ; lower subcoriaceous, sharply 2-toothed, very
faintly 7-9-nerved ; upper lanceolate-oblong, somewhat thinner,
obscurely notched with a fine bristle not much over 1 lin. long,
3-nerved. Lower floret reduced to an oblong obtuse nerveless
ciliate purple hyaline valve. Upper floret 1 lin. long : valve
2-fid to the middle, lobes lanceolate, acute, eciliate ; awn very fine,
about 7-8 lin. long, kneed at and twisted below the middle, column
dark, bristle pale, scaberulous ; valvule 0. Grain linear-oblong in
outline, dorsally more or less compressed, 1 lin. long, deep purple
to almost black. Pedicelled spikelets $ or neuter, similar to the
sessile but slightly longer and acutely to setaceously acuminate,
lower glume 7-9-, upper 5-3-nerved : both valves purple, very
narrow.

Upper Guinea. Futa Jallon : in damp places near Timbo, Pobeguin, 1788 !
1789 !

4. A. longifolia, Stapf. Perennial (?). Culms (base unknown)
up to 3 ft. high, erect, slightly compressed, particularly in the upper
part of the internodes, firm, glabrous, very smooth, glossy, pale, if
not whitish-pruinose below the nodes. Leaf- sheaths (upper) slightly
compressed and keeled upwards, tight, firm, glabrous ; ligules very
short, truncate, ciliolate ; blades erect, narrowly linear, passing
gradually into the sheath, up to over 1 ft. by 1-1J lin., rather rigid
and firm, with some soft long hairs above the "ligules, otherwise
glabrous, smooth or almost so except in the upper part where they
are more or less rough on the face and the margins, midrib slender,
prominent below, lateral nerves fine, close, numerous. Spatheate
panicle narrow, erect, stiff, compound, with very few branches of
the third order, up to almost 2 ft. by 2-3 in., primary internodes
about 10, the lowest 4-4 J in. long, the following gradually decreasing ;
primary tiers of up to 3, rarely 4, very unequal rays or the lowest
branches undivided at the base, the longest up to | ft. long, erect,
slender, bearing about 6 distant secondary tiers of usually 2 unequal
rays (sometimes one of them compound in the lowest part of
the panicle, 2-noded) ; ultimate (simple) rays enclosed in or shortly

394 clvii. GRAMINE^: (Stapf). [ Anadelphia .

exserted from their spathes, filiform, smooth, 1-| in. long ; lowest
subtending leaves like the preceding ones, with well developed blades
up to 6 in. by over 1 lin., these rapidly decreasing in the following
leaves. Spatheoles very narrow, acute, 8-10 lin. long, herbaceous
to scarious, reddish, glabrous, obliquely spreading ; peduncle finely
filiform, scaberulous upwards, about 3 lin. long when flowering.
Racemes up to 5 or 6 lin. long, lax, with 3-5 sessile and as many pedi-
celled spikelets or pedicels ; joints subcapillary, 1 lin. long, shortly
ciliate ; pedicels similar, if not more slender. Sessile spikelets
linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 2-2J lin. long, including the short
subacute sparingly bearded callus. Glumes equal, acuminate,
glabrous and smooth except for the minutely scaberulous tips, keels
short, very fine ; lower subcoriaceous, 2-toothed, 7-nerved, upper
lanceolate-oblong, somewhat thinner, passing into a fine bristle
up to 1 lin. long, 3-nerved. Lower floret reduced to an oblong obtuse
faintly 2-nerved or nerveless ciliate hyaline colourless valve. Upper
floret 1J lin. long ; valve shortly 2-fid, lobes lanceolate, acute,
eciliate ; awn capillary, 5 lin. long, more or less bent at and twisted
below the middle, straw-coloured throughout ; valvule 0. Anthers
1 lin. long. Pedicelled spikelets similar to the sessile but slightly
longer and acutely long-acuminate, lower glume 7-9-, upper 3-5-
nerved ; both valves colourless, the lower sub-3-nerved ; the upper
1 -nerved and minutely mucronulate ; anthers as in the sessile
spikelets.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Baffing valley, Pobeguin, 1789 bis !

5. A. pubiglumis, Stapf. Perennial (?). Culms (base unknown)
terete, glabrous, smooth, internodes usually conspicuously exserted.
Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, glabrous, or hirsute upwards with tubercle-
based hairs, smooth ; ligules truncate, hyaline, J lin. long ; blades
linear from an equally wide base, tapering to an acute sometimes very
fine point, glabrous or sparingly hirsute below, margins cartilaginous,
smooth except towards the tips, midrib slender, lateral nerves ob-
scure or 1 or 2 on each side, more or less raised. Spatheate panicle
contracted, erect, stiff, over 1 ft. long, made up of branches the
lowest of which are undivided at the base or like the following may
form 2-4-rayed distant often mixed tiers ; compound rays with few
very scanty tiers ; simple rays often very long (up to 4 in.), filiform,
erect, smooth to near the tips, the outermost (abaxial) often re-
placed (abnormally) by a barren branch with crowded normal leaves,
hence the panicle is interspersed with leaf-tufts ; subtending leaves
like the preceding leaves with well-developed blades and upwards
more inflated spathaceous sheaths. Spatheoles subherbaceous,
1 J-lf in. long, lanceolate, long-attenuated into a fine point, glabrous,
dull or glaucous, purplish or reddish ; peduncles filiform, enclosed
in the spatheole, J-l lin. long, slightly rough above, with truncate

Anadelfhia.] clvii. graminea; (Stapf). 395

tips, showing a small circular scar. Racemes laterally shortly ex-
serted, extremely fragile, up to 10 lin. long, consisting of up to 5
sessile and 6 pedicelled spikelets ; joints filiform, the lowest rather
stout, up to 5 lin. (normally ?), the others more slender, shortly
densely and equally ciliate along the sides, tips truncate with a
circular rim ; pedicels similar to the adjacent joints, but the lower
at least usually shorter. Sessile spikelets lanceolate, including the
very short obtuse and minutely bearded callus 2 lin. or the lowest
(normally ?) up to 4 lin. long, pubescent. Glumes equal ; lower
minutely 2-dentate or 2-mucronate, convex on the back, more or
less pubescent, sometimes at length glabrescent, chartaceous,
7- or upwards 9-nerved, faint, sides involute, shortly keeled towards
the tips, keels scaberulous ; upper thinner, minutely emarginate or
almost entire, with a fine bristle from the apex, loosely pubescent,
ciliolate, 3-nerved, finely keeled upwards, keels scaberulous. Lower
floret reduced to an oblong obtuse hyaline obscurely 2-nerved
ciliate valve. Upper floret Q : valve oblong, 1J lin. long, 2-fid
almost to the middle, very firm below, with the exception of the
hyaline margins, 1-nerved ; awn up to over 10 lin. long, kneed at
and twisted below the middle, minutely white-ciliate, column almost
black, bristle straw-coloured ; valvule 0. Anthers 1 J lin. long. Pedi-
celled spikelet similar to the sessile, the lowest not over 3 lin. long ;
lower glume 9-1 1-nerved, upper very acute, without a mucro,
5-7-nerved ; valves as in the sessile spikelet, but the lower 3-nerved
and the upper hyaline, acute, entire and awnless.

Upper Guinea. Southern Nigeria : Lagos ; Bere, MacGregor, 57 !

All the material available (about a dozen pieces) is in an abnormal condition
(prolification probably due to insect action). The replacement of the outer-
most simple rays of many tiers by contracted leafy branches is certainly an
anomalous feature. On the other hand it is doubtful how far the elongation
of the simple rays and the basal joints of the raceme and the enlargement of the
lowest sessile spikelets are due to the same cause, although they seem to be
affected. The spikelets described above are otherwise to all appearance
normal, and by themselves are sufficient to characterize the species as distinct
from the remainder of the genus.

6. A. hamata, Staff. Perennial (?). Culms (only the upper
parts known) slender, terete, glabrous and smooth, internodes long-
exserted. Leaf-sheaths terete, somewhat tight, glabrous or pubescent
towards the mouth, smooth : ligules truncate, up to J lin. long ;
blades linear, tapering to a fine point, flat, up to 1 lin. wide, dull
green, flaccid, softly hairy all over, midrib and nerves very fine,
the latter numerous and raised above. Spatheate panicle made up
of few distant flowering branches, the lowest undivided at the base,
4-6 in. long, filiform and flexuous, 2-noded, 1 -rayed from the lower
node or like the following forming 2-4-rayed tiers ; all the rays simple,
very unequal, of the lowest tiers up to 2| in., of the upper f~lj in.
long ; subtending leaves like the preceding ones with well developed

396 clvii. gkamine^ (Stapf). [ Anadelphia .

upwards decreasing blades. Spatheoles very narrow, subacute,
about 1 in. long, herbaceous, tightly inrolled ; peduncles as long as
the spathe or conspicuously exserted, puberulous upwards with very
oblique tips. Racemes 9-10 lin. long, of 2 sessile and 3 pedicelled
spikelets ; joint and pedicels filiform, densely and shortly ciliate
on both sides, 2 to over 2.4 lin. long. Sessile spikelets linear-lanceo-
late or linear-oblong, including the callus, which is 1 lin. long and very
shortly bearded on both sides and a part of the back, 3-31 lin. long,
glabrous, greenish. Glumes equal ; the lower minutely 2-toothed,
keels scabrid upwards, nerves 6-7, fine ; the upper oblong,
emarginate, with a fine bristle 3-4 lin. long from the notch, slightly
keeled, ciliate. Lower floret reduced to an oblong obtuse hyaline
obscurely 2-nerved valve, almost as long as the glumes. Upper
floret ^ : valve linear-cuneate, 2-fid to one-third, 1 -nerved, lobes
lanceolate-acute ; awn very slender, about 8 lin. long, pale straw-
coloured, kneed at and twisted below the middle, column asperulous,
bristle abruptly deflexed. Pedicelled spikelets very similar to
the sessile, if not slightly longer ; lower glume produced into a
minute bristle, 9-nerved, upper slightly shorter, 5-nerved; valves
similar to those of the sessile spikelet, but the upper entire
and awnless ; anthers 1 J lin. long.

Lower Guinea. French Guinea : French Congo, without precise locality,
collector not stated .

(Sfef/)

7. A. arrecta ^Stapf. Perennial, up to 12 ft. high (Hens). Culms
simple and erect, glabrous, usually pruinose or finely pubescent near
the nodes, 4-many-noded (?) below the panicle. Leaf-sheaths
tight, glabrous or more or less hairy upwards, sometimes finely
pubescent at the base ; ligules very short, rounded or truncate,
ciliolate, decurrent on the sheath ; blades narrowly linear from an
equally wide base, long-attenuated to a setaceous point, rather firm,
up to 10 in. long by 2 lin. wide, flat, loosely hirsute, particularly
towards the junction with the sheath, or glabrous, scabrid along
the margins, midrib rather wide on the upper side, slender below,
lateral* nerves fine and close. Spatheate panicle erect, compound
to the second degree, more or less contracted, up to over 1 J ft. long ;
primary internodes 6-10, lowest rarely over 5 in. long, the following at
first gradually, then rapidly decreasing, the upper usually scaberulous
or very finely pubescent upwards and shortly bearded at the nodes ;
primary tiers up to 4-rayed (the lowest branch often undivided at
the base, up to over 1 ft. long and up to 7-noded), rays very unequal
and except the uppermost usually all mixed, their compound rays
with 3-1 (simple) -rayed secondary tiers : ultimate rays finely filiform,
slightly thickened and rough towards the unilaterally bearded
tips, those of the lower tiers up to 2 in., of the uppermost in.
long ; lower subtending leaves like the preceding ones with long
blades, the latter rapidly decreasing and finally quite suppressed

Anadel'phia.'] clvii. gramineje (Stapf). 397

in the upper part of the panicle, uppermost spathes therefore quite
spatheoloid. Spatheoles linear-lanceolate, acute, 1 in. long, sub-
herbaceous, greenish-brown or glaucous and purplish, glabrous or
very sparingly hairy ; peduncles densely puberulous upwards, much
shorter than and enclosed in the spatheole, on maturity 2|-4 lin.
long. Kacemes of 2 sessile and 3 pedicelled spikelets, about 7-9
lin. long ; joint and pedicels filiform, shortly ciliate on both sides,
glabrous on the back, about 2-2 lin. long. Sessile spikelet linear-
oblong, 2J-3 lin. long including the callus, glabrous, pale to chestnut-
brown and glossy below the middle, pale green above ; callus almost
pungent, f-1 lin. long and very densely silky bearded. Glumes equal ;
lower coriaceous, linear-oblong, truncate, sides obtusely rounded
to far beyond the middle, then scaberulously and finely keeled,
6-7-nerved, nerves slender but distinct ; upper glume linear-oblong,
obtuse or slightly emarginate, with a bristle up to 6-7 lin. long,
3-nerved, margins finely ciliate. Lower floret reduced to a narrowly
oblong hyaline 2 -nerved ciliate valve as long as the glumes. Upper
floret : valve linear, oblong-cuneate, shortly 2-lobed, under 2 lin.
long, glabrous, awn comparatively stout, 1-1 J in. long, kneed at the
middle, column twisted, dark brown, scabrid, bristle yellowish ;
valvule 0. Anthers l-l7f lin. long. Pedicelled spikelets or
barren, very narrowly linear-lanceolate, long-acuminate, 4-6 lin.
long, glabrous ; glumes subequal, thinly coriaceous, each passing
into a mucro or short bristle ; lower 7-9-nerved, upper somewhat
shorter, 3-5-nerved ; valves linear-oblong, acute, ciliate, lower
faintly 3-nerved, upper if present 1 -nerved. — Andropogon anectus,
Stapf in Journ. de Bot. xix. 101. A. glaucopurpureus, Stapf, l.e. 102.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Futa Jallon ; between Soumbalako and
Boulivel, Chevalier, 18665 ! Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 519 ! 520 ! Baffing Valley,
Pobeguin, 1784 bis ! Timbo, Pobeguin, 1794 ! 1795 ! Sierra Leone : Jigaya,
Thomas , 2487 ! Gold Coast : North-west Axim ; Kikum, fresh water grass
swamps, Chipp, 311 ! Dahomey, Dubard ! Southern Nigeria: Lagos, Mac-
Gregor, 320 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool, in dry sandy places, Hens,
B. 76!

8. A. afzeliana. Stapf. Perennial. Culms between 2 and 3 ft.
high, rather stout below, terete, glabrous, 5-6-noded, with some
barren branches from the lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths terete, softly
hairy to villous with the exception of the glabrous base above the
bearded internodes ; ligules very short, truncate, glabrous ; blades
linear from an equally wide base, long-tapering to a fine point, up
to 7 or 8 in. long and over 2 lin. wide (flattened out), softly hirsute
to villous on both sides, midrib white, slender below, wider above,
lateral nerves numerous and close. Spatheate panicle very scanty,
narrow, up to almost 1 ft. long ; primary internodes about 4, the
lowest up to 4 in. long, the following very gradually decreasing ;
primary tiers (the lowest branch sometimes undivided at the base)

398

clyii. gramineje (Stapf). [Anadelphia.

2- 3-rayed, compound rays, if any, up to 3-noded, very slender,
flexuous and suberect ; simple rays up to 2 or even 2-| in. long, very
fine ; subtending leaves like the preceding ones with upwards rapidly
reduced blades. Spatheoles narrowly lanceolate, acute, 9-10 lin.
long, subherbaceous, sparingly hairy, suffused with purple ; ped-
uncles 3-5 lin. long, enclosed in the spatheole, pubescent. Racemes
laterally exserted from the middle of the spatheole, consisting of
2 sessile and 3 pedicelled spikelets ; joint and pedicels filiform,
about 2 lin. long, densely silky. Sessile spikelets linear-oblong,
up to 2J lin. long, including the callus, which is up to J lin. long and
silky-bearded. Glumes equal ; lower truncate, coriaceous, brown,
convex and smooth on the back, pale and scaberulous or puber-
ulous at the tips, indistinctly 7-nerved, sides rounded far beyond
the middle, then keeled, keels scabrid ; upper glume oblong, trun-
cate to subemarginate, slightly keeled upwards, 3- to sub-5-nerved,
ciliate, with a terminal bristle 4-5 lin. long. Lower floret reduced
to an oblong obtuse hyaline sub-2-nerved upwards ciliate valve,
2 lin. long. Upper floret ^ : valve linear-cuneate, 2-fid to the
middle, with acute narrow lobes ; awn 1-lf in. long, kneed and
twisted below the middle, column brown, scaberulous, bristle some-
what paler. Anthers 1 lin. long. Pedicelled spikelet very
narrowly linear-lanceolate, long and finely acuminate, 3J-4 lin.
long ; glumes subequal, lower 7-10-nerved, upper slightly shorter,

3- 5-nerved, delicately ciliate ; lower valve 2J lin. long, like that of
the lower floret in the sessile spikelet ; anthers 2 lin. long. — Andro -
pogon qfzelianus, Rendle in Journ. Bot. 1893, 357. A. eriocoleus,
K. Schum. in Engl. Jahrb. xxiv. 329.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Regent, Scott Elliot, 4108 ! and without
precise locality, Afzelhis !

9. A. trispiculata, Stapf. Culms (only the upper parts known)
terete, glabrous and smooth. Leaf -sheaths terete, glabrous, smooth,
tight ; ligules membranous, rounded, very short ; blades narrowly
linear, tapering to an acute point, not quite 1 lin. wide, glabrous
or with a few hairs near the junction with the sheath, smooth below,
margins recurved, spinulously ciliolate, midrib and nerves slender,
slightly prominent. Spatheate panicle very narrow, over 1 ft.
long, made up of few erect flowering branches, these subfastigiate,

4- 5-noded, bearing from the first or second node upwards 1-2-
rayed tiers ; rays appressed, unequal, the longer 1-1 J in. long,
filiform, glabrous ; lowest subtending leaves like the preceding ones,
the following spathaceous with rapidly reduced blades. Spatheoles
linear-oblanceolate, narrow, very acute, about 1 in. long, scarious,
glabrous, tightly inrolled downwards, widened and open upwards ;
peduncle enclosed, finely filiform, about 6 lin. long, not thickened
upwards. Raceme reduced to 1 sessile and 2 pedicelled spikelets ;
pedicels stibequal, filiform, tightly appressed to the sessile spikelet,

Anadelphia.'] Clvii. grAmineas (Stapf).

399

densely and equally ciliate along both edges, cilia fulvous. Sessile
spikelet oblong-linear, 4 lin. long, including the pointed densely
and shortly bearded callus, which is 1 lin. long. Glumes equal ; lower
coriaceous, chestnut-brown, shining, rounded on the back and sides,
very indistinctly 2-keeled at the obtuse or truncate scaberulous tips,
more or less appressedly pubescent below the middle, 7-nerved :
upper oblong, rounded on the back, subcoriaceous, minutely 3-
toothed, ciliolate upwards, 3-nerved. Lower floret reduced to an
oblong truncate hyaline ciliate shortly 2-nerved valve. Upper floret
^ : valve stipitiform, with 2 short very narrow and acute hyaline
lobes at the base of the awn, which is about 3 in. long, kneed at and
loosely twisted below the upper third, column straight or flexuous,
brown or yellowish like the spreading or reflexed bristle, both
minutely scaberulous ; valvule 0. Anthers If lin. long. Grain
subcylindric, 2 lin. by f lin., purple. Pedicelled spikelet
narrowly linear, tapering to an acute point, up to 5 lin. long, glabrous ;
glumes somewhat unequal and chartaceous, greenish, the upper 13-
nerved, the lower 11 -nerved, about 4 lin. long ; lower valve about
as long as the upper glume, 5-nerved, ciliate, upper similar, slightly
shorter, hyaline, sub-3-nerved ; anthers 2 lin. long.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Bailing Valley, Pobeguin , 1787* !

47. MONIUM, Stapf.

Spikelets all alike, solitary, awned, with an acute bearded
callus, borne on and readily disarticulating from a very slender
peduncle, supported by and permanently enclosed in a spatheole,
the whole representing an extremely reduced monostachyum ;
monostachya collected in a usually much contracted spathaceous
panicle. Florets 2, lower reduced to an empty valve, upper £5.
Glumes equal, coriaceous to subcoriaceous, both rounded on the
back with involute margins (hence spikelets terete) ; lower 2-toothed,
finely or obscurely 2-keeled towards the tips, very obscurely nerved,
upper produced into a fine bristle from the notched tip, sub-8-nerved.
Valve of lower floret hyaline, nerveless ; of upper narrowly oblong,
2-fid, with a long very slender awn from the sinus, with the base,
margins and lobes hyaline, otherwise subcartilaginous. Valvule 0.
Lodicules 2, minute, glabrous. Stamens 3. Stigmas laterally
exserted. Styles terminal. Grain cylindric, very slender ; scutei-
lum elliptic, equalling one-third the length of the grain.-— -A delicate
annual grass.

Species 1, endemic.

This and CleistacJme represent the most extreme cases of reduction in Andro *
pogonece ; but as Cleistachne in the structure of its inflorescence and spikelets
betrays its derivation from Sorghum, so Monium has preserved all the other
essential features of Anadelphia.

400

CLVII. GRAMINE^E (Stapf).

[Monium.

1. M. macrochsetum, Staff. Annual, up to over 1 ft. high. Culms
very slender, erect, simple, 2-4-noded below the panicle, often
rooting from the first node above the ground, terete, glabrous, smooth.
Leaf-sheaths terete, tight, glabrous, thin, the lowest withering away ;
lignles very short, rounded or truncate, ciliolate ; blades finely
linear from an equally' broad base, tapering to a fine point, 1-2 in.
by J-J lin., folded at first, then flat, glabrous or very finely pubescent,
slightly rough on the upper side and the margins, midrib and primary
lateral nerves very slender, somewhat prominent. Spatheate
panicle contracted, very narrow, up to J ft. long ; primary internodes
up to 4, lowest up to 3 in. long, but mostly much shorter, the follow-
ing gradually decreasing ; primary branches forming up to 4-rayed
tiers, or the lowest undivided at the base, several-noded, and often
very long (10 in.) ; tiers with 1 compound ray or all the rays simple,
very slender, angular, slightly rough upwards ; lower subtending
Leaves quite like the preceding ones. Spatheoles very narrow
and very early tightly inrolled, long and finely acuminate, f-1 in.
long, scarious, pale or pinkish, glabrous ; peduncle enclosed in the
spatheole, very finely filiform, scaberulous, with slightly thickened
very obliquely truncate tips. Spikelets about 3 lin. long, chestnut-
brown, glabrous except for the callus which is £ lin. long and rufously
bearded. Glumes minutely pubescent, scaberulous upwards, soon
becom ing glabrescent and glossy below ; lower obscure, 6-7-nerved,
upper with a delicate bristle up to over 1 lin, long. Lower floret :
valve obscurely ciliolate, 1-lJ lin. long. Upper floret : valve
1J-1J lin. long, eciliolate, 2-fid to one-quarter, lobes subulate, awn
1 slender, lf-2 in. long, bent at almost a right angle above the middle,
column very straight, loosely twisted, glabrous, dark-brown ; bristle
paler, somewhat rough. Anthers over 1 lin. long. Grain 1 lin.
long.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : near Timbo, on inundated land, Pobegitin ,
1790!

48. TRACHYP OGrON, Nees; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PL iii. 1133.

Spikelets 2-nate, those of each pair differing in sex and slightly in
shape, both pedicelled on the tough or upwards very tardily dis-
articulating many- jointed rhachis of solitary, 2-nate or digitate
racemes, terminating the culms ; pedicels unequal (the lower very
short), fused towards the base with each other and the adjacent
internode of the rhachis, this and the pedicels terete or subterete,
the longer of the latter disarticulating very obliquely ; internodes
marked off by very oblique and usually shortly bearded articulation
lines ; subsessile spikelets persistent ; long-pedicelled spilmlets
falling separately. Florets 2, lower reduced to an empty valve,
upper or neuter in the subsessile, ^ in the upper long-pedicelled

Af.

Trachypogon.] clvii. graminea; (Stapf).

401

spikelet. Fertile (upper) spikelets more or less terete, avvned ;
callus acute to very pungent, densely bearded. Glumes equal or
subequal ; the lower firmly chartaceous to coriaceous, sub-
convolute, finely 2-keeled upwards, the indexed margins very
narrow or reduced to a mere rim, nerves 5-9 in addition to the keel-
nerves, mostly obscure except in transmitted light, more or less
connected by transverse veins in the upper part ; upper thinner,
3-nerved, grooved on either side of the rounded keel. Valve of
lower floret hyaline, 2-nerved, ciliate or ciliolate upwards, of upper
floret stipitiform, hyaline and -3-nerved at the base, cartilaginous
upwards and passing into a flexuous or geniculate awn. Valvule
very small, hyaline or 0. Lodicules 2, small, glabrous. Stamens 3.
Stigmas laterally exserted ; styles terminal. Grain terete ; embryo
about half the length of the grain. Male or neuter (lower) spikelets
dorsally flattened (particularly the lower of a raceme) or more or
less terete, awnless ; callus 0. Glume and valve of the lower
floret similar to those of the fertile spikelets. Valve of the upper
floret narrow, hyaline, entire or 2-toothed, with or without a
minute mucro, rarely produced into a short bristle. Stamens 3.
Pistil, if present, rudimentary. — Perennial (very rarely annual ?),
densely csespitose grasses with more or less slender wiry culms
conspicuously bearded below the nodes ; the beards appressed,
covering the constricted nodes ; leaf -blades narrow, frequently
convolute.

Species 9 or 10, all closely allied, ranging into South Africa, Madagascar, and
most of the hotter regions of America.

Culms very slender, geniculate -ascending, branched,

1^ ft. high ; blades about 5 in. by l-l|din., with stiff

tubercle -based hairs ; annual (?) ... ... ... 1 . T. Ledermannii.

Culms more robust, erect (rarely geniculate) from a dense
tuft, simple ; distinctly perennial.

> Leaf-blades filiform-convolute or the lower unrolled and
flat when dying off and then up to slightly over
1|- lin. wide, the longest much attenuated towards
the base and there semiterete or channelled in cross
section.

Lower glume of subsessile spikelets (particularly of
lower pairs) loosely involute, dorsally much flat-
tened, up to over 1 lin. wide, distinctly and often
broadly winged from the keels towards the tips,
wings reddish ^ stipules , very short, of the culm-
Jeaves up to 1^ lin. long ... ... ... ... 2. T , Thollonii.

Lower glume of subsessile spikelets more involute (to
almost cylindric), quite wingless, keels very
finely marginate and scabrid upwards.

Awn 24 to almost 3 in. long, spirals of column very
steep and closing up so tightly as to make the
column appear solid ; blades (at least the lower)
at length unrolling and flat, up to 14 (rarely
almost 2) lin. wide ; ligules of culm-leaves often
elongated 3. T. plumosus.

El. TROP. APR. VOL. IX. PT. 3. 2 D

402

clvii. G ramin EiE (Stapf). \Tmchypogon.

Awn over 3 in. long, spirals of column looser, their
margins quite distinctly gaping ; blades wiry,
permanently filiform, very rarely flattened out
when old and then less than 1 lin. wide ; ligules
very short ... ... ... ... ... . . . 4. T. durus.

• Leaf-blades early unfolded and quite flat, up to over 2 lin.
wide, rigidly erect from a gradually but slightly
attenuated base ... ... ... ... ... 5. T. 'planifolius .

1. T. Ledermannii, Pilg. in Engl. Jahrb. xlviii. 342. Annual (?).
Culms fascicled, geniculate-ascending, up to 14 ft. high, very slender,
branched, several-noded. Leaf -sheaths narrow, smooth, glabrous
or with some stiff hairs upwards : ligules firm, rather long ; blades
linear, long-tapering and very acute, about 5 in. by 1-1 \ lin., more
or less hirsute- with tubercle-based hairs. Racemes solitary on the
culm and its branches, at length shortly exserted from the upper-
most sheath, 1|-2J in. long, with 9-12 pairs of spikelets, the lowest
imperfect, barren ; internodes 1J-1J- lin. long, sparingly hairy ;
pedicels f lin. long. Subsessile spikelets neuter. Glumes similar
to those of the pedieelled spikelet (see below), but the lower less
involute, rotundate-obtuse with a terminal bristle ; valves 0 or 1 ,
small and delicate. Fertile spikelets 4 lin. long including the acute
densely and long-ful vo-setose callus. Lower glume firm, ovate
with involute margins, upwards very shortly narrowed, truncate,
sparingly setulose, 10-nerved, nerves rather prominent ; upper
giume narrower, rotundate-obtuse, ciliate. Lower floret reduced to
a very delicate rotundate-obtuse 2-nerved ciliolate valve. Upper
floret valve thin and 3-nerved below, cartilaginous upwards,
passing into an awn 24-3 in. long, kneed above the middle, twisted
and white-setulose below the knee, scabrid above, at length brown.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons : in fissures of rocks between Tukurna and
Tapare, 4400 ft., Ledermann , 5586.

(1 Prv-CUnrNJcAc . ^

2. T. Thollonii^S/.ap/. Perennial, densely caespitosa, 3-4 ft. high.
Culms surrounded at the base by the firm persistent leaf-sheaths or
their remains, terete, about 5-noded, glabrous apart from the densely
and appressedly white-bearded upper ends of the internodes, the
hairs covering the slightly constricted sheath-bases. LeaLsheaths
firm, terete, tight, more or less produced at the mouth into short
acute auricles, the lower longer, the middle and upper much shorter
than the internodes, glabrous ; ligules very firm, up to 1 lin. long,
rounded, laterally adnate to the sheath-auricles ; blades narrowly
linear, convolute, rarely somewhat flattened out, tapering to a long
fine point, up to 1 ft. by 1| lin., very firm and tough, glabrous or
shortly hairy just above the ligule, smooth except on the scaberulous
margins and the slightly rough main-nerves of the upper side, midrib
slender or stouter downwards, not prominent below, primary lateral
nerves few, obscure below. Racemes solitary or 2-nate, 4-2 in.
long, secund ; rhachis subterete, glabrous except in the upper part

/

403

Trachypogon .] clvii. gramine^] (Stapf).

along the very oblique shortly bearded disarticulation marks, inter-
nodes about 2 lin. long ; longer pedicels slender, up to 1 \ lin. long,
glabrous or nearly so, tips very oblique. Subsessile spikelets
the lower broad-oblong and dorsally flattened, the upper narrower
upwards and more convolute. 3 lin. long, glabrous, brownish. Glumes
subequal ; lower coriaceous, truncate, keels winged from the middle
upwards, wings firm, reddish, up to J lin. wide, scaberulous, intra-
carinal nerves 7, obscure except in transmitted light, with some
transverse veins ; upper glume slightly longer, linear; subacute,
thinner, 3-nerved, ciliolate near the tips. Lower floret reduced to
an oblong broadly truncate sub-2-nerved upwards ciliate valve,
2J lin. long. Upper floret as long as the lower : valve lanceolate-
oblong, narrowly truncate, obscurely mucronulate, 3-nerved, cilio-
late near the tips. Anthers 2J lin. long. Fertile spikelets linear,
up to over 6 lin. long, including the pungent densely silvery -bearded
callus, which is about 1\ lin. long. Glumes subequal : lower con-
volute, wingless, subcoriaceous, obtuse, glabrous or loosely hairy,
9- nerved, nerves very obscure except in transmitted light, upper
slightly longer, linear, subobtuse, strongly 3-nerved, eciliolate.
Lower floret reduced to an oblong truncate hyaline ciliate 2-nerved
valve. Upper floret ^ : valve narrowly linear, hyaline and 3-
nerved below, cartilaginous above passing into a slender flexuous
silvery-grey awn, 3J-4 in. long, obscurely kneed, tightly twisted
below, all the awns intertwisted on one side of the raceme, plumose
with soft hairs up to over 1 lin. long, bristle with very short upwards
decreasing hairs or merely hispidulous upwards. — T. poly mor pirns,
var. ThoUonii, Franch. in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 14 (of
reprint), partly. T. Gouini , Bureau in Compt. Bend. Acad. Paris,
c. iii. (1886) ; not of Fourn.

Lower Guinea. French Gaboon : M’pila plains near Brazzaville, Thollon,
92 ! 374 ! 393 !

3. T. plumosus, Nees, Agrost. Bras. 344. Perennial, compactly
csespitose. Culms surrounded at the base by the firm persistent
leaf-sheaths, up to over 4 ft. high, terete, glabrous, 4-5-noded,
bearded below the nodes. Leaf-sheaths firm, terete, tight, the lower
longer, the middle and upper much shorter than the internodes,
glabrous or rarely (in the African specimens) sparingly hairy ;
ligules firmly scarious, from less than 1 lin. to up to over 2 lin. or
occasionally over 1 in. long ; blades narrow-linear, tapering to a long
fine point, usually convolute-j unciform or more or less flat, up to
1 ft. long and §-2 lin. wide, glabrous or hirsute at the base, midrib
and the few primary lateral nerves rather prominent below. Ba-
cemes solitary or 2-5-nate, 3-9 in. long, stiff or somewhat flexuous ;
rhachis subterete, glabrous except along the very oblique shortly
bearded disarticulation marks, internodes about 2-2 J lin. long ; longer
pedicels very slender, up to 1 lin. long, glabrous or very sparingly

404

CLVII. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [Trackypogon

hairy, tips very oblique. Subsessile spikelets rarely neuter,
oblong to linear-oblong, 34-4 (rarely 5) lin. long, sparingly hairy to
glabrous. Glumes subequal ; lower firmly charfcaceous, more or less
convex on the back, very obtuse to truncate or obscurely 2-toothed,
keels finely marginate and scabrid upwards, intracarinal nerves 7,
very distinct upwards, with some transverse veins ; upper glume
slightly longer, linear to linear-oblong, acute, thinner, 3-nerved,
margins softly ciliate. Lower floret reduced to a narrow linear to
linear-oblong acute faintly 2 -nerved ciliolate valve. Upper floret :
valve similar to that of the lower floret, 2-toothed, sometimes mucro-
nulate, 1-3-nerved, glabrous except the ciliolate teeth. Anthers
up to 2J lin. long, tips minutely bearded. Fertile spikelets linear,
34-4 long, with a sharply pointed bearded callus, about 1J lin.
long. Glumes subequal ; lower convolute, subcoriaceous, obtuse,
ciliolate near the membranous reddish tips, more or less pubescent
or glabrescent and then often shining, about 11-nerved, with a few
transverse veins ; upper slightly longer, linear, subobtuse, strongly
3-nerved, ciliolate above. Lower floret reduced to an oblong obtuse
hyaline ciliate 2-nerved valve. Upper floret ^ : valve linear, hyaline
and 3-nerved below, cartilaginous above, passing into a slender
flexuous silvery-grey awn, 1J-2J (rarely over 3) in. long, more or less
kneed at or below the middle with the column usually so tightly
spirally twisted that the margins close up and the spirals become
obscured, slightly plumose from soft hairs about 1 lin. long, the
bristle pale and with gradually decreasing short hairs, or merely
hispidulous upwards. Anthers up to 2J lin. long. Stigmas up to
1 lin. long. — Nash in North Amer. FI. xvii. 96. T. capensis , Trin.
in Mem. Acad. Petersb. 6 me ser. ii. 257 ; Nees, FI. Air. Austr. 100 :
Pilg. in Engl. Jahrb. xxx. 268. T. tmncatus , Anderss. in Ofvers.
K. Yet. Akad. Forh. Stockh. 1857, 49. T . polymorphus , Eyles in
Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 294. T. p., subvar. capensis, Hack, in
DC. Monogr. Phan. vi. 326 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. 701 ;
and Etudes FI. Congo, 314 ; Th. & Hel. Durand, Syll. FI. Congol.
622 ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 331 (var.) ; var. tmncatus ,
Hack. l.c. 327 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 702 ; var.
Tholloni, Franch. in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 14 (of reprint),
partly. Stipa capensis and S. spicata, Thunb. Prodr. 19-20 ; FI.
Cap., ed. Schult. 106, 107. Heteropogon tmncatus , Nees, l.c. 102.
Andropogon spicatus and A. tmncatus , Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 368.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Cataracts District ; Lutete, in dry sandy
ground, 2000 ft., Hens, A. 222 ! Angola : Benguella ; country of the Ganguellas
and Ambuellas, Gossweiler, 2422 !

South Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga ; Elisabethville, Rogers , 10903 !

Mozambique Distr. "German East Africa: Ubena, on laterite, 6000 ft.,
Goetze, 788 ! Rhodesia : Victoria, Monro, 907 ! Victoria Falls, Rogers, 5695* !
Salisbury District, Mundy ! Gazaland, Swynnerton, 1657* ! 1670* !

Also in South Africa, Madagascar and the hot parts of America from Texas
and Arizona to the Argentine.

405

Tmchypogon.] clvii. gkamine;e (Stapf).

This polymorphic and apparently somewhat plastic species occurs in Africa
in several forms of uncertain status, closely corresponding to analogous con-
ditions in its American area (from Texas and Arizona to the Argentine). One
form is vicarious of, if not identical with Trachypogon secundus, Scribn. ( Hetero -
pogon secundus, Presl) and represents, if of short stature and with short racemes
(2-3J in. long), the T. capensis of Trinius, whilst the other, taller and with 2-3
racemes, corresponds similarly to the original T. plumosus, Nees ( Andropogon
plumosus, hA. B. & K.) which, first described from Venezuela, is now known to
extend from Colombia and Trinidad southwards to beyond the tropic. However,
1-racemed states have also been collected in Brazil, so that the areas of the
two forms overlap there, provided that these 1-racemed states are not merely
reduced conditions of the typically several-racemed T. plumosus. That such
occur is evident from specimens with 1- and several-racemed culms on the same
stock. Conversely, T. secundus and its African parallel may occasionally produce
a second or third raceme when they become indistinguishable — at least in
the herbarium — from the original T. plumosus. Another character, namely the
length of the ligule (from 1-15 lin.), might be expected to indicate a specific
differentiation ; but it appears to be equally subject to fluctuation without
any correlation to other characters or connection with the vigour of the indi-
vidual or with geographical distribution. Thus, in the present state of our
knowledge, practically nothing is left for taxonomic discrimination within this
group. No attempt has therefore been made in this place to define varieties,
but the specimens with more than 1 raceme per peduncle have been marked
with an asterisk. The nomenclature of this species is controversial to some
extent. Here, T. plumosus is extended so as to cover T. Montufari of Fournier
(Mex. Gram. 65) and of Hitchcock (Mex. Grass, 198) — but not Andropogon
Montufari, H. B. & K., which seems to deserve the rank of a distinct species —
T. secundus of Scribner (U.S. Dept. Agric. Agrost. Circ. no. 32) and other
American forms, and T. capensis, Trin.

4. T. durus, Stapf. Perennial, compactly caespitose. Culms
densely coated at the base with the firm persistent basal leaf- sheaths
or their remains, up to over 3 ft. high, terete, glabrous except the
upper ends of the internodes (either all or all but the lowest) which
bear an annular beard of appressed hairs covering the contracted
base of the sheath. Leaf-sheaths firm, terete, tight, produced at
the mouth into short or obscure auricles, the intermediate and upper
much shorter than the internodes, glabrous, smooth ; ligules firm,
very short to almost 1 lin. long, obtuse, adnate to the auricles of the
sheath ; blades junciform, convolute, wiry, rarely at length opening
out, over 1 ft. long and under J lin. in diam., when flattened out
under 1 lin. wide, glaucous-green, glabrous or shortly hairy or bearded
behind the ligule, smooth, midrib very slender in the upper part of
the upper side, stouter and more raised downwards, then flatter and
much widened towards the base, quite obscure on the back, primary
lateral nerves 1 or 2 on each side, prominent above. Racemes
solitary, stiff, 4-5 in. long ; rhachis terete, glabrous or very sparingly
hairy, shortly bearded along the very oblique disarticulation marks,
internodes 2|— 3 lin. long ; longer pedicels 2J-3 lin. long, glabrous
or sparingly hairy. Subsessile spikelets narrowly linear-oblong,
hardly widened upwards, 4i lin. long, loosely hairy in the lower part,
at length quite glabrous. Glumes equal ; lower coriaceous, convex
on the back, obtuse, keels marginate or very narrowly winged upwards

406

clvii. gr amine as (Stapf). [ Trachypogon .

and rigidly white-ciliolate towards the tips, intracarinal nerves 5-7,
obscure downwards except in transmitted light, with some transverse
veins ; upper glume linear, subacute, thinner, 3-nerved, ciliate.
Lower floret reduced to a linear-oblong truncate shortly ciliate
faintly 2-nerved valve over 3 lin. long. Upper floret : valve linear*
subulate with a ciliolate submucronulate tip. Fertile spikelets
linear, 6 lin. long including the pungent very shortly and densely
bearded callus which is li lin. long. Glumes subequal; lower con-
volute, coriaceous, obtuse, rigidly ciliolate near the firmly scarious
tip, more or less loosely hairy from the middle downwards, 9-nerved,
nerves slightly raised in the tip, otherwise obscure except in trans-
mitted light, upper very slightly longer, linear, very shortly subacute,
ciliolate upwards. Lower floret as in the subsessile spikelet. Upper
floret ^ : valve linear, hyaline and 3-nerved towards the base,
cartilaginous upwards, passing into a flexuous or more or less kneed
pale brown awn 3-3 1 in. long, column twisted with the spirals gaping,
plumose with soft white hairs up to 1 lin. long, the bristle pale with
gradually decreasing short hairs or merely hispidulous upwards.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Benguella ; in moist water-logged situations along
the meadows of the Cuito River, Gossweiler, 3199 !

5. T. planifolius, Stapf. Perennial, densely csespitose, 2 ft. high.
Culms more or less coated with the remains of the basal leaf -sheaths,
terete, 4-5-noded, glabrous except at the densely and appressedly
white-bearded upper ends of the internodes, the hairs covering the
slightly constricted gheath-bases. Leaf -sheaths firm, terete, those
of the culm-leaves produced into narrow lanceolate acute auricles
up to 3 lin. long, the middle and upper shorter than the internodes,
glabrous or sparingly hirsute ; ligules scarious, broadly rounded at
the top, as long as or somewhat longer than the sheath-auricles and
laterally adnate to them ; blades linear, slightly narrowed towards
the base, tapering to a fine point, 6-9 in. by 2-2 J lin., glaucous-
green, quite flat, erect, rigid, glabrous, rough on the face and
margins, less so on the back, midrib slender, prominent below,
flat and somewhat widened downwards on the face, lateral nerves
numerous, close, the primary hardly differentiated. Kacemes
solitary, somewhat stiff, 4-6 in. long : rhachis slender, terete,
sparingly hairy upwards, internodes & lin. long ; pedicels 2 lin. long,
more or less loosely hairy. Subsessile spikelets £ or neuter, linear-
oblong to almost linear, 3J-4 lin. long, villosulous or pubescent
all over, variously tinged with purple. Glumes subequal ; lower
firmly chartaceous, convex ou the back to semiterete, narrowly
truncate, keels marginate, rigidly ciliolate upwards, intracarinal
nerves 6-7, obscure downwards with few transverse veins ; upper
glume slightly longer, linear, acute, ciliate. Lower floret reduced
to a linear-oblong narrowly truncate ciliate faintly 2-nerved valve,
3| lin. long. Upper floret : valve hyaline, linear, with a ciliolate

Trachypogon .] clvii. gramine^e (Stapf). 407

tip, or cartilaginous upwards with a short twisted bristle. Anthers
2 lin. long. Fertile spikelets linear, 4-4J lin. long, including the
subacute densely bearded callus which is f lin. long. Glumes sub-
equal ; lower convolute, chartaceous, truncate, obscurely ciliolate
near the scarious tip, villosulous all over, intracarinal nerves 5 almost
without transverse veins ; upper very slightly longer, linear, subacute
to almost obtuse, ciliolate upwards. Lower floret reduced to a
linear-oblong truncate ciliolate 2-nerved hyaline valve as long as the
lower glume. Upper floret ^ : valve linear, hyaline and 3-nerved
towards the base, cartilaginous upwards, passing into a slender
flexuous subgeniculate silvery-grey awn, up to 2J in. long, column
with few very steep spirals so tightly screwed up as to look almost
solid, subplumose downwards, hairs up to J lin. long, bristle very
shortly hairy all along.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Kyimbila, Stolz !

An imperfect specimen collected by Miss Johnstone (no. 165 !) near Nairobi
may belong here.

48a. ELYMANDRA, Stapf.

Spikelets 2-nate, those of the uppermost pair differing in sex and
shape (forming with the pedicelled terminal spikelet a trio), those of
the lower 5-6 pairs homogamous (alike in shape), one sessile, the
other pedicelled on the rhachis of paired racemes, terminating the
culms and their branches ; homogamous pairs loosely disposed on
the axis which is almost tough between them, but disarticulates
readily above them. Raceme-pairs supported by a spatheole,
collected into very loose and usually scanty spatheate panicles ;
the fertile spikelet falling with the adjacent pedicels ; joints and
pedicels of the homogamous pairs stoutly linear, glabrous or almost
so, except at the ciliolate nodes of the axis (raceme-base) ; pedicels
of the terminal trio very slender, ciliate. Florets 2, lower reduced
to an empty valve, upper $ in the sessile spikelet of the trio, rarely
neuter, in all the others. Fertile spikelets subterete, awned ; callus
moderately long, acute, shortly bearded. Glumes subequal,
coriaceous, the lower quite keelless with an obtuse or truncate
obscurely nerved tip, the upper acute, with a groove on each side of
the rounded back, 3-nerved. Valves of lower floret hyaline, 2-nerved,
of upper stipitiform with a long stout awn from between 2 short
hyaline teeth. Valvule 0 Lodicules glabrous, small. Stamens 3.
Stigmas laterally exserted ; styles terminal. Grain unknown.
Pedicelled spikelets (of all pairs) and homogamous sessile spikelets
lanceolate, acuminate, the lower mucronate to aristulate : lower
glume keelless with the margins narrowly involute. Valves of both
florets developed or the upper suppressed. — An annual, somewhat
coarse grass.

Species 1, endemic.

408 cl vii. gramin 'em (Stapf). [Elymandra.

1. E. androphila,v<S^^/. Annual, up to over 6 ft. high, a coarse
grass with stout culms (Pobeguin). Culms terete, rather slender,
glabrous and smooth in the upper part (base not seen). Upper culm-
leaves quite glabrous except for an occasional large beard of long
fine hairs at the mouth of the sheaths, these terete, tight, shorter than
the internodes, smooth ; ligules membranous, truncate, J lin. long ;
blades narrowly linear from an equally wide base, very long-tapering
to a fine point, up to almost 2 ft. by 2 lin., flat or with the margins
revolute, glaucescent, scabrid along the margins, otherwise smooth
or nearly so ; midrib slender below, wider and whitish above,
lateral nerves very close, about 3 primary on each side, prominent.
Spatheate panicle very lax, up to 2 ft. long, of 4-5 very distant primary
tiers, lowest tiers reduced to a single 2-noded compound tier over 1 ft.
long, the following 4-5-rayed with (except upwards) one of the rays
compound and often over £ in. long, bearing a secondary tier of about
3 filiform simple rays, 3-4 in. long ; lower subtending leaves resem-
bling the preceding ones, the following rapidly becoming spathe-
oloid. Spatheoles narrow, long-attenuated to a setaceous point
or with a short subulate blade and a beard at the junction with it,
3-4 in. long, more or less herbaceous when young, at length tightly
in rolled ; peduncles filiform, terminally or subterminally exserted
from the spatheole, scaberulous or rigidly puberulous upwards.
Racemes loose, J-1J in. long, greenish, the upper bare at the base
for 8-10 lin. ; joints of the base (between the homogamous pairs)
linear-filiform, J-1J lin. long, subglabrous except at the ciliolate
nodes ; pedicels of the homogamous pairs 1J-2 lin. long, glabrous,
of the terminal trio 4-5 lin. long, densely ciliate on both sides. Fertile
spikelets oblong, including the callus 5J lin. long, dark olive-green
or olive-brown to almost black, loosely and finely pubescent ; callus
£-1 lin. long, densely and shortly white-bearded. Lower glume 7-
nerved, nerves quite inconspicuous except when seen on the inner
side. Lower floret reduced to a hyaline oblong obtuse reversedly
ciliate sub-2-nerved valve. Upper floret ^ : valve stipitiform,
minutely 2-dentate, 1J lin. long, glabrous ; awn up to over 3 in.
long, stout, kneed at and fulvo-hispidulous below the middle.
Spikelets of the homogamous pairs and the pedicelled of the terminal
trio alike, or sometimes neuter, lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous,
3J-4J lin. long ; lower glume herbaceous-chartaceous, acute or more
or less acuminate, often produced into a mucro or short bristle,
many-nerved, nerves close and .fine ; upper glume slightly shorter,
subhyaline, 3-nerved ; lower valve equalling the preceding glume,
hyaline, 1 -nerved, reversedly ciliate ; upper very narrowly linear,
sparingly hairy or suppressed; anthers, if any, purple, 2 lin. long. —
Andropogon androphilus, Stapf in Journ. de Bot. xix. 103 ; Pobe-
guin, Ess. FI. Guin. Fran?. 217.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Fouta Jallon ; between Soumbalako and
Boulish, Chevalier, 18631 ! Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 521 ! Timbo, Pobeguin,
1786 ! 1798 I *

Elymandra .]

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

409

Pobeguin’s specimens from Timbo seem to represent a stout form with a much
reduced inflorescence and slightly smaller spikelets, but they agree in all essentials
with his Kouroussa plant. A very striking grass.

O 49. HOMOPOGON, Stapf in Mem. Soc. Bot. France, viii. 103.

Spikelets 2-nate (at least in the plan), one of each pair sessile, the
other pedicelled (quite rudimentary in the lowest pair and the terminal
trio and represented elsewhere by a short empty pedicel), on the
fragile many-jointed rh'achis of solitary racemes, termina ting the culms
and their upper branches ; all the sessile spikelets alike and fertile
(except that of the lowest pair which is more or less reduced), falling
with the adjacent joint and pedicel ; joints and pedicels linear-filiform,

' with very oblique tips, bearded below. Florets of the perfect spike-
lets 2, lower reduced to an empty valve, upper Fertile spikelets
terete or subterete, awned ; callus pungent, fulvously bearded.
Glumes equal ; the lower coriaceous, involute, very narrowly in-
flexed and indistinctly keeled upwards, obscurely nerved ; the upper
with a deep longitudinal groove on each side, coriaceous between
the grooves, 3-nerved. Valve of lower floret hyaline, 2-nerved, of
upper floret stipitiform, hyaline and sub-3-nerved towards the base,
cartilaginous upwards, passing into a slender geniculate awn. Val-
vule 0. Lodicules glabrous. Stamens unknown. Stigmas laterally
exserted below the middle. Grain unknown. — An annual grass with
narrow leaves and dense cylindric racemes.

Species 1, endemic.

1. H. Chevalieri, Stapf, l.c. Culms erect, slender, up to over
3 ft. high, 5-noded, glabrous, smooth, internodes (except the upper-
most) long-exserted from their sheaths. Leaf-sheaths terete, tight,
the lowest slightly hirsute, the others glabrous ; ligules scarious,
truncate, f lin. long ; blades linear, tapering to a very slender point,
4-12 in. long, 1J-2 lin. wide, flat, sparingly hairy below, closely and
finely nerved, the uppermost subfiliform, up to 2 in. long. Bacemes
very shortly exserted from the supporting sheath, slender, lf-3-J
in. long ; joints up-to 20, about 2 lin. long ; pedicels 1—1 j lin. long,
slightly exceeded by the fulvous beard. Sessile spikelets including
Vhe callus 3 lin. long, chestnut-brown ; callus 1 lin. long. Lower
glume obtuse, glabrous, glossy, smooth except on the asperulous
subterminal keels, nerves 7-9, more distinct in transmitted light ;
upper quite glabrous. Lower floret : valve over 14 lin. long, pubes-
cent upwards. Upper floret : awn 2-3 in. long, kneed at or slightly
above the middle, column dark, whitish pubescent, slender, bristle
pale.

North Central. Upper Oubangui region: Mbrous country; basin of the
upper Ombella, near Dati, Chevalier, 5761 !

410 cl vii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [Heteroppgon.

50. HETER0P0G0N, Pers. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. iii. 1133.

Spikelets 2-nate, those of the lower (1 to many) pairs alike in sex
and shape, rj or neuter, of the upper pairs differing in sex and
strikingly so in. shape, one of each pair sessile,* the other pedicelled
on the many- jointed rhachis of solitary racemes, terminating the
culms and their upper branches ; rhachis tough or upwards tardily
disarticulating -and glabrous between the homogamous pairs, readily
disarticulating above them ; homogamous pairs long-persistent,
the spikelets of the heterogamous pairs falling separately, the
pedicelled with the pedicel, the sessile with the adjacent joint and
the adjacent pedicel or its base. Florets 2, lower reduced to an
empty valve, upper $ or in the sessile spikelets of the hetero-
gamous pairs, or neuter in all the other spikelets. Fertile spikelet
terete or subterete, awned ; callus long, pungent, densely bearded
upwards. Glumes equal ; the lower coriaceous, rarely chartaceous,
more or less tightly involute, quite keelless, nerves obscure, often
connected by few transverse nerves in the upper part ; the upper
with a deep longitudinal groove on each side, coriaceous, rarely
chartaceous, between them, thinner towards the margins, membranous
at the tips, 3-nerved. Valve of lower floret hyaline, nerveless, of
upper floret stipitiform from a hyaline very slender base, cartila-
ginous upwards and passing into a usually stout geniculate awn.
Valvule small or 0. Lodicules large or more or less reduced, to very
minute. Stamens 3, often rudimentary, or 0. Stigmas exserted
terminally or laterally. Grain more or less linear in outline, sub-
terete, slightly dorsally compressed ; embryo somewhat exceeding
the middle of the grain. Male (or neuter) spikelets dorsally flattened,
usually slightly asymmetric, and often somewhat twisted, muticous,
imbricate. Lower glume herbaceous, many-nerved, winged upwards
from one or both keels ; upper membranous, lanceolate-oblong,
acute, 3-nerved. Valves hyaline, 1 -nerved, well developed or more
or less reduced. Stamens 3 or 0. — Perennial or annual grasses,
with simple or more often upwards branched culms ; branches few
to many, mostly flowering and gathered into a spatheate panicle ;
racemes conspicuously dorsiventral, the bases of the $ (or neuter)
spikelets subimbricate on the back of the raceme, their upper parts
bending forward around the sides, forming a hollow in which the
fertile spikelets are enclosed, with their awns exserted anticously
and often intertwisted.

Species about 4, in the tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres.

Perennial ; leaf-sheaths conspicuously compressed and
keeled ; lower blades usually shortly acute to subobtuse ;
pedicelled spikelets oblong-lanceolate, subacute, 4-5 lin.
long, their lower glume without a longitudinal median
series of depressed glands ... ... ... ... ... L H. contortus

Annual ; leaf-sheaths terete or only slightly compressed ;
nil the blades long-tapering to a fine point ; pedicelled

Heteropogon.] clvii. gramine^: (Stapf).

411

spikelets lanceolate, long-subulate-acuminate, 8-10 lin. ,

long, with a longitudinal median series of depressed

glands ... ... * ... 2. H. melanocarpvs.

CL ,)

1. H. contortus^ Roem. & Schult. Syst. Veg. ii. 836. Perennial,
csespitose, up to over 3 ft. high, innovations extra- and intravaginal.
Culms erect or geniculate-ascending, more or less compressed in the
lower internodes, glabrous, smooth, quite simple or more often only
for the first 3 or 4 internodes, then branched : lowest branches barren
or mixed or like the following entering into the formation of a spathe-
ate panicle. Leaves glaucous-pruinose ; sheaths compressed, keeled,
with the keels sometimes raised, quite glabrous, or with a few
tubercle-based hairs at or towards the mouth, rarely ciliate on the
upper margins, smooth ; ligules short, truncate, ciliolate ; blades
linear from an equally wide base, acute or the lowest subacute to
obtuse, the upper sometimes long-tapering to a fine point, 3-9 in. by
1§-3J lin., folded in bud, then opening out and mostly quite flat,
suberect and somewhat stiff, glabrous or with some tubercle-based
hairs towards the base, particularly on the margins, the latter
cartilaginous, slightly rough at least upwards, midrib slender,
prominent below, primary lateral nerves 3-4 on each side, promi-
nulous. Inflorescence consisting of a single terminal raceme or more
often of several flowering branches, simple or divided from the base,
forming tiers and collected into a scanty rarely copious and more or
less fastigiate spatheate panicle ; all or most of the rays simple
(sometimes one or the other replaced by a leafy branch), slender,
stiff, erect, from 1J to over 6 in. long (up to the insertion of the
spatheole) ; subtending leaves like the preceding ones. Spatheoles
narrow, long-tapering to an acute point, about 3-4 in. long, herbaceous
to subh^rbaceous, glabrous, soon tightly inrolled ; peduncle stoutly
filiform, strict or slightly arched, usually subterminally exserted
during flowering, then lengthening out and often exceeding the
spatheole by more than 1 in. Kacemes somewhat stout, 1-3 in.
long, of 3-10 homogamous and frequently up to 12 heterogamous
pairs ; internodes of the tough portion of the raceme 2-1 lin. long,
glabrous, of the fertile portion (joints) over 1 lin. long, the free part
above the insertion of the sessile spikelet J-f lin. long, slender,
glabrous, with a very oblique tip, the part below (callus) completely
fused with the base of the lower glume, subcvlindric, up to 1 lin. long,
very acute to pungent (with a short oblique articulation-face), rufously
ciliate on the sides, cilia increasing upwards and forming a dense
beard concealing the joint and the base of the pedicel ; pedicels
glabrous, | lin. long, disarticulating at the base with a very oblique
scar. Fertile spikelets cylindric, slender, 3-3 J lin. long (excluding
the callus), brown, at length very dark. Glumes equal, coriaceous ;
lower tightly involute, truncate, minutely pubescent or hirtellous,
about 9-nerved, nerves slightly raised, very obscure in transmitted
light, with a few transverse veins in the tips • upper glume narrowly

412

clvii. gramineje (Stapf). [j Heteropogon .

Unear-oblong, subobtuse, sides much thinner than the hispidnlous
coriaceous very obtuse dorsal keel. Lower floret reduced to a linear-
oblong hyaline ciliolate nerveless valve, 1J lin. long. Upper floret J :
valve stipitiform from a very slender hyaline base, cartilaginous
above it and passing into a stout geniculate awn, 2 to over 4 in. long,
column at length dark brown, shortly greyish-pubescent, somewhat
longer than the paler bristle ; valvule 0. Lodicules microscopic.
Stamens 0 or reduced to microscopic rudiments. Stigmas exserted
terminally. Grain linear, 1 j-lj lin. long, semiterete, grooved on the
face, whitish. Male spikelets all alike or the lowest somewhat
reduced, dorsally flattened, oblong-lanceolate, subacute, 4-5 lin.
long, green, the sessile almost symmetric, the pedicelled somewhat
asymmetric and contorted ; glumes subequal, the lower herbaceous,
closely many-nerved, glabrous or variously hairy, hairs tubercle-
based, few or many in a single row along the margin, or spread over
a marginal zone or all over and then sometimes long, rigid and
spreading, keels more or less unequally winged upwards, inflexed
flaps very narrow ; upper glume membranous, acute, 3-nerved,
ciliate upwards ; valves linear-oblanceolate, hyaline, 1 -nerved,
ciliolate, of the lower floret 3-3J lin., and obtuse, of the upper
slightly shorter, narrower, acute ; lodicules small ; anthers 1-| lin.
long. — Nees in Linnsea, vii. 284, and FI. Afr. Austr. 101 ; Webb in
Hook. Niger FI. 190 ; Benth. FI. Austral, vii. 517 ; Duthie, Fodd.
Grass. N. Ind. 32, 111. t. 19; Maiden, Us. PI. Austral. 90; Stapf
in Kew Bulletin, 1907, 211 ; Burtt-Davy in Ann. Transvaal Mus.
iii. 129 ; Nash in North Amer. FI. xvii. 128. II. hirtus , Pers. Syn.
li. 533 ; Balf. f. Bot. Socotra, 316 ; Bendle, Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii.
153 (includ. var. glaber). H. glaber, Pers. l.c. ; Beauv. Agrost. 134,
t. 23, fig. 8. II. hirsutus, Beauv. l.c. .134. II. Allionii , Boem. &
Schult. l.c. 835 ; Nees, Gen. FI. Germ. Monocot. i. t. 94 ; Beichenb.
Icon. FI. Germ, i. t. 53, fig. 1496-7. H. polystachyus, Nees, Agrost.
Bras. 364 ; Peters, Beise Mossamb. Bot. 563. II. Roxburghii,
Walk.-Arn. ex Nees, in Nov. Act. Nat. Cur. xix. Suppl. i. 183.
II. messanensis, Guss. l.c. H. Ilohenacken, Hochst. ex Miq. Anal.
Bot. Ind. ii. 24. II. hispidissimus, Ilochst. ex Steud. Syn. PI.
Glum. i. 367. H. besulciensis, Miq. FI. Ind. Bat. iii. 494. Andro-
pogon contortus , Linn. Sp. PL ed. i. 1045 ; Lam. 111. t. 840 ; All. FI.
Pedem. ii. 260, t. 91, fig. 4 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 486 ; Steud. Syn. PL
Glum. i. 367 ; A. Bich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 453 ; Baker, FI. Maurit.
444 ; Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. iii. 137, and v. 213, and in DC. Monogr.
Phan. vi. 585 (incl. all the varieties), and in Bull. Herb. Boiss. iv.
App. iii. 11 ; Klatt in Jahrb. Hamb. Wiss. Anst. ix. 121 ; Engl.
Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 113 ; Glied. Veg. Usambara, 35 ; Pflan-
zenw. Afr. i. 566, fig. 502 ; Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii.
13 and 93 : Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 709 ; K. Sebum, in
Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 98 ; Erancli. in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun,
viii. 27 (of reprint) ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 199 ; Chiov. in Ann,

413

Meteropogon.] clvii. gramine^e (Stapf).

Istit. Bot. Roma vii. 61, and viii. 25 and 284-285 ; Stapf in Dyer, FI.
Cap. vii. 350 ; De Wild. & Durand, Reliq. Dewevr. 254 ; De Wild.
Etudes FI. Bas- et Moyen-Congo, ii. 9 ; Wood, Natal PI. 1. 121 , Th.
& Hei. Durand, Syll. FI. Congol. 621 ; Pilg. in Engl. Pflanzenw. Afr.
ii. 156, fig. 116 B, and in Mildbr. Wiss. Ergebn. Deutsch. Zentr.-Afr.
Exped. ii. 43 ; Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 295. A. secundus ,
Willd. ex Nees, Agrost. Bras. 364 ; not of Kunth. A. firmus, J. S.
Presl in C. B. Presl, Rel. Haenk. i. 334. A. firmus, Kunth, Enum.
i. 486. A. messanensis, Bivona ex Guss. FI. Sic. i. 164. A. besu-
kiensis, Steud. in Zoll. Syst. Yerz. ii. 59. A. Bellardii, Bubani in
Nuov. Giorn. Bot. v. 317. A. Hohenackeri, Hochst., and A. hispi-
dissimus, Hochst. ex Hack, in DC. l.c. 587.

Common throughout the whole of Tropical Africa, and the adjacent islands,
ascending in Eritrea to over 8800 ft. As it is quite unmistakable, it is
unnecessary to enumerate the very many specimens examined. A good
fodder grass when young, but very troublesome to man and beast and even
dangerous to the latter when mature on account of the sharply pointed calli
of the fertile spikelets which penetrate the skin and the membranes of
the mouth ; hence the name “ spear-grass.” Hackel (in DC . Monogr. Phan.
vi. 586-588) distinguishes two varieties and 6 subvarieties according to the
degree of hairiness or the reverse of the male spikelets and the degree of
ramification of the culms ; but the inconstancy of these characters is so evident
that it is not worth while to discriminate between the forms corresponding to
them.

The species extends all over Africa, the Mediterranean region, and the tropical
and subtropical regions generally.

2. H. melanocarpus, Benth. in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. xix. 71.
Annual, up to over 6 ft. high. Culms erect, stout, often with stilt-
roots from the lowest nodes, terete, glabrous, smooth, simple and
. 4-6-noded below the panicle or occasionally with 1 or 2 mixed
branches from the intermediate nodes. Leaves green ; sheaths
slightly compressed and more or less keeled to terete, tight or at
length rather loose, glabrous, smooth, with impressed glands on the
keel ; ligules short, scarious, rotundate, glabrous ; blades linear,
moderately attenuated towards the base, long-tapering to a fine
point, \ to over 1J ft. by 2-5 lin., folded with one margin indexed in
bud, then more or less flat, suberect, somewhat stiff or flexuous,
glabrous except at the frequently long-ciliate base, rough on both
sides (particularly on the upper) and along the margins, midrib
slender, becoming stouter towards the base, whitish above, primary
lateral nerves 3-5 on each side, prominent, with numerous fine
secondary nerves between them. I n florescence a spatheate panicle
of very varying composition, containing few to very many racemes,
in more robust plants up to over 1 ft. long and more or less inter-
rupted, occasionally augmented by 1 or several mixed branches ;
primary internodes few, the lowest up to over 8 in. long, the follow-
ing rapidly decreasing ; lower tiers few-rayed, the following up to
6-rayed, fastigiate, innermost ray sometimes compound and bearing

414

clvii. gbamineje (Stapf). f Heteropogon.

a secondary up to 6-rayed tier ; ultimate (simple) rays stoutly
filiform, 2 to less than 1 in. long ; lowest subtending leaves like the
preceding ones, the following becoming rapidly spathaceous with
short blades. Spatheoles very narrow, very long-tapering to a slender
point, from over 5 to 3 in. long, herbaceous to subherbaceous, glabrous,
usually with impressed glands on the middle nerve or keel ; peduncle
short during flowering, then lengthening out and sometimes only
slightly shorter than the spatheole, filiform, appressedly hairy
upwards. Racemes stout, compressed-cylindrical, 1-1J in. long,
with 1-3 homogamous and up to 5 heterogamous pairs ; inter-
nodes of the tough portion of the rhachis under 1 lin. long, glabrous :
of the fertile portion (joints) up to over 14 lin. long, the free upper
part J-f lin. long, widened upwards, obliquely truncate, whitish,
glabrous, the part below (callus) as in II. contortus , 1 lin. long ;
pedicels glabrous, J lin. long, disarticulating below the middle.
Fertile spikelets linear-oblong, terete to subterete, 3J-3J- lin. long
(excluding the callus), brown, at length very dark. Glumes equal,
coriaceous ; lower tightly involute, truncate, minutely and ful-
vously hirtellous. 7-9-nerved, nerves very fine, faintly visible in
transmitted light with very few transverse nerves in the tips ; upper
glume narrowly linear- oblong, subobtuse, glabrous or nearly so.
Lower floret reduced to an oblong hyaline eciliate nerveless valve,
1J lin. long. Upper floret $ or § : valve as in H. contortus , 3-5
in. long ; valvule lanceolate, hyaline, nerveless, not quite 1 lin. long.
Lodicules broad-cuneate, fleshy, j-f lin. long. Stamens 3 ; filaments
not much longer than the ovary ; anthers oblong, purple, 4 lin. long
or more or less reduced or the stamens quite suppressed. Stigmas
exserted from the middle of the spikelet or higher up. Grain linear-
oblong in outline, subterete, 3 lin. long, whitish. Male (or neuter)
spikelets unequal, green, glabrous, the sessile of the homogamous
pairs symmetrical, linear, acute, about 6 lin. long, their lower glume
subherbaceous, very closely and finely nerved between the slightly
scaberulous keels, indexed margins equal, very narrow ; upper glume
slightly shorter, membranous, with 3 green nerves, ciliate upwards ;
valves and stamens small, rudimentary ; the pedicelled of all pairs
somewhat asymmetric, lanceolate, subulate-acuminate, 8-10 lin. long,
usually more or less contorted ; glumes very unequal, lower her-
baceous, very closely and finely nerved, with a narrowly winged
keel and a fine indexed dap on one side, and with a keelless involute
margin on the other, scrobiculate along a median zone ; upper glume
as in the sessile homogamous spikelets ; valve of lower doret oblong,
obtuse, up to over 4 lin. long, 1-nerved, ciliate, of upper doret linear,
very narrow, up to 2 lin. long, nerveless, ciliate or both valves more or
less (often much) reduced ; lodicules up to J lin. long ; anthers up
to 2J lin. long or rudimentary. — Nash in North Amer. FI. xvii. 127.
H. acuminatus , Trin. in Mem. Acad. Petersb. 6me ser. ii. 254 ; Rendle
in Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 153. H. Roylei , Nees in Steud. Syn. Glum,

Heteropogon .] Clvii. gramine^; (Stapf).

415

i. 367. H. polystictus , Hochst. in Flora, 1856, 28. H. scrobiculatus ,
Fourn. Gram. Mex. 64. Stipa melanocarpa, Muhl. Descr. Uber.
Gram. 183. Cymbopogonmelanocarpus,^) preng. Syst. i. 289. Andro-
pogon melanocarpus , Elliott, Sketch Bot. S. Carol, i. 146 ; Hack, in
DC. Monogr. Phan. vi. 584 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 717.
A. scrobiculatus , Kunth, Enum. i. 507. A. polystichus , Hochst. ex
Steud. l.c. 369. Trachypogon scrobiculatus , Nees, Agrost. Bras. 347.

Nile Land. Abyssinia : Jelajeranne, Schimper, 2012.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo ; sandy woods by the River
Cuanza between Mopopo and Sansamanda, Welwitsch, 7388 ! Amboland :
Upingtonia, Schinz.

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia : without precise locality, Mundy !

Widely spread throughout the hot countries of both hemispheres ; probably
of American origin.

51. THEMEDA, Forsk.

Spikelets 2-nate (the terminal 3-nate), those of the lower 2 pairs
alike in shape and sex, or neuter, sessile to subsessile and closely
approximate so as to form an involucre, of the following pair or pairs
differing in sex and conspicuously so in shape, one of each pair sessile,
the other pedicelled, on the rhaehis of solitary racemes, terminating
the culms and their upper branches ; rhaehis terete, tough or tardily
disarticulating and glabrous between the homogamous pairs, readily
disarticulating below the fertile spikelets ; homogamous pairs or at
least their sessile members persistent, the spikelets of the hetero-
gamous pairs falling separately, the pedicelled with the pedicel,
the sessile with the adjacent joint (if more than 1) and the base or
bases of the adjacent pedicels. Florets 2, lower reduced to an empty
valve, upper or neuter in the homogamous spikelets and the
pedicelled members of the heterogamous pairs, ^ in the sessile
members of the latter. Fertile spikelets terete, awned or awnless ;
callus usually acute to pungent, densely bearded, beard more or
less concealing the adjacent joint or pedicel-bases. Glumes equal,
coriaceous except at the submembranous tips ; lower tightly
involute, quite keelless, nerves very fine, obscure except in trans-
mitted light, the upper with a deep longitudinal groove on each side,
very firm between them, thin along the margins, 3-nerved. Valve
of lower floret hyaline, nerveless, of upper floret stipitiform from a
hyaline 1 -nerved base, cartilaginous upwards and passing into a
stout geniculate awn or hyaline and 1 -nerved throughout with the
nerve becoming stouter upwards and passing into a more or less
reduced awn or quite awnless. Valvule hyaline, nerveless, small or
0. Lodicules 2, somewhat large, glabrous. Stamens 3. Stigmas
exserted subterminally or from near the middle of the floret. Grain
linear-obovate, subterete, grooved on the face ; embryo about
half as long as the grain. Involucral spikelets dorsally much com-
pressed, awnless. Lower glume more or less herbaceous, 2-keeled ;

416

CL VII. GKAMINEiE (Stapf).

\Themeda.

upper membranous, very rarely suppressed. Both florets present
or one or both suppressed : their valves hyaline, the upper with or
without a valvule. Pedicelled spikelets of the heterogamous pairs
similar to those of the homogamous pairs, but narrower. — Annual or
perennial, usually coarse grasses, with scanty or compound to
decompound spatheate panicles and scattered or more or less crowded
and often glomerate short 1- or 2- (very rarely 3-) awned or awnless
monostachya.

Species about 15-10, all natives of the tropical and subtropical region of
the Old World, mostly Indo-Malayan.

Perennial ; involucral spikelets 4-7 lin. long, glabrous or

more or less irregularly beset with tubercle -based hairs 1. T. triandra.
Annual ; involucral spikelets 2|-3^ lin. long, always with a
row of rigid bristles along the flexures near the tips,
the bristles springing from coarse pale tubercles ... 2. T. qnadrivalvi*.

1. T. triandra, Forsl:. FI. JEgypt.-Ardb. cxxiii. and 178. Perennial,
1^-4 ft. high, densely csespitose, often with a short coat of fibres
(the withered remains of the basal sheaths) at the base, innovations
intra vaginal. Culms somewhat slender, glabrous (very rarely softly
hairy), with or without a glaucous bloom below the nodes, terete
or more often slightly compressed downwards, erect or geniculate-
ascending, few- to many-noded below the panicle, often with short
barren branches, forming bunches of leaves, from the lower and
intermediate nodes. Leaf -sheaths more or less compressed and
keeled, particularly the lowest, the upper terete, tight, much shorter
than the internodes, glabrous, more rarely and usually sparingly
hairy, very rarely bearded at the nodes ; ligules scarious, ciliolate,
truncate, very short, J-f lin. long ; blades firm, folded in bud, then
flat, linear from an equally wide or slightly wider and somewhat
rounded clasping base, those of the basal leaves and the innovations
short, 2-3 in. by 1-2J lin., shortly tapering, acute or subacute or
like the others elongated and long-tapering to a slender point, those
of the culm-leaves up to over 6 (rarely over 12) in. long, mostly

1- 2, occasionally 3 or even 4 lin. wide, green or more or less glaucous
to very glaucous, glabrous or sparingly hairy towards or fimbriate at
the base, rarely loosely hairy all over, hairs soft or somewhat stiff,
usually from a small tubercle, midrib slender, primary lateral nerves

2- 5 on each side, very slender. Spatheate panicle narrow, erect,
from a few inches to over 1J ft. long ; primary internodes 2-6,
if more than 2 or 3, then the lowest much elongated (up to 10 in.
and even more), the intermediate rapidly shorter, the uppermost
very short ; lowest branches often undivided at the base with a long
slender basal internode and 2-3 approximate few-rayed tiers, the
following forming tiers of 2-5 rays, all these tiers except the upper-
most mixed ; compound rays of the lower tiers up to 4 in. long, of
the upper rapidly shorter, rarely more than 2-noded, filiform, often
flexuous or nodding, simple rays of lower tiers often over 2 in. long,

-v-i ! ■

Themeda.]

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

417

of the upper and uppermost often 4-5, very short — hence their
monostachya crowded into obovoid heads — dorsally flattened,
scantily ciliate or bearded towards the tips ; the degree of division
of the panicle very variable, heads therefore from few to many, if
many scattered in the lower, approximate in the upper part of the
panicle and its main branches ; lower subtending leaves like the
preceding leaves ; upper with a green or purple-tinged spathaceous
sheath passing imperceptibly into a linear acute blade, tapering up-
wards, including it from 6 to under 2 in. long, glabrous or more or
less hairy, uppermost quite spatheoloid. Spatheoles compressed
cymbiform, lanceolate, long-acuminate, glabrous or more or less
hairy, often suffused with purple or violet, up to 2 in. long, her-
baceous except at the scarious margins and tips, the inner of large
heads shorter (to less than 1 in.) and more scarious ; peduncles
rarely up to 1 lin. long. Racemes normally with a single fertile
spikelet. Fertile spikelet including the callus 2J-3 lin. long, rarely
slightly shorter, awned ; callus pungent, to over 1 lin. long, densely
rufously bearded. Lower glume rigidly and minutely puberulous
towards the obtuse tips, otherwise glabrous and shining, whitish
when in flower, at length dark chestnut -brown, 7-9-nerved, nerves
more or less anastomosing below the nerveless tip ; upper glabrous,
with a few transverse nerves upwards. Lower floret : valve deli-
cate, lanceolate, acute, about 2 lin. long. Upper floret ^ : awn
usually between 1J and 2-| in. long (rarely shorter in the tropical
African specimens), kneed at or near the middle, column dark brown,
hirtellous, bristle paler. Anthers up to over 1 lin. long. Involucral
spikelets inserted almost at the same level, oblong-lanceolate to linear-
oblong, 4-6 lin. long, rarely shorter or longer, persistent ; glumes equal
or subequal ; lower acute or acuminate with a fine point, produced
at the base into a callous swelling, closely nerved, green to glaucous,
often tinged with purple, at length of a rich straw-colour or russet,
quite glabrous or more or less hairy, particularly in the upper pari ,
rarely all over, hairs fine, spreading, 1-14 lin. long, springing from
a small pale or dark (sometimes black) tubercle, rarely hairs and
tubercles coarser, one of the keels usually with a very narrow scarious
wing or margin ; upper 3-nerved ; valve of lower floret linear-
lanceolate, acute, up to 4 lin. long, 1 -nerved, of upper floret very
narrow, more or less reduced, sometimes very small or suppressed ;
anthers 2 lin. long. Pedicelled spikelets linear- to subulate-lanceolate
with a fine point, always quite glabrous, usually — Schweinf.
in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. Append, ii. 16, 95 : K. Schum. in Engl.
Pfl. Ost-Afr. A. 51 ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 161 ;
Pilg. in Engl. Pflanzenw. Afr. ii. 151, fig. 114, and in Mildbr. Wiss.
Ergebn. Deutsch. Zentr.-Afr. Exped. ii. 45 ; Eyles in Trans. Roy.
Soc. S. Afr. v. 298. T. Forskalii, Hack, in DC. Monogr. Phan. vi.
659 (partly) ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 731 (inch most
varieties) ; K. Sehum. l.c. A. 23, 56, 79 ; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl.

FL. FLOP. AFK. VOL. IX. PT. 3. 2 E

418

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Themeda.

Trop. Afr. 115 ; Glied. Veg. Usambara, 23, 40 ■; Chiov. in Ann. Istit.
Bot. Roma, vii. 61, and viii. 27, 290 ; Batt. & Trab. FI. Anal.
Alger, et Tunis, 355 ; Stapf in Kew Bulletin, 1907, 212 ; Pilg.
in Engl. Pflanzenw. Afr. ii. 119. T. Forskalii, var. glauca,
Cheval. Sudania, 36 ; Th. & Hel. Durand, Syll. FI. Congol. 627.
T. glauca , Batt. & Trab. FI. Alger. Monoc. 128. T. imberbis, T.
Cooke, FI. Bombay, ii. 993. Anthistiria imberbis , Retz. Obs. iii. 11 ;
Desf. in Journ. de Phys. xl. 293, t. 1 ; Thunb. FI. Cap. i. 402, ed.
Schult. 107 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 481 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 401 ;
Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 366 ; Wood, Natal PL ii. t. 133 ; Burtt
Davy in Transvaal Agric. Journ. iii. 287, t. 52. A. glauca , Desf.
FI. Atlant. ii. 380, t. 254 ; Coss. & Durieu, Expl. Scient. Alger, ii. 52,
A . Desfontainii, Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 161. A. ciliata, Nees in
Linnrea, vii. 284 (var. j3), and in FI. Afr. Austr. 121 ; Anderss. in
Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot. 562 ; Oliv. in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxix.
176 ; Dewevre in Comptes-Rendus Soc. Bot. Belg. xxxiii. 108 ; not of
Linn. f. A. ciliata, v. Burchellii, Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. iii. 139.
A. arguens, Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 124 ; not of Willd. A. punctata,
Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 448. A. paleacea, Ball in
Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. xvi. 734. A. vulgaris, Hack, in Engl. &
Prantl, Pflanzenfam. ii. Abt. 2, 29. Stipa arguens, Thunb. Prodr. 20 ;
not of Linn. Calamina imberbis, Roem. & Schult. Svst. ii. 810.

The name Themeda triandra, Forsk., (1775), has been used here instead of
T. Forskalii , Hack. (1889), as there is no doubt that the type of Forskal’s
species, which apparently has been lost, was one of the forms covered by the
description given above (see Schweinfurth in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 16).
The species, as defined here, is, however, taken in a sense somewhat narrower
than Hackel’s; this restriction requires a short explanation. Hackel in his
monograph of the Andropogonece distinguishes 11 varieties and as many sub-
varieties or forms within his T. Forskalii, whilst other authors have at various
times described more than a dozen species, all of which come within the com-
pass. There can be no doubt as to the close affinity of these forms and the
question of their status is mainly one of expediency. A careful examination
of the large amount of material at Kew and the British Museum has led to
the conclusion that for the present it will be most useful to detach, firstly,
those forms that are fairly uniform, and at the same time exclusive, over a
large area; and secondly, those that, though of a limited range, stand out from
the remainder by some character or characters. This leaves a residuum much
less homogeneous than any of the segregates just referred to. It consists
apparently of more or less fixed races, mutants, hybrids and edaphic forms which
from herbarium material are the less separable because they are to a high degree
independent of geographical areas. At the same time, however, they are all
African with an extension into Arabia, Syria and the south-eastern corner of
Asia Minor, and, taken as a whole, represent practically the African share of
Hackel’s T. Forskalii. It is to this aggregate that the description and synonymy
given above apply. The forms distinguished here have long been recognized
and received proper names. They are briefly characterized below. The first
is the most common. To avoid overloading the text with letters, the specimens
referable to it are not marked ; and the remainder have added to them the
Greek letter, or in the case of intermediate forms letters which precede the name
in the following synopsis of varieties.

a hispida. Not conspicuously glaucous in any part, frequently quite green ;
leaves glabrous or — particularly their sheaths and blade -bases — sparingly

Themeda .]

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapi).

419

hairy ; spath.es (towards the margins) and involucral spikelets or at least the
latter moderately to very sparingly hispid, or if more densely so then the hairs
stiff ; hair-tubercles pale ; lateral spatheoles nearly always glabrous.

This includes the Anthistiria ciliata, hispida, Nees (FI. Afr. Austr. 121) but
not A. hispida, Tliunb., which is Tristachya leucolhrix, Trin. The only African
specimen referred by Hackel to his var. major — the remainder are Sino-
Japanese and Indian plants — belongs here (Dschadscha, Abyssinia, Schimper).
A form microstachya — with involucral spikelets 3^-4^ lin. long, and a form
macrostachya — with spikelets up to lin. long and awns up to 3 in. long, mark
Mie extremes between which this form fluctuates. Common also in South Africa.

P punctata. Like the preceding, but the spathes, spatheoles, and involucral
spikelets with copious and somewhat soft hairs which spring from small dark
to jet-black tubercles. No form microstachya has been observed so far in this
group. Distributed by Schimper as Anthistiria punctata and described under
hat name by A. Richard.

y Burchellii. As to colour like the preceding, but glabrous in all parts ;
involucral glumes 4-6^ lin. long; awn from 2 to over 3 in. long. This is Hackel’s
variety Burchellii from Griqualand West. Also in Orange Free State, Trans-
vaal and Natal and in a state approaching punctata (with scanty black-tubercled
.hairs) in Madagascar. Very near the Australian T. australis.

8 qlauca. All parts conspicuously glaucous and glabrous ; involucral spike -
lets from 4 to over 6 lin. long, awns 2-24 in. long. This is ForskaFs original
T. triandra from Yemen. It is also the predominant form in Algeria.

A form (8 I a l 1 8) which might be described as a rather glaucous link between
vars. hispida and punctata was described by Boissier ( Diagn . PI. Or. ser. i.
fasc. 13, 72) as Anthistiria syriaca and subsequently as A. ciliata, y syriaca
(FI. Or. v. 460), from Syrian specimens. Chevalier’s specimens of T. triandra
from the upper Niger basin belong here. Another form (a : 8, microstachya )
is Boissier’s Anthistiria ciliata, var. brachyantha (FI. Or. l.c. A. brachyantha, Boiss.
Diagn. l.c. 71). The only Tropical African specimen comparable with it comes
from Usambara(£ToZ^, 8741). Retz’s Anthistiria imberbis approaches var. Bur-
chcllii and var. hispida, f. microstachya, very closely. It differs from the former
in its lower stature, short involucral spikelets (4-5 lin.) and awns (lj-l§ in.) and
the frequent presence of 1- 3 rarely more tubercle-based stiff hairs near the tips
of the lower glume of the involucral spikelets, from the latter mainly in its low
growth and the scarcity or absence of tubercle-based hairs on the involucral
spikelets. It is rather uniform throughout a wide area in the West and South
of Cape Colony, mingling occasionally with var. hispida, but replaced by it
and by var. Burchellii in the Eastern and North-eastern parts of South Africa.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Fouta Jallon ; between Timbo and Diting,
(8 : a: P) Chevalier, 18503 ! French Sudan ; San (8 : a : 1 8), Chevalier, 2362 !

Nile Land. Eritrea : Mensa ; Geleb, (P) Schweinfurth, 1407 ; Rora Uali-
caue, 6250 ft., Pappi 6s Terracciano, 2037, 2039, 2072. Amasen ; Amara
plateau, 7200 ft., (P) Schweinfurth, 628, Tellini, 387, (P) Pappi, 2173; Lesa
Mountains, Pappi, 4625, 4706, 4732, 4894; Addi Nefas, Pappi, 4157, 4164;
Mount Bizen, gregarious in open grassland, 6250 ft., Schweinfurth 6s Biva,
2026! Ambelaco, near Maldi, 6550 ft., Schweinfurth, 99; Saganeiti, (P)
Schweinfurth, 1742, Micheletti, 126 ; Dembelas ; upper reaches of the Leito-
Barka, forming turf, 7200 ft., Schweinfurth, 27. Maragus; Koheito plateau,
8500 ft., Schweinfurth, 28, 29. Assaorta ; Mount Urug, 4900 ft., Pappi,
3377 ; Mount Dyot, 4000-6000 ft., (P) Pappi, 578; Ocule Cusai ; Soyra
Mountains, 9200-9850 ft., Pappi, 1270; Sarae; Gaza-Gobo, 5900-6550 ft.,
Pappi, 210. Abyssinia : Tigre ; Mount Scholoda, (P) Schimper, 73 ! Amba
Sea, 6000-9000 ft., (j8) Schimper, 1054 ! Memsah, (P) Quartin DillorT; Simen ;
near Dochli, (P) Schimper, 1555 ! Jaja, 6000 ft., Schimper, 383 ! and without
precise locality, (P) Schimper, 360 ! Boran Country ; Lake Harimiya, (P)
Drake- Brockmann, 25 ! and without precise locality, "Stordy ! British Somali-
land : Dara-as, (P) Miss Cole ! and without precise locality, (approaching 8)
Lort- Phillips ! Socotra : above Kischen, (o : 8 , f. microstachya) Schweinfurth ,

420

CL VII . GRAMINE^E (Stapf).

[ Themeda .

581 ! Uganda : Ruwenzori ; Kasamaga, 5300 ft., Scott Elliot, 7618 ! very
common, especially on moist volcanic soil, 6000 ft., (y) Scott Elliot, 6131 !
Mau, 9000 ft., (/8) Battiscombc, 284 ! and without precise locality, Maitland,
66 A.B. ! British East Africa : Naivasha to Baringo, (13) Gregory ! Nairobi^
(f. microstachya), Lyne, 147 ! (13) Linton, 2 1 15 ! Dowson, 242 ! ( 13 j

Powell, 11 ! (a: 1 8) Kassner, 964 ! Tana river basin, (13) Gregory ! Athi Plains,

(13) Gregory !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo ; damp meadows near Sansamanda,
W elwitsch, 2785 ! near Lombe and Quibinda, Welwitsch, 2839 ! Huilla ; very
scarce in wooded meadows near Monino, (y : 8) W elwitsch, 2701 ! Humpata,
(y) Newton, 82 ! common near Huilla Mission Station, (f. macrostachya)
Pearson, 2712 ! Country of the Ganguellas and Benguellas, Gossweiler, 2419 !
Damaraland (y : 8, f. macrostachya) Eyles, 217 !

South Central. Belgian Congo : Ruzizi-Kivu Division, (according to Th.
& Hel. Durand). Katanga ; Chisangwe, Homble, 43 ! (13) Homble, 37 !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Tanga, Holst, 2129 ! Usambara;
Mascheua, (y : 8, f. microstachya) Holst, 8741 ! Kwa-Mshuza, (f. microstachya ?)
Holst, 9155 ! and without precise locality, Buchwald, 516 ! Kilimanjaro ;
Kwa Ngowe, (13) Volkens, 351 ! Lake Jalla, (f. microstachya) Volkens, 303 !
Marangu, (13) Volkens, 1481 ! Unyam wezi ; in rich low ground, growing
luxuriantly, 3000 ft., Speke tb Grant ! Karagwe, Speke cb Grant, 417 !
Rovuma River, (y) Kirk ! and without precise locality, (y) Busse, 1139!
Nyasaland : Shire Highlands, Buchanan, 12 ! Blantyre. Descamps !
Zomba, 4000-6000 ft., (f. macrostachya) Whyte ! Manganja Hills, 3000 ft.,
(approaching /3) Kirk ! Tanganyika plateau, at Fort Hill, 3500-4000 ft.,
Whyte ! slopes of Mwanemba Mountain, 4500 ft., McClounie, 23 ! Namasi,
(approaching j8) Cameron, 19! Rhodesia; Bulawayo, (y 8) Rogers, 5903!
13596 ! (8 ?) Jeffreys, 39 ! Mashonaland ; common, (y, f. m,acrostachya)

Allen, 703 ! Inyanga District, (8 : y, f. macrostachya) Mundy ! Umtali,
Sawer, 36 ! Salisbury District, (f. macrostachya) Mundy ! (8 : y, f. macro-
stachya) Mrs. C raster, 26 ! Nobbs, 607 ! (y) 631 ! (f. macrostachya) 636 !

Mazoe, (8: y, f. macrostachya) Eyles, 217! Chirinda, 3500 ft., Swynnerton,
1638 ! Nyahodi River, 4000 ft., Swynnerton, 1677 ! Portuguese East Africa:
Umhlanhlow, on the lower Buzi river, (y : 8) Swynnerton, 1571 !

One of the commonest grasses of the drier regions of Africa, often forming
extensive associations. / It is the Rooi grass of South Africa and like its Aus-
tralian representative YT/iemerfa australis: Stapi (Anthistiria australis, R. Br„),
a most valuable fodder grass (see Transvaal Agric. Journ. iii. 287, and Medley
Wood, Natal Plants, ii. t. 133).

2. T. quadrivalvis, O. Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PL ii. 794. Annual.
Culms erect or more often geniculate-ascending with stilt roots from
the lower nodes, slender to stout (almost 3 lin. in diam.), terete,
glabrous, often glaucous-pruinose below the nodes, 5-7-noded and
simple below the panicle or here and there with additional flowering
branches from the lower nodes, sometimes trailing among shrubs
and other plants and then frequently many feet long. Leaf-sheaths
compressed and keeled (the lowest) or terete, tight and much shorter
than the internodes (the upper of the culms), glabrous, smooth ;
ligules membranous, glabrous, rounded, about 1 lin. long ; blades
somewhat flaccid, folded in bud, soon flat, linear from a slightly
rounded base, shortly acute, particularly the lower, or more or less
tapering to a slender point, the basal short, the intermediate up to
1 ft. long by 2-3 lin., green or slightly glaucous, glabrous on both
sides or sparingly fimbriate with long fine tubercle-based hairs

Themeda.\

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

421

towards the base, finely rough above or smooth all over except on
the scabrid and upwards often spinulously ciliolate margins ; midrib
slender, primary lateral nerves very fine, 3-4 on each side. Spatheate
panicle leafy, erect, or more or less nodding, from 6 in. (in meagre
specimens) to over 2 ft. long, in robust specimens decompound to the
third degree ; primary internodes few to over 9, if numerous the lower
much elongated, the intermediate rapidly shorter, the upper very
short (10-15 lin.) ; lowest branches sometimes undivided at the base
with a more or less elongated basal internode or more usually like
the following forming tiers of up to 5 rays, all these tiers except the
uppermost mixed ; compound rays of the lower tiers from over
G in. to 2 in. long, often nodding, the longest with up to 8 secondary
tiers, the lowest of these secondary tiers frequently with a short 1-2-
noded compound ray bearing 1 or 2 tertiary few-rayed tiers ; all
simple rays filiform, somewhat compressed, glabrous or shortly
bearded at the tips, short and usually enclosed in the sheath of the
supporting leaf or spathe, those of the ultimate tiers about 3 lin.
long, hence the monostachya crowded into dense apparently sessile
heads, scattered or more or less closely approximate along the
longer branches and the upper part of the primary axis of the panicle ;
degree of division of the panicle very variable according to the vigour
of the plant ; subtending leaves of all tiers distinctly differentiated
into sheath and blade, the sheaths rapidly shortening upwards (down
to 6-4 lin.), relatively broad, compressed, keeled, more or less
herbaceous, often with a few tubercle-based stiff hairs near the mouth,
blades always conspicuously longer than the sheath, linear, tapering
almost from the base, very acute, somewhat rigid, often sparingly
fimbriate at the base, keeled, the keel and the margins sharply
scabrid. Spatheoles compressed, cymbiform, lanceolate, caudate-
acuminate, glabrous, more or less scarious with subhyaline margins,
8-6 lin. long, turning reddish ; peduncles usually under § lin. long,
glabrous. Racemes with a single fertile spikelet. Fertile spikelet
including the callus 2 lin. long, awned ; callus very short, obtuse,
densely and shortly rufously bearded. Lower glume rigidly and
minutely puberulous all over except at the membranous obtuse
tip, at length dark brown, very faintly 7-9-nerved ; upper glabrous,
ciliolate. Lower floret : valve delicate, ovate-lanceolate, acute,
1J lin. long. Upper floret ^ : awn about 14 in. long, slender,
flexuous, more or less distinctly kneed at the middle, often bent
again below it, brown, paler upwards, column very finely hirtellous.
Anthers §— § lin. long. Involucral spikelets inserted at almost the
same level, oblong, up to 2J lin. long, persistent ; glumes equal,
lower acute with a fine point, produced at the base into a minute
swelling, closely nerved, green, at length straw-colour, quite glabrous
apart from a few (4-6) long submarginal tubercle-based bristles near
the tip, one margin narrowly involute, the other very narrowly
indexed- the corresponding keel with a membranous margin or very

422

CL VII. GRAMINEA3 (Stapf).

[Themeda

narrow wing ; upper glume 3-nerved ; valves oblong, subobtuse,
1 -nerved to nerveless, more or less reduced ; anthers often rudi-
mentary or 0. Pedicelled spikelets linear-subulate with a fine point,
glabrous, neuter ; lower glume manv-nerved, upper shorter, 3-
nerved, ciliolate ; valves 0. — T. ciliata , Hack, in DC. Monogr. Phan,
vi. 664 ; De Wild. & Durand, Pel. Dewevr. 255. AntJiistiria , Linn,
f. Diss. Nov. Gram. Gen. 38, t. 1, and in Amoen. Acad. (ed. Schreb.),
x. Diss. Bot. 38, 1. 1. A. ciliata, Linn. f. Suppl. 113 WGsertn. Fruct.
ii. 465, t. 175 ; Lam. Illustr. t. 841, fig. 1 ; Beauv. Agrost. t. 23, f. 7;
Kuntb, Enum. i. 481 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 401 ; Baker, FI.
Maurit. 448 ; Balf. f. Bot. Socotra, 317 (partly) ; Hook. f. FI. Brit.
India, vii. 213; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 368. A. sca,ndem ,
Roxb. FI. Ind. ed. Carey, i. 248 ; Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 125 : Duthie,
Fodd. Gr. N. W. India, t. 61. A. semiberbis , Nees, l.e.

Nile Land. Socotra, Balfour , 239 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Boma District ; Shinganga, Dewevr e.

A native of India ; introduced elsewhere. Used for fodder in India.

52. DIGITARIA, Hall.

Spikelets lanceolate to elliptic-oblong, flat or more or less concave
in front, convex on the back, falling entire from the pedicels, usually
2-3- (more rarely 4-6-)nate, secund and abaxial (see explanation
below) on the triquetrous or flat rhachis of slender to very slender
spiciform racemes ; lower floret barren, reduced to the valve and
a very minute rudimentary valvule, accompanied by equally minute
lodicules ; upper floret usually equal or subequal to the lower,
Glumes very dissimilar, the lower a minute membranous scale or
a very delicate readily disintegrating hyaline membrane, or some-
times quite suppressed, upper membranous, sometimes very thin,
as long as the fertile floret to whose back it is appressed, or shorter
to very short, 5- or more often 3-nerved, very rarely 1-nerved or
almost nerveless, or 0. Barren floret : valve sometimes resembling
the upper glume, but generally larger and determining the outline
and size of the spikelet, 7-5-nerved ; very rarely 3-nerved or reduced
to a small scale, nerves parallel, prominent if not obscured by hairs.
Fertile floret : valve chartaceous to subchartaceous with thin
hyaline margins, faintly 3-nerved ; valvule equal or subequal to
the valve, embraced by it all along, finely 2-nerved, of the same
texture. Lodicules 2, minute, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3.
Styles distinct ; stigmas laterally exserted near the top of the floret.
Grain tightly enclosed by the slightly hardened valve and pale,
oblong, dorsally more or less compressed, plano-convex in cross-
section with rounded sides ; hilum subbasal, punctiform ; embryo
usually less than half the length of the grain. — Perennial or annual,
very rarely suffrutescent ; blades linear to linear-lanceolate, usually
flat and often more or less flaccid ; ligules membranous ; racemes

Ml

173*/

CLVII. GrRAMINEiE (Btapf).

423

sessile, digitate or more or less distant on a common axis, some-
times bare at the base owing to the arrest of spikelets, rarely truly
peduncled and panicled, simple or sometimes compound near the
base ; rhachis triquetrous, lateral angles with narrow green margins
or herbaceous wings or flattened with a terete midrib ; pedicels
unequally long ; spikelets closely appressed and more or less imbricate
or lax to veiy lax, usually silky though often apparently glabrous owing
to the very tight application of the extremely fine hairs, rarely really
glabrous. — Panicum § Digitaria, Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. iii. 1101.

Species over 100, in the warm parts of both hemispheres, most numerous in
the Old World.

Haller (H^. Stirp. ii. 244, 1768) was the first to give a full and correct descrip-
tion of the genus as here understood and is therefore accepted as its author.
The usual quotation “ Digitaria, Heist, ex Adanson ” (Fam. PI. ii. 38 ; 1763) is
inadmissible in this place, as Adanson meant by it Tripsacum, L., whatever
Heister’s notion of Digitaria may have been. Scopoli (FI. Cam. i. 52 : 1772)
and Wiggers (Prim. FI. Hols. 6 : 1780) took the genus from Haller ; Wiggers
adding a short differential diagnosis. Syntherisma, Walt., established in
1788, rests on an American species of Digitaria.

The nature of the hairs of the spikelets is remarkably varied and the several
types of hairs which can be distinguished are so correlated with other characters
suggesting close affinity that they may be treated as reliable guides to the
main groups of species. Unfortunately the hairs are frequently so delicate
(a very few micromillimeters in diameter) that a compound microscope is
required to see the details of their structure. It has therefore been considered
desirable in drawing up the key to support them as far as possible by less micro-
scopic characters, although they may not always be of the same precision or
constancy. Where the hairs are very fine and at the same time closely appressed
to the valve they may become practically invisible even with the use of an
ordinary lens. They can, however, always be detected if the spikelet is soaked
and the surface rubbed with a needle from the tip downwards, or if examined
under a higher power. The nervation of the upper glume and barren valve,
another character of technical importance, is frequently obscured by the in-
dumentum, but can generally be seen sufficiently clearly on the inner glabrous
face of those organs after they have been flattened out in a drop of water. The
all but constant presence of a very much reduced dorsally papillose valvule
and of apparently functioning lodicules in the barren floret is a very interesting
fact and a good generic character, but the parts are too minute and too similar
to afford a practical means for specific discrimination. The valve and valvule
of the upper floret are so similar in consistency and colouring that no attempt
has been made to describe them separately, and the corresponding characters
attributed to the floret are meant to cover both.

Here and in all the genera of Panicastra where the terms “ spikelets abaxial ”
and “ spikelets adaxial” are used, “abaxial” signifies that the face of the
spikelet with the lower glume at the base and the valve of the upper floret
(glumes i. and iii. of authors) above it are turned a^ay from the rhachis, while
“ adaxial” means that the fane of the spikelet faces the rhachis. Applied to
the back of the fruit (see key to genera, p. 14), the terms have, of course, to be
reversed; the back of the fruit of an adaxial spikelet is abaxial, and the
back of an abaxial spikelet is adaxial.

Key to the Sections and Subsections.

*Spikelets mostly hairy, although frequently apparently
glabrous, not accompanied by white setulse of equal
or greater length ; barren valve 7-, or more rarely
5-nerved

I. Eu-Digitaria.

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[ Digitaria .

f Racemes sessile or subsessile, sometimes bare at the
base, but then always with traces of arrested
spikelets.

Rhachis of racemes trigonous, laterally winged or
margined (see also 35, D. angolensis).

Upper glume 3-nerved, rather different in shape
and size from the barren valve.

Hairs fine to very fine, smooth -walled, with
their tips straight, equally wide or slightly
wider upAvards and obtuse or tapering to a
sharp point, rarely abruptly capitellate
(14, D. capilipila), always very many
times longer than wide.

Lower glume generally quite distinct, though
small, an ovate membranous scale, per-
sistent if at all developed ; pedicels
2-nate (sometimes 3-4-nate towards the
base of the raceme in 4, D. nodosa) ;
hairs very fine, equally wide and thin-
walled throughout, blunt or subacute,
sometimes mixed with or replaced by
fine stiff yellowish bristles which spread
at maturity ; perennial or annual
Lower glume an extremely delicate hyaline
colourless mostly truncate and crenulate
or lobulate membrane disintegrating
early or altogether suppressed ; pedicels
2-6-nate, sometimes mixed with very
short secondary branchlets in the lower
part of the raceme.

Racemes solitary ; perennial

Racemes 2 to oo .

Indumentum of spikelets short, ap-
pressed and often scanty or obscure,
pale tawny, consisting of hairs
firmer than in the Sanguinales with
often slightly widened or abruptly
capitellate tips ; perennial
Indumentum of spikelets longer, ap-
pressed (at least before maturity,
after it sometimes spreading) and
usually copious along the sides,
produced beyond the tips of the
spikelets into a short or long pointed
tuft, often purplish or bronze colour,
consisting of somewhat firm, very
acute hairs ; perennial or annual ...

Hairs if any (see 24, D. Iburua ) very short with
obtuse clavate tips, or somewhat longer
with very acute clavate tips, appressed,
forming a delicately furfuraceous indu-
mentum ; pedicelsangularandscabrid with
usually hispidulous tips ; annual ...

Upper glume 5-nerved, as long as and generally
similar to the barren valve which is, however,
7-nerved ; hairs if any (see 29, D. abyssimca)
extremely fine, equally wide throughout,
smooth- walled with curled tips ; perennial
or annual

(a) Sanotjinales.

(6) Monopactylai.

(c) Calvtjl,.®.

(i d ) Tricttachne.

(e) Clavipjlje.

(/) ClRRIPILAS.

■TA-i

. /

'A-/

’ A A #U'A>) >/ ?. /;■ f /14.A_.,:.. a..vi

^S,'\Asteri i*. » f %e \ ' ( ■/

s&'/\:'- * ( r-i) *’"/<..■&■ t ■■{ "f ‘, /"t t %'t3 fyn^L^ t-

' /... /$ ^ j i- f-k. ■■ ' #a^ ^/ ' -U f ••;? .‘ ■/’* » / / H,« J /

/V! '■ ' ! f ■■■#..£ > «*f - ■; /../ # *'*<■-

*,U ‘ ,M.

.*:

z

•? 4<#

*/ ‘ >4

Digitaria .]

CLVII. GRAMINE^a (Stapf).

425

Rhachis of racemes usually flat with a rounded
smooth midrib on the face and more or less
terete smooth discoid- tipped pedicels, rarely
(35, D. angolensis) trigonous with scaberulous
pedicels ; upper glume as long as the spikelet,
5-3-nerved, hairs of spikelets if any (see 38, D.
exilis ) conspicuously verrucose, very fine ; annual

f f Racemes genuinely peduncled ; that is, with a bare
terete filiform base without arrested spikelets.

Racemes in 1 whorl (rarely 2), very long, ultimately
horizontally spreading with long plumose
peduncles and very distant pairs of spikelets ;
suffrutescent

Racemes in open or contracted panicles ; peduncles
fine, glabrous, moderately long
**Spikelets quite glabrous, accompanied by white setulse
of equal or greater length from the tips of the
pedicels ; lower glume normally suppressed, upper
reduced to a small scale or also suppressed ;
barren valve 3-1 -nerved; racemes simple or
downwards compound in open or contracted rarely
almost spiciform panicles ...

I. Eu-Digitaria.

(a) Sanguitstales.

*Perennial.

Racemes digitate or subdigitate, fastigiate, blades
mostly narrow (up to 2 lin.) or if wider (2, D. mi-
l-anjiana ) then rather firm.

Racemes dense ; rhachis narrowly winged, lin.
wide.

Spikelets subimbricate, acute, mostly distinctly
silky, coloured, nerves of the barren valve
smooth ; compactly csespitose with silky to-
mentose bases (cataphylls and persistent
sheath-bases), blades usually 1-2, rarely 3
lin. wide

Spikelets densely imbricate, acutely acuminate,
glabrous (at least apparently) or rigidly ciliate,
nerves rough ; loosely csespitose, often stoloni-
ferous ; stolons with thin strongly nerved
appressedly hairy or glabrescent cataphylls ;
blades up to 5 lin. wide

Racemes more or less loose ; rhachis marginate,
•l-j lin. wide ; spikelets very loosely appressed
or spreading.

Spikelets rather dark, brownish or purplish-
green, apparently glabrous or obscurely silky
on the sides ; barren valve rather firm, promi-
nently nerved ; culms rather bare at the

base

Spikelets very pale, distinctly silky ; barren
valve very thin.

Spikelets loosely appressed, hairs mostly
appressed, obscuring the side-nerves ; culms
coated at the base with the remains of
oomentose cataphylls and sheaths

(g) VERRTTCIPILiE.

(/?,) PENNATiE.

(i) Flaccidul^:.

II. Setariopsis.

1. D. eriantha.

2. D. milanjiana.

3. D. seriata.

4. D. nodosa,.

426 v clvii. gramine^ (Stapf).

Spikelets very loose, on spreading pedicels,
with long fringes of hairs

Racemes solitary or in pairs or false whorls on jj
rather long and slender common axis, more 01
less stiffly spreading : pairs of s*pikelets rather
scattered, apparently glabrous ; blades thin ,
flaccid, up to 5 in. by 7 lin.

**Annual.

Racemes in a succession of 6 or more whorls or false
whorls on a slender common axis 2|-1 in. long,
bare and loosely plumose at the base ; pairs of
spikelets rather scattered ; blades thin, flaccid,
4-9 lin. wide ...

Racemes digitate or subdigitate or if on a more
elongated common axis then not in a regular
succession of whorls and not plumose at the base.
Spikelets acute or acuminate with smooth nerves.
Spikelets f-1 lin. long ; rhachis lin. wide,

frequently with some long spreading very fine
glistening hairs ; blades thin, flaccid, 2-6 lin.
wide

Spikelets 1-1£ lin. long; rhachis §--l lin. wide,
without long spreading hairs ; racemes 2-6
in. long ; blades slightly firmer and on the
whole narrower (2-4 lin.)

Hairs of spikelets more or less appressed,
white or silvery

Hairs of spikelets often accompanied by
yellowish bristles, both spreading at
m atu rity into rigid fringes ...

Hairs of spikelets 0

Spikelets with a very acute often curved acumen and
rough nerves, 1-1-|- lin. long ; racemes 6-8 in.
long, stiff ...

( b ) MONODACTYLiE.

Only species

(c) Calvulje.

Spikelets over 1 lin. long, 2-4-nate, rather loosely arranged,
their upper glume equalling three-quarters to the full
length of the fertile floret, but leaving the sides un-
covered ; racemes rarely over 5 in. long ; rhachis
trigonous throughout.

Common axis of racemes short ; spikelets 1| lin. long,
the tips of their hairs not abruptly globose.

Leaf -blades at length unrolling, up to 2 lin. wide ;

culms compressed

Leaf-blades setaceous, lin. in diam. ; culms terete

Common axis long with the racemes racemosely
arranged ; spikelets up to If lin. long, the tip of
their hairs abruptly globose, resembling the heads
of pins

[ Digitaria .

[phara.

5. D. mncroble-

6. D. Pearsonii.

7. D. Perrottetii.

8. D. horizontalis.

9. D. marginata.

var. Linkii.

[ata.

var. firnbri-
var. nubica.

[■ tissima .

10. D. acumina-

11. D. monodactyla.

12. D. compressa.

13. D nardijolia

14. D. capitipila .

Digitaria .]

CLVII. GRAMINE^J (Stapf).

427

Spikelets up to 1 lin. long, 2-6-nate, dense, more or less
imbricate, their upper glume about half as long as the
fertile floret, covering it very imperfectly ; racemes
5-9 in. long ; rhachis trigonous and marginate at the
base only, upwards flattened and winged ... ... 15. D. seminuda.

( d ) Trichaohne.

Perennial ; lateral fringe of hairs purplish or silvery.

Culms up to 6 ft. high, 2-noded, nodes glabrous ;
blades tightly convolute, at length unrolling, up to
over 1 ft. by 2 lin. (flattened out) ; pedicels
angular, scabrid ... ... ... ... ... 16. D. pellita.

Culms 1-3 ft. high, 2-4-noded., nodes bearded; blades
flat, 2-5 in. by 1£-3| lin. ; pedicels terete, smooth
or almost so ... ... ... ... ... ... 17. D. Brazzce.

Annual.

Spikelets lj-lf lin. long, with a copious silvery or
purplish lateral fringe of hairs ; blades flat, 2-6 in.
by 2—1 lin. ; pedicels terete, scaberulous ... ... 18. D. gay ana.

Spikelets l-l| lin. long, with the fringe of hairs
shorter, ultimately bronze-colour to rufous and
spreading.

Nodes bearded, secondary branchlets of panicle 3-6
(rarely 15) lin. long, fascicled with 2-4 simple
pedicels; spikelets with lateral fringes of hairs ... 19. D. Lecardii.

Nodes glabrous ; secondary branchlets 0 or only at
the very base and quite short ; spikelets with
one transverse and two lateral fringes of hairs . . . 20. D. xanthotricha.

( e ) Clavipil^e.

Spikelets hairy ; fertile floret early darkening and vividly
contrasting with the rest of the spikelet.

Hairs of spikelet very short, obtusely clavate ; barren
valve 5-nerved ; pedicels with distinctly hispidulous
or minutely bearded tips.

Rhachis of racemes lin. wide ; spikelets 1 lin.

long 21. D. ternata.

Rhachis of racemes lin. wide ; spikelets § lin.

long ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 22. Z). melanochila.

Hairs of spikelets elongate, with very acute clavate
tips ; barren valve 7 -nerved, the submarginal nerve
very faint ; pedicels with scabrid or scaberulous
tips <2U>. D. delicatula.

Spikelets glabrous ; barren valve 7 -nerved ; fertile floret

darkening late 24 . D. Iburua.

Perennial.

(/) ClRRIFILiE.

Spikelets hairy.

Racemes racemosely arranged, much shorter than
the common axis and more or less appressed to
it ; spikelets 1£ lin. long ... ... ... 25. D.botryostachya.

428

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Digitaria.

Racemes digitate or subdigitate, or if on an elongated
common axis then longer than it and more or
less fastigiate ; spikelets f-1 lin. long.

Nodes bearded; catapliylls and basal sheaths
tomentose or villous ; racemes numerous,
mostly 7-10.

Compactly caespitose, without stolons ; culms
2-3-noded ; leaves glabrous or sparingly
hairy except on the lower sheaths ... 26. D. gazensis.

Forming tufts of barren shoots mixed with
flowering shoots and trailing runners ;
culms many-noded, leaves more or less
villous ' 27. D. Chevalieri.

Nodes glabrous, 7 or more ; racemes 2-5 ; stolon -
iferous, with glabrescent catapliylls ; leaves
sparingly hairy ... ... ... ... 28. D. Hackelii.

Spikelets glabrous, somewhat turgid ; racemes 2-9,
digitate or subracemosely arranged with the
lowest longer than the common axis, oblique;
rhizome long, creeping ... ... ... ... 29. D. abyssinica.

Annual.

Spikelets oblong to lanceolate-oblong, acute, up to
1 lin. long.

Nodes bearded.

Spikelets 1 lin. long, whitish with silvery lines of
hairs ; racemes 8-15, the lowest usually bare
at the base ... 30. D. leptorrhachis.

Spikelets f-f lin. long, greenish or purplish, ap-
parently glabrous ; racemes usually over 20,
bearing perfect spikelets from the base ... 31. D. polybotrya.

Nodes glabrous ; spikelets not quite 1 lin. long,

greenish or brownish, apparently glabrous ... 32. D. nigritiana.

Spikelets lanceolate, finely or almost caudate-
acuminate from the upper glume, 1-1 § lin. long,
apparently quite glabrous ... ... ... ... 33. D. debilis,

{g) VERRTTCIPILiE.

Lower glume a broad white or blue hyaline cuff -like
persistent scale, equalling a quarter of the spikelet ;
long-trailing, with short rigid lanceolate blades ... 34. D, maniculata.

Lower glume very minute, delicate and fugitive or 0.

Spikelets subacute to acuminate, but never aristulate.

Spikelets hairy.

Rhachis of racemes trigonous, up to £ lin. wide,
with scaberulous angles ; spikelets oblong,
acute to subacute, over 1 lin. long, whitish-silky 35. D. angolensis.

Rhachis of racemes flat, winged, with a terete
smooth midrib.

Spikelets oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, up to
over 1 lin. long, silkily shaggy from long hairs
which are produced beyond the tip of the
spikelet ... .." ... ... ... 30. D. argyrotricha

Spikelets elliptic-oblong, subacute to acute, under

1 lin. long, appressedly silky from short hairs 37. D. longiflora.

Spikelets glabrous, elliptic-oblong, acute ... ... 38. D. exilis.

Digitaria. ]

ciiVii. graminBj® (Stapf).

429

Spikelets aristulate from the fertile floret, oblong-
lanceolate ; spikelets apparently glabrous or the
hairs spreading at maturity ... ... ... 39. D. aristulata,

( h ) Pennatjs.

Only species 40. D. pennata.

( i ) FLACCIDULiE.

Spikelets oblong -lanceolate, acute to acuminate, If lin.
long, pale, slightly whitish silky and shortly bearded
from the base ... ... ... ... ... ... 41. D. nitens.

Spikelets lanceolate, acutely acuminate, 1£ lin. long,

green tinged with purple, dark purplish-silky ... 42. D. elegans.

II. Setariopsis.

Upper glume present ; bairen valve as long as or almost
as long as the spikelet, tightly appressed to the face
of the fertile floret, 3 -nerved.

Racemes long, mostly simple, in oblong contracted or
often open panicles, often ftj,stigiate.

Perennial ; culms with few usually bearded nodes ;

spikelets hn. l°ng • • • • • • • • • • • • 43. D. uniglumis. '/7

Annual ; culms with 4-6 glabrous nodes ; spikelets

lin. long 44. D. minutiflora.

Racemes short, mostly compound, in spiciform panicles ;

perennial ... ... ... ... ... ... 45. D. Myuru$.

Upper glume 0 ; barren valve small, 1 -nerved ; annual 46. D. intecta.

1. D. eriantha, Steud. in Flora , 1829, 468. Perennial, compactly
caespitose on a short stout prsemorse rhizome ; innovations intra-
vaginal. Culms erect or subgeniculate, rather stout, 1J-3 ft. high,
glabrous, 2-4-noded, usually simple, sometimes scantily branched
below. Leaf-sheaths rather loose, striate, the upper shorter than
the internodes, glabrous, more rarely the lower more or less hirsute,
the lowest like the cataphylls of the innovations silky-tomentose
at the base, long-persistent and densely coating the shoots ; ligules
scarious, 1-2 lin. long, glabrous ; blades linear, tapering to a fine point,
J-l ft. by 1-2 lin., or the lowest much shorter, flat or with the
margins revolute, rigid, glaucous, glabrous or scantily hirsute at the
base, margins scabrid upwards, primary lateral nerves numerous,
very fine and close. Racemes 4 to many, sessile, digitate or sub-
digitate with a usually stout and angular common rhachis up to
over 1 in. long, erect or suberect, 4-8 in. long, strict or somewhat
flexuous, dense, sometimes interrupted near the base, greyish-green
or purplish ; rhachis slender, J-J lin. wide, trigonous, angles
marginate or very narrowly winged, scabrid ; pedicels 2-nate,
filiform, more or less angular, scaberulous, unequal, the longer 1 lin.,
rarely up to 1J lin., long. Spikelets subappressed, subimbricate,
oblong- or ovate-lanceolate, lj-lj lin. long, more or less (some-
times obscurely) silky on the sides. Lower glume membranous,

480

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf),

[ Digitaria .

ovate, acute or obtuse, up to J lin. long, nerveless ; upper lanceolate,
acute, about 1 lin. long, 3-nerved, with 4 lines of very fine usually
appressed hairs. Lower floret : valve oblong- or ovate-lanceolate,
acute, 7-nerved, middle- and side-nerves (except the outermost)
prominent, lines of usually appressed dense long very fine obtuse hairs
between the inner side-nerves (of each half) and along the margins ;
valvule a hyaline scale up to 4 lin. long or 0 ; lodicules minute.
Upper floret oblong, shortly and acutely acuminate, chartaceous,
whitish to pale slate-colour. ,Anthers § lin. long. Grain oblong,
broad elliptic in cross section, 1 lin. by lin. ; scutellum elliptic,
half the length of the grain. — Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 375 ; Wood,
Natal PI. t. 137 ; Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. xl. 227. D. sp.,
Burchell, Trav. S. Afr. i. 537. Panicum commutatum , Nees in
Linnsea, vii. 274 ; FI. Afr. Austr. 25 (excl. most synonyms) ; not of
Nees in Wight & Arn. Glum. Ind. Or. ined. no. 3 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 743 (partly) : Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr.
v. 299 ?

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Beira, Rogers, 4545 ! Swynner-
ton, 1588 ! Lower Buzi Biver, Swynnerton, 1586. Rhodesia : Bechuanaland ;
Mahalapye, Rogers, 6101 ! Mochudi, Rogers, 6595 ! Leshumo Valley, Holuh\
Transvaal : Limvuba River, Nelson, 66 !

Common throughout the eastern half of South Africa, rare in the west (Great
Namaqualand to Piquetberg). Said to be good fodder for cattle ( Wood, l.c.).

The only mature grains I have seen were in a. specimen from Springbok Flats
( Burtt Davy , 1 122) which moreover is interesting on account of the rigid spread-
ing double fringes of coarse yellowish hairs (-| lin. long) from the spaces between
the inner lateral nerves and of white soft hairs from the margins (§ lin. long).
Similar spreading soft marginal hairs occur in some of Pearson’s specimens from
the Great Karasberg (no. 8516), but the stiff yellow hairs which much resemble
the “cilia” of the European “ Digitaria ciliaris ” were not observed in any
other specimen. The amount and the length of the pubescence of the lower
floret vary to an astonishing degree not only in the different individuals but in
the same raceme, the hairs being either appressed or more or less loose, and,
when they are short and lie close to the surface of the valve, the latter may seem
to be glabrous. When the hairs in the space inside the inner nerve-pairs are
loose and fluffy the glabrous median portion between them may appear deeply
sunk below the level of the flanks although in reality it is not so.

2. D. milanjiana^^a^. Perennial, loosely csespitose from rather
slender descending or creeping rhizomes, stoloniferous ; stolons
covered with short ovate obtuse strongly nerved and appressedly
hairy or glabrescent thin cataphylls, sometimes rather long and
branching. Culms erect or subgeniculate or gently ascending,
1 to over 3 ft. high, slender to stout, glabrous, basal internodes often
numerous, followed by 2 or 4 (rarely more) elongated internodes,
the terminal by far the longest. Leaves usually numerous at the
base, thin, subherbaceous, rather loose, the lower generally keeled
and often distinctly laterally compressed, short or long, glabrous
or hirsute to villous, the upper mostly glabrous or nearly so, more
terete and tight ; ligules scarious, truncate, crenulate, glabrous,

431

Digitaria.] clvii. gramine^j (Stapf).

up to 1 lin. long ; blades linear to linear-lanceolate from an equally
wide base, tapering to a fine point, 2 to over 1 ft. by lf-5 lin. , the
lowest often short, flat, rather firm, glaucous-green, glabrous or more
or less appressedly hirsute to almost tomentose, margins finely
cartilaginous, often crisped, slightly rough, midrib very slender,
obscure above, prominent below, lateral nerves fine, close, often
obscure. Racemes few to many (up to 15), suberect or oblique,
digitate or subdigitate and sessile, on a more or less stout and
angular mostly short common axis, rather stiff and dense, 3-5 or
occasionally up to 9 in. long, green or tinged (sometimes richly)
with purple ; rhachis trigonous, slightly wavy, J-f lin. wide,
lateral angles narrowdy winged or marginate, scabrid, internodes
about 1 lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate, filiform, angular, scaberulous,
the longer f-f (rarely 1) lin. long. Spikelets tightly appressed,
imbricate to subimbricate, lanceolate-oblong to linear-lanceolate,
acute or acutely acuminate, 1J-1J lin. long, glabrous (at least
apparently) or somewhat silky on the sides or ciliate-fimbriate.
Lower glume a minute ovate acute or obtuse membranous scale ;
upper thin, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acute to acuminate,
tVt7o- lin- long (excluding the apical hairs), 3-nerved, with usually
appressed fine thin-walled obtuse-tipped hairs 1 lin. long (or if longer
then also stiffer and subacute) between the nerves and along the
margin. Lower floret corresponding in outline and size to the spike-
let : valve rather firm, 7-nerved, nerves scaberulous, with fine lines
of short hairs between the inner side-nerves and along the margins,
the hairs often so closely appressed that the spikelets appear glabrous
or the hairs of the inner lines mixed with or almost entirely replaced
by yellowish acute at length rigidly spreading fine bristles up to
over lin. long ; valvule and lodicules minute or the former up to
\ lin. long. Upper floret lanceolate, acutely acuminate, very slightly
shorter than the lower, often purplish : valve thinly chartaceous.
Anthers -|-f lin. long. — D. sanguinalis, vars. ciliaris and extensa.
Rendle in Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 163. D. Sivynnertonii, Rendle
in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. xl. 227, t. 6, figs. 6-10. Panicum milan-
jianum, Rendle in Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot. iv. 56. P. san-
guinale, var. ciliare, Eyles in Trans. R. Soc. S. Afr. v. 301 (partly) ;
not of others.

Nile Land. British East Africa : Rabai Hills near Mombasa. Taylor !
Tanaland, Linton , 210 ! Ukambani ; in grass-land near Kibwezi, 3300 ft.,
Scheffler, 152 !

Lower Guinea. Portuguese Congo : Landana Hills, in sandy pastures,
Gossweiler, 6054 ! Loanda, in sandy grassland, Gossweiler, 1567 ! 1579 ! 1610 !
Welwitsch, 7322 ! 7349 ! 7468 ! 7470 ! Barra do Dande ; on the banks of the
river Dande near Bombo, Wdwitsch, 7280 ! Pungo Andongo (?), Welwitsch ,
2855 !

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Shupanga, Kirk ! near
Moramballa, Kirk ! between Lupata and Senna, Kirk ! Zinymbo Hills, 1500 ft..
Swynnerton, 1554 ! Nyasaland : Shire Highlands, Buchanan, 44 ! Mount
Miianje, Whyte ! Rhodesia : near Mumbwa, Mrs. Macaulay, 43 ! Victoria

482

[ Digitaria .

CLVII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

Falls, Allen, 271! Maslionaland ; North Mazoe District, Mundy ! Salis-
bury, Eyles , 629 ! 633 ! Mrs. Craster, 9 ! 24 ! Matabeleland ; Bulawayo,
Appleton, 26 ! Insiza District, Mundy ! Gazaland ; Chirinda, Swynnerton,
1627 !

A species of very varied habit and probably very plastic. The specimen from
which it was originally described represents a rather robust state with erect or
suberect culms 4 ft. high, rather long and glabrous or almost glabrous basal
sheaths, and numerous long (5-8 in.) racemes. To it belong all the East African
and Nyasaland specimens, and of the Angolan, Welwitsch, 2855, 7322 and 7349,
and Gossweiler, 1610 and 6054. A curious form distinguished by radiating
rather short culms, often long stolons, short and usually densely villous basal
sheaths, and fewer and shorter (3-4 in.) racemes, was collected by Welwitsch
(7468 and 7470) and Gossweiler (1567 and 1579) in the same area, mostly in
sandy ground where according to Gossweiler the roots contribute considerably
to the stabilization of the sand. The spikelets are rather uniform as to
disposition, size and structure (apart from the presence or absence of
setulee).

3. D. seriata, Stapf. Perennial with a creeping branched rhizome
emitting serially arranged culms in close or loose succession from
extravaginal innovations, covered by strigillose-tomentose cataphylls.
Culms erect, rather slender, up to over 4 ft. high, glabrous, 4-6-
noded, simple, rarely with a branch from near the base. Leaf-
Hblades rather tight, terete, striate, the upper much shorter than the
internodes, glabrous, smooth, moderately firm, the basal breaking
down with the dying culms, not forming persistent coats ; ligules
scarious, rounded, usually very short, rarely up to 1 lin. long, gla-
brous ; blades linear, tapering to a fine point, about 6 in. by 14 to
almost 2 lin.. flat with straight or sometimes crisp subscaberulous
margins, flexuous, finely pubescent or quite glabrous and smooth,
nerves numerous, very fine and close, the primary (3 or 4 on each
side) hardly standing out from the others, midrib very slender.
Racemes 3-6, sessile or subsessile, digitate or subdigitate on a
slender angular common rhachis, up to § in. long, suberect or spread-
ing, 5-6 in. long, slender, straight or flexuous, rather loose, brownish-
or purplish-green ; rhachis very slender, lin. wide, trigonous,
angles marginate, scaberulous ; pedicels 2-nate, finely filiform,
more or less angular, scaberulous, unequal, the longer to over 1 lin.
long, flexuous. Spikelets loosely appressed, the superposed distant
by their own length, never imbricate, lanceolate-oblong, more or
less acute, up to 1| lin. long, apparently glabrous or obscurely silky
on the sides. Lower glume a minute membranous ovate scale,
up to ~ lin. long ; upper lanceolate, acute, about 1 lin. long, very
faintly 3-nerved with 4 lines of very fine more or less appressed
silky hairs. Lower floret : valve lanceolate-oblong, more or less
acute, 7 -nerved, middle and inner paired side-nerves prominent but
fine, the outermost often faint, with lines of short appressed hairs in
the narrow spaces between the inner 2 side-nerves (of each half)
and of long ones (up to f lin.) towards the margins, the hairs very
fine, wavy, obtuse ; palea and lodicules very minute, ~ lin. long.

Digilaria.~\

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

4BB

Upper floret thinly chartaceous, oblong, acute, pale brown, 1J lin.
by | lin. Anthers J lin. long.

Lower Guinea. Angola : country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas, Goss-
weiler, 3756 ! in Mumua woods in the Siengo-Kuito Valley, Gossweiler , 3761 !

4. D. nodosa, Pari. PI. Nov. vel Min. Not. 39, and in Webb &
Bert. Phyt. Canar. iii. 384, t. 246. Perennial, with a short stout
rhizome and close extravaginal innovations covered with silky-
tomentose cataphylls, rarely with some additional intravaginal
innovations. Culms erect or shortly ascending,' 1-1 J ft. high, glabrous,
slender, usually 2-noded and simple with densely crowded basal
leaves or the base lengthened up to over J ft., ascending with more
distinct internodes and distant leaves, branching from the third
or fourth node upwards, forming a bundle of secondary culms like
the ordinary simple ones. Leaf-sheaths tight or the lower at length
loosened, striate, the uppermost long-exserted, glabrous or loosely
beset with spreading tubercle-based hairs, the lowest like the cata-
phylls silky tomentose towards the base and long-persistent ; li-
gules scarious, up to over 1 lin. long, glabrous ; blades linear, tapering
to a fine point, 3-6 in. by 1-2 lin., flat, subflaccid, glaucous, glabrous
or finely pubescent, besides being more or less beset with long spreading
hairs particularly towards the base, margins cartilaginous, scaberu-
lous upwards, lateral nerves numerous, fine and close, the primary
rarely more prominent. Kacemes 6 to many, sessile, digitate or
subdigitate, with a slender more or less angular common rhachis
(rarely over 2 in. long) and then often solitary or 2-3-nate, erect
or obliquely erect, rarely spreading, slender, rather loose, 2-6 in.
long, whitish green ; rhachis very slender, J- J lin. wide, triquetrous,
angles marginate, scabrid ; pedicels 2-nate, or lower down 3-4-nate
(rarely), finely filiform, more or less angular, scaberulous, unequal,
the longer up to over 1J lin. long. Spikelets loosely appressed,
scarcely imbricate except when quite young, lanceolate, 1J-1J lin.
long, more or less silky. Lower glume membranous, ovate or
triangular, acute or obtuse, up to J lin. long, nerveless ; upper
narrowly lanceolate, acute, up to 1 lin. long, 3-nerved with 4 lines
of very fine usually appressed silky ‘hairs. Lower floret : valve
lanceolate, acutely acuminate, as long as thespikelet, thin, 7-nerved,
middle and side nerves (except the outermost) prominent, lines of
usually appressed long extremely fine subacute silky hairs between
the inner two side-nerves (of each half) and along the margins or
all over; valvule and lodicules very minute. Upper floret thinly
chartaceous, narrowly oblong, finely and acutely acuminate, almost
as long as the spikelet, first pale then turning brown ; margins of
the valve slightly distant, parallel. Anthers § lin. long. — D. setigera,
Schmidt, Beitr. FI. Cap. Yerd. Ins. 133 (partly). D. commutata , Coss.'
& Dur. FI. Alg. 34. D. eriantha, Stapf in Kew Bulletin, 1907,
212, not in Dyer, FI. Cap. D. sanguinalis , var. ciliaris, Stapf, l.c.

FL. TROP. AFR. VOL. IX. — PT. 3- 2 F

434

CLVII, GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Digitaria.

Panicum Parlatorei, Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 40 ; Batt. & Trab.
FI. Alger. Monoc. 131 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 295.
P. commutatum , var. nodosum , Hack, in Durand & Schinz, Consp.
FI. Afr. v. 744. P. commutatum, var. j3, Chiov. l.c. 30. P. pabulare,
Aitch. & Hemsl. in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. xix. 190 ; Boiss. FI.
Or. v. 434. Paspalum sanguinale, var. pabulare, Hook. f. FI. Brit.
Ind. vii. 15.

Upper Guinea. Cape Verd Islands : S. Nicalao ; Ribeira d’Agoa, Bolle !
S. Antao ; up the Ribeira Grande, Lowe. ! locally gregarious, Schmidt.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Assaorta ; along the Addas torrent, Pappi, 2596
5163! Urug Valley, Pappi , 3356! Mount Dijot, Pappi, 2922. Somaliland:
Wadaba, Miss Cole ! in the valleys round Upper Sheikh, Appleton !

An imperfect specimen, collected by Linton (no. 69) at Makindu, British East
Africa, may belong here.

Also in Algeria, tropical Arabia, Afghanistan and the Punjab.

Sufficiently distinct from D. eriantha, Stapf, of the Cape, with which it has
been confused, in the very slender relatively loose racemes, more lanceolate
spikelets, and its much less compact growth. Said to be good fodder ( Aitchison ,
Appleton ).

5. D. macroblephara^ta#/’. Perennial (?). Culms erect, slender
simple ; uppermost internodes long-exserted. Leaf-sheaths terete,
tight, quite glabrous or appressedly hairy at the nodes ; ligules
membranous, short, truncate, denticulate, blades linear, gradually
tapering to an acute point, 1J-2J in. by 1-1 \ lin., flat, somewhat
rigid, smooth, glaucescent. Kacemes 3-5, digitate. 1§-2| in. long,
suberect, flexuous, very loose, villous, pale ; rhachis very slender,
jp-J lin. wide, triquetrous, angles marginate, scabrid, internodes
1| lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate, very unequal, the longer f-1 lin. long,
finely filiform, angular, slightly scaberulous. Spikelets more or less
spreading, linear-lanceolate, 1|-1§ lin. long, villous. Lower glume
a membranous ovate or ovate-lanceolate acute scale, up to almost
b lin. long ; upper lanceolate to oblong, acute, almost as long and
as wide as the spikelet, hyaline, finely 3-nerved, with spreading hairs
all over between the nerves and along the margins, hairs very fine,
flexuous, solid towards the subacute or acute tips, up to J lin. long.
Lower floret corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, thin,
finely sub-7-nerved, submarginal nerve very faint, densely hairy
between the inner pair of side-nerves and along the margin, hairs as
in the upper glume but up to f lin. long, spreading at right angles ;
valvule and lodicules microscopic. Upper floret lanceolate, as
long as the spikelet, acute, brownish, chartaceous .—Panicum
macroblepharum, Hack, in Mem. Herb. Boiss. no. 20, 7 ; Engl, in
Sitzungb. Preuss. Acad. Berlin, 1904, 41.

Nile Land. Somaliland : Haud, Laku, Keller !

6. D. Pearsonii, Stapf. Perennial, 1-2 ft. high, from a creeping
branched rhizome whose very numerous and mostly very short
internodes are naked or imperfectly covered with the remains of

Digitaria .]

CLVil. GrRAMINEJE (Stapf).

485

the rather loosely hairy cataphylls. Culms erect or slightly genicu-
late below, abotit 6-noded, simple or branched from 1 or 2 of the
lower nodes, slender, glabrous, collapsing and grooved when dry.
Leaf-sheaths moderately tight, those embracing a branch slipping
off the culm, thin, strongly striate, glabrous or sparingly hairy
(the uppermost) to densely and softly hirsute, hairs spreading,
tubercle-based ; ligules membranous, truncate, up to 1 lin. long,
glabrous or dorsally pubescent ; blades linear-lanceolate from a
rounded base, tapering to a fine point, up to 5 in. by 7 lin. , the lowest
often much shorter, flat, flaccid, more or less loosely pubescent,
ultimately glabrescent above, margins narrowly cartilaginous,
scabrid, midrib very slender, whitish, nerves very numerous and
close, the primary hardly standing out from the rest. Racemes up
to 15, sessile on a slender common rhachis (2-4 in. long, terete and
smooth below and angular and rough above), the lowest in scanty
false whorls or pairs, the others singly, subfastigiate, up to 4 in.
long, spreading or oblique, very slender, greenish ; rhachis filiform,
straight or nearly so, triquetrous, y-J lin. wide, pale with some
very long extremely fine spreading hairs, angles narrowly marginate,
scabrid, internodes 2-3 lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate, finely filiform,
angular, scaberulous, one very short, the other 1-2 lin. long. Spike-
lets loosely appressed, rather scattered, oblong, acute, about 1 lin.
long, pale greenish, apparently quite glabrous. Lower glume a minute
ovate membranous scale —-Jim. long ; upper thin, oblong-lanceolate,
acute, | lin. long, 3-nerved, with fine dense lines of hairs (^ lin. long)
between the nerves and along the margins. Lower floret in outline
and size corresponding to the spikelet : valve thin, finely 7-nerved,
with fine lines of hairs between the inner side-nerves (of each half)
and along the margins, hairs very fine, thin-walled with blunt tips,
shorter than those of the upper glume ; valvule and lodicules
microscopic. Upper floret as long as the spikelet, oblong-lanceolate,
acutely subacuminate, thinly chartaceous, margins of valve distant
in flower. Anthers J lin. long.

Lower Guinea. Angola : on the banks of small streams in clearings of dense
forest at Gran j a San Luiz near Cazengo, Pearson , 2333 !

7. D. Perrottetii^ Stapf. Annual, 2-3 ft. high. Culms fascicled,
erect or subgeniculate to prostrate and rooting at the base, 4-6-
no ded, simple or sparingly branched from the lower nodes, moderately
slender, terete, glabrous, very smooth ; lower stem-nodes mostly
swollen. Leaf-sheaths loose, thin, finely striate, glabrous, the lower
withering away ; ligules reduced to a glabrous membranous rim ;
blades lanceolate to linear -lanceolate from a broad subcordate more
or less clasping base, acuminate, 1J-4 in. by 4-9 lin., green, thin
and flaccid, glabrous, smooth except at the slightly rough often
crisped margins, midrib fine, lateral nerves very numerous, very
fine and close. Racemes numerous in a succession of 6 or more whorls

486

CLVII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[Digitaria.

or false whorls of 10-4, followed by 2-nate or scattered racemes on
a slender glabrous smooth striate or subangular common axis whose
lowest internodes are about 10, rarely up to 18 lin. apart, the
following decreasing gradually in length to 3-2 lin. , the whole forming
an erect rather stiff panicle 4-8 in. long and 1-2J in. wide ; racemes
very slender, obliquely erect or spreading, rather loose, 2J-1 in.
long ; rhachis filiform, of the longest racemes bare below for up to
6 lin. , but frequently with minute traces of arrested spikelets, loosely
plumose towards the base with extremely fine tubercle-based hairs,
sub triquetrous, -jL lin. wide, angles very narrowly marginate, scaberu-
lous, internodes 2-1 lin. long ; pedicels usually 2-nate, one very
short and not rarely barren, the other up to slightly over J lin. long,
filiform, angular, scaberulous, tips glabrous. Spikelets more or less
appressed to the rhachis, oblong, acute, J-~ lin. by about J lin.,
greenish to pale straw-colour when ripe. Lower glume suppressed,
very rarely represented by a small hyaline scale ; upper thin, oblong,
acute, almost as long and wide as the spikelet, 3-nerved, with fine
lines of delicate appressed blunt-tipped and thin-walled hairs between
the nerves and along the margin. Lower floret corresponding in
outline and size to the spikelet : valve similar to the upper glume
but 5-nerved, nerves prominulous, fine lines of appressed or ulti-
mately loose hairs between the lateral nerves and along the margins ;
valvule broad, truncate, ~ lin. long, papillose ; lodicules half as long.
Upper floret oblong, subobtuse, equalling the spikelet or very slightly
shorter, at length brown, chartaceous, tough, margins of valve
widely distant when mature. Anthers \ lin. long, narrowdy linear.
Grain tightly enclosed in its floret and the closely appressed lower
valve and upper glume, ovate-oblong in outline, subplano-convex
to almost semicircular in cross-section, slightly over J lin. by J lin..
whitish ; scutellum broad-elliptic, half the length of the grain. —
Panicum Perrottetii , Kunth, Rev. Gram. ii. 395, t. Ill ; Enurn.
i. 96 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. El. Afr. v. 759. P. cristatum ,-
Anderss. in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot. ii. 548 ; K. Schum. in
Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 100. Syntherisma Perrottetii, Chase in Proc.
Biol. Soc. Washington, xix. 191.

Upper Guinea. Senegal: without precise locality, Heudelot, 448 ! Huardf
Roger !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Benguella ; Cassuango-Cuiriri, Gossweiler, 2747 !

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Querimba Islands and main-
land opposite them, Peters. Banks of the Zambesi, Carvalho ! Rhodesia :
north bank of the Zambesi at Victoria Falls, Rogers , 5723 !

The Indian plant referred to this species (under Paspahim) in FI. Brit. Ind.
vii. 20, is a distinct species, D. wallichiana, Stapf ( Panicum wallichianum,
;Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. 41. P. multibrachiatum, Hochst. ex Steud. l.c. 74).
D. Perrottetii appears to be confined to tropical Africa.

8. D. horizontalis, Willd. Enum. Hort. Berol. 92. Annual, from
1 to several ft. high. Culms tufted, ascending from a geniculate or

£L ' ,

o/t?i ■ ? '/i , t i^Ctc. -

■fe

Digitaria.~\ clvii. gramineas (Stapf). 437

more or less prostrate, sometimes rooting, branched base, slender,
glabrous, few- to many-noded, the uppermost inter node usually very
long and long-exserted. Leaves glabrous or more or less hairy
(particularly on the sheaths), hairs short or long and then usually
spreading ; sheaths somewhat loose, thin, the lower often slipping
off the culms and finally withering away ; ligules membranous,
truncate, up to 1 lin. long, glabrous ; blades linear-lanceolate to
linear, equally wide and slightly rounded at or somewhat narrowed
towards the base, tapering to an acute point, 2-5 in. by 2-6 lin.,
flat, flaccid, with a finely cartilaginous scaberulous and not seldom
crisp margin, midrib very slender, prominent and pale below, primary
lateral nerves very fine, up to over 6 on each side. Racemes 4 to
many, subdigitate or on an angular common axis of variable length
(1 to several in. long), solitary or the lower subverticillate, erect or
spreading, slender/straight or almost so, rarely flexuous, 1J-6 in.
long, usually finely pubescent or bearded at the base ; rhachis
slender, straight or slightly wavy, triquetrous, J-J lin. wide, often
with a few scattered very fine and very long spreading hairs, pale,
angles narrowly winged, scabrid, internodes up to 1^ lin. long, rarely
longer ; pedicels 2-nate, one very short, the other up to f lin. long,
triquetrous, scabrid. Spikelets appressed, not or only indistinctly
imbricate, linear-oblong, acute, j-1 lin. long, pale green, usually
apparently glabrous, at least when in flower. Lower glume a very
minute ovate or truncate membranous scale, often quite obsolete ;
upper lanceolate-oblong to oblong, obtuse or subacute, equalling
gpf of the upper floret, thin, 3-nerved, with lines of silky hairs between
the nerves and along the margins. Lower floret : valve of the
outline and size of the spikelet, 7 -nerved, with lines of hairs between
the inner pair of side-nerves and along the margins, hairs extremely
fine, silky, thin-walled, obtuse but not widened at the tips, straight
or nearly so, closely appressed at first, the marginal often spreading
at maturity, § lin. long; valvule and lodicules microscopic. Upper
floret linear-lanceolate, acuminate, at length brown ; thinly char-
taceous, margins of valve distant at maturity. Anthers § lin. long.
Grain oblong, J lin. by J lin., pale, subplano-convex ; scutellum
elliptic, almost half the length of the grain. — D. horizontalis , Stapf
in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 378, and in Kew Bulletin, 1907, 212 ; Wood,
Natal PI. ii. t. 140 ; Pobeguin, Ess. FI. Guin. Frang. 219. D.
jamaicensis , Spreng. Syst. i. 272. D. setosa, Hamilt. Prodr. Veget.
Ind. Occ. 6. D. umbrosa, Link, Hort. Berol. i. 227. D. setigera, Hook.
Niger FI. 185 ; not of Roth. D. sangmnahs , T. Thoms, in Speke, Nile
Exp. 652 ; non Scop. D. sanguinalis, var. horizontalis^ Rendle in Cat.
Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 163. . I). fenestrata, JBuendle , L cj~ Milium digitatum,
Sw. Prodr. FI. Ind. Occ. 24. Agrostis digitata* Poir. in Lam. Encycl.
Suppl. i. 258. Axonojpus digitatus, P. Beauv./Agrost. 154; Roem. &
Schult. Syst. Veg. ii. 317. Panicum horizontal, G. F. W. Meyer,
Prim. FI. Esseq. 54 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 81 ; Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 24 ;

488 cl vii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [. Digitaria .

Hook. Niger El. 560 ; Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 39. Schweinf.
Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 300 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 30,
297. P. Hamiltonii, Kunth, Enum. i. 84. P. Zeyheri, Nees, El.
Afr. Austr. 25 ; Steud. l.c. 40 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. El. Afr.
v. 767. P . fenestratum , Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. El. Abyss, ii. 361 ;
Steud. l.c. ; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 117 ; Durand & Schinz,
l.c. 749. P. porranthum , Steud. l.c. 42. P. diamesum, Steud. l.c. 42.
P. sanguinale, Balf. f. Bot. Socotra, 309 ; not of Linn. P. sanguinale,
var. distans, Doell in Mart. El. Bras. ii. ii. 134. P. sanguinale, var.
horizontale, Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 18 ; Durand &
Schinz, l.c. v. 763 ; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 100 ; De Wild.
& Durand, Contr. FI. Congo, i. fasc. ii. 73 ; Henriques inBolet.Soc.
Brot. xiii. 133 ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 163 ; Th. & Hel.
Durand, Syll. PL Congol. 635. P. sanguinale, var. cognatum, Hack,
ex Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. l.c. ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 763,
and Etudes FI. Congo, 325 ; Th. & Hel. Durand, l.c. 634 ; Franch.
Contr. FI. Congo Frang:. 46. P. sanguinale, var .fenestratum, Schweinf.
in Bull. Herb. Boiss. l.c. P. sanguinale, var. filiforme, Durand &
Schinz, l.c. P. sanguinale, var. porranthum , Franch. l.c. P. redemtum,
Hochst., and P. psilostachyum, Hochst. ex Chiov. l.c. 297. Syntherisma
setosum , Nash in Bull. Torr. Club, xxv. 300. S. digitatum, Hitch, in
Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 142.

Upper Guinea. Cape Verd Islands : S. Antao, Lowe ! Vogel, 57 ! 65 !
S. Jago, Brunner, 221 ! valley of S. Domingo, Hooker, 86 ! 87 : Wilkes Exped. !
S. Nicolao, Bolle ! up to 2000 ft., Lowe ! S. Vincent, Cunningham ! Senegal,
Doellinger ! Leprieur ! Sierra Leone : Sandugu, Thomas, 566 ! Rowala, Thomas ,
1115 ! Mabum, Thomas, 1545 ! Sherbro Island, Hunter ! and without precise
locality, Don ! Vogel, 68 ! Barter ! Welwitsch, 2943 ! French Guinea : Timbo,
Pobeguin, 1703 ! 1705 ! Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 498 ! 549 ! Liberia : Grand Bassa,
Vogel, 27! Gold Coast: Aburi, Johnson, 831! 1010! and without precise
locality, Farmar, 486! Togo: Lome, Warnecke, 340! Dahomey: Cotonou,
Chevalier, 4477 ! Southern Nigeria: Opobo, Jeffreys, 6 ! 8 ! Lagos; Komaiko,
Dawodu, 16 ! MacGregor, 6 ! Abbeokuta, Irving, 22 ! Aguku District, Thomas,
748 ! Old Calabar, Robb ! Holland, 96 ! and without precise locality, Thomas,
A7 ! 1370 ! Northern Nigeria : Lokoja, Richardson ! Nupe, about villages,
Barter, 1365 ! Abinsi, Dalziel, 880 ! Amar on the Benue River, Macleod !
Cameroons : Victoria, Winkler, 53 ! Lolodorf, Staudt, 203 ! Batanga, in cassava
fields and open bush, Bales, 48 ! and without precise locality, Preuss, 1 152 !
Fernando Po : Clarence Peak, Vogel !

Nile Land. Nubia: 21° N. Lat., sea coast to between 3000 and 4000 ft.,
Bent\ Sudan: Sennar; opposite Bunzaga, Broun, 801! Eritrea: Amasen ;
Gheleb, 5250 ft., Schweinfurth, 1180 ! Ginda, 2950 ft., Schweinfurth, 157, 180,
and numerous localities throughout the Colony (up to 8500 ft. in Ocule Cusai)
recorded by Chiovenda, l.c. Abyssinia: Tigre ; Adoa, Schimper, 85 ! Hamedo
plain, 4600-6000 ft., Schimper, 988 ! Sana ; banks of the Taccazze near Jela-
jeranne, Schimper, 1618J Samen ; banks of the Sellada stream and on mountains
near Gageros, 3400-7000 ft., Schimper, 2256 ! and without precise locality,
Schimper, 53 ! 180! 509! 910 (partly)! Somaliland : Golis Range, Drake-
Brockman, 157 ! around Galkayo, Burao and Upper Sheikh, Appleton ! Wagga
Mountains, Lort Phillips ! Socotra, Balfour, 128 ! 234 ! Uganda : Ruwenzori,
5300 ft., Scott Elliott, 7592 ! Coffee plantations near Kirrema, 4000 ft., Dnmmer,
347 ! and without precise locality, Grant ! Lugard ! British East Africa :
Ukambane, Scott Elliot, 2316, 6414 ! Kuianiy Scott Elliot, 6209 ! Nairobi,

.

I

Digitaria .] clvii. gramine^j (Stapf). 439

Dowson, 187 ! Linton, 1 ! Ndara; Taita Mountains, in acacia scrub, Gregory !
Ngomeni ; E. Angalora Mountains, Gregory !

Lower Guinea. Gaboon, Thollon ! French Congo : Libreville, Thollon, 170 !
Belgian Congo : Lower Congo, Smith ! Boma, Hens, A. 320 ! Stanley Pool
District; Mokaba, Vanderyst, 3892! Leopoldville, Gilletl Angola : Golungo
Alto, in woody meadows near Bumbo and Sanga, Welwitsck, 7184 ! in cotton
fields near Sange, Welwitsch, 7173 ! Benguella ; Fort Princeza Amelia, Goss-
weiler, 2010 ! Cazengo, Gossweiler, 5739 !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar, Kirk ! Last ! German East Africa : Tanga,
Volhens, 79! Marangu, Volhens, 643! Amboni, Holst, 2774! Nyasaland :
dried-up bed of Karonga River, Scott ! Namasi, Cameron, 19 ! near Blantyre,
Scott ! Portuguese East Africa : Msalue River, Allen, 137 ! Rhodesia : Urutali,
Sawer, 25 ! Gazaland ; near Chirinda, Swynnerton, 964 !

Also in Natal, the Mascarenes and tropical America. Elsewhere (India,
Malaya) probably introduced. Much used for feeding horses and known as
“ Eran ” in Lagos ( Dawodu ) ; considered as good fodder in Somaliland ( Wel-
witsch, Appleton).

The earliest specific epithet appears to be “ digitata ” ( Milium digitatum,
Sw., hence Hitchcock’s combination Syntherisma digitata), but this is not avail-
able owing to D. digitata, Biise. There is little doubt that the numerous
localities given by Th. & Hel. Durand in their Sylloge under Panicum sanguinale
p. 634) and the corresponding references to the Congo literature are mostly,
if not altogether, referable to this species. The localities as far as not quoted
above are from the following districts of the Belgian Congo : Cataractes,
Equateur, Bangala, Uele, Kasai and Katanga.

9. D. marginata, Link, Hort. Berol. i. 229. Annual, lto over 2 ft.
high. Culms tufted, usually ascending from a geniculate or pros-
trate and then often rooting base, simple or more often branched
from the lower nodes, glabrous, few- to many-noded, upper node
by far the longest and at length long-exserted. Leaf-sheaths thin,
subherbaceous, loose, glabrous or more or less beset with spreading
tubercle-based hairs which may be gathered at the base into a loose
beard ; ligules truncate, membranous, up to over J lin. long ; blades
linear-lanceolate to linear from a slightly contracted and rounded
base, tapering to a slender acute point, up to 5 in. by 2-4 lin., flat,
flaccid, glabrous or sparingly hairy particularly towards the mouth,
margins finely cartilaginous, rough and often crisp, midrib very
slender, whitish, lateral nerves numerous, the primary hardly stand-
ing out from the rest. Racemes mostly 4-9, sessile, subdigitate,
solitary or 2-3-nate on a short angular scaberulous common axis,
erect or spreading, rather slender, strict or slightly flexuous, 2-6 in.
long, often finely pubescent at the base ; rhachis almost straight,
triquetrous, ™-| (rarely J) lin. wide, lateral angles winged, her-
baceous, scabrid, internodes up to over 1 lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate,
one very short, the other up to f lin. long, angular, scabrid. Spike-
lets appressed, not or only slightly imbricate, lanceolate, acutely
acuminate, 1-1J lin. long, pale greenish, rarely tinged with purple,
variously hairy, rarely quitve glabrous. Lower glume an ovate obtuse
to subacute membranous scale usually not over J- lin. long, sometimes
obsolete or quite suppressed ; upper ovate-lanceolate, acute, equalling
or more often considerably exceeding half of the upper floret, rarely

440

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[ Digitaria .

distinctly shorter, 3-nerved, with fine lines of hairs between the
nerves and along the margins, rarely quite glabrous. Lower floret :
valve corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, firmly mem-
branous, 7-nerved, nerves quite smooth, the lateral usually rather
distant from the middle nerve, approximate along the submarginal
flexure, more or less prominent, particularly the inner, rarely quite
glabrous, usually with fine lines of hairs between the inner side-nerves
(of each half) and along the margins, the inner line of hairs not rarely
augmented by a row of fine tubercle-based acute yellow bristles,
hairs very fine, thin-walled, obtuse-tipped, straight or flexuous,
closely appressed at first, ultimately loosened or somewhat stouter
and like the bristles spreading at right angles and forming with
them a rigid double fringe on each side of the spikelet ; valvule and
1 lodicules minute. Upper floret oblong-lanceolate, acutely acuminate,
almost as long as the spikelet, thinly chartaceous, pale or slightly
purplish, brownish when ripe, margins of valve slightly distant.
Anthers about § lin., more rarely J or up to ~ lin. long. Grain
oblong, about f lin. by J-Jj| lin., plano-convex, whitish ; scutellum
less than half the length of the grain.

This species, which occurs all over the tropics and also extends into some
subtropical regions, has so far been found in Tropical Africa in the following

/modifications.

Var. Linhii, Stapf. Upper glume usually much exceeding the middle of
the fertile floret and frequently equalling § of its length ; indumentum of
spikelets uniform ; hairs of the lower floret in fine lines, all of one kind, very
fine, thin- walled, obtuse-tipped, at first tightly appressed, then more or less
loose. — D. marginata, Link, Hort, Berol. i. 229 (sensu stricto). D. incequalis.
Link, l.c. i. 224. D. sanguinalis, Stapf in Dyer. FI. Cap. vii. 378 (partly).
Panicum glaucescens, Nees, Agrost. Bras. 100. P. sanguinale, var. longiglvme,
Trin. ex Nees, l.c. ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bob. Roma, viii. 296. P. linhianum,
Kunth, Rev. Gram. 33. P. Neesii, Kunth, Enum. i. 84. P. cegyptiacum, a
genuinum, Chiov. l.c. (partly ?). Paspalus incequalis , Link ex Schult. Mant.
ii. 174. Paspalum sanguinale, var. commutatun , Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii.
15. Syntherisma marginatum, Nash in North Amer. FI. xvii. 154.

Nile Land. Eritrea: Dembelas, Ferfer, Pappi, 6129, 6144; Acran, along
the Dharo torrent, 5900 ft., Pa'p'pi, 3033.

Throughout the warmer parts of the New and the Old World, but apparently
very rare in Tropical Africa. The Eritrean specimens quoted above are referred
here on account of Chiovenda’s description of their “glumes II. and III.”
(upper glume and lower floret) as “ sericeo-lineate, glabrescenti.” He refers
them to Panicum cegyptiacum., Retz., var. genuinum, but this appears to be
merely a perfectly glabrous state of D. sanguinalis. The variety has been
collected in. typicajj^cimens in Yemen,

Var. fimbriata^ Stapf. Upper glume as in var. Linhii ; indumentum of
spikelets uniform or more often more or less varied in the same inflorescence ;
hairs of the upper glume and lower floret partly as in var. Linhii, partly more
thick-walled with slightly clavate tips, and up to | lin. long, spreading out at
maturity and forming a rigid double fringe on each side of the spikelet, the
inner fringe often mixed with a varying number of tubercle-based acute yellow
bristles which ultimately also spread out at right angles. — D.fimbriata, Link,
Hort. Berol. i. 226. D. commutata, Schult. Mant. ii. 262. D. chrysoblephara.
Fig. & De Not. in Mem. Acc. Tor. ser. ii. xiv. 364. D. sanguinalis, var. ciliaris,
Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 163, and in Journ. Linn. Soc* Bot. xl. 228 ;

Digitaria .] clvii. gramine.® (Stapf). 441

Cheval, Sudania, 32, 159. Panicum ciliare, Retz. Obs. iv. 16 (?) ; Roxb. FI.
Ind. ed. Carey, i. 290; A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 360; not of Koel. P.
fimbriatum, Presl, Rel. Haenk. i. 298 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 81. P. sanguinale,
var. ciliare, Franch. Contr. FI. Congo Fran<?. 46 ; Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S.
Afr. v. 301 ; not of Doell. P. sanguinale, var. blepharanthum, Hack, in Durand
& Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 762 and ex K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C.
100. P. sanguinale, var. macrostacliyum, Hack, in Durand & Schinz, l.c. 763.
Syntherisma fimbriatum, Nash in Bull. Torr. Bot. Club, xxv. 302.

Upper Guinea. Senegal: Casamance ; Ziguinchor, Chevalier, 2188 bis!
and without precise locality, Richard ! Sierra Leone : without precise locality,
Welwitsch, 2937 (partly).

North Central. Bagirmi : Nigai, Chevalier, 9462 !

Nile Land. Nubia : Berber, Schweinfurth, 642 ! Eritrea : Beni Amer ;
Mount Damba, Pappi, 5976 ! Carajai, Pappi, 6637 ; Munsura, Pappi, 7195.
Maragus : Cohait, 5575 ft., Pappi, 1014. Abyssinia : Sana ; on the sandy
banks of the Taccazze near Jelajeranne, Schimper, 1616 ! Samen ; in shady
places near Mawerr, 3000-4000 ft., Schimper, 2162 f^TTwarra, 3000-3500 ft.,
Schimper, 121 !

Lower Guinea. Gaboon, Griffon du Bellay. Loango, Lecomte.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Kagelii, Fischer, 642.

Along with var. Linkii in the tropics of both hemispheres, but very scarce
in America, rarely found beyond the tropics. The peculiar indumentum of the
spikelets, which in the mature state leads to the formation of spreading fringes,
may extend to all spikelets alike or it may be, at least in its perfect development,
confined to the long-pedicelled member of each pair of spikelets or only to some
of them, in which case the indumentum of the fringeless spikelets approaches
more or less that of var. Linkii.

Var. nubica, Stapf. Upper glume equalling half of the upper floret or shorter ;
spikelets quite glabrous and smooth.— P. sanguinale, var. cegyptiacum, Hack,
in Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 762 (partly).

Nile Land. Nubia : Wadi Haifa, Kralik ! between Old Dongola and Mero-
wah, Bromfield ! Berber, Schweinfurth, 642 (partly) ! Khartoum, Kotschy,
429 ! Eritrea : Tingar, Elirenberg !

This variety approaches D. sanguinalis, Scop. , but may be distinguished by the
perfectly smooth nerves of its barren florets and the mostly narrower and more
acuminate spikelets. It seems to be confined to the tropical portion of north-
west Africa. D. cegyptiaca, Retz., as generally understood — I have not seen the
original — is the perfectly glabrous state of D. sanguinalis with the scabrid
nerves of the barren florets characteristic of that species. D. sanguinalis,
Scop, (sensu stricto), does not seem to occur in tropical Africa, as Pilger (in
Engl. Jahrb. xxx. 118) also observes.

10. D. acuminatissima, Stapf. Annual. Culms erect from a
shortly ascending and rooting base, over 2 ft. high, sometimes
apparently tall and rather stout, quite glabrous, 6- or more-noded.
Leaf-sheaths somewhat loose and firm, quite glabrous and smooth
or with a very few tubercle-based hairs near the mouth ; ligules
short, rounded, membranous, about 1 lin. long ; blades linear from
an equally wide or slightly narrowed base, gradually tapering to a
very acute point, up to over 6 in. by 2-3 lin., flat, rather firm,
flexuous, quite glabrous or with a few tubercle-based hairs near the
base, slightly rough on both sides, margins finely cartilaginous and
rough, midrib very slender, whitish, lateral nerves very numerous
and close, fine. Racemes up to 20, sessile, subdigitate on a common
angular upwards rough axis (1-3 in. long), erect or suberect, fastigiate,

442

CLVII. GRAMINE^ (Stapf).

[. Digitaria .

scattered or pseudo-verticillate, slender, straight or slightly curved,
6-8 in. long, greenish ; rhachis slender, straight, triquetrous, lin.
wide, lateral angles narrowly winged, very rough, herbaceous, wings
usually narrower than the dorsally flattened midrib, internodes
about 1 lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate, very unequal, filiform, angular,
scaberulous, the longer 1 lin. long. Spikelets linear -lanceolate,
acutely acuminate, with the slender acumen often curved, 1J-1J
lin. by § lin., glabrous or ciliate, straw-coloured. Lower glume a
membranous ovate scale, about | lin. long ; upper lanceolate, acute,
about J lin. long, thin, faintly 3-nerved with appressed short fine
hairs between the nerves and along the margins. Lower floret :
valve corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, firmly char-
taceous, 7-nerved and scabrid on the nerves, at least upwards,
glabrous or with fine short appressed hairs, rarely with longer and
ultimately loose ones along the margin, with or without yellowish
tubercle-based bristles up to over \ lin. long which ultimately become
spreading from the narrow spape between the inner pair of side
nerves, hairs very thin- walled with obtuse or subacute tips ; valvule
and lodicules very minute. Upper floret slightly shorter than the
spikelet, linear-lanceolate, acutely acuminate, thinly and rather
rigidly chartaceous, slightly darkening on maturity. Anthers about
§ lin. long. Grain linear-oblong, ~ lin. by ^ lin., plano-convex,
whitish ; scutellum equalling about of the grain. — Digitaria sangui-
nalis, var. subacuminata , Stapf (name onlv) ex Cheval. Sudania
33, 34.

Upper Guinea. French Sudan : San, Chevalier, 2218 ! between Goudam
and Faginbing, Chevalier, 2284 ! Northern Nigeria : Abinsi, a cCmmcn vvetd,
Dalziel, 907 !

Used as a fodder according to Dalziel.

11. D. monodactyla, Stapf, var. explicata. Stapf. Perennial,
compactly or loosely tufted with intravaginal innovations. Culms
very slender, erect, from 1 to over 2 ft. high, 1-2-noded, simple,
glabrous. Leaves crowded at the base ; sheaths tight, rather firm,
more or less finely and appressedly hirsute, the lower long-persistent,
their bases forming a dense ultimately often fibrous coating ; ligules
reduced to a transverse membranous rim ; blades of the basal leaves
very narrowly linear, 2 to over 6 in. long, at first convolute, then
temporarily or permanently flat and up to over 1 lin. wide, rather
rigid or more or less flexuous, firm, glabrous or sparingly appressedly
hairy, the hairs often springing from flat tubercles, midrib and primary
lateral nerves (3-4 on each side) prominent above, forming slender
ribs with smooth bands of highly developed motor cells between them ;
blade of the uppermost culm-leaf subsetaceous, rarely over 2 in.
long. Raceme spike-like, solitary, terminal on the long-exserted
culm, very slender, 2-6 in. long, yellowish-green, rather rigid ;
rhachis wavy, \ lin. wide, triquetrous with narrow green herbaceous

CL VII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

443

white-ciliate wings ; pedicels 2-nate, hispidulous or loosely pubescent
to (upwards) densely ciliate, unequal, the longer up to f, rarely 1,
lin. long, more or less curved, slightly angular. Spikelets tightly
appressed to the rhachis, subimbricate, oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate
in outline, lj-lf- lin. long, silky. Lower glume quite suppressed or
reduced to a microscopic hyaline scale ; upper linear-lanceolate to
lanceolate, acute, f-1 lin. long, thin, finely 3-nerved (the middle
nerve sometimes obscure), densely hairy all over except on the
hyaline margins, hairs appressed, exceeding the tip. Lower floret :
valve oblong-lanceolate, corresponding in shape and size to the
spikelet, acute to acuminate, thin with glabrous hyaline margins,
5-nerved, middle nerve much finer than the lateral or almost obscure,
these densely and appressedly hairy, hairs straight, sharply pointed,
shortly exceeding the tip of the valve ; valvule a minute ovate
hyaline scale up to J lin. long ; lodicules minute. Upper floret
lanceolate-acute to acutely acuminate, 1 lin. long, thinly coriaceous
and brown. Anthers J lin. long. — D. monodactyla, Rendle in Cat.
Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 162. Panicum monodactylum , Eyles in Trans.
Roy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 300. ,i

Lower Guinea. Angola : in wooded pastures near Quilanga, Welwitsch,
2823 ! common in wooded meadows between Candumba and Calundo, Wel-
witsch, 7431 ! country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas, Gossweiler, 2425 !
in sandy meadows west of Munongue, Gossweiler, 2457 ! Huilla ; in elevated
meadows at Oahoia, Sobato Humpata, Welwitsch, 2662 !

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia : Salisbury, Mundy ! Somnabula, Nobbs,
663 !

Also in the Transvaal (Apies River, Nelson, 102 ! and Botsabelo, Schlechter,
3781 !).

This variety differs from the type form only in the structure of the blades
of the basal leaves, which in the latter are finely setaceous, lin. in diam.,
glabrous or very finely and sparingly hairy and devoid of motor cells ; hence
they do not unroll. They have only 2 lateral ribs on each side of the midrib
and the outer cell-walls of the dorsal epidermis are very conspicuously thickened.
The type form is confined to the area of the “Flora Capensis,” from Pretoria
southwards ; but specimens collected by Schlechter at Grahamstown (no. 2715)
have, besides the leaves characteristic of the type-form, others which possess
well-developled motor ceils and unroll more or less. Their dorsal epidermis,
however, is as in the type. Whether this indicates merely instability of cha-
racters or seasonal dimorphism will have to be decided in the field or by experi-
ment. The Angolan specimens are generally more robust and have firmer leaf-
blades than the Rhodesian and Transvaal specimens, which as to stature often
approach the type-form. Welwitsch,' 2823 and 7431, and to a lesser degree,
2847, which is unaccompanied by notes, are distinguished by the laxness of
growth, the tufts consisting of loose bunches of culms springing from slender
erect or ascending bases.

12. D. compressa, Stapf. Perennial, compactly csespitose with
a dense coat of fibres at the base ; innovations intravaginal. Culms
erect, slender, up to over 1J ft. high, glabrous, 2-noded, compressed,
particularly the uppermost, very slender and long-exserted inter-
node, simple. Leaf-sheaths somewhat loose, striate, softly and

444 cl vii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [ Digitaria .

shortly hirsute, the lowest white-tomentose or villous at the base,
at length breaking up into long-persistent fibres ; ligules reduced
to a scarious rim ; blades narrowly linear, loosely convolute, at
length sometimes flat, tapering to a setaceous point, of the basal
leaves up to 1 ft. long, of the cauline very much shorter, flattened
out up to 2 lin. wide, flexuous or rigid, glabrous or more or less
finely hirsute towards the base, margins scaberulous upwards, lateral
nerves numerous, close, primary (about 4 on each side) slightly
prominent. Racemes 6-8, sessile or subsessile, subdigitate, with
a slender angular common rhachis (1-1| in. long), erect, up to over
3 in. long, subcomposite and rather dense downwards, loose above,
greenish ; rhachis very slender, |-J lin. wide, triquetrous, angles
marginate, scabrid ; pedicels 2-4-nate, very unequal, the longest
up to 2 lin. long, or those of the short secondary racemes often
solitary and subsessile ; pedicels and secondary rhachises finely
filiform, angular, scabrid. Spikelets subappressed, the lower im-
bricate, the upper gradually looser (the internodes of the rhachis
equalling or exceeding the longest pedicel), oblong, subacute, 1J lin.
long, pale, apparently glabrous or nearly so. Lower glume a minute
hyaline membrane breaking up and disappearing very soon, or 0 ;
upper oblong, subobtuse, f lin. long, 3-nerved, with 4 lines of fine
short closely appressed silky hairs. Lower floret : valve oblong,
subacute, 1J lin. long, 7-nerved, middle and side nerves slender,
prominent (except the outermost), with dense lines of hairs between
the inner two side-nerves (of each half) and along the margins, hairs
appressed, about J lin. long as fine as in D. eriantha, but with slightly
thickened tips ; valvule and lodicules very minute. Upper floret
lanceolate, acute, almost 1J lin. by § lin., thinly chartaceous, pale,
turning brown. Anthers ^ lin. long.

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia : Matabeleland ; Insiza, Mundy, 2170 !

13. D. nardifolia, Staff. Perennial, compactly csespitose ; inno-
vations intravaginal. Culms erect, very slender, 1-2 ft. high,
glabrous, with only 1 suprabasal node, simple. Leaf-sheaths tight,
striate, the uppermost 5-6 in. long, with white soft spreading hairs,
those of the innovations short, firm, soon glabrescent or glabrous,
at length breaking up into tough dark persistent fibres ; ligules
a scarious rim ; blades setaceously folded or subconvolute, acute,
curved or flexuous, 4-6 in. long, J-J lin. in diam., rarely unrolling
and then \ lin. wide, almost wiry, loosely hairy towards the base or
quite glabrous, finely 5-ribbed on the upper (inner) side, smooth on
the back. Racemes 3-7, sessile or bare at the base for a short
distance owing to the arrest of the spikelets, subdigitate on a very
slender terete (below) to angular smooth common axis J to over 1 in.
long, erect or slightly arching, 2-4 in. long, slender, loose, greyish-
green ; rhachis very filiform, slightly wavy, lin. wide, trique-
trous, angles finely marginate, smooth or very sparingly scaberulous,

Digitaria .] CLVil. graminb^ (Stapf). 445

internodes 1J-2J lin. long; pedicels 2-3-nate, finely filiform, sub-
angular, more or less scaberulous, unequal, the longer about 1 lin.
long. Spikelets loosely appressed, of successive pairs approximate
or with a clear interval between the pairs, oblong to elliptic-oblong,
acute to subacute, 1-lJ lin. long, obscurely silky. Lower glume a
very delicate white cuff -like membrane, soon breaking up ; upper
lanceolate, acute, equalling the spikelet or slightly shorter, 3-nerved
with 4 lines of very fine appressed silky hairs. Lower floret : valve
oblong, acute, equalling the spikelet, 7-nerved, nerves fine, prominent
(except sometimes the outermost), with lines of usually appressed
slightly wavy hairs between the inner side-nerves (of each half) and
along the margins, hairs as fine as in D. eriantha, but with the obtuse
tips slightly widened or towards the tip of the spikelet yellow and
subcapitellate, J-J lin. long ; valvule and lodicules very minute.
Upper floret oblong, shortly and acutely acuminate, equalling the
spikelet, firmly chartaceous, brown.

Lower Guinea. Angola : country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas,
Gossweiler, 238G !

South Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga, Homble, 10 !

14. D. eapitipila, Stapf: Perennial (base unknown). Culms
slender, sheathed high up, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths (upper) tight,
finely striate, glabrous and smooth or sparingly hairy upwards ;
ligules very short, scarious, truncate, ciliolate ; blades erect, narrowly
linear from an equally wide or slightly contracted base, long-tapering
to a fine point, up to 5 in. by 1| lin., the uppermost much shorter
and quite imperceptibly passing into the long (6-9 in.) sheath,
flat with narrowly involute margins, rather firm, finely hairy on both
sides, midrib and primary side-nerves hardly differentiated, some-
what stout, very slightly prominent below. Racemes 5-8, sessile,
scattered on a very slender upwards angular common axis (up to
over 3 in. long), fastigiate, slender, loose, up to 6 in. long ; rhachis
filiform, triquetrous, lin, wide, very finely marginate, slightly

scaberulous, internodes up to 3 lin. long ; pedicels mostly 2-nate,
unequal, the longer 1J lin. long, finely filiform, flexuous, angular,
obscurely scaberulous with subdiscoid tips. Spikelets oblong,
subacute, lj-lf lin. long, pale or brownish-green, dirty and fluffy-
silky. Lower glume a short delicate hyaline truncate membrane,
early breaking up, upper oblong, subacute, 1J-1J lin. long, thin,
3-nerved, with dense lines of hairs between the nerves and along
the margins, hairs very fine, up to J lin. long, exquisitely capitellate.
Lower floret corresponding in outline and length to the spikelet :
valve thin, flat, 7-nerved, with dense lines of hairs between the
inner side-nerves and along the margins, hairs as in the upper glume,
but shorter ; valvule truncate or 2-fid, up to J lin. long, lodicules
half as long. Upper floret oblong, acute, turning dark brown,

446 clvii. gramineje (Stapf). [Digitaria.

rather convex on the back, as long as the spikelet, thinly char-
taceous, margins of valve meeting. Anthers 1 lin. long.

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : without precise locality, Buchanan,

15. D. seminuda, Stapf. Perennial, with a very short early
disintegrating rhizome ; innovations extravaginal, few, with glabrous
cataphylls, up to over 3 ft. high. Culms erect, slender, simple,
up to 8-noded, glabrous, smooth, lower and intermediate internodes
usually shorter than or as long as the sheath, upper or uppermost
exserted. Leaf-sheaths somewhat tight, glabrous, striate ; ligules
membranous, truncate, ciliolate, very short ; blades linear, long-
tapering to a fine point, up to over 1J ft. by 2 to over 2J lin., flat,
green, somewhat firm but flexuous, glabrous, rough above, midrib
slender ; primary lateral nerves 4-5 on each side, rather prominent.
Racemes up to 10, sessile, subdigitate, subcomposite at the base
(secondary racemes very short) with a slender more or less rough
common rhachis from 1 to 3 in. long (the lowest raceme usually
solitary and distant from the following), erect, slender, straight,
5-9 in. long, pale greyish-green in flower, rather dense, particularly
downwards ; rhachis straight, slender, up to 1 lin. wide, triquetrous
and narrowly marginate at the base, higher up flat, winged, wings
green, scabrid along the margins, rough on the face, midrib stout,
smooth, whitish, rounded on the back, slightly raised and scaberulous
on the face, internodes up to 1 lin. long ; pedicels in clusters of
up to 6, finely filiform, flexuous, terete or the longer more or less
angular, scaberulous, with small discoid tips, the longest up to 1 lin.
long. Spikelets appressed, imbricate, secund at least upwards,
oblong-lanceolate, very acute or acutely acuminate, 1 lin. long,
obscurely appressedly silky. Lower glume a very minute cuff-like
scale at the base of the spikelet, early breaking up and disappear-
ing ; upper ovate to lanceolate, obtuse or acute, lin. long,
delicately 3-nerved, with 4 lines of very fine appressed or loose
and flexuous thick-walled obtuse (but not clavate-tipped) hairs
up to § lin. long. Lower floret : valve of the shape and size of the
spikelet, thin, 7 -nerved, with the nerves fine, often obscured by the
pubescence, except the middle one, 7- or sub-7-nerved, with lines
of short hairs between the inner pairs of side-nerves of each half
and along the margins, appressed or the submarginal loose ; valvule
an ovate delicate scale up to lin. long, exceeding the minute
odicules. Upper floret lanceolate, acutely acuminate, as long as
the spikelet, early dark brown, the back very incompletely covered
by the upper glume, the valve with whitish hyaline parallel soihe-
what distant margins. Anthers hardly | lin. long.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone: Mabum, 370 ft., Thomas, 1516! French
Guinea : Kouria, Chevalier, 15020 ! Southern Nigeria : Opobo, Jeffreys, 24 !

Digitaria.']

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

447

16. D. pellita, Staff. Perennial, compactly csespitose; innova-
tions intravaginal. Culms erect, stiff , rather slender, up to 6 ft.
high, glabrous, 2-noded, simple. Leaf-sheaths tight, finely striate,
much shorter than the internodes, densely and appressedly hirsute
to tomentose all along or (the uppermost) upwards only, glabrous
at the nodes, the lowest crowded, hard and long-persistent, tightly
coating the shoots for 3-5 in. ; ligules reduced to a long-ciliate rim,
cilia up to almost 2 lin. long ; blades linear, tapering to a fine point,
over 1 ft. long, tightly convolute, then unrolling and up to 2 lin.
wide, hard, densely and appressedly greyish-tomentose on the back,
less so to almost glabrous on the face, primary lateral nerves numerous,
very close, midrib slender. Racemes 3-4, sessile, subdigitate with
an angular common rhachis which is very villous at the nodes and
up to 1J in. long, erect, 6-7 in. long, stiff, greyish ; rhachis straight
or more or less wavy, slightly over J lin. wide, triquetrous, angles
marginate or narrowly winged, scabrid ; pedicels 2-4-nate, very
unequal, the longest about 2 lin. long, angular, scabrid. Spikelets
subappressed, imbricate or subimbricate, oblong-lanceolate, acumi-
nate, up to If lin. long, silky on the side, the silk exceeding the
spikelets. Lower glume truncate-rotundate, embracing the base
of the spikelet, up to over J lin. long, extremely delicate, white,
hyaline, nerveless, easily rubbed off ; upper narrowly lanceolate,
very acute, 1-1J lin. long, 3-nerved, with 4 lines of hairs, the hairs
of the inner lines short, those of the outer up to f lin. long, wavy,
acute, appressed or more or less spreading, forming a dense fringe
of cilia. Lower floret : valve oblong-lanceolate, acutely acuminate,
thinly membranous, pale, sometimes faintly tinged with purple,
5-nerved with the nerves about equally distant, with a dense fringe
of wavy silky cilia pointing forward, cilia up to 1 lin. long, often
pinkish, acute ; valvule, if present, and lodicules very minute,

lin. long. Upper floret lanceolate, acutely acuminate, up to If lin.
long, chartaceous, pale brown.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Benguella ; in Mumua woods at Campulua, Goss -
weiler, 2787 !

(

17. D. Brazz Stapf. Perennial, compactly csespitose from a
short rhizome, innovations mostly intravaginal. Culms erect,
1-3 ft. high, simple, 2-4-noded, slender or somewhat stout, glabrous.
Leaf-sheaths rather tight or at length loosened, the lower longer
than the internodes, very closely striate, the basal densely greyish-
tomentose or velvety downwards, the following more or less softly
hirsute to tomentose, the uppermost usually quite glabrous, all
usually more or less bearded at the nodes ; ligules very short,
truncate, densely ciliate ; blades linear to linear-lanceolate from a
nearly equally wide base, tapering to an acute somewhat rigid
point, 2-5 in. by 1J-3J lin., the uppermost very much reduced,
flat, firm, rigid, slightly rough along the margin, moie or less hiisute

448

CLYII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Digital ia.

to tomentose with tubercle-based hairs, midrib very fine, often not
standing out from the very close and numerous lateral nerves. Ra-
cemes 2-4, rarely up to 7, sessile or subsessile, digitate, erect or
suberect, moderately slender, straight or almost so, 4-6 or sometimes
up to 9 in. long, dense or loose and often slightly interrupted or
bare at the base, more or less silky ; rhachis rather stout, straight
or slightly wavy, triquetrous, |— | lin. wide, finely puberulous, angles
winged (the green wings generally as wide as the flat dorsal midrib),
very scabrid, internodes from 2 lin. (dense racemes) to 8 lin. (inter-
rupted racemes) ; pedicels usually in fascicles of 4 or more to many
(stunted branchlets), very unequal, filiform, flexuous, terete with
discoid tips, smooth or slightly scaberulous downwards, the longest
up to ItI or in large fascicles to 3 lin. long. Spikelets oblong-lanceo-
late, acutely and finely acuminate, 1 J-lf lin. long excluding the apical
tuft of hairs, very convex on the back. Lower glume a very delicate
hyaline truncate crenulate or lobed loose scale, very small to up to
over. J- lin. long, usually breaking up early; upper narrow, linear-
lanceolate, acute, f-lj lin. long, appressed to the curved back of
the upper floret, membranous, 3-nerved, densely hairy all over,
hairs straight or almost so, appressed, acute, lin. long. Lower-
floret : valve corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, thinly
membranous, longitudinally (often deeply) depressed, 7-nerved,
lateral nerves approximate in the broad bulging lateral flexures and
distant from the slender sharply prominent smooth middle-nerve,
with a marginal fringe of hairs from the middle upwards and later-
ally appressed tufts of hairs from the base, otherwise glabrous and
smooth, hairs with firm walls and acute tips, somewhat wavy or
almost straight, often purple, the basal up to as long as the spike-
let, the upper from § to over 1 lin. long, produced into a brush-like
point ; valvule and lodicules minute. Upper floret lanceolate-
oblong, finely and acutely acuminate, slightly narrowed towards but
not contracted at the base, as long as the lower floret, about § lin.
wide, chartaceous, very finely punctate-striate, whitish or at length
darkening, the valve with distant margins. Anthers over J lin.
long. Grain oblong, plano-convex, 1 lin. by f lin., whitish; scu-
tellum elliptic, not quite half the length of the grain. — D. moni-
nensis, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 164. Panicum Brazzw ,
Franch. Contrib. FI. Congo Fran^ 46. P. moninense , K. Schum.
in Just, Jahresb. 1899, i. 457.

Lower Guinea. French Congo : Brazzaville, Thollon , 391 ! 392 ! Belgian
Congo : Stanley Pool District ; Kunzulu, Vanderyst, 5203 ! Kwango District ;
Nyungu, Vanderyst , 3224 partly ! Berii ; in sandy savanahs, Vanderyst, 2627 !
Kinsoma, Vanderyst, 3251 partly ! Angola : Huilla ; in rich pastures at
Monino, Welwitsch, 2766 !

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia : Salisbury, Mundy ! Allen, 163 ! Nobbs,
674 ! in open veldt near M’rewa, Appleton, 11 ! 23 !

Good forage {Appleton). The Rhodesian specimens have on the whole larger

Digitaria.'] clvii. gramine^ (Stapf). 449

and more loosely disposed spikelets with longer hairs than those of the Congo ;
but one of Mundy's matches exactly with the latter. Welwitsch, 2676, is distin-
guished by more glabrous blades and glabrescent basal sheaths. D. sulcigiuma,
Chiov. in Ann. di Bot. Roma, xiii. 4l, is apparently this species (Katanga ;
Kayogo, Bovone , 86).

18. D. gayana, Stapf ex Cheval. Sudania, 163. Annual, 1-4 ft.
high. Culms fascicled, erect or geniculately ascending, 4-5-noded,
simple or sparingly branched below, slender, glabrous. Leaf-
sheaths rather tight or at length loosened, the lower longer than the
internodes, very closely striate, shortly hirsute, pale ; ligules very
short, truncate, ciliolate ; blades linear from an equally wide base
tapering very gradually from below the middle to an acute somewhat
rigid point, 2-6 in. by 2-4 lin., or the lowest often much shorter,
flat, rather rigid, rough below and along the finely cartilaginous
and often crisped margins, more or less shortly hirsute to substrigose
with minutely tubercle-based hairs, midrib very fine and incon-
spicuous, lateral nerves very numerous and close. Racemes 2-6
(rarely solitary), sessile, digitate or subdigitate with an angular
rough common axis (up to 2 in. long), erect or suberect, fastigiate,
slender, straight or almost so, 2-6 in. long, moderately loose, silvery
silky ; rhachis slender, straight or slightly wavy, triquetrous,
lin. wide, finely puberulous, angles narrowly winged (or the green
lateral wings as wide as the dorsal midrib), scabrid, internodes
l-J-2 lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate, or the lower 3-4-nate, or the lowest
in more copious fascicles (stunted branchlets), very unequal, filiform,
flexuous, terete, with subdiscoid tips, finely scaberuious, the longest
about lj lin. long (those of the basal fascicles much longer). Spike-
lets ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, acutbly and finely acuminate,
1J-1J lin- long excluding the apical tuft of hairs. Lower glume a
very delicate hyaline rotundate or truncate crenulate loose scale,
up to l lin. long, usually breaking up early ; upper oblong-lanceolate,
acute, slightly shorter than the spikelet, membranous, 3-nerved,
densely hairy all over, hairs appressed, straight or almost so, acute,
about | lin. long. Lower floret : valve corresponding in outline and
size to the spikelet, thinly membranous, longitudinally more or less
depressed, 7-nerved, lateral nerves approximate in the broad bulging
lateral flexures and distant from the slender sharply prominent
scaberuious middle nerve, margins densely hairy, forming with the
scattered and stouter hairs which spring from the spaces between
the lateral nerves and on the inner side of the innermost side-nerve
a silky often wavy marginal fringe which is produced beyond the
acumen of the valve into a long brush-like point, hairs with firm
walls and acute tips ; valvule and lodicules very minute. Upper
floret ovate-oblong, finely and acutely acuminate, shortly con-
tracted at the base, slightly shorter than the lower floret, § lin.
wide, thinly ehartaceous, very finely granular-punctate, faintly
3-nerved, pale brown, margins of valve somewhat distant. Anthers
J lin. long. — Panicum gayanum, Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 239, t. 31 ;

EL. TROP. AFR, VOL IX. — PT. 3 2 G

450

CLVII. GRAM1NEJE (Stapf).

[Digitaria.

Enum. PI. i. 79 ; Hook. Niger FI. 560 ; Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 42 ;
Durand & Schinz, Consp. EL Afr. v. 750. P. didymostachyum,
Steud. l.c. 97.

Upper Guinea. Senegal : Kouma, Roger. 56 ! Oayor, Heudelot, 446 !
Galaithiame, Leprmur ! Dahomey, Newton ! Southern Nigeria : Lagos Island,
Dalziel, 1128! Northern Nigeria : Lokoja, Richardson ! Stirling, Vogel, 163!
Nupe, in cultivated ground, Barter , 718 ! Baikie ! Sokoto Province; Dalziel,
501 ! Bornu ; Mora, Vogel, 55 !

North Central. Bagirmi : Massenia, Chevalier, 9619 !

Nile Land. Sudan: Cord of an ; Um Marba, Pfund, 169! British East
Africa : Kibwezi, Scott Elliot, 6209 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Kwango District ; Bagata, Vanderyst,
2617 ! Taka, Vanderyst, 3410 ! Baya, Vanderyst , 2623 ! between Katschaka
and Lutschima, Vanderyst, 3836 ! Kassai District ; Lusambo, diseased, Laurent.

19. D. Lecardii^ Stapf. Annual (?). Culms (base unknown)
over 2j ft. high, erect, slender, simple or with a branch from one
of the lower nodes, apparently few-noded, the uppermost internode
very long and long-exserted, glabrous, rough towards the inflorescence.
Leaf-sheaths somewhat loose, finely striate, glabrous except at the
loosely bearded nodes, or sparingly and finely hairy ; ligules reduced
to a membranous ciliolate rim with some long hairs from the back ;
blades linear from an equally broad base, 6-9 in. by. l|-2 lin., flat,
flaccid, rough, particularly above and upwards, glabrous or with a few
very fine hairs near the base, midrib very slender, lateral nerves
somewhat hne, close. Racemes 2-4, sessile, compound, at least in
the lower part, subdigitate or with a slender rough common axis
(1-14 lin. long), slender, erect or obliquely erect, straight, rather
loose, 4-6 in. long ; rhachis slender, triquetrous, §-J lin. wide,
straight or slightly wavy, finely puberulous, lateral angles marginate,
scabrid, internodes 1^-2 lin. long ; pedicels in the upper part 3-4-
nate, lower down fascicled with short sparingly spiculiferous branch-
lets, 3-6 (rarely up to 15) lin. long, very slender, angular, scabrid,
often with a few very short hairs, the longest usually 1-2 lin. long.
Spikelets oblong to ovate-oblong, acute, about 1 lin. long, pale or
whitish-green with silky sides when young, at length greyisli-gieen
with a rufous fringe. Lower glume indicated by a very minute hyaline
irregular rim at the base of the lower floret, or 0 ; upper lanceolate
or narrowly oblong, acute or subacute, about ~ lin. long, very thin,
3-nerved, densely and at length spreadingiy hairy all over, hairs
slightly curved or straight, with short very acute points. Lower
floret corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet : valve
firmly membranous, slightly depressed and glabrous between the
innermost side-nerves, 7-nerved, middle-nerve very slender, smooth,
side-nerves approximate on the slightly bulging and rounded-off
sides, with dense lines of hairs between the inner side-nerves (of each
half) and along the margin, hairs as in the upper glume, if not longer
and more rigid, with usually a few additional large almost bristle-
like hairs from the inner line, forming at length a conspicuous rufous

Digitaria .]

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

451

spreading fringe ; valvule and lodicules minute. Upper floret
broad-lanceolate, acute, early brown, at length almost black, shining,
chartaceous to subcoriaceous, finely punctate-striate. Anthers
oblong, about J-J or f {Barter, 1370) lin. long, with papillose bases.
Grain elliptic-oblong, plano-convex, ~ lin. by J lin., white ; scu-
tellum elliptic, equalling half the grain. — P. sanguinale , var. Lecardii,
Pilger in Engl. Jahrb. xxx. 118.

Upper Guinea. French Sudan : Segou, on dry land, Lecard, 243 ! Fada
n’Koufala, Chevalier , 24556 ! Northern Nigeria : Nupe, Barter, IUTfTP 1358 !
Yola, very common in bush, Dalziel, 274 !

Good fodder according to Lecard.

1 found the anthers of the small type always tightly enclosed in the lloret
and entangled in the scanty hairs of the stigmas. They bold comparatively
little, but apparently perfect, pollen.

20. D. xanthotrichaA Staff. Annual, 2-3 ft. high. Culms
erect or geniculate-ascending, simple or with a branch from the
base, very slender, 3-4-noded with the uppermost internode by far
the longest, terete, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, shorter
than the internodes, glabrous or more or less hirsute with short
tubercle-based hairs ; ligules very short, truncate, ciliate, brown ;
blades linear from an equally wide base, long-tapering to an acute
point, 2-4 in. by 1J-2J lin., thin, glabrous, smooth except at the
slightly rough cartilaginous margins, nerves numerous, close, midrib
slender somewhat prominent below, obscure above. Racemes 2,
one sessile, the other shortly peduncled, or 3-4, sessile, subdigitate,
slender, 3-7 in. long, dense or somewhat lax ; rhachis filiform, tri-
quetrous, f-J lin. wide, angles narrowly marginate, scabrid, glabrous,
internodes about 1| lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate or 3-4-nate, unequal,
the longest up to 14 lin. long, filiform, compressed, scabrid with a
short beard of pale green or at length yellowish hairs. Spikelets
subimbricate or in slightly distant clusters, lanceolate -oblong to
lanceolate, acute, 1J lin. by f lin. (excluding the apical hairs), pale
yellowish or tinged with purple. Lower glume suppressed ; upper
linear-lanceolate, much narrower than the spikelet, acute, slightly
shorter than the spikelet, membranous, 3-nerved, aj^pressedly and
densely hairy between the nerves and along the margins, hairs
rather rigid with sharp points. Lower floret corresponding in out-
line and size to the spikelet : valve membranous, 3-nerved (or
the submarginal nerve splitting at the base into 2 strands), with a
transverse fringe of hairs above the base and a dense marginal one
on each side, otherwise glabrous or with decurrent lines of hairs'
below the transverse fringe which thereby becomes less "conspicuous,
the hairs like those of the upper glume but rather longer (4 lin.),
at first tightly appressed, ultimately rigidly spreading : valvule
and lodicules minute. Upper floret ovate-lanceolate, acutely acumi-
nate, equalling the spikelet ; valve chartaceous, 3-nerved, seriately

452

CLVII. GRAMINE^3 (Stapf).

[. Digitaria .

punctate, pale when ripe. Anthers £ lin. long. Grain broad-
oblong, acute, 1 lin. long, whitish, plano-convex ; scutellum elliptic,
less than half the length of the grain. — Panicum xanthotrichum,
Hack, in Oest. Bot. Zeitschr. 1901, 533.

North Central. Shari Territory : Bagas country ; on the left bank of the
Tomi River, Chevalier, 5602 !

Nile Land. Jur: Ghattas’ Great Seriba, Schweinfurih, 2303 ! 2380!

Hackel in Oest. Bot. Zeitschr. 1901, 366, describes a Panicum Schweinfurlhii,
based on no. 2303 of Schweinfurth’s collection. The Kew specimen of no.
2303 is clearly a younger and more robust state of no. 2380. The latter was
evidently growing in dense masses — the Kew sample of it consists of over a dozen
individuals which seem to have been pulled up together — and was collected
in the same locality a month later, in the fruiting state. Dense growth would
account sufficiently for the more slender and meagre condition of the specimens
of no. 2380, whilst such differences as exist in the condition of the spikelets
appear to be solely due to age. On the other hand, Hackel describes the spike-
lets of his P. Schweinfurthii as longitudinally depressed or subsulcate and
appressedly hairy and ciliate towards the margins with the cilia gathered into
a brush-like point extending beyond the body of the lower floret, and he adds,
in a note, that the groove of its valve is glabrous as in Digitaria gayana. It
will be necessary to compare Hackel’s original to explain the discrepancy.
Chevalier’s 5602 matches exactly with Schweinfurth’s 2303.

21. D. ternataA Stapf in wer, FI. Cap. vii. 376. Annual. Culms
fascicled, erect from a geniculate base, slender, simple, rarely branched
low down, J-2 ft. long, glabrous or more or less beset with long fine
spreading hairs below the racemes, about 2-noded. Leaf-sheaths
often slightly loose, glabrous, smooth ; ligules short, membranous,
truncate ; blades linear -lanceolate to linear, acute, 2-9 in. by 3 lin.,
flat, flaccid, glabrous or sparingly beset with fine spreading hairs
particularly towards the base, midrib very slender, primary nerves
about 4 on each side, often indistinct. Racemes 2-7, sessile, sub-
digitate, with a short common rhachis, erect or spreading, very
slender, straight, 2-6 in. long, usually rather dense, greyish-green ;
rhachis straight or slightly wavy, J to almost \ lin. wide, subtri-
que trous, more or less winged, wings herbaceous, scabrid, midrib
obtuse on the back, very slender and raised on the face towards
the insertion of the pedicels into an acute ridge ; internodes usually
not over 1 lin. long ; pedicels 2-3-nate, very unequal, the longest
up to 1 lin. long, very slender, angular, scabrid, hispidulous towards
the hardly thickened tips, the hairs forming a short terminal tuft
or beard. Spikelets appressed, subimbricate, oblong-elliptic, obtuse
or subobtuse, 1 lin. long, pale. Lower glume 0 ; upper linear-
oblong to linear -lanceolate, acute or obtuse, shorter and narrower
than the upper floret, 3-nerved, with 4 fine lines of appressed or
somewhat loose clavate-tipped hairs, lin. long. Lower floret:
valve oblong-elliptic, subobtuse, membranous, as long as the spike-
let, prominently 5-nerved, with lines of hairs in all the spaces between
the nerves and along the margins, or the inner 2 spaces glabrous,
hairs appressed or loose and shaggy towards the tip of the valve,

<£ fo J "Z-"

C+-&X- y o&- &££**.

Digitaria .] clvii. GRAMiNEjE (Stapf). 458

clavat'e-tipped, thick-walled ; valvule a delicate papillose scale up
to | lin. long, exceeding the lodicules. Upper floret oblong, sub-
acute, up to 1 lin. by about f lin.,. very early dark brown to black,
the valve with broad whitish hyaline more or less distant margins.
Anthers J lin. long. G-rain white, elliptic in outline, dorsally some-
what compressed, | lin. by almost Jlin. ; scutellum elliptic, equalling
half the length of the grain.- — Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 162.
Panicum ternctium, , Hochst. in Flora, 1841, i. Intel!. 19 ; Steud.
Syn. PI. Glum. i. 40 ; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 118 ; Durand
& Schinz, Consp. FL, Afr. v. 766; Hack. in. Oest. Bot. Zeitschr.
1901, 331 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 30, 293. P.
phcBOcarpum , var. gracile , Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 23. Cynodon terna-
tum, A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 405. Paspalum ternatum , Hook,
f. FI. Br. Ind. vii. 17.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Timbo, Pobeguin !

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen, 3300-7200 ft., Pappi , 121, 244, 2171, 2269,
4278, 4479, 4779, 5007 ; Tellini, 359, 1726. Assaorta : Mount Dijot, Pappi ,
2975; Sarae, 5570-7200 ft., Pappi, 167, 356. Ocule Cusai, 5250-8500 ft.
Pappi, 1366, 1815, 1824. 'Scimezana, 7200-8100 ft., Pappi, 719, 844, 881,
921. Abyssinia: Tigre ; in Teff fields near Adowa, Schimper, 76 ! Samen ;
Mai Sigamo, 6000 ft., Schimper, 986 ! and without precise locality, Schimper , 819 !
Uganda : in grassland near Kiyanza, 4000 ft., Dummer, 1200 ! British East
Africa : Njoro, Dowson, 223 !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo ; meadows between Bumba
and N’bifla, Welwitsch, 7436 !

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia : Victoria Falls, Rogers, 13281 ! Mashona-
land ; Red Highlands, Allen, 704 ! Salisbury, Mrs. Craster, 23 ! Mazoe
District, Mundy ! Umtali, Rawer, 24 ! North Transvaal : Mailas Kop,
3600 ft. , Schlechter, 4557 !

Also in Eastern Cape of Good Hope, Natal and Transvaal (Pretoria, Reli-
mann, 4045), and in India, Burma and Yunnan.

All the Rhodesian specimens have long fine hairs on the peduncles, but such
hairs are also found occasionally in South African and Indian specimens.

22. D. melanochila, Stapf. Annual, over 1J ft. high. Culms
erect, sometimes subgeniculate, fascicled, very slender, smooth,
glabrous, compressed or sulcate when dry, usually 3- or sometimes
4-noded, the uppermost internode very long-exserted. Leaf-sheaths
somewhat loose or the upper tight, thin, glabrous, smooth, striate,
the lower more or less purplish ; ligules scarious, rounded, short,
glabrous ; blades 2-4 in. by 1-2 lin., flaccid, glabrous except for a
Usually scanty beard of fine spreading hairs behind and above the
ligule, midrib slender, lateral nerves very fine or obscure. Ra-
cemes 4 or 5, sessile, subdigitate with a short slender common rhac his,
erect, straight or slightly arching, very slender, about 3 in. long,
olive-green, speckled with black, somewhat loose ; rhachis very
slender, straight, sub triquetrous, J-J lin. wide, with herbaceous
sides and scabrid margins, midrib subconvex and smooth on the
back, very fine and more or less raised and acute on the face ; pedicels
in clusters of 4 or 3 in the lower part^ of the raceme, 2- or 3-nate

454

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[ Digitaria .

upwards, finely filiform, unequal, the longer about | lin. long, more
or less angular, scaberulous upwards with a few minute rigid hairs
round the subdiscoid tips. Spikelets appr essed, subimbricate or
more scattered (the pairs or groups of spikelets up to 2 lin. apart),
elliptic-oblong, subobtuse, f lin. by J lin., olive- to greyish-green
with black more or less semilunar sides, finely hairy. Lower glume
quite obsolete or the merest rudiments of a hyaline membrane ;
irpper very delicate and easily rubbed off, ovate-oblong, obtuse,
up to f lin. long, 3-nerved, with 4 lines of short clavate rather thick-
walled hairs. Lower floret: valve elliptic-oblong, subobtuse, as
long as the spikelet, finely but distinctly 5-nerved, hyaline, with a
line of short clavate hairs along each side of the inner side-nerves
and a marginal fringe of similar but shorter hairs, these often pale
rufous, particularly upwards; valvule and lodicules microscopic.
Upper floret elliptic-cblong, acute, as long as the spikelet, the
back incompletely covered by the upper glume or soon quite
bare and almost black from an early stage, chartaceous, rather
tough, the valve with contiguous or slightly distant white
margins. Anthers J lin. long. Grain white, elliptic in out-
line, slightly compressed from the back, | lin. by over f lin. ;
scut ell urn indistinctly marked off, almost half the. length of the
grain.

Nile Land. Uganda : grassy swamps near Kiwapu, 4000 ft., Dimmer, 1068 !
British East Africa : without precise locality, Dowell , 18 ! 20 bis !

The black often semilunar markings along the sides of the face of the spike-
lets (lower floret) to which the name of the species is meant to allude, are due
to the transparency of the glabrous spaces just within the submarginal nerves
and the dark colouring of the fertile floret underneath it.

23. D. delicatula, Staff. Annual, up to 2 ft. high. Culms erect
or slightly geniculate, branched from near the base, the branches
forming secondary culms like the primary and forming with them
scanty fascicles, all the culms very slender,' very smooth, shining,
glabrous, about 4-noded, the uppermost internode at length long-
exserted, the others shorter or only slightly longer than the sheaths.
Leaf -sheaths thin, somewhat loose and the lower often slipping off
the internodes, coarsely striate, finely strigillose or hirsute (the
upper), scantily bearded at the nodes ; ligules very short., truncate,
ciliolate ; blades narrowly lineal, long-tapering to a fine point,
4-9 in. by less to slightly more than 1 lin., flexuous, flat or loosely
convolute, more or less rough, at least upwards, shortly and sparingly
hirsute or copiously so at the base above the ligule, midrib very
slender, lateral nerves very fine and close, the primary (2 on each
side) slightly more raised. Racemes mostly 2-3, rarely 4, sessile,
or bare at the base for a short distance- owing to the arrest of the
spikelets, on a very slender subangular common rhachis (| to over
1 in. long), erect or oblique, flexuous, very slender, about 3 in. long,
pale greyish-green in flower, rather loose ; rhachis slightly wavy,

Digitaria.'] olvii. gr amines (Stapf). 455

filiform, triquetrous, f-f lin. wide, angles marginate, scabrid, inter-
nodes 1J lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate, finely filiform, very unequal,
the longer up to over 1J lin. long, very angular, scabrid, sometimes
with obscurely ciliate tips. Spikelets loosely appressed, subimbri-
cate in flower or usually more loosely disposed, oblong, acute, f-1
lin. long, pale greyish-green, finely rufously hairy on the sides and
towards the tips. Lower glume a very minute and usually obscure
cuff-like hyaline membrane, early disappearing ; upper very thin,
narrowly lanceolate or narrowly oblong, subacute, distinctly shorter
than the spikelet (about § lin. long), delicately 3-nerved, with 4
lines of appressed or loose and obliquely spreading hairs, the tips
of the latter clavate with a sharp apiculus and usually pale rufous,
sometimes mixed with much finer, upwards not widened circinate
hairs. Lower floret : valve oblong, subacute or acute, as long as the
spikelet, sub-7-nerved, the spaces between the midrib and the inner
lateral nerves glabrous, turning olive-green, the next outer spaces
and the margins with lines of clavate acutely apiculate upwards
pale rufous short hairs, the hairs not or scarcely exceeding the tips,
up to jo lin. long ; valvule a minute hyaline scale up to f lin. long ;
lodicules minute. Upper floret as long as the spikelet, lanceolate,
acute, the back very imperfectly covered by the glume, soon rich
chestnut-brown, thinly chartaceous, margins of valve whitish,
contiguous nearly all along. Anthers \ lin. long.

Upper Guinea. Ivory Coast : Adioukrou country ; Dabou, Chevalier,
17149 ! Southern Nigeria : along water near Lagos, MacGregor, 210 !

24. D. Iburua, Stapf in Kew Bulletin, 1915, 382. Annual. Culms
erect, over 1 J ft. high, simple, 4-5-noded ; internodes enclosed in the
sheaths except the uppermost. Leaf-sheaths tight, striate, glabrous,
smooth, the lower keeled upwards ; ligules membranous, rounded,
broad, 1-1 \ lin. long ; blades linear, long and finely tapering upwards,
up to 1 ft. by 5 lin., flat, with some long hairs near the base from
behind the ligule, midrib slender, primary lateral nerves about 6
on each side. Raceme subcomposite, 4-10, sessile, digitate, the
lowest usually somewhat distant from the others which are closely
crowded, suberect, 5-5J in. long, dense, pale green ; rhachis straight,
triquetrous, about J lin. wide, angles green, narrowly winged,
scaberulous ; secondary racemes appressed, up to 2J lin. long,
bearing up to 5 spikelets ; pedicels 2-5-nate, unequal, the longest
up to lj lin. long, finely filiform, angular, scaberulous, tips ciliate.
Spikelets tightly imbricate, elliptic-lanceolate to oblong, acute,
up to 1 lin. long, J lin. wide when mature, quite glabrous. Lower
glume a minute hyaline membrane, soon breaking up, or 0 ; upper
ovate-oblong, subobtuse, lin. long, hyaline, finely 3-nerved.
Lower floret : valve membranous, as long as the spikelet, 7-nerved,
the 3 inner nerves parallel, approximate and prominent, the outer
in pairs at the flexures ; valvule almost microscopic, broad,

CLVII. GRAMlNEiE (Stapf:).

[ Digitaria.

456

emarginate-truncate. Upper floret thinly chartaceous, equalling the
lower floret, margins of valve parallel, widely distant. Anther
§ lin. long. Grain ellipsoid, slightly compressed from the back,
§-§ lin. by almost J lin., very tightly enclosed by the delicate
pale to dark dull brown husks ; scutellum elliptic, not quite reaching
to the middle of the grain. — Stapf in Hook. Ic. PI. t. 3069. “ Iboruf

Dudgeon, Agric. & Forest Prod. British West Afr. 149.

Upper Guinea. Northern Nigeria : Hansa States ; cultivated at Zaria,
Lamb, 54 !

Hansa name “ Iburu ” or “ Iboru Grown along with millet.

25. D. botryostachya, Staff. Perennial, with a branched rather
stout rhizome emitting more or less discrete flowering and barren
shoots from plump extravaginal innovation buds covered with
greyish-tomentose short broad cataphylls. Culms slender, erect, up
to 1 ft. high, glabrous, with a single subbasal node, uppermost inter-
node long-exserted. Leaves glaucous ; sheaths tight, finely striate,
glabrous or the lower minutely hairy or scaberulous between the
nerves ; ligules short, scarious, glabrous : blades linear, long-tapering
to a fine point, of the basal leaves 3-5 in. long, of the cauline much
shorter, 2-2 J lin. wide, flat, glabrous with some long fine spreading
white hairs towards the base, margins cartilaginous, sometimes
crisp, scaberulous upwards, lateral nerves numerous, very close
and fine. Racemes 6-10, racemosely disposed on a slender upwards
angular common rhachis 2-3 in. long, obliquely erect, solitary, J-l
in. long, straight, the lower bare at the base or with arrested barren
pedicels, glaucous ; rhachis very slender, up to J lin. wide, trique-
trous, angles finely marginate, scaberulous to scabrid ; pedicels
2-nate, filiform, angular, scaberulous, unequal, the longer f lin. long.
Spikelets appressed, imbricate, lanceolate-oblong, acute to sub-
acute, 1 \ lin. long, more or less silky on the sides, pale. Lower glume
delicately hyaline, rounded, § lin. long, soon disappearing ; upper
oblong, obtuse, or almost so, 1 lin. long, 5-nerved with a line of
hairs on each side of the midrib and along the margins, marginal
hairs much longer, up to | lin. long, very fine, slightly curled, with
obtuse tips. Lower floret : valve lanceolate-oblong, acute to sub-
acute, lj lin. long, 7-nerved, the inner 2 side-nerves on each side
approximate with a line of usually appressed hairs between them, a
fringe of often spreading white hairs along the margins, hairs as in
the upper glume, the marginal up to over J lin. long ; valvule and
lodicules minute. Upper floret lanceolate, shortly acuminate,
very acute, lj lin. by f lin., thinly chartaceous, chestnut-brown.
Anthers J lin. long. Stigmas orange.

Nile Land. Abyssinia : Arussi Country ; Ardaga, Drake- Brockman, 131 !

This is possibly the plant which Chiovenda described and figured, from an
nflorescence, as Panicum Rivce in Ann. lstit. Bot. Roma, vii. 62, fig. ii. ( Digi-
taria Rivce , Stapf in Lew Bulletin. 1907, 213 ; Chiov. in Result. Scient. Miss.

Digitaria.] clvii. gr amines (Stapf). 457

Stefanini-Paoli, i. 183, 224, 225). It was collected by Riva (no. 303) in the
Ogaden desert, south or south-west of the Arussi country, by Provenzale at
Merca, and by Paoli at Balaad on the Web Shebeli, both in Southern Italian
Somaliland. The inflorescence figured is 8 in. long and bears 25-30 racemes
with solitary or 2-3-nate spikelets the longest of whose pedicels equal the
spikelets. Chiovenda also describes the barren valve as 5-nerved, but this
may be due to oversight.

26. D. gazensis, Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. xl. 228, l. 6,
figs. 1-5. Perennial, compactly csespitose on a short stout prsemorse
rhizome ; innovations extra- and intravaginal. Culms erect, mode-
rately stout, 2 J-4 ft. high, glabrous, 2- (rarely 3-) noded, simple. Leaf-
sheaths rather tight, the lowest at length often slipping off the culm,
finely striate, the intermediate and upper shorter to much shorter
than the internodes, the lowest softly hirsute, at least downwards,
with generally densely villous bases which persist more or less, the
sheaths otherwise glabrous except for a ring of long soft silky hairs
at the nodes ; ligules scarious to membranous, rounded, up to 1 lin.
long, glabrous ; blades linear, tapering to a fine point, up to 6 in.
by 1J-3| lin., flat, flexuous, green, often drying dark brown, glabrous
or more or less hairy from pubescent to hirsute, particularly towards
the ligule, margins slightly rough to smooth, lateral nerves numerous,
fine, close, primary nerves 5-6 on each side standing out from the
rest on the upper side or merged among them. Racemes numerous,
often over 10, subdigitate, simple or sometimes compound, par-
ticularly towards the base, with short secondary racemes, solitary or
the lower usually 2-4-nate, often bare at the base for up to over 1 in.
with distinct traces of arrested spikelets, or bearing spikelets all along,
with a slender often almost filiform angular common rhachis, 1 to
over 3 in. long, erect or suberect, 4-7 in. long, strict or subflexuous,
very slender, somewhat loose or at any rate not closely imbricate,
pale green to purplish -grey or violet ; rhachis very slender to filiform,
lin. wide, triquetrous, with some long fine spreading hairs in
the lower part, angles fine, scabrid, green or purple ; pedicels 2-3-
nate or solitary in the secondary racemes, finely filiform, angular,
scabrid, unequal, the longer about 1 lin. long. Spikelets loosely
appressed, the superposed distant by more than their own length,
elliptic-oblong, subobtuse to subacute, up to over 1 lin. long,
slightly silky or apparently glabrous on the sides. Lower glume
a very delicate hyaline cuff -like scale up to almost ^ lin. long, soon
disappearing ; upper narrowly oblong, subobtuse to acute, of the
length of the spikelet, 5-nerved, with a line of hairs on each side of
the middle nerve and along the margin, hairs very fine, curled
upwards, with obtuse tips, often purplish, those of the margin longer
(up to J lin.). Lower floret : valve similar to the upper glume,
but 7-nerved, the inner 2 side-nerves on each side approximate with
a line of appressed hairs between them, marginal hairs or cilia also
more or less appressed, directed forward, very slightly exceeding the
tip ; valvule a hyaline scale up to f lin. long, slightly exceeding the

458

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Digitaria .

minute lodicules. Upper floret chartaceous, broad-oblong, shortly
acute, 1 lin. by lin., pale or purplish. Anthers f lin. long. Grain
elliptic-oblong in outline, § lin. by J lin., subelliptic in cross section,
whitish ; scutellum broad-elliptic, not quite half the length of the
grain. — T). sanguinalis, var. intenupta, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw.
ii. 164.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas ; at
Domba, Kuanarol, Gossweiler, 305(1 ! 3755 ! Huilla ; Humpata, Newton, 26 !
grassy bills near Lopollo, Welwitsch, 2675 !

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : in woods near Beira, Bwynner-
ton, 1593! Nyasaland : Zomba, 4000-5000 ft., Whyte ! and without precise
locality, Buchanan, 1449 ! Rhodesia : at Makanga by the N’Yenyeshi
River (16° 30' N. Lat. ; 28° 40' E. Long.), Kassner, 2220! M’rewa,
in bush, Appleton, 14 ! Buluwayo and Matoppo Hills, Appleton , 7 !

Mashonalancl ; North Mazoe District, Mundy ! Inyanga, Mundy ! Salisbury,
Mundy ! Somnabula, Nobbs 656! Cazaland : near (Jhirinda, 3800 ft., Swynner-
ton, 1 630 !

27. 1). Chevalieri, Stapf ip. Chev. Sudania, 13 (name only). Pe-
rennial (apparently flowering the first year), forming dense tufts of
barren shoots mixed with flowering culms and trailing runners ;
rhizome short, prsemorse ; innovations extravaginal, coveied with
silky -tomentose cataphylls ; runners slender, many-noded, up to
6 in. long, with tufts of short leaves from the nodes.- Culms erect
from an ascending or shortly prostrate base, slender, about f-14 ft.
high, simple or with a leafy branch here and there, 8- or more-noded
or in first year's specimens only 3- or 4-noded, all the internodes
except the upper 2 or 3 shorter than the short sheaths, J-§ in. long,
the uppermost very long and long-exserted, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths
tight or the lower, which are very short loose, terete or subterete,
densely and softly hairy to villous, bearded at the base, the upper-
most quite glabrous upwards, hairs spreading, white, fine ; ligules
short, membranous, rounded ; blades linear, tapering to an acute
point, those of the culms more or less spreading, 1 to almost 3 in.
by 1J-2 lin., flat, soft, glaucous, more or less loosely villous, hairs
very fine, margins cartilaginous, scaberulous to spinulously scabrid,
lateral nerves obscure or the primary (3 or 4 on each side) slightly
prominent. Racemes about 6-10, sessile or subsessile, subdigitate
or racemosely arranged with a slender scabrid angular common
rhachis (up to 2 in. long), sometimes slightly compound near the base,
erect or more or less spreading, very slender, straight, rather loose,
about 3 in. long, pale green ; rhachis slightly wavy, filiform, tri-
quetrous, -£q-J lin. wide, with or without some long extremely fine
spreading hairs in the lower part, angles finely marginate, very
scabrid, internodes 1J-2 lin. long ; pedicels 2-3-nate, or fascicled
near the base with very short and scanty secondary branchlets,
finely filiform, very unequal, the longer up to 1J lin. long, angular,
scabrid. Spikelets more or less appressed, not imbricate, oblong,
subacute, § lin. long, pale greyish- or brownish-green, delicately
silvery-silky. Lower glume a very minute cuff-like hyaline

Digitaria.~\

CL VII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

459

membrane, early disappearing ; upper thin, oblong with a delicate
hyaline obtuse (flattened out) tip, as long as the spikelet, delicately
5-nerved with 4 lines of extremely fine silvery hairs, hairs curled or
circinate upwards. Lower floret : valve similar to the upper glume
but broader and finely 7-nerved, the spaces between the midrib and
the more prominent innermost side-nerves glabrous, hairs equalling
but not exceeding the tips, up to f lin. long ; valvule and lodicules
very minute. Upper floret as long as the spikelet, narrowly oblong,
subacute, the sides slightly exposed when ripening, pale to brownish
when ripe, thinly chartaceous. Anthers \ lin. long.

Upper Guinea. French Sudan : Dendela, Chevalier, 629 ! Ivory Coast :
Bingerville, along roads, Chevalier, 16003 ! Southern Nigeria: Lagos Island,
Dalziel, 1123 ! MacGregor, 157 partly ! Northern Nigeria : Lokoja, Richardson !

Chevalier’s specimens from Bingerville evidently represent a first year’s
growth, although they are in flower. They form tufts of flowering culms and
leafy shoots with a few young trailers. The leafy shoots and the trailers might
be assumed to grow into flowering culms later in the season, and if so the grass
would have to be considered as an annual. Chevalier’s Dendela specimen,
however, possesses unmistakable innovation-buds covered with short silky-
tom entose cataphylls and similar cataphylls, are found at the base of one of the
detached culms of Dalziel’s specimen. The Bingerville specimens were collected
in the middle of December, the Dendela one at the end of March.

28. D. Hackelii^ap/. Perennial, with slender creeping stolons,
their short and appressedly pubescent internodes covered with
tight rather firm obtuse closely nerved, at length glabrescent, brown
cataphylls. Culms ascending or prostrate at the base, 7-12-noded,
simple for the short first 3-5 internodes, then usually branched
from the next 1-3 nodes, branches erect, often as long as the primary
culm and resembling it, forming a loose scanty fascicle with it,
uppermost internodes very long. Leaf -sheaths terete, rather tight,
the lower and intermediate, particularly at the branching nodes, at
length slipping off, somewhat thin, finely and sparingly hirsute,
hairs spreading, tubercle-based ; ligules scarious, short ; blades
linear, tapering to an. acute point, 2-3 in. by 1 J-2J lin., thin, somewhat
flaccid, green, loosely hirsute, hairs like those of the sheaths, some-
times 2 from a common tubercle, midrib prominent, slender, lateral
nerves obscure. Racemes 2-5, sessile, subdigitate with a short
slender common rhachis, erect, straight or nearly so, very slender,
somewhat loose, 2-3 in. long ; rhachis very slender, slightly wavy,
triquetrous, J-J lin. wide, with scattered long extremely fine hairs,
angles marginate, scaberulous, internodes 2-1J lin. long ; pedicels
2-nate, filiform, angular to subangular, scaberulous, unequal, the
longer up to 1 lin. long. Spikelets loosely appressed, oblong to
elliptic-oblong, acute, 1 lin. long, pale, almost glabrous. Lower
glume membranous or subhyaline, truncate, embracing the spikelet
like a cuff, lin. long ; upper as long and as broad as the spike-
let, firmly membranous, more or less prominently 5-nerved, glabrous
or with a narrow marginal fringe of hairs, hairs fine, slightly curled

460

CL VII. GRAMINE.ZE (Stapf).

[. Digitaria .

upwards, with obtuse but not clavate tips, appressed, very slightly
exceeding the tip of the valve, often purplish. Lower floret : valve very
similar in shape, size and hairiness to the upper glume, 7-nerved, nerves
equidistant, sometimes an imperfect line or tufts of hairs in the space
between the inner lateral nerves of each half : valvule and lodicules
very minute. Upper floret ovate-elliptic in outline, shortly acute,
jp-f lin. by § lin., pale, margins of valve widely gaping. Anthers
deep purple, § lin. long. — Panicum Ilaclcelii, Pilger in Engl. Jahrb.
xxx. 118.

Lower Guinea. Gaboon: Munda District; Sibange Farm, Soyavx, 425!
Belgian Congo : Lower Congo, Smith !

Smith’s plant differs from the original in having the spikelets quite glabrous,
but in no other way. ^ . f

29. D. abyssihlpa^ Stapf in Kew Bulletin, 1907, 213. Perennial,
with a long slender creeping often branching rhizome ; cataphylls
scarious, strongly striate, early decaying down to the pubescent
or villous base ; distal innovations extravaginal, subterminal
intra vaginal growing out into fascicles of barren and flowering shoots.
Culms usually more or less geniculate, ascending, or sometimes
prostrate at the base, very slender, J-l ft. high, rarely much higher,
glabrous, 2-4- or if the base is prostrate more-noded, lowest inter-
nodes short, terete, simple or branched below. Leaf-sheaths rather
tight, the lower more or less compressed and keeled, sometimes
at length slipping off the culm, glabrous or with a few spreading-
hairs, subherbaceous ; ligules scarious, rounded, up to 2 lin. long,
usually much shorter, glabrous ; blades linear, tapering to a fine
point, 1-4 in. by l-|-3 lin., thin, green or more or less glaucous,
glabrous or more or less loosely hairy. Kacemes 2-9 (rarely more),
sessile or bare at the base with traces of arrested spikelets, sub-
digitate or racemoselv arranged on a very slender angular (at least
upwards) smooth common rhachis 1J-3 in. long, usually solitary,
sometimes 2-3-nate, erect or more or less spreading, straight, flexuous
or arching, very slender, 1-3 in. long, rather loose, green, variously
tinged with purple, the lowest sometimes compound at the base ;
rhachis more or less wavy, very slender, lin. wide, rarely much
wider, triquetrous, angles smooth or more rarely scaberulous, inter-
nodes 1-1 1 lin. long or here and there much longer and then the
spikelets very unevenly distributed ; pedicels 2-nate, finely filiform,
s flexuous, angular to subangular, scaberulous or almost smooth,
unequal, the longer up to 1 lin. long. Spikelets loosely appressed,
elliptic-oblong, acute or subobtuse, 1 lin. long, glabrous. Lower
glume membranous, ovate, acute or obtuse, up to 1 J lin. long ; upper
elliptic-oblong, acute or subobtuse, as long as the spikelet or slightly
shorter, usually 5- rarely 3- or 7-nerved with the submarginal nerves
faint. Lower floret : valve very similar in shape and size to the
upper glume if not slightly longer, 7-nerved, nerves more or less
prominent, equidistant ; valvule exceeding the lodicules by their

Digitaria.] clvii. gramineai (Stapf). 461

own length, or shorter. Upper floret as long as the lower, char-
taceous, elliptic-oblong to elliptic, shortly acute to apiculate, 3-nerved,
pale to pale olive-green, at maturity shining brown, margins of valve
white. Anthers J lin. long. Grain whitish, ellipsoid, up to J lin.
by § lin., scutelluin half the length of the grain. — Chiov. in Result.
Scient. Miss. Stefanini-Paoli, 225. D. vestita , Fig. & De Not. in Mem.
Acc. Tor. ii. xiv. 356, t. 22. D. scalarum, Chiov. l.c . Panicmn abyssini-
cum, Hochst. in Flora, 1841, i. Intell. 19 ; A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss,
ii. 360 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Air. v. 740 ; K. Schum. in
Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 100 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii.
294. P. muticum, Hochst. ex A. Rich. l.c. 362; Oliv. in Trans.
Linn. Soc. xxix. 171 ; not of Forsk. P. scalarum , Schweinf. in Bull.
Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 20 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 764 ; K. Schum.
l.c. C. 101 ; Engl, in Sitzungb. Preuss. Akad. Berlin, 1904, x. 397.
P. kafuroense , K. Schum. in Engl. Jahrb. xxiv. 334.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen ; near Saganaiti, 7200 ft., Schweinf urth
tSa Rica, 1387! Dongollo ; near Gliinda, Pappi, 4213! Abyssinia: Tigre ; a
weed in fields near Adowa, Schimper. in scrub at the foot on Mount Scholoda,
Schimper, 8.3.1 Adeli Dsclioa, Schimper, 519 ! Shire plateau, Schimper, 1827 !
Samen; near Debri Eski, 10,000 ft., Schimper, 32 ! Jaja, 6000 ft., Schimper, 384 !
Jowo Soria, 6200 ft., Schimper, 994! Ankober, Roth ! and without precise
locality. Schimper, 910 ! 944 ! Sudan : Sennar, near Eazokl, Figari. Uganda :
in a banana grove on Ruwenzori, 5300 ft., Scoit Elliot, 7611 ! dry bare places, >
Scott Elliot, 7233 ! common in marshes, Scott Elliot, 7404 ! in coffee plantations
at Kampala, Bummer ! British East Africa : Kikuyu, and road to Eldama
Ravine, 4000-6000 ft., Whyte / Naivasha to Baringo Valley, Gregory ! Nairobi,
Linton, 5 ! 131 ! Bowson, 224! Bummer, 1576! 1956! Nakuru, 6000 ft.,
Scott Elliot, 6814 !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa ; common in Karagwe, Grant !
Kafuro, Stuhlmann, 1709 !

Also in Tropical Arabia.

According to Dummer the worst weed in Coffee plantations. On some spike-
lets a few short hairs were observed. They were straight with gradually
tapering sharply pointed tips.

Panicum abyssinicum was based on specimens collected by Schimper in
shady scrub at the foot of Mount Scholoda near Adoa, Abyssinia (no. 82).
I cannot distinguish it from “ Panicum muticum, Hochst, ex A. Rich.” for which
Schweinfurth proposed the name P. scalarum, owing To the earlier homonym
P. muticum, Eorsk., a totally different plant. Schimper, 95, in Herb. Bentli.
consists of 3 nieces, 2 exactly like Schimper, 95, in Hb. Hooker, and one exactly
like Schimper, 82. The latter has long prostrate many-noded culm-bases,
more flaccid and hairy leaves and wider rhachises with distinct scaberulous
or scabrid green margins or narrow wings. A part of Roth’s specimens shows
the same peculiarities. These specimens appear to me to be mere shade forms.
The number of nerves of the upper glume is in so far variable that the outermost
of the usual 5 nerves become sometimes very faint or short or disappear alto-
gether, while in other cases a sixth and seventh faint nerve may be added -close
within the margin.

Chiovenda, l.c., described a var. velutinUm, chiefly characterized by
spreadingly- and long-villous leaf-slieaths and blades. This seems to be merely
an accentuated state of the type of hairiness found in Schimper, no. 82, and in
a part of Roth’s specimens. He indicates this form from the following regions
— Amasen, Pappi, 3664, Michelettii, 138; Assaorta, 8850 ft., Pappi, 2817 ;
Scimezana, 8200 ft., Pappi, 803 ; Ocule Cusai, 8200-9850 ft., Pappi, 1274,
1591, 1659, 1955; Sarae, 5570 ft., Pappi, 340.

462

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Digitaria .

30. D. leptorrhachis, Stapf. Annual, up to 2 ft. high. Culms
(base not known) erect, slender, smooth, collapsing and sulcate when
dry, simple at least upwards, uppermost internode long-exserted.
Leaf-sheaths somewhat loose, thin, striate, sparingly hirsute and
ciliate or quite glabrous except at the finely hispidly bearded nodes ;
ligules membranous, truncate or rounded, crenulate, 1 lin. long ;
blades linear, long-tapering to a fine point, 3-5 in. by 1-2 lin., flat,
flaccid, pale green, glabrous or with a few spreading tubercle-based
hairs towards the base, or very loosely and finely pubescent, scaberu-
lous upwards along the finely cartilaginous margins and on the upper
side towards the tips, otherwise smooth, midrib very slender, primary
lateral nerves 2-3 on each side, obscurely raised above. Racemes
8-15, sessile or bare at the base with traces of arrested spikelets,
fastigiate on a slender upwards angular common axis (up to over
2 in. long, but usually much shorter), solitary or pseudoverticillate,
often bare at the base for a short distance (up to -1- in.), very slender,
mostly obliquely spreading, straight or slightly arching, about 3 in.
long ; rhachis filiform, triquetrous, j lin. wide, angles very finely
marginate, scabrid, internodes about 1 to over 1J lin. long ; pedicels
2-nate, finely filiform, very unequal, the longer up to 1 lin. long,
angular, scaberulous. Spikelets loosely appressed- and loosely dis-
posed, oblong, acute, 1 lin. by J lin., whitish with fine silvery silky
lines. Lower glume a minute delicate membrane, early breaking
up ; upper oblong, as long as the spikelet, with a small obtuse hyaline
tip, inrolled when dry and then apparently acute, very thin, very

, distinctly 5-nerved with 4 fine lines of hairs (the space inside the
submarginal nerve glabrous), hairs very delicate with recurved or
circulate tips, up to J lin. long. Lower floret : valve very thin,
corresponding in shape and size to the spikelet, finely 7-nerved, nerves
equidistant with a dense fringe of hairs along the margin and a fine
but dense line between the 2 inner lateral nerves (of each half),
hairs as in the upper glume ; valvule and lodicules microscopic.
Upper floret lanceolate-oblong, acutely acuminate, as long as the
spikelet, very pale, thinly chartaceons, margins of valve meeting or
overlapping upwards (when young). Anthers J lin. long.

Upper Guinea. French Sudan : on dry land near Segu, Lecard, 252 !

Good fodder according to Lecard. Very near to D. nigritianci and to D. poly-
botrya, differing from both in the slightly larger whitish spikelets with fine
silvery lines formed by more copious and rather longer hairs, from the former
also in its bearded nodes. The racemes also seem to be less numerous than in
either of them.

31. D. polybotrya , Stapf Annual, up to 3 ft. high. Culms
erect or subgeniculate, somewhat slender, 3-noded, smooth, collapsing
and deeply sulcate when dry, simple or sparingly branched, uppermost
internode long-exserted, the others soon bared by the sheaths slipping
off. Leaf -sheaths rather loose, thin, finely striate, subherbaceous,

Digitarici .]

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

468

finely hirsute or all or at least the uppermost glabrous except at the
dark broad (2 lin.) hispidly bearded nodes ; ligules membranous,
truncate, crenulate, up to 2 lin. long ; blades linear, long-tapering
to a fine point, 3-4 in. by 1J-2 lin., flat, flaccid, green, glabrous or
sparingly hairy, margins cartilaginous, scaberulous- towards the tips,
otherwise smooth, midrib very slender, pale, primary lateral nerves
up to 6 on each side, slightly raised above. Racemes very numerous,
usually over 20, sessile, fastigiate on a slender angular common axis
up to 3 in. long, overtopping it by 2-3 in., mostly solitary and bearing
spikelets from the base or from near it, very slender, mostly suberect,
rarely spreading, up to 4 rarely 5 in. long, flexuous, loose, pale green
or tinged with purple ; rhachis filiform, triquetrous, lin. wide,
with scattered very fine long spreading hairs in the lower part,
internodes about 1 lin. long, angles very finely marginate, scaberulous;
pedicels 2-nate, finely filiform, very unequal, the longer § lin. long,
angular, minutely scaberulous. Spikelets loosely appressed, hardly
imbricate even when young, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, acute, about
f-§ lin. by J lin., apparently glabrous. Lower glume a minute
hyaline scale or 0 ; upper oblong, acute, as long as the spikelet,
very thin, finely 5-nerved, with 4 very fine lines of hairs (the space
inside the submarginal nerve glabrous), hairs very delicate with
recurved or circinate tips, ^ lin. long. Lower floret : valve very
thin, corresponding in shape and size to the spikelet, prominently
but finely 7-nerved, nerves equidistant, with a delicate appressed
fringe of hairs along the margins and a fine often imperfect line
between the 2 inner lateral nerves (of each half) or there sometimes
quite glabrous ; valvule and lodicules microscopic. Upper floret
lanceolate-oblong, acutely acuminate, as long as the spikelet, pale
olive- or greyish-green, thinly chartaceous, margins of valve at
length distant. Anthers J lin. long. Grain ellipsoid, white, \ lin.
long. — • Panicum nigritianum, var., Hack, in Oest. Bot. Zeitschr.
1901, 293.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool District ; Mokaba, Vanderyst,
3890 ! Muschie, Vanderyst, 3919 ! islands in Stanley Pool, Buettner.
Kwango District; sandbanks in the Kwilu River, Vanderyst , 2017 partly!
between Lutschima and Katschaka, Vanderyst, 3807 partly !

Very near to D. nigritiana, Stapf, but differing in the broad bearded nodes,
hairy sheaths and short blades. The spikelets are practically indistinguish-
able. There is a much battered specimen in the Kew collection communicated
by Sir W. MacGregor from Lagos (no. 157 partly) which has the bearded nodes
of D. polybotrya with which it agrees in the structure of the spikelets, but from
which it differs in their whitish colour, fewer racemes, greater number of nodes,
and more hairy leaves.

32. D. nigritianaA Stapf. Annual, over 2J ft. high. Culms slender,
terete, glabrous, very smooth, few-noded, simple or branched from
the lower nodes (Hackel). Leaf -sheaths terete, glabrous, smooth,
closely striate, nodes quite glabrous ; ligules oblong-obtuse, scarious,

464

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Digitaria .

over 1 lin. long ; blades narrowly linear, tapering to a fine point,
6 to 8 in. by 1-1 \ lin., slightly rigid, flat, glabrous, smooth or the
margins scaberulous upwards ; ’midrib very slender, lateral nerves
numerous, very fine and close, the primary hardly distinct. Racemes
6-15, sessile, subdigitate or racemosely arranged on a slender
angular common rhachis (up to 2 in. long), very slender, erect or
suberect, 3-6 in. long, somewhat loose ; rhachis filiform, lin.
wide, triquetrous, almost straight, angles ’ very finely marginate,
internodes 1J-2 lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate, finely filiform, angular,
scaberulous, very unequal, the longer up to over 1 lin. long. Spike-
lets loosely subappressed, not or only slightly imbricate, lanceolate-
oblong, acute, f-|| lin. by § lin., pale green or brownish, apparently
glabrous .yy Lower glume a very minute delicately hyaline scale,
'soon disappearing ; upper oblong-lanceolate, equalling the spike-
let, finely 5-nerved, with 4 very fine lines of appressed hairs (2 in
the innermost spaces on both sides of the middle-nerve and 2 marginal),
hairs extremely fine, straight or the obtuse tips curled, f-J lin. long.
Lower floret : valve in shape and size corresponding to the spikelet,
very thin, 7-nerved, nerves fine but prominent, with very fine lines
of appressed hairs between the 2 inner lateral nerves of each half
and along the margins, hairs as in the upper glume ; valvule and
lodicules very minute. Upper floret lanceolate, acute, as long as the
spikelet, pale to slate-colour, thinly chartaceous, margins of valve
not meeting. Anthers § lin. long. — Panicum nigritianum, Hack, in
Oest. Bot. Zeitschr. 1901, 293; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Air.
v. 756.

Upper Guinea. Southern Nigeria : Brass River, Barter !

Hackei quotes a variety or form (unnamed) from Stanley Bool collected by
Buttner. i have not seen it. It is said to have bearded nodes and hairy
leaves. There is little doubt that it corresponds to D. ; polybotrya , described
above.

33. D. debilis, Willd. Enum. Port. Berol. 91. Annual. Culms
ascending from a geniculate or prostrate and rooting base and
branched from it or all along, rarely more or less subsimple, 1-2 ft.
high, primary culms many-, secondary usually 6-noded, moderately
slender, glabrous, upper 1 or 2 internodes by far the longest. Leaf-
sheaths somewhat loose, thin, glabrous or the lower more or less
softly hairy and slightly keeled ; ligules membranous, rounded,
J-l'J lin. long ; blades linear from an equally broad or more or less
contracted and rounded base, long-tapering to a slender point,
the lower usually not much over 1 in. by 1-14 lin., the upper up to
4 in. by 3 lin., but usually smaller, flat, somewhat plump, flaccid,
glabrous or softly hairy to almost tomentose, margins often wavy
or crisp, rough, midrib slender, lateral nerves very fine. Racemes
usually 5-11, sessile, subdigitate on a slender angular scabrid common
rhachis (J-lf in. long), slender, suberect or obliquely spreading,

'

Digitaria .]

CLVIL GilAMlNEiE (Stapf).

465

3-5 (rarely up to 8) in. long, mostly pale green in liower ; rhachis
triquetrous, straight or wavy, lin. wide, pale, angles finely margin-
ate, scabrid, internodes 1 or, the lower, 1| to almost 2 lin. long ;
pedicels 2-nate, very finely filiform, angular, scabrid, the longer
about 1 lin. long. Spikelets loosely appressed, not or obscurely
imbricate when young, lanceolate, finely to almost caudate-acumi-
nate, 1-1J lin. long, pale or yellowish-green, sometimes tinged with
purple, apparently quite glabrous. Lower glume a minute hyaline
whitish cuff -like scale, separated from thempper by a distinct inter-
node, hence the spikelet shortly “ stipitate 55 within the lower glume ;
upper glume very thin, lanceolate, acut ely acuminate to almost caudate,
as long as the spikelet, 5-nerved, with a fine line of appressed hairs,
curled at the tips and about ~Sp lin. long in each of the spaces
between the middle nerve and the adjacent side-nerves and another
along the margins, rarely sub-7 -nerved with a faint additional nerve
inside the inner line of hairs. Lower floret : valve very similar
in texture and pubescence to the upper glume, but shorter by one-
quarter to one-third, narrowly oblong, shortly acuminate, 7-nerved,
with lines of hairs between the inner pair of side-nerves and along
the margins, often irregular or suppressed on one side ; valvule and
lodicules microscopic. . Upper floret almost equalling the lower,
lanceolate, acutely acuminate, pale or dull purplish, thinly char-
taceous, margins of valve slightly overlapping upwards when mature.
Anthers almost \ lin. long. Grain narrowly oblong, plano-convex,
whitish ! lin. long ; scutellum elliptic, less than half the length of
the grain. — Coss. & Durieu, Expl. Scient. Alger, ii. 33 ; Stapf in
Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 377 ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 163 ;
Cheval. Sudania, 22. D. variabilis, Fig. & De Notaris in Mem.
Acc. Torin. ser. ii. xiv. (1853), 357, t. 23. D. decipiens, Fig. & De
Notaris, l.c. 359, t. 24. Pcmicum debile , Desf. FI. Atlanta i. 59 ; Trin.
Panic. Gen. 117 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 41 ; Battand, & Trab. FI.
Alger. (Monoc.) 131; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 746. P.fili-
forme , Poir. Voy. en Barb. ii. 93; not of Linn. P. reimarioides , Anderss.
in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot. 547. Paspalum debile , Poir Encycl.
v. 34 (excl. syn.) ; Fluegge, Gram. Monogr. 136 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 45.

Upper Guinea. French Sudan : San, borders of the Bani River, Chevalier,
1095 ! Southern Nigeria : Lagos, Foster, 7a ! Northern Nigeria : Katagum
District, Dalziel, 254 ! Abinsi, Dalziel, 879 ! Sokoto : in meadows, Dalziel, 496 !

Nile Land. Cordofan and Fazokl, according to Figari and De Notaris, l.c.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo, Welwitsch, 2854 ! Calunda,
Welwitsch, 2710! Benguella ; Fort Princeza Amelia, Cubango River, Goss-
weiler, 1981 ! in wet places between Humpata and Huilla, 5500 ft.,
Pearson, 2607 !

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : sandy moist places on the
Lower Zambesi, Peters. Nyasaland : in marshy ground near the Umbaka
River, Scott !

Also in Natal (in native gardens) and Madagascar (?) and in the Mediter-
ranean countries from Algeria and South Italy to Portugal. Not in India.
Paspalum sang uinale, var. debile, Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 16, which by its

FL, TROP. AFR. VOL. IX. — PT. 3, 2 H

466

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[ Digitaria .

author was supposed to be this species, is certainly distinct and apparently
D. pruriens, Biise. Welwitsch, 2710, represents a very robust state with
unusually long spikelets (up to over 2 lin.). It was described as var. gigantea
by Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 163. The spikelets correspond very nearly
to those figured for D. decipiens by Figari and De Notaris. These authors
also describe and figure a D. varidbilis, l.c. 357, t. 23, of which they say that it
approaches very closely to D. decipiens , but has relatively broader and shorter
spikelets, with the upper glume pubescent only along the margins, and has
less acute angles to the rhachis. They describe it as “ perennans.” I consider
it to be typical P. debilis.

Used as horse fodder in North Nigeria and known there as Harikia ”
(Dalziel).

34. B. maniculata, Stapf. Annual, long (2 ft.) trailing on the
ground, rooting at and throwing up flowering culms (1-1J ft. high)
from the very numerous nodes. Culms very slender, terete, glabrous,
internodes of the trailing portion to over 25, about 1 lin. long,
exserted or bared by the slipping off of the sheaths, of the ascending
flowering branches 12 or more, the lower 8-10 about J in. long, as
long as the sheaths and tightly clasped by them, the uppermost
long-exserted, 3-4 in. long, the longer of the flowering branches or
culms rooting at and branched again from the lower internodes and
sometimes with arrested leafy branches higher, up. Leaf -sheaths
terete, firm, particularly those of the flowering culms, glabrous and
smooth or here and there with a few spreading hairs, very finely
and closely striate ; ligules membranous, very short, truncate ;
blades lanceolate, tapering almost from the base to an acute point,
f-l| in. by 1| lin., rigid, almost pungent, glabrous and smooth (also
along the margins) or with a few long tubercle-based cilia towards
the base, glaucous, sometimes with a tinge of purple. Racemes
2-nate, sessile, the lower with a short, the upper with a longer (J-J in.)
filiform bare base, erect or oblique, straight, very slender, 1-2J in.
long, Avh it ish -green ; rhachis very slender, slightly wavy or almost
straight, flat, f-§ lin. wide, quite smooth, margins at first incurved,
at length more or less recurved between the nodes, these about'
1 J-2 lin. apart ; pedicels 2-nate, one very short or almost completely
suppressed, the other filiform, or more or less compressed, semi-
lunar in cross-section, with a minute discoid tip, about 1 lin. long,
smooth. Spikelets tightly appressed, not imbricate, lanceolate-
oblong, shortly acuminate, about 1 lin. by J lin., pale green, white-
silky, often blue or lilac at the base. Lower glume a broad rounded
or truncate hyaline white, lilac or bright blue scale J lin. long, tightly
appressed to the spikelet and clasping it with the narrowly indexed
margins or quite flat ; upper glume narrowly oblong, acuminate,
as long as the spikelet, delicate, 5-nerved, with dense lines of hairs
between the nerves and along the margins, hairs much longer towards
the tips and exceeding them, very fine, minutely papillose, the upper
usually doubled back on themselves, gathered in a point like that of
a painter’s brush. Lower floret : valve oblong, acutely acuminate,

Digitaria.']

CL VII. GRAMINE JE (Stapf).

467

as long as the spikelef, thin, pale, 7-nerved, with lines of hairs between
the inner side-nerves (of each half) and along the margins and also
with a dense large tuft of hairs on each side at the base, these tufts
protruding as a dense snow-white fluffy fringe from underneath
the cuff-like lower glume, hairs as in the upper glume but rather
finer and the knob-like papillae very marked, those of the tufts
doubled up, over § lin. long (expanded), the others shoit ; valvule and
lodicules microscopic. Upper floret oblong-lanceolate, acutely
acuminate, almost as long as the spikelet, pale, thinly chartaceous,
the hyaline margins of the valve meeting or overlapping to below
the middle. Anthers \ lin. long.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool District ; on sandbanks
near Chenul, Vanderyst, 5177 ! 5179 !

AVlien the cuff -like lower glume is blue or lilac the contrast between it and the
snow-white fringe of hairs protruding from underneath is very pleasing and
striking. The diameter of the hairs is, excluding the papillae, 3-5 /x at the base
and 2-3 p near the tips, and including the papillae 4-6 and 3-4. /x respectively,
The doubling back of the hairs is very singular. Possibly they spread out on
maturing, when they would make a perfect parachute.

35. D. angolensis, Rendie in Gat. Aft. PL Welw. ii. 165. Annual,
up to 2 ft. high. Culms eiect or ascending from a slender genicu-
late base, many-noded, sparingly branched below, glabrous. Leaf-
sheaths loose, thin, slightly keeled upwards, slipping oft' the culm,
glabrous or hairy on the keel ; ligules brown, scarious, rounded-
ovate, up to over 1 lin. long, glabrous ; blades linear, slightly
narrowed downwards, tapering to an acute point, 5-7 in. by up to
4 lin. wide, flat, glabrous, smooth except along the rough cartilaginous
and often crisped margins, midrib slender, but dis'tinct and promi-
nent below, primary lateral nerves about 4-5 on each side, very slender
and rather distant. Itacemes about 8, digitate on a short common
axis, slender, suboblique, somewhat loose, 5 in. long ; rhachis very
slender, triquetrous, up to \ lin. wide, angles scabrid ; pedicels
2-4-nate, very finely filiform, subterete or somewhat compressed
and slightly angular, almost smooth, the longest up to 2 lin. long
and flexuous. Spikelets oblong, acute to subacute, slightly over 1 lin.
long, pale, whitish-silky. Lower glume a minute very delicate
hyaline truncate scale ; upper oblong, acute, as long as but slightly
narrower than the spikelet, very thin, very finely 5-nerved with the
lateral nerves very close, delicately hairy all over, hairs very fine,
wrinkled or minutely verrucose. Lower floret corresponding in
outline and length to the spikelet : valve thin, sub-7-nerved, densely
silky from between the inner side-nerves and the margins, hairs as
in the upper glume, about § lin. long ; valvule and lodicules minute.
Upper floret oblong, acute, as long as the spikelet, pale, thinly char-
taceous, margins of valve meeting. — Panicum angolense, K. Schum.
in Just, Jahresb. 1899, i. 457.

468 cl vn. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [ Digitaria .

Lower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo ; in damp meadows near Sansa-
manda, Welwitsch, 2790 !

36. D. argyrotricha, Ghiov. in Result. Scient. Miss. Stefanini-
Paoli, i. 183. Annual. Culms tufted, erect from a slightly
geniculate base, sparingly branched below, glabrous, slender,
4-5-noded, the first internodes very short and sheathed all along,
the uppermost long-exserted. Leaf -sheaths rather tight or somewhat
loose, glabrous or the lower more usually ciliate along the margins
and on the keel-nerve, rarely loosely hairy all over ; ligules short,
truncate, denticulate ; blades lanceolate to linear, acutely acuminate,

1- 4 in. by 2-4 (rarely 1) lin., obliquely spreading, flat, soft, glaucous,
glabrous, rarely sparingly and very finely hairy, midrib and primary
lateral nerves very fine, margins cartilaginous, scaberulous, often
crisp. Racemes 2 or 3, sessile, digitate, slender, 3 to over 6 in. long,
erect or oblique, white-silky on the face, green on the back ; rhachis
flat, straight, J-J lin. wide, green, margins scabrid, midrib whitish,
convex, smooth and about equally wide on both sides ; pedicels

2- or 3-nate or solitary upwards, flexuous, terete with discoid tips,
whitish, smooth, the longest up to 1 lin. long, adnate downwards.
Spikelets appressed, subimbricate, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate,
from not quite f to over 1 lin. long (excluding the terminal tuft of
hairs), long and densely white-silky. Lower glume a delicate cuff-
like membrane, lin. long, soon breaking up and disappearing ;
upper delicate, lanceolate, acute, as long as the spikelet, sub-5-nerved,
densely covered with fine shaggy or appressed silky hairs up to | lin.
long, thin-walled or somewhat thick-walled and mostly wrinkled
upwards. Lower floret : valve hyaline, oblong-lanceolate, acute,
as long as the spikelet, 5-nerved, nerves fine, equidistant, usually
obscure owing to the copious shaggy indumentum which consists of
long hairs (like those of the upper glume up to over J lin. long) and is
produced beyond the tips into a thick silky pointed brush up to J lin.
long, usually snow-white ; valvule and lodicules microscopic. Upper
floret lanceolate, acutely acuminate,! lin. by | lin., slightly shorter than
the spikelet (apart from the apical tuft of hairs), pale brown, thinly
chartaceous, margins almost contiguous at maturity except at the
base. Grain elliptic, dorsally more or less compressed, J lin. by over
\ lin., white ; scutellum broad-elliptic, obscurely marked off, about £
the length of the grain. — Panicum argyrotnchum , Anderss. in Peters,
Reise Mozamb. ii. 548 ; Hack, in Bulet. Soc. Brot. vi. 141 ; Durand &
Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 741 ; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 100.

Nile Land. British East Africa : Tanaland, Linton , 197 ! Italian Somali-
land : common on dunes near Torda (lower Jub), Paoli, 319.

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar, Hildebrandt, 1089 ! Last ! German East
Africa : Tanga, Holst, 2033 ! Portuguese East Africa : Querimba, Peters
Mozambique ; British Frontier, Carvalho ! Msalu River, Allen, 137 !

Evidently closely allied to D. longiflora, but distinct in its bushy growth,
broader leaves and the long copious silky indumentum of the spikelets. The
mature fertile floret also seems to be slightly more slender and brown, not
olive-green.

Digitaria .] clvii. gramtne.® (Stapf.) 469

37. D. longiflora, Pers. Syn. i. 85. Annual. Culms usually rising
in fascicles from a long prostrate rooting base and its numerous
nodes, often geniculate and branched below, glabrous, rarely shortly
plumose towards the inflorescence, slender to very slender, the
ultimate lateral flowering branches 4-5-noded, the first internodes
very short and sheathed more or less all along, the uppermost long-
exserted. Leaf -sheaths rather tight except when enclosing a branch,
glabrous or more rarely the lower more or less hairy and sparingly
bearded at the nodes ; ligules very short, membranous ; blades
lanceolate to linear, acute, J-4 in. by 1-2 lin., often spreading, flat,
soft, glabrous or with a few fine sometimes tubercle-based hairs here
and there, rarely hairy all over, nervation very faint. Racemes
usually 2 or 3, rarely more, sessile, digitate, very slender, 1-3 in. long,
erect or spreading, pale green in flower ; rhachis flat, straight, J lin.
wide, pale green, margins soabrid, midrib whitish, convex and smooth
on both sides, wider on the back than on the face ; pedicels 2-3-
nate, flexuous, terete with discoid tips, whitish, smooth, the longest
up to 1 lin. long, adnate downwards. Spikelets appressed, sub-
imbricate, elliptic-oblong, acute or subacute, f-f lin. long, pale green
or whitish owing to the delicate appressed pubescence. Lower
glume 0 or represented by the most rudimentary traces of a delicate
membrane ; upper delicate, broad-oblong, subobtuse or subacute,
as long as or almost as long as the spikelet, 5-3-nerved with dense
lines of appressed very fine upwards wrinkled thin-walled hairs
7 lin. long between the nerves and along the margin. Lower
floret : valve hyaline, of the shape and size of the spikelet, 7-nerved,
nerves very fine, equidistant, usually obscure owing to the appressed
pubescence which consists of lines of hairs like those of the upper
glume, occupying the margin and the spaces between the nerves
except the innermost ; valvule and lodicules microscopic. Upper
floret equalling the spikelet, shortly acute or subapiculate, slate-
colour to olive-green when ripe, thinly chartaceous, margins of valve
slightly overlapping to low down. Anthers J lin. long. Grain
ellipsoid, slightly compressed, § lin. by J lin., white ; scutellum
broad-elliptic, obscurely marked off, less than half the length of
the grain. — Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 162. D. Pseudo-Durva,
Schlechtend. in Linnsea, xxvi. 458. I), linearis , Schult. f. Mant. ii.
264 ; not of Roem. & Schult. D. tenuiflora, Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap.
vii. 380 ; not of P. Beauv. Pasfalum longiflorum, Retz. Obs. iv. 15 ;
Baker, FI. Maurit. 431 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 737 ;
Etudes FI. Congo, 320 Durand & De Wild. Mat. FI. Congo, i. 44 ;
Th. & Hel. Durand, Syll. FI. Congol. 629 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 17
(partly). P. brevifolium, Fluegge, Gram. Monogr. 150 ; Kunth,
Enum. i. 48. P. parvulum, Trim Pan. Gen. 117, and in Mem. Acad.
Petersb. 6me ser. iii. (1835) 305 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 41. P.
Pseudo-Durva , Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 21 ; Steud, l.c. 41. Panicum
argyrotrichum,, Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 741, and iStudes

470 cl vii. gramineje (Stapf). [. Digitaria .

FI. Congo, 321 ; De Wild. & Durand, Contr. FI. Congo, i. fasc.
ii. 72 ; not of Anderss.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Jala, Bunting, 91 ! Mount Barclay, Bunting !
and without precise locality, W dwitsch, 2946 ! French Guinea : on cultivated
ground near Timbo, Pobeguin, 1702 bis ! 1706 ! 1828 ! Segou, Lecard, 252
partly ! Southern Nigeria : Lagos, MacGregor , 39 ! Opobo, Jeffreys, 5 ! 26 !

Lower Guinea. Gaboon : in savanahs at Munda, Soyaux, 430 ! French
Congo : Brazzaville, Thollon, 372 ! Portuguese Congo : Cabinda, Gossweiler,
6435! Belgian Congo: Cataract District; Tliysville, Vanderyst, 4417!
Lukungu, 700-800 ft., Hens, 273 ! Lutete, 1800-2000 ft., Hens, 209''. Stanley
Pool District ; Kisantu, Gillet, 1902 ! Kunzulu, Vanderyst, 5184 ! Angola :
Pungo Andongo (?), W dwitsch, 7256! Pungo Andongo; Pedras de Guinga,
W dwitsch, 2935 ! Cazengo, Gossweiler, 5738 !

Nile Land. Somaliland: Golis Range, Dr alee -Brockman, 150! Uganda:
grassland near Namanzmyi, 4000 ft., Bummer, 2551 !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Usambara ; Muoa, in old cultivated
land, Holst, 3123 ! Kilimanjaro ; Marangu, Volkens, 1469 !

Also in South Africa, Madagascar, the Mascarenes and through India into
Malaya.

Digitaria tenuijlora, P. Beauv. ( Panicum tenuiflorum, R. Br. Prodr. 193) is
apparently a perennial grass and has a stiff erect habit and long narrow leaves.

Gossweiler’s specimens quoted above are distinguished by the presence of
numerous fine spreading hairs on the internode below the inflorescence.

38. D. exilis, Stapf in Kew Bulletin , 1915, 385. Annual. Culms
erect or geniculate-ascending, over 1J ft. high, simple or sparingly
branched from below, 5-8-noded, internodes mostly shortly exserted
except the uppermost which is long-exserted. Leaf -sheaths tight or
the ibwer and intermediate somewhat loose and slipping off the
internodes, glabrous, smooth, striate, the lower more or less keeled ;
bgules membranous, rounded, broad, up to 1 lin. long ; blades
linear, gradually tapering to an acute point, 2-6 in. by 1J-3J lin.,
flat, glabrous, midrib slender, primary lateral nerves 3-4 on each
side. Racemes 2-4, sessile, digitate, suberect or erect, very slender,
2-5 in. long, pale green in flower ; rhachis flat, straight, | to almost
J lin. wide, green, margins scabrid, midrib rather stout, whitish,
very slightly convex and smooth on the back, more or less rounded
and almost smooth or very sparingly and minutely pubescent on
the face ; pedicels paired or (upwards always) solitary or towards
the base in groups of 3 or 4, flexuous, terete with discoid tips, up to
I lin. long, whitish, smooth or sometimes very sparingly or minutely
asperulous or pubescent. Spikelets subimbricate in flower, elliptic-
oblong, acute, J-l lin. long, pale green, quite glabrous. Lower
glume delicately hyaline, very minute or almost 0 ; upper broad-
oblong, obtuse or subobtuse, hyaline between the 3-5 percurrent
green nerves, slightly shorter than the spikelet. Lower floret : valve
elliptic, subobtuse, as long as the spikelet, thin, hyaline, nerves 7,
raised, percurrent, parallel and equidistant or the 3 inner and the 2
outer more approximate, usually anastomosing below the tips ; val-
vule almost microscopic, square. Upper floret thinly chartaceous,

Diqitaria.'] clvii. graminejg (Stapf). 471

equalling the spikelet, acute, faintly 3-nerved, margins of valve con -
tiguous or almost overlapping in flower, distant in fruit. Anthers
up to \ lin. long, linear. Grain oblong- to globose-ellipsoid, §-4 lin.
long, white or slightly purplish, tightly enclosed in the slightly
indurated brown husks : scutellum ovate-elliptic, not quite reaching
the middle of the grain. — Stapf in Hook. Ic. PI. t. 3068 ; Cheval.
Sudania, 33. Paspalum exile , Kippist in Proc. Linn. Soc. i. ‘157,
167. Pas'palum longiflorum , Cheval. Miss, au Senegal, 241 ; Pobe-
guin, Ess. FI. Guin. Fran?. 215 ; not of Retz.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Sendugu, Thomas, 572 ! 054 ! Mayoso,

Thomas, 1485 ! and without precise locality, Afzelius ! Clarke ! Schon ! French
Guinea : Timbo, Pobeguin, 1702 ! Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 490 ! San, Chevalier,
2210 ! 2217 ! Togo : Difalu, Kersting, 193 ! Northern Nigeria : Nassarawa,
Elliot, 105 ! Zaria, Lamb, 53 ! and without precise locality, Yates, 29 !

Locally much cultivated from Senegal and Sierra Leone to Nigeria.
Vernacular names “’Fundi” (Sierra Leone), “ Fonio” (Senegal), “ Acha”
(Hausa States). Very closely allied to D. longiflora, Pers., which may be its
ancestral form.

from a few inches to 1 ft. high. Culms tufted, ascending from a
usually prostrate and rooting base and branched from it, primary
culms many-, secondary 4-6-noded, slender, glabrous, uppermost
internode by far the longest. Leaf-sheaths somewhat loose, the
lower of the primary culms usually slipping off the culms, softly hairy
and loosely bearded at the bases (nodes) ; ligules very short, truncate,
densely ciliate ; blades linear from an equally broad, sometimes
slightly rounded base, tapering to an acute point, J-l in. by 1-14 lin.,
flat, softly and loosely hairy, margins finely cartilaginous and
scaberulous upwards, midrib and side-nerves indistinct. Racemes
3-5, sessile, digitate, slender, suberect, rather stiff, 1J-2 in. long,
greenish when in flower ; rhachis flat, straight, about § lin. wide,
with thin herbaceous sides or wings and a slender midrib, obtuse and
prominent particularly on the back, margins scaberulous, internodes
1-1 J lin. long ; pedicels 2-3-nate, very finely filiform, flexuous, terete,
the longest §-§ lin. long, slightly scaberulous or glabrous, tips
discoid. Spikelets appressed, densely crowded at the base, then
subimbricate, oblong-lanceolate, aristulate, narrowly oblong-
lanceolate, up to 1 lin. long (excluding the awn), apparently quite
glabrous. Lower glume suppressed or indicated by a faint hyaline
rim ; upper oblong, obtuse or subacute, about J lin. long, delicate,
3-nerved, finely hairy along the outer nerves. Lower floret : valve
thin, oblong, acute, ~ lin. long, 7-nerved, with a line of hairs along
the margins, hairs about — lin. long, fine, verrucose all along, at
first appressed, spreading at maturity ; valvule and lodicules quite
obsolete. Upper floret as long as the spikelet, very thinly papery,
oblong-lanceolate (ovate if flattened out) ; valve long-aristu-
late-acuminate, awnlet smooth, f-f lin. long, margins slightly

472

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[ Digitaria .

overlapping when mature. Anthers § lin. long. Grain oblong,
plano-convex, J lin. by f-J lin., whitish ; scutellum elliptic, not
quite half the length of the grain. — Panicum aristulatum, Steud.
Syn. Glum. i. 42 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 741.

Upper Guinea. Senegal, Leprieur ! Perrottet, 907 ! French Sudan : San,
on the sandy banks of the Bani River, Chevalier, 1094 ! Middle Niger; near
Djenne, Chevalier, 1121 !

Lower Guinea. Lowor^or^o, Smith !

40. D. pennaca,^ Clnov. in Result. Scient. Miss. Stefanini-
Paoli , i. 183. Suffrutescent, 1J to almost 3 ft. high, with a
short rhizome producing clusters of extravaginal innovations
with densely hairy to white-tomentose cataphylls which long
surround the bulbously thickened culm -bases. Culms very slender,
erect or ascending, many-noded, with barren branches (or their
remains) from the lower, and fascicled flowering and barren
branches from the upper nodes, wiry or in the older parts quite
woody, brown and shining, glabrous ; stem-nodes swollen. Leaves
glaucous ; sheaths tight, firm, finely striate, smooth, finally slipping
off and withering away ; ligules hyaline, white, truncate, up to 1 lin.
long ; blades linear from an equally wide or slightly attenuated base,
tapering to an acute point, 2-4 in. by 1|-2| lin., rather firm, though
thin, smooth and quite glabrous except for a few occasional long
hairs near the junction with the sheath, or very finely pubescent,
margins slightly rough, midrib fine, lateral nerves numerous, very
fine and close. Racemes 6-10 in a whorl, followed by 1 or few
solitary racemes from the continued axis (rarely some of the upper
racemes crowded into a second scanty false whorl), spreading at
length stiffly and more or less horizontally, up to 5 in. long ; rha-
chis filiform, angular or upwards triquetrous, loosely plumose,
bare for 2 or 3 in., then bearing up to 10 (usually 5 or 3) distant
paired or upwards solitary spikelets ; pedicels of the paired spikelets
very unequal, one very short, the other 14-2 lin. long, filiform.,
angular, scabrid. Spikelets linear-oblong, subacute, not quite
1J lin. by § lin., greyish-green to whitish. Lower glume a minute
hyaline tightly appressed ovate scale about f lin. long ; upper linear-
oblong, subobtuse, equalling the spikelet, membranous, 3-nerved
with dense lines of tightly appressed rarely somewhat loose hairs
between the nerves and along the margins. Lower floret corre-
sponding in outline and size to the spikelet : valve membranous,
7- or sub-7-nerved, the submarginal nerves very fine or imperfect,
the remaining distinct and somewhat raised with very dense lines
of extremely fine appressed or slightly loose hairs between the inner
5 and an additional line outside the submarginal, hairs more or less
flexuous with obtuse tips, apparently subsolid ; valvule and lodi-
cules very minute, up to ~ lin. long. Upper floret linear-oblong,
acute, very slightly shorter than the spikelet, turning brown early,
chartaceous, tough, margins of valve distant. Anthers 4 lin. long.

1 -A

J£.

Digitaria. ]

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

473

— Panicum pennatum, Hochst. in Flora, 1855, 197 ; Schweinf.
Beitr. FL Aethiop. 301, and in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 18, and in
Hohnel, Zum Rudolph-See u. Stephanie-See, 2 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FL Afr. v. 759 ; K. Sebum, in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 103 ;
Cbiov. in Ann. Tstit. Bot. Roma, vii. 62, and viii. 295 ; Engl., Veget.
Somaliland, 23, 34. Paspalum pennatum, Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 16.

Nile Land. Nubia : Red Sea Province ; Kamobsana, 2300 ft., MacDougal,
140 ! Eritrea : Amasen ; by the Haddas torrent, Pappi, 2579 ! 5156 ! Abys-
sinia : Samen; on hills near Gurrsarfa, 3000-4000 ft., S dumper, 2233 ! Goelleb,
Schimper, 81 ! Ennia Palla country, E danger ; Dolo, E danger ; and without
precise locality, Sdiimper, 1497 ! 1581 ! Arussi and Boran Countries ; Fantali,
Drake- Brockman, 121 ! Lake Hardin, Drake- Brockman, 609 ! Somaliland :
by the Dawa River near Ungi, Ring, 1241 ; in meadows near Wanle Wen
(about 45° E. Long., 2° 30' N. Lat.), Paoli, 1272.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Usambara ; on the western
slopes of the Pare Mountains, Hohnel, 7 !

Also in Tropical Arabia, Baluchistan and Sind.

41. D. nitens, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 165. Perennial,
compactly csespitose. Culms erect, simple, up to 2 ft. high, slender,
surrounded. at the base by a dense mass of yellowish matted wool,
pierced by the rigid fibres of decayed sheaths, 2-3-noded, glabrous
and very smooth. Leaf -sheaths somewhat loose, glabrous and smooth,
rarely the lowest of the culms shortly hairy at the nodes ; ligules
membranous, short, truncate ; blades erect, narrowly linear, taper-
ing to a sharp point, 3-6 in. by 1-1 J lin., flat, rigid, glabrous or very
finely hairy, margins scaberulous, midrib and primary side -nerves
alike, about 7, somewhat stout and more or less prominent.
Racemes peduncled, gathered into an oblong panicle which is 5-7 in.
long, loose, flexuous, up to more than 2J in. long, simple or sometimes
compound low down with short secondary branchlets ; peduncle
up to over 1 in. long, filiform, terete, smooth, purplish ; rhachis
filiform, about lin. wide, trigonous, slightly scaberulous along
the finely marginate angles, internodes 1J lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate
or upwards solitary, filiform, angular, scabrid and minutely hispidu-
lous towards the tips, with a subdiscoid tip, up to 1 \ lin. long. Spike-
lets oblong-lanceolate, acute to acuminate, If lin. long, pale, slightly
silky. Lower glume 0 ; upper narrowly lanceolate, slightly gibbous
at the base, acute, f to over 1 lin. long, very thin, very finely sub-
5-nerved (the outer lateral nerves short and very close to the inner),
stiffly hairy all over, and so densely near the base that the spikelets
there appear shortly bearded . Lower floret corresponding in outline
and size to the spikelet : valve very thin, finely 7-nerved, lateral nerves
approximate, with dense lines of short (J-J lin.) stiff acute appressed
hairs between the inner side-nerves and along the margins ; valvule
and iodicules minute. Upper floret lanceolate-oblong, acutely
acuminate, very slightly shorter than the barren floret, whitish,-
very thinly, chartaceous. Anthers almost 1 lin. long. — Panicum
nitens , K. Schum. in Just, Jahresb. 1899, i. 457.

474 clvii. gramine^i (Stapf). [. Digitaria .

Lower Guinea. Angola : Huilla ; common in sandy clayey thickets near
Lopollo, Welwitsch, 2634 !

A somewhat aberrant type, in the habit of the panicle resembling the South
African Digitaria flaccida, Stapf.

42 . D. elegans, Staff Perennial, compactly caespitose with woolly-
tomentose bases. Culms erect, slender, simple, about 3-noded,
glabrous. Leaves glabrous ; lower sheaths 'tight, firm, long-per-
sistent, upper looser, finely striate, very smooth ; ligules reduced
to a membranous glabrous rim ; blades linear, long-tapering to a
fine point, imperceptibly passing into the sheath, of the lower leaves
erect and 6-9 in. by 1 lin., of the uppermost very much shorter,
fiat, glaucous -green, firm, midrib indistinct, merged in the close
slender somewhat prominent general nervation. Racemes ped-
uncled, solitary and scattered or opposite or 2-3-nate on a very slender
common axis at irregular distances, gathered into a graceful lax
oblong or pyramidal panicle (6 in. by 3-3 1 in.), very slender, rather
loose, obliquely to almost horizontally spreading and slightly curved
up to almost 3 in. long ; peduncle finely filiform, terete, 1-J in.
long ; rhachis compressed, angular, ~q— § lin. wide, lateral angles
scabrid, internodes about 2 lin. long ; pedicels mostly 2-nate,
sometimes 3-nate or solitary, unequal, the longer up to 1J lin. long
finely filiform, scabrid and upwards shortly setulose with obscurely
discoid tips. Spikelets very loosely appressed, lanceolate, acutely
acuminate, 1J lin. long, green, tinged with purple, purplish-silky.
Lower glume 0 ; upper narrowly lanceolate, subacute, /q— lin. long,
thinly membranous, 3-nerved, with lines of rather stiff appressed
(permanently ?) purple pointed hairs between the nerves and along
the margins about J lin. long. Lower floret corresponding in outline
and size to the spikelet : valve firmly membranous, longitudinally
slightly and narrowly depressed with the rounded sides somewhat
bulging, sub-7 -nerved, mid-nerve fine, prominent, smooth, outer pair
of lateral nerves very close, almost fused into one (but the vascular
strands distinct), a dense line of hairs (like those of the upper glume)
on the inner side of the inner side-nerves, starting from the base
or higher up, and another along the margins forming an appressed
purple fringe which is produced into a short brush-like point
beyond the tip of the floret ; valvule and lodicules minute. Upper
floret lanceolate, acutely acuminate, slightly shorter than the spike-
let, thinly chartaceous, pale or often with purple sides, margins of
valve contiguous or slightly overlapping in flower.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo • Katanga ; in dry wooded land, Elisabeth -
ville, Horrible, 59 !

43. D. uniglumis^ Staff. Perennial, compactly caespitose, with
intra vaginal innovations and a short praemorse rhizome. Culms
erect, rather firm, coated at the base with the fibrous remains of

Digitaria. ] clvti. oramine^j (Stapf). 475

the old sheaths, simple, 2-4 ft. high, "glabrous or sparingly hairy below
the inflorescence, 1-3-noded, the uppermost internode by far the
longest. Leaves mostly crowded near the base ; lowest sheaths
rather firm, strongly striate, appressedly hairy to densely silky-
tomentose at the base, persistent, at length breaking up into fibres,
the following usually glabrous except at the nodes which are either
densely bearded or more rarely finely pubescent or very rarely quite
glabrous, uppermost very long, rather loose ; ligules short or some-
times up to 1J lin. long, scarious, obtuse or truncate, glabrous ;
blades linear, tapering to a fine point, up to 9 in. (rarely more) by 1J-2 J
lin., flat or with involute margins, firm, glabrous, flexuous, green,
slightly rough above and on the margins, midrib slender, primary
lateral nerves 3-4 on each side, prominent above. Racemes usually
very numerous, gathered into an oblong-panicle 5-7 (rarely 9) in.
long, simple or the lowest compound, solitary or fascicled on a scabrid
or hirsute angular common axis of variable length (mostly exceeding
the lower racemes), sessile or the lower bare at the base with traces
of arrested spikelets, slender, straight or flexuous, erect or more or
less spreading, 2-5 in. long, dense or more or less loose ; rhachis
very slender, sometimes wavy, triquetrous, lin. wide, lateral
angles scabrid or setosely ciliate, internodes up to 1J lin. long ;
pedicels in fascicles of 3-6, unequal, the longest up to 1J lin. long,
angular, scabrid and more or less copiously setose upwards, the
uppermost setae usually equalling the spikelets. Spikelets oblong
to ovate-oblong, subacute, jo~io (rarely ~j) lin. long, greyish- or
brownish-green on. the flat, chestnut- to black-brown on the convex
side, quite glabrous. Lower glume suppressed, very rarely repre-
sented by a minute hyaline truncate scale ; upper a tightly appressed
delicate hyaline scale, rotundate-ovate, very obtuse, nerveless or
faintly 1-nerved, lin. long. Lower floret oblong, as long as the
spikelet or slightly shorter, tightly appressed to the face of the upper
floret, hyaline, 3-nerved, quite glabrous ; valvule a very delicate
narrow scale up to J lin. long ; lodicules very minute. Upper floret
corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, chestnut-brown or
at length almost black, somewhat shining, chartaceous, very tough ;
valve with distant margins. Anthers up to J lin. long. — Panicum
uniglume, A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 370, and in Walp. Ann. iii. 717 ;
Schweinf. Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 301. P. diagonale, var. uniglume, Hack,
in Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 117 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp.
FI. Afr. v. 747 (partly) ; Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App.
ii. 18 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 294.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen ; grassy northern slopes of Mount Bizen,
5900 ft., Schweinf urth, 2017 ; Mount Koube, east of Mount Bizen, 6050 ft.,
Schweinf urth, 1536 ! Mount Savour, 5900 ft., Pappi, 5402 ! Matcallat, Pappi,
4783. Ocule Cusai ; in bush on Mount Metatee, 8200 ft., Pappi, 1585 ; Halai,
8500 ft., Pappi, 1670. Abyssinia : Tigre ; among rocks on the upper part of
Mount Sch cloda, Schimper, 97 ! Amba Harres, 8200 ft. , Schimper, 99 1 ! Samen,
“montes Cojetani,” Schimper, 1820! between Maigoigoi and Debra Sina,

476 clvii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [ Digitaria .

Qunrtin- Dillon & Petit ! and without precise locality, Schimper, 1063 ! Quartin-
Dillon & Petit , 200 ! Uganda : Ruwenzori ; Kasamaga, 5300 ft., Scott Elliot ,
7590 ! Entebbe, Fyjfe, 184 ! Kipayo, 4000 ft., Dummef, 2450 ! British East
Africa : without precise locality, Powell, 13 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Zomba, 2900 ft., Manning, 98 ! 4000-
0000 ft., Whyte ! Cholo Mountain, Adamson, 196! Rhodesia: Salisbury,
Mundy ! Allen, 698 ! Bulawayo, Appleton, 4 !

Var. major, Stapf. Culms robust, up to 10 ft. high. Leaves in all parts
firmerT the sheaths sometimes hirsute and the blades, though rarely, softly hairy,
the latter firmer and more rigid, up to over 2 ft. long and up to 7 lin. wide;
inflorescences longer (up to 2 ft.) with the racemes up to over 10 in. long;
spikelets exactly as in the type.- — I), diagonalis , Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw-
ii. 163; Cheval. Sudania,77. Panicum uniglume, Jardin , Herbor. 7 ( midiglume ) ;
Franch. Contrib. FI. Congo Frang. 38. P. diagonale, De Wild. Miss. Fj. Laurent,
201 ; Th. & Hel. Durand, Syll. FI. Congol. 631 (inch vars. hirsutior and uniglume),
not of Nees. P. diagonale, var. uniglume, Hack, in Durand & Schinz, Consp.
FI. Afr. v. 747 (partly) and Etudes FI. Congo, 322 ; Dc Wild. Contrib. FI.
Congo, i. fasc. ii. 72 ; De Wild. & Durand in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2me ser. i. 61 ;
Hack, in Oest. Bot. Zeit. 1901, 332. P. diagonale, var. hirsutum, De Wild. &
Durand, PI. Thonner. Congol. 4.

Upper Guinea. Southern Nigeria : Lagos, MacGregor , 208 ! Cameroons :
Yaunde, Zenker !

North Central. French Equatorial Africa : at the junction of the Oubangui
and Kemo Rivers, Chevalier, 5363 !

Nile Land. Bongo: Gurfala, Schweinfurth , 2243! Niamniam : by the
Ibba River near Nganye, Schweinfurth, 3973 ! Uganda : in grass land near
Kivuma, 4000 ft., Dummer, 534! Nandi country; Sibu, James ! Elgon
District, James ! and without precise locality, Maitland, 70 AB ! Fyjfe, 158 !

Lower Guinea. Gaboon : Loangio, Jardin. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool
District; Dolo , Laurent Kisantu, Gille.t ; Stanley Pool, Demeuse ; Kunzulu,
Vanderyst, 5198 partly ! Kitebe, Vanderyst, 4086 ! Kwango District; Nyungu,
Vanderyst, 3229! Misai, Vanderyst, 2635! Bangala District ; Yabasumba,
Thonner, 82. Katanga District; in dry wooded country near Cliisangwe,
Homble, 36! Angola: Pungo Andongo, Welwitsch, 2859 ! 2871! River Cuanza,
near Guigenga, Gossweiler, 6325 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Cholo Mountain, Adam, son. 196 ! Shire
Highlands, Buchanan, 45 ! Nyika plateau, 6000-7000 ft., Whyte !

The var. major and the typical form of D. uniglumis represent apparently
climatic or edaphic modifications. Adamson’s specimen is intermediate,
combining the lower stature and shorter leaves of the type with the long panicle
and the more conious indumentum of var. major. X/). diagonalis, Stapf ( Panicum
diagonale, vars. genuinum and robustius, Hack, in Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI.
Afr. v. 746, 747) is confined to South Africa and characterized by considerably
larger spikelets (1 1 lin.).

44. D. minutiflor Annual, about 1J-2 ft. high. Culms
in scanty fascicles or solitary, erect or ascending from a short some-
times rooting base, very slender, simple or more often sparingly
branched below, 4-6-noded, glabrous, terete. Leaf-sheaths rather
loose, glabrous or the lowest more or less shortly hirsute, striate
and the lower slightly keeled upwards ; ligules very short, scarious,
truncate, glabrous, brown ; blades linear from an equally broad
base, tapering to a slender fine point, 6-12 in. by 2-3 lin., flat,
flaccid, glabrous, green, very slightly rough, at least on the upper
side and along the margins, midrib very slender, primary lateral
nerves very fine, about 3 on each side. Bacemes usually over 10

Digitaria.]

CL VII. C.RAM1NEJE (Stapf).

477

and up to 25, sessile, fascicled or solitary on a slender upwards angular
and scaberulous common axis of variable length (1-3 in.), very
slender, slightly curved or flexuous or almost straight, those from the
lower nodes often very unequal or (rarely) compound, the longer
3-5 in. long and often subfastigiate, obliquely erect or spreading,
rather loose ; rhachis very slender, straight or slightly wavy, about
| lin. wide, triquetrous, lateral angles with fine green or purple
margins, very scabrid or rigidly ciliolate, internodes f-1 lin. long ;
pedicels 4-2-nate, unequal, the longest up to 1 lin. long, angular,
very scabrid and nearly always with a few fine white seta; from near
the tips, exceeding the spikelet. Spikelets ovate- to elliptic-oblong,
subacute, §-|- lin. by up to J lin., greyish or whitish-green on the
flat side, chestnut-brown and at length very dark and more or less
glossy on the convex side, quite glabrous. Lower glume suppressed ;
upper reduced to a minute hyaline whitish rounded or truncate
appressed scale, rarely much more than ^ lin. long. Lower floret :
valve oblong, obtuse, appressed to the face of the upper floret and
as long as or slightly shorter than the same, 3-nerved ; valvules and
lodicules 0. Upper floret corresponding in size and outline to the
spikelet, very convex on the back, chartaceous, tough, longitudi-
nally very fineL^ punctate-striate. Anthers y lin. long. — Panicum
minutiflorum* ATTSicln Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 362, and in Walp. Ann.
iii. 715 ; Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 41 ; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop.
Afr. 117 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 754 (partly) ; Hack,
in Oest. Bot. Zeit. 1901, 330, 332 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istifc. Bot. Roma,
viii. 294 ; not of Figari & De Not., nor of Benth.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : common on cultivated. ground near Timbo,
Pobeguin , 1701 !

Nile Land. Eritrea : tSarae ; Gundet on the Mareb River, 5575 ft., Pappi,
344 ; Medri od Testa ; Adi Ghebsus, Pappi, (5595 ; Mumat Mahater, Pappi,
6740. Abyssinia : Ham ado, in swamps, Schimper, 996 ! in a dried up stream near
Jelajerenne, Schimper, 799 ! JBegemeder ; slopes above Reb River, Schimper, 1550!

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Katanga ; Elisabetliville, Rogers, 10994 !

45. D. Myurus, Stapf . Perennial, compactly csespitose, with
intra vaginal innovations, up to 2J ft. high. Culms slender, erect,
simple, 2-noded, the upper node 3-5 in. above the ground, hairy all
along but particularly upwards. Leaves mostly crowded at the base ;
sheaths rather tight, the lowest short, densely greyish-tomentose at
the base, persistent, at length more or less breaking up and forming
a dark coating at the base of the culms, the upper softly and shortly
hirsute, the uppermost over 6 in. long ; ligules membranous, ovate,
1-14 lin. long, ciliate ; blades linear, long-attenuated to a fine point,
those of the barren shoots long-narrowed towards the base, up to over
9 in. by 2-2 J lin., or those of the culms much shorter, somewhat
firm, green, shortly and finely hirsute and slightly rough, midrib
and lateral nerves fine, somewhat prominent. Racemes mostly com-
pound, at least downwards, 5-6, sessile or subsessile, gathered into

478 cl vii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [ Digitaria .

a spiciform panicle which is 4-5 in. long, on a greyish silky common
axis (1-3 in. long) and more or less appressed to it, solitary or 2-3-nate
and then mostly unequal, the longer rarely much over 1 in. long,
silky; primary rhachis slender, subtriquetrous, about j-J lin. wide,
lateral angles very scabrid and ciliate, narrowly marginate, secondary
similar but still narrower and more filiform ; pedicels and short
tertiary rhachises if present forming dense fascicles of up to 15 spike-
lets, of unequal length, the longest pedicels rarely over 1 lin. long, but
mostly much shorter, angular, scabrid and bearing upwards fine soft
whitish hairs slightly exceeding the spikelets. Spikelets oblong, acute,
1 lin. by § lin., very convex on the back, glabrous, greyish or brownish-
green on the flat side, dark chestnut- to blackish-brown and shining
on the convex side. Lower glume suppressed ; upper a hyaline trun-
cate crenulate or lobulate whitish nerveless scale tightly appressed
to the base of the spikelet, lin. long. Lower floret : valve

oblong, obtuse or subobtuse, almost equalling the spikelet, mem-
brauous, whitish, 3- to sub-5-nerved ; valvule and lodicules very
minute. Upper floret corresponding to the spikelet in outline and size :
valve subcoriaceous except the contiguous or slightly overlapping
margins, closely and finely striate. Anthers ^ lin. long, purple.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Kyimbila ; in mountain meadows
near Rulongwe, 0900 ft., Stolz, 2619 !

46. D. intecta, Stapf. Annual, up to.3 ft. high. Culms somewhat
slender, erect or geniculate at the base, solitary, simple or with a
branch from one of the lower nodes, up to 5-noded, glabrous, upper-
most internode by far the longest. Leaf -sheaths rather loose,
striate, more or less beset with stiff tubercle-based hairs (particularly
upwards) to glabrous, frequently bearded at the upper nodes ; ligules
short, up to 1 lin. long, scarious, truncate, glabrous ; blades linear
from an equally wide base, up to 1 ft. by 3 lin., flat, flaccid, green,
glabrous or sparingly hairy (near the base), rough on the upper
side and the margins, midrib whitish, prominent on the back, flat
and widened towards the base on the face, primary lateral nerves
about 3-4 on each side, fine. Kacemes 8-20 gathered into a sub-
fastigiate panicle 5-8 in. long, sessile, on a. slender upwards angular
and rough common axis of varying length (1-3 in.), very slender,
in scanty fascicles or false whorls or solitary, the lowest sometimes
subcomposite, about 4 in. long, slightly flexuous to almost straight,
father loose at least upwards ; rhachis very slender, slightly wavy
or straight, triquetrous, |-J lin. wide, lateral angles narrowly margin-
ate, very scabrid, internodes up to over 1 lin. long; pedicels 4-2-nate,
unequal, the longest up to 1 lin. long, angular, very scabrid with
fine white setse from near the tips, as long as the spikelets or slightly
longer. Spikelets elliptic- oblong, acute, jL-JL lin. long, pale to deep
chestnut-brown, shining. Lower and upper glume quite suppressed.
Lower floret reduced to a rotundate hyaline 1 -nerved scale, f-J lin.

Digitaria .]

clvii. gramineJe (Stapf).

479

long, appressed to the face of the upper floret. Upper floret corre-
sponding in shape and size to the spikelet : valve chartaceous to
subcoriaceous, very finely longitudinally punctate-striate, the
whitish conspicuous margins of the valve contiguous to low down.
Anthers up to 3- lin. long.- — Panicum minutiflorum, Durand &
Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 754 (partly).

Nile Land. Abyssinia : Gallabat ; a weed in gardens at Matamma, Schwein-
furth, 1156 ! Tigre or Begem eder ; without precise locality, Schinmer, 996 !

Imperfectly known species.

47. D. nuda, Schumach. in Schumach. & Thonn. Beskr. Guin. PL 45.
Culms geniculate at the base, rooting, glabrous, with trigonous inter-
nodes 1 in. long. Leaves glabrous ; sheaths loose ; ligules very short,
slightly hairy ; blades lanceolate, 1-3 in. by J lin. Racemes 5-7, digi-
tate, filiform, 3-4 in. long. Spikelets su.bsolitary, oblong-lanceolate.
Upper glume and barren valve prominently nerved, scaberulous.

Upper Guinea. Gold Coast, Thonning.

The name “ nuda ” refers to the non-bearded nodes. I cannot place this.

48. B. reflexa, Schumach. in Schumach. & Thonn. Beskr. Guin. PI.
44. Culms terete, 1| ft. high, with beards of long reflexed hairs at
the nodes. Leaves hairy ; ligules very short, membranous ;
blades lanceolate, 3-4 in. by 3 lin., with crisped margins. Racemes
racemosely arranged, the lower in whorls of 5, the others 2-3-nate,
filiform. Spikelets solitary or 2-nate, oblong -lanceolate, glabrous.
Upper glume and barren valve striate.

Upper Guinea. Gold Coast, Thonning.

Said to be a I lied to D. mgypliaca.

49. D. pyriformis, Ghiov. in 'Result. Scient. Miss. Stefanini-Paoli ,
i. 225. Perennial, with a very short horizontal whitish rhizome and
extra vaginal innovations which are pear-shaped when young and
covered with densely silky c^taphylls. Culms up to almost 5 ft. high,
5-6-noded, quite glabrous, the lowest 1 or 2 internodes very short
and bulbously thickened. Leaf -sheaths longer than the internodes,
sparsely hairy, particularly upwards ; ligules membranous, up to 1 lin.
long, truncate ; blades lanceolate-linear, long-narrowed towards the
base and long-tapering upwards, 16-28 in. by 3-4 lin., glabrous except
for some long hairs near the ligule, midrib whitish, nerves and margins
scabrid. Racemes 8-13, in 2 or 3 imperfect whorls, filiform, 4-7
in. long, horizontally spreading ; rhachis much compressed, narrowly
winged, up to lin. wide, angles denticulate-scabrid ; pedicels 2-nate,
slender, subtrigonous, scaberulous, flexuous, with discoid tips,
unequal, the longer up to 2| lin. long. Spikelets ovate-lanceolate,
1 lin. long, silky. Lower glume a minute hyaline subquadrate
membrane, upper linear-lanceolate, equalling two-thirds of the
spikelet, 3-nerved, appressedly hairy between the nerves and along

480

CL VII. GrKAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Digitaria.

the margins, hairs white, not clavate, the upper much exceeding
the glume. Lower floret corresponding in size and outline to the
spikelet, subobtuse, prominently 5-7-nerved, with lines of hairs
between the inner side-nerves and along the margin. Upper floret
as long as the spikelet, lanceolate, acute, with a convex almost
keeled back, at length turning brown. — Panicum piriferum, Chiov.
in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 295.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen ; Dongolla near Ghinda, Pappi, 4230 !

According to Chiovenda allied to D. argyrograpta, Stapf ; but the description
of the basal parts of the grass and the inflorescence rather recalls D ■ pennala.

Whilst this and the preceding sheet were passing through the press Dr. Ohio-
venda’s papers “.Gramina nova ex Catanga” (in Ann. di Bot. xiii. pp. 35-58)
and Resultati Scientifici della Missione Stefanini-Paoli, vol. i. Le Collezioni
Bota, niche (Pubbl. Istit. Stud. Slip. Firenze ), came to hand. They contain the
following new species and varieties : — I), siderigmpta, D. Bovonii , D. Parlatorei,
vars. phceotricha and microstachya, D. sulcigluma from Katanga, and D. somal-
ensis and D. gallaenssis from Somaliland and the Arussi country respectively.
These species as well as those belonging to genera dealt with in the earlier
parts of this volume will be taken up in the addenda.

58. CHL0RIDI0N, Stapf in Hook. Ic. Pl.t. 2649.

Spikelets lanceolate, acute, flat in front, convex on the back,
falling entire from the pedicels, 2-nate, secund and abaxial on the
triquetrous winged rhachis of slender spiciform racemes ; lower
floret barren, reduced to the valve and a very minute valvule, accom-
panied by equally minute iodicules ; upper floret shorter than the
lower, Lower glume quite suppressed, upper reduced to a small
hyaline scale. Barren floret : valve determining the outline and
size of the spikelet, long-awned from the tip, finely 2-k.eeled upwards,
closely and prominently 7-nerved, thin between, the nerves. Fertile
floret : valve awnless, thinly chartaceous with hyaline margins,
faintly 8-nerved ; valvule equal to the valve, embraced by it all
along, faintly 2-nerved, of the same texture. Lodicules 2, minute,
broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Ovary oblong-ovoid ; styles connate
towards the base, long ; stigmas short, exserted near tip of spikelet.
Grain linear-oblong, dorsaliy compressed ; hilum subbasal ;
scutellum half the length of the grain. — Perennial ; leaf-blades
linear, flat, ligules membranous ; racemes sessile or subsessile,
digitate, suberect. Spikelets very numerous, imbricate, coloured.

Species 1, endemic in tropical South Africa.

1. C. Cameronii, Stapf in Hook. Ic. PI. t. 2640. Perennial, cses-
pitose on a very short rhizome with mostly extra vaginal innovations.
Culms 1 to over 3 ft. high, slender to somewhat stout, terete, erect
or geniculate, 5-7-noded, lower and intermediate internodes usually
shorter than the adjacent sheaths, the uppermost long-exserted.
Leaf-sheaths terete and tight, or the lower more or less compressed
and loose, hirsute or the upper, rarely all, subglabrous or glabrous,
very finely striate ; ligules ciliolate ; blades linear from an equally

vhCgU'-w-tL- 'ikjtf&i
'<• 1 ■* h-j i j+i

dM #yt (^Ur *• l &*Jm Vi '• l^A*-

Chloridion.]

CL VII. GRAJMINEiE (Stapf).

481

wide or slightly narrowed base, long-tapering to an acute point, up to
8 in. by 2-4 lin., or in stunted specimens 1J-2 in. by 1|— 2 lin., hat,
pale or glaucous-green, hirsute on both sides, or glabrous below,
margins cartilaginous, rough, midrib very slender, nerves numerous,
close, finely rough above. Eacemes 4-8 (rarely 2 or 3), slender,
straight or somewhat flexuous, fi|—5J in. long ; rhachis up to f lin.
wide, puberulous on both sides, wings scabrid or ciliate, greyish-
green ; pedicels scabrid, the longer about j lin. long. Spikelets
1-1J lin. long (excluding the awn), pale greyish or brownish-green.
Upper glume ovate, acute or mucronulate, ~~ lin. long, pale, fi-
ner ved or nerveless. Lower floret : valve spinulously ciliolate on
the keels, very scabrid along all the nerves, awn very fine,
straight, 3-5 lin. long, often purplish ; valvule square, up to almost
Iq lin. long. Upper floret linear-oblong, acute, f-1 lin. long,
J brown, early darkening except at the pale or whitish margins.
Anthers §-§ lin. long. Grain whitish, f-J lin. long. — Stereochlcena
J effreysii, Hack, in Proc. Ehod. Scient. Assoc, vii. ii. 66, and in
Eedde, Eepert. vi. 321 ; Eyles in Trans. Eoy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 301.

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Shire Highlands, Buchanan, 7 ! Mount
Chiradzulu, near the summit, Cameron, 180! N’tondwe Cameron, 107 !
Namasi, Cameron, 15 ! 20 ! Mount Mlanje, Adamson, 403 ! North Nyasa-

land, without precise locality, Whyte ! Rhodesia : Bulawayo, Jeffreys, 46, 83.
Bulawayo and Matoppo Hills, Appleton, 13 ! North Mazoe District, Mundy
and without precise locality, Allen, 739 ! 750 !

54. ACXtITOCHiETE, Pilg. in Engl. Jahrb. xxxii. 53.

Spikelets lanceolate, acute, falling entire from the pedicels, solitary,
secund and distichous on the rhachis of slender spiciform racemes ;
lower floret barren, reduced to the valve, upper §. Lower glume
minute, upper embracing the base of the barren floret, shorter than
it and produced into a long twisted awn. Lower floret : valve as
long as the spikelet, with an awn like that of the upper glume, 3-
nerved. Upper floret ^ : valve awnless, thinly chartaceous, 5-nerved ;
valvule 2-keeled. Lodicules 2, truncate. Stamens 3. Ovary
narrowly ovoid ; styles connate at the base; stigmas plumose.
Grain unknown. — Annual, with decumbent much-branched culms;
leaf -blades lanceolate, thin ; ligules firm and short ; racemes 2-3,
distant on a common axis, or solitary.

Species 1, endemic.

1. A. Volkensii, Pilg. in Engl. Jahrb. xxxii. 5L Culms slender,
erect from a decumbent rooting much-branched base, 1-1 1 ft. high,
glabrous, smooth, with all the branches flowering. Leaf -sheaths tight,
glabrous, smooth, mostly much shorter than the internodes ; ligules
rotundate-obtuse ; blades erect, lanceolate, long-tapering to a seta-
ceous point, contracted at the base into a stout puberulous or almost
glabrous very short petiole, thin, glabrous or very sparingly hairy,

FL. TROP. AFR. VOL. IX.— PT. 3. 2 I

482

CLYII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

[Acritochcete.

with scabrid margins ; midrib pale, primary lateral nerves 3 on
each side. Racemes dense, distant by less than their own length,
erect and appressed to the common axis, the whole inflorescence up
to 4 in. long ; rhachis very slender, straight or flexuous, glabrous,
terete or sulcate on the face ; pedicels terete, the lower up to 1 lin.
long. Spikelets whitish-glaucous, 3 lin,. long (excluding the awns).
Lower glume truncate, nerveless, up to § lin. long, sometimes obso-
lete ; upper lanceolate, embracing the barren floret with its rounded
base but narrower upwards than it, 2 lin. long, with few white bristles,
awn very fine, up to 14 lin. long, scabrid at the base, minutely setu-
lose towards the tips. Lower floret : valve lanceolate, 3 lin. long,
embracing the upper floret with its inflexed margins, with some
whitish bristles from the back, awn similar to that of the upper glume
but rather shorter, usually entangled with it and other awns. Upper
floret slightly shorter than the lower : valve ovate-lanceolate,
acute, almost colourless, smooth, glabrous, middle nerve green,
rather prominent, side-nerves approximate ; valvule thin, acute,
as long as broad. Anthers stout. Stigmas whitish.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Kilimanjaro, in forest above
Marangu, common at 0900 ft., Vollcens, 1278.

I have not seen a specimen of this remarkable plant and am altogether
doubtful as to its true affinities. Pilger also says that he cannot see a distinct
relationship between Acritochcete and the small genera grouping around Panicum,
but that Hackel thought it most nearly allied to Chcelium.

55. ALL0TER0PSIS, Presl, emend. Hitchc. in Contrib. U.S. Nat.

Herb. xii. 210.

Spikelets ovate or elliptic to lanceolate-oblong, acute or acuminate,
mostly awned, slightly or conspicuously compressed from the back,
falling entire from the pedicels, 2-nate or fascicled, subsecund and
abaxial on the triquetrous rhachis of more or less spiciform digitate
or subdigitate racemes ; lower floret usually upper floret
Glumes unequal, lower smaller, membranous to hyaline, 3-1 -nerved,
very acute, often mucronulate, upper equal or subequal to the
spikelet, membranous to chartaceous, 5 -nerved with the outer nerves
submarginal, densely ciliate along them. Lower floret : valve
resembling the upper glume, but eciliate, the tip minutely truncate
and the lateral nerves approximate to each other and in or near the
marginal flexure ; valvule short, deeply 2-fid with conspicuously
auricled flaps. Upper floret : valve chartaceous, glabrous, deli-
cately ciliolate upwards, 5-nerved, produced into a straight awn
or mucronate ; valvule equal to the valve, 2-keeled, with broadly
auricled flaps. Lodicules 2, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles
distinct ; stigmas laterally exserted. Grain enclosed by the valve
and valvule, elliptic- oblong, dorsally much compressed ; scutellum
about half the length of the grain ; hilum basal, punctiform. —

483

Alloteropsis.} clvii. gramine^i (Stapf).

Perennial or annual ; leaf- blades flat or more or less convolute ;
ligules membranous, ciliate or ciliolate, short or reduced to a mere
rim ; racemes sessile or peduncled, often more or less compound
towards the base, digitate or subdigitate on a more or less elongated
common axis.

Species about 5, in the tropics and the warm temperate zone of the Old World.

As Hitchcock ( Gontrib . U.8. Nat. Herb. xii. 210) has pointed out, Presl’s
description and analyses of Alloteropsis are based on a composition of a Panicoid
and an Andropogonoid grass, whilst the original in Presl’s herbarium is un-
doubtedly the plant described here as A. semialata, and so is also the habit
figure (1) in Presl’s plate. The genus is therefore accepted here with Hitchcock’s
emendation.

Another member of this genus, A. cimicina, was included by Palisot de Beau-
vois (Agrost. 12) in his genus Axonopus under its earliest synonym Milium
cimicinum and as “ A. cimicinus ? ” on p. 154, and this led J. 1). Hooker (FI.

Brit. Ind. vii. 64) to use the name Axonopus in preference to Alloteropsis, a view
which was adopted by myself in FI, Gap. vii. 418. From P. Beauvois’ diagnosis,
however, and from the fact that he quotes in the first place “ Milium com-
.pressum ” as example for Axonopus, there can be no doubt that he had primarily
Milium compressum in view when establishing his genus Axonopus, and it is in
that sense that the genus is understood in this work (see below). A. cimicina
also forms the basis of another genus, Goridocliloa, Nees in Edinb. New Phil.

Journ. xv. 381. A. Chase (in Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, xxiv. 157) main-
tains this genus as distinct from Alloteropsis, and I followed her when drawing up
the key of the genera of Tropical African grasses (p. 13) ; but I have since come .
to the conclusion that the species referable to these two groups are so similar in
the peculiar structure of their spikelets that they are better merged into one
genus for which Alloteropsis has priority over Goridocliloa.

Perennial ; leaf- blades narrow all along or at least towards
the base and there passing gradually into the sheath ;
spikelets only moderately compressed from the back,
their upper glume and lower valve chartaceous, the
latter with the exception of a triangular transparent
area at the base.

Spikelets mostly between 2\ and 4 lin. long ; awn up to

14 lin. long ... ... ... ... ... ... 1. A. semialata,

Spikelets l^lin. long, with a short mucro from the fertile

floret ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2. A. angusta.

Annual ; leaf- blades lanceolate, cordate or rounded at the
base ; spikelets flat, conspicuously compressed from the
back ; their upper glume and lower valve membranous,
the latter thin throughout or with a hyaline trans-
parent zone at the base.

Spikelets lanceolate -oblong, acuminate, l|-2 lin. by £ lin.,

awn 1^-2^ lin. long ... ... ... ... ... 3. A, paniculata.

Spikelets ovate to elliptic, acute, 1^- lin. by -J-f lin., awn 1

rarely over 1 lin. long 4. A. cimicina .« L.p '■> i \

1. A. semialata, Hitchcock in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 210.
Perennial, compactly csespitose on a short rhizome with a thick basal
coat of silky-tomentose sheath-bases or their remains ; innovations
intravaginal. Culms erect, simple, 1 to over 3 ft. high, 2-3-noded
with the uppermost internode long-exserted, terete, glabrous or
sometimes more or less hairy. Leaf-sheaths tight, strongly striate,

484

clvii. gr AMiNEiB (Stapf). [Alloteropsis.

the basal crowded, very firm and more or less silky-tomentose (often
very densely so) downwards, forming a dense persistent ultimately
glabrescent hard coat, upper terete, glabrous except at the pubescent
or shortly bearded nodes and the ciliate outer margin or more or less
finely hairy to almost villous ; ligules reduced to a ciliate rim ;
blades linear from a more or less narrowed base, long-tapering to a
sharp acute point, from a few inches to over 1 ft. long, 1 J-3 in. wide,
convolute or flat, very firm, rigid, glabrous or more or less loosely
hairy or ciliate along the lower margins, hairs and cilia tubercle-
based, strongly and closely nerved, midrib very slender. In-
florescence mostly of 2 or 3, more rarely 4 or 5 digitate racemes,
or occasionally reduced to a solitary raceme ; racemes springing
from a silky-pubescent node, suberect or obliquely spreading,
usually stiff, 1-J— 8 in. long, with or without a bare base, secund or
subsecund, dense or rather loose and downwards interrupted ;
rhachis slender, straight or very slightly wavy, triquetrous, J-J lin.
wide, scabrid on the angles, scaberulous or puberulous between them
or with longer hairs particularly downwards ; pedicels mostly
2-nate, sometimes solitary owing to the arrest of the secondary
spikelet, or 3-4-nate or fascicled with a very small secondary raceme
on the lowest nodes, angular, scaberulous or puberulous, or with
some longer additional hairs, the longest up to 2, rarely 3 and even
4 lin. long, tips subcupular. Spikelets ovate- lanceolate to ovate-
oblong, shortly and acutely acuminate, dorsally moderately com-
pressed, 2-3 lin. long, greenish or variously tinged with brown or
purple. Lower glume ovate, acutely acuminate, mucronulate,
1J-1J lin. long, membranous, 3-nerved, glabrous or very minutely
pubescent, upper firmer, of the outline and size of the spikelet,
densely ciliate along the margins with the cilia short and usually
appressed, rarely over \ lin. long and spreading, 5-nerved. Lower
floret of the same length as the spikelet : valve similar to the upper
glume, but glabrous, with a minutely truncate tip, more approximate
side- nerves and a distinctly chartaceous texture with the exception
of a triangular delicately hyaline and perfectly transparent portion
at the base, sometimes mottled with brown or with faint brown
transverse bands ; valvule slightly over 1 lin. long, deeply 2-fid,
flaps with obtuse ovate auricles extending to above the middle.
Upper floret almost as long as the lower : valve lanceolate, acuminate,
chartaceous, 5-nerved, delicately ciliolate, produced into a mucro
or fine bristle, up to 1J lin. long ; valvule with ovate acute auricles.
Anthers 1J lin. long. Grain elliptic-oblong, dorsally much com-
pressed, over 1 \ lin. by f lin. ; scutellum rather large, reaching, to
the middle of the grain. — A. Chase in Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. xxiv.
159. A. distachya, Presl, Bel. Haenk. i. 344, t. 47 ; Steud. Syn. Pi.
Glum. i. 404. Panicum semialatum, R. Br. Prodr. 192 ; Benth. FI.
Austr. vii. 472 ; Thwaites, Enum. PI. Zeyl. 358 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 764. P. viaticum , Griff. Ic. PI. As. t. 145, fig. 2.

485

Alloteropsis.] clvii. gramine.® (Stapf).

Urochloa semialata, Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 31, and Enum. i. 74. Oplis-
menus semialatus, Desv. Opusc. 81. Coridochloa semialata , Nees in
Edinb. New Phil. Journ. xv. 381. Air a viatica , Griff. Not. iff. 54.
Holosetum philippicum, Steud. l.c. 118. Arundinella Sckultzii,
Benth. El. Austr. vii. 545.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : between Mamou and Kindia Rivers,
Chevalier, 13580 ! Timbo, Pobeguin, 1833 !

Nile Land. Abyssinia : Gallabat ; on the banks of the River Gendua,
Schweinfurth, 1079 ! British East Africa : near Uyui, Taylor !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Benguela ; without precise locality, Gossweiler ,
2070 ! Huilla ; in damp pastures on Empalanca plain, Welwitsck, 2668 !

C'ri&jzjz,')

- Var. EclcloniL Stapf. Usually more robust than the type. Leaf-blades
narrow, or up tc> 4 lin. broad and at the same time short (3-5 in.). Racemes
stout, mostly very dense from the base. Spikelets often slightly longer (up to
3 1 lin.), plumper, dark brownish-purple or blackish-purple all over or with a
pale first glume ; lower valve usually with alternately darker and lighter
transverse bands. — Bluffia, eclcloniana, Nees in Lehm. Ind. Sem. Hort. Hand),
1835, and in Lindl. Nat. Syst. Bot. ed. ii. 447 ; Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 61. Panicum
semiala, turn, var. ecldonianum, Hack, ex Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Air.
v. 764. Axonopus semialatus, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 184 ; A. semialatus ,
var. Ecklonii, Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 418 ; Rendle in Journ, Linn. Soc. Bot.
xl. 230 ; Wood, Natal PI. t. 166. Paspalum semiala, turn, var. Ecklonii, Eyles
in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 299.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Katanga, Homble, 8 ! Elisabethville,
Boyers, 10908 ! 10988 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland: Namasi, Cameron, 8 ! Zomba, 2500-3500 ft.,
Whyte ! Shire Highlands, Adamson, 191 ! Scott Elliot, 8506 ! and without
precise locality, Whyte, 80 ! Rhodesia : M’rewa, near water, Appleton, 32 !
Salisbury, Mrs. Premier, 3 ! Mundy ! Nobbs, 673 ! Sawer, 27 ! Mashonaland ;
Inyanga District, Mundy ! Insiza District, Mundy, 31 ! Gazaland : Melsetter,
6000 ft., Swynnerton . 6034 ! Mount Pene, 6500-7000 ft., Swynnerton, 1644 !
6035 ! Portuguese East Africa : Beira, Swynnerton, 1597 ! between Boma
and Inyamita, on the Lower Buzi, Swynnerton, 1583 !

The typical form was originally described from Australia where it ranges over
the North and East. It also occurs in New Caledonia, the Philippines and on
the Asiatic Mainland from South China to India (sporadically as far as Ceylon
and Kumaon). The variety seems to be confined to extratropical and tropical
South Africa, and in a less marked form, to Madagascar. Chase, l.c., considers
it as specifically distinct, but the differences are very slight indeed and confined
to size and colour. Whyte no. 80 represents a pale green state of var. Ecklonii
and very closely approaches certain Indian and Australian specimens. An odd
modification with marginal fimbriate wings from the sides of the upper glume
occurs both in the typical form and in var. Ecklonii. As a rule only a portion of
the spikalets is so affected. This is the condition figured by Griffith as Panicum
viaticum? (Aira viatica in the text). The width of the wings, which are quite
chartaceous, varies much.

2. A. angusta, Stapf. Perennial, about 2 ft. high. Culms very
slender, erect or geniculatelv ascending, about 4-noded, all but the
lowest internodes exserted, the uppermost to up to over 1 ft. long,
glabrous, slightly rough below the inflorescence. Leaf-sheaths
tight, striate, smooth, glabrous except at the pubescent nodes ;
ligules reduced to a shortly ciliate rim ; blades narrowly linear,

486

cl vn. gramineje (Stapf). [Albtero'pds

subacute, convolute, up to 3 in. by 1 lin. (when expanded), smooth,
glabrous. Inflorescence of 2 slender suberect racemes, springing
from a pubescent node ; racemes bare at tbe base for J-l in., straight
or slightly flexuous, rather loose, 2-3 in. long, dark purple in all
parts ; rhachis very slender, triquetrous, up to — lin. wide, scaberu-
lous ; pedicels 2-nate or 3-4-nate near the base, finely filiform,
angular or subangular, scaberulous, the longest about 2 lin. long,
tips discoid. Spikelets oblong, acute, dorsally slightly compressed,
convex on both sides, slightly over 1J lin. long, dark purple. Lower
glume broadly ovate, subacute or acute, minutely and irregularly
denticulate, J-f lin. long, 3-nerved ; upper firmer, of the outline
and size of the spikelet, appressedly ciliate along the margins with
the cilia short, purple or purple and white, finely 5-nerved, with
minute asperities loosely scattered over the back. Lower floret $ :
valve similar to the upper glume, but eciliate with a more acuminate
very minutely truncate tip, more approximate side- nerves and a.
more or less chartaceous texture with the exception of a small
triangular delicately hyaline and perfectly transparent area at the
base ; valvule not quite \ lin. long, deeply 2-fid, flaps with large
obovate subcrenulate auricles exceeding the keels. Upper floret
almost as long as the lower ; valve oblong, chartaceous to sub-
coriaceous, very faintly 5-nerved, produced into a fine oblique
mucro ; valvule with few very minute papillae on the back, with
obtuse auricles. Anthers -£-§ lin. long, orange.

Lower Guinea. Angola: country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas, Goss-
weiler !

A somewhat imperfect specimen, collected by Homble near Elisabethville
(Katanga District; Belgian Congo) has the spikelets only lf-21in. long with
spreading fringes of rather long cilia and dark asperities on the back of the lower
valve. In general appearance it is intermediate between A. semialata and
A. anqusta.

3. A. paniculata^ Staff. Annual, up to 3 ft. high. Culms
solitary or in scanty fascicles, erect or geniculate and ascending and
then often rooting from the lower nodes, simple or very sparingly
branched below, 5-9- (or more- ?) noded, terete, often rather stout,
glabrous, finely striate. Leaf-sheaths at length loose, the lower
slipping off the culm and finally decaying, terete, often purplish,
striate, glabrous and smooth or more often more or less shortly
hispidulous, the hairs from large persistent tubercles ; ligules reduced
to a rigidly and densely ciliate rim ; blades lanceolate from a cordate
or subcordate base, long-acuminate, 2-5 in. by 4-10 lin., softly
herbaceous, glabrous, slightly rough above, margins cartilaginous
and frequently strongly crisped, midrib very slender, whitish,
lateral primary nerves 4-6 on each side, often indistinctly differ-
entiated from the numerous secondary nerves. Inflorescence a
fastigiate panicle of whorled or upwards scattered racemes, 4-8 in.

Alloteropsis,]

CL VII. GRAMINEJ® (Stapf).

487

long, lowest whorls 5-8-nate ; primary axis terete, smooth below,
scaberulous upwards ; racemes slender, subflexuous, the longest
of the lowest whorl often reaching the top of the panicle, sometimes
with very short secondary racemes downwards, bearing spikelets
from the base or bare for J-l in., usually interrupted or loose in the
lower part, denser upwards, secund ; rhachis very slender, filiform,
triquetrous, scaberulous ; pedicels fascicled, up to 6, rarely more,
in a fascicle (if as many or more, then mostly some imperfect), or
upwards 3- or 2-nate, unequal, the longest about 1 lin. long, slender,
subterete or slightly angular, scaberulous with subcupular tips.
Spikelets dorsally much compressed, lanceolate-oblong, acuminate,
1J-1J lin. long, greenish or reddish. Lower glume ovate, very
acutely acuminate, § lin. long, thinly membranous, 1 -nerved,
glabrous ; upper of the outline and size of the spikelet, membranous,
contracted into a slender very acute tip, 5-nerved, with a submarginal
fringe of short appressed or only slightly spreading cilia. Lower
floret $ (always V) ; valve similar to the upper glume but glabrous,
with the acumen minutely truncate and the lateral nerves approxi-
mate in or near the flexure, the back evenly hyaline throughout ;
valvule f-J lin. long, deeply 2-fid, flaps with oblong obtuse auricles
slightly exceeding the keels ; anthers orange, about § lin. long.
Upper floret slightly shorter than the lower : valve oblong-lanceolate,
acuminate, smooth, produced into a fine scaberulous bristle-like awn
2-3 lin. long ; valvule with acute auricles ; anthers as in the lower
floret. Grain elliptic in outline, § lin. by almost J lin., flat, only
slightly convex on the face ; scutellum not quite half the length of
the gmm.—UrocMoa paniculata , Benth. in Hook. Niger FI. 558 ;
Walp. Ann. iii. 713. Panicum Benthami, Steud. Syn. PI. Glum,
i. 43 ; Baker, FI. Maurit. 439 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v.
741. Axonofus paniculatus, Stapf ex Cheval. Sudania, 22, 34, 154.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone: Mano, Thomas, 10646! French Sudan:
San ; on the banks of the Fiver Bani, Chevalier , 1092 ! 2291 ! Southern
Nigeria : in yam fields near Onitsa, Barter, 1756 ! Northern Nigeria : Stirling
Hill, at the confluence of the Niger and Benue, Ansell !

North Central. Central Shari : Koulfe, Chevalier, 9209 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : .Kwango District ; Bandundu, Vanderyst,
5159 ! Stanley Pool District ; between Leopoldville and Mombazi, Gillet,
2514!

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Moramballa, on the banks of
the River Shire, Kirk !

Also in Mauritius.^ ^ * "i?

4. A. cimicina^ Staff. Annual, 1 to over 2 ft. high. Culms
solitary or more often fascicled, erect or shortly ascending from a
subgeniculate base, mostly simple, 3-5-noded, terete, very slender to
rather stout, glabrous or loosely hairy to hirsute with tubercle-
based hairs, striate. Leaf-sheaths rather tight (the upper) or more
or less loose, terete, striate, glabrous and smooth or more often
finely hairy or hirsute with tubercle-based hairs, outer margin

488

cl vn. gr amine jb (Stapf). [Alloteropsis.

ciliate ; ligules reduced to a densely ciliate rim ; blades lanceolate
from a cordate base, shortly acuminate or acute, J-3 in. by 2-9 lin.,
herbaceous, glabrous or with some scattered tubercle-based hairs,
margins rigidly ciliate, cilia tubercle-based, spreading, midrib very
slender, lateral primary nerves 2-6 on each side, hardly differentiated
from the numerous secondary nerves. Inflorescence fastigiate,
consisting of 2-6 strictly digitate racemes or the primary axis bearing
higher up 1 to several scattered racemes ; racemes slender, oblique,
2 to over 6 in. long, nearly always bare at the base for 1 in. or more,
loose to very loose or denser upwards ; rhachis very slender, tri-
quetrous, scabrid ; pedicels mostly 3-2-nate, more rarely solitary
(upwards) or the lower 4-nate, angular, scaberulous with subcupular
tips. Spikelets dorsally much compressed but distinctly convex on
the back in fruit, ovate to elliptic, acute, 1J lin. by J-f lin., greenish.
Lower glume ovate, long- and very acutely acuminate, 1-1J lin.
long, thinly membranous, 3-nerved, glabrous ; upper of the outline
and size of the spikelet, membranous, acute, 5-nerved with a sub-
marginal dense fringe of subappressed rarely ultimately spreading
cilia, up to over 1 lin. long. Lower floret g ; valve similar to the
upper glume but glabrous with the short tip minutely truncate, the
lateral nerves approximate to or near the flexure,, the back mem-
branous and opaque except for a hyaline transparent zone at the
base, with numerous globose papillae ; valvule J lin. long, deeply
2-fid, flaps with oblong obtuse auricles not exceeding the middle ;
anthers orange, j lin. long. Upper floret almost as long as the lower ;
valve oblong, contracted into a mucro or a short bristle, up to 1 lin.
long ; valvule with subacute auricles ; anthers as in the lower floret.
Grain elliptic in outline, about 8-10 lin. by \ lin., slightly convex on
the face ; scutellum not quite half the length of the grain. — - Milium
cimicinum, Linn. Mant. Alt. 184. Panicum cimicinum, Retz. Obs.
iii. 9 ; Rottl. in Neue Schrift. Ges. Naturf. Freunde, iv. 191, 194 ;
Roxb. FI. Ind. i. 295 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 43. P. conjugatum,
Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. FI. 291. Axono'pus cimicinum (?), Beauv.
Agrost. 154 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 64 ; Hook. f. in Trim.
Handb. FI. Ceyl. v. 166 ; Cooke, FI. Bomb. ii. 925. TJrochloa cimi-
cina, Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 31, t. 103, and Enum. PI. i. 74, Suppl.
56 ; Dalz. & Gibs., l.c. 289. Coridocliloa cimicina, Nees in Edinb.
N. Phil. Journ. xv. (1833) 381 ; A. Chase in Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash,
xxiv. 158. C. fimbriata , Nees ex Wight, Cat. no. 1656 ; Wallich,
Cat. no. 8749 ; Aitchison, Cat. Punjab PI. 158.

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Nyasalancl : Msalu River,
Alien, 118 1 Rhodesia : North Mazoe District, Mundy !

Also in Madagascar and throughout India to Java.

56. C0RID0CHL0A, Nees.

(= 55. ALLOTEROPSIS, Pies], emend. Hitchcock.)

Chloachne.]

CLVII. GRAMINE.ZE (Stapf).

489

57. CHLOACHNE, Stapf in Hook. Ic. PI. t. 3072.

Spikelets lanceolate, laterally compressed, somewhat turgid,
falling entire from the pedicels, 2-nate, rarely 3-nate, secund and
abaxial on the triquetrous slender rhachis of racemosely arranged
spiciform racemes ; lower floret barren or male, reduced to the
valve and a usually more or less rudimentary valvule ; upper floret
shorter than the lower, Glumes herbaceous-membranous, with
a laterally much compressed herbaceous acute to very acute tip,
hirsute, 5-nerved, the lower slightly shorter than the upper. Lower
floret : valve very similar to the glumes, but longer and 7-nerved ;
valvule narrow, usually more or less reduced. Upper floret embraced
and— except during flowering when it is laterally exposed — hidden
by the valve of the lower floret, boat-shaped, acute to very acute
and acuminate, thinly chartaceous, very smooth and shining,
obscurely 5-nerved ; valvule similar to the valve, clasped by its
narrowly indexed straight margins all along, 2-nerved. Lodicules
2, obliquely cuneate, crenulate. Stamens 3. Styles connate at
the base, capillary ; stigmata exserted from near the tip of the floret,
plumose. Grain unknown. — Perennial ; leaf-blades lanceolate with
transverse veins ; ligules thin, scarious ; racemes simple or slightly
compound at the base, sessile or the lower apparently peduncled
owing to the arrest of the basal spikelets and the elongation of the
lowest internode, arranged in a second panicle.

Species 1 or 2, endemic in tropical Africa.

1. C. secunda, Staff in Hook. 1c. PI. t. 3072. Culms ascending,
sometimes emitting long flagelliform aerial roots from the nodes,
many-noded, fistular, quite glabrous and smooth, the lower inter-
nodes up to over 3 in. long. Leaf-sheaths subherbaceous, more or
less open, densely ciliate along the margins, with spreading tubercle-
based hairs on the back and at the junction with the blade, or
glabrous ; ligules rotundate- truncate, J lin. long ; blades lanceolate,
acutely acuminate, contracted at the base into a mobile joint, which
turns brown on drying, 3-4 in. by 7-10 lin., soft green, with scattered
very short tubercle-based hairs on both sides and very fine long
hairs on both sides of the midrib below, scaberulous along the
margins, midrib slender, whitish, prominent and obtuse below,
primary lateral nerves 3-4 on each side, like the secondary very fine,
transverse veins numerous but delicate. Panicle 4-5 in. long, long-
exserted ; common axis triquetrous, with cartilaginous almost
smooth angles ; lower racemes distant, up to 1| in. long, the upper
approximate, much shorter, all solitary or the lowest 2-nate, their
rhachis similar to the common axis, but slender, J-§ lin. wide, quite
green, lowest internodes or bare base up to f in. long ; pedicels
subangular with subdiscoid tips, pruinose or scaberulous, the longer

490

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Chloachne.

up to 1 lin. long. Spikelets 3J-3J lin. long. Glumes pale green
with darker green tips, scaberulous-pruinose, the lower 2-2 J lin.,
the upper up to 3 lin. long. Lower floret 3J-3J lin. long. Upper
floret 2 lin. long. Anthers 1J lin. long. Stigmas yellowish, 1J lin.
long.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons : Cameroon Peak, 4000 ft., Mann, 1354 ! 2101 !

Inflorescences (some with the uppermost leaf attached) collected by Whyte
in Nyasaland on the Masuku Plateau between 6000 and 7000 ft. may represent
another species. The panicles are less distinctly secund, the racemes rather
lax, the lower of them up to 24 in. long, whilst the upper are very rapidly
decreasing in length, and the herbaceous spikelets gape more during flowering.
There is also frequently a male flower with the lower floret. Finally the hairs
along the midrib of the leaf-blades are fewer and almost setose.

58. MICROCALAMUS, Branch. in Journ. de Bot. hi. 282 ; not of

Gamble.

Spikelets ovoid to lanceolate-ovoid or oblong, laterally moderately
compressed or almost terete about the middle, falling entire from the
pedicels, 3-2-nate or subsolitary (owing to the arrest of spikelets)
on the slender triquetrous rhachises of loose simple or compound
racemes, or in scanty panicles ; lower floret barren or $ with a
well- developed valvule and a pair of lodicules ; upper floret longer
than the lower, Glumes, more or less ovate, more or less charta-
ceous, 5-7-nerved, much shorter than the spikelet. Lower floret :
valve similar to the glumes but much longer and relatively narrower,
acuminate; 7-nerved ; valvule 2-keeled, slightly shorter than the
valve. Upper floret : valve subcoriaceous, rostrate- or subulate-
acuminate, 5-nerved, the beak slightly herbaceous ; valvule 2-keeled
below, rather delicate upwards, slightly shorter than the valve.
Lodicules 2, truncate-obovate. Stamens 3. Ovary oblong, glabrous ;
styles free, long ; stigmas plumose, exserted subapically. Grain
ovoid-ellipsoid, terete about the middle; scutellum oblong, rela-
tively small ; hilum punctiform, basal. — Perennial with extra-
vaginal innovations ; culms sheathed at the base with more or
less membranous often long cataphylls, erect, few-noded, frequently
with their first or second internode very much elongated and rest-
ing on the ground, or obliquely ascending, then geniculate and
suddenly erected ; perfect leaves mostly few ; their blades broad-
lanceolate, rather tough, contracted at the base into a pulvinus and
articulated below it with the sheath, many-nerved with transverse
veins ; racemes often very much reduced and gathered into scanty
and narrow panicles, or solitary, or the other extreme, much elon-
gated with distant spikelets on a long common axis ; spikelets pale,
often more or less oblique.

Species 5, in tropical West Africa.

A peculiar genus, not unlike Puelia, but of typically panicoid structure. The
species admitted here differ almost exclusively in vegetative characters. Ho\v

t- ?pp\* .<

491

Microcalamus.'] clvii. gr amines (Stapf).

far these are dependent on external ^conditions is at present a matter of con-
jecture ; but on the whole they seem distinctive enough to suggest the presence
of genetically different types.

Leaves more or less hairy, at least when young, always
pubescent at the sheath-nodes and with a dorsal ciliatc
•transverse rim at the junction of sheath and blade.

Perfect leaves usually more than 2, and up to 8 with each
flowering culm ; their blades broad-lanceolate,

2-4 in. by §-l in., rather firm and somewhat rigid ;

nerves very close, mostly 60-70 per inch ... ... 1. M. barbmodis.

Perfect leaves 1-3 with each flowering culm, the blades
with 35-50 nerves per inch.

Leaf-blades glabrous above, pubescent underneath, at
. least when young or towards the base, variously
shaped ; spikelets oblong in outline ; lower floret
obliquely and narrowly lanceolate in profile, its
valve rather firm ... ... ... ... ... 2. M. Aspidistrula.

Lenf -blades with scattered fine glistening hairs spring-
ing from small tubercles on the upper surface, quite
glabrous underneath, lanceolate, long-acuminate,

6-8 in. by 1|— 14 in., thin, finely nerved ; spikelets

broad-oblong in outline ; lower floret obliquely [oides.

oblong in profile, its valve thinly chartaceous ... 3. M. convcdlctri-

Leaves including the sheath-nodes quite glabrous ; blades
obliquely and broadly lanceolate, 7-9 in. by 2-5 in.,
their base usually very oblique and shortly attenuated,
almost petioloid at the junction with the sheath, lateral
nerves 30-50 per inch ... ... ... ... ... 4. M. glaber.

1. M. barbinodis, Franxdi. in Journ. de Bot. iii. 282, with fig.
I! accrues slender, sheathed at the base by about 4 cataphylls, the
lowest firm, very short, rounded, very strongly nerved, the following
similar, but up to 3J lin. long, the third and fourth thinner and much
elongated (the latter up to 1J in. long), all more or less appressedly
hairy, at length glabrescent, the internode above the uppermost
cataphyll often much elongated and up to 1 ft. long, prostrate or
inclined, ending in a motile knee and sometimes rooting from it,
followed above it by a succession of short sheathed internodes
forming an erect leafy and flowering culm, which rarely rises over
\ ft. above the knee ; innovation-buds extra vaginal from the knee,
growing out into runners or directly into secondary leafy culms.
Leafy or flowering culms few- to 8-noded, with all their leaves normal
foliage-leaves or (on secondary culms) the lowest 2 or 3 of them
developed as cataphylls, usually all the internodes except the upper-
most enclosed in the sheaths. Leaf-sheaths very tight, firm, terete,
strongly striate, appressedly hairy between the nerves and with a
dense transverse dorsal line of hairs at the junction with the blade ;
ligules obscure ; blades broad-lanceolate, acutely acuminate, 2-4 in.
by f-1 in., rather firm and somewhat rigid, shortly contracted at the
base, glabrous above, finely and appressedly pubescent below towards

492

cl vii. GrRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [Microcalamus.

the base, rarely higher up, at length often quite glabrous, midrib
very slender, somewhat prominent below downwards, obscure above,
lateral nerves close, 60-70 per inch ; epidermal cells small with
rather stout straight more or less pitted lateral walls. Inflorescence
shortly exserted, from less than 1 to almost 3 in. long ; lower primary
branclilets 2J-4 lin. long (excluding the spikelets), seldom longer,
rarely with more than 3 perfect spikelets, upper reduced to 2-nate
or solitary spikelets ; axes filiform, more or less angular, finely
pubescent or scaberulous ; pedicels very unequal, the longest up
to 3 lin. long. Spikelets oblong to lanceolate- oblong, 3-3J lin. long ;
the glumes and the lower floret more or less purplish. Lower glume
from slightly over 1 to 1J lin. long, 5-nerved ; upper 2 lin. long,

7 -nerved. Lower floret slightly shorter than the upper, : valve
obliquely lanceolate-oblong in profile, subacuminate. Upper floret :
valve whitish or very faintly suffused with purple, lanceolate in
profile, bluntly rostrate- acuminate, glabrous except for the marginal
cilia and the silky basal beard, the hairs of which are about J lin.
long. Anthers 1 j lin. long. — Pilger in Engl. Pflanzenwelt Afr. ii. 143.

Lower Guinea. French Congo : Lower Ogowe region ; in forest near Njole,
Thollon, 765 !

2. M. Aspidistrula, Stapf in Ilook. Ic. PI. sub t. 3070 (partly).
The whole plant J to almost 2 ft. high ; innovations extravaginal,
rooting from the base, 1-7 in. long, with 3-4 cataphylls, the lowest
of them very short, rounded, the second J-l in. long, loosely sheath-
ing, the following separated by an internode ultimately up to over
-J in. long, all silky at the nodes, otherwise mostly appressedly hairy
between the nerves and ciliate along the margins or ciliate only or
quite glabrous, quite bladeless, the uppermost 1 to over 6 in. long ;
the innovations growing out either directly into an erect or suberect
leafy flowering culm or by the elongation of the first internode above
the uppermost cataphyll into an inclined or arched runner-like or
subprostrate base, sometimes over 1 ft. long, frequently rooting from
its terminal node and throwing up from it an erect leafy culm or —
by the formation of extravaginal buds — a scanty fascicle of leafy
culms ; these secondary culms sheathed at the base with 2 or 3
cataphylls and reduced in size, but otherwise repeating the characters
of the primary. Perfect leaves 1-3 ; sheaths tight, firm, appressedly
or loosely pubescent or glabrous between the prominent nerves,
always silky-pubescent at the nodes and with a ciliate dorsal trans-
verse rim at the junction with the blade ; ligules a transverse firm
ciliolate rim ; blades lanceolate, subsymmetrical or somewhat
oblique, gradually tapering from the middle or slightly below it
towards both ends, 4 to almost 12 in. by 1-2 in., moderately firm,
glabrous above, finely and appressedly pubescent underneath,
midrib slender, prominent below, lateral nerves 35-50 per inch.
Inflorescence long-exserted, 3-9 in. long ; loAver primary branches

493

Microcalamus .] clvii. gramine^e (Stapf).

1—3 in. apart and 1—3 in. long, with up to 6 spikelets, or if more (long
branches) then usually some of them arrested : axes filiform, angular,
minutely puberulous or pubescent, or, at the nodes, almost villosu
lous ; pedicels very unequal, the longest up to 2, or the terminal up
to over 3 lin. long, scaberulous to puberulous, tips sometimes discoid.
Spikelets 3 to almost 4 lin. long, very like those of M. barbmodis ,
if not occasionally more slender and much paler. Lower glume
often 7-nerved. Fertile valve sometimes pubescent up to beyond
the middle.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons : in forests near Bipinde, Zenker , 1834 ! 2144 !
31931

Lower Guinea. Gaboon : Sierra del Crystal, Mann, 1646 !

Whilst the specific identity of the specimens quoted above is fairly clear, that
of the following might at the first glance be thought doubtful owing to the
striking differences in the shape of the leaf-blades. A close examination, how-
ever, especially also of the anatomical characters of the epidermis of the leaves,
shows so much agreement that it is more probable that these variations are only
of the fluctuation type, if not due to conditions of illumination or some such
factor. They may be described thus : —

Forma latas, Stapf. Leaf -blades conspicuously oblique, elliptic -oblong,
3-5 in. by 1— If in., very finely pubescent below, soon becoming glabrous, rather
firm, prominently nerved ; inflorescence about 3 in. long.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons : in forests near Bipinde, Zenker, 4730 !

Forma anguslus, Stapf. Leaf-blades linear-lanceolate, 4—10 in. by 1 1 in.,
softly pubescent below, thin, finely nerved ; inflorescence 4-7 in. long, very
slender.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons ; in forests near Yaunde, Zenker, 1523 ! in forest
near Efulen (south of Bipinde), Bates, 251 !

3. M. convallarioides, Staff in Hook. Ic. PL t. 3070. Culms in
scanty fascicles, about 1 ft. high, ascending from a geniculate base
and sometimes rooting from the lower nodes, sheathed at the base
by about 3 cataphylls, the lowest very short, the others 3-7 in. long,
striate, glabrous except at the pubescent nodes, rather thin and
early breaking up. Perfect leaves 2 or 3 ; sheaths tight, terete,
closely striate, pubescent to almost tomentose at the nodes, ciliate
along the outer margin upwards, with a densely ciliate dorsal
transverse rim at the junction with the blade, otherwise glabrous ;
ligules a ciliolate rim ; blades lanceolate, acutely acuminate, long
and more or less asymmetrically attenuated at the base, 6-8 in. by
1J-1J in., papery, with some scattered glistening hairs springing
from minute tubercles on the upper side, otherwise quite glabrous ;
lateral nerves about 40 per inch, very slender. Inflorescence more
or less exserted, 1§-2J in. long, very scanty ; primary branches more
or less reduced to fascicles of 4-2 spikelets or the latter solitary
upwards ; common axis very slender, angular, minutely puberulous ;
pedicels filiform, the lateral f-1 lin., the terminal (of a branchlet) up
to 3 lin. long, scaberulous. Spikelets broadly oblong, 3J-3| lin. long,
pale. Glumes broadly ovate, shortly apiculate or subacute, the

494

clvij. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [. Microcatcimus .

lower 1J-1J lirn long, 5-nerved, tlie upper lf-2 lin. long, 7-9-nerved.
Lower floret : valve obliquely and broadly oblong in profile, shortly
and acutely acuminate, 3J-3J lin. long, thinly chartaceous. Upper
floret : valve oblong-lanceolate in profile, subulate- acuminate, with
the acumen slightly incurved, glabrous and smooth except at the
minutely pubescent or villosulous base and the finely villosulous
margins of the beak. Anthers 2 lin. long. Stigmas exserted sub-
terminally, pale, J lin. long.

Lower Guinea, French Gaboon : in mountain forests by tlie Como River,
Bates, 481 !

4. M. glaber, Stapf. Quite glabrous except at the base of the
lowest cataphylls. Culms up to over 2 lin. in diam., striate, her-
baceous, branching by means of extravaginal buds which break
through the back of the base of the sheath of the lowest perfect
foliage leaf, are covered with about 3 cataphylls, root from the basal
nodes and grow out into secondary more or less erect leafy flowering
culms ; lowest cataphyll very short, rounded, second about 1 in.
long, wide, like the preceding appressedly hairy at the base, otherwise
glabrous, all distinctly striate. Perfect foliage leaves 1-4 with
each culm; sheaths tight, striate, quite glabrous between the ribs,
along the margins, and on the dorsal rim at the junction with the
blade ; ligules a subcoriaceous glabrous rim ; blades obliquely
broad-lanceolate, sometimes subfalcate, tapering from the lowest
third or quarter upwards, rapidly contracted towards the almost
petioloid base, about 9 in. by 2-3 in., rather firm, quite glabrous,
midrib prominent below, lateral nerves 30-50 per inch ; epidermal
Cells slightly wider than long, otherwise almost as in M . Aspidistrula.
Inflorescence at length long- (by up to 4 in.) exserted, about 7-8 in.
long ; lower and intermediate primary branches 1|-1 in. apart, up
to 4 in. long, with numerous partly arrested spikelets ; axes filiform,
the primary somewhat stout, all very angular and very finely
scaberulous ; pedicels very unequal, up to 2 lin. or the terminal up
to 4 lin. long, scaberulous, tips obscurely discoid. Spikelets 3|-4
lin. long, very like those of M. Aspiaistrula , whitish. — iff. Aspidistrula,
Stapf in Hook. Ic. Pi. sub t. 3070 (partly).

Upper Guinea. Cameroons : in forests of the Bipincle district, Zenlcer,
4249! 4757!

59. PSEUDECHXNOLJENA, Stapf.

Spikelets obliquely ovoid, laterally compressed and mostly con-
spicuously gaping, falling entire from the pedicels, 2-nate or more
often subsolitary (the secondary of the pair more or less arrested)
or solitary, secund on the flat or subtriquetrous slender rhachis of
spiciform racemosely arranged racemes ; lower floret $ or barren ;
upper floret shorter than the lower, Glumes herbaceous, about

495

Pseudeckinolcena .] clvjx cIraminr.® (Stapf).

equally long and almost as long as the spikelet, or the lower distinctly
shorter, heteromorphous ; lower more or less fiat, 3-nerved, always
smooth or almost so, upper boat-shaped, gibbous downwards,
7-nerved, with longitudinal rows of more or less transparent spots

glands ”) between the nerves and with or without shorter or longer
stout hooked hairs or bristles from the centre of the spots. Lower
lloret as long as the spikelet : valve oblong-lanceolatc with a minutely
truncate tip, laterally compressed but rounded on the back, char-
taceous, with membranous margins and a delicate hyaline area at
the base, smooth ; valvule almost as long as the valve, more or
less convolute, faintly 2-nerved. Upper floret : valve broad-
lancedlate to oblong, subacute, very convex on the back, chartaceous,
faintly 5-nerved ; valvule similar to the valve in texture, tightly
clasped by it when mature. Lodicules 2, cuneate. Stamens 3.
Styles free at the base, capillary ; stigmata plumose, subterminally
exserted. Grain oblong in face-view, semi-obovate in profile, back
very convex ; scutellum elliptic, almost half the length of the grain ;
liilum subbasal, punctiform. — Annual, with very slender culms with
a prostrate rooting base ; leaf-blades lanceolate, soft ; spikelets
very irregularly armed or quite unarmed.

Species 1, in the tropics of both hemispheres.

Echinolama, under which this species was originally described, and to which
it has been referred back again by Hitchcock and A. Chase (see below), is an
exclusively American genus which differs from Pseudechinolcena in manv
respects, as in its 'densely packed spikes, the many-nerved lower glume, the
“ eglandular always unarmed upper glume, the uniformly papery 5-nerved
lower valve which is accompanied by a sharply 2- keeled flat valvule, the basally
appendaged fertile valve and the acutely auricled or toothed flaps of its valvule,
and finally the flatter grain which is marked with a panduriform line on the
f £tce extending through its full length and possesses a slender linear hilum.

(H.'P.K.)

1. P. polystachya^ Stapf. Rising to more than 1 ft. above the
ground, the prostrate portion often up to a foot long with numerous
short or long branches, growing into secondary culms, their bases
often finely filiform, stronger upwards, all many-noded and rooting
from the nodes near the ground ; erect or ascending portion above
the last branch 5-8-noded with as many perfect leaves ; internodes
exserted, terete, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, strongly
striate, more or less appressedly hairy and ciliate along the margin
or only ciliate ; ligules thin, membranous, rounded or truncate,
ciliola,te, under 1 lin. long ; blades lanceolate from a shortly con-
tracted or rounded and usually slightly oblique base, acutely
acuminate, from less than J in. (lowest) to up to over 2J in. by 2-6
lin., dark green, glabrous, with scattered or very fine stiff hairs above,
finely and appressedly pubescent underneath, midrib verv fine,
whitish or straw-coloured ; lateral nerves fine, numerous, crowded.
Inflorescence up to over 6 in. long, with up to 6 or even 8 racemes,
mostly much shorter and with fewer racemes, occasionally reduced

496

clvii. gramine^ (Stapf). [ P seudechinolcena .

to a solitan7 raceme ; common axis subterete, channelled at least
towards the insertion of the racemes, almost smooth, glabrous,
J lin. in diam. ; racemes appressed to the common axis or obliquely
spreading, the lowest up to 1J in. long, sometimes quite short ;
rhachis filiform, triquetrous, not much over ~ lin. wide, minutely
puberulous ; internodes of very unequal length, not rarely up to
5 lin. long ; pedicels filiform, angular, pruinosely scaberulous,
lateral up to 1 lin. long, often much shorter. Spikelets frequently
very unequally developed, the lower of each raceme or the lower
(secondary) of each pair often reduced in a varying degree ; if
perfect about 2 lin long. Glumes dull or brownish-green ; lower
oblong- to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, as long as the spikelet or
shorter (rarely by more than a quarter), glabrous or sparingly and
very minutely scaberulous, nerves stout ; upper semi-ovate in
profile, acute with the tip laterally compressed, armature very
variable in the same raceme, from short asperities to sharply pointed
hairs bent at a right angle near the base then appressed and directed
forwards or short or long (to over \ lin.) cvlindric or stoutly subulate
protuberances bearing terminally at a right angle a fine very sharp
bristle pointing mostly forwards ; outermost lateral nerves marginal.
Lower floret : valve pale, greenish only at the tip,- very delicately
scaberulous, hyaline basal area oblong, \ lin. long, meipbranous
margins rather wide upwards. Upper floret slightly over ] lin.
long, straw-coloured, smooth, shining. Anthers about | lin. long.
Grain § lin. by J lin., pale.— Echinolcena polystachya , H. JB. & K.
Nov. Gen. et Sp. i. 119, vii. t. 679 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 172 ; Suppl.
127 ; Hitchcock, Mex. Grass, in Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb. xvii. 223 ;
A. Chase in Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. xxiv. 118. E. Trinii, Moritzi,
Syst. Yerz. Zoll. 102. Lappago aliena, Spreng. Neue Entdeck. iii. 15.
Panicum uncinatum, Raddi, Agrost. Bras. 41 ; Trin. Pan. Gen. 240,
and Gram. Ic. t. 216 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 172 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i.
60 ; Branch. Contr. FI. Congo Frang. 38 : Hook. f. hi. Brit. Ind. vii.
58, and in Trim. Handb. FI. Ceyl. v. 160 ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. PL
Welw. ii. 184 ; Pilg. in Schlechter, W. Afr. Kautschuk-Exped. 268 ;
Cheval. Sudania, 185 ; Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 301. P.
glandulosum, Nees ex Trin. Gram. Pan. 174, and Agrost. Bras. 128.
P. ne mow sum, /3, Trin. l.c. P. heteranthum, Link, Hort. Berol. i. 212 ;
Kunth, l.c. 92. P. echinatum, Willd. ex Doell in Mart. FI. Bras. ii.
ii. 193. P. polystachyum, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 103,
not of others.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Fouta Jallon ; between Dalaba and Dia-
guissa, 3600-4100 ft., Chevalier, 18570 ! Gold Coast : Aburi, Johnson, 832 !
Southern Nigeria : Aboh, Barter, 1354 ! Oban, Talbot, 851 ! Cameroons ;
Bigundi, SMechter, 12419 ! Batanga, Bates, 171 ! Efulen, in forest, Bates,
207 ! Island of S. Thome : Macambrara ; Santa Maria, 4100-4250 ft., Moller,
141 !

North Central. Upper Oubangui River : between Nana and Fort Sibut
Chevalier, 10722 !

Pseudechinolcena.] clvii. gr amin*e^3 (Stapf).

497

Nile Land. Uganda : in dense woods near Mau, 7000 ft., Scott Elliot, 0888 !
in banana plantations near Kasamagas, 5300 ft., Scott Elliot , 7593 1 Kirerema
Forest, Dummer, 311 ! 424 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool District ; Kunzulu, Vandcryst9
5192! Kwango District ; between Kikwit and Atene, Vanderyst, 3252 ! Angola :
Cazengo ; on the banks of small streams in dense forests near Granja San
Luiz, Pearson, 2334 ! Golungo Alto ; in woody places near Cungulungula,
Welwilsch, 7202 ! Pungo Andongo, Wehcitsch, 2878 !

Mozambique Distr. Gazaland : Chipete Forest, 3800 ft., Swynncrlon, 408 1
Chirinda, 3700-4000 ft., Swynnerton, 408 !

60. ERI0CHL0A, H. B. & K. ; Bentli. et Hook. f. Gen. PL iii. 1099.

Spikelets ovate-lanceolate to oblong, acute or acuminate, some-
times finely and shortly aristulate, slightly compressed from the
back, falling entire from the pedicels, 2-nate or solitary, secund and
adaxial on the triquetrous rhachis of more or less spiciform simple
or compound racemosely arranged racemes ; lower floret $ or
barren, upper floret Glumes very unequal ; the lower reduced
to a minute cupular rim clasping the callously thickened bead-like
lowest internode of the spikelet, upper corresponding in outline
and size to the spikelet, sometimes shortly aristulate, membranous,
faintly 5-nerved, the submarginal nerves sometimes obscure. Lower
floret : valve very like the upper glume, if not slightly shorter ;
valvule subequal to the valve, 2-keeled or reduced or, like the
lodicules and flower, quite suppressed. Upper floret : valve char-
taceous to almost erustaceous, glabrous or very minutely puberulous
at the apex, faintly 5-nerved, with a fine barbellate mucro of varying
length ; valvule equal to the valve, 2-keeled with moderately narrow
flaps. Lodicules 2, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct ;
stigmas laterally exserted near the tips of the spikelets. Grain
enclosed in its floret and the tightly appressed lower floret and upper
glume, dorsally compressed ; scutellum rather exceeding the middle
of the grain ; hilum subbasal, punctiform. — Perennial or annuals
Leaf- blades more or less flat ; ligules reduced to a ciliate rim.
Racemes peduncled or the upper subsessile, racemosely arranged
in a narrow panicle.

Species about 25, in the warm parts of both hemispheres.

Axes of the panicle not villous.

Lower floret reduced to its valve ; mostly annual.

Spikelets oblong, acute, not aristulate, 1| lin. long ... 1. E. rffinosa.

Spikelets ovate -lanceolate, finely aristulate -acuminate,

up to 2 lin. long ... 2. E. acrotriclm

Lower floret 6 with a well-developed 2-keeled valvule ;
perennial with a stout rhizome ; the innovations

with firm cataphylls 3. E. borumensis.

Axes of the panicle densely villous ; lower floret 6 ... 4. E. Macclounii.

1. E. ramosa, 0. Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. ii. 775. Annual (sometimes
becoming perennial ”?), tufted, from less than 1 ft. to over 2 ft. high.

EL. TROP. APR. VOL. IX. — PT. 3 2 K

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

498

[. Eriochloa .

Culms geniculately ascending or erect, moderately slender to rather
stout, 4-6- (rarely more-) noded, branched from the lower and
frequently also from the intermediate nodes, glabrous. Leaf-
sheaths often somewhat loose, subherbaceous, finely striate, smooth,
quite glabrous except at the usually delicately pubescent nodes,
very rarely with a few minute hairs ; ligules reduced to a line of
cilia ; blades linear, from 2-6 (rarely more) in. by 2-4 (rarely 5) lin.,
slightly succulent and rigid, quite glabrous, very smooth, midrib
very slender, lateral nerves very fine, numerous and close, the
primary usually hardly differentiated. Panicle flaccid, narrow or
more or less open, but always secund, 3-6 in. long (rarely under
3 in.), of usually numerous suberect or obliquely spreading flexuous
or drooping distant racemes ; common axis slender, subterete,
channelled, striate, smooth and glabrous except at the scaberulous
edges of the channel ; racemes peduncled (the lowest with the
peduncles up to over 1 in. long), or the uppermost subsessile, usually
simple or in robust specimens more or less compound downwards
with short secondary racemes, 1 J-J in. long ; rhachis flat on the
back lin. wide, with a slender acute projecting midrib on the
face (hence more or less triquetrous in cross section), scaberulous
all over ; pedicels 2-nate or solitary, the longer of a pair up to § or
almost 1 lin. long, slender, finely scaberulous, occasionally with a
very few fine hairs from the upper part, tips subdiscoid. S pikelets
2-seriate, laterally contiguous, oblong, acute, mostly 1J lin. long,
rarely less, rarely longer, pale green ; basal bead-like internode
pale or one half blackish-purple, up to J lin. in diam. Lower glume
reduced to a narrow membranous cupular rim around the bead ;
upper very faintly 5-nerved, finely and appressedly and often scantily
silky, very acute or minutely mucronate, but without an awnlet.
Lower floret reduced to an empty valve, equalling and very similar
to the upper glume. Upper floret finely punctate, 1 lin. long ; valve
with a mucro lin. long. Anthers J lin. long. — Hack, in Bull.
Acad. Int. Bot. xvi. 19 ; Merrill in Philipp. Journ. Sc. i. Suppl. 348 ;
Hitchcock in Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 208. Eriochloa annulata ,
Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 30, and Enum. i. 73 ; Duthie, List Grass. N.W.
India, 2 ; Benth. FI. Hongkong, 409 ; Hack, in Engl. Jahrb. vi. 233.
E. annulata , var. nov ., Kendle in Gregory, Great Rift Valley, 399. E.
polystachya, Duthie, 111. Indig. Fodd. Grass. Ind. t. 41 ; Fodd. Grass.
N. Ind. 2 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit Ind. vii. 20 ; Rendle in Journ. Linn.
Soc. Bot. xxxvi. 320 ; not of H. B. & K. Milium ramosum , Retz,
Obs. vi. 22 ; Roxb. FI. Ind. i. 317 ; Griff. Not. iii. 15 ; Ic. PI. Asiat.
1. 139, f. 60. Agrostis ramosa, Poir. Encycl. Suppl. i. 257. Paspalum
annulatum, Fluegge, Monogr. Pasp. 133 ; Trin. Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 133.
Helopus Icevis , Trin. ex Spreng. Neue Entdeck. ii. 49. H. annulatus ,
Steud. Syn. Glum. i. 99 ; not of Nees. Piptatherum annulatum ,
Presl, Rel. Haenk. i. 221 ; not of Raddi.

Nile Land. British East Africa : near Njemps, Lake Baringo, Gregory !

/ ' yf

u€j- p £- Crti.. V v*.

., \ : ■ fly

EriocJdoa.\

CLVII. GEAMlNEiB (fcitapf).

499

Mozambique Distr. Gorman East Africa : Usambara ; by streams near
Dugu, Holst, 3207 ! Portuguese East Africa : by the Luabo River, Kirk !
Beira, Rogers, 13114 !

Common throughout tropical Asia ; introduced into Ascension Island,
St. Helena and Cuba,

E. ramosa and the following species (E. acrotricha) are very closely allied and
might, on a wider conception of the species, be treated as subspecies of a poly-
morphic type which would also include an Australian form described by Bailey
as E. decumhens, in Queensl. Agr. Journ. i. 234, and in Queensl. El. 1815, and
figured in his Cat. Queensl. PI. fig. 584. E. ramosa as understood here appears
to be remarkably uniform throughout Asia in respect to the size, shape and
structure of the spikelets. Gregory’s and one of Roger’s specimens, quoted
above have remarkably small spikelets (1 lin. long) and practically glabrous
nodes. Another piece, however,? of Roger’s no. 13114 has spikelets of the
usual size. /rC-#**

2. E. acrotricha^ Hack, ex' Thell. in Viertelj. Naturforsch. Ges.
Zurich , lii. 435; not in Denkschr. Akad. Wien. Math. -Nat. lxxviii.
399. Annual, tufted, J to over 2 ft. high. Culms geniculately
ascending, slender to somewhat robust, rarely quite erect, few- to
over 5-noded, branched from the lower or sometimes also from the
middle nodes, glabrous or finely pubescent below the inflorescence.
Leaf-sheaths rather loose, often thin, finely striate, quite glabrous
or very finely pubescent at the nodes or also higher up or all over ;
ligules reduced to a line of cilia ; blades linear from an equally wide
or shortly and slightly contracted base, long-tapering to an acute
point, from less than J to over 6 in. by 1J-4 lin., thin and flaccid
to rather firm and subrigid, quite glabrous or more or less minutely
hairy on one or both sides (particularly the lower), smooth or slightly
rough upwards, midrib slender to very fine, lateral primary nerves
3-6 on each side, slender to very fine. Panicle narrow, flaccid, 1 J-4,
rarely up to 5 in. long, of few to up to 10 (rarely more) suberect or
obliquely spreading straight or flexuous distant racemes ; common
axis slender, subterete, channelled, striate to angular, finely ciliolate
or scaberulous upwards along the edges of the channel, otherwise
glabrous or delicately pubescent ; racemes peduncled (the lower
with the peduncles J to up to over 1 in. long) or subsessile, 1J-J in.
long, terminating with a spikelet ; rhachis flat on the back, from
less than J— | lin. wide, with a slender acute projecting midrib on the
face (hence more or less triquetrous in cross-section), scabrid or
scaberulous, here and there also ciliate along the angles, otherwise
finely pubescent or almost glabrous ; pedicels 2-nate or solitary,
all very short or the longer of a pair up to § and even 1 lin. long,
slender, finely pubescent with few to many fine rigid hairs from below
the subdiscoid tips, the hairs up to over 1 lin. long, forming suberect
beards if numerous. Spikelets 2-seriate, laterally contiguous, ovate-
lanceolate, long and finely aristulate- acuminate, including the
acumen 2 lin. long, pale green, more or less silky ; basal bead-like
internode pale or one half blackish-purple, up to J lin. in diam.
Lower glume reduced to a narrow membranous cupular rim around
the bead ; upper 5-nerved, appressedly silky, awnlet up to \ lin.

500

CLVII. GtRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Eriochloa.

long. Lower floret reduced to a mucronulate valve slightly shorter
than the upper glume and very similar to it. Upper floret finely
punctate, up to 1J lin. long ; valve with a mucro up to § lin. long.
Anthers J lin. long. Grain elliptic in outline, over ~ by — , lin., pale
greenish. — E. punctata, Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 739 ;
Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. v. 210 ; Cheval. Sudania, If 3 ; not of Ham.
E. punctata , var. acrotricha , Benth. ex K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-
Afr. C. 100. E. polystachya, Schweinf. in Bull. Herb.* Boiss. ii. App.
ii. 18; Durand & Schinz, l.c. ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 166 ;
not of H. B. & K. E. ramosa, Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, vi. 165,
vii. 62, and viii. 29, 293 ; not of 0. Kuntze. E. nubica, Stapf ex
Cheval. Sudania, 34. Helopus annulatus, A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss,
ii. 370 ; not of Kunth. H. acrotrichus , Steud. Syn. Glum. i. 100.
H. nubicus, Steud. l.c. Panicum fatmense, Hochst. ms. ex Steud. l.c.

Upper Guinea. Senegal : near Richard-Toll, Roger, 17 ! Dakar. Chevalier,
2289 ! Island of St. Thome : on the beach at S. Antonio, Quintas, 131 ! Rattray !

North Central. Northern Bagirmi : Abougher, Chevalier, 9622 !

Nile Land. Nubia: Singat, Schweinf urth, 390 ! Sudan: Cordofan ; Mount
Arasch-Kool, Kotschy, 382 ! Upper Nile Province ; Meshra el Zeraf, Broun,
1591 ! Eritrea : Massana., Abd cl Kader, Schweinf urth & Riva, 221 ! Dahlak
Archipelago ; in various islands, Terracciano, 417, 482 ! 2609 ; Pappi, 4477.
Dambeita ; Hotha Island, Terracciano, 2610. Samhar ; Metscelt, Terracciano
tb Pappi, 2372. Amasen ; Fort Baresa, Pappi, 3254 ; Sabarguma plain,
Pappi, 3190 ; near Ailet, Pappi, 3477. Abyssinia : Tigre ; Modal, along dried
up river-beds, Schimper, 1748! Hamedo plain, 4500 ft., Schimper, 1003!
Samen ; in moist places near Bellaka, 6000 ft., Schimper, 6 ! 2241 ! in the
valley of the River Web, Riva ; on the banks of the River Dawa, Riva, 559.
British East Africa : Makindu, Linton, 118 !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Loanda ; on the banks of ponds above Fortido
Conceicao, Welwitsch, 7344 ! round the artificial ponds of St. Luiz Gomez,
Welwitsch, 7289 ! around ponds near Bemposta, Welwitsch, 7283 ! Museque von
Hunen, Gossweiler, 1592 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Elephant marsh on the River Shire, Kirk !
Portuguese East Africa : Boruma, Menyharth, 1130 !

Also in Tropical Arabia and occasionally in India.

Welwitsch’s specimens nos. 7283 and 7344 are said to be perennial {Cat. Afr.
PI. Welw. l.c.), but on the ©Tiginal tickets they are described as “ Q.”

Helopus nubicus, Steud. { E . nubica) is supposed to differ by the pubescence of
its leaves, “ naked ” pedicels (that is devoid of fine rigid hairs) and an aristulate
upper glume and lower valve. As to the last character, there is no difference
in the specimens quoted by Steudel as his originals, and as to the others, they do
not seem to be sufficiently correlated with other structural peculiarities or
geographical factors.

3. E. borumensis, Hack, in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2 me ser. i. 765.
Perennial, up to over 3 ft. high, with a short stout rhizome emitting
very stout roots and innovations which are intravaginal or at least
closely appressed to the mother culm, conical when young, and
covered with firm striate pubescent cataphylls. Culms erect or
geniculate, sparingly branched below or simple, stout to very stout
(3j lin. in diam.), glabrous, 5-7-noded. Leaf-sheaths rather tight
and firm, the upper shorter than the internodes, smooth, striate,

Eriochloa.\

CL VII, GrBAMINFiiE (Stapf).

501

finely pubescent to tomentose at the nodes and sometimes, but less
so, at the junction with the blade, otherwise glabrous or with fine
sparingly scattered spreading hairs ; ligules reduced to a densely
ciliate rim ; blades convolute in bud, linear from an almost equally
wide base, tapering to a long acute point, up to over 8 in. by 3-4 lin.,
somewhat succulent and rigid, glabrous, smooth or very slightly
rough upwards, nerves very numerous and close, the primary ones
(5-6 on each side) hardly more prominent. Panicle oblong to linear,
4-10 in. long, of numerous suberect or slightly spreading straight
racemes ; common axis terete, striate or angulax, more or less
channelled upwards, smooth below, scaberulous, puberulous or
sometimes loosely pubescent above ; racemes shortly peduncled or
the upper almost sessile (the lowest peduncles rarely much exceeding
J in.), the lower up to 3 in. long and compound with secondary
racemes up to 3 lin. long and bearing up to 6 or 7 spikelets, the others
shorter to much shorter and more or less simple ; rhachis triquetrous,
lin. wide, scabrid along the edges, more or less scaberulous
or almost smooth on the faces, of the secondary racemes wavy, much
more slender and scaberulous all over ; pedicels 2-nate or solitary
towards the top of the raceme, unequal, the longer up to 1 lin. long,
scaberulous, sometimes with a very few stiff hairs below the sub-
discoid tips. Spikelets hardly appearing 2-seriate even where the
raceme is simple, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate or aristulate- acuminate,
1J-1J lin. long, pale green or faintly tinged with purple, slightly
silky ; basal bead-like internode more or less purple to almost black
in the upper part, up to J lin. in diam. Lower glume reduced to a
narrow membranous cupular rim or developed as a minute nerveless
scale clasping the base of the spikelet ; upper 5-nerved, more or less
(sometimes very sparingly) loosely silky, awnlet up to \ lin. long.
Lower floret $ : valve very similar to the upper glume if not slightly
shorter and more hairy ; valvule oblong, almost as long as the valve,
2-keeled, flaps narrow. Upper floret elliptic- oblong, obtuse, up to
1J lin. long, straw-coloured ; valve shortly mucronate, mucro about
i-i lin. long. Anthers § lin. long.

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Msalu River, Allen, 122 !
between Shupanga and Senna, Kirk ! Boruma, Menyharth, 1114 !

Menyhart’s specimens from which Hackel described the species have spikelets
which are destitute of the little awnlets present in the other specimens quoted
above, and the lower glume is also more distinctly developed, but otherwise
they are quite like them. A specimen collected by Holst at Masheua, Usam-
bara (no. 3524), seems also to belong here. It has the same rhizome, innovations,
culms, leaves and panicle, but the primary axis of the latter is pubescent to villo-
sulous towards the nodes ; the spikelets as in Menyhart’s specimen are dis-
tinguished by the complete absence of an awnlet and the cuff -like development
of the lower glume, whilst the bead-like basal internode is very small.

4. E. Macclounii, Stapf. Base unknown. Culms terete, rather
slender upwards, tomentose below the inflorescence, Ijeaf-sheaths

502

CLVII. GRAMINE7E (Btapf).

[Eriochloa.

(upper only known) rather wide and loose, striate, very smooth
and glabrous ; ligules reduced to a ciliate rim ; blades linear from
a slightly wider base, long-tapering to a fine point, up to 6 in. by 5 bn.,
rather firm, yellowish-green, loosely and shortly hairy above, finely
pubescent underneath, midrib slender, primary lateral nerves about
5 on each side, very slender, prominent underneath. Panicle
narrowly oblong, subsecund, 5-6 in. long, of numerous compound
alternately approximate and distant more or less flexuous racemes ;
common axis slender, densely greyish- villous ; racemes peduncled
(peduncles of the lowest up to over J in. long) or the upper subsessile,
simple only in the upper part, to over 2 in. long ; secondary racemes
mostly 3-2-spiculate and short, about 1J lin. long, only the lowest
longer (occasionally up to 6 lin.) ; rhachis very slender, triquetrous,
up to lin. wide, densely greyish- or yellowish- villous ; secondary
rhachises still finer ; pedicels very unequal, the longer up to 1 lin.
long, very slender with subdiscoid tips, villous with some longer
hairs upwards. Spikelets ovate-lanceolate, long aristulate-acumi-
nate, 2 lin. long, pale, silky ; callous internode about § lin. wide.
Lower glume reduced to a narrow membranous cupular rim, mostly
purple ; upper faintly 5-nerved, more or less appressedly silky, with
an awnlet up to 1 lin. long. Lower floret : valve very similar
to the upper glume but slightly shorter, very acute but not aristulate ;
valvule oblong, almost as long as the valve, 2-keeled, flaps narrow.
Upper floret elliptic- oblong, slightly over 1 lin. long, pale; valve
with a mucro up to § lin. long.

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland ; Nyika plateau Mwanemba, 7000 ft.,
McClounie, 8 !

61. LEUCOPHRYS, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 193.

Spikelets ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, dorsally slightly com-
pressed, more or less stipitate, falling entire from the pedicels, solitary
or 2-nate or fascicled, indistinctly or irregularly orientated with
regard to the very slender subangular rhachis of the loose and race-
mosely arranged or much contracted and clustered racemes ; lower
floret (J, upper floret £>. Glumes as long as the spikelet or the
lower shorter, separated by a distinct internode, whitish, delicately
membranous or the upper firmer below the middle, softly hairy,
the lower 1-5-, the upper 5-7-nerved. Lower floret equalling the
upper glume : valve very similar to the upper glume, hairy ; valvule
equal to the valve or shorter, 2-keeled. Upper floret glabrous :
valve smooth, at length crustaceous, subacute to obtuse, faintly
5-nerved ; valvule equalling the valve and similar in substance,
2-keeled. Lodicules2, cuneate, fleshy. Stamens 3. Styles distinct ;
stigmas plumose, exserted subterminally. Grain unknown. — Pe-
rennial or annual ; blades linear, glaucous, drawn out into fine
hardened and almost spinose points ; ligule reduced to a fringe
of minute hairs ; panicles very narrow.

Leucophrys.] clvii. gramine.® (Stapf).

50B

Species 2, in south-west Africa on both sides of the tropic of Capricorn.

Perennial with branched hard almost woody stems.

Spikelets up to 4 lin. long, in loose appressed racemes
li-J in. long; glumes of equal length, corresponding
to the size of the spikelet ; the upper glume with a
transverse fringe and the lower valve with two
separate tufts of hairs at the middle ... ... ... 1 . L.mesocoma.

Annual. Spikelets 1§ lin. long, in dense distant or ap-
proximate globose clusters or short false spikes ; lower
glume half the length of the upper, hairs of the upper
glume and lower valve not gathered into fringes or
tufts 2. L. glomerata.

1. L. mesocoma, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Wehv. ii. 194. Culms
loosely tufted, up to 2 ft. high, branched from the base, repeatedly
geniculate, ascending or spreading, up to many-noded, terete,
glabrous, glaucous, waxy below the nodes. Leaves glaucous ;
sheaths rather loose, striate, thickened into a spongy ring at the
nodes, often slipping from the stem and rolling in or breaking away,
glabrous or the lowest finely pubescent ; blades linear, long-tapering
to a callous, sometimes spinescent and recurved point, flat or more
often involute, up to over 3 in. long, often much shorter, 1-2 J lin.
wide, glabrous or finely and softly pubescent, midrib and primary
lateral nerves about equally slender, the latter about 4 on each side.
Panicle very narrow, 3-6 in. long ; common axis terete, fiexuous,
glabrous; racemes 5-6, erect, almost appressed, the lowest often
remote, 1J-J in. long, simple or the longest compound at and bearing
spikelets from the base ; lower shorter than or as long as the inter-
nodes, upper longer or much longer than they ; rhachis finely
filiform, fiexuous, glabrous or sparingly hairy or pubescent towards
the nodes; pedicels finely filiform with discoid tips, loosely and
shortly hairy to almost glabrous, scaberulous, the lateral up to § lin.
long, the terminal much longer. Spikelets including the stipe up
to 4 lin. long, whitish ; stipe |-| lin. long. Lower glume sub-
hyaline, white, silky-hairy at the base, glabrous upwards, ciliolate ;
upper rostrate or subulate-acuminate, 5-7-nerved, with a transverse
fringe of long hairs at the middle, pubescent and firmer below it,
glabrous above it except for the short cilia of the margin. Lower
floret : valve similar to the upper glume, but less acuminate, longi-
tudinally depressed and subhyaline with two distinct tufts of long
hairs at the middle, almost glabrous below them, ciliolate above ;
valvule acute, keels scaberulous. Upper floret 1J lin. long, straw-
coloured. Anthers 1 lin. long. — A. Chase in Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash,
xxiv. 123. Panicum mesocomum, Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 34 ; Steud.
Syn. PI. Glum. i. 88 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 754 ;
Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 387.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Mossamedes ; in gravelly soil of the River Bero,
Welwitsch, 2295 !

Also in Namaqualand as far south as the Orange River,

504

cl vii. graminete (Stapf). [ Leuco'phrys .

(ttasoL)

2. L. glomerata ,A Stapf. Annual, tufted, J-l ft. high. Culms
erect or ascending, sheathed all along or nearly so, about, 4-noded,
angular or deeply grooved, pubescent upwards. Leaves softly
pubescent to greyish- villous all over, sheaths lax, thin, striate, the
lower whitish, the upper subherbaceous ; ligules a fringe of short
hairs ; blades linear-lanceolate from an equally broad base, long-
acuminate with fine callous recurved or curved spinous tips, up to
3§ in. by 3 lin., flat or folded, soft, somewhat wavy, midrib like the
primary lateral nerves (3-4 on each side) very slender, the latter often
obscure. Panicle much contracted, made up of sessile rarely
peduncled distant or approximate dense globose clusters or short
subsecund false spikes, crowded or loosely disposed on a slender
filiform angular villosulous common axis 2-4 in. long, the clusters or
spikes 3-4 lin. across, greyish-villous, representing more or less
compound racemes ; their rhachis filiform, subangular, up to ~ lin.
in diam., villosulous, internodes usually very short or up to 1 lin.
long ; secondary racemes very short, reduced to fascicles of up to
4 spikelets, or if more then some frequently arrested ; pedicels
fascicled, 2-nate or upwards solitary, slender, from very short to

lin. long, silkily hairy, hairs about J lin. long, tips subdiscoid.
Spikelets obscurely stipitate, lanceolate-elliptic, acutely acuminate
or acute, up to over lin. long, pale or white or variegated with
purple, hairy ; rhachilla very frequently continued beyond the fertile
floret as a short bristle. Glumes unequal ; lower ovate, acute, half
the length of the spikelet or almost so, delicately hyaline, 1 -nerved,
silkily hairy ; upper only slightly firmer, corresponding in outline
and size to the spikelet, with fine white hairs (|— § lin. long), finely
but distinctly 5-nerved, nerves green or purplish or brown. Lower
floret $ : valve very similar to the upper glume, rather widely
involute upwards over the sides of the upper floret ; valvule broad-
oblong, subacute or obtuse, subequal to the valve or shorter ; anthers
up to f lin. long. Upper floret elliptic-oblong, subobtuse, 1-1J lin.
long, whitish or pale brown ; valve and valvule at length crustaceous,
smooth ; anthers about J lin. long. — Panicum glomeratum, Hack,
in Yerhandl. Bot. Yer. Brandenb. xxx. 141, and in Engl. Jahrb. xi.
398, and in Bull. Herb. Boiss. iv. App. iii. 14 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. El. Afr. v. 750 ; Stapf in Dyer, El. Cap. vii. 393.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Mossamedes ; Coroca River, Hopfner, 70! South-
west Africa : Hereroland; without precise locality, Schinz, 37 ! sandy banks of
the Tsuachaub River near Hykamchab, Marloth, 1186! on granite at Kam-
koichar near Salem, Gurich, 130 !

Also in Great Namaland.

The affinity of this grass with L. mesocoma suggested itself only after the key
to the genera of Panicece had been published (see this volume, p. 14). The
diagnosis of Leucophrys given there will therefore have to be modified thus : —
“ Lower glume about as long or less than half as long as the spikelet, whitish and
subhyaline to delicately hyaline ; upper glume and lower valve long hairy ;
racemes short, lax owing to lengthening of pedicels or much contracted and com-
pound ; spikelets without any very definite orientation as regards their rhachis. 5

CLVII. GRAMINE^E (Stapf).

505

Brack, iaria .]

Although Leucophrys has been placed here near Brachiaria the affinity is not
very evident. The orientation of the spikelets with regard to their rhachis
is very vague, as is also the dorsiventrality of the rhachis. Apart from floral
characters relied upon for the generic characters the two species referred here to
Leucophrys have also this in common, that the tips of their blades are drawn
out into a fine somewhat hard curved or hooked and almost spinous point.
The continuation of the rhachilla of the spikelets of L. glomerata into a fine
rigid subule of varying length is a remarkable feature, quite unusual in Panicece.

62. BRACHIARIA, Gris, in Ledeb. FI. Ross. iv. 469.

Spikelets oblong to ovate- or elliptic-oblong, awnless, usually
more or less flattened or slightly depressed, convex on the back,
falling entire from the pedicels, 1-2-nate, more rarely in fascicles
of 3 or more, secund andjjdagjaJ. on the triquetrous or flat rhachis
of moderately slender or stout mostly spiciform racemes ; lower
floret (J or barren with a usually well-developed valvule, very rarely
the latter suppressed. Glumes dissimilar and mostly very unequal
in length, the lower being the shorter, upper resembling and more or
less equalling the valve of the lower floret, 5-7 - (very rarely 9) -nerved
with the nerves evenly distributed. Lower floret : valve 5-,
very rarely 7-nerved, the lateral nerves placed towards the margins
and distant from the middle nerve ; valvule usually only slightly
shorter than the valve with well-developed indexed flaps or the latter
vanishing above the middle. Upper floret : valve oblong to elliptic
in outline, emucronate, though sometimes contracted into a small
projecting point, more or less crustaceous or subcoriaceous with firm
margins, narrowly involute, faintly 5-nerved ; valvule almost as
long as the valve, 2-keeled, its sides tightly embraced by the valve
all along, of the same texture as the latter. Lodicules 2, small,
broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct ; stigmas plumose,
laterally exserted from the upper part of the spikelet. Grain tightly
enclosed by the more or less hardened valve and valvule, broad
oblong or elliptic, dorsally compressed, more or less flattened on
both faces with broadly rounded sides ; hilum subbasal, puncti-
form ; embryo half to over three-quarters the length of the grain.
— Perennial or annual ; blades linear to lanceolate, usually flat ;
ligules reduced to a narrow ciliate or ciliolate rim ; racemes usually
subsessile and solitary on a common axis, sometimes bare at the base
owing to the arrest of spikelets, rarely truly peduncled and panicled
(B. poceoides), simple or compound near the base, rarely to or beyond
the middle ; rhachis filiform, triquetrous or more or less flattened
and herbaceous with a wavy or zig-zag midrib which projects as a
mostly acute keel on the face ; pedicels solitary or in pairs, alternately
to the right and the left of the facial angle or the midrib, if solitary
all short or very short, if paired, the primary slightly to very much
longer ; spikelets closely appressed, always 2-seriate in the plan,
but frequently becoming 1-seriate by the dovetailing of the alternate
spikelets of the closely approximate ranks, more or less contiguous

506

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

\Brachiaria.

with their sides or imbricate forming dense spike-like racemes, or
distant by almost their own length or more, glabrous or hairy. — •
Panicum § Brachiaria, Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PL iii. 1102 (partly).

Species about 80, in the warm parts of both hemispheres, but mostly in
Africa.

Lower glume usually very broad, obtuse, truncate or
emarginate, § or more of the length of the spikelet
with 9-11 or more firm parallel nerves or ribs, rarely
narrower, subobtuse and only f the length of the
spikelet with 5 parallel nerves (4. B. Mans) ; upper
glume and lower valve reticulate from the base or
cross- veined in the upper part only (7. B. falcifera,
and the 3 following species) ; lower floret 6, racemes
simple, their rhachis slender, trigonous or flattened
and herbaceous with a slender usually zig-zag midrib ;
spikelets solitary, all subsessile ; perennial or annual I. Reticulata.

Lower glume half or less the length of the spikelet, finely
nerved, rarely nerveless, nerves up to 11, but usually
much less numerous, more or less inarched upwards
and frequently anastomosing there ; upper glume
and lower valve without cross-veins or with cross-veins
towards the tip only.

Rhachis more or less flat, herbaceous, sometimes ribbon -
like with a slender raised midrib ; spikelets solitary,
subsessile or more rarety downwards 2-na.te, dorsally
somewhat flattened, in simple racemes or fascicled in
compressed racemes (18. B. muiica frequently);
perennial (except 21. B. dislachyoides ) II. Mutica.

Rhachis more or less triquetrous, sometimes filiform.

Spikelets 1|-3| lin. long, usually turgid.

All spikelets subsessile, their pedicels rarely ex-
ceeding 4 lin. ; lower floret $ ; perennial, or
robust simple -stemmed annuals.

Spikelets solitary and 1-2-seriate or fascicled in
2-4-seriate racemes (25. B. obtusifiora), gla-
brous or at least not villous, 2-3 1 lin. long ;
perennial or annual III. Brtzantha

Spikelets typically solitary, 2-seriate, evenly
silkily villous or with a silky transverse sub-
apical fringe ; racemes mostly simple, lower
glume thinly membranous, pubescent ;
perennial ” '.. IV. Lachnantha.

Spikelets (at least those near the base of the raceme)
normally 2-nate with the primary on an elon-
gated pedicel, rarely all solitary and shortly
pedicelled (31. B. leucacrantha) or subsessile
(38. B. pubifolia) ; lower floret barren (except
in 30. B. arida) ; all annual (except 30. B. arida
and possibly sometimes 39. B. glaum), usually
short- branched grasses with slender culms ... V. Ramos a.

Spikelets from less than 1-lf lin. long on the very
slender rhachis GV~i lin.) of simple or more often
compound racemes, somewhat flattened on the -

back, rarely much convex and turgid ; lower
glume small to very small, delicately 5-1 -nerved [phylla

op nerveless ; annual (except 47- B, andongensis) VI. Disticho-

Brachiaria.] clvii. gramine^: (Stapf).

I. Reticulata.

/ Sf,PL''

Spikolets 3|- lin. long ; lower glume conspicuously exceed-
ing the“ remainder of the spikelct and broader than it,
wrapped round its sides before flowering, perennial . . .

Spikelets less than 3§ lin. long (except sometimes in 2.
B. dictyoneura) with the lower glume equal to or shorter
than the remainder of the spikelet.

* Spikelets hairy ; perennial.

Rhachis of racemes subtriquetrous, usually wavy, the
flat back up to ^ lin. wide ; lower valve with
cross-veins from low down.

Spikelets 2£-3^ lin. long ; lower glume as long or
almost as long as the spikelet, 11-nerved;
rhachis of racemes minutely ciliolate or very
sparingly ciliate

Spikelets l£-2£ lin. long ; lower glume distinctly
shorter than the spikelet, 9-5 -nerved ; rhachis
of racemes loosely and irregularly ciliate or
setulosely and densely ciliate (6. B. filifolia).
Spikelets 2-2£ lin. long, apparently 1 -seriate
(owing to dovetailing of the two ranks) on
a very slender rhachis ; lower glume 9-5-
nerved.

Lower glume § or more the length of the spikelet,
as wide as the lower floret, 7-9-nerved ...

Lower glume § the length of the spikelet, much
narrower than the lower floret, 5-nerved

Spikelets lf-2 lin. long, distinctly 2-seriate on
a more flattened rhachis, § lin. wide;
lower glume 11-9 -nerved.

Blades flat, 1-|-2| lin. wide

Blades filiform, subterete or tightly convolute,
lin. in diam

Rhachis of racemes herbaceous, more or less ribbon-
like with the setulously ciliate margins curving
over the bases of the spikelets which are placed
alternately to right and left of a slender zig-zag
midrib, from |-1 lin. wide; lower glume 9-11-
nerved, equalling §— § of the spikelet ; lower valve
with cross-veins in the upper third or tip only.
Blades narrowly convolute or folded with a dorsally
keeled midrib, 3-10 in. by 1-lf lin. (unfolded);
culms erect, 3-4-noded, compactly csespitose
with intravaginal innovations ; rhachis of
racemes £ lin. wide ; spikelets 1| lin. long

Blades flat, much broader with a slender midrib.
Densely csespitose ; innovations intravaginal or
if extra vaginal then growing up close to the
mother- culm ; culms mostly erect or suberect,
2-4-noded.

Spikelets 1|-1£ lin. long on a usually copiously
and long-setulose ciliate rhachis, £-1 lin.
wide ; racemes usually fulvous or rufous ;
culms 3-4- (rarely more-) noded; blades
from a few inches to over 1 ft. by 2-4 lin.

507

. B. dbvoluta .

!. B. dictyoneura.

3. B. Rautanenii.
1. B. Mans.

5. B. viridula.

>. B. filifolia.

1 . B.falcifera.

!. B. fulva.

508 cl vii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [Bmchiaria.

Spikelets 1J lin. long on a more scantily and
more shortly setulose-ciliate rhachis
lin. wide ; racemes greenish ; culms 2-
noded; blades l|-7 in. by 2-2£ lin. ... 9. B. brevis.

Loosely csespitose ; innovation's “extra vaginal,
sometimes growing into short creeping
stolons ; culms very slender, often geniculate
and ascending, 5-6-noded ; blades 3-4 in. by
2-2| lin., thin, bright green, glabroiis or
ciliate towards the base ; rhachis of racemes
f— lin. wide, rather copiously and long-
setulosely ciliate ; spikelets l|-lHin. long ... 10. B soluta. w

** Spikelets glabrous, reticulation of upper glume and '
lower valve rather raised and conspicuous ;
rhachis more or less herbaceous and flattened but
very narrow, ]-|lin. wide ; annual.

Spikelets 2-2.1 lin. long ; lower glume up to the

length of ohe spikelet; anthers under lin. long 11. B. stigmatisata.

Spikelets under 2 lin. long.

Lower glume as long as the spikelet, 13-17 -nerved 12. B. brevis'picata.
Lower glume half the length of the spikelet or

less, 11 -nerved ... ... ... ... ... 13. B. reticulata.

II. Mutic;e.

Perennial.

Rhachis of racemes 1-1| lin. wide, ribbon-like ; spike-
lets 2-2|- lin. long, pubescent upwards.

Glumes separated by a distinctly elongated internode,
l lin . long, the lower shortly and acutely acumi-
nate, 11 -nerved ; spikelets 2£-2| lin. long, drying < [tat a.

brownish ; blades up to 2 ft. by 1 in 14. B. interstijn-

Glumes separated by a short internode, the lower
2- denticulate, 8-10-nerved (without a middle
nerve) ; spikelets 2-2| lin. long, pale ; blades
4-7 in. by ^-1 in ... 15, B. platytcenia.

Rhachis of racemes up to 1 lin. wide ; spikelets l|-2,
rarely 1 lin. long.

Racemes mostly numerous (5-qo ), lowest 2-6 in.
long ; rhachis eciliate ; erect, rather tall grasses.

Spikelets pubescent upwards, 2 lin. long ; lower
glume 9-11 -nerved, nerve -ends anastomosing;
rhachis 1 lin. wide ... ... ... ... 16. B. vittata.

Spikelets glabrous ; lower glume 3-5-nerved, nerve-
ends free ; rhachis about 2 lin. wide.

Spikelets 2|- lin. long ; racemes simple, solitary,

distant, up to 7 in a panicle of about 8 in. ... 17. B. latifolia.
Spikelets 1^-lf lin. long ; racemes up to oo in
a panicle of 4-8 in., solitary or irregularly
approximate, sometimes in false whorls, the
lower frequently compound and then often
interrupted ... ... ... ... ... 18. B. mutica.

Racemes 2-6, lowest up to 2 in. long ; rhachis ciliate,
about | lin. wide ; base of culms decumbent.

Spikelets hairy, 2 lin. long ; lower glume finely
9 -nerved, nerve -ends inarching but hardly
anastomosing; blades l|-3 in. by 4-5 lin. ... 19. B. decumbens.

I

Brachiaria .]

CL VII. GRAMINE^ (Stapf).

509

Spikelets glabrous, 1^ lin. long ; lower glume finely

7-nerved; blades 3-4 in. by 1-1^ lin. ... 20. B. rugulosa.

Annual; spikelets 14 lin. long, glabrous ; racemes slender,

1- 1| in. long; rhachis narrow (£ lin.); lower glume

7-iierved; blades 2-5 in. by 1-2 lin. ... ... ... 21. B.distachyoides.

III. Brizanthal.

Inflorescence reduced to a solitary terminal I -seriate
raceme, very rarely augmented by a second raceme at
some distance below the terminal ; leaf-blades con-
volute, | lin. in diam., very wiry ; perennial 22. B. dura.

Inflorescence of 2-8 racemes ; leaf-blades flat, 3-8 lin.
wide or tightly folded (1 lin.), not wiry ; spikelets very
turgid, 2 to over 3 lin. long, contracted at the base
into a more or less distinct stipe ; perennial or annual.

Racemes usually 1-seriate, falcate, 2-6 in. long ; leaf-

blades 2-15 in. by 3-8 lin. ; perennial, coarse grasses 23. B. brizantha.

Racemes 2-4-seriate, more or less straight and suberect ;
annual grasses with erect rather stout culms.

Racemes 2-seriate ; spikelets with a conspicuous
globose stipe ; upper glume 7-nerved, inner sidc-
nerves prominent, scabrid, its sides like the upper
half of the lower valve, minutely puberulous ;
leaf-blades tightly folded, up to 8 in. by over 1 lin. 24. B. ccillopus. ^

Racemes irregularly 2-4-seriate, broad ; spikelets
with a short cylindric stipe, quite glabrous and
smooth ; upper glume and lower valve evenly
7-nerved ; leaf-blades flat, 3-8 in. by 3-6 lin. ... 25. B. ubtusijlora.

IV. LACHNA.NTH.ai.

Spikelets evenly silkily villous, not or very slightly turgid,

2- 2|- lin. long.

Spikelets contracted at the base into a black stipe ;

lower glume half the length of the spikelet ... ... 26. B. nigropedata.

Spikelets not contracted at the base into a stipe ; lower *

glume from less than j to £ the length of the spikelet 27. B. lachnantka.

Spikelets with a transverse fringe of hairs below the
glabrous tip, finely silky below the fringe or glabrescent
in the centre, very turgid, 1^ lin. long.

Spikelets purplish-silky, the hairs of the fringe forming

a more or less pointed coma which exceeds the tip. 28. B. serrala.

Spikelets silvery-white, the hairs of the fringe short,

hardly exceeding the tip 29. B. brachylopha

0 QjSr- V ----- ----- - - *1 '

V. Ramosas.

Perennial (see also 39. B. glauca) ... ... ... ... 30. B. arida.

Annual (except sometimes in 39. B. glauca) ; lower floret
barren.

Spikelets more or less rostrate -acuminate or cuspidate,
about 2 lin. long.

Spikelets ovate- or oblong-ianceolate, with small tufts
of white hairs below the tips, otherwise glabrous
or nearly so, whitish, loosely disposed 31. B . leucacrantha

510

CLVII. GRAMINE^J (Stapf).

[ Brachiaria .

Spikelets ovate to oblong-elliptic, more or less pu-
bescent, particularly upwards, rarely glabrous,
greenish, contiguous to subimbricate ... 32. B. xantholeuca.

Spikelets obtuse to subacute or minutely apiculatc.

Spikelets 14-2|lin. long, mostly loosely to very loosely
arranged (or more or less approximate in 33.

B. ramosa), if paired the primary always borne on a
distinctly elongated pedicel.

Spikelets 1| lin. long, pubescent or glabrous.

Spikelets or pairs or clusters (secondary racemes)
of spikelets approximate, evenly distant by
less than their own length or rather remote
downwards, glabrous or hairy ; primary

pedicels up to 1 lin. long 33. B. ramosa. 5~ 2—

Spikelets or pairs of spikelets or secondary
racemes very loosely scattered, distant by 5-8
lin., glabrous or hairy ; primary pedicels
3-5 or even 10 lin. long 34. B. mjidqris.

Spikelets 1£— 24 lin. long, quite glabrous.

Racemes early defiexed ; blades finely pubescent

all over, their margins scaberulous 35. B. ovulis.

Racemes suberect or obliquely spreading ; blades
glabrous or with a few scattered marginal
hairs near the. base.

Blades more or less rounded at the base, their
margins scaberulous; spikelets or pairs
of spikelets very loosely scattered, 4-10

lin. distant 30. B. grossa.

Blades cordate or obtusely auriclcd at the base,
their margins markedly cartilaginous and
spinulously serrulate ; spikelets or pairs
of spikelets more approximate, distant by
2-3 lin. ... 37. R. serrifolia.

Spikelets 1|-1A lin. long.

Spikelets pubescent, obovate -oblong, apiculate,
densely 1- to sub-2-seriate, all subsessile ; all
parts of the plant very pubescent 38. B. pubifolia .

Spikelets glabrous, oblong, obtuse to acute.

Valvule of lower floret with distinct indexed flaps,
epapillose ; fruiting floret very finely trans-
versely rugose or almost smooth ; racemes
suberect or oblique, loose to very loose ;
blades delicately pubescent to almost villous 39. B. glauca.

Valvule almost without flaps, papillose at the
base ; fruiting floret sharply transversely
rugose ; racemes usually more or less indexed
after flowering, rather dark or loose to very
loose ; blades glabrous or with a few tubercle -
based hairs here and there 40. B. Icersioides.

VI. Distjchophyllje.

Lower glume reduced to a minute nerveless hyaline scale.

Racemes simple, sessile, secund or subsecund on a

common axis 41. B. Isachne .

Racemes simple or compound, gathered in an open panicle 42. B. poceoides.

Brachiaria .]

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Sfcapf).

511

Lower glume one -third to one -half the length of the

s pikelet, distinctly nerved, nerves 1-5.

Spikelets glabrous (see also 46. B. distichophylla).

Racemes loose ; spikelets (or pairs of spikelets) more
or less distant, oblong, 1^ lin. long, the primary of
a pair on a pedicel up to 1| lin. long ; lower glume
3- or sub-5-nerved ; lower floret reduced to its valve 43. B. epaleata.

Racemes rather dense ; spikelets mostly contiguous
and subsessile, subovoid, very convex on the back,

1 lin. long ; lower glume 1-3-nerved ; lower floret [lata.

barren but with a well-developed valvule ... 44. B. semiundu -

Spikelets hairy (except sometimes in 46. B. distichophylla).

Spikelets finely pubescent, rarely with the hairs
collected into a small short fringe below the tip or
quite glabrous (see 46. B. distichophylla ), oblong.

Annual.

Spikelets solitary and subsessile or the lower
paired, in dense or loose usually simple
slender racemes, not gaping ; lower florets [ phylla.

barren ... ... ... ... ... » . . 45. B. disticho-

Spikelets mostly in short racemules or clusters of
6-2, distant by more than their own length in
straight or flexuous and sometimes nodding
racemes which are compound up to or some-
times far beyond the middle, frequently
gaping ; lower floret 6 ... 46. B. Icotscliyana.

Perennial; spikelets solitary, 8-2 in very short

racemes, turgid 47. B. andongensis.

Spikelets silky with a coma of long white soft hairs
concealing the obtuse or subacute tip, obovoid,

| to almost 1 in. long (excluding the coma) ... 48. B. comala.

1. B. obvoluta, Stapf. Perennial, np to over 1J ft. high. Culms
geniculately ascending, 4-noded, simple, angular below, sheathed
high up. Leaves loosely and finely hairy all over ; sheaths some-
what loose, the lower slipping ofi the culm and irrolling, 4-5 in.
long, the upper up to over 6 in. long and ciliate upwards ; ligules
a narrow ciliate rim, blades linear from an equally wide base, tapering
to a slender subcallous point, 4-8 in. by 2-3 lin., flat, firm, pale
green, margins cartilaginous, sparingly and minutely spinulose,
midrib very slender, primary lateral nerves about 4 on each side ;
uppermost blade subulate, 1 in. long. Inflorescence erect, seeund,
of 4 distant suberect or oblique robust seeund spiciform racemes ;
common axis over 4 in. long, very slender, subterete, channelled,
hairy towards the nodes and more finely so on the face. Racemes
robust, up to 2 in. long, dense, 2-seriate, pale green, simple ; rhachis
triquetrous, J lin. wide, more or less wavy, pubescent on the back,
scabrid and loosely white-ciliate along the angles ; internodes about
1J lin. wide ; pedicels solitary, very short. Spikelets subcontiguous
or at least those of one rank incumbent on those of the other rank,
broad-oblong, obtuse, 3J lin. long, pale green. Glumes rather

512

CLVIT. GRAMlNEiE (Stapf).

dissimilar, membranous ; lower corresponding in outline and size
to the spikelet, at first wrapped round the sides of the remainder of
the spikelet and conspicuously exceeding it, then with the margins
more or less involute, minutely emarginate, about 12-nerved, with
the nerve-ends anastomosing and with some cross-veins below them,
glabrous ; upper glume broadly lanceolate- oblong, acute, not quite
3 lin. long, 7-nerved with very numerous cross-veins, scantily shortly
and appressedly hairy ail over. Lower floret g, as long as the upper
glume- valve membranous, 5-nerved, with the side-nerves on the hairy
sides, the glabrous back traversed by numerous cross- veins ; valvule
almost as long as the valve, broad-oblong, subacute, keels finely
marginate ; anthers • lin. long. Upper floret broad-oblong,
subobtuse, cuspidate, If lin. long, whitish, dull ; valve and valvule
crustaceous, obscurely pitted.

Nile Land ? ? Mariakani, 6400 ft., Kdssiier, 451 !

2. B. dictyoneura^ Staff. Perennial, 1 J — 3 ft. high, tufted
apparently on a short rhizome ; innovations extra vaginal with
moderately firm glabrous striate cataphylls. Culms slender or some-
what robust, geniculately ascending sometimes from a decumbent
base, 4-9-noded, simple, the lower internodes compressed or, like
the remainder, terete, glabrous, smooth. Leaf-sheaths somewhat
loose or the uppermost (which are herbaceous) rather tight, the
lower soon slipping off the culms and inrolled and thus almost
resembling petioles, LJ-4 in. long, striate, quite glabrous and smooth
except along the ciliolate or pubescent upper margin and mouth,
rarely with very fine scattered hairs rising from small pale tubercles ;
ligules a fringe of hairs ; blades linear to linear-lanceolate, from an
equally broad slightly rounded base, tapering to an acute point, of
the basal leaves 2-10 in. by 2J-3 lin., flat, rigid, pale green, somewhat
thick, quite glabrous or with some hairs at the base, rarely very
loosely hairy all over, margins cartilaginous, more or less remotely
and minutely spinulose, nerves fine, numerous, the primary lateral
very obscurely differentiated below, midrib very slender ; the blade
of the uppermost leaf very nearly suppressed, subulate. Inflorescence
at length exserted, secund, often arching, of 3-6 solitary oblique
distant secund spiciform racemes ; common axis very slender,
6-12 in. long, often produced above the uppermost raceme into a
short barren point, semiterete, shallowly channelled or flattened
adaxillarily, more or less pubescent or hirsute near the nodes and
on the face, otherwise glabrous or nearly so, slightly scaherulous
along the angles. Racemes very dense, 7-2 in. long, 2-seriate, the
ranks closed up or divergent, sessile or subsessile, sometimes with
1-3 arrested spikelets at the base, straight or slightly arching ;
rhachis rather flattened, subtrigonous, very slightly wavy or straight,
J-J lin. wide, often dark purple, loosely setulose-ciliate and scaberu-
lous along the angles, otherwise minutely puberulous or glabrous,

yf33

ipA -4C-. i&flvp-el. $ ccy /\/U3-r\ ,32-‘'2-2- ,

)<jjp !%dl. / ? 36 2-7 7. / ? 3

Brachiaria.] clvu. gramineas (Stapf). 51 8

internodes £-1 lin. long ; pedicels solitary, extremely short, setu-
losely bearded, setules 1J lin. long. Spikelets closely contiguous,
broad-oblong, obtuse or subacute, up to over 2J lin. long, greyish-
green with a usually deep-purple lower glume, silky hirsute. Glumes
membranous, equalling the spikelet or the lower slightly shorter ;
the lower broad-oblong, clasping the lower floret, emarginate, glabrous,
11-nerved, with very few cross-veins upwards ; upper similar to the
lower if not broader, 9-7-nerved, with more numerous prominulous
cross-veins, loosely hirsute, the hairs white, appressed, longer upwards
and exceeding the tip of the glume. Lower floret almost as long
as the glumes : valve similar to the glumes, 5-nerved, with numerous
cross-veins, glabrous along the middle, otherwise hairy like the
upper glume ; valvule as long as the valve, broad-oblong, acute,
keels hardened, more or less recurved upwards ; anthers 1J lin.
long. Upper floret oblong, obtuse or minutely apiculate, con-
stricted at the base, 1J lin. long, milk-white, more or less glossy ;
valve and valvule crustaceous, obscurely pitted,. — Panicum dicty-
oneuron, Fig. & De Not. in Mem. Acc. Torin. ii. xiv. (1854), 329,
t. 8, figs. 1—15. P. albovellereum , K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr.,
C. 101. P. humidicolum , Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. xi. 229.

Nile Land. Sudan : Cordofan, Figari. Southern Abyssinia : without precise
locality, Stordyl British East Africa: Taita, Sacleux, 2571! Nairobi,
Linton , 3 ! Dowson, 230 ! Kitui, Hildebrandt, 2663.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Usambara ; Bonda, Holst,
4015, and without precise locality, Hanninglon ! Rhodesia : Salisbury ;
Makabusi Valley, Eyles, 588 ! Portuguese East Africa : open woods at
Berra, 8 'wynncrton, 1506 B !

3. B. Rautanenii^$ta^/! Perennial, up to 3 ft. high. Culms erect
or geniculately ascending, terete or somewhat compressed, 4-5-
noded, simple, glabrous, internodes exserted. Leaves 8-9, rather
crowded at the base ; sheaths rather tight, compressed, smooth
and glabrous, the basal rather short ; ligules a ciliolate mem-
branous rim ; blades linear from an equally broad base, gradually
tapering to an acute point, 2-4 in. by 2J lin., subconvolute,* pale
green, glabrous or somewhat hairy on the upper side near the base
and pubescent at the junction with the sheath, rigid, pungent,
margins cartilaginous, the outer remotely serrulate, the inner smooth,
primary nerves about 4 on each side, inconspicuous. Inflorescence
of 2 secund suberect spiciform racemes, the lower subsessile, reaching
up to the base of the other ; common axis very slender, flat, glabrous
and smooth, purple-brown. Racemes simple, 2-seriate, about 2 in.
long ; rhachis very slender, flat, glabrous except at the pubescent
base, purple-brown or blackish, internodes about 2 lin. long ; pedicels
solitary, more or less curved, up to J lin. long, with swollen tips and
stiff yellowish setules, about 3 lin. long. Spikelets contiguous,
oblong, gaping, 2| lin. long, yellowish-green. Glumes slightly
unequal ; lower oblong, obtuse, 2-2 £ lin. long, membranous, glabrous,

EL. TROP. APR. VOL. IX. — PT. 3. 2 L

514

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[ Brachiaria .

7-9-nerved with very few inconspicuous cross-veins near the apex ;
upper ovate-oblong, acuminate, acute or when flattened out sub-
obtuse, membranous, rather firmer than the lower and as long as it
or as long as the spikelet, hairy upwards, 7-nerved with numerous
conspicuous cross-veins. Lower floret 2| lin. long : valve elliptic,
subacute to acute, concave, firmly membranous, loosely hairy on
the sides upwards, 5-nerved, with cross-veins ; valvule thin, elliptic,
subacute, as long as the valve, keels narrowly winged ; anthers
If lin. long. Upper floret over 2 lin. long, dorsally compressed,
gaping at the top : valve oblong, mucronulate, 2 lin. long, thinly
crustaceous, pale straw-coloured, glabrous, finely granular or sub-
ruggse ; valvule of similar structure with rather narrow flaps ; anthers
as in the floret. Stigmas pale, not exceeding the valvule nor
laterally exserted (always ?). — Panicum Rautanenii , Hack, in Bull.
Herb. Boiss. 2me. ser. ii. (1902) 935.

Lower Guinea. Amboland : Ondonga, Bautamn !

4. B. hians, Stp,j)f. Perennial, up to 2 ft. high. Culms erect,
quite simple, very slender, terete or compressed below, 1-2-noded,
with the uppermost node below the middle, glabrous and smooth
except for a short hairy zone beneath the nodes; Leaf-sheaths
(basal leaves not known) tight, terete, striate, smooth, more or less
ciliolate towards the mouth, otherwise glabrous or nearly so, smooth ;
ligules a ciliolate rim ; blades linear from an equally broad base,
long-tapering to a fine point, up to over 3 in. by 2 lin., convolute,
rigid, green, glabrous, margins cartilaginous, scabrid at least upwards,
closely nerved, primary lateral nerves only slightly differentiated
below. Inflorescence of 3-2 obliquely spreading secund spiciform
subsessile racemes ; common axis filiform, semiterete, hispidulous
close to the nodes, otherwise finely pubescent on the face and slightly
scaberulous on the angles, lower (or only) internode 1J-1J in. long,
upper if present 1 in. long. Racemes simple, moderately dense,
lower up to If in. long, upper If-f in. long, dull greenish, Lseriate
or sub-2-seriate ; rhachis trigonous below, flattened upwards, very
slightly wavy, up to J lin. wide, minutely puberulous, angles scabe-
rulous and irregularly ciliate, green, internodes 1-2 lin. long ; pedicels
solitary, extremely short, hispid. Spikelets distinctly discontiguous
or subcontiguous if 1-seriate, oblong and subacute in back or front
view, obliquely obovate and much gaping in side view, *2-2 f lin.
long, finely pubescent. Glumes more or less unequal ; lower oblong
to linear- oblong, narrower than the superposed lower floret, obtuse
to subacute, about two-thirds the length of the spikelet, thinly
membranous, delicately pubescent at least downwards, 5-nerved,
nerves greenish ; upper glume oblong, subobtuse, slightly shorter
than or as long as the fertile spikelet, membranous, 5-nerved (some-
times with a faint additional submarginal nerve) with about 3 bars
of cross-veins, finely and loosely pubescent all over with a few longer

Brachiaria .]

CL VII. GRAMINEjE (Stapf).

515

hairs upwards. Lower floret as long as the spikelet, gaping
upwards : valve oblong, subacute, thinly membranous, depressed
on the back, 5-nerved with the inuer side-nerves widely distant
and with some distant cross-veins, finely pubescent on the side ;
valvule as long as the valve, very acute, keels narrowly winged, wings
firm, recurved upwards and together with the narrow glistening flaps
laterally exposed ; anthers over 1J lin. long. Upper floret elliptic-
oblong in outline, minutely apiculate, much gaping when in flower,
pale brown, slightly shorter than the spikelet ; valve and valvule
crustaceous, the former 5-nerved with a few cross-veins close to
the tips.

South Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga, Homble, 5 !

5. B. viridula, Stapf. Perennial, up to over ljft. high, compactly
csespitose with intra- and extra vaginal innovations, coated with the
persistent tough basal sheaths. Culms erect, quite simple, 2-noded,
with the upper node usually far below the middle, terete or somewhat
compressed downwards, glabrous and smooth. Leaves crowded at
the base ; sheaths tight, terete, striate, the lower more or less hirsute
or glabrous except at the ciliate outer margin, the uppermost often
quite glabrous ; ligules a ciliolate rim ; blades linear from an equally
wide or slightly constricted base, tapering to a callous point, 1J-7 in.
by lJ-2^- lin., flat, rather rigid, green, finely hirsute on both sides,
and often bearded at the mouth, margins finely (sometimes obscurely)
cartilaginous and remotely minutely spinulose or ciliate, nerves very
slender or obscure, 3-5 primary lateral on each side distinguishable
below only. Inflorescence erect, secund, of 4-2 oblique spreading
secund spiciform racemes ; common axis § to almost 3 in. long,
filiform, semiterete and usually channelled below or flattened upwards,
smooth or slightly rough and sparingly ciliate along the angles.
Eacemes simple, dense, straight, distinctly 2-seriate, 8-15 lin. long,
greenish ; rhachis somewhat wavy, rather flat on the green or dull
purple back, triquetrous in cross section with narrowly winged
lateral angles, §-§ lin. wide, minutely puberulous or scaberulous
and loosely setulosely ciliate, internodes §-| lin. long ; pedicels
solitary, extremely short, scabrid, setulose below the discoid tips.
Spikelets imbricate in front view, laterally contiguous or nearly so,
oblong to ovate-oblong, subacute or apiculate-acuminate, If— 2 lin.
long, often slightly turgid, dull green except the lower glume which
is sometimes purple, hairy. Glumes dissimilar ; lower oblong to
broad-elliptic-oblong, very obtuse or truncate and sometimes slightly
emarginate, three-quarters to four-fifths the length of the spikelet,
firmly membranous, 9-11-nerved, glabrous ; upper nearly as long as
the spikelet, subobtuse or minutely apiculate, thinner, 7-nerved with
cross-veins from below, loosely hairy. Lower floret ; as long as
the spikelet : valve broad- to elliptic-oblong, subacute or apiculate,
almost hyaline on the back, finely 5-nerved, loosely reticulate from

516

CLVII. GRAMlNEiE (Stapf).

\Brachiaria.

the base, hairy on the sides ; valvule oblong, acuminate, as long
as or slightly longer than the valve and then shortly exseited from
the spikelet, the keels very narrowly but firmly winged upwards, the
wings revolute in the acumen which is slightly incurved (that is
curved towards the valve) and often forms a short horn-shaped hood ;
anthers §-d lin. long. Upper floret oblong, subacute, white to
yellowish, its apex sometimes loosely clasped by the hooded part
of the valvule of the lower floret : valve and valvule crustaceous,
smooth. Grain oblong, yellowish-green ; scutellum longer than half
the grain.

Nile Land. British East Africa : without precise locality, Dowson, 290 !

South Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga; Elisabcthville, Rogers, 10139 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Mount Malosa, 4000-0000 ft., Whyte !
Rhodesia : Salisbury, Nohhs, 074 ! Mrs. Craster, 19 !

/

6. E. filifolia, Stapf. Perennial, compactly csespitose, 1-1 \ ft.
high ; innovations intra vaginal. Culms erect, quite simple, very
slender, compressed at least downwards, 1-noded with the node far
below the middle, glabrous and smooth. Leaves crowded at the
base ; sheaths tight, striate, glabrous or more or less, but usually
sparingly, hairy upwards, the basal long-persistent . forming tough
tight coats around the leafy and the flowering shoots ; ligules a
ciliolate rim; blades filiform, subterete, . or laterally slightly com-
pressed, narrowly channelled on the face or more deeply sc (to beyond
the middle) with one of the margins indexed, pithy in the centre,
subacute, 3-9 in. long, J to almost \ lin. in diam., striate, more
or less loosely hairy, particularly towards the base, hairs fine, white,
springing from a minute tubercle. Inflorescence of 3-1 erect or
oblique secund spiciform sessile racemes ; common axis filiform,
up to \ in. long, glabrous or sparingly hairy at the insertion of the
racemes. Racemes dense, up to f in. long, alternate, 2-seriate,
more or less purple ; rhachis trigonous, straight or wavy, lin.
wide, puberulous, scaberulous and more or less loosely white/ ciliate
along the lateral angles, usually dark purple on the back, internodes
f-1 lin. long ; pedicels solitary, extremely short, angular, scabrid,
setulose below the subdiscoid tips. Spikelets contiguous, oblong,
about If lin. long, more or less tinged with purple, hairy. Glumes
slightly unequal, quite or in part purple ; lower oblong, subobtuse,
with minutely denticulate tips, about three-quarters the length of
the spikelet, membranous, strongly 9 -nerved, sparingly hairy along
the sides ; upper slightly longer than or as long as the spikelet,
broad-lanceolate or oblong, subobtuse, 5-6-nerved with few cross-
veins, loosely white hairy all over. Lower floret $ or neuter : valve
oblong, acute or subacuminate, as long as the spikelet, similar in
texture and colouring to the upper glume, 5-nerved with the inner
side-nerves distant from the midnerve and connected by cross-
veins, loosely hairy ; valvule lanceolate-oblong, somewhat shorter

Brachiaria.]

CL VII. GRAMINE^J (Stapf).

517

than the valve ; anthers 1 lin. long if present. Upper floret
oblong, obtuse, white, its sides exposed upwards and vividly con-
trasting with the purple glumes and the lower valve, very smooth,
shining ; valve and valvules thinly crustaceous ; anthers 1 lin.
long.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas,
Gossweiler, 2001 !

Mozambique Distr. Mashonaland : Charter District, Mundy ! Col. Herb.
2107 !

Some inflorescences collected by Rogers at Bay a in Katanga, Belgian Congo
(No. 10387), seem to belong here.

7. B. falciferaA Stayf. Perennial, up to 2 ft. high from a short
rhizome with intra vaginal and extra vaginal innovations. Culms
erect, 3-4-noded, terete or compressed below, simple or sparingly
branched below, internodes glabrous or more or less stiffly hairy
below the nodes. Leaf -sheaths rather tight, glabrous or shortly
ciliate on the outer margin upwards ; ligules a narrow ciliolate
rim : blades linear from an equally wide or somewhat attenuated
base, long-tapering to a slender point, 3-10 in. by 1-1 \ lin., hard,
folded or tightly convolute or flat when old, glabrous, rarely with
some hairs near the base, midrib keeled, primary lateral nerves about
3 on each side, only differentiated below, fine. Inflorescence erect,
secund, of 3-5 almost equally distant oblique straight or arching
dense secund spike-like racemes ; common axis 2-3 in. long, slender,
subtriquetrous or compressed, glabrous. Kacemes 2-seriate or 1-
seriate by the dovetailing of the ranks, 1 J-J in. long, simple, fulvous ;
rhachis subherbaceous, flat, about | lin. wide, with a prominent
slender zig-zag midrib, usually more or less finely pubescent on both
sides, long and densely setulously ciliate along the angles, the cilia
fulvous, up to 1 J lin. long, internodes about | lin. long : pedicels
extremely short with subdiscoid tips and a tuft of long yellowish
hairs. Spikelets contiguous or imbricate, oblong, obtuse or subacute,
14 lin. long, more or less hairy. Glumes membranous ; lower broadly
elliptic, very obtuse or subemarginate, rather Arm, glabrous, 9-
nerved, about two-thirds to four-fifths the length of the spikelet ;
upper glume corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, shortly
and rigidly hairy upwards, 5-nerved with distant cross- veins from
low down. Lower floret neuter or <$, as long as the spikelet : valve
similar to the upper glume but hairy on the sides only, with the lateral
nerves submarginal and the cross-veins confined to the upper part ;
valvule lanceolate-oblong, subacute, almost as long as the valve.
Upper floret broad-oblong, minutely mucronulate, 1| lin. long ;
valve and valvule crustaceous, smooth or very delicately trans-
versely striate. — Panicum falciferum, Trin. ex Nees, Agrost. Bras.
117, Gram. Panic. 127, and Sp. Gram. Ic. ii. t. 147 ; Hook.
Niger FI. 560 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum, i, 57 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v, 749 (partly),

518 cl vii. Gi-RAMiNEiE (Stapf). [ Brachiaria .

Upper Guinea. Gold Coast : Accra, Dov ! Capo Coast Castle, Brass !
Christianborg, Johnson, 1021 ! 1035 !

There is very little doubt that this is Panicum, collare, Schumach. in Schumach.
& Thonn. Beskr. Guin. PI. 60, the original of which, however, I have not seen.

8. B. fulva, Stapf Perennial, up to 3 ft. high, densely csespitose
on a rather slender rhizome, innovations intravaginal or if extra-
vaginal then growing np close to the mother-culm. Culms erect,
rarely shortly geniculately ascending, moderately slender or slightly
stout, 3-4-uoded, terete or compressed below, mostly simple ; inter-
nodes glabrous or more or less hirsute below the nodes. Leaf-
sheaths rather tight, the intermediate and upper herbaceous, the
basal firmer and more or less persistent, glabrous or hirsute and
often densely so ; ligules a narrow ciliolate rim ; blades lanceolate-
linear to linear from an equally wide base, long-tapering to a fine
point, from a few inches to over 1 ft. by 2-4 fin., flat, glabrous or
more frequently shortly and finely hirsute ; midrib slender, slightly
prominent below, lateral primary nerves 3-4 on each side, very fine ;
margins finely cartilaginous, ciliate or glabrous and smooth below,
scabrid upwards. Inflorescence erect, secund, sometimes flexuous,
of 4-12 equally distant or upwards approximate oblique frequently,
arched dense secund spike-like racemes ; common axis 2 to over 5 in.
long, slender, semiterete and channelled or more or less flattened in
the upper part, glabrous or slightly pubescent. Racemes 2-seriate,
up to If in. long, simple, fulvous or rufous ; rhachis subherbaceous,
flat, about f-1 lin. wide with a prominent slender zig-zag midrib,
often purplish, pubescent ; margins densely setulosely ciliate, the
cilia fulvous, as long as the spikelets ; internodes about J lin. long ;
pedicels extremely short with a tuft of long fulvous hairs below the
subdiscoid tips. Spikelets subcontiguous or contiguous or im-
bricate, oblong, obtuse or subacute, lin. long. Glumes mem-

branous, lower broadly-elliptic, very obtuse or submarginate, two-
thirds to five-sixths the length of the spikelet, glabrous, 9-nerved ;
upper glume corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, hairy
all over, 5-nerved with distant cross-veins from low down. Lower
floret (J, as long as the spikelet ; valve similar to the upper glume
but hairy on the sides only, the lateral nerves submarginal and the
cross-veins confined to the upper part ; valvule almost as long as
the valve. Upper floret broad-oblong, apiculate, 1J lin. long, other-
wise as in B. falcifera. — Panicum faiciferum , Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 749 (partly) ; Rendie in Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 168
(partly) ; Pobeguin, Ess. FI. Guin. Franp. 214 ; Cheval. Sudania, 159.

Upper Guinea. Gambia, Skuas ! Park ! French Guinea : Kouroussa, Pobe-
guin, 473 ! 547 ! Southern. Nigeria : Oogboro road, Dawodu, 34 ! West
Province, Kitson ! Onitsha, Kitson ! Northern Nigeria : Lokoja, Richardson !
Nupe, dry localities, Barter, 1384! Illah on the Niger, Macleod ! Abinsi,
Dnlziel, 896 ! Katagum, Dalziel, 256 ! Cameroons : Sanaga, Zenker, 1476 !

North Central. Baghirmi • between Yalal and Moure, Chevalier, 9452 !

Brachiaria.] clvii. graminm (Btapf). 519

Nile Land. Jur: Agada, Schweinfurth, 2200! Bongoland: Matyu River,
Schweinfurth, 4003! Addai, Schweinfurth, 2174! Abyssinia: Gallabat ; Ma-
tamma, Schweinfurth, 1149! British East Africa: without precise locality,
Powell, 23 bis !

Lower Guinea, Angola : Pungo Andongo ; in marshy places near Quibanga,
Welwitsch, 2775 ! and without precise locality, Welwitsch, 2845 !

9. B. brevis, Staff. Perennial, b- 1 J ft. high, densely caespitose
with intra- and extra vagina] innovations, the cataphylls of the
former glabrous. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, mostly
2-noded, terete or compressed below, simple or sparingly branched
at the base ; internodes glabrous or slightly hairy below the nodes.
Leaf -sheaths tight (the lower) or more or less loose and herbaceous
(the upper), the basal rather firm, persistent, turning brown, often
ciliate on the outer margin, otherwise glabrous or beset with scattered
fine tubercle-based hairs ; ligules a narrow ciliate rim. Blades
linear-lanceolate to linear from an equally wide or slightly rounded
base, tapering to an acute point, 1 J-7 in. by 2-2J lin., flat, dud green,
moderately firm, glabrous except for the margins which are more
or less ciliate at least towards the base and scabrid or minutely
spinulose ; midrib very slender like the primary lateral nerves
(3-4 on each side). Inflorescence erect, secund, of 6-10 about equally
distant suberect or spreading straight or arching dense secund
spike-like racemes ; common axis 2-4 in. long, slender, subtrique-
trous, glabrous. Racemes 2-seriate or 1-seriate by the dovetailing
of the ranks, 1-J-J in. long, simple, greenish ; rhachis subherbaceous,
flat, about J-J lin. wide, with a prominent slender zig-zag midrib,
very finely pubescent on both sides, ciliate along the margins, cilia
very fine, mostly under 1 lin. long ; internodes almost b lin. long ;
pedicels extremely short with subdiscoid tips and some long yellowish
hairs. Spikelets contiguous or imbricate, about 1J lin. long, more
or less hairy. Glumes membranous ; lower broad-elliptic, very
obtuse or emarginate, glabrous, 7-9-nerved, two-thirds to three-
quarters the length of the spikelet ; upper glume corresponding in
outline and size to the spikelet, shortly and finely hairy upwards,
5-nerved with distant cross-veins from low down or from the middle
upwards. Lower floret as long as the spikelet ; valve similar to
the upper glume, but hairy on the sides only, with the lateral nerves
submarginal, the cross veins confined to the upper part. Upper
floret as in B.falcifera if not slightly smaller.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Fouta Jalon ; Diaguissa, 4250-4600 ft.,
Chevalier, 12659 bis ! Gold Coast : Salaga, Krause ! Volta River District ;
Afram plains, Johnson, 724 !

10. B. soluta, Staff. Perennial, loosely caespitose, up to over
2 ft. high, from a very slender rhizome with extra vaginal innova-
tions which grow sometimes into short creeping stolons and are
covered with glabrous cataphylls. Culms very slender, often
geniculately ascending, 5-6-noded, compressed below, more or

520

CL VII. GRA.MINE7E (Stapf).

[Brachiaria.

less terete upwards, simple or more or less branched in the lower
part, internodes glabrous, rarely with some tubercle-based hairs
below the nodes. Leaf -sheaths somewhat loose, the lower often
slipping off the stem and only moderately firm, the upper herbaceous,
all glabrous except at the sometimes ciliate margins, rarely the basal
finely hirsute ; ligules a ciliolate rim ; blades linear from an equally
wide base, long-tapering to an acute point, 3-4 in. by 2-2 J lin.,
flat, bright green, glabrous or ciliate particularly towards the base,
margins obscurely cartilaginous, smooth or scabrid upwards, midrib
like the primary lateral nerves very slender. Inflorescence erect,
secund, of few to 8 almost equally distant oblique straight or arching
dense secund spike-like racemes ; common axis up to 4 in. long, very
slender, semiterete or subtriquetrous, glabrous. Eacemes mostly
1-seriate by the dovetailing of the ranks, from over 1-J in. long,
simple, fulvous or greenish ; rhachis flat, up to lin. wide, often dull
purplish with a slender prominent zig-zag midrib, finely pubescent on
both sides, ciliate along the margins, cilia very fine, fulvous, up to 1
lin. long ; internodes up to J lin. long ; pedicels extremely short, with
some long yellowish hairs below the more or less discoid tips. Spike-
lets contiguous or imbricate, 1J-1J lin. long, more or less hairy.
Glumes membranous ; lower broad-elliptic, very obtuse or subemargi-
nate, glabrous, 7-11-nerved, two-thirds to three-quarters the length
of the spikelet ; upper glume corresponding in outline and size to
the spikelet, finely hairy upwards, 5-nerved with few distant cross-
veins from low down. Lower floret as long as the spikelet ;
valve similar to the upper glume but hairy on the sides only, with
the lateral nerves submarginal, the cross-veins confined to the tip.
Upper floret as in B. falcifem if not slightly smaller.

Nile Land. Uganda : Mabira forest, TJssher, 3 ! Kipayo, 4000 ft., Dummer,
677 ! Tugalambo, Dummer, 3915 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo: Stanley Pool District; between Dembo
and Kisantu, Gillet, 1578 ! x

/ YVUM))

11. B. stigmatisat&K Stapf. Annual, over 2 ft. high. Culms
tufted or almost solitary, ascending from a sometimes decumbent and
rooting base, geniculate below, branched or almost simple, 5-many-
noded, compressed below, glabrous and smooth. Leaves glabrous,
apart from the ciliate sheath-margins ; sheath rather loose, striate,
the lower more or less compressed and keeled, the uppermost very
long ; ligules reduced to a narrow minutely ciliolate membranous
rim ; blades linear to linear-lanceolate from a more or less rounded
or shortly narrowed base, tapering to an acute point, from 1 to over
7 in. by 3-6 lin., somewhat rigid though thin, smooth except on
the cartilaginous crisped or crenulate or almost straight and always
minutely spinulous margins ; nerves numerous, very fine, the primary
lateral usually rather obscure, about 4 on each side, midrib very
slender. Inflorescence of 3-1 (sometimes 5, Mez) oblique or suberect
secund spike-like racemes, common axis f— 2 in. long, sometimes

e

i

Brachiaria. ]

CL VII. GRAMINE.ZE (Stapf).

521

continued beyond the uppermost raceme as a filiform point, semi-
terete or more or less flattened, minutely pubescent on the face,
shortly hairy at the nodes, otherwise glabrous. Racemes simple,
dense, 1-2J in. long, straight or slightly arching or flexuous, 2-
seriate in plan but usually 1-seriate by the dovetailing of the ranks ;
rhachis rather flat, with an almost straight slightly prominent keel
on the face, \ lin. wide ; scaberulous along the angles, sometimes
with scattered hairs, internodes § to almost 1|- lin. long; pedicels
solitary, extremely short, sparingly setulose. Spikelet s contiguous
or imbricate, oblong, acute, 2-2 J lin. long, pale greenish, quite
glabrous. Glumes unequal, membranous, the lower broad-oblong,
very obtuse, about 11-nerved, nerves very fine ; upper glume
corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, prominently 9-
nerved and reticulately cross- veined. Lower floret neuter or (J,
as long as the spikelet : valve somewhat flattened on the back, broad-
oblong, subacute or acute, 5-nerved with prominulous cross-veins,
lateral nerves near the margin ; valvule oblong, subacute, somewhat
shorter than the valve, flaps very narrow. Upper floret elliptic-
oblong in outline, obtuse, 14 lin. long, pale or brownish, shining :
valve and valvule crustaceous, the former obscurely wrinkled on
the sides, otherwise almost smooth like the valvule. Anthers less^
than 4 lin. long. Grain elliptic in outline, obtuse, 1 lin. long, flat on
the back, moderately convex on the face, yellowish ; scutellum ovate-
lanceolate, three-quarters the length of the grain. — Panicum dig-
matisatuw,, Mez in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiv. 140.

Upper Guinea. Gambia, Park ! French Guinea: Timbo, Pobeguin, 1711 !
Fouta Jallon, between Trebeleya and Timbo, Chevalier, 18308 ! Northern
Nigeria : Jeba on the Niger, Barter !

Nile Land. Jur : Ghaftas’ Great Seriba, Schweinfurth, 2209 !

Cl

12. B. brevispicata^ Stapf. Annual, loosely tufted, up to 1J ft.
high. Culms ascending from a decumbent and rooting base, terete
or somewhat angular, glabrous and smooth, many-noded, simple,
lower 5-7 internodes short (1 in. or less) and completely covered
by the sheaths. Leaf-sheaths rather loose, slightly compressed,
striate, glabrous except at the pubescent or ciliate margins, very
smooth ; ligules reduced to a narrow ciliolate rim ; blades linear-
lanceolate from an equally broad base, tapering to an acute almost
pungent point, 14—2 in. by 3-4 lin., flat or with involute margins,
rigid, loosely hirsute with tubercle-based hairs on the upper surface,
glabrous and smooth below, margins stoutly crisped, spinulose to
spinulose-serrulate or in parts smooth, nerves very numerous,
rather obscure below, midrib very slender ; uppermost blade
reduced to a small subulate point or suppressed. Inflorescence
at length long-exserted, of 2 or 1 suberect or oblique sessile spici-
form racemes ; common axis about j-1 in. long, semiterete or
somewhat flattened, finely pubescent on the face, otherwise glabrous

522

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

f. Brachiaria .

and smooth. Racemes simple, rather dense, somewhat slender,
§-l in. long, 2-seriate in plan, but 1 -seriate by the dove-tailing
of the ranks ; rhachis somewhat flat with a slender raised midrib
on the face, almost -J lin. wide, hairy on the pulvinus, otherwise
glabrous, lateral angles thickened and smooth ; pedicels solitary,
very short, glabrous or with a few setules from below the subdiscoid
tips. Spikelets laterally contiguous, imbricate (seen from the
front), broadly oblong to elliptic-oblong or subobovate, obtuse,
1L lin. long, greenish, glabrous. Glumes similar in shape, of equal
or almost equal length, membranous ; the lower broad-elliptic to
obovate-elliptic, clasping at the base, obtuse, as long or almost
as long as the spikelet, 13 -17-nerved with free nerve-ends and with-
out cross-veins; upper , 7-nerved with numerous cross-veins, as
long as the spikelet. Lower floret almost or quite as long as
the spikelet : valve broad-oblong, subacute, membranous, 5-
nerved, with the lateral nerves near the margin and with more
or less prominulous numerous cross -nerves ; valvule subobtuse,
slightly shorter than the valve, with smooth fine keels. Upper
floret elliptic in outline, obtuse or subapiculate, almost as long
as the spikelet, pale, dull ; valve and valvule chartaceous, deli-
cately rugulose or almost smooth. Anthers 1 lin. long. — Panicum
brevispicatum , Rendle in Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 168 (partly).

Lower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo ; common in sandy low-lying
wooded meadows between Conda and Quisonde, Welwitsch. , 2829 !

Rendle also refers to his Panicum, brevispicatum, a specimen collected by
Welwitsch near Muta Lucala in the Pungo Andongo district (no. 2726). This,
however, although very similar in many respects, differs in having slightly
smaller oblong spikelets with the lower glume constantly only half the length
of the spikelet and the upper glume somewhat shorter than the glossy fertile
floret. It closely approaches in this way B. reticulata, whose spikelets are,
however, still smaller and narrower and have only 11 nerves in the lower
glume ; further, the blades of B. reticulata are quite glabrous on the upper
side, although otherwise of the type of B. brevispicata. Welwitsch 2726
has also 4-5-noded culms with short weak flowering branches from most
of the nodes except the lowest, and the lower nodes are relatively long ; but
this difference may be entirely due to edaphic conditions and need not be
insisted upon. Rendle also quotes under P. brevispicatum a specimen col-
lected by Mungo Park in Gambia, which in my opinion is B. stigmatisata .

13. B. reticulata, Stapf. Annual (always ?), J-l| ft. high, loosely
tufted. Culms ascending from a geniculate and frequently pros-
trate many-noded base, branched, very slender, terete or somewhat
compressed below, glabrous and smooth, the branches often gathered
in fascicles. Leaves crowded above the prostrate bases or more or
less evenly distributed ; sheaths somewhat loose, compressed (at
least the lower), striate, glabrous except at the ciliate margins ;
ligules reduced to a ciliate membranous rim ; blades lanceolate
to linear-lanceolate from a more or less rounded base, tapering
to an acute point, 1-3 in. by 3J-4J lin., flat or slightly involute,
somewhat firm but rather thin, glabrous, margins stoutly car-

Brachiaria .]

CL VII. GrBAMINEiE (Stapf).

528

tilaginous, sometimes crisped, loosely and very minutely to densely
spinulose upwards or almost smooth, nerves very numerous, rather
obscure below, primary lateral nerves obscurely differentiated,
midrib very slender ; uppermost blades reduced to a subulate
point. Inflorescence shortly exserted, of 3-1 suberect or oblique
secund sessile spiciform racemes ; common axis 2-J in. long, semi-
terete or flattened, glabrous, smooth. Racemes simple, slender,
moderately dense, |-1J in. long, 2-seriate in plan but usually
1-seriate by the fusion of the ranks ; rhachis flattened, with a
wavy or almost straight prominent keel on the face, J-J lin. wide,
pubescent at the short pulvinus, otherwise glabrous and smooth
or almost so, greenish, internodes £-1 lin. long ; pedicels solitary,
very short with subdiscoid tips, glabrous and smooth. Spikelets
subcontiguous if 1-seriate, otherwise discontiguous, oblong, obtuse
to subacute, 1J-1J- lin. long, greenish, glabrous. Glumes very
unequal, membranous ; the lower broad-ovate or rounded, slightly
clasping at the base, obtuse, one-third to one-half; the length of the
spikelet, about 11 -nerved without cross- veins ; upper glume cor-
responding in outline and size to the spikelet, 7-9-nerved, with
numerous cross -veins which like the nerves are slightly prominu-
lous. Lower floret as long as the spikelet ; valve flattened on
the back, broad-oblong, subobtuse to acute, thinly membranous,
5-nerved with lateral nerves near the margin, and more or less
prominulous cross-nerves ; valvule oblong, slightly shorter than
the valve with smooth fine keels. Upper floret oblong, obtuse,
almost as long as the spikelet, pale ; valve and valvule crustaoeous,
very obscurely pitted or almost smooth, keel-margins of valvule
faint. Anthers mm. long.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool District ; Mokaba, Vanderyst :
3864 ! 3889 ! 3619 ! Kitebe, Vanderyst, 3687 ! on sand banks at Muschie ,
Vanderyst, 3971 !

t^~bo~p4 )

14. B. interstipitata^/Sto^/’. Perennial (base not known). Culms
robust, evidently tall with the upper internodes exserted and
accompanied by short leafy branches, quite glabrous and smooth.
Leaves quite glabrous ; sheaths rather loose, very smooth and
shining, the upper 4-5 in. long ; ligules a dense fringe of hairs,
1 lin. long ; blades linear from a broadly rounded or cordate base,
tapering to a long slender point, up to 2 ft. by 1 in., flat, green,
spinulously scab rid along the margins, otherwise smooth and
glabrous, midrib prominent below, primary lateral nerves 6-7 on
each side. Inflorescence secund, of 9-15 mostly solitary sessile
or subsessile spike-like racemes, the lower of which (or their pairs)
are widely distant whilst the upper are much more approximate ;
common axis slightly stout, smooth, glabrous. Racemes secund,
simple, 2-seriate, rather dense, glabrous, straight or arching or
flexuous, 4-2 in. long ; rhachis flattened, herbaceous with a midrib

524

CLVII. GR, AMINES (Stapf).

[BracMaria.

which is stout and obtuse on the back and very slender on the
face, over 1 lin. wide, slightly rough on the angles, internodes up
to 1 lin. long ; pedicels solitary, slender, very short, glabrous.
Spikelets dense, but those of one rank hardly contiguous, although
incumbent on those of the other, oblong, subacute, somewhat flat
on the back, 2J-2| lin. long, drying brown. Glumes very dis-
similar, separated by an internode, J lin. long, thinly membranous ;
lower very broadly ovate, shortly and acutely acuminate, broadly
clasping, one-third to almost half as long as the spikelet, 11-
nerved, the nerves anastomosing ; upper corresponding in outline
and size to the spikelet, hispidulous towards the tip, 5-nerved, the
nerves more or less raised. Lower floret as long as the spikelet :
valve very similar to the upper glume ; valvule almost as long as
the valve. Upper floret 2-2J lin. long, oblong, subapiculate,
brownish ; valve and valvule crustaceous. Anthers 1| lin. long,
purple. Stigmas purplish -black. — Panicum inter stipitatum, Stapf
ex Cheval. Sudania, 190 (name only).

South Central. French Congo : Upper Oubangui ; Desbordeville, Chevalier,

11014!

15. B. platytsenia, Stapf Perennial and apparently tall (base
not known). Culms somewhat stout, upper internodes terete,
glabrous and smooth, 7-8 in. long. Leaf-sheaths (upper) terete,
tight, strongly nerved, glabrous except for some fine tubercle-
based hairs in the upper part ; ligules a dense fringe of rigid hairs,
4 lin. long ; blades lanceolate-linear to linear from a broader
rounded base, long-tapering to a slender point, 4-7 in. by J-l in.,
flat, thin, quite glabrous, midrib slender, prominent below, lateral
primary nerves 5-7 on each side, fine. Inflorescence erect, over
6 in. long, subsecund, of 10-12 spreading and usually arching
sessile or (owing to the arrest of the spikelets) shorty peduncled
(the lowest) spiciform secund racemes ; common axis ending
abruptly or with a short point above the uppermost raceme, terete
or subterete and slightly channelled below, subtriquetrous or
flattened towards the top, finely pubescent on the concave or flat
face, otherwise glabrous, smooth. Racemes dense, 2-seriate,
simple, 24-1J in. long, with the uppermost spikelets arrested and
minute, unequally distant (the lowest by up to 2 in., the following
by 1-f in.), or here and there approximate or opposite or 2-nate ;
rhachis ribbon-shaped, subherbaceous, up to 1J lin. wide, with
a slender midrib slightly raised on the face, glabrous except at
the villosulous base, margins minutely ciliolate, internodes about
| lin. long ; pedicels solitary, extremely short, slightly flattened,
alternately to the right and the left of the midrib. Spikelets
laterally subcontiguous or those of one rank subimbricate, ovate-
oblong to broad-oblong, acute, somewhat flat on the back, 2-2J
lin. long, pale greenish, Glumes very dissimilar, membranous ;

’ " r ■

-:5 , /'■ f t US . I52H$(>

Bmchiaria.\

clvii. graMineje (Stapf).

525

lower broad-ovate, 2-denticulate, 8-10-nerved, without a middle
nerve, lateral nerves anastomosing ; upper corresponding in
outline and size to the spikelet, 7-nerved, loosely hairy above the
middle. Lower floret equalling the spikelet : valve very
similar to the upper glume but slightly depressed on the back and
5- or incompletely 7-nerved ; valvule almost as long as the valve,
oblong, acute ; anthers 1J lin. long. Upper floret slightly
shorter than the spikelet, broad-oblong, subacute or minutely
apiculate, white ; valve and valvule crustaceous, smdfttli.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : without precise locality, Dewevre !

Although the racemes arc typically simple, a short secondary raceme may
be seen occasionally standing out among the spikelets, but without any
definite order.

16. B. vittata, Stapf. Perennial (?)> base unknown. Culms
slender, uppermost internode but one 4J-5J in. long, the following
4J-6 in. up to the inflorescence branched, quite glabrous. Sheath
loose, thin, striate, glabrous, the constricted portion at the base
(sheath-nodes) rather long, brown ; ligules a very narrow ciliate
rim ; blade lanceolate, attenuated to a fine point, up to 8 in. by
almost 5 lin., rather thin, quite glabrous or with some very fine hairs
underneath, nerves numerous, 4-5 primary laterals on the underside,
margins scabrid. Inflorescence secund, 4-6 in. long, of 3-7 distant
subhorizontal shortly peduncled or upwards subsessile secund spici-
form racemes ; common axis very slender, subterete below, angular
and often triquetrous above, smooth or almost so. Racemes simple,
2-1 J in. long, 2-seriate, moderately dense or loose ; peduncles up to
6 lin. long ; rhachis ribbon-like, almost membranous, flat or with
the scaberulous margins iurolled, up to 1 lin. wide, with a delicate
zig-zag midrib on the face, internodes f-1 lin. loug ; pedicels ex-
tremely short, solitary or 2-uate, sparingly puberulous or glabrous
with subdiscoid tips. Spikelets subcontiguous or distinctly dis-
contiguous, oblong, somewhat flat on the back, over 2 lin. long,
acute to subobtuse, pale greenish. Glumes very unequal ; the lower
very broadly ovate, clasping, obtuse to subacute, half the length of
the spikelet, thin, finely and prominently 9-nerved, the nerves
anastomosing ; the upper glume corresponding in size and shape to
the spikelet, more firmly membranous, finely hairy upwards, 7-nerved,
the nerves more prominent upwards and there obscurely cross-
veined. Lower floret as long as the spikelet : valve very similar
to the upper glume but 5-nerved and depressed between the inner
nerves ; valvule oblong, subacute, almost as long as the valve ;
anthers 1 lin. long. Upper floret oblong, obtuse, with a minute^
mucro, | lin. longj valve and valvule crustaceous, pale, smooth,
the latter with rather prominent keels.

North Central. French Congo : at Bonga on the Sanga River, Schlechtcr
12663!

526 clvii. GtRamineje (Stapf). [. Brachiaria .

17. B. latifolia, Staff. Perennial, base unknown, but apparently
a tall coarse grass, sheathed high up with a leaf-branch from one of
the upper internodes, Leaf -sheaths moderately tight, terete, keeled
upwards, finely striate, glabrous and smooth ; ligules a ciliolate
narrow rim ; blades linear from an almost equally wide base, up to
over 10 in. by J in., green, flat, quite glabrous, margins almost
smooth or scabrid, primary lateral nerves up to 5 on each side, like
the midrib very slender underneath. Inflorescence about 8 in.
long, terminating with a subulate point, of about 7 sessile spreading
straight or subfalcate secund spike-like racemes ; common axis
slender, terete and deeply channelled below, triquetrous above,
scaberulous along the angles upwards, glabrous, internodes 1 J-2J in.
long in the lower and intermediate part, J— | in. in the upper third.
.Racemes simple, dense or the lowest interrupted towards the base,
2-seriate, from almost 4 (lowest) to 1 in. long, greenish ; rhachis
flat, green, straight, 2“i lin. wide, glabrous, with scaberulous angles,
the facial angle (midrib) slender, internodes J-f or in interrupted
racemes up to 3 lin. long ; pedicels solitary or partly 2-nate in the
lowest racemes, all very short, glabrous or almost so with discoid
tips. Spikelets contiguous except in interrupted racemes, oblong,
acute or subacute, somewhat flat on the back, 2J lin. long, glabrous.
Glumes very unequal, membranous ; the lower broad-ovate, obtuse,
5-nerved, half the length of the spikelet or almost so ; upper corre-
sponding in outline and size to the spikelet, 7 -nerved, loosely cross-
veined near the tip. Lower floret as long as the spikelet : valve
very similar to the upper glume, but dor sally slightly flattened and
5-nerved ; valvule oblong, obtuse, almost as long as the valve,
flaps wide ; anthers orange, 1| lin. long. Upper floret oblong,
subacute or subapiculate, If lin. long, pale ; valve and valvule
crustaceous, finely transversely wrinkled, the latter with stout keels ;
anthers J lin. long ; stigmas black, very conspicuous.

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Elephant marsh at the Shire River, Kirk !

(To-UilO

18. B. mutica ^Stapf. Perennial, 3-6 ft., or occasionally to 8 ft.
high. Culms ascending from a sometimes long prostrate and copiously
rooting base, stout, terete, usually many-noded and sheathed
high up, simple or sparingly branched, glabrous, often waxy pruinose
below the nodes. Leaf -sheaths tight, terete, rather firm, those of
the prostrate bases decaying, glabrous and smooth or hirsute with
tubercle-based hairs, mostly copiously bearded at the nodes ; ligules
a ciliolate rim ; blades linear from a shortly and slightly constricted
base, long-tapering to a slender point, from a few inches to over 1 ft.
by l | in., flat, somewhat rigid or flexuous, glabrous or, rarely, more or
less hirsute, margins scabrid, midrib slender like the primary lateral
nerves (up to over 6 on each side) but little conspicuous. Panicle
oblong to ovate-oblong in outline, subsecund or almost quaquaversal,
often slightly flaccid, 4-8 (mostly 6) in. long ; common rhachis

Brachiaria. ] clyii. Gramine^i (Stapf). 527

terete to semiterete and more or less deeply channelled or tri-
quetrous upwards, scabrid along the angles, glabrous. Racemes
numerous, solitary or irregularly approximate, sometimes paired or
in false whorls, shortly peduncled (the lowest) or subsessile, obliquely
spreading, usually more or less flexuous, 2- or irregularly pluri-
seriate, 3 (rarely 5) to 1 in. long, mostly compound and then fre-
quently interrupted or the upper, rarely all, simple and more or
less dense, glabrous, greenish or tinged with purple ; rhachis flat,
herbaceous with a slender raised midrib up to J lin. wide, with pro-
jecting scabrid angles, villosulous at the base, otherwise glabrous,
internodes of the more evenly dense racemes J-l lin. long ; secondary
racemes usually very short and 6-3-spiculate, or of the lowest racemes
occasionally up to 1 in. long ; pedicels solitary or paired, all very
short, or if paired then the longer up to | lin. long, scaberulous with
smooth discoid tips, frequently with a few set riles. Spikelets late-
rally contiguous or discontiguous, those of the secondary racemes
frequently imbricate, oblong to lanceolate-oblong, acute, somewhat
flat on the back, 14-lf lin. long, glabrous. Glumes dissimilar ;
the lower broad-ovate, acute to subacute, from less than a third to
not quite half the length of the spikelet, membranous, faintly 3-5-
nerved, often tinged with purple ; upper corresponding in outline
and size to the spikelet, 5-7-nerved with few faint cross-nerves
towards the tips. Lower floret g valve as long as the upper glume
and similar to it, but 5-nerved and more or less depressed on the
back ; valvule narrowly oblong, subacute, almost as long as the
valve, with narrow flaps ; anthers 1 lin. long. Upper floret
slightly shorter than the spikelet (mostly 1| lin. long), oblong, sub-
acute or very minutely apiculate, pale yellowish ; valve and valvule
crustaceous, very finely transversely wrinkled or almost smooth ;
stigmas blackish-purple,- very conspicuous. — Panicum muticum,
Forsk. FI. iEgypt.-Arab. 20 ; Schult, Mant. ii. 225 ; Link, Hort.
Berol. i. 206 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 93 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 40 ;
Kew Bulletin, 1894, 384, and 1897, 209 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit, Ind.
vii. 34, and in Trim. Handb. FI. Ceyl. v. 140 ; Durand & De Wild.
Mat. FI. Congo, i. 91 ; De Wild. Not. PL Util. Congo, 509 ; Stapf
in Johnston, Liberia, ii. 666 ; Cheval. Sudania, i. 34. P. numidi-
anum , Lam. 111. i. 172 ; Encycl. iv. 739 ; Desf. FI. Atlant. i. 60,
t. 11 ; Roem. & Schult. Syst. ii. 433 ; Nees, Agrost. Bras. 122 ; Trim
Pan. Gen. 156, and Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 174 ; Kunth, l.c. 92 ; Steud. l.c.
345 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 301 ; Doell in Mart. FI. Bras. ii.
ii. 187 ; Coss. & Dur. FI. Alg. Expl. Scient. Alg. ii. 30 ; Boiss. FI.
Or. v. 438 ; Batt. & Trab. FI. Alger (Monoc.) 36 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 757 ; Franch. Contr. FI. Congo Fran9- 58 ; Hack,
in Bull. Herb. Boiss. iv. App. iii. 14 ; Rendle in Cat, Afr. PI. Welw.
ii. 172. P. jpurpumscens , Raddi ex Opiz in Flora, 1822, 266 ; Nees,
Agrost. Bras. 240. P. barbinode, Trin. Sp. Gram. Ic. t, 318, and
Pan. Gen. 168 ; Steud. l.c. 67 ; Duthie, List Grass. N.W. Ind. %

528

CLVII. GRAMINE^ (Stapf).

[ Brachiaria .

P. sarmenlosum , Benth. in Hook. Niger FI. 561 ; not of Roxb.
P. equinum, Steud. l.c. P. punclulalum , St end. l.c. 62. P.
pictigluma, Steud. l.c. 73. P. molle, Griseb. FI. Brit. West Ind.
547 (excl. syn.) ; Baker, FI. Maurit. 436 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp.
FI. Afr. v. 755 ; De Wild. Etud. FI. Katanga, 11, and Not. PI.
Util. Congo, 507 ; not of Sw.

Upper Guinea. Senegal : Tivaouane, Chevalier, 2294 ! Middle Niger : Sompfi
Chevalier, 2295 ! Liberia : Grand Bassa, Vogel, 32 ! Northern Nigeria : Nupe,
in wet places, Barter, 1045 ! in wet places near Sokoto, Dalziel, 481 ! Cameroons :
Victoria, Winkler, 32 !

Nile Land. Sudan : near the White Nile, 12° 10" N. lat., Schweinfurth, 1047 !

Lower Guinea. French Gaboon, Griffon de Bellay. Libreville, on the
River Shire, Thollon, 164, 708. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool District ; Kunzulu,
Yanderyst, 5182 ! Kisantu, Gillet, 630 ! 2322 ! between Leopoldville and
Mombasi, Gillet, 2620 ! Cataracts District ; Kimbambele, Vanderyst, 4326 !
Angola: Golunga Alto (?), Welwitsch, 2960 !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Amani, Herb. Amani, 384 !

It is apparently a native of South America and West Africa, but intro-
duced elsewhere.

In accepting Forskal’s name “ muticum ” for this species I have relied on
Ascherson’s identification (Asch. & Schweinf. III. FI. Egypt. 160) of the
type with the Algerian P. numidianum. Schweinfurth (Plante Utile Eritr.
53) says that according to the Abyssinians this is one of their best fodder
grasses for milk, as its Tigre name “ sari-zaba ” (milk-grass). implies. He also
adds that it is common in the lower region ; but neither he nor the Italian
collectors seem to have collected it in Eritrea, and there is no record of its
occurrence in Abyssinia. It is no doubt an excellent fodder grass, grown in
many parts of the tropics and known as “ Para grass,” “ Mauritius grass,”
or “ Water grass.”

19. B. decumbens, Stapf. Perennial. Culms ascending from a
long prostrate base, to 1 or 1J ft. high, many-noded, rooting from
the lower nodes which are generally short or more or less angular,
the uppermost internode by far the longest and very slender, the
whole culm glabrous. Leaf-sheaths of the base longer than the
internodes, at length decaying, like the others tight, terete or some-
what compressed and keeled upwards and more or less finely hirsute ;
ligules a ciliolate rim ; blades narrowly lanceolate from a rounded
base, tapering to an acute point, 1 j-3 in. by 4-5 lin., hat, thin, green,
shortly hirsute, margins finely cartilaginous, partly crisped, scabrid
to. spinulously ciliate, primary lateral nerves about 4 on each side,
like the midrib very slender. Inflorescence secund, of 2-3 sessile
spreading more or less arching secund spiciform racemes separated
by very slender semiterete almost smooth and glabrous internodes,
the common axis not produced beyond the upper raceme. Racemes
simple, 2-seriate, very dense, secund, 2-| in. long ; rhachis sub-
herbaceous, flat, up to over J lin. wide, dark purple and glabrous
on the back, green and minutely pubescent on the face, ciliate along
the angles, the cilia yellowish, less or much less than half the length
of the spikelets, internodes about J lin. long ; pedicels solitary, very
short, rather stout, almost glabrous, alternately to the right and the
left of the very slender midrib. Spikelets closely contiguous, oblong,

a/U (r AmaA <t-Ji L 0-^ Is-

-1 pAr^tA* I-^cLAa rf^A^XiistsCl y

- - <z*JL^-^£y alw

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Mjc.

CLVli. GKAMINEJE

529

Brachiaria .]

subacute, more or less convex on the back, 2 lin. long, pale greyish-
green, hairy. Glumes very unequal, membranous ; lower broad-
ovate, broadly clasping, obtuse and subemarginate to acute, one-
third to half the length of the spikelet, finely 9-nerved ; upper
corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, very convex, 7-
nerved, silkily hairy particularly upwards. Lower floret as long
as the spikelet : valve very similar to the upper glume but 5-nerved,
less or hardly convex and less hairy ; valvule oblong, subobtuse,
with narrow flaps and very fine keels, almost as long as the valve ;
anther 1J lin. long. Upper floret almost as long as the spikelet,
broad-oblong ; valve minutely apiculate, like the valvule crustaceous,
whitish and almost quite smooth.

Nile Land. Uganda : Karagwe, Speke & Grant , 488 ! M’punra, 4000 ft.,
Dammer, 1070 !

20. B. rugulosa, Stapf. Perennial, up to 1J ft. high. Culms
slender, ascending from a decumbent base, 5-6-noded, with short
leafy branches from the lower nodes, compressed or angular, glabrous
except below the inflorescence. Leaf-sheaths rather loose, at least
in the lower part and there frequently slipping off the stem, sparingly
hairy or glabrous, but ciliate along the margin, striate ; ligules a
ciliolate rim ; blades narrowly linear from an equally wide base,
tapering to a somewhat callous fine point, 3-4 in. by 1-1 J lin., flat
or more or less involute, rigid, glabrous and smooth, nerves very
fine, midrib very slender. Inflorescence secund, 3-1 in. long, upright,
of 4-6 oblique distant secund spiciform spikes ; common axis con-
tinued beyond the uppermost raceme into a fine subulate point,
up to 3 lin. long, semiterete, channelled adaxillarily, scaberulous
along the angles and usually ciliate or ciliolate above the nodes.
Racemes dense, 2-seriate, 1-f in. long, simple, sessile or subsessile,
rarely shortly peduncled with some arrested spikelets at the base ;
rhachis flat, straight or almost so, up to J lin. wide, with a very fine
zig-zag rib on the face, angles shortly ciliate, base finely tomentose,
internodes f lin. long ; pedicels solitary, extremely short with some
fine hairs from below the subdiscoid tips. Spikelets closely contigu-
ous, oblong, subacute, moderately convex on the back, 1J lin. long,
glabrous, pale green variegated with dull purple. Glumes very un-
equal ; the lower membranous, broad-ovate, obtuse, 5- to sub-7-nerved,
nerves not anastomosing ; upper glume corresponding in outline
and size to the spikelet, more firmly membranous, 5-nerved with or
without some obscure cross-veins. Lower floret as long as the
spikelet ; valve very similar to the upper glume, slightly flattened
or depressed on the back ; valvule oblong, acute, almost as long as
the valve ; anthers 1 lin. long. Upper floret ^>, very slightly shorter
than the spikelet, oblong, subobtuse, whitish ; valve and valvule
crustaceous, closely and finely but very distinctly transversely rugose.

Nile Land. British East Africa: Nairobi, 5450 ft., Lyve, 154! Dowson,
257 partly !

FL. TROP. APR. VOL. IX. — PI. 3. 2 M

530 clvii. gramineje (Stapf). [ Brackiaria .

21. B. distachyoides, Stay/ Annual, 1-1J ft. high, the whole
plant pale green or slightly glaucous and quite glabrous. Culms
in small fascicles, erect or suberect or geniculately ascending to
prostrate at the base, frequently rooting from the lowest nodes with
rather stout root-fibres, terete or the lower internodes somewhat
compressed, 4-6-noded, frequently branched, the upper branches
developed as leaf -tufts' shortly emerging from the sheaths at the
time of flowering of the main culms. Leaf-sheaths rather thin or
the upper herbaceous, the lower more or less compressed and often
slipping off the culm, shorter than the internodes, smooth ; ligules
reduced to a dense line of hairs ; blades narrowly linear from an
equally wide or slightly narrowed base, long-tapering to a slender
point, 2-5 in. by 1-2 lin., the lowest usually short, flat, smooth,
finely and closely nerved, with about 2-3 primary lateral nerves
on each side ; midrib slender. Panicle at length shortly, if at all,
exserted, of 4-2 solitary distant subsecund suberect or oblique
spike-like racemes or reduced to a single raceme ; common axis
rarely much over 3 in. long, slender, grooved to widely concave
(upwards) on the adaxillary side, continued beyond the insertion
of the uppermost raceme into a subulate or linear-subulate point,
1-2J lin. long, smooth or scabrid along the margins of the upper-
most internodes ; racemes slender, 1-1J in. long, straight or more
or less arching, subsessile with a finely pubescent pulvinus or the
lowest shortly peduncled, quite simple ; rhachis semi-involute or
at length almost flat, subherbaceous, up to f lin. wide (flattened
out), glabrous and smooth on the back, scaberulous along the
margins and usually on the very slender slightly raised rounded
midrib of the face ; pedicels solitary, f-lj lin. apart, reduced to
scaberulous stumps with discoid tips. Spikelets more or less
distinctly 1 -seriate and laterally contiguous, oblong, subacute,
flattened on the back, l|-lf lin. long, glabrous, very pale greenish.
Glumes very unequal ; lower broad-ovate, subacute or obtuse,
half as long (or nearly so) as the spikelet, membranous, whitish,
5-7-nerved with free nerve-ends ; upper corresponding in size and
outline to the spikelet, thinly papery, 5- (rarely 7-) nerved, with
faint transverse veins in the upper third or quarter, nerves greenish.
Lower floret neuter : valve very similar to the upper glume, 5*
nerved ; valvule narrowly oblong, obtuse, with smooth keels,
almost as long as the valve or more or less (sometimes much) reduced.
Upper floret elliptic-oblong, subacute, 1| lin. long ; valve and
valvule crustaceous, finely transversely wrinkled, the former faintly
5-nerved, the latter very finely keeled aud the flaps widened and
almost contiguous at one-third from the base ; anthers J— J lin.
long. Grain elliptic in outline, flat on both sides, 1 lin. by J lin.,
about — lin. thick, yellow' ; embryo-mark very indistinct.

Upper Guinea. Lagos : Dawodu, 163 !

Brachiaria.] clvii. geamine-Ze (Slapf). 531

22. B. dura, Stapf. Perennial, about 2J ft. high, compactly
csespitose on a short oblique rhizome with intra vaginal innovations.
Culms slender, wiry, erect and simple, up to J ft., more or less
geniculate and branched, terete or slightly compressed, glabrous
or sometimes sparingly and minutely hairy below the nodes. Leaf-
sheaths tight, terete or slightly compressed, very firm and hard,
striate, the basal up to over 3 in. long, hairy, long-persistent and
coating the innovations and flowering culms, the others glabrous ;
ligules a narrow ciliolate rim ; blades narrowly linear, convolute,
very wiry, up to over 1 ft. long, 1 lin. wide when flattened out, | lin.
in diam. in the convolute state, pale green, glabrous except for a
beard (lower leaves) or some fine pubescence at the base ; blade of
the uppermost leaves suppressed, the sheath tapering gradually
to an acute point. Inflorescences reduced to a solitary terminal
upright straight or slightly arching secund spiciform raceme, 3-4 in.
long, simple, dense or somewhat loose, 1-seriate, rarely augmented
by a second raceme about 1 \ in. below the terminal ; rhachis semi-
terete, flattened upwards, § lin. wide, scabrid or rigidly ciliate along
the angles, otherwise glabrous ; internodes 2-3 lin. long ; pedicels
solitary or 2-nate, the longest not much over J lin. long, very finely
puberulous with discoid tips. Spikelets contiguous or discontiguous,
oblong, subobtuse, 2 lin. long, glabrous, pale, sometimes tinged with
purple. Glumes unequal, membranous, the lower ovate-oblong,
slightly marginate, half as long as the spikelet, 4-uerved , upper
corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet or very slightly
shorter, 5-nerved with a few obscure cross-veins near the tip. Lower
floret (J, as long as the spikelet : valve resembling the upper glume
but with the inner side-nerves far apart and depressed along the
back ; valvule oblong, subacute, If lin. long, keels narrowly margin-
ate. Upper floret broad-oblong, obtuse or obscurely apiculate,
as long as the spikelet, pale brown, glossy and smooth ; valve and
valvule crustaceous ; anthers 1 lin. long.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Benguella ; country of the Ganguellas and
Ambuellas, Gossweiler, 2665 !

23. B. brizantha^ Stapf. Perennial, up to over 6 ft. high from
a short sometimes stout rhizome, with stout tomentose root-fibres
and extra vaginal or intravaginal innovations covered in bud by
coriaceous glabrous and often shining or sometimes appressedly
hairy cataphylls. Culms erect, rarely geniculately ascending,
stout, 4-6- (or sometimes many-) noded, simple or scantily branched,
upper internodes exserted. Leases glabrous or softly hairy to almost
velvety ; sheaths rather tight, terete, firm, not persisting very long,
striate ; ligules a narrow fimbriate rim ; blades linear or if short
sometimes sublanceolate, acute or long-tapering to a slender point,
2-15 in. by 3-8 lin., usually flat, firm, light green, margins carti-
laginous and spinulose, nerves numerous and very fine, the primary

532

CbVII. GRAMlNEiE (Stapf).

[Brack iaria.

lateral more or less distinctly differentiated below, midrib channelled
above, somewhat prominent underneath. Inflorescences secund,
of 2-8 very rarely solitary distant sessile straight or more often
arching or falcate spike-like racemes ; common axis 7-1 in. long,
triquetrous or semiterete, glabrous, with scabrid or ciliolate rarely
setnlose angles. Racemes secund, dense, 2 to over 6 in^long, some-
times with one or more arrested spikelets at the apex, simple, usually
1-seriate with the spikelets superposed, occasionally partly 2-seriate ;
rhachis straight or wavy upwards, rather flat or convex on the back,
concave on the face, up to over | lin. wide, scabrid and loosely ciliate
along the angles, cilia rising from small tubercles along the margins,
villosulous at the base, internodes 1-1-2 lin. long ; pedicels solitary,
very short, stout, usually sparingly setulose. Spikelets closely
contiguous, oblong to elliptic-oblong, rather obtuse or subacute,
turgid, 2-3 lin. long, glabrous rarely sparingly hairy upwards, pallid,
frequently with purple tops or variously tinged with purple. Glumes
very unequal, membranous to subchartaceous ; the lower broad-
ovate, obtuse, clasping, half the length of the spikelet or almost so,
7-11 -nerved, often purple, glabrous, the upper glume corresponding
in outline and size to the spikelet or slightly shorter, very convex,
sometimes minutely apiculate, 7-9-nerved, with a few cross-veins
near the tip, usually glabrous. Lower floret as long as the spikelet,
similar to the lower glume, but flattened or depressed on the back,
5-nerved , valvule oblong, subobtuse, finely keeled, flaps rather broad ;
anthers 1J lin. long. Upper floret equalling the upper glume or
as long as the spikelet, oblong' in outline, sometimes with a short
blunt incurved point, pale or slightly greenish ; valve and valvule
crustaceous, very delicately pitted, flaps of valvule very broad above
the base. — Panicum brizanthum, Hochst. in Flora, 1841, Intell. i. 19
(name only), and ex A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 363 ; Steud. Syn. PI.
Glum. i. 63 ; Oliv. in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxix. 170, t. 112, fig. 1 ; Klatt
in Jahrb. Hamburg. Wissench. Anstalt. ix. 120 ; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl.
Trop. Afr. 120 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Air. v. 742, and fitudes
FI. Congo, 321 ; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 101 ; Rendle in
Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 168 ; De Wild. & Durand, Contr. FI. Congo, i.
fasc.ii. 72, and in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2meser. i.60; De Wild. & Durand,
PI. Thonner. 3 ; Pilg. in Schlechter, Westafr. Kautschuk-Exped. 268 ;
Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 304 ; De Wild. Etudes FI. Bas-
et Moyen-Congo, ii. 11 ; Wood, Natal PI. t. 147 : Rendle in Journ.
Linn. Soc. Bot. xl. 229 ; Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 299.

Upper Guinea. Southern Nigeria: Ila, 850 ft., Thomas, 1930! Oban,
Talbot, 852 !

North Central. Upper Oubangui : Fort do Possel, Chevalier, 5364 !

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen ; Mount Savour, 5900 ft., Pajvpi, 5408.
Cohain ; Addi Galina, 5900 ft., Pappi, 2997. Maragus ; Adi Mabit, 5250
ft., Pappi, 960. Abyssinia: Gallabat ; Matamma, Schv'einfurth, 1162! Tigre,
Mount Sholoda, 6000-7000 ft., Schimper, 18! 89! Southern Abyssinia;

without precise locality, Drake -Brockman ! Niamniam country : Nvanje on

O'l/IA'

Bmchiaria.]

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

5BB

the Ibba. River, Schweinfurth, 3964 ! BongoJand : Culango, Schweinfurth,
2217 ! Gir, Schweinfurth, 2503 ! Uganda ; Kizude, 4000 ft.. Bummer, 26C3 !
Kipayo, Bummer, 895 ! 2484 ! Nandi country : Sibu, James ! Umjaro

plateau, common, Spetce rf? Grant ! Manjango, Stuhlmdnn, 1386 ! Ruwenzori;
Kasamagas, 5300 ft., Scott Elliot, 7610 ! Buddu ; Buganga, Scott Elliot, 7461 !
British East. Africa : Nairobi, Miss Johnstone, 59 ! Bowson, 257 ! 307 ! Taita
Mountains; Ndoli, Gregory ! and without precise locality, Powell, 23 !

Lower Guinea. French Congo : Bonga, at the mouth of the Sanga river,
Schlechter, 12663. Belgian Congo: Cataracts District; Lutete, Hens, A 214 !
Stanley Pool District; Kisantu, Gillet, 698, 948. Mokaba, Vanderyst, 3781 !
Gamboni, Vanderyst, 3674 ! Ruzizi-Kivu District (Coll. ?). Katanga ;
Chisangwe, Hornble, 49 ! Elisabethville, Pogers, 10952 ! Angola : Pungo
Andongo ; Calunda, Welwitsch, 2713 ! in damp meadows at the River Cuanza
near Mopopo, Welwitsch, 2822! meadows near Sansamanda, Welwitsch,
2796 ! Benguella ; in shrubby pasturage near Monungue, Gossweiler, 3082 !
Libolo country ; Fumbo-Calulo, Gossweiler, 5994 !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Kilimanjaro ; Himo River
3400 ft., Vol/cens, 1711 ! below Matschama, 3000 ft., Volkens, 1573! Portu-
guese East Africa : Qnilimane, Stuhlmann ! Zinyumbo Hills, 1500 ft.,
Swynnerton, 1557 ! Batoka country, Kirk ! Nyasaland : between Kondowe
and Karonga, 2000-6000 ft., Whyte, 377 ! Shire Highlands, Adamson, 190 !
Buchanan, 48! 1437! 1447! Rhodesia: Mumbwa, 15° S., 28° E., Mrs.
Macaulay, 38! Broken Hill, Rogers , 7685! Victoria Falls, Rogers, 5669!
Bulawayo; Matoppo Hills, Appleton, 21! 22! Matabeleland ; Insiza Distr.,
Mundyl Mashonaland; Umtali, Hon. Mrs. Cecil, 274! Saiver, 32! Salis-
bury, Mrs. Craster, 29 ! 35 ! Eyles, 643 ! Nobhs, 697 ! Barling in Herb.
Bolus, 10788 ; Enkeldoorn, Nobhs, 671! Gazaland : North Melsetter, 4000-
6000 ft., Swynnerton, 1602 a ! Nyahodi River, 4000 ft., Swynnerton, 1673 !
Chirinda, 3500 ft., Swynnerton , 1622 !

24. B. callopu^^A Annual, over 2 ft. high, copiously
rooting from the lowest nodes. Culms erect,, simple, stout, sheathed
all along, terete, glabrous, about 7-noded. Leaf-sheaths somewhat
loose, rather thin, terete or more or less compressed below, much so
upwards and at the same time broadly keeled, the lowest sparingly
and finely hairy ; ligules a fringe of snow-white hairs ; blades
erect, linear, passing imperceptibly into the sheath, acute, tightly
folded, keeled, with the keel thinning out upwards, up to 8 in. by
over 1 lin. (folded), finely hairy on the face at least downwards,
otherwise glabrous and delicately papillose, nerves numerous, very
close, margins slightly seaberulous. Inflorescences erect, about
6 in. long, of 6-8 erect or suberect secund almost subequally distant
racemes ; common axis sharply triangular, slightly flexuous, puberu-
lous, scabrid on the angles. Racemes dense, 2-seriate, sessile, 2 in.
(the lowest) to f in. long, simple ; rhachis subtriquetrous, flat on
the back, minutely puberulous or seaberulous, with scattered long
fine tubercle-based hairs from the angles, internodes about \ lin.
long ; pedicels solitary, very short, stout, with or without a stiff
long hair. Spikelets contiguous, elliptic in outline, acute, stoutly
stipitate, about 2 lin. long, pale straw-coloured. Glumes very
unequal, their bases adnate to the stout internode, forming with it
a subglobose stipe ; lower glume (free part) broad, ovate, mem-
branous, obtuse, 3-5-nerved ; upper very convex, corresponding in

584

\BracJiiaria .

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

outline and size to the spikelet, 7-nerved, with nerves scaberulous
upwards and with some fine cross-veins, very delicately pubescent.
Lower floret as long as the spikelet, : valve similar to the upper
glume, somewhat flattened on the back, 7-nerved, the inner side-
nerves smooth, raised upwards, the intermediate scabrid, the median
part of the valve between them smooth, the sides scaberulous ; val-
vule oblong, acuminate, finely keeled, with narrow flaps vanishing
upwards ; anthers J lin. long. Upper floret hermaphrodite, some-
what shorter than the lower, broad, elliptic-oblong, apiculate, 1-J lin.
long : valve and valvule semicrustaceous, smooth, very, delicately
striate. — Panicum callopus , Pilg. in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiii. 46.

Nile Land. Bongolancl : Gir, Schweinfurth, 2151 !

25. B. obtusiflora^ Stapf. Annual, up to 3 ft. high. Culms erect
or geniculately ascending, stout, 4-5-noded, simple, glabrous and
smooth, upper internodes exserted. Leaf-sheaths rather loose, not
very firm, the lower slipping from the culm, glabrous or more or
less loosely hairy, hairs fine, from a minute tubercle ; ligules quite
suppressed ; blades linear to lanceolate-linear from an equally wide
or constricted and rounded base, tapering to a slender acute point,
3 to over 8 in. by 3-5 lin., flat, pale green or yellowish when dry,
loosely and finely hairy or glabrous or becoming so, margins
cartilaginous, spinulously scabrid, midrib slender, whitish, promi-
nently so, primary lateral nerves obscure. Inflorescences contracted,
2 to over 6 in. long, erect, narrowly oblong, subsecund, of 5-8 sub-
erect dense and broad spiciform racemes ; common axis somewhat
stout, triquetrous with scabrid or ciliolate angles or setulose down-
wards, the keel on the face sharply prominent. Racemes irregularly
pluriseriate, compound, 2~g in. long, 4-5 lin. wide, secund, longer
than the internodes, hence more or less contiguous or subimbricate
upwards ; rhachis subtriquetrous, from over \ to \ lin. wide, straight,
angles scabrid or downwards sparingly hairy, internodes 1 lin. long
or less ; secondary racemes of mostly 3, rarely 4, spikelets, very
short and contracted forming fascicles of as many spikelets ; pedicels
stout, extremely short, with discoid tips, glabrous. Spikelets densely
crowded, very turgid, ellipsoid to oblong-ellipsoid, very obtuse,
contracted at the base into a stipe J lin. long, about 2 lin. long, pale
or yellowish, sometimes variegated with purple, quite glabrous.
Glumes very dissimilar ; lower rounded, very obtuse, broadly
clasping, 5-nerved, nerves not anastomosing, firmly membranous to
chartaceous ; upper corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet,
chartaceous, finely 5-nerved. Lower floret as long as the spikelet :
valve very similar to the upper glume, 5-nerved; valvule elliptic,
obtuse, almost as long as the valve ; anthers 1J lin. long. Upper
floret elliptic-oblong, subobtuse, pale, 1J lin. long ; valve and val-
vule crustaceous, smooth ; anthers slightly over 1 lin. long.- — Panicum
ohtusijlorum, A. Rich. Tent. El. Abyss, ii. 367.; Steud. Syn. PI.

Brachiaria. ]

CLVII. GBAMINEiE (Stapf).

535

Glum. i. 63 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 301 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 757 ; Ohiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 304.

Nile Land. Eritrea: Sarae; by the Mareb River near Gundet, 5570 ft.,
Pappi, 373. Abyssinia : Gallabat ; Matamma, gregarious, Scliweinfurth,
1007 ! 1154 ! in the swamps of Walcha plain, Schimper, 1553 ! 1G08 ! Sudan :
Khartoum (?), Massey.

The two sheets of Schimper 1G08 at Kew and at the British Museum
are named Panicum equitans, Hochst., on the distribution label, but the
Kew sheet represents a species of Echinochloa. To judge from A. Richard's
and Steudel’s descriptions of Panicum equitans it is evident that, they had an
Echinochloa before them, and Steudel actually places it in his section Echinochloa.

(_ ITlXujro^er)

26. B. nigropedataA Stapf. Perennial, compactly caespitose,
1-2| ft. high, on a short oblique rhizome which is densely beset with
fascicles of culms and intravaginal innovations coated by the firm
basal sheaths. Culms erect, rather slender, glabrous or finely
pubescent, about 3-noded, simple, internodes exserted, except the
lowest. Leaves mostly crowded at the base ; sheaths tight, terete,
rather firm, the outer and lowermost densely tomentose, the follow-
ing gradually less hairy or spreadingly hirsute, the uppermost finely
pubescent or glabrous ; ligules a fringe of short rigid hairs ; blades
linear from a narrow base, long-tapering to a fine point, 4-10 in.
by 2J-3 lin., erect, subrigid to flaccid, softly pubescent, sometimes
finely hirsute, pale or yellowish-green. Inflorescence up to 5 in. long,
subsecund or secund, of 3-8 or sometimes more erect or spreading
secund spiciform racemes ; common axis semiterete or flattened
upwards or adaxillarily channelled in the lower part, pubescent or
puberulous, scaberulous along the angles. Racemes simple, very
dense, 2-seriate, greyish, 1 (rarely 1 J) to J in. long ; rhachis flattened
on the back, with a very slender prominent midrib on the face,
up to | lin. wide, puberulous or minutely hirsute, rigidly ciliate along
the margins, tomentose at the base, internodes J-f in. long ; pedicels
solitary, very short, stout, setulose with slightly thickened tips.
Spikelets closely contiguous, broad or elliptic-oblong in outline,
cuspidate, turgid, constricted at the base into a short glabrous black
stipe, including it 2 lin. long, pale greenish or greyish, silkily villous.
Glumes very unequal, the lower subhyaline, broad, ovate, acute or
acuminate, half the length of the spikelet, 3-5-nerved, pubescent.
Upper glume membranous, very convex on the back, elliptic, cuspidate,
as long as the spikelet, faintly 5-nerved, loosely hairy, the uppermost
hairs longer. Lower floret as long as the spikelet, : valve equal
and similar to the upper glume, hyaline and subglabrous along the
depressed back, hairy on the sides with a more or less distinct tuft
of longer hairs on each side below the tip, or more evenly hairy ;
anthers 1 lin.- long ; valvule elliptic-oblong, subacute with fine keels,
flaps broad near the tip, then narrow and wide again at the base.
Upper floret broad-oblong, apiculate or minutely mucronulate,
nearly 1| lin. long, white, almost smooth ; valve and valvule crus-
taceous. — Panicum nigropedatum, Munro ex Hiern in Trans. Linn,

586

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[ Brachiaria .

Soc. ser. 2 , ii. 29 ; Stapf in Dyer, FI; Cap. vii. 388 ; Rendle in Journ.
Linn. Soc. Bot. xl. 229 ; . Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 300;
Heering in Arbeit. Deutsch. Landwirtsch.-Gesellsch. Heft 197, 15.
P. melanotylum, Hack, in Engl. Jahrb. xi. 398. P. melanostylum ,
Durand & Schinz, Consp. El. Afr. v. 756.

Nile Land. British East Africa: without precise locality, Mrs. Prescott-
Decie !

Lower Guinea. Amboland : Ondonga, Rautanen ! Otawifontein (according
to Heering). Hereroland: Okanakersewa, Vinter, 649! between Harris and
the Awas Mountains, on the high plateau, Pearson, 9506 ! between Choaberib
and Gurumanes, Pearson, 9406 !

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia: near the Zambesi, Holub ! Mashonaland:
Umtali, Hon. Mrs. Cecil, 268 ! Salisbury, 4900 ft., Pyles, 631 ! Enkeldoorn,
Nobbs, 673 ! Bechuanaland : Greathead in Colonial Herb. 4083. Bulawayo,
Jeffries, 62 ! Rogers, 5901 ! Portuguese East Africa : Madanda forest, 400 ft.,
Swynnerton, 1558 a !

C

27. B. lachnanthaA Stapf Perennial, compactly csespitose on a
short rhizome with intra vaginal innovations, 1J-2 ft. high. Culms
erect or geniculately ascending, moderately slender, about 2-noded
with the uppermost node below the middle, the lower internodes
pubescent upwards, otherwise glabrous. Leaves crowded at the
base ; sheaths tight, the lower firm, finely striate, more or less com-
pressed upwards and villosulous at the nodes, hairy to tomentose
at the very base, finely pubescent or glabrescent upwards, long-
persistent and coating the barren shoots and flowering culms ;
ligules a fringe of very short hairs ; blades linear from an equally
wide or attenuated base, tapering to a fine callous point, 4-7 in. long
by 2-2 b lin., flat, pale green or slightly glaucous, somewhat plump,
sparingly hairy or glabrous, rarely subiiirsute, nerves numerous, the
primary lateral indistinctly differentiated, margins very slightly
rough upwards. Inflorescence up to 4 in. long, sometimes much
reduced and very short, of 5-2 suberect almost equally distant
racemes ; common axis slender and adaxillarily flattened or chan-
nelled, glabrous, scabrid or scaberulous along the angles. Racemes
stout, sessile or subsessile, very dense, 2-seriate, simple, up to 1 in.
long, silkily villous ; rhachis almost straight, somewhat flattened,
subtriquetrous, about § lin. wide, densely and long-ciliate, the cilia
equalling the spikelets ; internodes J lin. long ; pedicels solitary,
J to almost 1 lin. long, villous with the hairs over 2 lin. long. Spikelets
contiguous, broadly oblong, subacute or shortly acuminate, 2 liir.
long, greenish, frequently tinged with purple. Glumes very unequal,
thinly membranous, the lower very broadly ovate, J lin. long, acute
or 2-dentate, pubescent, imperfectly 3-nerved ; the upper corre-
sponding in outline and size to the spikelet, finely 5-nerved, loosely
villous. Lower floret as long as the spikelet, ; valve very similar
to the upper glume, somewhat flattened on the back with a few
delicate cross-veins ; valvule ovate-oblong, subacute, about 1J lin.

o^'y ~f~ (j^ • \j^ V rv „ -w ris' A

i

Brachiaria.] clvii. gramine^] (Stapf). 5B7

long ; anthers almost 1| lin. long. Upper floret ^>, broad-oblong,
obtuse, 1J lin. long, whitish ; valve and valvule thinly crustaceous,
almost smooth. — Panicum lachnanthum, Hochst. in Flora, 1855,
195 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Air. v. 752 ; K. Schum. in Engl.
Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 101 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Boma, vii. 62, and
viii. 300 ; Engl. Veget.-Verh. Somaliland, 40.

Nile Land. Eritrea: Sarae ; Adi Gana, 6200 ft., Pappi, 586. Abyssinia:
Samen ; Bellaka, 7000 ft., Schimver ^ 2239 ! and without precise locality,
ScMm,per,\%\&J. Ogaden deseit, near Mil-Mil, Riva, 260 ! Somaliland: Golis
Range, Dralce^Broclcm, an , 461 '

(TWU.)

28. B. serrata .Stapf. Perennial, up to 2 ft. high, more or less
densely tufted ; rhizome short, thick, with stout densely tomentose
root-fibres ; innovations extravaginal, covered with densely tomen-
tose or villous cataphylls, growing up erect and often closely packed,
rarely lengthening out into short stolons. Culms usually erect,
terete, rather slender, branched from the base and some of the lower
nodes, rarely geniculatelv ascending , lower and intermediate inter-
nodes 4-5, rarely more, wholly enclosed in their sheaths oi nearly so,
hairy, short or at any rate very much shorter than the long-exserted
glabrous uppermost internode. Leaves usually crowded towards
the base ; sheaths tight, firm, the upper more or less herbaceous,
glabrous except near the mouth, along the outer margin and at the
villous nodes, or like the lower more or less hairy, the latter often
softly and shortly hirsute ; ligules a transverse fringe of short hairs ;
blades linear to lanceolate-linear, long-tapering to a callous point,
1-5 in. by l|-4 lin., flat or convolute, rigid, stout, glabrous or more or
less hairy, sometimes densely so, margins cartilaginous, often closely
crisped or wavy, minutely spinulose, nerves numerous, slender and
close, the midrib and 3-5 primary lateral nerves distinctly differenti-
ated below only if at all. Inflorescence very narrow, of 3-10 suberect
or appressed spike-like racemes ; common axis filiform, 3 (rarely more)
in. long, more or less semiterete, glabrous or puberulous or pubescent.
Racemes usually longer than the internodes, the lowest |--| rarely
1 in. long, the following gradually shorter or all very short, sessile
or the lowest shortly peduncled, 2-seriate, simple, rarely with a
small secondary raceme at the base, secund ; rhachis filiform, trique-
trous, up to J lin. wide, angular, wavy, pubescent with or without
longer fine hairs, internodes about \ lin. long ; pedicels solitary or
the lower 2-nate, filiform with discoid tips, very short, rarely the
longer of a pair over J lin. long, pubescent, usually with some long
fine hairs upwards. Spikelets laterally contiguous or subimbricate,
ovoid-ellipsoid to ellipsoid, shortly subacute and cuspidulate, or
obtuse, turgid, 1J-1J lin. long, pallid, overtopped by a purplish tuft
of hairs. Glumes very unequal ; lower subhyaline, broad-ovate,
obtuse, more than half the length, of the spikelet, 3-nerved, often
dark purple, pubescent ; upper glume corresponding in outline and
size to the spikelet, very convex, membranous, pale or greenish,

538

CLVII. GRAMINE^l (Stapf).

[ Brachiaria .

5-nerved, with the nerves quite obscure below the fringe of purplish
silky hairs which stretches across the glume below the glabrous tips,
pubescent or villosulous below the fringe or glabrous in the centre.
Lower floret : valve equal and similar to the upper glume in size
and texture, but more cuspidate or mucronate, hyaline and glabrous
along the middle with the transverse fringe broken up into two tufts
of hairs ; valvule almost as long as the valve, broad-elliptic-oblong ;
anthers over 1 lin. long. Upper floret elliptic in outline, subacuto
or minutely cuspidate, 1-1J lin. long, pale ; valve and valvule
coriaceous, glabrous or the former slightly ciliate near the tip, glossy.
— Panicum serratum , Spreng. Syst. i. 309 ; Kunth, Rev. Gram. i.
215, t. 19, and Enum. i. 98 ; Trin. Pan. Gen. 146, and in Mem. Acad.
Petersb. 6me ser. iii. 233 ; Nees, El. Afr. Austr. 31 ; Steud. Syn. PI.
Glum. i. 57 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. El. Afr. v. 765 (includ. var.
holosericeum, Hack.) ; Sclium. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 101 (partly) ;
Stapf in Dyer, El. Cap. vii. 388 ; Eyles in Trans. R. Soc. S. Afr. v.

301. P. serratum, v ar. holosericeum, Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot.
xl. 229 ; Eyles, l.c. P. scopuliferum , Trin. Spec. Gram. Icon. t. 165 ;
Kunth, Enum. i. 99 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 764. P. holosericeum,
Nees, l.c. ; not of R. Br. Holcus serratus, Thunb. Prodr. 20, and El. Cap.
ed. Schult. 110. Sorghum serratum, Roem. & SchulL Syst. ii. 839.

Lower Guinea. Angola : country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas, Goss-
weiler, 2421 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland, Buchanan, 233 ! 1440 ! 1450 ! Shire

Highlands, Scott Elliot, 8585 ! Rhodesia : Salisbury, common in wet places on
granite soil, Allen, 696! 699! Mrs. Craster, 20! Sawer, 22! Mashonaland :
Inyanga Distr., Mundy ! Insiza Distr., Mundy ! Charter, Government Herb. 3007.
Victoria Falls, Rogers, 7057. Gazaland : Chirinda, 3800 ft., Swynnerton, 1623.
Also in South Africa. * \

Var. gossypkna^St&pti 'very similar to the typical form, but smaller in all
parts, apparently forming dense cushions of leafy branches 3-6 in. high, from
which the flowering culms rise for another 6-12 in. Leaf-blades usually f-2 in.
by 1 to almost 2 lin., often almost pungent, with straight rarely slightly wavy
finely scaberulous margins, with or without more or less distant and very minute
spinules. Inflorescence 1-2 in. long. Spikelets from less than 1 to 1|- lin. long.
— Panicum gossypinum, A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 366 ; Steud. Syn. PI.
Glum. i. 56; Schweinf. Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 300, and in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii.
Apj). ii. 19, 95 ; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 120 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot.
Roma, viii. 30. P. serratum, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 101 (partly).
P. serratum , var. gossypinum, Hack, ex Durand and Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v.
765; Chiov. l.c. 299. Eriochloa purpurascens, Hoehst. in Flora, 1841, i. Intel!. 19.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Assorta ; between Minat Lake and the Urug Valley,
4900 ft., Pappi, 3378. Adi Qaieh, in the crevices of sunny rocks, 7550 ft.,
Schweinfurth, 20 ! Amasen ; arid north slope of Mount Bizen, 6560 ft., Schivein-
furth, 2029 ! Ambelaco near Maldi, 6560 ft., Schweinfurth, 19 ! Addi Baro,
along the Mareb River, Pappi, 2407 ; Sala Dharo, 7550 ft., Pappi, 2313 ; Lesa
Mountains, Pappi, 4694 ! Plateau of Asmara, Tellini, 357 ; Sarae ; along the
Mareb and in various other localities, between 5570 and 6200 ft., Pappi, 93,

302, 352, 489, 597 ; Ocule Cusai, 6550-8500 ft., Pappi, 1355, 2436. Abyssinia :
Tigre ; Mount Sholoda, Schimper, 174! Southern Abyssinia: Abomso, Dr alee
Brockman, 138 ! Somaliland, Lort-Phillips !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa ; Usambara: Kiva Mahuza, Holst ,
9154 a!

Brachiaria .] clvii. gramine^j (Stapf). 589

This variety is perhaps only an edaphic or climatic modification of typical
B. serrata. Very similar states were collected by Schlechter (no. 1721, dis-
tributed as Panicum serratum f. minor), and Burchell in Riversdale Division
and by the latter also in Mossel Bay Division (Cape of Good Hope).

29. B. brachylop^^^£f/^ Perennial, up to 3 ft. high, densely
tufted with intra vaginal innovations ; root-fibres stout, densely
tomentose. Culms usually erect or shortly ascending, simple or
very sparingly branched near the base, about 6- or 7-noded, the
lower and intermediate internodes enclosed in their sheaths or
only shortfy exserted, hairy below the nodes, the uppermost by far
the longest, very slender, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tight, striate,
moderately firm, the lowest very short, silkily tomentose, the
following rapidly increasing in length, softly hirsute ; ligules reduced
to a fringe of short hairs ; blades linear, long-tapering to a slightly
callous point, of the lowest and uppermost leaves very short, the
others up to 4 in. by 1J-2-J lin., fiat, rigid, pale or glaucous green,
softly hirsute all over, margins cartilaginous, minutely wavy or
crisped, with very small rather distant spinules, nerves numerous,
close, midrib and about 5 (on each side) lateral primary nerves only
slightly differentiated below. Inflorescence very narrow, 3-5 in.
long, of up to 12 rather distant suberect rarely spreading racemes ;
common axis filiform, subterete to semiterete, angular, glabrous
and almost smooth, terminating with a spikelet. Racemes sessile
or the lower on finely filiform peduncles (up to 1 lin. long), simple,
2-seriate, dense, silvery white, 6-4 lin. long ; rhachis finely filiform,
about — lin. wide, subtriquetrous, scaberulous, internodes mostly
less than J lin. long ; pedicels solitary, all very short with discoid
tips and some long fine hairs below them. Spikelets contiguous or
subimbricate, ovoid-oblong or elliptic- oblong in outline, turgid,
slightly over 1J lin. long, silvery-silky. Glumes very unequal ;
lower broad-ovate to rotundate, obtuse, hyaline, 3-nerved, pubescent,
about half the length of the spikelet or almost so ; upper corre-
sponding to the spikelet in size and outline, very concave, with a
transverse fringe of silvery hairs slightly exceeding the delicate
shortly acute or cuspidulate tips, pubescent below them, 5-nerved,
the nerves quite obscure below the fringe, more distinct (at least
the 3 inner) above it. Lower floret : valve resembling the upper
glume but more cuspidate, grooved along the middle and there
hyaline and glabrous, the bulging sides pubescent, each with a short
transverse fringe of hairs corresponding to that of the upper glume ;
valvule elliptic-oblong, acute ; anthers J lin. long. Upper floret ijf,
elliptic-oblong, acute or apiculate, 1-1 J lin. long, whitish : valve and
valvule thinly crustaceous, finely granulate, pubescent along the
narrow indexed margin. — Panicum brachylophum, Stapf ex Cheval.
Sudania, 13 (name).

Upper Guinea. French Sudan : Upper Niger near Ouassana, Chevalier, 619 !
Ivory Coast : Dabou, in savannahs, Chevalier, 17148 ! Northern Nigeria :
Lokoja, Richardson! . Nupe; on hills and in dry open plains, Barter, 1397 ! -

540

[ Brachiaria .

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

.OW)

30. B. aridaA$m#/’. Perennial, about 1|- ft. high, glaucous. Culms
tufted on a short rhizome with rather stout root-fibres ; innovation-
buds ovoid, glabrous. Culms geniculate, suberect, few-noded,
branched below, the uppermost internode by far the longest, lower
internodes slightly compressed and wiry, all quite glabrous and
smooth. Leaf-sheaths quite glabrous or sparingly hairy upwards ;
the basal very pale, slipping off the culms, slightly keeled ; ligules
thinly membranous, very short, truncate, ciliate ; blades narrowly
linear from an equally wide base, tapering to a long fine point, 2-8 in.
by 1-3 lin., rather rigid, flat or convolute, glabrous or sometimes
finely pubescent at the junction with the sheath, smooth except at
the minutely scaberulous margin. Inflorescence very narrow,
5-1-1- in. long, of 5-2 distant erect or oblique solitary rather stiff
and loose racemes or reduced to a single raceme ; common axis
very slender, angular, smooth or scabrid upwards and often sparingly
hairy near the nodes. Racemes simple, up to almost 1J in. long,
the upper much shorter and very scanty, very shortly peduncled
or more often sessile ; rhachis triquetrous, about lin. wide, gla-
brous or with a few hairs near the nodes, angles scabrid ; pedicels
2-nate, very unequal, the longer \\ lin. long, or solitary and then
up to 2 lin. long, all angular, scaberulous, with or without a few
fine tubercle-based hairs. Spikelets oblong, subacute, slightly convex
on the back, up to 2 lin. long, pale green, sometimes slightly flushed
with red, glabrous. Glumes very unequal ; lower broad-ovate,
acute, about one-third the length of the spikelet, membranous, 1- to
sub-3-nerved ; upper corresponding in size and outline to the spikelet,
thinly papery, 7-nerved. Lower floret : valve very similar to
the upper glume, 5-nerved ; valvule almost as long as the valve,
obtuse, keels narrowly winged ; anthers ~ lin. long. Upper floret

oblong, slightly wider upwards, obtuse, over 1 J lin. long, smooth ;
valve and valvule subcrustaceous. — Panicum aridum, Mez in Engl.
Jahrb. xxxiv. 139.

Nile Land. Somaliland, Hildebrandt , 1483. Socotra: Wadi Digal, 650 ft.,
Schweinfurth, 539 ! Kischen, 2100 ft., Schweinfurth , 584 !

C lUSJtauyrr* ^

31. B. leucacrantha^ Stapf. Annual, | to over 1 ft. high, loosely
tufted. Culms geniculately ascending, slender, terete or subangular
below, up to 8-noded, branched, lower and intermediate internodes
enclosed, or bared by the slipping off of the sheaths, more or less
pubescent, the uppermost at length exserted and glabrous. Leaf-
sheaths rather loose, thin, striate, pubescent or softly hirsute, the
uppermost and those of young leafy shoots tight ; ligules a dense
fringe of short hairs ; blades linear, slightly narrower downwards,
tapering to an acute point, 2-2 \ in. by 2-2 \ lin., flat, slightly succulent,
densely and softly pubescent on both sides, margins scabrid, nerves
numerous, fine, close, the primary lateral like the midrib distinguish-
able below only. Inflorescence of 3-5 distant at length more or less

Brachiaria .]

CLVII. GRAMINEA3 (Stapf).

541

horizontal secnnd spiciform racemes ; common axis very slender,
semiterete, channelled adaxillarily or flattened upwards, up to 2 in.
long, scaberulous along the angles, at least upwards, glabrous.
Racemes up to almost 1 (rarely 1 J) in. long, 1- or sub-2-seriate, simple,
moderately dense or loose, sessile or the lowest bare at the base with
arrested spikelets ; rhachis triquetrous, lin. wide, straight
or slightly wavy, flat on the back, scabrid along the angles, otherwise
glabrous or pubescent with or without some fine long hairs ; inter-
nodes 1-1 J, rarely 2 lin. long ; pedicels solitary, up to over J lin.
long, angular, scabrid, often with a few long fine hairs, tips not
thickened. Spikelets discontiguous, ovate- or oblong-lanceolate,
rostrate-acuminate, somewhat turgid, 2 lin. long, whitish. Glumes
very unequal ; lower broad- to rotundate-ovate, shortly acute,
clasping, almost half the length of the spikelet, hyaline, nerves
7-9, fine, anastomosing upwards ; upper corresponding in outline
and size to the spikelet, whitish with 5 nerves which are green and
prominent upwards and connected there by cross-veins, mucronate,
glabrous or sparingly pubescent, always with a tuft of stiff erect
hairs on each side at three-quarters from the base. Lower floret
neuter : valve very similar to the upper glume, but depressed on
both sides of the midnerve; valvule elliptic-oblong, 1J lin. long,
with finely scaberulous narrowly winged keels ; lodicules 0. Upper
floret broad-oblong, acute, slightly over JLJ lin. long, straw-
coloured ; valve and valvule crustaceous, delicately pitted, flaps of
the latter almost touching downwards. Stigmas blackish -purple,
exserted below the tip. — Panicum leucacranthum, K. Schum. in Engl.
Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 102.

Nile Land. British East Africa: Makindu, Linton, 102! Rabat, 400 ft.,
Dowson, 15 !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Tanga, in clearings, Holst, 2097 !
Sacleux, 2507 ! Amboni, in bush, Holst, 2805 !

32. B. xantholeuca. Staff. Annual, up to over 2 ft. high, loosely
tufted. Culms geniciuately ascending or decumbent and rooting
at the base, more rarely erect, slender, terete or somewhat com-
pressed towards the base, few- to about 8-noded, branched, rarely
quite simple, lower internodes often arching and bared by the slip-
ping off of the sheaths, usually rather short, the uppermost at length
long-exserted and much the longest, all softly hairy at least upwards.
Leaf-sheaths striate, lower loose, upper somewhat tight, more or
less softly hairy to subtomentose or villous, hairs fine, spreading,
often rather long, nodes villosulous ; figules a dense fringe of short
hairs ; blades lanceolate-linear to linear from a slightly and shortly
contracted base, tapering to a callous acute or subacute point, 1J-4
in. by 2J-4 lin., flat, somewhat succulent and rigid or subflaccid
when long, drying yellowish-green, softly pubescent to tomentose
or velvety on both sides, with some long and fine hairs here and there,

542

CL VII. GKAMlNEiE (Stapf).

[ Br acinar ia.

margins finely cartilaginous, very scabrid, nerves very inconspicuous,
primary laterals about 3-4 on each side, distinguishable only below,
if at all. Inflorescence secund or subsecund, 1J-4 in. long of 3-8
stiff suberect or spreading sessile or subsessile spiciform racemes ;
ail the axes very angular, very scabrid along the angles and frequently
pubescent, the common axis often channelled adaxi]larily. Ka-
cemes f-l j in. long, gradually decreasing upwards, 2-seriate, simple,
rather dense or the lowest sometimes looser and interrupted towards
the base ; rhacliis triquetrous, lin. wide, flat or subconvex on the
back, straight or very slightly wavy, more or less irregularly ciliate
with white hairs, internodes J-f- lin. long ; pedicels solitary and very
short, very rarely 2-nate and then the longer up to 2 lin. long, with
fine long hairs near the tips which are not discoid. Spikelets con-
tiguous to subimbricate, ovate to oblong-elliptic in outline, shortly
cuspidate to rostrate-acuminate, somewhat turgid, 14 to over 2 lin.
long, pale green, hairy, rarely glabrous. Glumes very unequal;
lower broad-ovate, shortly acute or acuminate, clasping, half the
length of the spikelet, thinly membranous, 7-nerved, nerves anastomo-
sing upwards, prominulous : upper corresponding in outline and
size to the spikelet, rather thin below, whitish, 5-nerved, with the
nerves converging and passing into a solid cusp or mucro, reticu-
lately cross-veined towards the tip, usually finely and sparingly
pubescent below, more densely so upwards where the hairs are at
the same time longer and more white, rarely quite glabrous. Lower
floret neuter : valve very similar to the upper glume, slightly flat-
tened or depressed on the back ; valvule oblong, acute or subobtusc,
thin, with marginate keels, almost as long as the valve or more or
less reduced ; lodicules 0. Upper floret elliptic-oblong, apiculate
to submucronulate, very convex on the back, almost as long as the
spikelet, pale straw-coloured ; valve and valvule crustaceous, very
delicately pitted, glossy, flaps of the latter wide, touching downwards.
Anthers orange-coloured, over to almost § lin. long. Stigmas
blackish-purple, conspicuous, exserted below the tip of the spikelet.
Grain (not quite mature) subellipsoid, dorsally slightly compressed,
greenish ; scutellum panduriform, half the length of the grain :
kilum narrowly oblong. — Panicum xantholeucum, Hack, in Verhandl,
Bot. Yer. Brandenb. xxx. 141 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr.
v. 767 ; Hack, in Bull. Herb. Boiss. iv. App. iii. 15; Cheval. Su-
dania, 159.

Upper Guinea. Northern Nigeria : Nupe ; on cultivated ground, Barter,
799 ! 1366 ! Sokoto, Dalziel, 476 ! 476a !

North Central. Bagirmi : Nigui, Chevalier . 9459 !

Lower Guinea. Amboland: Olukonda, Schinz, 639 ! Hereroland: Onjodja-
here, Schinz , 474 !

O

33. B. ramosa^ i.

fascicled, slender, geniculate, suberect or more usually ascending
from a frequently prostrate and rooting base, terete, 4- go -noded,

)

Kayf. Annual, up to over 2 ft. high. Culms

548

BracJkiaria .] clvii. gramineje (Stapf).

branched below, glabrous or softly and finely pubescent upwards.
Leaf -sheaths somewhat thin, the lower loose and often slipping oli
the culm, finely striate, glabrous, with only a few marginal or sub-
marginal cilia towards the mouth, to finely pubescent all over or at
least upwards ; ligules reduced to a line of short white hairs ; blades
linear-lanceolate from a rounded and often clasping base, long and
finely acuminate, from less than 2 to 5 (occasionally 6) in. by 3-8
(occasionally 12) lin., flat, soft and usually flaccid, green, glabrous
or finely pubescent on the back near the base or all over, margins
sharply scabrid, primary lateral nerves 3-5 on each side with numerous
very fine secondary ones between them, midrib slender. Panicle
at length usually more or less exserted, narrowly oblong, 2-6 in.
long, of 5 to many solitary downwards somewhat distant, upwards
approximate or altogether irregularly approximate suberect or
oblique spike-like racemes ; common axis angular, channelled on
the adaxillary side, terminating with a spikelet, scabrid along the
edges of the channel, glabrous or very finely pubescent and some-
times here and there with longer hairs. Racemes moderately
slender, the lower 1^-2 J in. long, the upper gradually shorter, straight
or slightly flexuous, subsessile or the lowest shortly pedunclcd,
simple or the longer frequently compound downwards or up to or
beyond the middle, with very short secondary racemes ; rhachis
triquetrous, slightly wavy to straight, rarely over J lin. wide, scabrid
along the angles, otherwise glabrous or very finely pubescent, with
or without scattered long hairs ; pedicejs paired or fascicled (con-
tracted secondary racemes) or upwards solitary, filiform, angular,
scabrid, the longest of a pair or fascicle up to 1 lin. long, frequently
with some long rigid hairs from near the tips. Spikelets (or pairs
or clusters of spikelets) evenly distant by slightly less than their own
length or sometimes irregularly approximate or rather remote
downwards, ovoid, subacute or apiculate, somewhat turgid,
1J lin. long, greenish, at length pale straw-coloured. Glumes very
unequal ; the lower broad-ovate, obtuse to subacute, clasping at
the base, 5-7- (rarely 3-) nerved, the inner or all nerves anastomo-
sing ; upper corresponding in shape and size to the spikelet, mem-
branous, glabrous or finely pubescent, 7- (more rarely 5-) nerved,
nerves distinct, green. Lower floret neuter : valve very similar to
the upper glume, 5-nerved; valvule oblong, truncate, delicate,
more or less reduced. Upper floret slightly shorter than the
lower, ovate in outline, subacute, pale brown when mature ; valve
and valvule crustaceous, transversely rugose. Grain broad-elliptic
in outline, flat or slightly depressed on both sides with broad rounded
sides, up to 1 lin. by ~ lin. ; scutellum ovate-oblong, equalling §
of the grain. — • Panicum ramosum, Linn. Mant. i. 29 ; Kunth, Enum.
i. 125 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 97 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 36
(partly) (glabrous state) ; Hitchcock in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb,
xv. 44. P. arvense, Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 391, t. 109, and Enum.

544

CLVII. GKAMINE.® (Stapf).

\Brachiaria.

i. 93; Steud. l.c. 67 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 741 ;
Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. iii. (1884) 135 (pubescent state). P. Peti-
veri, Trim Diss. ii. (Gram. Pan.) 144 (partly) ; Pan. Gen. 171, and
Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 176 A, B; Nees, Agrost. Bras. 111? Kunth,
Enum. i. 91 ; Steud. l.c. 68 ; Baker, FI. Maurit. 434 (pubescent state).
P. brachylachnum , Steud. l.c. 62. P. cognolissimum , Steud. l.c. 69 ;
Durand & Schinz, l.c. 742. P. patens, Boj. Hurt. Maur. 365, not of
Linn., and P. pygmceum, Boj. l.c. (pubescent states).

Upper G-uiuea. Cape Vercl Islands : St. Vincent, Cunningham ! St. Jago;
Os Orgaos, Lowe ! Chao cb Falcao, Lowe ! and without precise locality, Wilkes'
Expedition,^ ! Fogo ; Sta Filippe, Lowe ! Brava, near the Port, Lowe !
Senegal : Richard Toll and Dakka, Roger, 34 ! and without precise locality,
Royer, xvii. partly ! Leprieur ! Heudeloi, 297 ! Perrotlet, 902 ! Portuguese
Guinea : Bolama, Carvalho !

This occurs in a glabrous and a pubescent state. The original specimen in
Linnaeus’ herbarium represents the former. The pubescence, if present, extends
generally to the culms, the leaves, the axes of the inflorescences and the spike-
lets, the upper glume and lower valve. On the blades it may be scanty and
disappear with age. It does not seem to be correlated with any other character
and the area of the glabrous and pubescent states overlap completely, in fact
both have been taken in the same collecting. A curious modification in which
the lower valve is more firmly membranous to ciustaceous and faintly trans-
versely rugose and thus more or less resembles the upper (fertile) valve — not the
upper glume as is normally the case — has been collected in West Africa as well
as in India. In that case it is always glabrous and accompanied by a valvule
of the reduced kind found normally in the lower floret. Another abnormality
is exhibited by specimens collected by Lowe in St. Jago, Cape Verd Islands
(glabrous state), and by C. B. Clarke, who described it as a distinct species,
P. supervacuum, in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. xxiv. 407, in Bengal (pubescent
state). In these a second barren floret is intercalated between the normal
barren and the fertile floret ; it is like the former in shape, but intermediate
in substance between its neighbours. Owing to this addition the orientation
of the fertile floret is that of the lower glume.

34. B. regularis^ Stapf. Annual, rarely muck over 1J ft. high.
Culms fascicled, slender, erect or suberect, more rarely ascending
from a geniculate base, terete, rarely more than 4-noded, branched,
with the branches suberect and leafy, but at length all flowering,
finely pubescent, at least towards the panicle. Leaf-sheaths some-
what firm, striate, very pale, delicately pubescent all over or at least
upwards ; ligules a fringe of short stiff hairs ; blades linear to sub-
lanceolate-linear from a rounded rarely clasping base, long-tapering
to a slender point, from less than 2 to 6 (rarely over 8) in. by 2-6
(rarely 8) lin., flat, subflaccid, often glaucous, finely pubescent,
margins scabrid, primary lateral nerves 4-6 on each side with
numerous very fine secondary ones between them, midrib slender.
Panicle at length more or less exserted, oblong to broad-ovate in
outline, 4-6 in. by 3-5 in., sometimes much reduced, of 5 to many
solitary or subgeminate at length much spreading or horizontal very
lax racemes ; common axis angular, slightly channelled on the
adaxillary side, terminating with a spikelet, finely scabrid along the
angles and sometimes spreadingly hairy besides ; racemes slender,

/«? '£-t*v

tfg , , ,

lA^''

Brackiaria.]

CL VII. GRAMlNEiE (Stapf).

545

the lower and intermediate 2J-1J or, in robust specimens, to 5 in.
long, straight or flexuous, subsessile or the lowest bare at the base
for J-l in. (owing to the arrest of the spikelets), simple or the longer
compound with scanty secondary racemes J-f in. long ; rhachis
triquetrous, more or less flexuous to almost straight, ~ lin. wide,
scabrid along the angles, finely pubescent with or without scattered
spreading hairs ; pedicels paired or upwards solitary, filiform,
angular, scabrid, the longer of a pair up to 3 or sometimes 5 and even
up to 10 lin. long, with or without a few spreading hairs near the tips.
Spikelets or pairs of spikelets or secondary racemes distant by 5-8
lin., hence usually very loosely scattered ; spikelets as in B. ramosa ,
but mostly pubescent, the lower glume 5-nerved with all the nerves
anastomosing, or sub-7-nerved, the upper glume typically 7-, and
the lower valve typically 5-nerved. Lower floret very rarely
with anthers 1 lin. long. Anthers of upper floret -f lin. long. Grain
as in B. ramosa. — -Panicum regulars, Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 41 (in note) ;
Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 68 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v.
761. P. nudiglume, Hochst. in Flora, 1844, 253 ; A. Rich. Tent. FI.
Abyss, ii. 372 (partly) including var. major, Hochst.; Walp. Ann.
Bot. iii. 717 ; Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 68 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FI.
Aethiop. 301 ; Martelli, FI. Bogos, 91 ; Schweinf. in Bull. Herb.
Boiss. ii. App. ii. 21 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 756 ;
Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, vii. 64, and viii. 33 ; Rendle in
Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 170 (excl. var. major), and in Journ. Linn.
Soc. Bot. xl. 229. P. Ruprechtii, Fenzl ex Steud. l.c. P. Peliveri,
Ball. f. Bot. Socotra, 310 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 759 (partly) ;
Penzig in Atti Bot. Congr. Genoa, 1893, 366 ; Chiov. l.c. viii. 32, 302
(includ. vars.) ; Engl. Vegetal. Somaliland, 14. P. Petiveri, var.
nudiglumis, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfi. Ost-Afr. C. 102 ; not of Trim
P. ramosum, Cheval. Sudania, 34, 162 ; Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S.
Afr. v. 300 ; not of Linn. P. nidulans, Mez in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiv. 136.

Upper Guinea. French Sudan: Middle Niger; Sompi, Chevalier, 2282!
Goundam, Chevalier, 2283! Gold Coast: Aburi, in gardens, Johnson, 1004!
in dry plains, Brown, 327 ! Southern Nigeria : Lagos, MacGregor, 70 ! Foster,
6 ! Northern Nigeria : Nupe, in shady ravines, Barter, 1367, B !

North Central. Bagirmi : Arahil, Chevalier, 9606! Central Shari: Jro
Koulfa, Chevalier, 8810 !

Nile Land. Nubia : shore of the Red Sea at Mirza Elei (22° 12' N. long.),
Schweinfurth, 1171 ! Wadi Dimehadit, between Suakim and Berber, Schwein-
furth, 446 ! Sudan : Cordofan, Kotschy, 53 ! Pfund, 536 ! Darfur : Surutj
District, Pfund, 531 ! Sennar ; near Dakhlia Shellei, Broun, 726 ! Eritrea :
Habab, Hddebrandt, 339 ! Beni Amer ; Mount Damba, Pappi, 5933 ! 6031.
Bogos ; Keren, Beccari, 229. Mensa, 1300-1450 ft., Terracciano & Pappi,
2057, 2081. Samhar ; Saati, Schweinf urth, 16! Schweinfurth & Riva, 311 !
Penzig, Ragazzi & Pappi, 2640. Terracciano & Pappi, 2642 ! Dahlak
Archipelago, Tellini, 61. Assaorta ; Mount Ghedem, Schweinfurth & Riva ,
127 ! Tellini, 192. Mount Dijot, 5900 ft., Pappi, 5700. Mount Urug, 8350
ft., Pappi, 3418 ! 3411 ; and other localities, Pappi, 2631, 2636, 2638, 2639,
3068 ; Terracciano, 2641. Tellini, 22. Amasen ; near Ghinda, 2950 ft.,
Schweinfurth , 1714! Pappi, 4183; plains of Sabarguma, Pappi, 4006 ! and
other localities, Tellini, 742, 1036, 1398, 1402, 1588 ; Terracciano & Pappi,

FL, TROP. AFR. VOL. IX. — PT. 3. 2 N

546

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[ Bmchiaria .

113. Dembelos, Pappi, 6061. Ocule Cusai, 5250 ft., Pappi, 1809, 3995. I)am-
veita ; Hotha Islands, Terracciano, 810, 811. Um Namus Island, Terrac-
ciano, 430. Abyssinia: Tigre ; Hamedo plains, 4600 ft., Schimper, 1074!
1088 ! Samen ; Tacazze Valley, Schimper, 1513 ! 1653 ! and without precise
rocaTity, Schimper, 269 ! South Abyssinia ; Hamara on the Gonale River,
Riva, 1195! and without precise locality, Drake-Brockman, 65! British
Somaliland: without precise locality, Drake-Broclcman, 411! Italian Somali-
land; Jub Valley, Erlanger. Socotra, Balfour, 23! 51! 67! 127! South
of Tamariu, Schweinfurth, 429 !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Loanda ; gregarious, appearing after the rains,
Gossweiler, 1655 ! 1667 ! in poor pasture, Welwitsch, 7467 ! 7362 partly !
Golungo Alto (?), Welwitsch, 7217! 7239c! Rondo, Mechow, 2! 2367!
Mossamedes ; common undergrowth in open bush at km. 107 of the Mossa-
medes railway, Pearson, 2901 ! Ramaraland, Een !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar, Ilildebrandt, 1086 ! Belligny ! Last ! German
East Africa: Tanga Station, Holst, 2011 ! Ukambani; Kibwesi, in grassland
and laterite, Scheffler, 523 partly ! Nyasaland : Milauri, among taller grasses
not far from the Shire, Scott ! Portuguese East Africa : Senna, Carvalho !
Tette, Kirk ! Muchukwana on the lower Buzi, Swynnerlon, 997 ! Rhodesia :
Victoria Falls, Rogers, 5720 ! 6006 !

Also in Yemen, N.-E. Transvaal (Shilouvane, Junod, 123 !) and Madagascar.

Panicum nidulans, Mez, described from specimens collected by Schwein-
furth on the shore at Mirza Elei, south of Elei Island (Nubia), and others
collected by Ehrenberg (proba bly in Eritrea), is apparently merely a very hairy
much stunted and contracted desert condition of B. regularis. Schweinfurth’s
specimens much resemble in general habit certain specimens of the pubescent
form of B. ramosa from N.-W. India, but as B. regularis seems to be common
in Nubia and Eritrea whilst typical B. ramosa, appears to be absent there, we
may be justified in connecting P. nidulans with the former; some of the
primary pedicels are actually more elongated than one would expect from B.
ramosa. A similar contracted dwarf state is represented by Broun’s specimen
from Dakhlia Shellel, Sennar, and other approaches towards it are found
among the Socotran specimens, of which Balfour says, ‘‘A very variable
species, sometimes dwarf, from other localities a large stout plant.” The
taller Socotran specimens are undoubtedly B. regularis, and are clearly
connected with the dwarf states. A similar variation, evidently due to con-
ditions of nutrition, is exhibited by Rogers’ specimens from the Victoria Falls
(no. 5720, tall; no. 6006, stunted). No specimens referable to B. regularis .
have been seen in Indian collections ; but as far as it goes Trinius’ figure C
in Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 176 (P. Peiiveri ) seems to represent it.

Chiovenda (l.c. viii, 32) based a ‘ ‘ var. robustissimum ” of Panicum Petiveri
on Pappi 3418 from Mount Urug. He says it has the habit of P. maximum,
with very robust, pubescent culms, a large panicle with the lowest branches
in whorls of 5-7 and densely pubescent spike lets. A specimen of Pappi 3418
in the Zurich Herbarium did not strike me as different from B. regularis as
understood here. Chiovenda also quotes typical P. Petiveri from the same
locality and collected on the same date (no. 3411).

35. B. ovalis, Stapf. Annual, fascicled, up to over 1 ft. liigli.
Culms erect or genicu lately ascending, about 4-noded, branched
below (sometimes copiously), pubescent below the nodes, terete or
compressed below. Leaf-sheaths thin, rather loose, striate, softly
pubescent all over ; ligule a dense fringe of short hairs ; blades linear
from an equally wide base, long-tapering to a fine point, 3-7 in. by
2-3 lin., flat, flaccid, pale green, very finely and softly pubescent
all over, margins finely cartilaginous, scabrid, not crisped, midrib

fi.

M

Brachiaria .] clvii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). 547

very slender, whitish, primary lateral nerves about 4 on each side,
very fine, differentiated below only. Panicle narrow, 2-3 in. long,
subsecund, of 5-8 very lax suberect or spreading ultimately deflexed
subsessile or sessile racemes ; common axis slender, angular, loosely
pubescent with some longer hairs intermixed. Eacemes simple,
secund or subsecund, the lower up to -J or more rarely 1 in. long, the
upper rapidly decreasing and reduced to 4-2-nate or solitary spikelets
which arrange themselves in a terminal raceme ; rhachis flexuous,
filiform, triquetrous, up to J lin. wide, pubescent with some longer
hairs intermixed, internodes 1 J-4 lin. long ; lowermost pedicels 2-nate,
the others solitary and short, the longer of a pair rarely up to
2 lin. long, angular, puberulous, with long hairs upwards. Spikelets
distant, broadly ovate or elliptic-oblong, obtuse to subobtuse, 1-J to
2 lin. long, whitish and more or less glossy, almost like ivory. Glumes
dissimilar : lower very broadly obovate, subacute, usually contracted
at the base into a deeply folded or puckered cuff which tightly clasps
the internode between the glumes, very white, faintly 3-5-nerved ;
upper very obtuse, broad, very slightly shorter than the lower floret,
thinly papery, 5-nerved, nerves greenish, sometimes vanishing
downwards. Lower floret (? always) : valve similar to the upper
glume, but somewhat narrower upwards to obscurely apiculate, tip
stouter ; valvule oblong, truncate with narro w flaps, shorter than the
valve ; anthers § lin. long. Upper floret broad-elliptic in outline,
subacute, 1J to over 1J lin. long, shortly constricted at the base :
valve and valvule crustaceous, smooth, at length brownish. Grain
broad-ellipbic in outline, dorsally compressed, over 1 lin by J lin.,
greenish-yellow ; scutellum about three-quarters the length of the
grain, ovate-lanceolate to almost panduriform. — Panicum ovale,

E. Br. in Salt, Voy. Abyss. App. iv. 63 (name) , Durand & Schinz, ££
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 758.

Nile Land. Eritrea: Habab; in woods along streams, Hildebrandt, 387!
Abyssinia. : without precise locality. Salt ! British Somaliland : Haud
Thomson ! Bohotle and Upper Sheikh, Appleton !

Considered to be good fodder (Appleton).

36. B, grossa, Stapf. Annual, up to over 1J ft. high. Culms
fascicled or single, suberect from a geniculate base or erect, slender,
terete, glabrous and very smooth, about 5-noded, branched from the
base or above it, with the lowest 1 or 2 internodes elongated (2-5 in.),
and the branches suberect or obliquely spreading. Leaf -sheaths
rather thin, striate, often slipping off the internodes, pale or the
upper subherbaceous, quite glabrous or with long fine spreading
tubercle-based hairs ; ligules a fringe of short white hairs ; blades
linear to sublanceolate-linear from a more or less rounded base,
long-tapering to a fine point, 3-6 in. by 2-3 J lin., flat, thin,
green or slightly glaucous, quits glabrous or with a few spreading
marginal hairs at the very base, margins scaberulous, primary lateral

548

CLVII. GRAMINEjE (Stapf).

[Brackiaria.

nerves 3-4 on each side with numerous very fine secondary ones
between them, midrib slender, rather prominent downwards on the
back. Panicle at length more or less exserted, broad-ovate in out-
line, 3-6 in. by 2-5 in., of 4-6 solitary at length much spreading very
lax racemes ; common axis slender, terete below, more or less
flattened upwards with scabrid angles, glabrous, terminating with a
spikelet ; racemes slender, the lower and intermediate 4-2 in. long,
at length rather stiff, sessile, simple or the longest compound down-
wards with scanty secondary racemes up to over 1 in. long ; rhachis
very slightly wavy, triquetrous, or rounded downwards on the back,
up to | lin. wide, scabrid along the angles, glabrous , pedicels paired
or upwards solitary, filiform, angular, scaberulous, glabrous or rarely
with a few fine long spreading hairs. Spikelets or pairs of spikelets
or secondary racemes distant by 4-10 lin., or the lowest by almost
1 in., hence very loosely scattered ; spikelets obo void-oblong,
subobtuse or apiculate, turgid, distinctly narrowed at the base,
f-2 lin. long, rather green and quite glabrous, very similar in structure
to those of B. ramosa and B. regularis, but the lower glume slightly
larger, usually very acute and frequently 3-nerved or sub-5-nerved
(with the outer side-nerves very short), the valvule of the barren
floret more developed with distinctly winged keels and the valve and
valvule of the fertile floret coriaceous-crustaceous and strongly
(often acutely) transversely rugose, at length turning dull brown. —
Panicum nudiglume, var. major , Ren die, Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 170.
P. serrcefolium , Rendle, l.c. ; not of Hochst. ex A. Rich.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Loanda, Gossweiler, 191 ! Welwitsch, 7362c
partly ! 7469 ! Benguella ; Country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas,

Gossweiler , 1652 ! 1667 ! Mossamedes ; common in undergrow th of open

bush at km. 107 of the Mossamedes railway, Pearson, 2367 ! Among granite
blocks between Gambos Fort and the Mission Station, Pearson, 2514 ! In
rock fissures, Pearson, 2440 !

Recognisable by its relatively large very loosely scattered almost pear-
shaped spikelets and by being glabrous (except for the frequent presence of
spreading hairs on the sheaths). Pearson and Gossweiler collected this and
the preceding species apparently within a short radius, and Pearson’s 2367
might be considered as intermediate and possibly a cross between the two.
The other specimens are markedly different.

37. B0 serrifolia^ Stapf. Annual, up to over 3 ft. high. Culms
single or scantily fascicled, suberect from a geniculate or prostrate
and then rooting base, somewhat stout, 5-many-noded, branched
from near the base or all along, with the branches suberect or obliquely
spreading, glabrous, usually loosely hairy in the upper parts of the
internodes. Leaf-sheaths rather thin or the upper subherbaceous,
often slipping off the internodes and rolling round the adjoining
branch, strongly striate, more or less hirsute with tubercle-based
hairs ; ligules a narrow ciliolate rim ; blades lanceolate-linear from
a rounded or cordate or obtusely auricled base, long-tapering to a
slender point, 3-8 in. by 5-10 lin., flat, thin, but hardly flaccid,

Brachiaria.]

CL VII. GRAMINE2E (Btapf).

549

green, quite glabrous, often rough on the nerves above, margins
cartilaginous, densely spinulously serrulate, primary lateral nerves
3-6 on each side, obscure above, with numerous fine secondary ones
between them, midrib slender. Panicle at length more or less
exserted, rather secund, of 5-7 solitary suberect or at length spreading
slightly lax racemes ; common axis slender, terete, angular and more
or less channelled adaxillarily, scabrid. Racemes stout, subsessile
or the lowest shortly peduncled (sometimes with the rudiments of
arrested spikelets), 2-1 or the lower up to over 3 in. long, usually
simple ; rhachis very slightly flexuous, triquetrous, up to \ lin. wide,
scabrid along the angles, glabrous except on the pubescent basal
pulvini : pedicels paired or upwards solitary, filiform, angular, scabrid,
with or without some long very fine spreading hairs, the longer
1J-2J lin. long. Spikelets or pairs of spikelets distant by 2-3 (rarely
up to 5) lin., elliptic to obovoid-obloug in outline, subacute, more or
less turgid, 2-2J lin. long, greenish, quite glabrous. Glumes very
unequal ; the lower broad-ovate, subacute to almost obtuse, clasping
at the base, over one-third the length of the spikelet, 5-nerved, side-
nerves anastomosing ; upper glume corresponding in shape and size
to the spikelet, 7-nerved, thinly herbaceous-membranous. Lower
floret neuter : valve very similar to the upper glume, but 5-nerved ;
valvule oblong, obtuse, about If lin. long, very thin, keels winged.
Upper floret g, elliptic-oblong, subacute, up to 2 lin. long, turning
brown ; valve and valvule coriaceous-crustaceous, somewhat coarsely
transversely rugose, the latter with sharply projecting keels. —
Panicum serrcefolium, Hochst. in Flora, 1855, 196 ; Schweinf.
Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 301 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 765 ;
Chiov. in Ann. Is tit. Bot. Roma, viii. 302.

Nile Land. Eritrea: Dembelas; along the Makatar torrent, Pappi, 6046;
along the Albo torrent, Pappi, 6089. Ocule Cusai ; along the Tserena and
Belesa torrents, 5250 ft., Pappi , 1810. Abyssinia : Jaja, 5000 ft., Schimper,
2171 ! Hamedo plain, 4700 ft., Schimper, 1082 !

38. B. pubifoliaA$ta2?/". Annual, not much over 1 ft. high. Culms
very scantily fascicled, ascending from a shortly decumbent geniculate
and rooting base, slender, terete, few-noded, the uppermost inter-
node by far the longest, branched below, with all the branches at
length flowering, pubescent. Leaf-sheaths thin, striate, at least the
lower rather loose, pubescent ; ligules a shortly ciliolate rim ; blades
narrowly linear from an equally wide base, tapering to an acute
point, 2-4 in. by 2-3 lin., flat, flaccid, pale green, densely pubescent,
margins scaberulous upwards only, primary lateral nerves 3-4 on each
side, indistinct above, with numerous fine secondary ones between
them, midrib very slender. Panicle long-exserted, secund, 2f-3 in.
long, of 6-3 obliquely spreading solitary distant dense but slender
spike-like racemes, all its axes densely pubescent ; common axis
slender, terete or adaxillarily flattened or (upwards) channelled.

550

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[ Brachiaria .

terminating with a short barren point, overtopped by the uppermost
raceme ; racemes lj-f in. long, rather stiff, sessile or subsessile,
simple ; rhachis almost straight, triquetrous, up to J lin. wide,
scaberulous along the angles ; pedicels mostly solitary or the lower
paired, usually all (except the terminal) very short and relatively
stout, so that the spikelets become subsessile, pubescent with some
longer hairs near the tips. Spikelets strictly secund, more or less
1 -seriate or 2-seriate at the base, very close and laterally contiguous
or the uppermost more distant, obovate-oblong in outline, apiculate,
slightly turgid, 1 \ to almost 1| lin. long, pale. Glumes very unequal ;
the lower broad-ovate, subacute, clasping at the base, about one-third
the length of the spikelet, very thin, 5-7-nerved, the faint side-
nerves more or less distinctly anastomosing ; upper corresponding
in shape and size to the spikelet, membranous, finely pubescent,
5-nerved, with few transverse veins below the tip. Lower floret
neuter : valve very similar to the upper glume, if not less pubescent
between the inner side-nerves ; valvule delicate, oblong, § lin. long.
Upper floret oblong to elliptic-oblong, subapiculate, 1 lin. long,
pale ; valve and valvule thinly crustaceous, smooth or almost so.
Anthers J lin. long. — Panicum ; pubifolium , Mez in Engl. Jahrb.
xxxiv. 137 ; not of Nash.

Nile Land. British East Africa : Ukaraba ; . Kitui, HildebrandJ,Jl($I\ !

39. B. glauca, Staff. Perennial (always ?), 1 to almost 2 ft. high,
very glaucous in all its parts, densely tufted on a short rhizome,
innovations intra vaginal (always ?), cataphylls thin, submembranous,
whitish-pubescent. Culms slender, geniculately ascending, terete
or the lower internodes compressed, particularly when they are
elongated and arching, simple or sparingly branched, up to 7-noded,
glabrous or more or less pubescent or the lowest internodes almost
villous. Leaves delicately pubescent to almost villous or the
uppermost sometimes glabrescent ; sheaths thin, the lower loose
and sometimes slipping off the culm, or like the upper rather tight ;
ligules a dense fringe of hairs, about J lin. long ; blades linear
from an equally wide or attenuated base, long-tapering to a fine
somewhat callous point, 3-6 in. by 1|— 3 lin., flat, flaccid, margins
scaberulous, not or very finely cartilaginous, primary lateral nerves
3-d on each side, slightly raised below, midrib slender, whitish,
shallowly channelled above, somewhat raised below. Panicle at
length exserted, 3-5 in. long, subsecund, of 3-9 mostly solitary
(rarely the lowest 2-nate) distant oblique spike-like racemes ; common
axis very slender, angular, channelled adaxillarilv, scabrid along the
angles, more or less pubescent or glabrous. Racemes slender, the
lower 1-1 J in. long, the upper gradually shorter, straight or slightly
flexuous, sessile or subsessile with a marked villosulous pulvinus at
the base, or the lowest on a peduncle up to 4 lin. long, simple, rarely
with 1 or 2 short 3-spiCulate secondary racemes at the base, loose ;

Brachiaria.]

CL' VII. GRAMTNEiE (Stapf).

551

rkachis trigonous, very slightly wavy or straight, lin. wide,
scabrid on the angles, otherwise glabrous or pubescent and with
or without scattered fine long hairs, intermediate internodes lj-3
lin. long ; pedicels solitary and short, less frequently 2-nate, very
unequal, the longer 1, rarely up to 2 lin. long, scabrid with long fine
hairs at the tips. Spikelets broad-oblong, obtuse or subobtuse, not
apiculate, slightly turgid, quite glabrous, 1 J-l J lin. long. Glumes very
unequal, the lower very broadly ovate, subacute, clasping, one-third
the length of the spikelet, hyaline, 1-nerved, sometimes with several
very short lateral nerves ; upper glume corresponding in outline and
size to the spikelet, membranous, 7- rarely 5-nerved, nerves fine,
more marked and prominent upwards. Lower floret neuter : valve
very similar to the upper glume, 5-nerved ; valvule oblong, truncate,
more or less reduced. Upper floret slightly shorter than the
lower, oblong, subacute, pale ; valve and valvule crustaceous, finely
transversely rugose or almost smooth. — Panicum Hygrocharis,
Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 23 ; not of Steud. P. nudi-
glume , var. major , Balf. f. Bot. Socotra, 311.

Nile Land. Nubia : O-Mareg, west of Sinkat, 3000 ft., Schweinf urth, 685
partly ! Socotra, Balfour, 47 !

Also in tropical Arabia (Hodjela, Schweinfurth, 900 ! and Aden, Birdwood !).

A very similar grass was collected by Stocks near Karachi, Scind, but the
spikelets are somewhat larger (If lin. long), and the lower glume distinctly
5-nerved and very acute. Some of his specimens are, like those collected by
Balfour in Socotra, distinctly perennial as described above.

40. B. leersioides^ StapJ . Annual, 1-2 ft. high, the whole plant
more or less glaucous. Culms in small fascicles, more or less
geniculate, suberect or ascending and then the lower internodes, which
are generally somewhat compressed, often arching, about 4-noded,
branched below, slender, grooved on the adaxillary side, glabrous,
smooth, often with a fine waxy coating. Leaf-sheaths rather thin,
the lower more or less compressed, loose and often slipping off the
culm, longer than the internodes, the upper tighter and terete, all
quite glabrous and smooth or the lower with spreading tubercle-
based hairs ; ligules thinly membranous, up to J lin. long, truncate,
ciliate ; blades linear from an equally wide or somewhat narrowed
base, long-tapering to a slender point, 3 to over 6 in. by 2-4 lin.,
flat, thin, subflaccid, glabrous or with a few tubercle-based hairs
downwards, slightly rough, nerves numerous and very close, about
3-4 primary laterals on each side, midrib very slender. Panicle
at length usually long-exserted, ovate to oblong in outline, 3-8 (rarely
up to 9) in. long, of 4-12 solitary distant quaquaversal horizontally
spreading or somewhat deflexed slender spike-like racemes ; common
axis slender, grooved, straight or subflexuous ; racemes up to
(rarely up to over 2) in. long, the uppermost often much shorter,
shortly (1-1J lin.) peduncled to subsessile, the longer often sub-

552

CL VII. GrRAMINEiE (Stapf).

\BracJiiaria .

composite towards the base with short secondary racemes, moderately
dense; rhachis frequently wavy, triquetrous, about \ lin. wide, with
scattered spreading tubercle-based hairs at least downwards, angles
scabrid ; pedicels very unequal, the longer 1 lin. long, rarely much
longer, or the uppermost solitary, all somewhat stout and stiff,
angular, scabrid, with or without a few tubercle-based hairs. Spike-
lets oblong, subacute, slightly convex on the back, 1J-1J lin. long,
glaucous, glabrous. Glumes very unequal ; lower ovate, acute or
subacute, half as long (or nearly so) as the spikelet, membranous,
whitish, finely 3-nerved ; upper corresponding in size and outline
to the spikelet, thinly papery, 5-7-nerved with very few cross-veins
near the tip, nerves greenish. Lower floret g or neuter ; valve
very like the upper glume, 5-nerved ; valvule almost as long as the
valve, acute with smooth keels or more or less (sometimes very
much) reduced, slightly papillose at the base ; anthers -8^~ lin .
long. Upper floret <J, oblong, obtuse to subobtuse, 1-1J lin. long,
straw-coloured ; valve and valvule transversely wrinkled, sub-
crustaceous, the latter with the flaps widened and almost contiguous
at a third or quarter from the base ; anthers about ~ lin. long. Grain
elliptic in outline, flat on the face and the back with broad rounded
sides, | by J lin., pale greenish. — Panicum leersioides, Hochst. in
•Flora, 1855, 196 ; Penzig in Atti Congr. Bot. Genoa, 1893, 366 ;
Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 21 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 752 ; K. Schum. in Engl. PH. Ost-Afr. C. 101 ;
Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, vi. 162, vii. 64, and viii. 33, 302 ;
Stapf in Kew Bulletin, 1907, 213.

Nile Land. Nubia : O-Mareg (between Berber and Suakim), Schweinf urth,
685 ! Eritrea : Samhar ; Lower Lava River, Schweinfurth, 1752. Island
of Sheikh Said, Pappi, 6157. Assaorta ; Arkiko, Schweinfurth, 48, 162, 281,
311. Amasen ; Ghinda Valley, 3300 ft., Schweinfurth, 153; Pappi, 3425,
3745, 4027. Dongollo, Pappi, 1745! Upper Lava Valley; Maigarghebit,
Penzig ; Gheleb, Schweinfurth, 5000 ft., 1613, 1263. Bogos ; Keren, Pappi,
2525; Tellini, 948, 1321. Dembelas ; along the Mai Albo, Pappi, 6079.
Abyssinia : Samen; Ussla Valley near Gurrsarfa, 4000-5000 ft., Schimper, 114 !
2200 ! Harrar, Bobecchi-Bricchetti ; banks of the Ganam River, at Mele Merer,
Biva, 403. Somaliland : Upper Sheikh, Appleton ! British East Africa :
Makindu, Linton, 173 ! Samburu, 900 ft., Kassner, 491 ! Witu, Gregory !
Ngomeni, Scott Elliot, 6272! Rabai Hills, Taylor ! Magarini; red sandhills,
300-500 ft., Taylor !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Tanga, in cultivated ground,
Schumann, 2031 ! Dar-es-Salam, Hildebrand, 1230 ! Portuguese East
Africa : Mozambique, in gardens, Scott !

Also in Tropical Arabia. i /} 7 )■(

v f

41 . B. Isachne, Stapf. Annual, 1-2 ft. high, loosely tufted. Culms
geniculately ascending from a sometimes decumbent and rooting
base, very slender, terete or angular, glabrous, 3-many-noded, much-
branched below. Leaf -sheaths rather tight, terete or subterete, strongly
Striate, softly and loosely hairy or glabrous except at the minutely

Brachiaria.] clvii. gramine^ (Stapf). 553

villous nodes, the upper shorter than the internodes ; ligules reduced
to a dense fringe of short hairs ; blades linear-lanceolate from a
rounded base, acute, 1-2J in. by 1-2J lin., flat or involute, rather
rigid, pale green, hairy or quite glabrous, margins very scabrid,
nerves numerous, fine and close, midrib and primary laterals hardly
differentiated. Inflorescence secund or subsecund, very narrow,
1-3 in. long, of 2-10 secund spike-like racemes, usually appressed
to the filiform scabrid common axis, which is terete below and
flattened upwards and scaberulous along the angles. Racemes
simple, dense, J-l in. long ; rhachis filiform, triquetrous, J-y lin.
wide, straight or slightly wavy, scabrid or ciliate ; pedicels solitary,
very short, tightly appressed to the rhachis, relatively stout, scabrid
or finely setulose, with thickened marginate tips. Spikelets 2-
seriate, distant \ lin. or slightly more and therefore imbricate, oblong,
subacute or obtuse, flat on the back, 1-1J lin. long, pallid with
purplish tips, softly pubescent. Glumes very unequal, the lower
usually reduced to a nerveless hyaline truncate scale, J lin. long,
rarely \ lin. long and 1-nerved ; upper membranous, corresponding
in outline and size to the spikelet, 5-nerved, minutely hairy. Lower
floret neuter or more rarely £ : valve very similar to the upper
glume, very faintly 5-nerved ; valvule very obtuse, subequal to
the valve in shorter in neuter florets. Upper floret elliptic-
oblong, obtuse, |-f lin. long : valve and valvule thinly crust aceous,
shining, whitish or at length brownish, finely granulate. Anthers
J lin. long. Grain oblong-elliptic or obovate-oblong, J-| lin. long,
more or less flattened on both sides, but mainly on the back, olive-
green ; scutellum more than half the length of the grain. — B. eruci-
f or mis, Gris, in Ledeb. FI. Ross. iv. 469. Panicum Isachne, Roth ex
Roem. & Schult. Syst. ii. 458 ; Roth, Nov. PI. Sp. 54 ; Schult. Mant.
ii. 252 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 97 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 57 ; Hook, f . FI.
Brit. Ind. vii. 28 ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 390 ; Burtt-Davy in
Rep. S. Afr. Soc. Advanc. Sc. 1904, 269 ; Eyles in Trans. R. Soc. S.
Afr. v. 300. P. eruciforme, Sibth. & Sm. FI. Grseca, i. t. 59, and FI.
Grsec. Prodr. i. 40 ; Kunth, l.c. 78 ; Baker, FI. Maurit. 434 ; Aschers.
& Schweinf. 111. FI. figypte, 159; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 120;
Klatt in Jahrb. Hamb. Wiss. Anst. ix. 120 ; Schweinf. in Bull. Herb.
Boiss. ii. App. ii. 19 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 748 ;
Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 300. P. caucasicum , Trin.
Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 262, Panic. Gen. 149, and in Mem. Acad. Petersb.
6me ser. iii. 237. P. Wightii, Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 29 ; A. Rich.
Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 364 ; Steud. l.c. 58 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 748.
P. pubinode, Hochst. ex A. Rich. l.c. 363 ; Steud. l.c. 57 ; Durand &
Schinz, l.c. 760. Echinochloa eruciformis, Koch in Linn sea, xxi.
437 ; Reichb. Ic. FI. Germ. i. t. 29, fig. 1413.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen ; along the Mareb, Pappi, 352, 489, 2407 ;
Sala Dharo, 7550 ft., Pappi, 2313 ; Asmara, Tellini, 357. Sarae ; Adi Gana,
6200 ft., Pappi, 302; Adi Ugri, 7550 ft., Pappi, 93. Terammi, 7550 ft.,

554 cl vn. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [Brachiaria.

Pappi, 597. Ocule Cusai; Deggaheu, 8530 ft., Pappi, 1355. Deca Mere,
0560 ft., Pappi, 2436. Abyssinia: Tigre ; Addi I)schoa (? Additcha),
Schimper, 1020! Hamedo plain, 4500 ft., S clamper, . 1014! Debrasina,
Quartin Dillon. Samen ; region of the Tacazze River, Schimper, 1855 ! Jaja,
6000 ft., Schimper, 243 ! and without precise locality, Schimper, 1868 !

Lower Guinea. South Angola : in open Acacia forest between Quibita
a nd Gambps, Pearson, 2228 ! Hereroland : 0\dnka, Dinter !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar : in various localities, Shihlmann.

Pearson’s specimen has the inflorescence characteristic of B. Isachne, but
its spikelets approach rather those of B. poceoides (see below).

42. B. poaeoides, Staff. Annual, up to 2 ft. high, loosely tufted.
Culms geniculate-ascending, slender, much branched below, terete,
glabrous or the lowest internodes hairy, about 4-noded, the upper-
most internode far exceeding the others. Leaf -sheaths terete, the
lower loose and slipping off the culm, the upper tight, striate, softly
and loosely hairy, villosulous at the nodes ; ligules reduced to a
fringe of short hairs ; blades linear from a shortly narrowed base,
long-tapering to a slender point, 3-4 in. by 3-7 lin., flat, flaccid, pale
green, finely and loosely pubescent, margins scaberulous, nerves
numerous, close and very fine, midrib very slender, whitish. Panicle
ovate in outline, sometimes subsecund (the upper part), 3-6 in.
long, up to over 2 in. wide, loose ; branches obliquely erect or
spreading, finely filiform, often flexuous, scabrid and like the primary
axis loosely and finely pubescent, the lower often 2-nate, up to over
3 in. long, bare for in., then bearing up to 5 peduncled short
racemes, or like the upper primary branches reduced to a single
secund raceme. Racemes secund, simple, dense, up to over 4 lin.
long or the lower compound and often interrupted at the base with
short pauci-spiculate secondary racemes ; rhachis finely filiform,
J lin. wide, more or less straight, subtriquetrous below, more or less
semiterete upwards, scaberulous and puberulous ; pedicels solitary,
very short, tightly appressed to the rhachis, of the same vestiture
as the rhachis, with obscurely discoid tips. Spikelets of the longer
racemes 2-seriate, distant by about J lin., imbricate or laterally
contiguous, of the short racemes more or less clustered, all oblong,
subacute to almost obtuse, flat on the back, 1 \ lin. long, pale greyish-
green, often tinged with purple, softly pubescent. Glumes very
unequal ; the lower reduced to a minute hyaline nerveless broad-
ovate scale, the upper corresponding in outline and size to the
spikelet, thinly membranous, finely 5-nerved, tips very minutely
denticulate. Lower floret neuter or g (?) : valve similar to the
upper glume, but less pubescent and much depressed between the
inner side-nerves ; valvule oblong, obtuse, somewhat shorter than
the valve, obtuse ; anthers rudimentary. Upper floret oblong
to elliptic-oblong, whitish or ultimately light brown, very glossy and
smooth ; valve and valvule thinly crustaceous. Anthers J lin. long.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Mossamedes ; common among undergrowth in

t

Brachiaria.] clvii. gramine#: (Stapf). ^5d

open forest near km. 108*5 of the Mossamedes railway,* Pearson, 2849 !
among rocks in open forest between Gambos Fort and the Mission Station,
Pearson, 2446 ! Monino, abundant in dry grassland, Newton, 7 ! Serra de
Chella, Newton, 3 ! Damaraland, Een !

A fine grass, at the first glance very different from the Brachiaria type on
account of the open more branched inflorescence ; the ultimate racemes,
however, particularly those towards the ends of the branches are very similar
to those of B. Isachne, which they also approach very closely in the structure
of their s pikelets.

43. B. epaleata, Stapf. Annual, up to 1 J ft. high. Culms slender,
terete, suberect or ascending from, a short decumbent base, rooting
from the lower nodes, sparingly branched below with the branches
suberect and flowering, 5-6-noded, uppermost internode by far the
longest, sparingly and minutely pubescent or slightly rough upwards.
Leaf-sheaths subherbaceous, tight, striate, glabrous except on the
sometimes pubescent or shortly ciliate outer margin ; ligules a fringe
of short stiff hairs ; blades linear-lanceolate to sublinear from a
shortly rounded, never clasping, base, tapering to an acute point,
2—4 in. by 2-5 lin., somewhat stiff, green, quite glabrous or with a
few hairs at the base, margins cartilaginous, closely crisped, spinu-
lously ciliolate, primary lateral nerves 3-5 on each side, fine, differen-
tiated from the numerous and close secondary nerves only below,
midrib very slender. Panicle long-exserted, asymmetrically obovate
in outline or subsecund at least downwards, 2J-4 in. by 1-2 in., of.
6-8 moderately distant solitary slender interrupted and compound
or simple racemes ; common axis slender, subterete and channelled
at the base, then subtriquetrous, ciliate along the sharp angles,
terminating with a spikelet. Kacemes slightly flexuous or the shorter
almost straight, the lowest 1J-3 in. long and obliquely erect, the
upper much shorter and more spreading, all simple or the lower
compound to beyond the middle with the secondary racemes loose
and £-J lin. long ; rhachis very slender, triquetrous, up to § Jin.
wide, ciliolate along the angles ; pedicels solitary or geminate,
filiform, angular, loosely pubescent, with some longer hairs at the
tips, the longest up to 1 \ lin. long. Spikelets or pairs of spikelets or
secondary racemes distant by 3J-2 lin., or the solitary spikelets of
simple racemes and racemules often by slightly less than their own
length, ail the spikelets oblong, subacute or rather obtuse, slightly
flattened on the back, ljlin. long, greenish, quite glabrous. Glumes
very unequal, the lower broad-ovate, obtuse or subacute, clasping,
over one-third the length of the spikelet, 3- or sub-5-nerved : the
upper corresponding in shape and size to the spikelet, thinly mem-
branous, 5-nerved. Lower floret neuter, reduced to the valve which
resembles very much the upper glume but is slightly depressed on
the back. Upper floret J>, oblong, subacute, almost 1 lin. long,
whitish ; valve and valvule thinly crustaceous, delicately striate,
rugulose, the transverse rugse very short.- Anthers \ lin. long. —

556 cl vii. CRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [Brachiaria.

Panicum nudiglume, A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 372 (partly) ;
not of Hochst. ex Steud.

Nile Land. Abyssinia: Gallabat; Matamma, Schweinfurth, 1146 ! Samen ;
low places by the Tacazze River near Jela jeranne, Schimper, 1612 !._

44. B. semiundulata^ Annual, |-1 ft. high, tufted. Culms

slender, suberect or ascending from a more or less prostrate base,
geniculate and branched from the lower nodes, 3-6-noded, upper-
most internode by far the longest, terete, glabrous, rarely pubescent,
lower internodes sometimes compressed, often hairy below the nodes.
Leaf-sheaths rather loose, the lower short and mostly hairy, the
uppermost long, slightly tumid upwards, often glabrous except at
the pubescent outer margin, all striate and pubescent or villous
at the nodes ; ligules a fringe of short hairs ; blades lanceolate to
(the lowest) subovate from a rounded base, acute or subacute,
J-2 in. by 2-4 lin., flat, somewhat thick, green, glabrous or more or
less loosely hairy, margins markedly cartilaginous, scabrid or minutely
spinulously ciliolate, the inner often crisped, primary lateral nerves
3-4 on each side, differentiated from the numerous very fine secondary
ones only below, midrib very slender. Panicle long-exserted, more
or less secund, of few to 8 obliquely erect or spreading spike-like
solitary moderately distant mostly simple racemes ; common axis
slender, angular, pubescent or almost glabrous, scabrid or ciliolate
along the angles, terminating with a spikelet. Racemes rather
dense, rarely over \ in. long, the uppermost shorter, all sessile or
subsessile and simple or the lowermost sometimes with 1 or 2 very
short secondary racemes at the base ; rhachis very slender, wavy,
about | lin. wide, more or less triquetrous, scabrid or ciliolate to
ciliate along the angles, glabrous or pubescent on the faces ; pedicels
mostly solitary, very short with subdiscoid tips, or if paired the longer
up to almost 1 lin. long, angular, scabrid, with few to many fine
white hairs from the upper part. Spikelets mostly subsessile, about
| lin. apart, 2-seriate and subcontiguous, subovoid, turgid, very
convex on the back, 1 lin. long, subacute, green or faintly tinged with
purple, glabrous or pubescent. Glumes very unequal ; the lower
broad-ovate, subacute to almost obtuse, about one-third the length
of the spikelet, 1-3-nerved ; upper corresponding in shape and size
to the spikelet, thinly membranous, 5-nerved. Lower floret neuter :
valve broad-elliptic, subacute, more or less flattened or slightly
depressed and almost hyaline between the inner nerves, otherwise
resembling the upper glume ; valvule oblong, slightly shorter than
the valve. Upper floret ovate to elliptic-oblong, shortly acute
to subacute, almost 1 lin. long ; valve and valvule crustaceous,
straw-coloured, very finely pitted, without transverse wrinkles.
Grain almost orbicular in outline, dorsally slightly compressed,
|-f lin. long, dull pea-green ; scutellum equalling three-quarters of
the grain. — Panicum semiundulatum, Hochst. in Flora, 1841, i. Intell.

/M-CJl 1, ; ( i -t-t-i t['fag

'in

V

Brachiaria.]

CL VII. GRAMlNEiE (Stapf).

557

Bl. 19 (name) ; A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 364 ; Steucl. Syn. PL
Glum. i. 63 ; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 120 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 765 ; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 101 ;
Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, vii. 63. P. nilagiricum, Steud.
l.c. 62. P. villosum , Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 34, and in Trimen,
Handb. FI. Ceyl. v. 139 (partly) ; not of Lam. (?).

Nile Land. Abyssinia : Tigre ; shady grassy places near Adoa, Schimper,
289 ! Shire plateau, Schimper, 1833 ! Metgalo, 6700 ft., Schimper, 1018 !
Lower Antitscho, 5500 ft., Schimper , 1022! Saraen; Jaja, Schimper, gfiS. !
and without precise locality, Schimper, 177 ! 237 ! South Abyssinia; Djan-
bure (Djaribule ?), among herbs, 11000 ft., Riva, 81. Uganda: Ruwenzori,
Stuhlmann ! British East Africa : near Nairobi, Miss Johnstone , 43 !

Also in India (Western Ghauts) and Ceylon.

All the African specimens examined have glabrous spikelets, but those
from India have them either glabrous or pubescent to a varying degree. In
the Flora of British India, l.c., Panicum semiundulatum is given as a synonym
of P. villosum , but this also includes P. coccospermum, Steud. (P. vestitum ,
Nees ex Steud.), a species of Northern India where it ranges from the Chenab
to Sikkim, the Khasia Hills and Upper Burma. Lamarck’s description of
P. villosum leaves it somewhat doubtful which of the two species was meant,
though it points rather to P. coccospermum. On the other hand the source
of the originals of P. villosum — namely, Sonnerat’s collections — suggests
P. nilagiricum. The question can only be decided by the examination of
the type in the Lamarckian Herbarium. Chiovenda, in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma,
viii. 299, accepts Hooker’s identification of P. villosum, Lam., with P. nila-
giricum, Steud., and describes (p. 300) a var. Erythrceum, which is said to
be characterised by its smaller stature and smaller and glabrous spikelets.
It is almost certainly the pJant described here as B. semiundulata. He quotes
it from the following districts of Eritrea : Amasen, Pappi, 4780. Sarae,
6230 ft., Pappi, 22, 496. Ocule Cusai, Pappi, 1447, 2014, and Scimezana,
Mount Matara, 9100 ft., Pappi, 928.

45. B. distichophylra, Stapf. Annual, ft. high. Culms very
slender, terete, geniculate, usually ascending from a decumbent
or prostrate and rooting base, often much branched below, the
culms and branches gathered in more or less dense bunches, 5- to
many-noded, the uppermost internode usually very long and like the
preceding internodes (or at least their upper parts) pubescent, rarely
glabrous. Leaf -sheaths more or less herbaceous, rather tight, those
supporting a branch slipping oh the internode and rolling round the
branch, finely striate, more or less pubescent, sometimes densely so,
or finely hirsute, rarely glabrous ; ligules reduced to a narrow ciliolate
rim ; blades lanceolate or linear-lanceolate from a suddenly con-
tracted rounded base, gradually tapering from very low down to an
acute point, 1-2 in. by 2-3 lin., rarely longer, rather stiff and somewhat
succulent, green, glabrous or more or less pubescent, margins markedly
cartilaginous and usually crisped downwards, spinulously ciliolate to
serrulate, primary lateral nerves 3-4 on each side, very fine and
differentiated from the numerous and close secondary nerves only
below, midrib very slender. Panicle at length long-exserted, secund,
1J-3 in. long, of 4-8 obliquely spreading or almost horizontal distant
solitary slender spike-like mostly simple racemes ; common axis very

558

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[ Brcichiaria .

slender, terete and adaxillarily channelled or more or less flattened
upwards, terminating with a spikelet, scabrid along the angles,
otherwise pubescent or glabrous. Racemes straight or slightly
curved, the lowest J to over 1 in. long, gradually decreasing upwards,
simple or very rarely slightly compound at the base with very short
and scanty secondary racemes ; rhachis more or less triquetrous,
J-f lin. wide, scabrid along the angles, pubescent or hirtellous, or
glabrous ; pedicels mostly solitary or the lower paired, all very short
and relatively stout, so that the spikelets are subsessile, or the longer
of the lowest pairs up to lin. long, of the same vestiture as the
rhachis, but usually with some longer stiff hairs. Spikelets secund,
more or less 1-seriate or lower down irregularly 2-seriate, evenly
distant by |~1 lin. and then laterally contiguous, rarely much more
remote and spreading, except towards the base where the raceme
may become interrupted, oblong to obovate-oblong, acute or apicu-
late, slightly flattened on the back, 1-1 J lin. long, pale. Glumes very
unequal ; the lower ovate, subacute, sometimes mucronulate,
clasping, very thin, slightly less than half the length of the spikelet,
3- to sub-5-nerved, the inner nerves anastomosing ; upper glume
corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, membranous,
somewhat prominently 5-nerved, usually pubescent, often with the
hairs more numerous, longer and white below the tip so as to form
a small tuft, or sometimes quite glabrous. Lower floret neuter :
valve very like the upper glume, if not slightly longer, less hairy,
more faintly nerved and slightly depressed between the inner nerves ;
valvule oblong, acute, delicate, more or less reduced or almost
suppressed. Upper floret slightly shorter than the lower, or
equalling it and then their tips frequently exposed when quite mature,
broad-oblong, subacute, pale ; valve and valvule crustaceous,
delicately granular. Anthers \ lin. long. — Panicum distichophyllum.
Trim Diss. ii. De Gram. Pan. 147, and Sp. Gram. Ic. ii. t. 182 ;
Kunth, Enum. i. 90 ; Benth. in Hook. Niger FI. 560 ; Steud.
Syn. PI. Glum. i. 57 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 747,
and fitudes FI. Congo, 323 ; Durand & De Wild. Mat. FI.
Congo, 44 ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 170; Pobeguin,- Ess.
PI. Guin. Fran9. 214 ; Cheval. Sudania, 18 ; Th. & Hel. Durand,
Syll. FI. Congol. 632. P. cartilogineum, Nees, Agrost. Bras. 112. P.
Bespreauxii , Steud. l.c. 58 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 746.
P. distichophylloides, Mez. in Eng. Bot. Jahrb. xxxiv. 137.

Upper Guinea. Senegambia : Cayor, Heudelot, 398 ! Sierra Leone :
Mabum, Thomas, 1577 P 1660 ! Binkolo, Thomas, 1785 ! Jigaya, Thomas,
2818 ! and without precise locality, Morson ! French Guinea : Segou, form-
ing dense carpets, Lecard, 195 ! Kouroussa, common, Pobeguin, 476 ! 486 !
Timbo, in cultivated ground, Pobeguin, 1734! 1734*! French Sudan:

Sindou, Chevalier, 875 ! Gold Coast : Ohristianborg, Johnson, 1041 ! Accra,'
Don : Brown, 328 ! Togp : Lome, Warneclce, 169 ! Southern Nigeria :
Lagos, MacGregor, 38! Dalziel, 1135! Opobo, Jeffreys, 30! Igboho road,
Dawodu, 7! Ebute Metta, Millen, 88! “in the interior,’ ’ without precise
locality, Rowland ! Northern Nigeria : Stirling Hill, at the confluence of

CLV1I. GrRAMlNE J3 (Stapf).

559

Brachiaria .]

the Niger and Benue, Vogel ! Ansell ! Lokoja, Richardson ! Dalziel, 280 !
Nupe ; about villages on cultivated ground, Barter, 719 ! Baikit, ! in shady
ravines, Barter , 1367 ! Sokoto ; common in fields, Dalziel, 475!

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Cataracts District ; Lukungu, in sand,
800-2000 ft., Hens, 215 A ! Angola : Pungo Andongo ; Pedras de Guinga,
Welwitscli, 2934 !

Panicum Despreauxii, Steud., which is reduced here to a synonym of P.
distidiophyllum, was described from specimens which differ from typical
examples of the latter only in that the longer white hairs of the spikelets are
sometimes gathered into a well-defined transverse fringe below the apex
which they overtop slightly. In other spikelets, however, of the same in-
florescence, they are distributed more irregularly or are altogether very scarce,
so that this peculiarity, which seems to have escaped the author, cannot be
relied upon.

Panicum distichophylloides, Mez, has been referred here on account of Barter,
1367, the original of Mez’s species; but the description, although tallying with
B. disticliophylla, in most respects, differs in others, as the size of the blade
(± 70 mm. by 4 mm.) and the spikelets (± 4 mm.) ; also the presence of a large
valvule in the lower floret. See also Barter 1367B under B. regularis (p. 545).

Excellent pasture grass, the ordinary fodder for the hippopotamus all the
year through ( Lecard ). A *

■)

46. B. kotschyana„ Staff. Annual, \ to over 2 ft. high. Culms
slender or more often rather robust, terete, geniculate, usually ascend-
ing from a shortly decumbent or prostrate and then rooting base,
rarely almost erect, more or less branched, with the branches sub-
erect, few- to many-noded, the uppermost internode often very
long, at length always more or less exserted and like the preceding
internodes (or at least their upper parts) more or less pubescent or
more rarely glabrous and smooth. Leaf-sheaths subherbaceous,
rather firm and tight, those supporting a branch slipping off the culm
and often rolled round the branch, striate, pubescent to softly and
shortly hirsute ; ligules reduced to a narrow ciliolate rim ; blades
lanceolate to linear-lanceolate from a shortly rounded but not clasp-
ing base, tapering to an acute point from low down, 1-3 in. by 2-5
lin., stiff and somewhat succulem, green, of the same vestiture as
the sheath, rarely glabrescent with age, margins cartilaginous,
minutely spinulously ciliolate and frequently closely crisped (at least
one of them), primary lateral nerves 3-4 on each side, very fine,
differentiated from the very numerous and close secondary nerves
below only, midrib very slender. Panicle more or less exserted,
secund or subsecund, 3 (rarely 2) to over 6 in. long, of 6 to very many
oblique rarely subhorizontal moderately distant solitary slender
more or less interrupted mostly compound racemes ; common axis
very slender, terete, adaxillarily channelled, or more or less flattened
upwards, terminating with a spikelet. Racemes straight or fiexuous
and sometimes nodding, the lowest and intermediate \ to over 3 in.
long, the following gradually shorter, compound up to or sometimes
far beyond the middle, secondary racemes very short except the
lowest which may be up to J (very rarely 1) in. long ; rhachis very
slender, subtriquetrous or semiterete and channelled in the lower

560

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[j Brachiaria.

part, J-J lin. wide, scabrid along tbe angles, otherwise pubescent
or hirtellous and with some scattered long fine hairs, or more rarely
glabrous ; pedicels short to very short, the longer of a pair rarely
over J lin. long, finely filiform, angular, scabrid, otherwise of the same
vestiture as the rhachis, but usually with some fine stiff white hairs,
often almost as long as the spikelet. Spikelets mostly in secund
short racemules or clusters of 6-2, these distant by more than their
own length, except near the base where the secondary racemes are
sometimes elongated ; spikelets oblong, subacute, slightly turgid
and much gaping during flowering and frequently more or less so
afterwards, 1 lin. long, pale or tinged with purple. Glumes very
unequal, the lower ovate, acute or acutely acuminate, one-third to
one-half the length of the spikelet, 2-5-nerved, very thin, often purple ;
upper oblong, usually slightly shorter than the spikelet, membranous,
more or less loosely pubescent, 5-nerved. Lower floret $ ; valve
very similar to the upper glume but as long as the spikelet, with the
inner side-nerves more apart and the space between them flat and
glabrous or nearly so ; valvule oblong, tru icate or subacute, slightly
shorter than the valve or more or less reduced ; anthers if present
b lin. long. Upper floret as long as the spikelets, the tip and the
sides frequently uncovered owing to the gaping of the spikelet
and the shortness of the upper glume, elliptic, subacute, whitish ;
valve and valvule thinly erustaceous, very finely granular. Anthers
| lin. long. Grain broad-elliptic, f lin. by § lin., flattened on both
sides, pea-green ; scutMlum equalling three-quarters of the length
of the grain. — Panicum kolschyanum, Hochst. ex Steud. Syn. PI.
Glum. i. 68 ; Fig. & De Not. in Mem. Acc. Torin. ser. ii. xiv. (1854:)
348, t. xviii. figs. 1-15 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Air. v. 752 ;
Cheval. Sudania, 64, 79, 169. P. coccospermum , Franch. FI. Congo
Fran9. 37 ; not of Steud.

Upper Guinea. Southern Nigeria : Aguku District, Thomas, 1079 ! 1390 !
Northern Nigeria : Yola, common on rocky hills, Dalziel, 275 !

North Central. Bagirmi ; Lake Fettri (a very meagre state), Chevalier ,
9942 ! Shari Territory ; Krebedje, Chevalier , 5450 !

Nile Land. Jur : Ghattas’ Great Seriba, Schweinfurth, 231 2 ! Sudan:
Cordofan ; Mount Kohn, in fields, Kotschy, 2&L\ Abyssinia: without precise
locality, Quartin- Dillon, 196 ! Uganda : Entebbe, Fyffe, 2 ! 10 ! 44 !

Lower Guinea. Portuguese Congo : Cabinda, Gossweiler, 6433 ! French
Congo : Upper Oubangui ; between Mandjafa and Bousso, Chevalier ! Braz-
zaville, Thollon, 383 ! Chevalier, 4254 ! Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool
District ; Bokala, Vanderyst, 3651 ! District of Cataracts ; Thysville,
Vanderyst, 4354 ! 4375 ! Bangala District ; Lisha, Hens, 332 C !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Kilimanjaro ; Marangu, 4900
ft., Volkens, 657 j and without precise locality, Stuhlmann !

Vanderyst’s specimens are partly deformed (phyllody, nos. 3651 and 4375 ;
Ustilago heterospora, no. 4354). A viviparous specimen collected by Maitland
(no. Ill) in Uganda is evidently also this species.

47. B. andongensis^ Stapf. Perennial, about 2J ft. high, tufted
from a short hard rhizome ; innovations extravaginal, sometimes
growing out into short stolons, covered with softly hairy rather

As) ¥*r

/if <2^

Brachiaria~\

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

561

thin cataphylls. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, slender,
terete, many-noded, more or less branched below, with the branches
erect Leaf -sheaths rather tight, firm, shorter than the internodes
except in the lower parts, striate, with hairy margins and mouth ;
ligules a ciliate narrow rim ; blades linear-lanceolate from an equally
wide base, tapering to a fine acute point, 1J-3J in. by 2-4 lin., rigid,
spreading, glabrous or the lowest loosely hairy, margins cartilaginous,
crisped here and there, minutely spinulose, nerves fine, numerous
but obscure, the uppermost blade very short. Inflorescence erect,
secund, up to 2J in. long, of up to 8 short oblique dense subsessile
spiciform racemes ; common axis slender. Racemes simple, secund,
2-seriate, the lowest about J in. long and up to 8-spiculate, the follow-
ing gradually shorter with fewer (to 2 or even 1) spikelets ; rhachis
very slender, wavy, subtriquetrous, up to § lin. wide, pubescent at
the bare base, otherwise very minutely puberulous on the back, with
or without some longer hairs from the angles ; internodes \ lin. long ;
pedicels very short, sparingly setulose, tips subdiscoid. Spikelets
contiguous, broadly elliptic-oblong or elliptic in outline, subobtuse,
turgid, 1J-1J lin. long, pale greenish. Glumes very dissimilar,
membranous, minutely hairy ; lower broad-ovate, subobtuse, 3-
nerved, between a third and half of the length of the spikelet ; upper
broad-elliptic, obtuse, very convex on the back, almost semi-elliptic
in profile, distinctly shorter than the spikelet, sometimes equal-
ling only three-fourths of the fertile floret, faintly 5-nerved. Lower
floret : valve corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet
(in front view), depressed on the back, very narrow in profile, faintly
5-nerved, minutely hairy on the sides ; valvule elliptic, obtuse,
almost as long as the valve, keels slender, flaps narrow ; anthers
| lin. long. Upper floret elliptic-oblong, subacute, almost as
long as the lower, the upper part more or less exposed, whitish :
valve and valvules crustaceous, smooth or nearly so. — Panicum
andongense, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 167.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo ; in wet places, Welwiisch, 2793 !

48. B. coma Annual, up to over 1 ft. high, loosely

tufted. Culms suberect or geniculately ascending from a decumbent
base, usually very slender, terete, more or less pubescent to almost
glabrous, 4-many-noded, branched below or almost all along. Leaf-
sheaths rather tight, the lowest often slipping off the culm, terete,
strongly striate, softly hairy to subhirsute or glabrous with the
exception of the pubescent outer margin and the villosulous nodes ;
ligules reduced to a dense fringe of short hairs ; blades lanceolate
to linear-lanceolate from a rounded base, tapering to a very acute
point, 1J-3 in. by 2J-6 lin., flat, rather firm and somewhat succulent,
pale or yellowish-green, loosely and softly hairy to almost glabrous,
or subhirsute with minutely tubercle-based hairs, margins markedly
cartilaginous and closely ciisped, spinulously ciliolate, nerves very

PL. TROP. APR. VOL. IX. — PT. 3. 2 O

562

CLVII. GRAMINEA5 (Stapf).

[Brachiaria.

fine and close, the primary lateral (3-4) differentiated and promi-
nent below only, midrib very slender. Panicle secund or subsecund,
narrow or semi-ovate in outline, 2J-3J in. long, of 7-10 secund
oblique and often arching somewhat loose racemes ; common axis
very slender, terete and adaxillarily channelled or upwards slightly
flattened, pubescent. Racemes sessile or subsessile, mostly compound
downwards with short 4-2-spiculate secund secondary racemes,
the lowest 1-24 or 3 in. long, the following gradually shorter ; rhachis
finely filiform, J lin. wide, subtriquetrous, scabrid and more or less
ciliate or pubescent with short white hairs, hardly wavy at all ;
pedicels paired or solitary upwards, the paired unequal, the longer up
to over ! lin. long, filiform, with a small beard of white hairs near the
tips. Spikelets or pairs or clusters of spikelets about 1 lin. apart,
those of a pair or cluster imbricate, otherwise hardly contiguous,
slightly nodding, obovoid, rather convex on the back, £— } lin. long,
the obtuse or subacute apex concealed in a white coma. Glumes
very unequal ; the lower ovate, subacute or acute, thinly membranous,
3-nerved, finely pubescent ; upper broad elliptic-oblong, shortly
acute, equalling the spikelet, membranous, finely 5-nerved, pubescent
with a transverse fringe of white hairs below the apex, the hairs up
to over \ lin. long, forming a coma. Lower floret neuter : valve
similar to the upper glume and of equal length, but concave on the
back along the middle with the apex often slightly incurved ; valvule
narrowly oblong, delicate, the narrow keels giving out upwards.
Upper floret elliptic-oblong, subacute, almost as long as the lower ;
valve and valvule thinly crustaceous, very finely granular. Anthers
| lin. long. — Panicum comatum, Hochst. ex A. Rich, Tent. FI. Abyss,
ii. 376 ; Steud. Syn. IT" Glum. i. 57 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp.
FI. Afr. v. 743 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 30, 300.

Nile Land. Eritrea: Assaorta ; Mount Dyot, 3900-5000 ft., Pappi, 5758.
Amasen ; Ghinda and neighbourhood, Terracciano & Pappi, 108; Pappi,
4060, 4217,4801; Tellini,\(S%7. Scimezana; Mount Matara, 8000 ft., Pappi,
934. Abyssinia: Tigre; on rocks near Gafta, Schimper, 1196! and without
precise locality, Sclviniper, 1017 ! 1076 !

Imperfectly known species.

49. Panicum (Brachiaria) chaetorrhachis, Hack, ex Heering in
Arbeit. Deutsch. Landwirtsch.-Gesellsch. Heft 197, 15 ( name only).

Lower Guinea. Amboland : Otawifontein, according to Heering.

50. Panicum (Brachiaria) Emini, Mez in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiv. 135.
Perennial (?). Culms slender to very slender, 1 ft. high. Leaf-
sheaths keeled upwards, with usually scanty long hairs on the back
and at the nodes ; ligules very short, with long dense white hairs ;
blades suberect, lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate from a roundish
base, gradually tapering to an acute point, about 2-2 J in. by 3 lin.,
flat, membranous, loosely long-hairy on both sides, margins cartila-
ginous' crisped, ciliolate* midrib slender. Inflorsecence erect, secund,

Uju

Brachiaria .]

CL VII. GilAMINEjE (Btapf).

568

of about 3 erect arching spike-like racemes ; common axis somewhat
stout, densely and roughly ciliolate at the angles. Racemes secund,
1-seriate, not quite 1 in. long ; rhachis flat, densely setulose-ciliate.
Spikelets subsessile, solitary, contiguous, elliptic, acute or acuminate,
2 lin. by ~ lin., greenish hairy. Lower glume broadly ovate, with
rounded and more or less asymmetric tips, one-third to almost half the
length of the spikelet, glabrous, 9-nerved ; upper glume broad-
elliptic, acute or broadly acuminate, 5-nerved. Lower floret $ :
valve like the upper glume if not broader ; valvule as long as the
valve or almost so, shortly acute. Upper floret elliptic, subacuminate ;
valve and valvule crustaceous, rugulose, yellowish-shining.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Lake region ; Muansa Kafuro,
Stuhlmann , 1915, 4663.

Evidently allied to B. falcifcra. x

CF,‘£.

51. B. jubataA Stapf. Perennial, up to 3 ft. high. Culms erect,
simple, the exposed parts hirsute with yellowish hairs. Leaf-
sheaths striate ; ligules a densely ciliolate rim ; blades linear, taper-
ing gradually, very acute, up to 5 lin. wide, flat, spreadingly ciliate.
Inflorescence long-exserted, about I in. long, secund, of erect or
falcate distant secund spiciform racemes ; common axis semiterete,
slightly channelled on the face. Racemes dense, 2-seriate, lower
not quite an inch long, the following gradually shorter ; rhachis
slightly flexuous, somewhat flattened with a prominent midrib on
the finely pubescent face, margins densely ciliate with yellowish
hairs almost as long as the spikelet ; pedicels very short, setulose
with subdiscoid tips. Spikelets contiguous, oblong, obtuse, about
2 lin. long, hairy. Glumes subequal, membranous ; lower almost
as long as the spikelet, broadly elliptic-oblong, very obtuse or sub-
marginate, clasping below, glabrous, ll-12~nerved, nerves ending
free, upper ovate-oblong, obtuse, as long as the spikelet, much
narrower than the lower glume, appressedly hairy, 7 -nerved with
cross-veins. Lower floret as long as the spikelet, $ : valve 5-nerved,
upwards with cross-veins, hirsute along the sides and upwards ;
valvule elliptic-oblong, keels marginate. Upper floret subelliptic
in outline, apiculate ; valve and valvule crustaceous, very delicately
rugulose, the former with some cross-nerves near the apex. Stigmas
large, purple. — Panicum jubatum, Fig. & De Not. in Mem. Acc.
Torin. ser. ii. xiv. (1854) 331, t. 9, figs. 1—15 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 752.

Nile Land. Sudan : Cordofan, Figari.

According to Eigari’s fig. 1, which is stated to be to the scale of x 3 natural
size, the spikelets would be 2 lin. long, but according to figs. 2 and 3 (magnifi-
cation 5) their length appears to be 3 lin. Evidently allied to B. fulva, but
apparently differing in the larger size of the spikelets and the broader and
more numerously nerved lower glume.

52. Panicum (Brachiaria) oligobrachiatum, Pilger in Engl . Jahrb.
xxxiii. 50. Base not known. Culms stout (up to 3 lin. in diam.),

564

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Brachiaria .

tall, upwards with numerous flowering branches up to over 1 ft. *
long. Leaf -sheaths strongly striate, glabrous, smooth ; ligules

formed of setiform rigid hairs ; blades linear-lanceolate from a
shortly rounded base, long -tapering upwards, rigid, sparsely setulose
on both sides, margins scabro -cilia te upwards, midrib stout towards
the base, primary lateral nerves 6-7 on each side. Inflorescence
of 3-4 distant dense spiciform racemes ; common axis straight,
channelled, glabrous, its internodes lj-lf in. long. Racemes 2-
seriate, lf-2f in. long, simple or compound with short secondary
racemes ; rhachis with a slender puberulous pulvinus at the base,
flat, herbaceous, 1 lin. wide, glabrous on the back, puberulous on the
face, margins rough ; pedicels solitary, very short, or 2-nate and
then the primary slightly longer. Spikelets narrowly ovoid, acute,
2 lin. long, hairy. Glumes somewhat distant, the lower acute, less
than half the length of the spikelet, broadly clasping at the base,
with 11-13 parallel anastomosing nerves ; upper ovate, acute, as
long as the spikelet, 7 -nerved, with some rather long white stiff hairs
on the back. Lower floret ; valve very similar to the upper
glume, 5-nerved ; valvule as long as the valve. Upper floret
as long as the lower ; valvule chartaceous, shortly mucronate-apicu-
late, faintly 5-nerved ; stigmas dark- violet, short. — P. brizanthum {?),
Schlechter, West-Afr. Kautsch.-Exped. 268.

Lower Guinea. French Congo : in scrub near Bonga at the mouth of the
Sanga River, Schlechter , 12663.

Evidently closely allied to B. inter stipitata, but apparently differing from
it in the setulose leaf-blades, the numerous flowering branches, each of which
bears only 3-4 racemes, and the long stiff white hairs of the spikelets.

53. Panicum ozogonum, Steud. Syn. Pl. Glum, i. 68. Culms
geniculate, proliferously branched from the nodes, over 1 ft. high.
Leaf-sheaths with tubercle-based hairs ; blades lanceolate from a
clasping cordate base, acute, 1-2 in. by 2J-3 lin., very finely
pubescent. Panicle l|-3 in. long, of erect solitary subsessile com-
pound (?) racemes. Spikelets solitary “ alternately pedicelled and
sessile ” or 2-nate, ovate, pubescent. Lower glume ovate, obtuse,
sometimes very shortly mucronulate ; upper equalling the lower
floret, 3-5-nerved. Upper floret <J, transversely rugose. — Durand
& Schinz, Consp. El. Afr. v. 758.

Upper Guinea. Senegambia, Leprieur.

I have not found this species in Steudel’s Herbarium in Paris. It is probably
Brachiaria ramosa.

54. Panicum schimperianum, Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma,
viii. 303.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Assaorta ; along the Haddas torrent, Pappi, 2645.

Chiovenda quotes A. Richard {Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 371) and Steudel {Syn.
PI. Glum . i. 68) as authorities for P. schimperianum. A. Richard based this

Brachiaria.] clvii. gramineje (Stapf).

565

species on a plant distributed by Schimper under no. 1853 (sect. III). The
specimens of this number, as far as I have seen them, belong to Panicum
meyerianum, Nees, and A. Richard’s description supports that identification.
Steudel had evidently the same plant under Schimper s number 1853.
According to Chiovenda the plant from Assaorta has rigid, hard culms, very
obtuse, whitish glossy and quite glabrous spikelets, with the tips of the upper
glume and lower vaive subcartilaginous, and the nerves slightly or not at all
raised. The duration of the plant is given as biennial or possibly perennial.

The description of the spikelets suggests B. ovalis. On the other hand Chiovenda
compares the grass with Panicum velutinosum ( = P. molle), P. distichophyllum
and P. Jcotschyanum, and adds that A. Richard’s description of P .schimper ianum
points to a species different from the Amasen plant, whilst Steudel’s treat-
ment of it suggests an affinity with P. maximum. In view of these conflicting
statements and in the absence of specimens I am unable to verify Chiovenda’s
determination.

55. Panicum subquadriparum, Trim, ex Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. r>

vi. (1888) 141.

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : banks of the Zambesi,
Carvalho.

P. subquadriparum, Trin., described from specimens collected by Escholz
and Chamisso in the Marianne Islands, is identical with P. distachyuw, Linn.
(Brachiaria distachya, Stapf), a species not recorded so far from continental
Africa. Durand & Schinz in their Conspectus Florae Africce, vol. v. (1895)
747, quote it for Mauritius, citing P. subquadriparum as synonym on Hackel’s
authority, but do not refer to Carvalho’s plant and its determination by
Hackel. Can the latter be P. arrectum, Hackel in Durand & Schinz, l.c. 741,
under which P. subquadriparum, Nees (non Trin.), is given as a synonym ?
I know this, however, only from extratropical South Africa.

56. Panicum velutinosum, Nees in Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma,
viii. 303.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen ; Mai Atal, Pappi, 3203. Ocule Cusai ;
Loggo Sarda, Deggahea, 8500 ft., Pappi, 1385. Maragus ; Cohait. 5570 ft.,
Pappi, 1019.

P. velutinosum, Nees, which is identical with P. molle, Swartz (see Hitch-
cock in Contrib. U.8. Nat. Herb. xii. 137), is a species of tropical America, and
not a Brachiaria, as this genus is understood here. From Chiovenda’s remarks
(l.c. 304) it appears that the Amasen specimens have smaller spikelets (1-1^
lin. long) with a scantier indumentum and less rugose fertile floret, and re-
semble as to size and disposition those of P. Jcotschyanum, which has, however,
a more mucronate upper glume and lower valve. The other examples have
longer and turgid spikelets (1£-1§ lin.) which are, moreover, densely hairy,
with the hairs increasing in length upwards. They approach “Panicum
helopus ” as to the shape of the spikelets, but lack the characteristic mucro of
the latter. In the absence of specimens I am unable to refer Chiovenda’s
P. velutinosum to any of the species of Brachiaria described here.

63. AX0N0PUS, P. Beauv. Agrost. 12.

Spikelets elliptic-oblong to oblong or lanceolate, depressedly
biconvex, falling entire from the rudimentary pedicels, solitary,
secund and adaxial on the triquetrous or more or less flattened

566

CLVII. GRAMINE^S (Stapf).

[. Axonopus .

rhachis of very slender spikes or spike-like racemes ; lower floret
barren, reduced to the valve ; upper floret Glumes : the lower
suppressed, the upper equal to the spikelet, membranous, very finely
or faintly 5-4-nerved. Lower floret : valve very similar to the
upper glume, with the nerves still finer and the middle-nerve often
absent. Upper floret : valve chartaceous to crustaceous, with firm
margins, obtuse, emucronate, faintly 4-nerved ; valvule equal or
subequal to the valve and similar in substance, tightly embraced by
the narrowly involute margins of the valve. Lodicules 2, minute,
broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct ; stigmas laterally
exserted near the tip of the floret. Grain tightly enclosed by the
slightly hardened valve and valvule, elliptic, dorsally much com-
pressed, flat on both sides ; hilum subbasal, punctiform ; embryo
less than half the length of the grain. — Stoloniferous or csespitose
perennials ; blades more or less linear, flat or folded or involute ;
ligules very narrow, membranous ; spikes 2 or more, often very
many, digitate or subdigitate, if many then usually crowded on a
short common axis, sessile, simple ; spikelets usually small to very
small, and closely appressed to the rhachis which is sometimes
chambered by the rudimentary pedicels and their widened insertions
forming crossbars running from the facial angle to the margin.

Species about 35, mostly in tropical America, one also in Africa and introduced
in other parts of the tropics.

As to the application of Beauvois’ name Axonojms to this group, see Chase in
Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, xxiv. 129-131.

1. A. compressus, P. Beauv. Agrost. 154. Perennial, J-2 ft. high,
in small tufts and solitary culms from a very slender rhizome densely
covered with the scars of decayed cataphylls and from long slender
creeping and rooting runners. Culms erect or geniculately ascending,
1-3-noded, slender, more or less compressed or angular below,
glabrous, smooth. Leaf-sheaths compressed, the basal very much
so, crowded and flabellate, somewhat thin and pale, all quite glabrous,
rarely sparingly hairy, striate and smooth ; ligules a narrow mem-
branous rim, minutely ciliolate ; blades lanceolate-linear to linear
from a frequently more or less rounded base, obtuse or subobtuse,
more rarely shortly acute, 2-5 in. by 2-6 lin., folded or flat, bright
green, quite glabrous or rigidly ciliate, rarely loosely hairy all over,
midrib and primary lateral nerves (up to 5 on each side) very slender,
but quite distinct below. Inflorescence of 2-3 or sometimes up to
5 subdigitate sessile erect or spreading spikes ; common axis very
slender, angular, glabrous, if 3 or more spikes the lowest internode
often over 1 in. long. Spikes very slender, 2-4 in. by J to over \ lin.,
straight or (if long) flexuous, green, glabrous ; rhachis triquetrous,
mostly less than J lin. wide, green with narrow herbaceous margins
or wings, angles scaberulous or almost smooth, internodes j-J lin.
long ; pedicels solitary, alternately to the right and the left of the

Axonopus.]

CLVII. GRAMINEi® (Stapf).

567

frontal angle, reduced to smooth elliptic subsessile discs. Spikelets
oblong to lanceolate- oblong, subacute to acute, not rarefy acuminate,
1-lf rarefy 2 lin. long, green. Glume corresponding to the size and
shape of the spikelet, with very narrowly incurved margins, mem-
branous on the back, more or less papery on the sides, typically
5-nerved, sometimes 4- nerved owing to the obliteration of the middle-
nerve, side-nerves approximate towards the margins, 4 lines of very
fine appressed hairs (one on each side between the side-nerves and
another inside the inner side- nerve), or sometimes the hairs more
loose and scanty, or the inner lines of hairs absent. Lower floret
reduced to a valve very similar to the glume but usually without
a middle-nerve. Upper floret $, much shorter than the spikelet,
rarefy exceeding 1 lin., elliptic- oblong, obtuse, white : valve and
valvule thinly crustaceous, the former very faintly 4-nerved, finely
and shortly hairy at the tip. Anthers J lin. long. Grain elliptic in
outline, obtuse, white, about lin. by lin. ; scutellum

rotundate-elliptic, not reaching to the middle of the grain. — -Chase in
Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. xxiv. 132 ; Hitch. & Chase in Contr. U.S.
Nat. Herb, xviii. 300. Milium compressum, Sw. Prodr. 24. Paspalum
tristachyum, Lam. 111. i. 176. P. platycaulon, Poir. Encycl. Suppl. v.
34 ; Fluegge, Monogr. Pasp. 116 (Paspalus platycaulis ) ; Trin. Gram.
Panic. 95, and Sp. Gram. Ic. 1. 118 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 48 ; Steud. Syn.
PI. Glum. i. 22 (platycaule) ; Baker, FI. Maurit. 431 ; Doell in Mart. FI.
Bras. ii. ii. 101 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 738 ; Ridley in
Agric. Bull. Straits & Fed. Malay St. ii. 275 ; Backer in Teysmannia,
xxiv. 371 t. 8. P. compressum , Rasp, in Ann. Sci. Nat. Ire ser. v.
301 ; Nees, Agrost. Bras. 23 ; Schlechtend. in Bot. Zeit. 1850, 682 ;
Lamson-Scribn. in U.S. Dep. Agric. Div. Agrost. Bull. vii. 42, fig. 24 ;
Ball in U.S. Dep. Agric. Div. Agrost. Circ. no. 28, 6. P. laticulmum ,
Spreng. Syst. i. 245. P. platyculmum, Pet. Thouars ex Nees, Agrost.
Bras. 24 ; Kunth, l.c., 49 ; Steud. l.c., 30 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. P.
complanatum, Steud. l.c., 22. Anastrophus compressus, Schlechtend.
ex Nash in North Amer. FI. xvii. 162. A. platycaulis , Nash in Small,
FI. S.-E. U.S. 79. Panicum sanguinale , Klatt in Durand & De Wild,
Mat. FI. Congo, i. 91 (accord, to the specimen quoted) ; not of Linn.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Mabum, 370 ft., Thomas , 1599 ! French
Guinea : Timbo, Pobeguin, 1703 ! Ivory Coast : Cavally basin, Chevalier ,
19762 ! Southern Nigeria : banks of the Brass River, Barter , 1842 ! Opobo,
'Jeffreys , 4 ! 29. Lagos; Ikoyi Plains, Dalziel, 1313 !

^ Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Kwango District ; sandbanks of islands of
Kwilu River, Vanderyst , 2617 partly ! Stanley Pool District; Kutu, Vanderyst ,
3538 ! M’Sonata, Hens , C 162 !

Common throughout continental tropical America, in the West Indies and
southern and south-eastern North America ; also known from Madagascar,
Mauritius, and the Seychelles, in Singapore and Java, but evidently only
introduced here.

An important pasture grass in the West Indies, particularly on low moist land.
Known as Carpet grass ,

568

clvii. graminete (Stapf).

[Paspalum.

64. P ASP ALUM, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. x. 855.

Spikelets orbicular to oblong, mostly decidedly plano-convex,
falling entire from the short rudimentary pedicels, solitary or paired,
secund and abaxial on the dilated or narrow rhachis of spike-like
racemes ; lower floret barren, reduced to its valve ; upper floret
Glumes : the lower typically suppressed, very rarely represented by
a small scale ; the upper more or less equal to the spikelet, rarely
shorter or absent, convex, membranous, 3- or more-nerved. Lower
floret : valve very similar to the upper glume, but usually flat or at
least less convex, rarely subconcave, the middle nerve sometimes
suppressed. Upper floret : valve chartaceous to crustaceous with
firm margins, obtuse, emucronate, faintly nerved ; valvule subequal
to the valve and similar in substance, tightly embraced by the
narrowly involute margins of the valve. Lodicules 2, minute,
broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct ; stigmas laterally
exserted near the tip of the floret. Grain tightly enclosed by the
slightly hardened valve and valvule, more or less biconvex ; scutellum
orbicular-elliptic, shorter than half the grain ; hilum subbasal,
punctiform. — Mostly perennial grasses of varying habit.

Species over 200, mainly in tropical America ; few in the Old World.

A polymorphic genus comprising many types of sometimes strikingly different
habit, but rather uniform in the structure of the spikelets. Nash in “ North
American Flora, ” distinguishes 33 groups.

Spikelets ciliate from the margins of the upper glume,
greenish-yellow, f-f lin. long, tightly appressed to
the rhachis of conjugate slender spike-like-racemes ... 1 . F. conjugatum.

Spikelets not ciliate, quite glabrous or very finely puberu-

lous.

Spikelets quite glabrous, mostly 1-2 lin. long.

Spikelets oblong, rather flattened, up to 2 lin. long,
in mostly conjugated slender spike-like racemes,

If in. long ; culms many-noded with an often
long prostrate and rooting base and narrow
blades, 1-4 in. by f-lf lin. ... ... 2. P. vagina, turn.

Spikelets broad-elliptic to suborbicular, conspicuously
, plano-convex, 1-lf lin. long (rarely less, to f lin. )
in racemosely arranged (rarely solitary) spike -like
racemes (2-7 or occasionally more) ; blades up
to over 1 ft. long and 2-9 lin. wide.

Blades 6-8 in. by 4-9 lin. wide, more or less rounded

at the base ; racemes about 3 ... ... ... 3, P . Unricndatum.

Blades 6-15 in. by 2-4 (rarely 7) lin. wide, very
slightly constricted at the base, if at all.

Racemes mostly 2 or 3, rarely 1 or 4, 1-2 (occasion- [var. Cowmersonii.
ally 3) in. iong ... 4. P. scrobiculatvm,

Racemes 4-7 or occasionally up to over 10 (rarely

18), 2f-4 in. long, often cinnamon-coloured [var . polystachyum.

when young ... ... ... ... ... 4. P. scrobiculatum,

Spikelets minutely pubescent, almost hemispheric, f— f

lin. long in numerous slender fastigiate racemes ... 5, P. famculaiwm .

Paspalum.]

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

569

1. P. conjugatum, Berg, in Act. Helv. vii. 129, t. 8. Perennial, up
to over 2 ft. high, growing in small tufts with often very long rooting
runners, throwing up secondary culms from the nodes. Culms erect
or geniculately ascending, 5-7-noded, glabrous, internodes more or
less exserted, the internodes of the runners usually much compressed
and often arching. Leaf-sheaths compressed and keeled, particu-
larly the lower which are more or less flabellately arranged, loose or
(the upper) tight, striate, smooth and glabrous except on the upwards
ciliate margins and a transverse line of short hairs at the junction
with the blade and in the runners, the frequently long and softly
bearded nodes ; ligules short, membranous, truncate, often with a
line of hairs behind them ; blades linear-lanceolate to linear, slightly
narrowed or rounded at the base, long- tapering to an acute point,
up to 7 in. by 3-6 lin., green, soft to almost flaccid, rigidly ciliate and
scaberulous along the margins, otherwise glabrous and more or less
(rarely very) hairy, midrib fine, whitish, primary lateral nerves
about 5 on each side, faint. Spike-like racemes paired (rarely 3-nate) ,
sessile or subsessile or one of them shortly peduncled, divergent,
2-6 in. long ; rhachis herbaceous, subtriquetrous, about J-| lin.
wide, grooved on the back with smooth cartilaginous lateral angles
and a much projecting or sublamelliform facial angle, glabrous except
at the pubescent base, internodes J lin. long ; pedicels solitary, with
thickened tips, curved, J lin. long. Spikelets 2-seriate, not or
slightly imbricate, but usually closely packed, broad-elliptic, sub-
obtuse or apiculate to shortly acute, plano-convex, |-| lin. long,
greenish-yellow, at length brownish. Lower glume 0 ; upper corre-
sponding in size and outline to the spikelet, convex, thinly mem-
branous with a stout green marginal nerve on each side, ciliate, the
cilia fine, up to over 1 lin. long, white. Lower floret : valve ve^
similar to the upper glume and equalling it, but flat and glabrous
with more delicate marginal nerves ; valvule 0. Upper floret ^ :
valve like that of the lower, if not more distinctly apiculate or acute
and 3-nerved, thinly crustaceous, straw-coloured ; valvule with
narrow flaps. Anthers yellow and orange, J lin. long. Stigmas
orange. Grain elliptic-rotundate, rather flat, J-f lin. long ;
scutellum of similar shape, equalling almost one- third of the grain. —
Sw. Prodr. 21, and FI. Ind. Occ. i. 133 ; Poir. Encycl. v. 29 ;
Fluegge, Monogr. Gram. 102 ; Humb., Bonpl. & Kunth, Nov. Gen. &
Sp. i. 91 ; Trin. Gram. Pan. 93, Panic. Gen. 54, and Sp. Gram.
Ic. 1. 102 ; Kunth, Rev. Gram. 25, and Enum. i. 51 ; Steud. Syn. PI.
Glum. i. 21 ; Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. v. 210 ; Franch. Contr. FI.
Congo Fran9. 31 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 736, and Etudes
FI. Congo, 320 ; Cummins in Kew Bulletin, 1898, 81 ; Rendle in Cat.
Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 162 ; De Wild. & Durand, Contr. FI. Congo, i. fasc.
ii. 71, Reliq. Dewevr. 256, and in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2me ser. i. 60 ; De
Wild. Miss. E. Laurent, 199, PI. Util. Congo, i. 514, and Etudes FI.
Bas- et Moyen-Congo, ii. 10 ; Stapf in Johnston, Liberia, ii. 666 ;

570

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Pas'palum.

Nash in North Amer. FI. xvii. 194 ; Hitchcock in Contrib. U.S. Nat.
Herb. xii. 136 ; Backer in Teysmannia, xxiv. 366, t. 7. P. tenue ,
Gsertn. Fruct. ii. 2, t. 80. P. ciliatum, Lam. Illustr. i. 175 ; P.
Beauv. FI. Owar. ii. 56, t. 92, fig. 2. P. qfricanum , Poir. Encycl. Suppl.
iv. 314; Kunth, Enum. i. 61; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 33. P.
Renggeri, Steud. l.c. 17. P. siebenanum, Steud. l.c. P. longissimum,
Hochst. ex Steud. l.c. 19. Digitaria conjugate. Schult. Mant. ii. 262.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Kamakuia, Thom, as, 296 ! Sendugu, Thomas,
583 ! Pendembu, Thomas, 816 ! Kennema, Thomas, 1605 ! Nj ungam,
Thomas, 1324 ! Bumbuna, Thom, as, 3342 ! Yonibana, Thomas, 4803 !
Sherbro, Hunter, 26 ! and without precise locality, Welwitsch, 2937 partly !
Morson ! Liberia : within a radius of 20 miles from Kakatown, Whyte ! Gold
Coast : Aburi Hills, Johnson, 469 ! Assim Yan Kumassi, Cummins, 157 ! 166 !
Southern Nigeria : Lagos, by water, MacGregor, 122 ! Dawodu, 344 ! Opobo,
Jeffreys, 31 ! Abbeokuta, Irving ! Ikoyi Plains, Dalziel, 1314 ! Aboh, Barter,
1388 ! Ndoni town, Barter, 1763 ! On the Quorra, Vogel 3 ! Old Calabar,
Robb ! Holland, 116! Cameroons : Lolodorf , Staudt, 200 ! Bipinde, Zenker,
4298 ! Barombi, Preuss, 302 ! Batanga, common in open bush and fields,
Bates, 47 ! 401 ! and without precise locality, Preuss, 1147 ! S. Thome : Boa
Nova, Moller, 129! Don\ Fernando Po, Vogel ! Mann, 119! Prince’s
Island : in woods at the foot of Pico Papagayo, W elwitsch, 2927 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Monbuttu ; Munza, Schiveinfurth, 3501 !
Boma District ; Sisia, Dupuis. Shinganga, Deivevre. Cataracts District ;
Kienzei-Lutete, Hens, A 345 ! Stanley Pool District; Kisantu, Gillet. Kwango
District; Eiolo , Laurent. Equator District ; Eala , Laurent. Ubangi District ;
Mokoange, Boucken. Eastern Province ; Romee, Van Goezen. Kasai District ;
Bwaka, Van Goezen.

Common in the hotter parts of America from the Gulf States southwards ;
also in the Indo-Malayan region and Polynesia (introduced ?).

This grass, which is sometimes called “ sour grass ” in the West Indies
( Grisebach ), often forms extensive mats on moist ground, spreading rapidly and
covering the ground to the exclusion of everything else. Very acceptable food
to cattle and horses ( Kew Bulletin, 1894, 385).

2. P. vaginatum, Sw. Prodr. Veg. Ind. Occ. 21. Perennial, 1J-2 ft.
high. Culms ascending from a creeping and rooting often very long
and branched base, many-noded, sheathed all along or the uppermost
internodes shortly exserted. Leaves numerous, distichous, imbricate
below, glabrous except at the often bearded mouth of the sheath ;
sheaths pale, tight, more or less compressed, those of the bases at
length withering away, all very smooth ; ligules very short, truncate,
with fine hairs from behind ; blades linear, narrower at the base
than the sheath, acute, 1-4 in. by J-1J lin., spreading, flat or in-
volute, somewhat plump, very closely nerved, nerves of the upper
side minutely papillose, midrib very slender, primary nerves hardly
differentiated, margins smooth. Inflorescence of 2, rarely 3 spike-
like racemes, peduncled on the top of the culm, erect or spreading,
particularly the lower ; spikes J-l| in. long, slender, straight or very
slightly arched, 2-seriate, dense, glabrous ; peduncle from very
short to over 4 lin. long, up to J lin. wide ; rhachis herbaceous,
triquetrous, flat on the back, chambered on the face, chambers
oblong, up to lj lin. long, margins scaberulous, internodes |-J lin.

Paspalum.] clvii. gramine^: (Stapf). 571

long ; pedicels reduced to broad dorsally compressed stumps.
Spikelets solitary, subsessile, oblong, acute to acuminate, flattened,
up to 2 lin. long, imbricate and appressed to the rhachis, pale. Lower
glume 0 ; upper corresponding in shape and size to the spikelet,
thinly membranous, quite glabrous, 5- or 4-nerved with the middle
nerve suppressed, lateral nerves approximate near the margin.
Lower floret reduced to its valve which very much resembles the
glume, and is 5-7-nerved with the side- nerves submarginal. Upper
floret shorter by one-third or one-quarter than the lower, pale,
smooth ; valve and valvule sub coriaceous, the former faintly
5-nerved. Anthers \ lin. long. — Sw. FI. Ind. Occ. i. 135; Fluegge,
Monogr. Pasp. 108 ; Trin. Gram. Pan. 94, Panic. Gen. 53, and Sp.
Gram. Ic. t. 120 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 52 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 20 ;
Small, FI. S.-E. U. Stat. 78 ; Hitchcock in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb,
xii. 136 ; Hitchcock k Chase in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb, xviii. 307 ;
not of P. Beauv. FI. Owar. P. vaginatum, forma longipes, Lange in
Vidensk. Medd. Naturh. Foren. Kjobenh. 1854, 42, and Pug. Plant.
Hisp. i. 28. P. distichum, N. L. Burm. FI. Ind. 23 ; Gsertn. Fruct. ii. 2,
t. 80 ; Kunth, l.c. ; Steud. l.c., 29 ; Baker, FI. Maurit. 431 ; Benth. FI.
Austr. vii. 460 ; Hack, in Forschungsr. S.M.S. “ Gazelle,'’ iv. 6 ;
Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 737 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii.
12 ; Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. xxxvi. 319 ; Ridley, Mat. FI.
Mai. Pen. iii. 124 ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 371, and in Johnston,
Liberia, ii. 666 ; Merrill in Philipp. Journ. Sc. i. Suppl. i. 346 ; Backer
in Teysmannia, xxiv. 423, t. 9 ; not of Linn. P. distichum , var. vagi-
natum, Griseb. FI. Brit. W. Ind. 541. P. littorale, R. Br. Prodr. 188 ;
Trin. Gram. Pan. 95, and Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 112 : Kunth, l.c. 51. P.
longiflorum, P. Beauv. FI. Owar. ii. 46, t. 85, fig. 2; Grab. Cat.
Bomb. 234 ; not of Retz. P. brachiatu?n, Trin. ex Nees, Agrost. Bras.
62. P. foliosum, Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 25. P. squamatum, Steud.
l.c. 21. P. inflatum, A. Rich, in Ram. de Sagra, FI. Cub. iii. 298.
P. Ideinianum , Presl, Rel. Hamk. i. 209 ; Steud. l.c. 29. P. boryanum ,
Presl, l.c. ; Steud. l.c. Digitaria foliosa, Lag. Gen. et Sp. Nov. 4.
D. vaginata, Philippe, FI. d. Pyren. ii. 415. D. paspaloides, var.
longipes , Lange ex Willk. & Lange, Prodr. FI. Hisp. i. 45. Sangui-
naria vaginata, Bub. FI. Pyren. iv. 258.

Upper Guinea. Senegal, Roger ! Heudelot, 451! Liberia: Monrovia,
Naumann, 31. Southern Nigeria : sandy shores of the Nun River, Vogel, 60 !
Oameroons : in crevices of rocks on the shore, Batanga, Bates, 340 ! Fernando
Po : creeping on the beach, Mann, 441 ! St. Thome, Don !

Nile Land. Somaliland : near Burao and on the road to Upper Sheikh, and
at Lower Sheikh and Bahindula, Appleton ! Socotra, Balfour, 236 ! 305 !
Schweinfurth, 717! Uganda : Unyoro, Speke & Grant !

Lower Guinea. French Gaboon, Jardin. Angola : Loanda, W elwitscli,
7327 ! Mossamedes; in salt marsh between the Cable Station and the River
Bero, Pearson, 2166 ! 2181 !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar Island, Sacleux, 1819 ! German East Africa :
Tanga, Holst, 2073 ! Volkens, 179 ! Portuguese East Africa : on the Zambesi,
Kirk !

Throughout the tropics of both hemispheres, mostly on the seashore ; also

572 clvii. gramineje (Stapf). [Paspalum.

in Galicia (Spain) and the western and central Pyrenees, but no doubt introduced
here.

Frequently confused with Paspalum distichum , Linn. (Herb. Linn. !), which
has broader and flatter leaves, mostly sessile or subsessile lateral spikes and
spikelets with firmer sides and a more convex upper glume, which is appressedly
and silkily pubescent. The latter is the plant described in Dyer’s FI. Cap. vii.
370 as P. Digitaria. This name should therefore be replaced in that work by
P. distichum. , Linn., which will also cover the synonymy quoted there under
P. Digitaria except Paspalum Elliottii, S. Wats., the latter according to Hitch-
cock (in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 146) being identical with P. furcatus,
Fluegge ( =Axonopus furcatus, Hitchcock). For further synonyms of P.
distichum see Thellung in FI. Advent. Montpell. 77-83 under P. distichum. ,
subsp. paspalod.es L and Nash in North Amer. Flora, xvii. 195.

3. P. auricnlatum, Presl, Pel. HcenJc. 217. Probably perennial,
up to over 1J ft. high. Culms erect, simple or sparingly branched,
4-5-noded, sheathed all along or the upper internodes exserted,
rather stout and spongy below, glabrous. Leaves usually quite
glabrous except at the appressedly hairy sheath-nodes ; sheaths
wide, loose, terete or somewhat compressed, but not keeled, striate,
smooth ; -igules membranous, J-f lin. long, truncate ; blades lanceo-
late-linear, slightly constricted and rounded at the base, tapering to
a fine point, 6-8 in. by 4-9 lin., the uppermost often much reduced,
soft, flat, margins undulate or crisped downwards, scabrid upwards,
lateral primary nerves up to 8 on each side, inconspicuous, midrib
slightly prominent below. Inflorescence on a slender peduncle,
shortly and terminally or laterally exserted from the uppermost
sheath, of 3 racemes, sometimes with an additional raceme from
the base of the peduncle ; common axis 1-2 in. long, more or less
winged upwards with the wings produced into short obtuse auricles
at the nodes, glabrous, smooth. Racemes erect or spreading, stout,
the lowest peduncled or like the others subsessile, 1J-3 in. long ;
rhachis pubescent at the very base, herbaceous above it, flat on the
back, about 1J lin. wide, thin, with a sharply projecting and some-
times lamelliform midrib on the face and with scabrid margins,
internodes about J lin. long ; pedicels solitary, the lowest terete,
all the others very short, flat and broad, sometimes by their wide
insertions dividing the face of the rhachis into more or less complete
chambers, glabrous. Spikelets typically 2-seriate, crowded, laterally
contiguous or subimbricate, broadly ovate- or rotundate-elliptic,
sub-biconvex, obtuse or subobtuse, 1J lin. long, chestnut-brown,
quite glabrous. Lower glume 0 ; upper corresponding in size and
outline to the spikelet, very convex, thinly membranous, 5-nerved,
the lateral nerves approximate and submarginal. Lower floret
reduced to its valve which is flat, membranous and dull brown or
cinnamon-coloured, or slightly convex and cartilaginous, glossy and
chestnut-brown all over or only in the centre, the sides in this case
being dull or pale to whitish, more or less distinctly 7-nerved, with
the outermost pair of nerves of each side submarginal. Upper
floret ^ : valve very convex on the back, glossy, chestnut-brown

;r

Paspalum .]

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

573

except at the whitish base and the involute narrow margins, firmly
crustaceous, obscurely 5-nerved ; valvule with broad slightly over-
lapping hyaline auricles near the base. Anthers \ lin. long, yellow. —
P. Zollingeri, Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 28 ; Balansa in Journ. de Bot.
iv. (1890) 136. P. lamprocaryon , K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C.
100. P. scrobiculatum , var. auriculatum , Merrill in Philipp. Journ.
Sc. i. Suppl. i. 345.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Bumban, 650 It., Thomas , 1967 ! Kal-alla,
1200 ft., Thomas, 2229 ! Jigaya, 1100 ft., Thomas, 2837 !

Nile Land. Niamniam country : Tuhami’s Seriba, Schweinfurth, 3786 !
Uganda : Entebbe, Fyffe, 197 ! Kirrema Forest, 4000 ft., Dummer , 411 !

'Mozambique Distr. German East Africa: Bukoba, Stuhlmann, 3901.
Nyasaland : between Kondowe and Karonga, Whyte ! ' p ,

Also in Java, Tonkin and the Philippines. (

The valve of the lower floret of the Indo-Malayan specimens is always thinly
membranous and flat, but in the African it is more or less cartilaginous or
crustaceous and convex, approaching the structure of the valve of the upper
floret, a modification frequently observed in other members of the Paspalum
scrobiculatum group.

(^Uourn , )

4. P. scrobiculatum, Linn., var. Commersonii* Stapf. Perennial
(sometimes flowering the first year or annual ?), 1 to over 2 ft. high,
usually scantily tufted from a short prsemorse rhizome with intra-
vaginal and extravaginal innovations, the latter with appressedly
hirsute cataphylls. Culms erect or ascending, sometimes from a
prostrate and rooting many-noded base, simple or sparingly branched,
5-noded, terete or slightly compressed below, glabrous, the upper
and often also the intermediate internodes more or less exserted.
Leaf-sheaths loosely clasping, the lower somewhat compressed and
keeled, striate, usually glabrous except the basal which are commonly
appressedly (rarely spreadingly) silky-hirsute downwards, rarely
softly and loosely hirsute all over ; ligules membranous, short,
truncate or ovate-rotundate ; blades linear to lanceolate-linear from
an equally wide or slightly constricted base, up to 9 in. by 5 lin.,
but usually shorter and narrower (mostly 2-4 lin. wide), the upper-
most sometimes much reduced, flat, soft or more or less rigid, quite
glabrous or with a scanty beard of white hairs towards the base of the
sheath, rarely softly and loosely hirsute all over, margins scabrid,
lateral nerves 4-5 on each side, usually inconspicuous, midrib slightly
prominent below. Inflorescence of mostly 2, less often 3 or 1, very
rarely 4 spike-like racemes, terminal and ultimately more or less
exserted from the uppermost sheath, very frequently with an ad-
ditional raceme from the base of the peduncle, the accessory raceme
remaining long or permanently enclosed in the supporting sheath ;
common axis usually very short if the racemes are paired (rarely up
to \ in. long), longer (up to 1 in., rarely 1J in.) if there are 3 or 4
racemes, with the uppermost internode very short, or almost as long
as the preceding, internodes 2-winged, wings wider upwards and either
all or only those of the uppermost internode produced into short obtuse

574

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Paspalum.

or (rarely) elongated and acute auricles, glabrous, smooth . Racemes
suberect or spreading, straight or arching, moderately stout, the
lateral shortly peduncled or more often subsessile, 1-2 (rarely 3) in.
long ; rhachis pubescent (with some longer hairs added) at the base,
herbaceous and glabrous above it, flat on the back, mostly f-lj lin.
wide, rarely much narrower (to slightly over 4 lin.) or wider (up to
lin.), with a slender but sharply projecting acute straight or
zig-zag keel on the face and with scabrid margins, internodes about
•| lin. long ; pedicels solitary, the lower sub terete, the following
flattened dorsally, with acute scaberulous angles, usually slightly
curved and placed aslant the wings of the rhachis, often up to their
margin, thereby chambering the face of the rhachis more or less
completely, glabrous. Spikelets 2-seriate, mostly back to back,
laterally contiguous or almost so, rarely both ranks facing more or
less one way and subimbricate, broad-elliptic to ovate- or obovate-
elliptie, rarely almost orbicular, obtuse to subacute, plano-convex,
mostly about 1 lin. long, rarely much smaller (to \ lin.) or much
larger (to slightly over 14 lin.), dull brown, quite glabrous, vary-
ing from pale greyish-green or tawny- to umber-brown. Lower
glume 0 ; upper corresponding in size and outline to the spikelet, very
convex, thinly membranous, 5-7 -nerved, the lateral nerves approxi-
mate and submarginal. Lower floret reduced to its valve which is
flat, membranous, mostly 5- less often 7-nerved, with the outermost
pair of nerves submarginal in the flexure, the additional (intra-
marginal) pair, if present, often shorter. Upper floret ^ : valve very
convex on the back, glossy, pale to chestnut-brown, firmly crus-
taceous, obscurely 5-nerved ; valvule with the flaps widened into a
broad auricle below the middle. Anthers J lin. long. Grain
rotundate-elliptic, very convex in front, flat on the back, pale ;
scutellum up to half the length of the grain. — P. Commersonii , Lam .
111. i. 175, t. 43, fig. 1. P. Kom, Willd. Sp. PI. i. 332, and Hort.
Berol. t. 74 ; P. Beauv. PI. Owar ii. 45, t. 85, fig. 1 ; Roxb. PI. Ind. ed.
Carey, i. 282 ; Grah. Cat. Bomb. PI. 234 ; Duthie, Indig. Podd.
Grass, t. 2, and Podd. Grass. N. Ind. 1. P. scrobiculatum , Bojer,
Hort. Maurit. 361 (partly ?) ; Webb, Spied. Gorg. 187 ; Hook.
Niger PI. 557 ; Miq. FI. Ind. Batav. iii. 430; Benth. FI. Hongk. 408,
and in PI. Austral, vii. 460 (partly) ; Baker, FI. Maurit. 432 (partly) ;
Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. v. 210, and vi. 140 ; Klatt in Jahrb. Hamb.
Wiss. Anst. ix. 120 ; Cordemoy, FI. Reun. 114 ; Ridley in Agr. Bull.
Straits and Fed. Mai. St. ii. 275 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. PI. Afr.
v. 738, and fitudes PI. Congo, 320 ; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr.
C. 100 ; Pranch. Contr. PI. Congo Franp. 30 ; Hook. f. PI. Brit.
Ind. vii. 10 (partly) ; Stapf in Dyer, PI. Cap. vii. 370 ; Durand &
De Wild, in Compt.-Rend. Soc. Bot. Belg. xxxvi. ii. 90, and Mat.
PI. Congo, i. 44 ; Rendle, Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 162 ; De Wild. &
Durand, Contrib. FI. Congo, ii. 71, and in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2me ser.
i. 60 ; Wood, Natal PI. ii. t. 134 ; De Wild. PI. Util. Congo, i. 518-519

575

Paspalwn .] clvii. gramine^: (Stapf).

(partly) ; Miss. E. Laurent, 200, and Etudes FI. Bas- et Moyen-
Congo, ii. 10 ; Th. & Hel. Durand, Syll. FI. Congo, 629 ; Chiov. in
Ann. Istit. Bot. Boma, viii. 29, 293 ; Eyles in Trans. Boy. Soc. S. Afr.
v. 299 ; not of Linn. P. scrobiculatum, var. /3, Fluegge, Monogr*
Gram. 87 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 53 ; Thwaites, Enum. 358, and ex
Hook. f. in Trim. Handb. FI. Ceyl., v. 122. P. scrobiculatum, , var.
ft, Trin. Gram. Pan. 123. P. scrobiculatum , var. Jardini , Franch. in
Contr. FI. Congo Fran 5. 30. P. scrobiculatum , var. y velutinum ,
Hack, in Engl. Jahrb. vi. 233. P. dissectum , Nees, FI. Afr. Austr„

15 ; not of Linn. P. Jardini , Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 18 ; Jardin,
Herb. Cote Occ. Afr. 4. P. Metzii, Steud. l.c. 21, P. mauritani-
cum9 Steud. l.c. 26. P. borbonicum , Steud. l.c. 27.

Upper Guinea. Cape Verd Islands: 8. Jago; valley of Domingo, Hooker , 80 !
Senegal ; Mbohou, near Matam, Chevalier, 2249 ! Sierra Leone : common near
Regent, Scott Elliot, 4188 a ! by the Wallia River, Scott Elliot, 4555 ! and
without precise locality, Don l Welwitsch, 2937 partly! 2941! Drench
Guinea : Timbo, common along footpaths and in cultivated ground, Pobeguin,

1704! Raffing valley, by streams, Pobeguin, 1710! Liberia: Monrovia,
Naumann, 30. Southern Nigeria : Lagos, in damp situations, Dawodu, 3 !
Dalziel, 1122 ! Opobo, Jeffreys, 21 ! 22 a ! 25 ! 25 a ! Etoi River, Holland,

287 ! Old Calabar, Robb ! Northern Nigeria : Nupe ; in swamps, Barter, 1372 !
Abinsi, Dalziel, 871 ! 872. ! Cameroons : Bipinde, Zenker, 3804 ! Batanga,
by footpaths, Batesf 62 f S. Thome : Caixao grande and MadiTTcte Dios, on the
beach, Moller, 130 ! Don ! Fernando Po, Mann, 119 partly !

Nile Land. Eritrea : Sarae ; Adi Ugri, 0230 ft., Pappi, 30 ! 74 ! Denghel, in
swampy ground, Forte. Abyssinia : Gallabat ; Matamma, on the banks of
streams, Schweinfurth, 1187 ! Begemeder, 8 dumper, 1 110 ! Socotra: Galonsir,
Balfour, 305 ! Uganda: in low grassland on hill slopes near Kijude, 4000 ft., /•'
Dummer, 2079! in forest clearings near Kipayo, 4000 ft., Dummer, 1041 !
British East Africa: Nairobi, Dowson, 199! Kithungulu, Gregory ! Rabai
Hills, Taylor !

Lower Guinea. French Gaboon, Griffon de Bellay ! Belgian Congo : Lower
Congo, Smith ! Stanley Pool District ; Mpie, Vahderyst, 3747 ! Wombali, V un-
der yst, 4543 ! Cheval Leo Kwam, Laurent ; Suata, Buettner ; Kinshasa,
Laurent ; Kisantu, Gillet. Lake Leopold District ; Kutu, Laurent. Equator
District ; Eala, Laurent ; Lulanga, Laurent. Bangala District ; Demeuse.
Angola : Ambriz, W elwitsch, 2892 b ! GolungoAlto; Cacarambola, Welwitsch,

2987 ! Pungo Andongo ; in damp meadows near Sansamanda, Welwitsch, 2794 !

2795 ! in marshy meadows near Muta Lucala, Welwitsch, 2707 !

South Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga ; Upper Marungu, Debeersl.

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar, Stuhlmann. German East Africa : Tanga, in
meadows, Holst, 2041 ! Kilimanjaro ; Marangu,^ K100 ft., Volkens, 645 ! Usam-
bara; Kwa Mshuza, Holst, 9017 ! Portuguese East Africa: Quilimane,
Stuhlmann ; banks of the Zambesi, Carvalho. Lower Buzi River, up to 400 ft.,
Swynnerton , 1563 ! Rhodesia : Bulawayo, Monro, 991. Victoria Falls,
Rogers, 5719. M’rewa, near water, Appleton, 25 ! Umtali, Sawer ! Salisbury,

Mrs. Craster, 17 ! Inyanga District, Mundy ! Gazaland : Melsetter, Swynnerton,

1563 ! Govt . Herb. 1077 ; Chirinda, 3700 ft., Swynnerton, 1626 !

Throughout the tropics of the Old World.

This “ variety ” comprises almost all the spontaneous forms of P. scrobicu- &
latum as understood by most post-linnean authors, the original P. scrobiculatum j
of Linnseus representing the cultivated forms of India (P. scrobiculatum, var, j
frumentaceum , Stapf). The othef fornis commonly referred to this P. scrobicu- j
latum of authors are P. polystachyum, R.Br., with its synonyms, and P. orbicu- ;
latum, Forst. The former is treated here as another variety of P. scrobiculatum,
whilst the latter is in my opinion a perfectly distinct species of the Polynesian

576

CL VII. GKAMINE^J (Stapf).

[. Paspalum .

and Indo-Malayan regions with an extension into New Zealand and Australia,
and is therefore outside the scope of this work. P. scrobiculatum, var. Com-
mersonii as defined in this place is a remarkably variable ” group, the final
analysis of which can only be undertaken in the field and the experimental plot.
Many of its states come probably within the range of individual variation and
response to external conditions, whilst others suggest the presence of definite
strains or crosses between them.

A state with the leaves hairy all over has been described as P. Jardini by
Steudel and as P. scrobiculatum, var. velutinum by Hackel. There seems to be
no definite correlation between this and other characters, nor is this condition
geographically confined. In fact, glabrous and hairy specimens have been
collected side by side ( e.g . Hooker’s from Domingo Valley in S. Jago, Cape Verd
Islands). The size, shape and nervation of the spikelet seem to be subject to
similar apparently unaccountable fluctuations, but so that very small (^- £- lin.
long) suborbicular spikelets are rather exceptional, whilst the addition of a pair
of intramarginal nerves in the lower floret is more common. Another modifica-
tion consists in the hardening of the valve of the lower floret, whereby it becomes
more or Jess cartilaginous (P. cartilagineum, Presl). This has its parallel in
other species of Paspalum and of Brachiaria. It may extend to all or only to
some of the spikelets of an inflorescence, and it occurs altogether erratically.
The number of racemes per inflorescence varies from 1 to 4, but 2 is most
frequent (52 -9 per cent, in 450 inflorescences examined), then come three (with
26 ‘9 per cent.), then one (10*9 per cent.) and 4 (9\1 per cent.) ; but whilst 2- and
3-racemed inflorescences may be considered to mark the normal range throughout
the area, 1-racemed inflorescences are by far the commonest in Eastern Africa
(from the Red Sea to Natal and in the Mascarene Islands) and 4-racemed in-
florescences are met with mainly in West Africa from Lagos to the Congo. This
polymorphism is further enhanced by a considerable diversity of habit — stiffly
erect and semi -prostrate, tall and stunted, scantily tufted and heavily bunched
and leafy specimens.

P. scrobiculatum is regarded as a fodder grass of some value ( JJuthie ,
Appleton) and is said to constitute the only pasture in the Sende district in the
Belgian Congo (Stanley Pool Distr.), but it ought to be stated that in India
suspicious cases oX cattle poisoning have been connected with this grass.

Var. polystachyum,fi,8ta>pi. Usually a taller and stouter plant than var.
Commersonii , up to over 4 ft. high ; culms 5-9- (mostly 6-) noded and usually
sheathed all along ; leaves commonly quite glabrous, very rarely loosely hirsute,
blades up to over 1 ft. by 7 lin., the longest of a culm mostly 9-12 in. by 4 lin. ;
inflorescences of 4-7, less often up to 10, very rarely up to 18 racemes, their
peduncles always overtopped by the uppermost leaf and not or very shortly
exserted from its sheath during flowering, very rarely with an accessory reduced
inflorescence from the axil of the last sheath or last but one ; common axis
rarely over 2 in. long, often very much shorter ; racemes 2£-4 in. long or the
weakest of an inflorescence shorter, their ranks mostly facing almost one way ;
rhachis 1-1£ (rarely If) lin. wide; spikelets broad-elliptic to suborbicular in
outline, usually very obtuse, 1-1£ lin. long, cinnamon-colour to olive-brown, at
length darkening. — P. firmum, Trin. Gram. Pan. 105, and Sp. Gram. Ic. 125 ;
Kuntli, Enum. i. 60; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 28. P. ^scrobiculatum, Benth.
in Hook. Niger PL 557 (partly) ; Durand & Scliinz; Etudes PI. Congo, 320
(partly); Durand & De Wild. Mat. PI. Congo, i. 44 ; not of Linn. P. scrobi-
culatum, var., Pobeguin, Ess. PI. Guin. Pran9. 215. P. scrobiculatum, var.
polystachyum, Cheval. Sudania, 33.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Pendembu, 300 ft., Thomas, 740 ! Makump,
400 ft., Thomas, 966! Mabam, 370 ft., Thomas, 1580! French Guinea:
Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 487 ! Middle Niger : Mande Country ; Nafadie, Chevalier,
2250 ! Southern Nigeria : Opobo, Jeffreys, 22 ! 25 ! Awka District ; Agolo, Obu,
Thomas'. Nun Diver, Vogel, 51 ! Mann, 535! Idu, New Calabar, Holland ,
132 ! Onitsha, Macleod ! Northern Nigeria : Lokoja District, Richardson !
Buruta, common in marshy ground near the Niger, Parsons ! Nupe ; in swamps,

T art H-

1

Paspalum.\

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapfj.

577

Barter , 1230! Abinsi ; common in damp places, Dalziel , 871 (partly)!
'Cameroons ; Bongolo, Macleod !

Nile Land. Jur : Ghattas’ Great Seriba, Schweinfurth, 2119 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Cataracts Div. ; Banzu Manteka, in sandy
places, Hens, A 208 ! Stanley Pool Div., on sandbanks near Muschie, Vanderyst ,
3979 !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar Island, Last ! Portuguese East Africa :
between Shupanga and Sena, and at the Kongone mouth of the Zambesi, Kir/c !

5. P. paniculatum, Linn . Syst. ed. 10, ii. 855. Perennial, up to
<over 3 ft. high, from a short rhizome covered with coarsely hirsute
cataphylls or their remains ; innovations extra vaginal, stout.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending, simple, usually 3-noded,
glabrous, compressed below. Leaves more or less hirsute, hairs
frequently tubercle-based ; sheaths more or less keeled, striate, the
lower laterally compressed, the uppermost slightly inflated, all
bearded at the nodes ; ligules membranous, truncate, very short ;
blades linear-lanceolate to linear, tapering to a fine point, 3-13 in.
by 4-7 lin., soft, flat, margins smooth, cartilaginous, often crisped
or wavy, lateral nerves 5-7 on each side, midrib slightly prominent
below ; indumentum of young leaves rather dense and soft. Panicle
subfastigiate, contracted or ultimately open and broad-ovate, 3-6 in.
by 3-4 in., of 10-20 scattered or irregularly approximate racemes at
first erect but ultimately spreading ; common axis terete or angular,
almost glabrous or more or less hairy towards the nodes. Racemes
slender, dense, 4- or by partial abortion 2-ranked, 1-3 \ in. long;
rhachis triquetrous, up to \ lin. wide, straight, lateral angles with
narrow herbaceous wings, bearded at the base, otherwise glabrous
or nearly so, internodes J-f or sometimes 1 lin. long, often alternately
longer and shorter and then the pedicels approximate ; pedicels
2-nate, unequal, the longer up to J lin. long, filiform, sometimes with
a few hairs near the tip. Spikelets imbricate, rotundate-elliptic in
outline, almost hemispheric, plano-convex, obtuse or subapiculate,
j-f lin. long, straw-coloured to purplish-brown, often dark. Lower
glume 0 ; upper corresponding in size and outline to the spikelet,
very convex, thinly membranous, pubescent, 3-nerved. Lower
floret reduced to a more or less flat valve, very similar to the
upper glume but with the lateral nerves submarginal. Upper
floret as long as the lower and similar in outline but very obtuse ;
valve and valvule firmly papery to crustaceous, pale, the latter
with broadly auricled flaps. Anthers purple, up to f lin. long.
Styles deep purple. — Linn. Sp. PI. ed. ii. 81 ; Willd. Sp. PI. i. 331 ;
Gsertn. Fruct. ii. 2, t. 80, fig. 2 ; Fliigge, Monogr. Gram. 180 ; Nees,
Agrost. Bras. 72 ; Trin. Gram. Pan. 104, Pan. Gen. 50, and Sp.
Gram. Ic. t. 127 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 59 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i.
18 ; Franch. Contrib. FI. Congo Frang. 31 ; Rendle in Cat. Afr.
PI. Welw. ii. 161 ; Nash in N. Amer. FI. xvii. 189 ; Hitchcock in
Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 116 ; Hitchcock & Chase in Contrib.
U.S. Nat. Herb, xviii. 316. P. hemisphericum, Poir. Encycl. v. 31.

FL. TROP. AFR. VOL. IX. — PT. 4. 2 P

3 S'aUju’C V, li-2'D

578

glvii. gramine^e (Stapf). [Paspalum.

P. co'mpressicaule, Raddi, Agrost. Bras. 29. P. multispica, Steud.
l.o. 18. P. guineense, Steud. l.c. ; Jardin, Herbor. Cote Occ. Afr.
4, and Apergu FI. Gabon, 15. P. cognatissimum, Steud. l.c. P. affine >
Bello in An. Soc. Esp. Hist. Nat. xii. 125. Panicum paniculatumy
0. Kuntze, Rev. Gen. iii. PI. 363.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons : Bipinde, Zenker, 4026 ! and 4299 ! without precise
locality, Miss Kingsley ! St. Thomas Island : Caixao Grande and Madre de Deus,
on the shore, Moller, 130 ! Roga Ledoroma, Mocquerys, 17 ! Princes Island,.
Barter, 1967 ! Rattray ! in dense damp woods, Pico de Papagaio, Welwitsch,
2929!

Lower Guinea. French Gaboon, Jardin, 23 !

Tropical America, from Mexico and the West Indies southwards.

65. STENOTAPHRUM, Trin. ; Bentb. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. iii.

1108.

Spikelets lanceolate to ovate-oblong, falling entire (sometimes,
tardily) from the rudimentary pedicels, solitary or 2-5, rarely more,
abaxial on the triquetrous rhachis of very short spike-like racemes,
more or less sunk in hollows or chambers on the anterior face of a
dorsally flattened herbaceous or spongy continuous or jointed
common axis, or the longer racemes at least closely appressed to it ;
lower floret or reduced to an empty valve ; upper floret
Glumes dissimilar, the lower mostly minute, scale-like, the upper
almost or quite equalling the spikelet and 5-7 - (rarely more-) nerved —
or similar, and then both small, scale-like. Lower floret : valve
corresponding in size and shape to the spikelet as seen from the front,
chartaceous to coriaceous, 3-7- (rarely more-) nerved, nerves some-
times very obscure ; valvule, if present, almost as long as the valve,.
2-keeled. Upper floret : valve chartaceous to subcoriaceous with
firm margins, faintly 3-5-nerved ; valvule subequal to the valve and
similar in substance, tightly embraced by the narrowly involute
margins of the former, faintly 2-nerved. Lodicules 2, 'quadrate-
cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles free or almost so, very slender ;
stigmas long, slender, laterally exserted. Grain broadly elliptic-
oblong, dorsally compressed, plano-convex ; hilum punctiform,
basal ; embryo up to half the length of the grain. — Creeping or
prostrate perennials or tufted erect annuals ; sheaths more or less,
often strongly, compressed, blades acute or obtuse. False spikes
terminal and often also lateral from the upper leaves, peduncled*
tough or at length breaking up at the joints.

Species 7, mainly on the shores of the tropical and subtropical seas, 4 confined
to Madagascar and the neighbouring islands.

Rhachis entire, spongy, often deeply excavated on the
anterior side for the reception of the 1- or pluri-
spiculate racemes ... ... ... ... ... 1. 8. secundatum.

579

Stenotaphrum.] clvii. graminejs (Stapf).

Rhachis winged, wings alternately to the right and the left
of the wavy midrib, herbaceous -membranous, pro-
duced upwards into a broad acute tooth or lobe ;
racemes appressed to the wings 2. S. dimidiatum.

1. S. secimdatum, 0. Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. ii. 794 ( secundum by
error). Perennial, of the same growth as S. dimidiatum, but rather
coarser and more glaucous. Leaf-sheaths very much compressed and
keeled, firm, pallid, quite glabrous or ciliate upwards ; ligule a fringe of
very short hairs ; blades folded in vernation, then flat or with the
margins inrolled, the lower often standing off at right angles, linear
from a much constricted and rounded base, with obtuse or rounded
tips, from less than 1 to 4 (rarely over 6) in. by 2-4 J lin., more or less
rigid, glaucous, glabrous, scabrid on the margins towards the tip,
otherwise smooth, midrib very slender, nerves very close and
numerous, faint or obscure on the upper side. False spikes terminal
and very often lateral (1 or 2) from the upper leaves, erect, stout,
stiff or curved, 1-3 (rarely 4) in. long, borne on rather stout glabrous
peduncles, the latter permanently enclosed in or shorl ly exserted from
the uppermost sheath ; common axis linear, entire, stout and spongy,
flat on the back with or without oblique transverse depressed lines
marking off the internodes, chambered or often deeply hollowed out
in front, 1J-3J lin. wide, and up to 1J lin. thick. Racemes sessile,
3- (rarely more-) to 2-spiculate or reduced to a single spikelet with or
without an empty rhachis appressed to its outer side, distant by less
than their own length (except sometimes the lowest), completely sunk
in the hollows of the rhachis or, if 3-spiculate, shortly exserted from
it ; rhachis triquetrous, ending in an often sharp point, shorter than
the uppermost spikelet, or equalling or exceeding it if 1-spiculate,
angles smooth below, scabrid upwards ; pedicels reduced to a short
stump. Spikelets if more than 1 laterally contiguous or subcon-
tiguous, lanceolate-oblong to oblong, acute or subacuminate, about
2J lin. long, pallid. Glumes very dissimilar ; lower a whitish nerve-
less membranous to chartaceous ovate obtuse rounded or truncate
scale, J-l lin. long, very finely rough ; upper glume convex or
boat-shaped, obliquely lanceolate in profile, acute, as long as the
spikelet or almost so, membranous, 7-nerved, quite glabrous. Lower
floret : valve corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet as
seen from the front, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, 7-9-nerved,
flattened on the back, slightly rough upwards ; valvule slightly
shorter than the valve. Upper floret Q, similar to the lower but
more lanceolate and more acute ; valve and valvule chartaceous,
smooth, the former 5-nerved. Anthers up to 1J lin. long. Stigma
up to over 1-| lin. long. — Hitchcock & Chase in Contrib. U.S. Nat.
Herb. xvii. 271, and xviii. 356. S. glabrum, Trin. Fund. 176 (excl.
syn.), Gram. Pan. 60, Pan. Gen. 102, and in Mem. Acad. St. Peters.
6 me ser. iii. 190 (partly) ; Nees in Linnsea, vii. 273 ; Steud. Syn. PL
Glum. i. 118 (excl. the two last syn.) ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii.
438. S. glabrum, a americanum, Doell in Mart. FI. Bras. ii. ii. 300,

580

clvii. gramineje (Stapf). [Stenotajphrum .

t. 39. S. americanum, Schrank, Plant. Ear. Hort. Monac. t. 98, fig. 8 ;
Kunth, Enum. i. 138 ; Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. v. 211 ; Blancliet,
Cat. S.-O. France, 156 ; Hnsnot, Gram. 12 ; Cavara in Bull. Soc. Bot.
Ital. 1904, 365. S. swartzianum, Nees, El. Afr. Austr. 62. S. sar-
mentosum , Nees, Agrost. Bras. 93. S. dimidiatum, Durand & Schinz,
Consp. El. Afr. v. 787 (partly) ; Franch. Contr. El. Congo Fran9. 56 ;
Eiore, FI. Anal. Ital. iv. i. 13. S. dimidiatum, vars /3 and y, Brongn.
Bot. Yoy. Coq. 127. S. dimidiatum, var. americanum , Hack, in Anal.
Muse. Nac. Buenos Aires, xxi. 57. R. tri^sacoides , Lam. 111. i.
205, t. 48, fig. 1 b. Ischcemum secundatum, Walt. FI. Carol. 249.
Rottboellia dimidiata, Thunb. Prodr. 23, and El. Cap. ed. Schult.
118; not of Linn. f. R. stolonifera, Poii. Encycl. vi. 310. R. com-
jpressa, Beauv. Agrost. 176, t. xxi. fig. 8 ; not of Linn. f.

Upper Guinea. Ivory Coast : on the shore near Tabou, Chevalier, 20055 !
Gold Coast ; shore near Haifa Assinie, Chijpp, 274 ! Southern Nigeria : Opobo,
Jeffreys, 18 ! sandy banks of the Nun River, Barter, 1960 ! Cameroons : often
forming the principal part of the “ beach tangle” near Ratanga, Bates, 38 !
St. Thomas Island : on the beach near S. Thome, Moller, 146 ! Princes Island,
Mann, 529 !

Lower Guinea. Gaboon, Griffon du Bellay. Angola ; near Loanda,
Gossweiler, 132 !

Also in South Africa from Cape Town to Natal, on the American shores of
the Atlantic from S. Carolina to the La Plata and in the Pacific from Southern
Mexico to Australia ; introduced into Southern Prance and Italy.

The “ St. Augustine grass ” of the Americans ; an excellent pasture grass, also
used for making coarse ^awns.

2. S. dimidiatum, ^Brongn. Bot. Voy. Coq. 127 (excl. vars. ft & y).
Perennial with a ratber slender branched closely noded knotty
rhizome. Culms ascending from an often long trailing base which is
rooting and branching from the numerous nodes, the branches either
also trailing or more usually forming fan-shaped bunches of leaves
which may remain barren or grow out into secondary few- (mostly
l-2-)noded erect or shortly ascending secondary culms, rising from
a few inches to over 1 ft. above the ground ; all the internodes, but
particularly those of the base, strongly compressed, glabrous, smooth.
Leaf-sheaths very much compressed, keeled, the lower pallid, soon
diverging and more or less persistent, all glabrous or ciliate upwards,
very rarely loosely hairy all over ; ligule a fringe of very short
hairs ; blades folded in vernation, then flat, exactly linear from a
shortly contracted base, with subobtuse or rounded tips, 1-5 (rarely
to 7) in. by 2-6 lin., green, glabrous, scabrid along the margins
towards the tip, otherwise smooth, midrib and the very close and
numerous nerves very fine. False spikes solitary, terminal on the
primary and secondary culms, rarely with an additional spike from
the last sheath but one, 1J-5 (rarely more) in. long, borne on an
ultimately long-exserted rather slender glabrous peduncle ; common
axis glabrous, with a more or less wavy stout midrib, flat on the back
and acutely keeled on the face, the lateral angles of its internodes,
the intermediate of which are 2J-4 lin. long, alternately herbaceously

581

Stenotaphrum.] clvii. gramine^j (Stapf).

marginate and herbaceousiy winged, with the wing produced into a
short or long lanceolate acute tooth or lobe, or both lateral angles
winged but with the wings alternately narrower and wider and the
latter only toothed or lobed or (lowest internodes) only marginate,
margins scabrid, the whole rhachis therefore when seen from the
back ribbon-like, alternately lobed or toothed or entire downwards,
1-2J lin. wide, and, seen from the face, more or less distinctly
chambered, the chambers alternately to the right and the left of the
midrib. Racemes sessile, sunk in the chambers or shortly exserted
from them, mostly 3-5- (rarely 2- or 6-8-)spiculate, 2J-5 (rarely 6)
lin. long, distant by their own or less than their own length or the
lowest remote ; rhachis wavy or zig-zag, ending in a subulate point,
triquetrous, flattened, with the lateral angles marginate or more or
less winged downwards, internodes less than 1 lin. long, glabrous or
more or less ciliate downwards ; pedicels reduced to very short
sometimes ciliate stumps. Spikelets if more than 3 more or less
2rseriate and laterally contiguous or imbricate, lanceolate-oblong,
subacuminate to acutely acuminate, 2-2J lin. long, pallid. Glumes
very dissimilar ; lower a whiti sh nerveless membranous to chartaceous
ovate obtuse or rounded scale, J-f lin. long, finely asperulous and
more or less ciliolate on the top ; upper glume very convex to boat-
shaped, semi-ovate or semi-elliptic in profile, acute, usually slightly
shorter than the spikelet, membranous, typically 7-, but sometimes
up to 9- and even 11-nerved, glabrous or ciliolate towards the tip.
Lower floret g : valve corresponding in outline and size to the
spikelet as seen from the front, more or less coriaceous, often very
much so, and then the 5 (rarely 7) nerves very obscure or invisible
except in the acumen, glabrous or ciliolate near the tip ; valvule
somewhat shorter than the valve. Upper floret ^ , as long as the
lower or very slightly shorter ; valve and valvule lanceolate, acute
or acuminate, thinly chartaceous, smooth, glabrous or more or less
ciliolate upwards, the former 5-nerved, the latter 2-nerved with
rounded sides ; stigmas rather large. — Nees, El. Afr. Austr. 63 ;
Durand & Schinz, Consp. El. Afr. v. 787 (partly) ; K. Schum. in
Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 106 (partly). S. complanatum, Schrank in
Bot. Zeit. 1824, ii. Beil. 26 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 137 ; Nees, Agrost.
Bras. 93 ; Thwait. Enum. PL Zeyl. 361 ; Baker, El. Maurit. 440 ;
Balf. f. Bot. Rodrig. 83 ; Hook. f. in Trim. Handb. El. Ceyl. v. 172.
S. madagascariense, Kunth, Rev. Gram. ii. 211, and Enum. i. 524,
Suppl. 99 ; Steud. Syn. PL i. 118. S. swartzianum , Peters, Reise
Mossamb. ii. 549 ; not of Nees. Panicum dimidiatum, Linn. Sp. PL
ed. i. 57 (excl. syn.), and Mant. ii. 323 ; N L. Burm. El. Xnd. 25,
t. 8, f. 3 (excl. syn. ; figure bad) ; Retz. Obs. vi. 23 ; Willd. Sp. Pl.
i. 339 ; Roxb. EL Ind. i. 287. P. poceforme, Boj. Hort. Maurit. 365
(name), not Willd. Rotibcellia dimidiata, Linn. f. Suppl. 114, not of
Thunb. R. complanata, Sw. in Berl. Ges. Nat. Ereunde Mag. iv.
(1810), 89, t. 5 ; Boj. Hort. Maurit. 372,

582

clvii. geamine^ (Stapf). [Stenotaphrum .

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar, Last ! Dowson, 120 ! Pemba Island, Doivson,
120 ! Lyne, 112 ! Portuguese East Africa : Kongone Island, mouth of Zambesi,
Kirk !

Also in Madagascar and the neighbouring islands of the Indian Ocean and
in Ceylon and the Southern Deccan.

This ought to be as useful for making lawns in the tropics and for fodder
as 8. secundatum. In fact, its softer and greener foliage would seem to render
it preferable.

6fi. PASPALIDIUM, Stapf.

Spikelets ovate to ovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate (when seen in
front view), awnless, convex to very convex on the back, flattened
or slightly depressed on the face, turgid or dorsally moderately com-
pressed, falling entire from the pedicels, solitary, secund and abaxial
on the triquetrous sometimes herbaceously marginate rhachis of
slender sessile spiciform racemes ; lower floret with a usually
well-developed valvule, or reduced to the valve. Glumes mostly
dissimilar and very unequal in length, the lower reduced to a small
scale or up to (rarely over) half the length of the spikelet, upper
mostly almost equalling the spikelet, 5-7-nerved with the nerves
evenly distributed, rarely both glumes much reduced. Lower
floret : valve similar to the upper glume with the inner side-nerves
more distant ; valvnle if present only slightly shorter than the valve
with well-developed indexed flaps. Upper floret : valve oblong to
elliptic in outline, acute to apiculate, emucronate, crustaceous, with
firm involute margins, faintly 5-nerved ; valvule almost as long as
the valve, 2-keeled, its sides tightly embraced by the valve all along,
of the same texture as the latter. Lodicules 2, small, broadly
cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct ; stigmas plumose, laterally
exserted from the upper part of the spikelet. Grain tightly enclosed
by the more or less hardened valve and valvule. — Perennial, semi-
aquatic or terrestrial grasses ; blades linear, flat or involute, some-
times obtuse ; ligules reduced to a ciliolate rim ; racemes sessile or
subsessile and secund on the alternate notches of a triquetrous
common axis of a false compound spike, rigid, appressed or sub-
appressed to the more or less hollowed-out flanges of the latter, the
lower frequently shorter than the adjacent internodes, the following
equalling or exceeding them, but not very much longer ; rhachis ending
in a subulate point ; spikelets mostly conspicuously 2-seriate and
laterally contiguous or subcontiguous, nearly always quite glabrous.

Species about 12 in the warm countries of both hemisnheres, but mostly in
the Old World ; 6 confined to Australia and New Caledonia.

Culms usually stout, more or less spongy, the prostrate
bases copiously rooting from the nodes, sheaths and
blades somewhat succulent ; rhachis of racemes | lin.
wide, ciliolate ; spikelets very pale, 1 lin. long, with a
small whitish truncate almost nerveless outer glume ;

a hygrophytic grass 1. P. geminatum.

Culms rather slender, firm, the prostrate bases trailing, not
rooting ; sheaths and blades thin, but firm ; rhachis

;

’vt'H

583

Fasjpalidium .] clvii. gramine^e (Stapf).

of racemes -J lin. wide, scaberulous ; spikelets often
purplish, lin. long, with a broad-ovate 3-nerved
outer glume, equalling of the spikelet ; a xero-
phytic grass ... ... 2. P. desertorum .

1. P. geminatum^ Stapf. Perennial, with long creeping or float-
ing more or less spongy many-noded simple or branched stolons,
which give rise to solitary or sparingly fascicled culms, more rarely
densely caespitose. Culms ascending often from a long prostrate
rooting base or sometimes erect, usually branched downwards,
5- to many-noded, rather stout and spongy, upper internodes often
exserted from the sheaths. Leaves quite glabrous ; sheaths rather
loose, terete, very smooth, the lower often somewhat spongy and very
finely striate, often slipping off the culm ; ligules reduced to a finely
ciliate rim ; blades linear from a more or less equally wide base,
tapering to an acute point, from a few inches to almost 1 ft. long,
1J-4 lin. wide, flat or involute, pale green to glaucous, somewhat
succulent, very finely rough on the upper side, otherwise smooth,
nerves numerous and close, slightly prominent on the upper side,
midrib slender. False compound spike slender, erect, from a few
inches to almost 1 ft. long, of numerous erect or suberect and
appressed or subappressed spike-like racemes, and terminating with
such a raceme ; common axis green, triquetrous, flat or keeled on
the back, lateral angles marginate, scabrid, facial angle much
projecting, wavy. Racemes sessile, straight, slender, 2-seriate,
the lowest J to over 1 in. long, usually simple, and distant by their
own or more than their own length, the following very gradually
shorter and more approximate, those just below the terminal often
very short and crowded ; rhachis straight or slightly wavy, pro-
duced into a short point beyond the uppermost spikelet, triquetrous,
J-J lin. wide, flat on the back, angles marginate, scabrid or (par-
ticularly the lateral which are also wider and more herbaceous)
ciliolate ; internodes about | lin. long ; pedicels solitary, reduced
to very short stumps with subdiscoid tips. Spikelets numerous,
slightly imbricate, ovate (in front view), acute or apiculate, 1 lin.
long, very pale and quite glabrous and smooth. Glumes very
dissimilar ; the lower a whitish truncate cuff-like scale, J lin. long,
membranous, very obscurely and shortly 3-5-nerved or apparently
nerveless ; upper convex, broad-elliptic, almost as long as or dis-
tinctly shorter than the fertile floret, obtuse to subacute, membranous,
5merved, with nerves anastomosing upwards. Lower floret :
valve corresponding in length and outline to the spikelet, very
similar to the upper glume, but flattened or slightly depressed on
the back, with the inner side-nerves more distant ; valvule as long
as the valve, broadly elliptic-oblong, minutely truncate ; anthers
f lin. long. Upper floret slightly shorter than the lower, <3, elliptic
in outline, obtuse to subacute, ultimately pale brown : valve and
valvule crustaceous, very obscurely transversely rugose, shining.

584

clvii. gramine^ (Stapf). [. Paspalidium ..

the former faintly 5-nerved. — Panicum geminatum, Forsk. FL
^Egypt.-Arab. 18 ; Aschers. & Schweinf. 111. Fl. Egypt, 159 ;
Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 19 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 750 ; Hack, in Bull. Herb. Boiss. iv. App. iii. 14 ;
Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 34, 304 ; and Result. Scient.
Miss. Stefanini-Paoli, Bot. 184, 226 ; Hitchcock & Chase in Contrib..
U.S. Nat. Herb. xv. 30. P. fluitans, Retz. Obs. iii. 8, and v. 18 ;
Willd. Sp. PL i. 338 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 78 ; Steud. Syn. Pl. Glum.,
i. 59 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FL Aethiop. 300 ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. iii. 455
Baker, Fl. Maurit. 433 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 749 ; Chiov. l.c. 34 ;
Cheval. Sudania, 25. P. brizoides, Lam. 111. i. 170 ; not of Retz.
P. paspaloides, Pers. Syn. i. 81 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 77 ; Trin. Pan-
Gem 241 ; Steud. l.c. 60 ; Webb & Berth. Hist. Nat. Canar. iii. 383,
t. 245 ; Boiss. Fl. Or. v. 436 ; Balfour, f. Bot. Socotra, 310 ; Hook,
f. FL Brit. Ind. vii. 30, and in Trimen, Handb. Fl. Ceyl. v. 135.
P. beckmanniceforme, Mikan ex Trin. in Spreng. Neue Entdeck. ii.
83 ; Spreng. S}^st. i. 309. P. truncatum, Trin. Diss. ii. 130, and Sp.
Gram. Ic. t. 168. P. affine, Nees, Agrost. Bras. 113. P. brizceformey
Presl, Rel. Hsenk. 302 ; Steud. i. 60. P. numidianum, Sieb. ex
Schult. Mant. ii. 267 ; not of Lam. P. carnosum, Salzm, ex Steud, l.c.
P. appressum, Doell in Mart.Fl. Bras, ii.ii. 184. P.glomeratum, Buckl.
Prel. Rep. Geol. Agr. Surv. Tex. App. 3 ; not of Moench. P. turgidum,
Cheval. Sudania, 25. Paspalum appressum, Lam. 111. i. 176. Digi~
taria appressa, Pers. l.c. 85. D. affinis, Roem. & Schult. Syst. ii. 470.

Upper Guinea. Cape Yerd Islands : St. Jago ; in a tank near Trinidade,
Lowe ! S. Nicolao ; by a stream in the Ribeira d’Agoa, Bolle ! French Sudan :
on dunes and in marshes near Timbuetu, Chevalier, 1221 ! 1230 ! 1231 ! Gold
Coast : Cape Coast Castle, Vogel, 54 ! Northern Nigeria : Sokoto, abundant in
small streams, Dalziel, 484 ! Bornu ; shore of Lake Tchad, Elliott, 160 !

Nile Land. Eritrea: Habab ; Oghet-el-Ain, Terracciano & Pappi, 1620.
Samhara ; Mkullo, near Massaua, Schweinfurth, 236. Dogali, Schweinf urth,
258. Assab, Ragazzi. British East Africa : south of Taveta, 2500 ft., H6hnelr
161 ! lake edge at Kisumu, Bummer, 1825 ! Socotra: near Katheng, Schwein-
furlh, 689 ! Galonsir and elsewhere, Balfour, 225 ! 323 ! Italian Somaliland
Torda Plains, near the mouth of the Jub River, Paoli, 310. Merca, Provenzale.

Lower Guinea. South Angola ; Rio Corocca, Newton or Capella e Ivans (?) !'
in the bed of the Bero River, near the mouth, Pearson, 2173 ! Hereroland :.
without precise locality, Hopfner, 77.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Usambara ; in rice fields near
Amboni, Holst, 2736 ! Portuguese East Africa : island in Luabo River, Kirk ?
Nyasaland : Nyika plateau ; Moawemba, 7000 ft., McClounie, 7 ! and without
precise locality, Buchanan, 1295 !

Chiovenda (in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 305) also enumerates 11 Panicum
geminatum ” from Amasen {Pappi, 3209, 3460, 3476, 3891, and Tellini, 1484),.
Beni Amer {Pappi, 6961) and Baza, by the Mareb River, 2800-2900 ft. {Pappi,
6829, 6887, 6928), adding that it occurs in two forms which in their extreme
states are very different, the differences being, however, entirely due to the-
amount of water available for the plant. If growing in the water the stems-
become spongy, root readily from the nodes, and the whole plant is green. In
arid sunny situations, however, the stems are hard, the nodes are widened into
corky annular swellings and the whole plant is decidedly glaucous. May not
some of the specimens of the second form belong to P. desertorum ?

Paspalidium.] clvii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). 585

Ch.ZUJL)

2. P. desertorum^ Stapf. Perennial, tufted (often densely so)
from a hard creeping or praemorse rhizome with extra vaginal innova-
tions covered with glabrous smooth cataphylls. Culms usually
ascending, sometimes trailing, and, if so, then generally not rooting
from the more or less swollen nodes, but throwing up leafy branches
and secondary culms, rather slender, terete, firm or hard although
not quite solid, many- or (the secondary) few-noded, the internodes
of the barren shoots sheathed all along, the upper of flowering culms
more or less exserted. Leaves quite glabrous, very glaucous : sheaths
terete or somewhat compressed and keeled, tight, very smooth, the
lowest tough and often long-persistent ; ligules reduced to a ciliolate
rim ; blades narrowly linear from an equally wide base, tapering to a
fine point, from 1-9 in. by 1J-2J lin., flat or involute, or sometimes
folded, subflaccid or slightly rigid, smooth, nerves numerous, fine,
the primary lateral and the midrib slightly differentiated. In-
florescences solitary, terminal, rarely with 1-3 additional ones from
the uppermost nodes, erect, from 1 to over 6 in. long, of a varying
number of appressed or subappressed spike-like racemes, distant
below, approximate upwards, often gathered there together with the
terminal raceme into a dense false spike ; common axis slender,
subterete at the base, channelled adaxillarily, gradually becoming
trigonous upwards, glabrous, smooth. Racemes sessile, straight,
slender, 2-seriate, the lowest in tall specimens over 1 in. long, the
following gradually, the uppermost rapidly decreasing in length,
often only 3-2 lin. long ; rhachis very slender, rigid, triquetrous,
wavy, 1 lin. wide, angles finely marginate, scaberulous, internodes
less than J lin. long, pedicels extremely short, with subdiscoid tips,
glabrous. Spikelets numerous, laterally contiguous, rarely sub-
imbricate, ovate to ovate-oblong, acute to subacute, 1 J— 1^ lin. long,
glaucous or more often tinged with purple, quite glabrous and smooth.
Glumes very dissimilar ; lower broad-ovate* subacute or obtuse,
more rarely rounded or truncate, up to f lin. long, membranous,
3-nerved ; upper convex, almost as long as the spikelet and of the
same outline, membranous, 5-nerved, nerves distinct, somewhat
prominent upwards and anastomosing there. Lower floret : valve
corresponding in length and shape to the spikelet, slightly depressed
upwards, very similar to the upper glume in substance and venation ;
valvule as long as the valve, keels marginate ; anthers f lin. long.
Upper floret elliptic in outline, acute, almost as long as the lower :
valve and valvule crustaceous, very delicately rugulose, shining, the
former faintly 5-nerved. — Panicum desertorum, A. Rich. Tent. FI.
Abyss, ii. 365 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 46 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FI.
Aethiop. 300 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 746. P. arabicum ,
Nees ex Steud. l.c. 63. P. geminatum , Schweinf. in Bull. Herb.
Boiss. ii. App. ii. 19 (partly) ; Stapf in Kew Bulletin, 1907, 213.

Nile Land. Nubia : Walled el Assal, Schweinfurth, 495 ! Wadi Mareg,
Schweinfurth, 711 ! Wadi Yumga, Schweinfurth, 705 ! Cordofan : without

586

clvii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [. Pasjpalidium .

precise locality, Kotschy , 14 ! Eritrea : Shobo, Quartin Dillon !

Somaliland : at upper and lower Sheikh and at Burao, Appleton !

Also in tropical Arabia ( Fischer , 191 ! Schimper, 807 ! Schweinfurth, 893 !
Bent, 26 !).

67. UR0CHL0A, Beauv. Agrost. 52, t. xi. fig. 1,

Spikelets broad-ovate to elliptic- or lanceolate-oblong, awnless,
usually more or less flattened or slightly depressed abaxially, convex
on the back, falling entire from the pedicels, solitary or 2-nate or in
fascicles of 3-4, secund and abaxial on the more or less triquetrous
rarely strap-shaped rhachis of moderately slender or somewhat
stout spiciform racemes ; lower floret g or barren with a well-
developed valvule ; upper floret b. Glumes similar and sub equal
or more often dissimilar and very unequal in length, the lower being
the shorter, upper resembling and more or less equalling the valve of
the lower floret, 5-11- (mostly 7-) nerved, with the nerves evenly
distributed. Lower floret : valve 5-7-, rarely more-nerved, the
inner lateral nerves somewhat distant from the midnerve ; valvule
subequal to the valve with well-developed inflexed flaps and sharp
sometimes marginate keels. Upper floret : valve elliptic to
rotundate-elliptic in outline, very obtuse with a usually scabrid or
barbellate mucro, crustaceous with firm margins, narrowdy involute,
faintly 5-7-nerved; valvule almost as long as the valve, 2-keeled,
its sides tightly embraced by the valve all along, of the same texture
as the latter. Lodicules 2, small, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3.
Styles distinct ; stigmas plumose, laterally exserted upwards.
Grain tightly enclosed by the more or less hardened valve and
valvule, broadly to rotundate-elliptic, dorsally compressed, more or
less flattened on both faces with broadly rounded sides ; hilum
subbasal, punctiform ; embryo half to over three-quarters the length
of the grain. — -Perennial or annual ; blades linear to lanceolate, flat ;
ligules reduced to a ciliate rim ; racemes sessile or subsessile on a
common axis, simple or nearly so ; rhachis more or less triquetrous
with a low almost straight or zigzag facial angle or keel, rarely strap-
shaped ; pedicels solitary or in pairs, alternately to the right and
the left of the facial angle, usually reduced to short disc-tipped
stumps, or if 2-nate the primary slightly longer ; spikelets close,
contiguous or slightly discontiguous, 2- or irregularly pluri-seriate,
glabrous or hairy . — Panicum , § Brachiaria, Benth. & Hook. f. Gen.
PI. iii. 1102 (partly).

Species about 18, in the hot parts of the Old World, one also in America
(introduced ?).

Very similar to Brachiaria, but with the orientation of the spikelets inverted
and a short fine mucro from the very obtuse apex of the fertile valve. Although
very similar in general appearance, none of the species of Urochloa can be said
to approach closely members of the genus Brachiaria. Their affinities are
clearly inter se, suggesting a distinct line of evolution. The occurrence of

Ch ~ •tt 3$?

Urochloa .] clvii. gramineje (Stapf). 587

parallel states, one with glabrous, the other with pubescent spikelets, but
otherwise indistinguishable, runs almost through the whole genus. To this
may be added the presence of a submarginal fringe in the lower floret, almost
normal in some and very rare in other species, and apparently in no case corre-
lated with other characters* I have abstained from giving these states varietal
names. They may, if it is desirable to designate them briefly, be distinguished
as forma spiculis glabris or forma spiculis pubescentibus or fimbriatis.

Spikelets 1J-24 lin. long ; lower glume ovate to lanceolate
or oblong, | the length of the spikelet to as long as the
spikelet, nervation always distinct except sometimes
in 8 {TJ. rudis).

Racemes normally 2 ; rhachis strap-shaped, herbaceous,
with the margins curving over the bases of the
spikelets ; spikelets lanceolate-ovate, acutely acumi-
nate, 2 lin. long, often reddish ; glumes subequal,
with about 7 percurrent and several shorter nerves
in the upper part ... ... ... ... ... 1. U. bifalcigera.

Racemes normally more than 2, up to oo ; rhachis
subtriquetrous with a low facial angle to tri-
quetrous.

Lower glume almost as long as the upper, more or less
truncate or obtuse, 3- or sub-5-nerved, frequently
with 1 or more bristles from a supracentral
tubercle ; spikelets 2-2J lin. long, subulate-
acuminate.

Annual ; spikelets broad-ovate ; lower glume more /
or less truncate with the lateral nerves, per-
current ' ... 2. U. trichop'us.

Perennial ; spikelets elliptic -oblong to oblong ; lower
glume obtuse with the lateral nerves not
percurrent and usually inarching and anasto-
mosing with the midnerve below the tip ... 3. U. pullulans.

Lower glume -f— J the length of the spikelet and much
narrower than it above the clasping base.

Lower glume over ^ the length of the spikelet, lanceo-
late, 5-7 -nerved.

Spikelets 24 lin. long ; upper glume 5-nerved ;

annual ... ... ... ... ... ... 4. U. bradiyura.

Spikelets l |—2 lin. long ; upper glume 7-nerved ;

’ perennial ... ... ... ... ... 5. TJ. bolbodes.

Lower glume less than \ the length of the spikelet.

Spikelets subulate-acuminate, hispid ; lower
glume broad-ovate to ovate -lanceolate, acumi-
nate, up to ^ the length of the spikelet, 3- or
sub-5-nerved ; annual ... ... ... 6. TJ. echinolcen -

[pides.

Spikelets acutely acuminate to acute : lower glume-
very shortly acute or subacute from a broad
clasping base, J the length of the spikelet.

Spikelets 2 to over 24 lin. long ; lower glume
not over 4 the length of the spikelet.

Annual ; spikelets ovate to elliptic-oblong
in outline, acute, turgid ; upper glume
7-11 -nerved; leaf -blades linear -lanceo-
late to lanceolate, about 2-6 in. by 4-6
lin., mostly more or less hairy.

0

588

CLVII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[Urochloa.

Leaves shortly and finely hirsute to almost
glabrous ; lower glume more or less
5-nerved, upper glabrous or pubescent ;
lower valve 5-7 -nerved ... ... 7. U. Helopus.

Leaves densely hirsute to villous ; lower
glume very short, almost nerveless,
upper hispid ; lower valve 9-13-
nerved 8. TJ. rudis.

Perennial ; spikelets lanceolate, acuminate ;
lower glume 3- or sub-5-nerved, upper
7-nerved ; leaf -blades lanceolate, 2^-3
in. by 6-7 lin., glabrous and smooth ... 9. U. setigera.

Spikelets 1J-1J lin. long ; lower glume 3-5-
nerved, ij— the length of the spikelet,
upper 7-nerved ; lower valve 5-nerved ;
leaf-blades 2§— 9 in. by 4-12 lin. ... ... 10. U. insculpta.

Spikelets up to 1 lin. long ; lower glume very small, more
or less truncate, often a nerveless whitish scale ; leaf-
blades J-2| in. by 2i— &hn 11. U. reptans.

1. U. bifalcigera ASmpf. Perennial, from a short oblique rhizome
with intravaginal innovations. Culms suberect, compressed and
slightly geniculate below, angular, slender, 3-noded, simple, glabrous
or slightly pubescent below the nodes, internodes very long. Leaf-
sheaths more or less hairy or the lower villous and bearded at the
nodes, the basal narrow, slipping off the culm, 2-4 in. long, the upper
tighter, the uppermost up to 6 in. long ; ligules reduced to a shortly
ciliate rim ; blades linear from an equally wide or slightly attenuated
base, long-tapering to a fine point, 5-7 in. by 2 lin., flat, flaccid, pale
dull green, finely hirsute on both sides, margins delicately carti-
laginous and ciliate, midrib and lateral nerves (3-4 on each side)
very slender. Inflorescence of 2 sessile frequently falcate secund
spike-like racemes, separated by a very slender upwards delicately
hairy internode which is usually continued into a short subulate
point. Kacemes 2-seriate, 2J-3J in. long, simple ; rhachis much
flattened, thin, herbaceous, with the margins curving over the bases
of the spikelets, up to almost 2 lin. wide, glabrous, margins very
minutely ciliolate, internodes about \ lin. long ; pedicels extremely
short, glabrous, with discoid tips, alternately to the right and the
left, and very close to the delicate midrib. Spikelets laterally
contiguous or nearly so, lanceolate-ovate or oblong, acutely sub-
acuminate, 2 lin. long, glabrous or pubescent, straw-coloured or
slightly reddish or variegated with dull purple. Glumes equal, as
long as the spikelet, or the lower slightly narrower and shorter, quite
glabrous or finely pubescent, the lower sometimes with a fine bristle
from the centre, membranous, 7-nerved, usually with some additional
shorter nerves in the upper part, all the nerves very slender and
prominent, particularly upwards, cross-veins very few. Lower
floret as long as the glumes or almost so : valve lanceolate-ovate,
quite glabrous or pubescent like the glumes, but also with a
perfect or imperfect fringe of appressed silvery hairs along the

Urochloa .]

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf) .

589

flexure, 5-nerved, the tip slightly thickened ; valvule as long as the
valve, oblong, acutely acuminate and acutely keeled. Upper
floret oblong, obtuse, slightly shorter than the spikelet, pale ;
valve and valvule crustaceous, almost smooth, the former mucronu-
late and papillose at the tip, the latter with almost equally wide
flaps. Anthers almost 1J lin. long. — Panicum bifalcigerum, Stapf in
Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot., xxxvii. 531.

Nile Land. Uganda : Unyoro ; roadsides, Daive, 826 ! British East Africa :
without precise locality, Powell , 15 !

This npty be Panicum platynotum , K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 101,
from Bukoba (Stuhlmann). U. bifalcigera is another instance of the remarkable
splitting up of the species into a strain with glabrous and another with pubescent
spikelets and the o^^iq^iaJ_OQcurrence of lateral fringes in the lower floret.

2. U. trichopus*A$£up/. Annual, forming small tufts, 1-3 ft. high.
Culms erect or ascending, moderately stout, glabrous, usually
sheathed for the greater part or all along, simple or rarely branched,
4-8-noded. Leaf-sheaths somewhat loose, pale, striate, quite
glabrous to loosely and spreadingly hirsute all over with tubercle-
based hairs, ciliate along the outer margin, silkily pubescent at the
nodes, rarely inconspicuously bearded, with the hairs of the beard
short and appressed ; ligules reduced to a densely ciliate rim ; blades
linear-lanceolate to lanceolate from a broad often amplexicaul base,
tapering to an acute point, 2J-6 in. (rarely longer) by 5-10 lin., flat,
soft, frequently yellowish-green, glabrous with ciliate margins or
softly hirsute all over with the hairs tubercle-based, midrib slender,
slightly prominent below, primary lateral nerves up to 8 on each side,
very slender. Inflorescence of 4-9 erect or sub erect often slightly
flexuous and somewhat plump sessile or subsessile spiciform secund
racemes ; common axis slender, 1J-3 in. long, angular, terete below,
then semiterete or somewhat channelled or flattened high up,
pubescent to subhirsute. Racemes very dense, 2-seriate, simple,
from less than 1 to 2J in. long, solitary, rather evenly distributed or
here and there subopposite ; rhachis slightly wavy, flat and green on
the back, rarely over J lin. wide ; midrib zigzag, moderately raised,
flanked by the stout subherbaceous scaberulous margins, villous at
the base, glabrous upwards ; internodes about § lin. long ; pedicels
solitary (rarely with a minute secondary pedicel at its base), reduced
to short terete stumps with discoid tips, bearing 1-3 long spreading-
fine hairs. Spikelets very close, imbricate, broad-ovate, subulate-
acuminate, 2-2J lin. long, pale green or sometimes tinged with
purple. Glumes somewhat dissimilar, membranous ; lower oblong
with the margins slightly inrolled, truncate, lf-2 lin. long, glabrous
except for a central tuft of 2-5 rigid tubercle-based hairs from the
upper third, 3- (rarely sub-5-) nerved, side-nerves percurrent, trans-
verse veins obscure ; upper glume corresponding in size and outline
to the spikelet if not narrower, 5-nerved (rarely 7-nerved), finely
pubescent. Lower floret : valve very similar to the upper glume,

590

CLVII. GRAMINE^E (Stapf).

[Urochloa .

flat or slightly depressed on the back, 5-nerved, the side-nerves
approximate to the firmer flexures which usually bear a dense fringe
of appressed or ultimately spreading white or purplish cilia up to
over 1 lin. long, or are (rarely) only pubescent ; valvule broad-ovate,
acuminate, shorter than the valve ; anthers f lin. long. Upper
floret rotundate- elliptic, up to 1J lin. long, yellowish-green ;
valve finely rugose towards the margins, otherwise delicately
granular ; mucro J lin. long.— Panicum trichopus, PLochst. in Flora,
1844, 254 ; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 101 ; Lauza & Mattei,
PI. Erythr. in Boll. Ort. Bot. Palermo, ix. 45 ; Chiov. in
Result. Sclent. Miss. Stefanini-Paoli, i. 184. P. trichopus, var.
lasiostachys, Stapf ex Cheval, Sudania, 34, 146, 159. P. papillosum ,
Fenzl ex Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 100. P. trichopodon, A. Rich. Tent.
FI. Abyss, ii. 369 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 766. Iielopus
trichopus, Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 100. Eriochloa trichopus, Benth.
in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot., xix. 39, and in Benth. & Hook. f. Gen.
Plant, iii. 1099 ; Martelli, Florul. Bogos, 91 ; Schweinf . in Bull. Herb.
Boiss. ii. App. ii. 17 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 739 :
Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Roma, vi. 165, and vii. 62 (excl. var.).

Upper Guinea. French Sudan : Timbuctu District ; Taradii, Chevalier ,
2287 ! 2288 !

North Central. Bagirmi : Erguig District ; Nigui, Chevalier, 9463 ! Central
Chari region : Koulfe, Chevalier, 8809 bis !

Nile Land. Kordofan : Abu Haraza, Pfund, 116! Katul-Gombara,
Pfund, 194 ! and in fields, without precise locality, Kotschy, 74 ! Eritrea r
Beni Amer ; Mount Damba, Pappi, 5983 ! Abyssinia : Sarnen, Tacazze
Valley, Schimper, 1656 ! Dehli Dikeno, Schimper, 1161 ! and without precise
locality, Schimper, 365 ! South Abyssinia : Dereileh, Drake- Brockman, 101 !
Ogaden, Robecchi-Briccheti. Italian Somaliland : Torda plains, Paoli, 315 !

Kotschy’s specimens (no. 74) comprise both the fringed and unfringed forms.
All the other specimens quoted here have the lower floret conspicuously fringed.

Lauza and Mattei (PI. Erythr. in Boll. Ort. Bot. Palermo, ix. 46)
distinguish a var. Chiovendce of Panicum trichopus. This is stated to be
identical with the unnamed variety described by Chiovenda in Ann. Istit. Bot.
Roma, vii. 62 (sub Eriochloa trichopus) and to differ in having larger more lance-
olate spikelets with a mucronate denticulate -truncate attenuated lower glume
almost as long as the spikelet, and a more copious fringe to the lower floret.
Chiovenda’s plant was collected at Homare (Hamara ?) on the Ganale in south-
eastern Abyssinia, whilst the specimens quoted by Lauza and Mattei were from
Eritrea : Beni -Amer ; on the upper Shotel River, Senni, 695 (a tall form)
and Agordat, Senni, 697 (like the following a small state) ; Bogos, Keren, Senni ,
696. To judge by the characters given by the authors, the var. Chiovendce
seems to come within the ordinary range of fluctuation of U. trichopus as
understood here.

A specimen collected by Holst at Muoa, Usambara (no. 3072) is doubtfully
referable to this species. It has more slender culms divided into long slender
branches upwards, more densely tomentose nodes and a flatter broadly obtuse
lower glume without a central bristle, but the spikelets are broad-ovate, long-
fringed, and very densely packed as in U. trichopus.

3. U. pullulans, Stapf. Perennial from a short premorse rhizome
with extra vaginal innovations covered in the bud-state with whitish -
or yellowish-tomentose thin cataphylls, the buds ovoid, plump.

Urochloa .]

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

591

obtuse. Culms ascending from a geniculate and occasionally rooting
base, rarely erect, rather stout, up to over 3 (to 7 according to L.
Scott) ft. high, glabrous or loosely hirsute below the nodes, simple oi
sparingly branched below or in tall specimens also higher up with long
slender branches, 4- to many-noded, the lowest internodes often
compressed. Leaf-sheaths rather tight, pale, striate, more or less
loosely hirsute with tubercle-based hairs, or glabrous and smooth
except the ciliate outer margins, nearly always densely and spread-
ingly bearded at the nodes ; ligules reduced to a densely long-
ciliate rim ; blades linear to linear-lanceolate from a broad semi-
amplexicaul base, long-tapering to a slender point, 6-10 in. by 5-8 lin.,
flat, more or less flaccid, quite glabrous and smooth except at the rough
usually quite eciliate margins, or loosely hirsute, midrib slender,
prominent below, primary lateral nerves up to 7 on each side, very
slender. Inflorescence of 5-10 (rarely fewer or more) erect or sub-
erect straight or slightly curved or flexuous sessile or subsessile
spiciform secund racemes ; common axis slender, 2-3J in. long,
angular, subterete below, then adaxially hollowed out or flattened
upwards, more or less pubescent. Racemes very dense, 2-seriate,
simple, 2-3J in. long, solitary, rather evenly distributed ; rhachis
wavy, flat and green on the back, J-f lin. wide ; midrib rather stout,
forming on the face an acute keel, flanked by the herbaceous scabrid
margins, villous at the base, glabrous upwards, internodes about
1 lin. long ; pedicels solitary or the lowest with a rudimentary usually
barren secondary pedicel at the base, reduced to short stout stumps,
bearing 1-3 long spreading fine hairs below the thickened tips.
Spikelets close, subimbricate, elliptic-ovate to elliptic, subulate-
acuminate, about 2 lin. long, rarely longer, pale greenish. Glumes
somewhat dissimilar, membranous ; lower elliptic-oblong, obtuse or
subemarginate, 1J lin. long, flat, quite glabrous like the remainder
of the spikelet, except the minutely ciliolate margins, 3-nerved, side-
nerves inarching and anastomosing with the midnerve below the
apex ; upper glume corresponding in size and outline to the spikelet,
5-nerved with few transverse veins above the middle. Lower floret

: valve very similar to the upper glume, but flattened on the
back, 5-nerved, the side-nerves approximate to the firmer flexure ;
valvule broad-elliptic, acuminate, slightly shorter than the valve ;
anthers § lin. long. Upper floret broad to rotundate-elliptic,
1J lin. long, yellowish ; valve transversely rugose towards the
margins, otherwise like the valvule minutely granular ; mucro
\ lin. long. Grain broad-elliptic, dorsally much flattened, greyish. — *
Panicum geminatum, Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 19 ;
partly, not of Forsk..

Nile Land. Eritrea : Dogali, Schweinf urtli, 258 !

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Msalu River, Allen , 144 !
Shupanga, Kirk ! near Moramballa, Kirk ! between Lupata and Tette, Kirk !
and without precise locality, Allen, 1 ! Nyasaland : Chirimbo, below Elephant

592

CLVII. G It AMINE iE (Stapf.)

[Urochloa.

Marsh, on the lower Shire, Scott ! between Kongwe and Karonga, 1700-2000 ft.,
Whyte ! Mashonaland : North Mazoe district, Mundy ! Southern Rhodesia :
Victoria Falls, Rogers , 5719 ! and without precise locality, Walter, 2216 !

Var. (?) mosambicensis, Stapf. Lower glume, with or without a fine stiff
hair springing from a small central tubercle. Upper glume more or less
pubescent. Valve of lower floret pubescent or shortly (very rarely long)
fringed. — Panicum mosarribicensis. Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. vi. 140 ; Durand &
Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 755 ; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 104.

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Mozambique ; mainland
opposite the Mozambique Island, Carvalho ! between Shupanga and Sena,
KirJc ! Shupanga, Kirk ! Mazzaro, Kirk ! Nyasaland : Katunga, Scott !
Matabeleland : Insiza District, Mundy, 19 ! Victoria Falls, Allen, 267 !
Ngamiland : Kwebe, Lugard, 163 ! and without precise locality, Stigand !

The status of these specimens is somewhat doubtful. Some of them resemble
typical examples of U. jpullulans so closely that they might be considered
replicas of them, but for the hairiness of the spikelets; e.g. Scott’s Katunga
specimen (6-10 ft. high, upper glume and flexures of lower floret densely
pubescent) compared with the plant collected by him at Chirimbo, two of
Lugard’ s inflorescences contrasted with the other two from the same collecting
(upper glume pubescent, lower floret shortly fringed), Allen’s Victoria Falls
specimen and Kirk’s from Mazzaro and Shupanga on one hand and Allen’s
no. 1 from Portuguese East Africa on the other (lower floret shortly fringed) ;
Carvalho’s and Mundy ’s from North Mazoe (upper glume and flexures of lower
floret very pubescent), etc. The Insiza specimens have longer spikelets with
rather long fringes, but they repeat the habit of'Mundy’s North Mazoe typical
samples. It is impossible to decide from dried material whether these modifica-
tions are of the nature of unstable fluctuations or represent definite strains
(and crosses of these) of indiscriminate distribution. The specimens referred to
Panicum trichojpus in Dyer's Flora Capensis, vii. 392, represent Hackel’s Panicum
dorsisetum (name only in Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 748). They
differ from typical XJ. jpullulans in having still smaller and mostly narrower
spikelets with glabrous or very slightly pubescent upper glumes and shortly
fringed or unfringed lower florets. A very fine minutely tubercle-based hair
is generally present on the lower glume.

i l-jcce-'tl .)

4. U. brachyuraA Stapf. Annual, up to over 4 ft. high. Culms
scantily tufted, geniculately ascending, sparingly branched, 4- or
more-noded, internodes at length shortly exserted upwards, glabrous
or the upper more or less pubescent or softly hirsute. Leaf-sheaths
somewhat loose, pale, striate, densely ciliate along the outer margin,
otherwise glabrous or sparingly hairy, hairs tubercle-based, nodes
appressedly and often obscurely silky ; ligules reduced to a densely
ciliate rim, cilia over 1 lin. long ; blades linear from a widened and
semi-amplexicaul base, long-tapering to an acute point, 6 to over
12 in. by 3-6 lin., flat or wavy downwards, soft or slightly rigid and
stout, pale or yellowish-green, softly hirsute all over and ciliate
with tubercle-based hairs or almost glabrous, finely scaberulous,
margins narrowly cartilaginous, scabrid, sometimes crisped, midrib
very slender, slightly prominent below, primary lateral nerves
about 4 on each side, very slender or obscure. Inflorescence of few
to 9 erect or suberect straight and stiff or subflexuous sessile or sub-
sessile spiciform subsecund racemes ; common axis slender, 1-3 in.
long, terete below, then semiterete, more or less flattened upwards,
finely and densely pubescent. Racemes dense, 2- or more or less

■

'

■

.

'

Urocfiloa.] clvii. gramineje (Stapf). 598

3- or 4-seriate, simple, up to 3 in. long, solitary and rather evenly
distributed or here and there approximate ; rhachis triquetrous,
pubescent and beset near the margin with tubercle-based spreading
hairs, flat and striate on the back, J-f lin. wide, margins scabrid,
internodes §— | lin. long ; pedicels solitary and simple or the lower
or all with 1 (rarely 2) secondary pedicel at the base, slender, very
short (up to J lin. long), pubescent with subdiscoid tips. Spikelets
rather close, at first imbricate, then more or less obliquely spreading
and laterally contiguous or discontiguous, ovate - lanceolate,
acuminate, 2J-2J lin. long, pale green or slightly tinged with purple,
with a small shortly bearded callus at the base. Glumes rather
dissimilar, thinly membranous ; lower lanceolate, subobtuse to
acute, lf-2 lin. long, very finely pubescent, finely 5-7-nerved ;
upper glume corresponding in size and outline to the spikelet, if not
narrower, finely 5-7-nerved, pubescent. Lower floret $ : valve
very like the upper glume, slightly depressed and finely pubescent
between the fringed flexures, 5-7-nerved, fringes silvery, appressed,
their cilia almost confined to the lower half of the flexure, but reaching
forward to the tips or almost so ; valvule oblong, acute, almost as
long as the valve ; anthers f-1 lin. long. Upper floret b, elliptic in
outline, 1-1J lin. long, whitish-green ; valve delicately granular,
rugulose, mucro fine, lin. long. — Panicum brachyurum, Hack, in
Yerhandl. Bot. Yer. Prov. Brandenb. xxx. (1888) 142, and in Bull.
Herb. Boiss. iv. App. iii. 14 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v.
742.

Lower Guinea. South-west Africa : Amboland ; Olukonda, Schinz , 638 !
between Ondonga and Unkuanyama, Rautanen !

Mozambique Distr^Be^ni^naland : Maf eking, Sutton's collector, 21 !

5. U. holhoaes^StoR/! Perennial, in dense tufts from a short pre-
morse usually densely tomentose rhizome, 1 to over 2 ft. high ; innova-
tions intra vaginal. Culms erect or ascending, slender, about 3-noded,
terete or the lowest internode compressed and the following 1 or 2
as long as or shorter than the adjoining sheath, the uppermost
(peduncle) long-exserted. Leaf-sheaths tight or at length slipping
off the culm, the lower more or less compressed and keeled upwards,
more or less spreadingly hairy to densely tomentose, particularly
downwards, the uppermost terete and sparingly hirsute, nodes
finely pubescent to (the upper) almost glabrous or the lower bearded ;
ligules reduced to a dense fringe of white cilia ; blades linear from
an equally wide or slightly attenuated base, long-tapering to an acute
or slightly callous point, 6-9 in. by 3-4 J lin., flat, pale green, rather
firm, vestiture consisting of a fine greyish pubescence combined with
more or less numerous or even dense (particularly downwards) fine
spreading hairs or only of the latter and these usually scanty except
towards the base, or green and quite glabrous except for the cilia
of the finely cartilaginous and scabrid margin, midrib slender,
prominent below, whitish above, primary lateral nerves about 5 on
FL. TROP. AFR. VOL. IX. PT. 4 2 Q

594 clvii. GBAMiNEiE (Stapf). [ Urochloa .

each side, very fine, quite inconspicuous above. Inflorescence
terminal, borne on a long slender peduncle, of few to many (up to 20)
suberect or spreading mostly flexuous sessile or subsessile racemes ;
common axis slender, J-2J (rarely up to 4) in. long, semiterete below,
flatter upwards, pubescent on the adaxial side or all over or sometimes
villosulous. Racemes somewhat dense, 2-4-seriate, simple or sub-
composite at the base, from J to 2J (rarely to over 3) in. long, evenly
distributed or more often approximate upwards, or if numerous here
and there crowded into false whorls ; rhachis not wavy, subtrique-
trous, rather flat, villous or villosulous at the base, glabrous upwards
on the green or purplish back, puberulous on the face, angles scabrid
and the lateral often with spreading long fine tubercle-based hairs,
internodes f-1 lin. long ; pedicels solitary, reduced to short upwards
thickened stumps, or the lowest or all but the uppermost elongated
(to over 1 lin.), slender, disc-tipped, bearing 1-3 secondary pedicels
with perfect or more or less reduced spikelets and forming thus very
short racemules, puberulous or scabrid and often with 1 or 2 spreading
long hairs. Spikelets usually crowded, lanceolate-ovate to lanceo-
late, acutely acuminate or subacuminate, 1J to almost 2 lin. long,
quite glabrous or fringed, pale green or tinged with purple. Glumes
somewhat dissimilar, membranous ; lower lanceolate from a widened
base, acute, three-quarters the length of the spikelet, 5-7-nerved ;
upper corresponding in size and outline to the spikelet, 7-nerved with
a few delicate cross-veins. Lower floret : valve very similar to
the upper glume, but 5-nerved with the inner side-nerves more
distant, flat or slightly depressed, quite glabrous or with an appressed
silky fringe along the flexures ; valvule lanceolate-oblong, acuminate,
as long as the valve, keels finely marginate ; anthers f lin. long.
Upper floret elliptic-oblong in outline, very much compressed,
slightly over 1 lin. by over J lin., yellowish, very delicately wrinkled ;
valve with a scaberulous mucro, up to \ lin. long. — Helojpus bolbodes,
Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 100. Panicum oligotrichum, Pig. & De Not.
in Mem. Ac. Torin. ii. xiv. 333, 1. 1.0, figs. 1-14. P. bolbodes , Schweinf.
Beitr. PL Aethiop. 300 (name) ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii.
170, and in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot., xl. 229 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit.
Bot. Roma, viii. 35, 300 ( bulbodes ) ; Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S.
Afr. v. 299. P. numidianum, Hackel in Bull. Herb. Boiss. iv. App.
iii. 14 ; not of Lam. Eriochloci bolbodes, Schweinf. in Bull. Herb.
Boiss. ii. App. ii. 17 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. PL Afr. v. 738.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen ; Ghinda-Baresa, 3300 ft., Terracciano &
Pappi, 127 ; Ginda ; Girsa and Donkollo, 1970-3300 ft., Schweinf urth, 148,
458 ; Amba ; stream near Gheleb, 7200 ft., Schweinf urth, 1480 ! Abyssinia :
without precise locality, Schimper, 2021 !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Loanda ; dried up ponds near Museque de Linz
Gomes, Welwitsch, 7352 ! 7475 ! near ponds above Boa Vista, rare, Welwitsch,
7352 b, and without precise locality, Welwitsch, 2906 ! Gossweiler, 190 !
Golungo Alto ; in sandy mud near Sange, Welwitsch, 7185 ! in fields and
waysides near Camilungo and Ambaca, Welwitsch, 7188 ! Ambaca ; pastures
by the River Lucala, Welwitsch, 2741 ! Pungo Andongo ; pastures near

>1

CLVII. GRAMINE^l (Stapf).

595

Urochloa.]

Catete, Welwitsch, 2766 ! Mutollo, Welwitsch, 2766 b ! Huilla ; meadows
between Lopollo and Monino, Welwitsch, 2673 ! Humpata, common, 6000 ft.,
Pearson, 2779 ! and without precise locality, Newton ! Mossamedes ; moist
sandy places near Bera and Mato dos Capenteiros, Welwitsch, 2598 ! Damara-
land, Een ! Hereroland, Luderitz, 70 !

South Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga, Hornble, 4 !

Mozambique Distr. Northern Rhodesia ; Kafue River flats, Allen, 713 !
Southern Rhodesia ; Melsetter, 4000-6000 ft., Swynnerton, 1699 !

Also in Great Namaqualand.

Excellent fodder for cattle according to Welwitsch.

6. TJ. echinolaenoides, Stapf. Annual, in small tufts, up to 1J ft.
high. Culms geniculately ascending or suberect, slender, few-noded
(the uppermost internode by far the longest and long-exserted),
simple or with a short branch from the lowest node, glabrous or
nearly so. Leaf-sheaths somewhat loose, soon slipping off the stem,
subherbaceous, striate, densely ciliate, otherwise glabrous or sparingly
hairy ; ligules reduced to a densely ciliate rim ; blades linear from an
equally wide base, tapering to an acute point, up to 3 in. by 3 lin.,
flat, green, loosely hairy, often sparingly so, midrib and lateral
primary nerves (3-4 on each side) very slender. Inflorescence long-
peduncled, secund, of 2-3 oblique stiff subsessile racemes ; common
axis J-l in. long, semiterete or slightly flattened upwards, densely
pubescent to tomentellous along the angles, ending with a barren
rigid point. Racemes dense, 3-4-seriate, simple, f to over 1^ lin.
long, solitary ; rhachis triquetrous, flat on the back, puberulous on
the face, angles scabrid, internodes about 1 lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate,
one rather slender, J lin. long, puberulous with some fine longer
yellowish bristles, the other very much shorter to obsolete. Spikelets
on the whole crowded, but the superposed distinctly distant, ovate-
lanceolate, long-acuminate, up to over 2J lin. long, dull greenish,
greyish-pubescent, fulvously setose. Glumes dissimilar ; the lower
broad-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, thin, f-1 lin. long,
3- or sub-5-nerved, very minutely pubescent, often with 1-3 tubercle-
based bristles ; upper corresponding in shape and outline to the
spikelet, membranous, 5-7-nerved, finely pubescent with a row of
bristles on each side. Lower floret : valve very similar also as
to vestiture to the upper glume, but slightly shorter ; valvule oblong,
acuminate, minutely truncate, about J lin. long, with marginate
keels ; anthers 1 lin. long. Upper floret elliptic-oblong, 1J-2 lin.
long, the obtuse tip very minutely puberulous, whitish, delicately
granular ; mucro f lin. long, barbellate.

South Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga ; Kundelungu Mountains, under
trees, Kdssner, 26Q2 ! ^

7. U. Helopus Annual, tufted, 1-2 ft. high. Culms
erect or geniculately ascending from a short sometimes rooting
base, usually rather slender, frequently sparingly branched from
the lower nodes, 4-10-noded, intermediate internodes shortly
exserted, like the uppermost (peduncle) very sparingly pubescent or

596 clvii. geamineze (Stapf). [ Urochloa .

almost glabrous. Leaf -sheaths somewhat loose, pale, striate,
densely ciliate upwards, more or less (sometimes very sparingly)
shortly hirsute with the hairs tubercle-based, nodes pubescent to
subvillous ; ligules reduced to a densely ciliate rim ; blades lanceolate
to linear-lanceolate from a wider and semi-amplexicaul base.
1J-6 in. by 4-6 lin., rarely much longer (to 10 in.) and then linear and
narrowed towards the base, soft, flat, pale or yellowish-green, loosely
and often finely hirsute with tubercle-based hairs, rarely almost
glabrous, margins usually crisped or wavy and more or less ciliate,
midrib slender, primary lateral nerves about 5 on each side, usually
obscure on the upper side. Inflorescence of mostly 4-7 (rarely
fewer or more) erect or at length more or less spreading stiff or
slightly flexuous sessile or subsessile spiciform secund racemes ;
common axis J-2 (rarely 3) in. long, subsemiterete below, much
flattened upwards, pubescent. Racemes moderately dense, 2-
seriate, simple, 1-2 in. long, solitary or here and there approximate
and then unevenly distributed ; rhachis straight or slightly wavy,
triquetrous, flat on the back, about \ lin. wide, villous at the base,
glabrous upwards, rarely sparingly hairy, angles scabrid ; internodes
lin. long ; pedicels solitary, reduced to short stout stumps with
discoid tips, frequently bearing some long spreading hairs. Spikelets
laterally contiguous or subcontiguous, ovate- to elliptic-oblong, very
acute, 2-2J lin. long, greenish, glabrous or pubescent. Glumes
dissimilar ; lower broad-ovate, subobtuse to acute, clasping at the
base, f-1 lin. long, glabrous or sparingly and minutely pubescent,
about 5-nerved, nerves slightly raised and anastomosing ; upper
glume corresponding in size and outline to the spikelet, prominently
7-11- (mostly 9-) nerved, glabrous or pubescent. Lower floret £ or
barren : valve very similar to the upper glume, but flat or slightly
depressed, 5-7-nerved with the inner side-nerves distant, glabrous or
pubescent, very rarely with a lateral appressed fringe ; valvule
oblong, acute, slightly shorter than the valve ; anthers 1 lin. long.
Upper floret rotundate-elliptic, greenish to pale brown, 1J-1 J lin.
long ; valve finely transversely rugose or granular, mucro up to J lin.
long, sparingly barbellate. Grain rotundate-elliptic in outline, much
compressed, about 1 lin. long, yellowish or greenish ; scutellum
three-quarters the length of the grain —U. pubescens, Kunth, Rev.
Gram. i. 31, and Enum. PI. i. 74. U. panicoides, Schult. Mant. ii. 595 ;
not of Beauv. Panicum Helopus , Trin. in Spreng. Neue Entdeck. ii.
84 ; Panic. Gen. 150, and Gram. Ic. et Descr. ii. t. 183 ; Nees, Agrost.
Bras. 117 ; Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 57 ; Duthie, List Grass. N.-W. Ind.
4, and Fodd. Grass. N. Ind. 8 ; Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S Afr. v. 300.
P. Helopus , var. glabrescens, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 101 ;
Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 392 ; Wood, Natal PI. t. 146 ; Chiov. in
Result. Scient. Miss. Stefanini-Paoli, i. 184. P. hirsutum, Koen.
ex Roxb. FI. Ind. ed. Carey, 303. P. Koenigii, Spreng. Syst. i. 311.
P. hochstetterianum , A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 369 ; Chiov. in Ann.

v : rfv; :

_t. U^,yf-^J ,

(RV5 a : f 7£. <

'i./.-c'

•;>

r>

Urochloa.] clyii. gramine^ (Stapf). 597

Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 301, P. geminatum, Hochst. ex A. Rich. l.c. ;
not of Forsk. P. controversum, Steud. Syn. Pl. Glum. i. 60 ; Schweinf.
in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. ii. 19 ; Chiov. l.c. 35. Setaria ? hirsuta,
Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 47, and Enum. Pl. i. 157. S. pilifera, Spreng.
Systr iv. Cur. Post. 33.

Nile Land. Nubian Desert, PethericJc ! Eritrea : Damoeita, Hotha Island,
Terracciano, 809. Samhar ; Saati, Pappi, 2608 ; Massaua, Valentino. Beni
Amer ; Mount Damba, Pappi, 5983 ; Carajai, Pappi, 6182, 6345 ; Assaorta ;
Ham-Hamo, Pappi, 5621 ; Hoasa-Ta Hareb, Terracciano, 2605 ; Shiaben,
Terracciano, 2606 ; Ingal Ras Koral, Terracciano, 2607. Amasen ; Dongolla,
near Ghinda, Pappi, 4275. Ocule Cusai ; Loggo Sarda, Deggahen, 8525 ft.,
Pappi, 1411 ; Aini Torrent, 5900 ft., Pappi, 1889. Abyssinia : Tigre ; in fields
near Adoa, Schimper, 61 ! Italian Somaliland : along the Web Shebeli near
Balaad, Paoli, 1343.

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia : Bulawayo, Rogers, 5902 ! Appleton, 35 !
Salisbury, 4900 ft., Eyles, 638 ! Mrs. Craster , 11 !

Also in South Africa, Mauritius and India.

Panicum Helopus of Bentham’s Flora Australiensis, vii. 476, is partly
* — — Brachiaria notochthonoj Stapf ( Panicum notochthonum, Domin ; the Darling
“River plant), and partly Brachiaria ramosa, Stapf (Mueller’s specimen from the
Lower Victoria River). The plant figured by Duthie as Panicum Helopus in
Indig. Fodd. Grass, t. 7, is also B. ramosa. Panicum javanicum, Poir., fre-
quently confused with U. Helopus, is U. panicoides, Beauv., a distinct species
-f°r which the combination U. javanica will have to be made. The original
P. Helopus represents the state with pubescent spikelets, and was described
from specimens collected in Mauritius, where, however, also plants with glabrous
spikelets have been collected. The pubescent state is predominant in India,
and all the Rhodesian specimens quoted here except Appleton, 35, belong to it.
On the other hand Petherick’s, Schimper’s (no. 61) and Paoli’s plants and the
South African material of U. Helopus at Kew possess perfectly glabrous spikelets.
Specimens with pubescent spikelets and at the same time an appressed silvery
fringe to the lower floret were collected by Jacquemont near Poona in India.
The presence or absence of a hairy vestiture in the spikelets does not appear
to be correlated with any other characters ; but it has to be observed that the
spikelets of the specimens from the African mainland, particularly those from
Rhodesia and South Africa, are on the whole slightly larger and more acute than
those from Mauritius and India.

8. U. rudis, Stapf. Annual, in ample erect tufts, over 1 ft. high.
Culms rather stout, subterete or angular, sheathed almost all along,

I branched from most nodes except the uppermost, with the branches
erect, about 6-noded, internodes pubescent or hirsute below the nodes.
Leaf-sheaths rather tight, pale, finely striate, densely hirsute to
villous (including the nodes) with long yellowish hairs ; ligules
reduced to a densely cilia te rim ; blades linear-lanceolate to lanceo-
late from a broader and semi-amplexicaul or scarcely widened base,
acute with a callous point, 2-6 (rarely more) in. by 4-6 lin., flat or
involute upwards, rather stout, but soft, pale or yellowish-green,
villous with short and long hairs, margins finely cartilaginous and
crisp, with tubercle-based cilia, midrib very slender, lateral nerves
obscure. Inflorescence shortly peduncled or those of the lower
branches more or less enclosed in the supporting leaf-sheaths, of few
obliquely erect or spreading rigid subsessile racemes ; common axis

598

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[' Urochloa .

up to over 1J in. long, semiterete, upwards flattened, pubescent.
Racemes moderately dense, 2-seriate, simple, about 9 lin. long,
solitary, evenly distributed ; rbacbis flat and pale green on the back,
triquetrous, J lin. wide, pubescent to villous at the base, upwards
loosely ciliate on the smooth angles and slightly pubescent on the
face, otherwise glabrous, internodes about 1 lin. long ; pedicels
solitary, reduced to sessile discs bearing some fine bristles below the
smooth rim. Spikelets of each rank distinctly discontiguous, ovate
to elliptic- oblong, subacute, somewhat turgid, up to 2 lin. long, pale
greenish. Glumes very dissimilar ; lower very broad, ovate, sub-
obtuse, clasping, up to J lin. long, hyaline, nerveless or very in-
distinctly 1-3-nerved ; upper corresponding in size and outline to the
spikelet, firmly membranous, up to 11-nerved with the nerves often
distinct only towards the tip, more or less covered with short stiff
hairs springing from coarse tubercles (hence almost verrucose),
smoother towards the base. Lower floret barren (always ?) : valve
similar in size, shape and vestiture to the upper glume, but flattened
or subdepressed on the back, 9-nerved (or with 2-4 very fine additional
nerves ; nerves rather distinct if seen from within) and sometimes
smooth on the sides and along the middle nerve ; valvule elliptic-
oblong, subobtuse, as long as the valve with hard cartilaginous keels.
Upper floret broad-elliptic-oblong, almost 1 J lin. long, yellowish ;
valve 7-nerved, very delicately wrinkled, mucro rough, very short.
Anthers slightly over J lin. long. Grain rotundate-elliptic, very
strongly compressed ; scutellum over half the length of the grain ;
hilum rather large.

Nile Land. Italian Somaliland : Gharabwein near Obbia, Drake- Brockman,
954 !

The only anthers seen were found in the spikelets of lateral inflorescences
which had not emerged from the supporting sheaths. They were enclosed in
the floret together with the half -ripe grain, the spikelets evidently being cleisto-
gamous. .

9. U. setigera. Stapf. Perennial, up to over 3 ft. high ; innova-
tions extra vaginal with thin pubescent cataphylls. Culms ascending
sometimes from a long straggling rooting base with elongated more
or less compressed arching internodes, sending up erect simple or
sparingly branched secondary culms ; primary culms (except the
prostrate base) or secondary culms 4-5-noded, quite glabrous, lower
internodes often somewhat compressed, shortly exserted. Leaf-
sheaths tight, those supporting branches at length slipping off the
culms and often wrapped round the former, all very pale, smooth and
glabrous except along the densely villously ciliate margins or with
few fine tubercle-based hairs, nodes pubescent to silkily bearded ;
ligules reduced to a densely ciliate rim ; blades lanceolate from a
rounded or subcordate and semi-amplexicaul base, tapering to an
acute point, 2J-3 in. by 6-7 lin., rarely much larger (up to 6 in. by
11 lin.), flat, slightly rigid, pale green, glabrous and smooth except

- U. "tcdtfL (pJLot^u. J

tf*^^**^*. laMz^r ^cJ^t^. /£~y JLm. tiuM'

CLVII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

599

Urochloa.]

the scabrid cartilaginous and often undulate or crisped margins,
and some rigid long cilia towards the base, midrib and lateral nerves
(5-6 on each side) very slender, the latter rather inconspicuous.
Inflorescences terminal, long-exserted on a slender peduncle, of 4-7
obliquely erect or spreading somewhat slender sessile or subsessile
spiciform secund racemes ; common axis slender, 1J-3 in. long,
semiterete below, flattened upwards, glabrous or here and there
with a few very fine hairs, scaberulous along the angles. Racemes
moderately dense to almost loose, 2- or indistinctly pluriseriate,
simple, solitary, the lower and intermediate to over 2 in. long and
about equidistant, the uppermost much shorter and more approxi-
mate ; rhachis almost straight, rather flat, J to over J lin. wide,
subtriquetrous with the facial angles low, hairy at the base, glabrous
or sparingly setose upwards, angles scabrid, internodes \ to over £ lin.
long ; pedicels reduced to subterete stumps or the longer of a pair
distinctly elongated and up to over J lin. long, usually with some fine
white bristles below the discoid tips. Spikelets of each rank dis-
contiguous, ovate-lanceolate, acutely acuminate, 2 lin. long, pale
greyish-pubescent or quite glabrous. Glumes very dissimilar,
membranous ; lower broad-ovate, clasping at the base, acute,
£ lin. long, 3- or sub-5-nerved, tips of nerves more or less anastomos-
ing ; upper glume corresponding in size and outline to the spikelet,
prominently though finely 7-9-nerved. Lower floret barren : valve
very similar to the upper glume, somewhat flat on the back, 5-nerved ;
valvule broad-oblong, acuminate, somewhat shorter than the valve.
Upper floret broad- to rotundate-elliptic in outline, about 1 lin.
long, pale, very delicately wrinkled or granulate ; valve with a
scaberulous mucro f lin. long. — Panicum setigerum, Retz. Obs. iv. 15 ;
Roxb. FI. Ind. i. 302 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 90 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind.
vii. 36 and in Trimen Handb. FI. Ceyl. iv. 141. P. affine , Foir.
Encycl. Suppl. iv. 273.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Tanga, Sacleux, 2569 ! Amboni ;
by roads, Holst, 2844 !

Also in India and Ceylon. Retzius described his Panicum setigerum from a
specimen stated to have been collected in China by Bladh ; but there is no other
record of its occurrence in that country.

The African specimens have glabrous spikelets. In India, however, the
pubescent form appearstoj^ prevalent.

10. U. insculpta^Sta^L Annual, up to 4 and even 5 ft. high, but
mostly much shorter. Culms solitary or in scanty tufts, erect or
more usually geniculately ascending, often rooting from the lowest
nodes, simple or more or less branched, 4-7- (rarely more-) noded,
terete or angular and sometimes compressed below, glabrous. Leaf-
sheaths somewhat loose, the lowest often slipping off the culm,
subherbaceous, striate, finely ciliate along the margins, nearly always
greyish-pubescent or subvillous at the nodes, otherwise glabrous or
more or less softly hirsute (particularly upwards), with tubercle-based

600

[Urochloa.

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

hairs ; ligules reduced to a densely ciliate rim ; blades lanceolate to
lanceolate-linear (rarely almost linear) from a rounded or subcordate
subamplexicaul base, long-tapering to a slender point, 2J to over
9 in. by 4-12 lin., flat, soft and often flaccid, subglaucous to yellowisb-
green, more or less ciliate downwards along the scabrid cartilaginous
margins, otherwise glabrous or more or less finely hirsute, midrib
slender or in large blades stouter and prominent (beneath) towards
the base, primary lateral nerves very slender, 4-5 or in large blades
up to 7 on each side. Inflorescence borne on a slender peduncle which
on maturity is more or less exserted from the uppermost sheath, of
generally numerous obliquely erect sessile or subsessile rarely shortly
peduncled spiciform secund racemes, crowded into an oblong or
ovate-oblong panicle, 3-7 in. long, in starved specimens occasionally
reduced to 5 or 6 or even fewer more scattered racemes ; common
axis 1 J-5 in. long, striate, subterete below, sharply angular upwards,
scabrid at the angles, otherwise glabrous to pubescent or almost
villous, often with scattered spreading long white hairs. Racemes
straight or subflexuous, rather dense or looser upwards, usually very
irregularly pluriseriate, more or less compound particularly down-
wards, with very short secondary racemes, the lower and inter-
mediate 1-3 in. long, the upper rapidly shortening and passing into
the racemules of the terminal raceme, in small specimens all simple
or almost so and J-l in. long, if numerous crowded here and there
in false whorls, but always more approximate upwards ; rhachis
slightly wavy or straight, triquetrous, J to almost J lin. wide,
pubescent or villosulous at the base, glabrous (or sometimes with a
few long spreading hairs) on the flat pale or glaucous-green back,
angles very sharp, scabrid, the lateral frequently with scattered long
spreading hairs, internodes f to over 1 (or the uppermost over 2) lin.
long ; pedicels fascicled, forming cluster-like racemules of 3 or 4
(rarely more) frequently partly imperfect spikelets or 2-nate or
solitary, reduced to short stoht obscurely disc-tipped stumps usually
with some long white spreading hairs. Spikelets elliptic- oblong,
shortly acute or apiculate, 1J to over 1J lin. long, pale green, nearly
always quite glabrous. Glumes thinly membranous, dissimilar ;
lower rotundate-ovate, clasping at the base, acute to subacute,
3-5-nerved, with the tips of the lateral nerves anastomosing, J-£ the
length of the spikelet ; upper corresponding in shape and outline to
the spikelet, 7 -nerved, nerves slender, green, with few delicate cross-
veins upwards. Lower floret barren, rarely g : valve very similar
to the upper glume, but flat or slightly depressed and 5-nerved ;
valvule oblong, acute, shorter than the valve, flaps evanescent
upwards, keels narrowly winged towards the base. Upper floret
elliptic, up to 1J lin. by § lin., very obtuse to subobtuse, yellowish
to pale brown, delicately wrinkled or granular ; valve with a minute
apiculus or a mucro up to J lin. long, like the valvule very firmly
crustaceous, the latter with a smooth keel-edge and flaps ; anthers

Urochloa .] clvii. gkamine.® (Stapf). 601

over J lin. long. Grain rotundate-elliptic, almost flat on both sides,
dull greenish ; scutellum over half the length of the grain. — Panicum
insculjptum, Steud.Syn. PI. Glum. i. 49; Jardin, Ape^uFl. Gabon. 15 ;
Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 751 ; Pobeguin, Ess. FI. Guin.
Frang. 214 ; Cheval. Sudania, 32. P. exasjperatum, Nees ex Steud.
l.c. 62 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 748. P. amplexifolium, Hochst. in
Flora, 1855, 194 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 740 ; Schweinf. Plant. Util.
Eritrea, 53 (sphalm. P. amplexicaule) ; Cheval. Sudania, 160.
P. cemulans, Hochst. l.c. 195. P. leersioides, Schweinf. in Bull.
Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 21 (partly, no. 895). P. breviradiatum, Hochst.
l.c. 195 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 303. P. bispiculatum ,
Hochst. ex Chiov. l.c. P. trichojpus, var. lasiostachys, Stapf ex Cheval.
Sudania, 146 (the Kabas Mara specimens).

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 478 ! French
Sudan : Djenne on the Middle Niger, Chevalier, 2196 ! Gold Coast : Christians-
borg, Johnson, 1013 ! 1031 ! Dahomey : Ajuda, Newton, 2-23 ! Southern
Nigeria : Lagos, Macgregor, 109 ! Northern Nigeria : Nupe ; in shady
ravines, Barter, 1369 ! Katagum District, Dalziel, 252 ! Sokoto, common in
fields, Dalziel, 477 !

North Central. Central Chari : Kabas Mara, Chevalier, 8809 bis ! Bagirmi :
Bahr Erguig ; Nigui, Chevalier, 9464 !

Nile Land. Eritrea : Beni Amer ; Monte Damba, Pappi, 5970 ! Caraijai,
Pappi, 6239, 6344 ! Dembelas ; Ferfer, Pappi, 6154. Abyssinia : Gallabat ;
Matamma, Schweinf urth, 1158! 1174! Tigre ; in the fields of the Hamedo
plain, Schimper, 1085 ! and without precise locality, Schimper, 1088 ! Samen ;
Tacazze Valley, Schimper, 1655 ! Goelleb ; in shady places on the banks of the
Tacazze, Schimper, 186 ! 2143 ! Jaja, Schimper, 1213 ! (in Herb. Brussels,
partly), and without precise locality, Schimper in Herb. Buchinger, 1161, 1213 !
Sudan : Deesa, Broun, 787 ! Jur : Ghattas’ Great Seriba, Schweinfurih, 2302 !

Lower Guinea. Guinea ; without precise locality, Jardin !

Also in tropical Arabia (Schweinf urth, 895 !). Said to be very good fodder
(Schweinf urth).

The only specimen with pubescent spikelets I have seen is Dalziel’s from
Sokoto. It very much resembles pubescent forms of U. Helopus, but may be
distinguished from it by the smaller acute fcr apiculate but not acuminate
spikelets with their constantly 7 -nerved upper glume.

11. U. reptansA ^Stapf. Annual or subperennial (?), usually
prostrate or creeping, throwing up secondary culms from the rooting
nodes of the often long-decumbent base, the lower secondary culms
frequently behaving like the primary, or sometimes the culms
gathered into more contracted tufts, from J to 1 J ft. high, internodes
slender to very slender, numerous, those of the decumbent base
frequently angular or compressed and bare, of the erect or ascending
portions of the culms terete and except the uppermost more or less
sheathed, all glabrous. Leaf-sheaths loose or the upper somewhat
tight, quite glabrous and smooth except at the densely ciliate
margins and frequently pubescent nodes, or occasionally sparingly
hairy ; ligules reduced to a shortly ciliate rim ; blades lanceolate to
ovate- or linear-lanceolate, J-2J in. by 2J-8 lin., rounded to sub-
cordate at the base, attenuated from low down to an acute point,

602

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[ Urochloa .

flat or wavy, frequently somewhat rigid, green, quite glabrous or
more frequently ciliate downwards, with long stiff hairs or sometimes
also pubescent or softly hirsute, margins cartilaginous, scabrid,
midrib very slender, lateral nerves numerous, close, very fine, the
primary hardly differentiated. Inflorescence at length usually long-
exserted, ovate to obovate-oblong in outline, from 1 to over 3 in.
long, of few to over 12 obliquely erect or spreading slender secund
spiciform racemes ; common axis slender, semiterete and adaxially
channelled below, angular upwards, scaberulous along the angles.
Racemes solitary, upwards gradually approximate or irregularly
crowded into false whorls, 6-15 lin. long, sessile or subsessile, simple
or subcomposite at the base with very short secondary racemes,
2- or irregularly pluriseriate, dense to somewhat loose ; rhachis
slender, slightly wavy, triquetrous, ~ lin. wide, pubescent or
villosulous at the base, scabrid along the angles, internodes J-l lin.
long ; pedicels paired (or the lower in clusters of 3), unequal, the
longer up to J lin. long, slender, angular, the other very short to
rudimentary, or solitary, usually with some long spreading white
hairs and small discoid tips. Spikelets or their pairs or clusters sub-
contiguous or discontiguous or crowded downwards, elliptic-oblong,
acute, up to 1 lin. long, glabrous or greyish-pubescent, greenish,
rarely tinged with purple. Glumes very dissimilar ; lower reduced
to a small rounded or truncate and sometimes apiculate nerveless
scale, 6~5 lin. long, upper corresponding in size and outline to the
spikelet, distinctly 7-nerved, glabrous or densely pubescent. Lower
floret barren, with or without rudimentary stamens ; valve very
similar to the upper glume, 5-nerved ; valvule oblong, subacute,
shorter than the valve. Upper floret elliptic, pale, finely trans-
versely rugulose, over f lin. long ; valve with a minute mucro.
Anthers § iin. long. — Panicum reptans , Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. x. 870 ;
Hitchcock in Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 119 and 225 ; Hitchc. &
Chase in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xv. 36, fig. 17, excl. P. grossarium.
,P. reopens, N. L. Burm. FI. Ind. 26, t. 11, f. 1 (mala) ; Rottl. in Neue
Schrift. iv. 182 ; Roxb. FI. Ind. i. 302 ; Boj. Hort. Maur. 364 ; not
of Linn. P. prostratum, Lam. 111. i. 171 ; Delile, FI. iEgypt. Illustr.
51 ; Trin. Diss. ii. 150, Pan. Gen. 158, and Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 184,
185 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 89 ; Suppl. 68 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Grlum. i. 62 ;
Miq. FI. Ind. Bat. iii. 446 ; Griseb. FI. Brit. W. Ind. 546 ; Schweinf.
Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 301, and in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 20 ;
Balansa in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xix. 325 ; Baker, FI. Maurit. 435 ;
(?) Benth. FI. Austral, vii. 476 ; Duthie, List Grass.- N.-W. Ind. 6 ;
111. Indig. Fodd. Gr. t. 45 ; Fodd. Grass. N. Ind. 11 ; Boiss. FI. Or.
v. 438 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 760 (excl. some syn.) ;
Aschers. & Schweinf. 111. FI. figypte, 160 ; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl.
Ost-Afr. C. 102 ; Cordem. FI. Reun. 116; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 33;
Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot., xxxvi. 332 ; Merrill in Philipp.
Journ. Sc. i. 355. P. barbatum , Lam. l.c. P. ccespitosum, Sw. FI.

CLVII. GRAMINE^J (Stapf).

603

Urochloa.]

Ind. Occ. i. 146. P. Sieberi, Link, Hort. Berol. i. 207. P. procumbens,
var., Nees, Agrost. Bras. 109. P. crispum, Llanos, Fragm. 42.

P. insularum , Steud. Svn. PL Glum. i. 61. P. calacczense, Steud.
l.c. 65 ; Vidal, PI. Phan. Cuming. 157, and Rev. PI. Vase. Filip. 287.

P. aurelianum, Hale in Wood, Classbook, ed. iii. 787. P. viaticum ,
Salzm. ex Doell in Mart. FI. Bras. ii. ii. 155. P. marginatum , Vahl
ex Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 33. Brachiaria prostrata , Griseb. in
Abh. Ges. Wiss. Goett. vii. 263.

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar, Last !

Widely distributed throughout the Indo -Malayan region and tropical and
subtropical America ; also in tropical Arabia and the Mascarenes. The state
with pubescent spikelets is rare and appears to have been collected in India
only.

Considered in India to be good fodder for cattle.

Imperfectly Imown species.

12. Panieum (Brachiaria) rovumense, Pilg.in Engl.Jahrb. xxxiii. !
47. Culms decumbent, geniculate, slender, branched from the lower
nodes. Leaf-sheaths striate, setose-pubescent (particularly the
lower) ; ligules a fringe of dense white hairs ; blades linear-lanceolate
narrowed towards the base, long and gradually tapering to an acute
point, 4-6 in. by 3-3J lin. with long white spreading hairs. In-
florescence long-exserted, 2-3J in. long, of about 6 short spreading
secund spiciform racemes ; common axis slender, stiff, white-
setulose. Racemes about 2J in. long ; rhachis straight, narrow,
white-setulose ; pedicels solitary, short. Spikelets constricted into

a short globose stipe at the base, 2 lin. long. Glumes dissimilar,
loosely hairy, hairs white ; lower almost as long as the spikelet,
narrow-lanceolate, caudate-acuminate, 3-nerved ; upper ovate,
caudate-acuminate, as long as the spikelet, 5-nerved. Lower
floret almost as long as the upper glume : valve broadly ovate,
acute, with the same vestiture as the glumes ; valvule broad, 2-
keeled. Upper floret not quite 1J lin. long ; valve and valvule
crustaceous, smooth, the former shortly mucronate.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa ; in damp meadows near Koa-
Schamba on the Rovuma, Busse, 1016.

The description of the glumes suggests that this belongs rather to Urochloa
than Brachiaria.

13. Panieum borzianum, Matt, in Bol. Ort. Bot. Palermo , vii. 167.
Annual, tufted, 2-3 ft. high. Culms ascending from a rooting
decumbent base, many-noded, repeatedly branched, slender, angular,
glabrous. Leaf-sheaths loose, striate, glabrous except at the
densely ciliate margins and the pubescent or villous nodes ; blades
lanceolate, long-attenuated to an acute point, lj-lf in. by 2J-3J lin.,
rough from appressed hairs, margins cartilaginous, minutely serrulate
and sparingly ciliate at the base. Inflorescence of 10 alternate
sessile racemes. Racemes 2-seriate ; rhachis narrow, striate,

604

CL VII. GR AMINE JE (Stapf).

[ Urochloa .

scabrid ; pedicels very short, stout, shortly and densely hairy.
Spikelets rather small, up to 20 per raceme, imbricate, lanceolate,
acuminate, dull green. Glumes dissimilar ; lower rotundate or
shortly acute, almost one-third the length of the spikelet, hairy on
the back ; upper much narrower than the spikelet, acute, prominently
nerved, densely hairy. Lower floret : valve with a long white
silky dense marginal fringe. Upper floret rotundate- elliptic in
outline, pale yellowish, chartaceous, transversely rugulose ; valve
with a setiform mucro.

Mozambique Distr. Italian Somaliland : abundant in the plain of Merca ,
Maculoso, 10.

Undoubtedly a species of TJrochloa, but I cannot place it owing to the incom-
pleteness of the description.

68. ECHIN0CHL0A, Beauv. Agrost. 53, t. 11, fig. 2.

Spikelets ovate to elliptic- or lanceolate-oblong, usually cuspidate
or awned, very convex on the back, flat or slightly depressed in
front, falling entire from the pedicels, 2-nate or clustered, secund
and abaxial on the triquetrous rhachis of racemosely arranged false
spikes ; lower floret $ or barren, upper floret Glumes unequal,
membranous, the lower much shorter, more or less ovate from a
clasping base, 3-5-nerved, often mucronate, the upper corresponding-
in length and outline to the spikelet (as seen from the back), very
concave, 5-7-nerved, acute, cuspidulate or cuspidate, rarely pro-
duced into a short awn. Lower floret equalling the upper glume
(excluding cusps or awns) : valve very similar to the upper glume,
but flat or depressed on the back and often with a more pronounced
cusp or an awn ; valvule equal to the body of the valve, or in barren
florets more or less reduced, hyaline, finely 2-keeled. Upper floret :
valve ovate to elliptic-oblong, apiculate or obtuse, very convex on
the back, subcoriaceous or crustaceous, polished, faintly 5-nerved,
margins firm, involute up to near the tip, then flat, not embracing
the tip of the valvule ; valvule subequal to the valve and similar
in substance, with rounded keels and flaps which thin out towards
the flat slightly recurved tips. Lodicules 2, cuneate, fleshy. Stamens
3. Styles distinct ; stigmas plumose, exserted from near the tips.
Grain broad-elliptic, dorsally flat, ventrally convex ; hilum puncti-
form, subbasal. Embryo elliptic- oblong or ovate, exceeding the
middle of the grain. — Perennial and often tall, or annual ; blades
linear from a slightly constricted or equally wide rarely much
attenuated base ; ligules 0 or represented by a transverse fringe of
hairs ; panicles of crowded or loosely arranged secund spiciform
branches mostly bearing spikelets from the base or near it ; spikelets
more or less hispid on the nerves of the glumes, and the lower valve,
rarely almost smooth.

605

Echinochloa .] clvii. gramine^j (Stapf).

Species about 20-25, in the warm regions of both hemispheres.

The segregation of the numerous forms which make up the genus Echinochloa
and their reduction to more or less well definable species is still unsatisfactory,
mainly owing to their apparently endless variability and the difficulty, if not ,
impossibility, of discriminating between stable and unstable modifications and
the effects of hybridisation. Here, as in other cases, observation in the field
and experiment will have to decide. For this reason no attempt at describing
varieties has been made in this place. To have done so would probably have
le^i to the establishment of many units without any stable basis.

glume and up-per Valve equally obtuse or acute or
cuspidulate ; false spikes 3-4-ranked, mostly short,
suberect or erect and more or less appressed to the
common axis, rarely spreading.

Spikelets very obtuse, scaberulous towards the tips only,
the nerves of the glumes becoming very obscure
below them ; ligule represented by a line of fine
hairs ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 . E. obtusiflora.

Spikelets acute to cuspidulate or apiculate.

Ligule represented by a fringe of hairs ; false spikes
usually appressed to the common axis, 4-9 lin.
by 3 lin. ; glumes very thin, pubescent and woolly -
ciliate ; perennial ... ... ... ... ... 2. E. Holubii.

Ligule 0 ; false spikes usually suberect, not appressed
to the common axis, 6-12 lin. by 2 lin. ; glumes
membranous, minutely rigidly and appressedly
luihh pubescent between the nerves, eciliate ; annual 3. E.colona.

Lower glume and upper valve cuspidate or produced into
an awn, the latter more so than the former ; false
spikes suberect or spreading.

Ligule 0, the region of the junction of blade and sheaths
discoloured inside, very finely pubescent or glabrous.

Annual.

Spikelets 1| lin. (excluding the cusp or awn) in
generally simple false spikes, cuspidate or more
or less awned from the lower floret ; a weed ... 4. E. Crus-Galli.
Spikelets lin. (excluding the cusp or awn),
abruptly caudate -acuminate or rostrate or
(from the lower floret) aristulate, very densely
clustered in compound false spikelets leaving
a pinnate skeleton of axes after their fall ;
usually stout stems 5. E. Crus-Pavonis.

Perennial ; spikelets 1-1 1 lin. long, cuspidate or
shortly awned (awn 3-4 lin. long), in simple false
spikes ; sometimes tall with stout stems ... 6. E. haploclada.

Ligule represented by a distinct fringe of hairs (some-
times more or less reduced or suppressed in the
uppermost leaves).

Spikelets acute or shortly cuspidate, always awnless,
li-2 lin. long, in usually large dense panicles with
numerous straight obliquely erect false spikes ;
perennial, tall, reed-like ... ... ... ... 7. E. pyramidalis.

Spikelets acuminate, usually long-awned and if
awnless 2-3 lin. long and in more or less distant
frequently nodding false spikes.

Spikelets ovate-oblong to lanceolate -oblong in
outline, 2-3 lin. long (excluding the cusp or awn) ;

606

cl vn. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [EckinocMoa.

awns, if any, up to 12 lin. long ; false spikes
more or less nodding, loosely arranged in a
secund panicle ; perennial or occasionally

annual and then slender and meagre 8. E. stagnina.

Spikelets oblong, lin. long (excluding the awns) ;
awn of the upper glume 3 lin., of the lower
floret up to over 6 lin. long, very fine ; false
spikes in dense jubate panicles 9. E. jubata.

1. E. obtusiflora, Staff. Annual (?), J-1J ft. high, scantily tufted.
Culms geniculately ascending, slender, terete, about 2-noded,
branched, glabrous, smooth. Leaf-sheaths terete, tight or at length
loosened, finely striate, glabrous, smooth ; ligules a fine ciliolate rim;
blades narrowly linear from an equally wide base, gently tapering to
an acute point, 2-4 in. by 1-1J lin., flat, somewhat rigid, suberect,
green, glabrous ; margins rough, midrib very slender, lateral nerves
close but distinct (about 9 on each side of the midrib). Panicle long-
exserted, erect, very narrow or spiciform, 1J-5 in. long ; axis very
slender, triquetrous, almost smooth below, becoming rough along
the angles upwards ; branches 2-5, solitary, erect and mostly
appressed to the axis, distant by less or slightly more than their own
length, rarely over 1 in. long, forming dense simple 2-4-ranked sub-
secund sessile false spikes, 2J lin. wide ; rhachis very slender, flat-
tened, subtriquetrous, J lin. wide, scabrid along the angles, with or
without some long fine stiff hairs ; pedicels 2-nate, very short,
scaberulous, tips subdiscoid. Spikelets crowded, elliptic in outline,
very obtuse, 1J lin. long, very pale or brownish on the back, almost
glabrous. Glumes membranous, faintly nerved except towards the
scaberulous or scabrid tips, nerves not hispid ; lower very broadly
ovate, obtuse to subacute, less than half the length of the spikelet,
5-nerved, scaberulous upwards ; upper glume corresponding to the
spikelet in length and outline, very concave, 5-nerved. Lower
floret : valve very like the upper glume but flat or slightly
depressed on the back ; valvule elliptic-oblong, obtuse with smooth
keels slightly shorter than the valve ; anthers 1 lin. long. Upper
floret Q, broadly ovate- or elliptic-oblong, with a minute slightly
incurved apiculus, as long as the spikelet, whitish, then turning a pale
reddish-brown, glossy with a pearly lustre, very finely striate under
the lens ; valve and valvule subcoriaceous.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons: by the Bogolo river, Miss M acleod, 91 ! Logone
River, Macleod, 151 a ! *

2. E. HolubiiA Staff. Perennial, 2-3 ft. high. Culms erect or
geniculate from a slender rhizome, terete, glabrous, 4-5-noded,
sheathed all along or the upper internodes exserted. Leaves
glabrous ; sheaths rather loose, terete, striate, bases of the lowest
persistent, breaking up into fibres ; ligules a fringe of fine hairs ;
blades linear, scarcely narrowed or constricted at the base, long-
tapering to a fine point, 4-10 in. by 2-3 lin., suberect, firm, flexuous,

Echinochloa.] clvii. gramine^ (Stapf). 607

more or less glaucous, smooth except upwards, margins finely carti-
laginous, smooth or scabrid, midrib very slender, primary lateral
nerves 2 or 3 on each side, very fine or inconspicuously differentiated.
Panicles laterally exserted from the uppermost sheath, very narrow,
usually interrupted, 4-6 in. long ; axi's slender, compressed with
upwards scabrid angles, glabrous ; branches 6-8, erect and appressed
to the axis, distant by their own length or more, the lower J-f in.
long, the uppermost much shorter, forming subsecund compact

4- ranked sessile false spikes ; rhachis slender, slightly wavy, trique-
trous, scaberulous, villous at the base; pedicels 2-3-nate,
extremely short with discoid tips. Spikelets oblong, subacute or
cuspidate, 1J-1| lin. long, pale or variegated with purple. Glumes
very thin, finely and appressedly pubescent between the nerves ;
lower broad-ovate, cuspidate, about half the length of the spikelet,

5 - nerved, ciliate on the sides ; upper oblong, as long as the spikelets,
very concave with short slightly compressed tips, 5- or (at the tip)
7-nerved, nerves loosely or minutely hispid, margins very shortly
woolly. Lower floret : valve very like the upper glume ; valvule
subequal, keels scabrid upwards ; anthers J-f lin. long. Upper
floret as long as the lower, elliptic-oblong, shortly acuminate or
cuspidate, light straw-coloured : valve and valvule subcoriaceous,
the valve strongly convex on the back ; anthers slightly over l lin.
long. — Panicum Holubii, Stapf in Dyer, LI. Cap. vii. 394.

Mozambique Distr Rhodesia : on the Zambesi, Holub !

Also in Bechuanaland, the Transvaal and in the Amatola Mountains.

3. E. colona, Link, Eort. Berol. ii. 209. Annual, in small tufts,
up to 2 ft. high. Culms rather slender, erect or geniculately ascend-
ing, branched mostly in the lower part only, soft and very com-
pressible, glabrous and smooth, internodes more or less exserted.
Leaves glabrous, rarely with some minute hairs on the blades ; lower
sheaths somewhat loose, more or less compressed, thin and (the
basal) whitish, upper tighter and subherbaceous, all smooth ;
ligules 0, junction of blade and sheath glabrous inside ; blades
linear from an obscurely constricted base, tapering to a slender
acute point, 3-12 in. by 2-3 lin., flat, subflaccid, more or less glaucous
or dull green, sometimes with black cross-bands, delicately pruinose,
margins slightly rough or smooth downwards, midrib very slender,
lateral nerves close and usually not differentiated (rarely 3-4 primary
nerves distinguishable). Panicles erect, mostly straight, at length
more or less exserted, 2-5 in. long, very narrow; axis slender,
sulcate and smooth below, upwards becoming more or less trique-
trous and rough along the angles ; branches usually over 6 to many,
solitary, rarely 2-nate, erect and often appressed to the axis or
sometimes obliquely spreading, distant by much less than their own
length or the lowest sometimes by their own length, rarely more,
the lower 1-J in. long, the following decreasing very gradually,

608

clvii. gramineje (Stapf). [Echinochloa.

forming dense simple moderately stout (rarely over 2 lin. wide)
subsecund sessile false spikes ; rhachis usually slightly wavy,
triquetrous, lin. wide, scaberulous or scabrid along the angles,
with (particularly at the base) or without some long fine stiff hairs ;
pedicels 2-nate or fascicled lower down, very short, up to lin. long,
scaberulous, tips subdiscoid. Spikelets crowded, usually approxi-
mately 4-ranked, ovate to ovate-elliptic in outline, acute or cuspidate,
1J-1J lin. long, greenish or tinged with purple. Lower glume
membranous, very broadly ovate and clasping at the base, acute to
cuspidulate, § lin. long, scaberulous ; upper glume subherbaceous-
membranous, elliptic-ovate in outline, very concave, acute or
cuspidate, as long as the spikelet, 5-7-nerved, rigidly and minutely
pubescent between the almost smooth or scaberulous or subspinulose
nerves. Lower floret (always ?) : valve similar to the upper
glume, but flat or depressed on the back ; valvule oblong, acute,
almost as long as the valve or shorter, keels fine, scaberulous upwards ;
anthers § lin. long. Upper floret elliptic-ovate or subobovate
in outline, cuspidulate, from less than 1 to over 1 lin. long, yellowish
or whitish, polished ; valve and valvule subcoriaceous. Grain
broad elliptic in outline, planoconvex, f lin. long. Embryo two-
thirds the length of the grain. — Pari. PI. Nov. 40 ; Nash in Britton,
Man. Bot. 78 ; Hitchcock in Gray, Man. Bot. ed: vii. 118, and in
Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 213, xvii. 256, xviii. 345. E. zonalis ,
Pari. FI. Panorm. i. 119. Panicum colonum, Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. x.
870, and Sp. PL ed. ii. 84 ; Jacq. Eclog. Gram. t. 32 ; Roxb. FI.
Ind. ed. Carey, 299 ; Trin. Gram. Icon, et Descr. t. 180, Pan. Gen.
125, and in Mem. Acad. St. Petersb. 6me ser. iii. 213 ; Nees, Agrost.
Brasil. 119 ; Webb & Berth. Hist. Nat. Canar. iii. iii. 383 ;
Schweinf. Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 300 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 48 ;
Fig. & De Not. in Mem. Acad. Torin. 1854, 338, ic. xii. ; Benth. FI.
Hongk. 411, and FI. Austral, vii. 478 ; Griseb. FI. Brit. West Ind.
545 ; Franch. & Savat. FI. Jap. ii. 160 ; Baker, FI. Maurit. 438 :
Duthie, List Grass. N.-W. India, 3, Indig. Fodd. Grass, t. 4, and
Fodd. Grass. N. Ind. 4 ; Boiss. FI. Or. v. 435 ; Aschers. & Schweinf.
Ill, FI. ^gypte, 159 ; Balf. f. Bot. Socotra, 310 ; Franch. in Journ. de
Bot. i. 136, and Contr. FL Congo Frang. in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat.
Autun, viii. 347 (reprint 39) ; Martelli in Nuov. Giorn. Bot. Ital. xx.
368 ; Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. vi. 140 ; Penzig in Atti Bot. Congr.
Genoa, 1893, 386 ; Schweinf. Plant. Util. Eritrea, 53, and in Bull.
Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 20, 95 ; Batt. & Trab. FI. de l’Alg. (Monoc.)
132 ; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. B. 78 ; C. 102 ; Hook. f. Fl.
Brit. Ind. vii. 32 ; Henriq. in Bolet. Soc. Brot. xiii. 133 ; Chiov. in
Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, vi. 165, and viii. 31, 299 ; Rendle in Cat.
Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 173 ; De Wild. & Durand, Contrib. FL Congo, fasc.
ii. 72 ; Eyles in Trans. R. Soc. S. Afr. v. 299 ; Pobeguin, Ess. FL
Guin. Frang. 214 ; Th. & Hel. Durand, Syll. FL Congol. 630 ; A.
Cheval. Sudania, 32, 160. P. arabicum, Nees ex Steud. Nomencl.

609

Echinochloa .] clvii. gramineas (Stapf).

ed. ii. 252, and Syn. Glum. i. 63 (partly ; Schimper, 963). P. brizoides,
Linn. Mant. ii. 184. P. tetmstichon, Forsk. FI. ^Egypt.-Arab. 19.
P. cusjpidaturn , Roxb. FI. Ind. ed. Carey, i. 301 ; Duthie, Grass.
N.-W. Ind. 3 ; Steud. l.c. 47 ; Fig. & He Not. in Mem. Acad. Torin,
1854, 340, fig. xiii. P. pseudocolonum , Rotb, Nov. Spec. 47 ; Steud.
l.c. 46. P. zonale, Guss. Ind. Sem. H. R. Bocc. 1825, and FI. Sic.
Prodr. i. 82 ; suppl. i. 20. P. hcematodes, Presl, FI. Sic. i. xliii. ; Steud.
l.c. P. numidianum, Presl, Gyp. & Gram. Sic. 19; not of Lam.
P. Daltoni, Pari, ex Webb in Hook. Niger FI. 185 ; Steud. l.c.
P. equitans, Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 365. P. Crus -
Galli, Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 119 (partly). P. Crus-Galli,
var. colonus, Coss. Glum. Expl. Alger. 28. P. Petiveri, Kotsch. ex
Griseb. l.c. ; not of Trim

Upper Guinea. Cape Verd Islands : S. Jago, Hooker, 143 ! S. Nicolai,
in wet places, Bolle ! Penafel and Monte Cordo, Cardoso ; S. Antao, near
Paul, Cardoso ; and without precise locality, Cardoso, 241 ! Senegambia : near
rivers, Roger, 62 ! and without precise locality, Heudelot, 310 ! 534 ! French
Guinea : Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 481 ! French Sudan : Koulikoro, Chevalier ,
2177 ! on dry land in Segou, Lecard, 207 ! 253 ! Northern Nigeria : Nupe ; on
high rocks in a small lake, N.E. of Jeba, Barter, 1396 !

North Central. Bagirmi ; Lower Shari region ; Nigui, Chevalier, 9470 !

Nile Land. Cordofan : Kat ul Gombara, Pfund, 195 ! Darfur : Surutj
Distr. ; Gebel Barkus, Pfund, 546 ! Purdy, 92 ! Nubia : Egedeh, Schweinfurth,
531 ! Wadi O’Mareg, Schweinfurth, 415 ! “ Aethiopia,” Kotschy, 60 ! 175 i in

sandy soil between Old Dongola and Meroe, Bromfield ! Khartoum, Broun,
51 ! Sennar ; junction of Dinder and Blue Nile, Broun, 531 ! Upper Blue
Nile, Broun, 1043 ! junction of Sobat and Nile, Broun, 1599 ! Eritrea : Dahlak
Archipelago ; Nocra Island, Terracciano, 2652 ; Dahlak Island, Terracciano,
460 ; Dissei Island, Terracciano, 451. Samhar ; Massaua, Accadipane ; Ras
Madur, Schweinfurth, 38. Amasen : lower Lava valley in meadows, Penzig ;
Metschelt, Terracciano & Pappi, 2352 ; Ailet, Terracciano & Pappi, 2353 ;
Pappi, 3480 ; Sabarguma plain, Pappi, 3961, 4086 ; Amara, 7200 ft., Pappi,
2138, 2264, 2268 ; Sala Dharo, 7200 ft., Pappi, 2328. Habab ; Oghet el Ain,
Terracciano & Pappi, 1619. Beni Amer : Mount Damba, Pappi, 5961, 5962 ;
Carajai, Pappi, 6283, 7022 ! by the Shetel river, Pappi, 6477 ! Assaorta ;
Arkiko, Pappi, 2623 ; by the Aligherri torrent, Pappi, 2370. Upper Barka ;
Shegolgol-Mantai, 3000 ft., Schweinfurth, 16. Sarae ; Gaza Gogo, Pappi, 128.
Ocule Cusai ; Gheleba plateau, Pappi, 867 ; Soyra Mountains, 8800-9400 ft.,
Pappi, 1191 ; by the Tserena and Belesa torrents, Pappi, 1802 ! Saganeiti,
Pappi, 2050 ; Mount Metaten, in bush, 8200 ft., Pappi, 3128 ; Ambatocam,
2000 ft., Pappi, 4072 ; Damas Valley, Pappi, 4081 ! by the Mogat Hak torrent,
4000 ft., Pappi, 4169 ; Scimezana ; mountains above Senafe, 7850 ft., Pappi,
807. Abyssinia : wet places near Matamma, Schweinfurth, 1155 ! Tigre ;
swamps in the Hamedo plains, Schimper, 1001 ! Warra river, Schimper, 1480 !
Sana ; in swamps in Walcha plain, Schimper! 1608 ! Samen ; in swamps near
Dehli Dikeno, 4000 ft., Schimper, 318 ; and without precise locality, Schimper,
177 ! Begemeder, Schimper, 1515 ! French Somaliland : Obok, Faurot.
British Somaliland : Bulhar, Drake-Brockman, 636 ! 897 ! 908 ! Socotra :
abundant in the island, Balfour, 563 ! Uganda : swampy grassland near
Bugungu, 4000 ft., Bummer, 3169 ! Toro ; Gerri on the banks of the Nile,
Grant ! British East Africa : Le, 3700 ft., Delamere ! Rabai Hills, near
Mombasa, Taylor ! Leikipia plateau, by rivers, Gregory !

Lower Guinea. French Congo : Brazzaville, Thollon, 384 ! Angola :
Loanda ; in dried-up ponds near Alto das Cruzes, Welwitsch, 7296 ! 7296 b !
Golungo Alto; on inundated ground near Sange, Welwitsch, 7180! 7230!
Mossamedes ; Girahl, Welwitsch, 2605 !

FL. TROP. AFR. VOL. IX. — PT. 4. 2 R

610

clvii. gramineje (Stapf). [Echinochloa.

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar Island, Last ! German East Africa : in culti-
vated land near Tanga, Holst, 2030 ! Nyasaland : between Kondowe and
Karonga, 2000-6000 ft., Whyte, 355 ! Karonga, Scott ! lower Shire valley near
Katunga, Scott ! and Milauri, Scott ! Rhodesia : Victoria Falls, Rogers, 5575 !

Widely spread throughout the tropics and the warm -temperate regions of
the world, probably of African and Indian origin and often occurring as a
weed.

A valuable fodder grass. P. frumentaceum, Roxb., extensively grown in
India as a grain crop, is evidently descended from it. The spikelets vary from
hispidulous to almost glabrous and from acute to cuspidulate or (rarely) dis-
tinctly cuspidate, but I do not find the characters correlated with each other
or with other characters. A form with dark-barred blades was described as
Panicum zonale by Gussone, but occurs only rarely in Africa.

4. E. Crus-Galli, P. Beauv. Agrost. 161. Annual ; 1-3 ft. high.
Culms geniculately ascending, slender to moderately stout, branched
below, compressed towards the base, glabrous and smooth, internodes
enclosed or exserted. Leaf-sheaths somewhat loose, the lower often
compressed, whitish and thin, the upper subherbaceous, all smooth,
glabrous and striate except the basal which are pubescent above their
insertion ; ligules 0, junction of blade and sheath glabrous inside,
marked by a brown zone ; blades linear from a scarcely narrowed base,
tapering to an acute point, 3-10 in. by 3 to over 6 lin., flat,
subflaccid, glabrous, more or less dull greyish-green, smooth or
scaberulous below, particularly towards the tip ; margins finely
cartilaginous, scabrid to almost smooth, midrib very slender, lateral
nerves close, not differentiated. Panicles erect, strict or flexuous,
at length exserted, 3-8 in. long ; axis triquetrous, scabrid ; branches
few to about 15, solitary or 2-nate, suberect or spreading, distant
except the uppermost or all more or less approximate forming a
“ lobed ” panicle, the lower 1-2 \ in. long, forming rather stout dense
(2J-4 lin. diam.) mostly many-ranked simple or subcomposite
subsecund sessile false spikes ; rhachis triquetrous, scabrid, coarsely
bristly, particularly near the nodes ; pedicels fascicled or 2-nate,
very short, up to J lin. long, scabrid, bristly at the base, tips sub-
discoid. Spikelets crowded, ovate-elliptic in outline, acute, cuspidate
or awned, 1J-1J lin. long, greenish or tinged with purple. Lower
glume membranous, very broadly ovate, clasping at the base,
obtuse to subcuspidate, J lin. long, 5-nerved, scaberulous ; upper
glume herbaceous-membranous, very broadly ovate-oblong, concave,
acute, cuspidate, as long as the spikelet, 5- or (near the tip) 7-nerved,
rigidly pubescent between the scabrid and spinulose nerves. Lower
floret barren : valve similar to the upper glume, but flat or depressed
on the back, cuspidate or produced into a scabrid often long flexuous
awn, 7-nerved (at least at the tip) ; valvule elliptic, shorter by a
quarter than the valve, keels scaberulous upwards. Upper floret ^ ;
elliptic-ovate in outline, cuspidate, over 1 lin. long, whitish or
yellowish, polished : valve and valvule subcoriaceous ; anthers
oblong, scarcely | lin. long. Grain broad-elliptic in outline, J lin.
long. — T. Nees, Gen. FI. Germ. Monocot. i. t. 21 ; Reichenb. Ic. FI.

z^

^ ^ > $ J _ S* /’ y4^«yv>>v^i'^ ^ >• y ^ s /l JL

^tX^/Lcj

i

Echinochloa.] clvii. gramine^i (Stapf). 611

Germ. i. t. 29, fig. 1411, 1412 ; Nash in Britton, Man. N. Amer. FI.
78 ; Hitchc. in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 213. E. commutata,
Schult. Mant. ii. 267. E. Mspidula, Nees in Boyle, 111. Bot. Himal.
416 ; Dalz. & Gibs. FI. Bombay, Suppl. 98. Panicum Crus-Galli ,
Linn. Sp. PI. ed. i. 56 ; FI. Dan. t. 1564 ; Host, Gram. Anstr. ii.
15, 1. 19 ; Engl. Bot. t. 876 ; Knapp, Gram. Brit. xi. ; Trim Sp. Gram.
Ic. t. 161, 162 ; Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 58 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum.

i. 47 ; Benth. FI. Austral, vii. 479 (partly) ; Franch. & Savat. FI. Jap.

ii. 160 ; Duthie, List Grass. N.-W. India, 3 (partly), t. A, fig. 1 ;
Boiss. FI. Or. v. 435 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 30 (partly) ; Durand
& Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 744 (excl. var.) ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap.
vii. 397. P. Jiispidum, Forst. Prodr. 7 ; Nees, Agrost. Bras. 257.
P. hispidulum , Betz. Obs. v. 18 ; Lam. 111. i. 171 ; Boxb. FI. Ind.
ed. Carey, i. 306 ; Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 57 ; Boyle, l.c. 420 ; Steud.
Syn. PI. Glum. i. 47 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 750. P.
oryzinum, Gmel. Syst. i. 157 ; A. Braun, Del. Sem. Hort. Carlsruhe
(1846). P. stagninum , Host, Gram. Austr. iii. t. 51 ; not of Betz.
P. Hostii, Marsch. Bieberst. FI. Tauro-Cauc. iii. 57. P. limosum ,
Presl ex Nees, Agrost. Bras. 257. Milium Crus-Galli, Moench,
Method. 202. Oplismenus Crus-Galli, Dumort. Agrost. Belg. 138 ;
Kunth, Bev. Gram. i. 44, and Enum. i. 143 (excl. syn. P. zonale ).

0. limosus, Presl, Bel. Haenk. i. 321 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 144.
Orthopogon Crus-Galli, Spreng. Syst. i. 307. 0. Retzii, Spreng.

1. c.

Upper Guinea. Cape Verd Islands: San Jago ; Os Organos, in cultivated
ground, Lowe !

Nile Land. Abyssinia : Tigre ; without precise locality, Schimper, 1549 !
Gondar, Rocher d'Hericourt !

Very common through the greater part of India and Malaya and as a weed
throughout the warm temperate countries of the northern hemisphere, rather
rare in the tropics of Africa and the New World and south of the tropic of
Capricorn. The Cape Verd specimen quoted represents the awned form
( Panicum Crus-Galli, var. longisetum, Doell, FI. Bad. i. 232 ; Aschers. & Graebn.
Syn. Mitteleurop. FI. ii. 69 : Echinochloa Crus-Galli, var. aristata, Reichenb.
Ic. FI. Germ. i. t. xxix. fig. 1412). Of the synonyms quoted above Panicum
hispidum, hispidulum, oryzinum, Hostii and limosum and their cosynonyms
under Echinochloa, Oplismenus, P. stagninum. Host (not of R,etz.) and Orthopogon
Retzii represent exclusively this awned form, which in Eastern Asia seems to be
predominant.

There are numerous references to Panicum Crus-Galli growing in tropical
Africa, but so far as I have been able to check them they cover, with very few
exceptions, other species and are quoted accordingly under these species. I
add here a list of those specimens which I have not seen but which are enumerated
in the literature cited as Panicum Crus-Galli. There is very little doubt that
they belong to one or the other species here segregated from E. Crus-Galli.

Zanzibar and Quilimane, Stuhlmann (Klatt in Jahrb. Hamburg. Wise.
Anstalt. ix. (1891) 120).

Bangala, Hens C. 394 ; Bas Congo, Demeuse , Laurent, 9, 107. Sicia, Dupuis
(Durand & Schinz, Etudes FI. Congo, 321, 322).

Boma and Bingila, Dupuis (Durand & De Wild. Mat. FI. Congo, 90).

612

clvii. GRAMiNBiB (Stapf). [Echinochloa.

Mpueto, Descamps ; Boma, Laurent ; Sicia & Bingila, Dupuis (De Wild. &
Durand, Contrib. FI. Congo I. ii. 72, referred to P. Crus-Galli, var. Petiveri).

Albertville, Descamps (De Wild. & Durand, l.c.).

Piani swamps, Lomba, Dewevre, 1042 (De Wild. & Durand, Bel. Dewevr.
256).

Lukafu, Verdicl, 491 (De Wild. Etudes FI. Katanga, 2).

Banana ; Temvo, Galiema, Bandundu, M’Fini and Itimbiri, Am. Laurent
(De Wild. Miss. E. Laurent, 200).

Between Kisantu and the Kwango, Butaye, 3713. Lac Foa, Lescrauwaet,
234 ; Kisantu, Gillet, 3775 ; Lemfu, Butaye, coll. Gillet, 3474 ; Dolo and
Yokoma, collector not stated (De Wild. Etudes FI. Bas et Moyen-Congo, ii. 11).

A troublesome weed in Europe, but often referred to as a valuable fodder grass
in other parts of the world (Duthie, Fodd. Grass. N. Ind. 6 ; Vasey, Agr.
Grass. United States, ed. ii. 27 ; Maiden, Man. Grass. N. S. Wales, 38-41)
These references also cover no doubt other closely allied species. At the same
time it may be assumed that E. Crus-Galli — or at any rate some of its races —
share the valuable qualities ascribed to this “ E. Crus-Galli ” of authors. In
Egypt P. Crus-Galli (vulg. Dinebha) is extensively and successfully used for
the reclamation of saline land and as a green crop (Yearbook U.S. Dept. Agric.
1902, 580-582).

5. E. Crus-Pavonis, Schult. Mant. ii. 269. Annual, up to 5 ft.
high, with copious plump root-fibres. Culms erect, stout, up to over
3 lin. thick and spongy below, glabrous, smooth, 5-8-noded, simple
or very sparingly branched, sheathed all along or the internodes at
length more or less exserted. Leaf-sheaths terete, striate, smooth,
quite glabrous or rarely slightly hirsute towards the junction with
the blade, or ciliate upwards ; ligules 0, junction of sheath and blade
quite glabrous inside or scantily and very minutely pubescent,
rarely with a few short stiff hairs ; blades lanceolate-linear to linear
from a slightly narrowed base, which is often long-decurrent in the
upper leaves, tapering to a very fine point, 5 to over 15 in. by 5-10 tin.,
flat, rather firm, glabrous, more or less rough upwards, otherwise
usually smooth, margins cartilaginous, scabrid to spinulose, midrib
up to f lin. broad, flat above, whitish, lateral primary nerves 4-6 on
each side, slightly prominent. Panicle erect, linear-oblong to
linear-lanceolate in outline, 4-12 in. long, dense or sometimes
depauperate and loose ; axis moderately stout and usually flatly
triquetrous with a rounded back, or if stouter pluriangular, often
smooth at the base, then scaberulous to very scabrid upwards ;
branches solitary or frequently here and there subopposite, mostly
approximate and nearly always (also the lowest) longer to much
longer than the internodes, obliquely erect, often very numerous,
4-1 in. long, forming sessile stout mostly very dense downwards
compound false spikes, leaving after the fall of the spikelets a neatly
pinnate skeleton of axes ; rhachis slender, J— J (rarely J) lin. wide,
triquetrous, scaberulous to scabrid, usually setose at the base and
with or without scattered stiff hairs upwards ; pedicels fascicled on
very short and contracted branchlets to 2-nate, very short, scabrid,
tips obscurely discoid. Spikelets in compact clusters, ovate-elliptic

Echmochloa. J clvii. gramineze (Stapf). 613

or elliptic-oblong, abruptly caudate-acuminate or rostrate, about
1J-1J lin. long, light green or tinged with purple. Glumes mem-
branous, rather thin, appressedly minutely and rigidly pubescent
between the slender scabrid or spinulose nerves ; lower very broadly
ovate from a clasping base, acute to subacuminate, one-third to
almost half the length of the spikelet, 3-5-nerved, upper correspond-
ing in length and outline to the spikelet, excluding the tips which are
shortly mucronate or cuspidate, very concave, 5-nerved. Lower
floret barren ; valve similar to the upper glume, but flat or depressed
on the back with cuspidate or aristate tips, awn slender, scaberulous
(in the African specimens rarely over 1J lin. long) ; valvule oblong,
scaberulous above. Upper floret elliptic- or ovate-oblong,
subacuminate or cuspidate, up to 1J lin. long, greenish- or greyish-
white, polished : valve and valvule subcoriaceous-crustaceous ;
anthers J lin. long. Grain obovate-oblong in outline, very broad,
f lin. long. — Ojplismenus Crus-Pavonis, H. B. & K. Nov. Gen. et Sp. i.
108 ; Kunth, Syn. i. 144 ; Roem. & Schult. Syst. ii. 486 ; Mant.
ii. 269. Panicum Crus-Pavonis, Nees, Agrost. Bras. 259, and FI.
Afr. Austr. 59 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 745 ; Bendle in
Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 173. P. Crus-Pavonis, var. rostratum , Stapf
in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 396.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : on alluvium near Wallia on the Searcies river,
Scott Elliot, 4260 ! near Kassa., 10° N.L., 3600 ft., Scott Elliot, 5061 ! and
without precise locality, Thomas ! French Guinea : Fouta Jallon, between
Treveleya and Timbo, Chevalier, 18323 ! South Nigeria : Lagos, near water,
Dawodu, 225 ! Oban, Talbot, 850 !

Nile Land. Uganda : Ruwenzori ; by the Yeria stream, 6000 ft., Scott Elliot ,
7887 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Lower Congo, Smith ! Stanley Pool
Distr. ; Kisantu, Gillet ! Katanga ; Chisangwe, on dry woodless land, HombU,
23 ! Angola : Golungo Alto ; banks of the Cuango river, Welwitsch, 7201 !
marshes near Sobato le Bumba, Weliuitsch, 7225 ! 7225b ! common on river
banks near Sanga, Welwitsch, 2986 ! Pungo Andongo ; in dense marshy thickets
on the banks of the Cuanza river near Candumba, Welwitsch, 7430 ! Benguella ;
Huilla ; on marshy river banks near Humpata, Welwitsch, 7490 ! country of the
Ganguellas and Ambuellas, Gossweiler, 3315 ! 4072 ! 4732 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : in marshy ground near the Umbaka river,
Scott !

Also in Natal and in tropical South America.

6. E. haplocladaA^£f/! Perennial, up to 8 ft. high, in smaller or
larger tufts, from a very short and abundantly rooting rhizome with
extra- and intra -vaginal innovations, covered with whitish cataphylls,
the lowest of them tomentose. Culms erect or geniculate at the base,
often more or less compressed below, terete upwards, glabrous,
smooth, up to over 4 lin. thick, about 5-noded, sparingly branched,
sheathed all along or the upper at length more or less exserted. Leaf-
sheaths rather tight, the lower whitish, more or less compressed and
keeled upwards, the upper firmly subherbaceous, terete, all smooth,
glabrous and loosely striate ; ligules marked by a usually delicately

614

clvii. gramine^j (Stapf). [. Echinochloa .

pubescent zone along the junction of blade and sheath, rarely with a
few short stiff hairs ; blades linear from a slightly rounded and con-
stricted or equally wide base, tapering to a very long and slender
point, J to over 1 ft. long, 2J to over 5 lin. wide, flat, somewhat firm,
but flexuous, glabrous, more or less rough upwards and along the
margins, otherwise usually smooth, midrib very slender, whitish
upwards. Panicle erect, linear to linear-oblong, 4-9 in. by 1-2 in.,
usually rather dense ; axis somewhat slender, angular and more or
less grooved below, triquetrous upwards, or triquetrous all along,
scabrid along the angles at least upwards and usually with few to
numerous stiff hairs or bristles from the nodes ; branches numerous,
very much longer than the internodes, the lower and intermediate
often fascicled or 2-nate, |-1J in. long, forming suberect or more or
less spreading straight or curved or flexuous secund very dense
sessile simple false spikes ; rhachis slender, triquetrous, from less
than J to almost \ lin. wide, scaberulous along the angles, more or
less finely pubescent and here and there with a long hair ; pedicels
mostly 2-nate, almost reduced to the small discoid tips, the pairs
less than J lin. distant. Spikelets 3-4-ranked, ovate in outline,
cuspidate to caudate-acuminate or those of the outer ranks (rarely
most or all) awned, 1-1 J lin. long (excluding the awn), pale or tinged
with purple or brown. Glumes thinly membranous, finely and
upwards somewhat prominently nerved, nerves scabrid to hispidulous;
lower broadly ovate from a clasping base, apiculate or mucronulate,
3-5-nerved, minutely rigidly pubescent or almost glabrous between
the nerves, ciliolate along the margin ; upper glume ovate, cuspidate-
acuminate, very concave, as long as the spikelet (excluding the awn,
if any), 5-nerved, more or less pubescent or scaberulous between the
nerves at least upwards. Lower floret $ : valve similar to the upper
glume but flat on the back and frequently passing into a fine rigid
scabrid awn, 3-4 (rarely 6) lin. long, 5- or upwards 7-nerved ; valvule
almost as long as the valve, broad-oblong, keels rough upwards ;
anthers § lin. long. Upper floret ovate to elliptic-ovate in outline,
turgid, apiculate, almost as long as the spikelet, greenish or greyish-
white, polished ; valve and valvule crustaceous ; anthers 1 lin. long.
— Panicum haplocladum , Stapf in Kew Bulletin, 1908, 58. Oplis-
menus Crus-Galli , Speke, Nile Journal, 652 ; not of Linn.

Nile Land. British East Africa : near Mombasa n temporarily flooded
localities, Hildebrandt, 1954 ! 2022 ! on the coast, without precise locality ,
Brand ! Kikumbulio Hills, Scoff Elliot, 6291 ! Maji Chumod, Kdssner, 455 !
Nairobi (?), Powell, 141 ! Baringa Marsh, Johnston !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Tanga, Holst, 2015 ! Unyamwezi ;
Turu, in boggy places, Grant ! without precise locality, Nobbs, 626 ! (spec, grown
at Salisbury, Rhodesia). Portuguese East Africa ; Rovuma river, Metier ! in
marshland by the Msalu river, Allen, 127 ! 142 ! Shupanga, Kirk ! between
Shupanga and Sena, Kirk ! Nyasaland : in marshy ground above the Morum-
bala Marsh, Scott ! Elephant Marsh, Kirk !

Grant’s specimen shows black or dark brown cross-bars on the blades, as found
in certain forms of E. colona.

E chino chloa.]

615

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

(

7. E. pyramidafe, Hitchcock & Chase in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb.
xviii. 345. Perennial, reed-like, up to 15 ft. high, from long and often
strong rhizomes with extra vaginal innovation-buds covered by pale
papery cataphyils. Culms ascending from a geniculate or often
long-prostrate or floating and abundantly rooting base, at the base
up to over J in. thick, many-noded, simple, sheathed all along or the
upper internodes at length exserted, quite glabrous and smooth.
Leaf -sheaths terete, tight, striate, smooth and glabrous except for
the frequently coarsely ciliate’ or upwards bearded margins, the
basal often spongy, tessellated, up to almost 1 ft. long and very
broad ; ligule a fringe of mostly long and somewhat stiff hairs,
occasionally much reduced or almost suppressed in the uppermost
leaves ; blades linear from a rather broad and slightly constricted
or shortly decurrent base, or attenuated downwards, long -tapering
to a fine point, 1-2 ft. by 3-12 lin., flat, very firm, mostly more or
less glaucous, sometimes very minutely papillose, scabrid upwards,
the margins cartilaginous, scabrid or spinulose or smooth towards the
base, midrib whitish and shallowly channelled above, in large leaves
up to 2 lin. wide near the base, rounded and less conspicuous on the
back, primary lateral nerves slender, if clearly differentiated up to
6 or more on each side, secondary nerves very close. Panicles erect
or somewhat nodding, usually linear-oblong and dense, \ to over
1 ft. long, facing all sides or subsecund ; axis stout, 3- to multi-
angular, sulcate, hispidulous or glabrous and smooth except at the
angles which are at least upwards scabrid to spinulose, usually with a
fringe or tuft of hairs at the nodes ; branches numerous to very
numerous, some solitary, others 2-nate or fascicled, the lowest
distant, the others rather close, suberect, strict or flexuous, or some-
times nodding, the lower and intermediate 1-3 in. long, forming-
dense simple or subsimple false spikes, 3-4 lin. in diam. ; rhachis
slender, j-1 lin. wide, triquetrous, often with long stiff hairs and
besides hispidulous or glabrous, with scabrid angles ; pedicels
fascicled or clustered, very short with discoid tips. Spikelets ovate
in outline, acute to cuspidate, 1 J to over 2 lin. long, somewhat plump,
greenish or variegated with purple, sometimes almost blackish-
purple. Lower glume membranous, broad-ovate from a clasping
base, acute, about half the length of the spikelet, 5-nerved, minutely
pubescent, at least towards the margins ; upper glume ovate to
ovate-oblong, shortly acuminate to cuspidate, very concave, almost
as long as the lower floret, 5-7-nerved, minutely and rigidly
pubescent or subglabrous between the scabrid or spinulose nerves,
or the inner nerves smooth, or almost quite smooth and glabrous.
Lower floret £ : valve similar to the upper glume, but somewhat
flattened or depressed and more glabrous and smooth on the back
and usually more distinctly cuspidate ; valvule oblong, subacuminate
with scabrid keels ; anthers J-l lin. long. Upper floret jj, elliptic
in outline, minutely apiculate or cuspidate, as long as the lower

616

clvti. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [Echinocliloa.

(excluding the cusp or awn), straw-coloured, polished; valve and
valvule coriaceous-crustaceous. — Panicum pyramidale , Lam. 111. i.
171, excl. var. j8, and Encyc. iv. 745 ; Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 223,
t. 23, and Enum. i. 93 (excl. var. j8) ; Trin. Panic. Gen. 157, in
Mem. Acad. Petersb. 6me ser. iii. 245 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Gluiii.
i. 62 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 760 ; Franch. Con-
trib. FI. Congo Frang. in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 347
(39 reprint) ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 395 ; Rendle in Cat. Afr.
PI. Welw. ii. 173; A. Cheval. in Act. Congr. Internat. Bot. Paris,
255, in Rev. Colon, vii. (1900), 516, and Sudania, 32 ; Wood,
Natal PI. t. 472 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 298 (incl. var.
quadrifarium) ; Chiov. in Result. Scient. Miss. Stefanini-Paoli, i. 184,
226 (P. pyramidatum, sphalm.). P . frumcntaceum, Benth. in Hook.
Niger FI. 561 ; not of Roxb. P. plicatum, Benth. l.c. 561 (partly).
P. polystachyum, Rich, ex Kunth, Enum. i. 93. P. quadrifarium,
Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 367 ; Walp. Ann. Bot. iii.
716 ; Steud. l.c. 63 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 301. P. atrovio-
laceum, A. Rich. l.c. 368 ; Steud. l.c. 63 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FI.
Aethiop. 300 ; Durand k Schinz, l.c. 741. P. Crus-Galli, Durand k
Schinz, l.c. 744 (partly) ; Th. & Hel. Durand, Syll. FI. Congol.
631 (partly ?) ; not of Linn, (see under Echinocliloa Crus-Galli) . P
Crus-Galli, var. sphacelatum, Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. vi. 140
(name) ? P. Crus-Galli, var. polystachya, Munro ex Aschers. &
Schweinf. 111. FI. figypte, 159 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. v. 745, and
Etudes FI. Congo, i. 322 ; Th. k Hel. Durand, l.c.

Upper Guinea. Lower Senegal: Mbidgen, Thierry, 14! Kaedi, Chevalier,
2174 ! and without precise locality, Roger, xxii ! Heudelot, 443 ! Sierra
Leone : Port Lokolo, Thomas, 5848 ! Alluvium near Wallia on the Searcies
river, Scott Elliot, 4260 ! near Kassa, 10° N. Lat., 3600 ft., Scott Elliot, 5061 !
French Guinea : common in rivers and marshes in the Baffing Valley, Pobeguin,
1735! Gold Coast: Cape Coast Castle, Vogel, 31! French Sudan: Middle
Niger ; from Sebi to Lake Debo, Chevalier, 2173 ! Malina, Chevalier, 2175 !
2179, 1781, 1782. Segou ; Koundian, in gigantic tufts, Lecard, 125! North
Nigeria : Nupe ; floating in the river in great masses, Barter, 1 156 ! Katagnm
Distr., Dalziel, 255 ! Sokoto, Dalziel, 482 ! Lake Chad, forming meadows
of 3-4 sq. miles, Vogel, 37 ! South Nigeria : Lagos ; marine foreshore, Dalziel,
1327 ! Ibu (Obah), Vogel, 49 !

North Central. Central Shari : at the confluence of the Salomer river and
Bahr el Abrod, Chevalier, 10512 !

Nile Land. Eritrea: Maragus; Adi Mabit, 5000 ft., Pappi, 947; Sarae ;
Adi Ugri, 5950 ft., Pappi, 82 ; Adi Gana, 5950 ft., Pappi, 273 ! Abyssinia :
Tigre ; in swampy meadows near Adoa, Schimper, 206 ! and without precise
locality, Schimper, 998! 1008! 1108! and without precise locality, Petit \
Italian Somaliland : Lower Jub C Elvalda, Scassellati 6s Mazzocchi, 8 ; Arrar,
Scassellati 6s Mazzoechi, 14, 15; Nassibimda, Paoli, 403; Margherita, Paoli,
380 ; Mailable, east of the Jub, 2° N. Lat., Paoli, 764 ; Merca, Provenzale.
British East Africa : Nairobi, Whyte ! Miss Johnstone, 53 ! in the Nairobi
river, 3500 ft., Battiscombe, 489 ! Kisumu, 5400 ft., Dummer, 1935 ! banks of
the Gilgil river, Scott Elliot, 6658 ! and without precise locality, Powell, 27 !
Cordofan : Birket-Rahad, Pfund, 543 ! White Nile, 7° 25' N. Lat., and 8° 30'
N. Lat., P ether iclc ! Muriel, 1/99! Tonga, Broun, 1470! Mongalli, Broun ,
966 ! Bor Mission, Broun, 957 ! Bongoland : Culango, Schweinf urth, 2216 !

Echinochloa .]

OLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

617

Niamniam country ; Nabambisso, Schweinfurth, 3730 ! Uganda : Unyoro ; in
marshes, Grant, 580 ! Entebbe, Fyffe, 30 ! Rosoga, 3900 ft., Broun, 257 !
swamps near Kirgemma, Dummer, 778 ! Namanyongi, 4000 ft., Bummer,
2571 ! in a small stream between Dondafle and Elmenteita, Scott Elliot, 6844 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Lower Congo, Smith ! Boma Distr. ; Boma,
banks of the Congo, Hens, A. '202' Stanley Pool Distr. ; Kisantu, Gillet,
370 ! 1104 ! between Leopoldville and~^Tombaxi, Gillet, 2618 ! Makayobo,
Vanderyst, 3772 ! Muschie, Vanderyst, 3916 ! Bokola, Vanderyst*, 4791 !
Angola : Barrado Bengo ; on the banks of the Bengo river, Welwitsch, 2902 !
Quifandongo on the Bengo river, Welwitsch, 7449 ! Loanda ?, Welwitsch,
7351 b ! Purigo Andongo ; damp places near Sansamanda, Welwitsch, 2797 !
Cordo, Welwitsch, 2747 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : common in Northern Nyasaland, Scott
Elliot, 8275 ! Nyika plateau, Mwanemba Hill, 7000 ft., McClounie, 11 ! between
Kondowe and Karonga, 2000-6000 ft., Whyte, 355 ! Namasi, Cameron, 22 !
Shire Highlands, Buchanan, 6 ! Elephant Marsh, Kirk ! floating by the sides
of the Shire river, and often forming large islands which pass down the stream ,
Kirk ! above Morambala Marsh, Scott ! Portuguese East Africa : Shupanga,
Kirk ! Rhodesia : Salisbury Distr., Mundy ! Makbusi Valley, Eyles, 621 !
North Rhodesia ; near Mumbwa, 15° S. Lat., 28° E. Long., Mrs. Macaulay, 46 !
Mashonaland ; North Mazoe distr., Mundy !

The Abyssinian specimens described as Panicum quadrifarium and P. atrovio-
laceum appear rather different at first sight on account of the unusually
rich colouring of the panicle and the relative or absolute smoothness of the
spikelets ; but they can be matched with specimens from almost any section
of the area of typical E. pyramidalis. They may represent definite races, but
if so they are not yet clearly segregable.

E. pyramidalis, together with E. stagnina, are the chief constituents of the
great water meadows of the inundation region of the Niger and of Lake Chad,
and also enter largely into the “ sudd ” of the Nile and other African rivers.
According to Chevalier the grains are used as food in Bornu (vulg. Kreb or
Kasha) and in Senegambia and the French Sudan (vulg. Lingui). Barter states
that in Nupe “ an impure salt or carbonate of soda is made by burning this
grass, used for culinary purposes when salt is not to be procured,” and Lecard
describes it as an excefienj; fodder grass, much relished by animals.

8. E. st&gmri&^P/Beauv. Agrost. 181. Perennial (occasionally,
annual or at least flowering the first year), rising to 6 ft. from long
creeping and copiously rooting rhizomes. Culms geniculately ascend-
ing, rooting and frequently branching from the submerged nodes,
slender or more usually stout, up to over 4 lin. in diam., many-
noded, simple upwards, sheathed all along or some of the internodes
at length exserted, smooth and glabrous. Leaf-sheaths terete or
subcarinate upwards, smooth and glabrous, rarely pubescent or
silkily hairy at the lower nodes, usually more or less ciliate or bearded
close to the mouth, the basal often spongy and up to over 6 in. long ;
ligule a fringe of rather long stiff hairs or 0 in the uppermost leaves ;
blades linear from a scarcely or long but slightly attenuated and
hardly constricted or decurrent base, long-tapering to a fine point,
i to more than 1J ft. by 2J-10 lin., flat, rigid, or (in weak or annual
specimens) flaccid, glabrous, deep green ( Chevalier ), very rough
upwards, margins scabrid to spinulose, or more or less glaucous,
midrib whitish and striate and flat above, in large leaves rarely over
1 lin. wide near the base, rounded and much less conspicuous on the
back, primary lateral nerves 3-5 on each side, like the very close

618

clvii. gr amine is (Stapf). [Echinochloa.

secondary ones prominent. Panicles more or less nodding and secund,
4-10 in. long, axis slender, triquetrous, with a flat or convex smooth
or scabrid back, J-l \ lin. wide, hispidulous or glabrous except at the
scabrid angles ; branches few to many, distant or rather crowded,
alternate, suberect or nodding, 1-2 in. or occasionally up to
6 in. loijg, often forming stout dense 2-4-ranked simple secund false
spikes ; rhachis like the axis but more slender, villosulous or
pubescent close to the base, sometimes with scattered long stiff hairs,
rarely hirsute all along, J lin. wide ; pedicels mostly 2-nate, very
short, rarely the longer up to almost 1 lin. long, tips discoid. Spike-
lets crowded, rarely discontiguous, ovate-oblong to lanceolate-ovate,
2-3 lin. long (excluding the awn if any), seldom less, mostly pale
green, rarely tinged with purple or red or almost quite purplish-red.
Glumes thin, minutely rigidly and appressedly pubescent between
the hispidulous nerves, the rigid cilia of the nerves often tubercle-
based ; lower ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, more or
less mucronate, half to two-thirds the length of the spikelet, 3- to
sub-5-nerved ; upper glume corresponding in outline to the spikelet,
concave, caudate-acuminate or produced into a short scabrid com-
pressed awn, 5-nerved or 7-nerved at the tips. Lower floret g or
sometimes barren ; valve similar to the upper glume, but flat or
depressed on the back, subhyaline except at the herbaceous-mem-
branous sides, produced into an awn 2-12 lin. long, scabrid ; valvule
oblong with more or less scaberulous or, when reduced, smooth
nerves ; anthers (if any) 1 lin. long. Upper floret oblong to lanceo-
late-oblong, mucronate-acuminate, 1J-2J lin. long, straw-coloured,
polished ; valve and valvule subcoriaceous, crustaceous. Grain obo-
vate-oblong, 1 J lin. by § lin., white. — E. scabra, Eoem. & Schult. Syst.
ii. 479. Panicum stagninum, Retz. Obs. v. 17 ; Koenig in Yerh. Naturf .
Freunde, xxiii. 201 ; Roxb. FI. Ind. i. 295 ; Nees, Agrost. Bras.
261 ; Trin. Pan. Gen. 128, and in Mem. Acad. Petersb. 6me ser. iii.
216 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 47 ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 394 ;
Wood, Natal PI. t. 492 ; Rhod. Agric. Journ. 1906, 5.00 ; Cooke,
FI. Bombay, ii. 930 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 299 ;
Chevalier, Sudania, 172 ; Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 301.
P. scabrum, Lam. 111. i. 171, and Encycl. iv. 744 ; Nees, he. ;
Steud. l.c. ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 764 ; De Wild. &
Durand, Contr. FI. Congo, i. ii. 73 ; A. Cheval. in Compt.-
Rend. Assoc. Fran§. Avanc. Science, 1900, 650-652, (inch subsp.
oryzetorum , stagninum , Lelievrei and Burgu). P. Galli , Thunb.
Prodr. 18, and FI. Cap. ed. i. 389, ed. Schult. 103. P. Crus-Galli ,
var. stagninum , Fenzl in Ind. Sem. Hort. Berol. 1850 ; Hack, in
Durand & Schinz, l.c. 745 ; Hook, f . in Trim. Handb. FI. Ceyl. v. 136.
P. Crus-Galli , vars maximum, submuticum and leiostachyum, Franch.
Contr. FI. Congo Fran£. in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 347
(reprint, 39, 40) . P. Crus-Galli, var. submuticum, Th. & Hel. Durand ,
Syll. FI. Congol. 631. P. pictum, Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 59 ; not Agrost .

Echinochloa.]

clvii. graminetE (Stapf).

619

Bras, (nor Koen. ?). P. Burgu, A. Cheval. in Compt.-Rend. Assoc.
Erang. Avanc. Science, 1900, 642-650, t. v., and in Rev, Cult. Colon,
vii. 513-520, and in Act. Congr. Internat. Paris, 1900, 255, t. x.
P. Lelievrei, A. Cheval. in Rev. Cult. Colon, vii. 516. P. oryzetorum,
A. Cheval. l.c. Orthojpogon stagninus , Spreng. Syst. i. 307. O'plis-
menus stagninus , Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 44, and Enum. i. 144 (partly).
O. scaber, Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 44, and Enum. i. 145.

Upper Guinea. Senegambia : Galam, near Bakel (?) in rice fields, Heudelot,
300 ! Kaedi, Chevalier, 2168 ; and without precise locality, Roger, xxviii !
xxiii ! Richard ! Dupuis ! Perrottet, 981 ! Lelievre ! abundant throughout
the inundation belt of the Niger from Segu to beyond Timbuktu, Chevalier ;
Segu, L'ccard, 164 ! 244 ! between Sebi and Debo, Chevalier, 2170 ! Sompi,
Chevalier, 2172 ! Northern Nigeria : Nupe ; in swamps and lakes, Barter, 843 !
Sokoto and westwards to the Niger, blocking streams and waterways, Dalziel,
479! Katagum Distr., Dalziel, 250! Lake Chad; between Madou and
Berirem, Chevalier, 10101 bis !

North Central. South Bagirmi : between Bahr Erguig and Nigui, Chevalier,
9455 !

Nile Land. Jur : Ghattas Great Seriba, Schweinfurth, 1362 ! 2291 ! 2298 !
Bahr-el-Ghazal : Mesheza, Schweinfurth, 1252 ! Bahr-el-Gebel : Shambe, Broun,
989 ! White Nile, 8° 30' N. Lat., Petherick ! mouth of Sobat river, Schweinfurth,
1118 ! Blue Nile : near Sherif, Broun, 39 ! Eritrea : Shimezana, Guna Guna,
7200 ft., Pappi, 631 ! Maragus; Adi Mabit, Pappi, 946 ! Abyssinia : Tigre ;
by and in streams near Amogai, Schimper, 1097 ! Begemeder ; in swamps near
Ifak, 5800 ft., Schimper, 1553 ! in dried up swamps by the bridge over the Reb
river between Ifak and Amora Gettel, 5800 ft., Schimper, 1562 ! in swamps by
Lake Tsana, 5700 ft., Schimper, 1402 ! British East Africa : Nairobi, Linton,
148 !

Lower Guinea. French Congo : between Makemo and Mongo, Brazza, 222 !
Brazzaville, Tliollon, 388 ! Upper Oubangui, Viancin ! Belgian Congo :
Lower Congo, Smith ! Stanley Pool Distr. ; Kwamouth, Hens, C. 176 ! between
Leopoldville and Mombaxi, Gillet, 2611 ! Angola : Benguella ; Cunene marshes,
Pearson, 2035 ! 2037 !

Mozambique Distr. Usambara : Muschena, in water, Holst, 3519 ! Rhodesia :
Bulawayo and Matoppo Hills, Appleton, 11 ! Victoria Falls, Rogers, 13136 !
Portuguese East Africa : floating in the Kongowe Canal in the Zambesi Delta,
Kirk !

This grass deserves every attention on account of its locally abundant supply
and high sugar-content. Chevalier in his articles (see above) on “ Burgu” the
name by which it is known on the middle Niger, states that it is the most useful
of all the plants growing in a wild state in the neighbourhood of Timbuctu.
Every part of it is utilised. It yields excellent fodder, material for thatching
and caulking, is burned to produce a salt used in the manufacture of soap
and indigo, the grains are eaten like those of E. pyramidalis and Digitaria Iburu,
and the canes are gathered for extracting sugar or preparing vinaigre or a bever-
age resembling cider. Sir John Kirk also describes it as one of the richest of
fodder grasses. Although typically a perennial with long rhizomes creeping
in the mud of swamps, lakes and rivers, it seems on temporarily flooded land
to flower frequently the first year and then to behave as an annual. Such
specimens ( Lecard , 164, 244, 253 ; Chevalier, 9455 ; Schweinfurth, 2291, 2295)
are mostly very meagre and slender, but the structure and appearance of the
spikelets are the same as in typical stagnina.

9. E. jubata, Staff. Base unknown. Culms somewhat stout,
terete, glabrous and smooth. Leaf-sheaths terete, striate, smooth
and glabrous, longer than the internodes ; ligules represented by a
transverse fringe of fine hairs with a more or less discoloured finely

620

cl vii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [Echinochloa.

pubescent zone above it or (in the uppermost leaves) the latter only
present ; blades linear from a slightly rounded and constricted base,
tapering to a fine point, 4-6 in. by 3-4 lin., flat, dark green, slightly
flaccid, quite glabrous, rough upwards on bofih sides and along the
margin, otherwise smooth, midrib slender, flat and whitish above,
primary lateral nerves very indistinctly differentiated above, 3 or 4
on each side. Panicle laterally exserted from the uppermost sheath
and equalled or overtopped by its blade, subflexuous, linear-lanceolate
in outline, very dense, obscurely or distinctly lobed, jubate from the
numerous slender awns, 4-5 in. long ; axis almost completely hidden
by the crowded branches, angular, scabrid at the angles ; branches
irregularly approximate or fascicled, suberect, more or less flexuous,
the longest about 1 in. by 2 lin. (excluding the awns), forming sessile
very dense about 4-ranked simple false spikes ; rhachis slender,
triquetrous, J lin. wide, with scaberulous angles, hispid-tomentose
or setulose at the base ; pedicels mostly paired, very short, scaberu-
lous, with minutely discoid tips. Spikelets very close, oblong to
lanceolate-oblong, acuminate, 1J lin. long (excluding the awns),
awned, pale green or tinged with vivid purple. Glumes thin, very
sparingly and minutely hairy, finely nerved ; lower broadly ovate to
ovate-oblong, acute or mucronulate, half the length of the spikelet,
3- to sub-5-nerved ; upper corresponding in length and outline to
the spikelet, produced into a fine scaberulous awn up to 3 lin. long,
5-7-nerved. Lower floret barren : valve very similar to the upper
glume, but 7-nerved and the awn up to over 6 lin. long ; valvule
lanceolate-oblong, acute, distinctly shorter than the valve. Upper
floret oblong, apiculate or mucronulate, moderately convex on the
back, apiculus or mucro scaberulous, 1-1 J lin. long, whitish, polished ;
valve and valvule papery-crustaceous. Grain broad-elliptic in
outline, f lin. by nearly J lin.

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Nyika plateau ; Mwaremba, McClounie,

20 !

Imperfectly known species.

10. E. divaricata, Anderss. in Peters , Reise Mossamb. Rot. 549. A
weak pale green tufted grass, \ ft. high. Culms divaricate, branched
from the base. Leaf-sheaths glabrous, with yellowish nodes ;
ligules 0 ; blades spreading, narrowly linear, 2-3 in. by 1-1 J lin.,
flat, glabrous except for a few tubercle-based cilia near the base,
with slightly rough margins. Inflorescence of 4-7 divaricately
spreading false spikes, J- in. distant and bare at the base ; axis
angular, sulcate, glabrous ; rhachis of the spikes glabrous except for
a very few hairs. Spikelets 4-ranked, sessile, ventricose-globose,
glabrescent. Glumes unequal ; lower subrotund, clasping, obtuse
or indistinctly mucronate, 3-nerved, finely hairy along the margins,
upper as long as the spikelet, obtuse, dorsally very convex, 5-nerved,

Echinochloa .]

CLVII. GRAMINE.E (Stapf).

621

with a hyaline subciliate margin. Lower floret ; valve similar
to the upper glume, acute, ciliate ; valvule membranous-hyaline.
Upper floret <^, acute ; valve convex on the back, cartilaginous ;
valvule of similar substance, embraced by the valve.— P. Echinochloa ,
Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 748.

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : on damp plains near Tette,
Peters.

This may be a species of Brachiaria.

68a. ACROCERAS, Stapf.

Spikelets ovate-oblong to oblong, bluntly and callously crested,
subterete, falling entire from the pedicels, usually 2-nate or upwards
solitary, more rarely fascicled, secund and abaxial on the angular
rhachis of racemosely arranged mostly loose simple or sometimes
compound spiciform racemes ; lower floret or barren, with a well-
developed valvule ; upper floret Glumes subsimilar, mem-

branous, pale below, greenish upwards or greenish all over, with a
callous dark green laterally compressed terminal crest which is the
end of a short subterminal keel, the lower usually shorter, more or
less ovate-lanceolate and 3-nerved, the upper oblong, 5-nerved.
Lower floret equalling the upper glume, or almost so : valve very
similar to the upper glume ; valvule equal to the valve or slightly
shorter, hyaline, finely 2-keeled. Upper floret : valve subcoriaceous,
smooth, oblong, very obscurely keeled or broadly rounded on the
back, with a blunt callous green laterally compressed apical crest,
narrowly involute with firm margins, faintly 5-nerved ; valvule
equalling the valve and similar in substance, with rounded keels,
each ending in a minute more or less recurved callous tip. Lodicules
2, cuneate, fleshy. Stamens 3. Styles distinct ; stigmas large,
plumose, dark, exserted laterally above the middle. Grain tightly
enclosed by the hardened valve and valvule, oblong, dorsally flat,
venfcrally convex ; hilum filiform, as long as or usually much shorter
than the grain, rarely punctiform. Embryo obovate, short. —
Perennial or annual, usually with a long prostrate and rooting base ;
blades lanceolate to linear, often from a subamplexicaul or amplexi-
caul base with very numerous short more or less distinct transverse
veins ; ligules reduced to a ciliolate rim or quite obscure ; panicles
of distant slender secund spiciform or racemiform branches, mostly
bearing spikelets from the base or near it ; spikelets quite glabrous
and smooth.

Species about 9 in the tropics of both hemispheres.

In the course of working out the African species of Panicum it became manifest
that the species referred here could not be retained in Panicum as understood
in this work. The uncertainty of the affinity was already recognised by Hitch-
cock and Chase, who in their account of the North American species of Panicum

622 clvii. geamine^ (Stapf). [. Acroceras .

(in Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb. xv. 325) enumerate it among the “ miscellaneous
species.”

It is interpolated here after Echinochloa more for technical reasons than on
account of close affinity. The latter lies rather with Chloachne, which in the
structure of the axes of the panicles and the laterally compressed herbaceous
tips of the glumes and the lower valve and other particulars recalls Acroceras.
It has, however, one peculiarity in common with Echinochloa, that is the
curiously gaping tips of the fertile floret, due to the recurving of the thickened
ends of the keels of the valvule.

Perennial ; spikelets more or less oblong and plump.

Blades broad-lanceolate from a suddenly constricted

base, 3-5 in. by 4-9 lin. ... ... ... ... 1. A. oryzoides.

Blades linear from a rounded or subcordate base, 2|-8 in.

by 1^-4 lin 2. A. macrum.

Annual ; spikelets more or less lanceolate.

Culms simple or sparingly branched above the ascending,
prostrate or floating base ; blades 3-12 in. by
3-7£ lin., amplexicaul ; spikelets bluntly apiculate 3. A. amplectens.

Culms much-branched below, forming loose leafy tufts
from which the flowering culms rise ; blades 1-3 in.
by 2-3| lin., flaccid ; spikelets subulate-apiculate 4. A. basicladum.

1. A. oryzoides^ Stajpf7 Perennial, 2-4 (rarely to over 8) ft. high.
Culms ascending from a branched prostrate or rambling or climbing
and often rooting base, the erect parts simple or sparingly branched,
the internodes of the base frequently strongly compressed, wiry,
short or long and like the others very smooth and glabrous, the
upper at length mostly somewhat elongated and exserted, sulcate or
angular. Leaf-sheaths subherbaceous, tight, firm, terete, promi-
nently striate, densely ciliate, otherwise quite glabrous and very
smooth, rarely with a few hairs upwards ; ligules very narrow,
membranous, ciliolate or almost suppressed ; blades lanceolate to
lanceolate-linear from a broad suddenly constricted and rounded
base, long-acuminate with a fine callous point, 3-5 (occasionally 7)
in. by 4-9 lin., spreading, firm, flat, more or less greyish-green,
glabrous or finely tomentellous and ciliate at the rounded base,
smooth except along the scabrid finely cartilaginous margins, midrib
fine below, primary nerves 3-6 on each side, distinct on both sides
or at least below, with up to 7 secondary nerves between, which are
connected by numerous minute cross- veins. Panicles erect, straight
or nodding, at length more or less exserted, 3-10 in. long, made up
(in the African specimens) of 4-7 suberect interruptedly spiciform
or racemiform branches distantly disposed on a slender semiterete
and facially flat or sulcate or upwards gradually subtriquetrous to
triquetrous smooth common axis, branches villosulous at the very
base, the longest half to two-thirds the length of the panicle, more or
less triquetrous with scabrid lateral angles, a flat or subconvex back,
up to J lin. wide, and a more or less broadly and bluntly keeled face,
with upwards evanescent grooves on alternate sides of the successive
internodes which are 2-2J lin. long, at its nodes bearing from the
base or more rarely above it solitary or paired or scantily clustered

628

Acroceras.] clvii. graminea] (Stapf).

spikelets or in the lower part of the panicle short secondary branches
of a similar structure ; pedicels stiff, angular, scaberulous with
truncate tips, if paired or clustered, one or several very short to short,
the longest 2-3 lin. long. Spikelets lanceolate-oblong, bluntly
apiculate, 2-2 J lin. long, pale green with darker tips, quite glabrous.
Glumes membranous, unequal, with green nerves ; lower lanceolate
from an ovate base, acuminate, two-thirds to four-fifths the length
of the spikelet, 3-nerved, middle nerve more prominent upwards and
often ending with a short blunt keel ; upper glume corresponding
in length and shape to the spikelet, 5-nerved, with laterally slightly
compressed thick blunt tips. Lower floret barren : valve very
similar to the upper glume, but usually slightly shorter ; valvule
more or less reduced, oblong, acute, keels finely scaberulous. Upper
floret oblong, bluntly mucronulate from the valve, 2 lin. long,
smooth, white, at length turning brownish, glossy ; valve and valvule
coriaceous, mucro of the valve and often the tip below it minutely
rough, tip of the valvule subcucullate, slightly recurved and re-
versedly ciliolate on the indexed margin ; anthers 1 lin. long. —
Panicum oryzoides, Sw. Prodr. Veg. Ind. Occ. 23 ; Kunth, Enum., i.
129 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 80 ; Eendle, Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 172 ;
not of Arduino. P. zizanioides, H. B. & K. Nov. Gen. & Spec. i. 100;
Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 233, t. 28, and Enum. i. 118 ; Nees, Agrost.
Bras. 143 ; Trin. Pan. Gen. 188, and in Mem. Acad. Petersb.
6me ser. iii. 276 ; Steud. l.c. i. 75 ; Doell in Mart. El. Bras. ii. ii. 228 ;
Hitchcock & Chase in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xvii. 531. ’ P. bal-
bisianum , Schult. Mant. ii. 254. P. numidianum, Hook. Niger FI.
560 ; not of Lam. P. pseudoryzoides, Steud. l.c. P. Ridleyi , Hack,
in Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot. iii. 400 (name only). P. latifolium,
Hook. f. El. Brit. Ind. vii. 39 ; not of Linn. P. ogowense, Eranch.
Contr. El. Congo Eran9. in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 344
(reprint, 36) ; De Wild. & Durand in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2me ser. i. 61.
P. lutetense, K. Schum. in Engl. Jahrb. xxiv. 332.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Jigava, 1100 ft., Thomas, 2747 ! Bumbuna,
650 ft., Thomas , 1963 ! 2032 ! 3256 ! " Yetaya, 1100 ft., Thomas, 2322 ! 2330 !
Mabonti, 550 ft., Thomas, 3564 ! Pandembn, 300 ft., Thomas, 813 ! Binkolo,
500 ft., Thomas, 1755 ! Mabum, Thomas, 1617 ! Malotoka, Thomas, 1355 !
Rowala, 500 ft., Thomas, 1072 ! Binkolo, 570 ft., Thomas, 1864 ! Yonibana,
Thomas, 4279 ! 4714 ! Kanya, 1000 ft., Thomas, 2943 ! Falaba river, Scott
Elliot, 5097 ! French Sudan : shady borders of streams near Moussaia (Upper
Niger), Chevalier, 399 ! French Guinea : moist land near Timbo, Pobeguin,
1712 ! South Nigeria : Lagos, Mitten, 98 ! Dawodu, 94 ! Ibu, Vogel, 20 !
Abbeokuta, Irving ! Opobo, Jeffreys}. Northern Nigeria : Jeba, Barter !
Cameroons : Bipinde, Zenker, 3794 a ! 3805 ! in open bush near Batanga,
Bates, 170 !

North Central. Middle Oubangui : between Bangui and Kemo, Chevalier,
5278!

Nile Land. Uganda : water edge in Kipayo forest, 4000 ft., Dummer,
675 !

Lower Guinea. Gaboon : Corisco Bay, Mann, 1894 ! Ogowe, Thollon, 832 !
Fernando Po, Mann, 1176 ! Belgian Congo : Cataracts Distr., in underwood
along borders of streams near Lutete, 1600 ft., Hens, A. 194 ! Stanley Pool Distr.;

624

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[. Acroceras .

Lower Kasai river, Vanderyst, 4774 ! Mokaba, Vanderyst, 3611 ! Kisantu,
Gillet, 460 ! 581 ! Angola : Pungo Andongo ; in thick damp woods, climbing
with aerial roots, on Calemba Island in the Cnanza river, Welwitsch, 7429 !

Tropics of both hemispheres.

2. A. maerum, Stapf. Perennial, up to over 2 ft. high from a
slender creeping rhizome with extra vaginal innovations. Culms
slender, ascending, or prostrate at the base and covered there with
short papery to membranous cataphylls and the remains of half-
decayed sheaths or bared at length by their decay, above this base
6- to many-noded, sparingly branched, the upper internodes long-
exserted, all terete, prominently striate, glabrous and smooth. Leaf-
sheaths subherbaceous, terete, moderately tight, ciliate, other-
wise quite glabrous, or pubescent with minutely tubercle-based
hairs, smooth ; ligules reduced to a ciliolate rim sometimes quite
obscure ; blades linear from a slightly rounded to subcordate and
semiamplexicaul base, tapering to a slender subcallous point, 2^-8 in.
by J-4 lin., or the lower sometimes still shorter, flat, subsucculent,
somewhat rigid (at least the upper), obliquely erect, very pale green,
glabrous or rigidly ciliate at the rounded base, rarely loosely
pubescent, margins finely cartilaginous, smooth below, rough
upwards, or smooth almost throughout, midrib and primary lateral
nerves (3-4 on each side) fine, distinct only below, with 3-4 secondary
nerves in the intervals, cross-veins short, sometimes very obscure.
Panicle long-exserted, scanty, up to 8 in. long, of 5-1 erect or spread-
ing spiciform secund branches, widely distant on a very slender
subterete or towards the lower nodes semiterete and channelled or
in the upper part triquetrous and scabrid common axis or the
inflorescence reduced to a single interrupted spiciform raceme ;
branches villosulous at their insertion, the longest up to 2J in. long,
triquetrous at least upwards, with scaberulous or downwards smooth
angles and a flat or convex back, — -J lin. wide, and an acutely keeled
face, bearing at the nodes (2-4 lin. distant) from the base (rarely
from some distance above it) mostly paired spikelets ; pedicels stiff,
angular, scaberulous, appressed, with truncate tips, one very short,
the other up to 1-2 lin. long. Spikelets oblong, shortly and bluntly
apiculate, 2-2J lin. long, pale green with darker tips, quite glabrous,.
Glumes thinly membranous, finely nerved ; lower ovate-lanceolate,
3-nerved, middle-nerve raised towards the tip into a more or less
bluntly ending keel ; upper glume as long as the spikelet, oblong,
5-nerved, shortly keeled at the tip, the keel produced into a small short
blunt appendage. Lower floret $ : valve very like the upper glume ;
valvule almost as long as the valve, narrowly oblong, minutely
truncate, keels scaberulous, flaps reversedly ciliate upwards ; anthers
up to 1J lin. long. Upper floret oblong, bluntly apiculate,
2-2J lin. long, whitish, smooth ; valve and valvule coriaceous,
apiculus of valve roundish, very short, of valvule minutely and
bluntly 2-toothed and slightly recurved. — Panicnm zizanioides,

Acroceras.]

CLVII. GRAMINE^l (Stapf).

625

Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 402 ; Wood, Natal PI. t. 154 ; Rendle in
Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. xl. 229 ; Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr.
v. 301 ; not of H. B. & K.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Mossamedes ; in the mud of the Cunene marshes,
Pearson, 2024 !

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : in open woods near Beira,
Swynnerton, 1596 ! Rhodesia : Salisbury, Mrs. Craster, 22 ! 81 !

3. A. amplectens, Stapf. Annual, 2-2J ft. high. Culms genicu-
lately ascending from an often prostrate branched and rooting base,
or sometimes floating in the water, the erect parts simple or sparingly
branched, rarely the whole plant erect and simple, moderately
slender to stout, terete or the internodes of the prostrate base more
or less compressed, soft, sulcate or angular, the intermediate and
upper internodes (or sometimes all) more or less exserted. Leaf-
sheaths subherbaceous, somewhat firm, loose or the upper tight,
terete, prominently striate, ciliolate or ciliate, otherwise quite
glabrous and very smooth ; ligule none or represented by an obscure
semicrescent rim ; blades lanceolate to lanceolate-linear from a
broad subcordate amplexicaul base, tapering from low down to a
long slender point, 3-6 in. or sometimes to 1 ft. by 2-3 lin. at the
middle and 3-7 J lin. at the base, obliquely erect or spreading, flat,
soft, green to greyish-green, glabrous and smooth except along the
scaberulous margins, midrib fine below, primary nerves 3-5 on each
side, distant, distinct below only, with 3-4 secondary nerves between,
connected by minute often very inconspicuous cross- veins. Panicles
erect, at length more or less exserted, J-f ft. long, of 4-6 straight or
nodding (sometimes much so) secund subspiciform branches distant
on a slender semiterete or upwards more or less triquetrous smooth
common axis ; branches obscurely villosulous at the very base, the
longest one-half to two-thirds the length of the panicle, triquetrous,
with downwards smooth, upwards scabrid angles and a flat sub-
convex back up to over J lin. wide and an acutely keeled face, bearing
at its nodes (3-5 lin. distant) from the base, rarely from above it,
mostly paired spikelets ; pedicels stiff, angular, finely scaberulous to
scabrid with truncate tips, one very short, the other 1-3 lin. long.
Spikelets more or less appressed to the rhachis, lanceolate to lanceo-
late-oblong, bluntly apiculate, up to over 3 lin. long, pale green with
darker tips, quite glabrous. Glumes membranous, finely nerved ;
lower lanceolate from a clasping base, acuminate, 3-nerved, middle
nerve widened towards the tip into an acutely or bluntly ending
scaberulous keel ; upper as long as the spikelet, ovate-lanceo-
late, long-acuminate, 5-nerved, apiculus laterally compressed,
almost square or round, thick. Lower floret or barren : valve
very similar to the upper glume ; valvule narrowly oblong, over
2 lin. long, minutely truncate, scaberulous, or more or less reduced ;
anthers if any 1 lin. long. Upper floret narrowly oblong, bluntly
FL. TROP. AFR. VOL. IX. — PT. 4. 2 S

626

CL VII. GRAM1NE7E (Stapf).

[. Acroceras .

apiculate, over 2| lin. long, smooth, pale ; valve and valvule
coriaceous, apiculus laterally compressed, obtuse, minutely rough,
margin delicately ciliate below it, tip of valvule subcucullate and
slightly recurved and reversedly ciliolate on the indexed margin ;
anthers over 1 lin. long. Grain oblong-lanceolate in outline, plano-
convex, white ; hilum filiform, as long as the grain ; , embryo less
than half the length of the grain. — P. zizanioides, var. angu&tatum
Stapf ex A. Cheval. Sudania, ,32 (name), 81.

Upper Guinea. Senegambia : Casamance ; Zignimber, Chevalier, 2188 !:
French Guinea: Batting Valley, Pobeguin, 1713 bis ! French Sudan : Middle
Niger; Koulikoro, Chevalier, 2187 !o Segou, Lecard, 246 ! *

North Central. Upper Oubangui : Mbou-Kou-Griko, Chevalier, 5574 !

Nile Land. Jur : Ghattas’ Great Seriba, Schweinfurth, 2330 !

4. A. basicladum, Stapf. Annual, up to 2J ft. high, from a long
prostrate much-branched base, forming loose leafy tufts from which
the flowering culms rise. Culms quite glabrous and smooth, slender,
terete, weak, many-noded, the prostrate base bare owing to the
early decay of its sheaths, its internodes 1-2 in. long, copiously
rooting from the nodes, the numerous branches ascending, of very
variable height, from a few inches to 2J ft. long, apparently all
flowering, their lower internodes sheathed, short to very short at the
base, increasing upwards in long culms to 5 in. and more, and then
long-exserted. Leaf-sheaths subherbaceous, soft, loose or the upper
tight, terete, ciliate, otherwise glabrous and smooth ; ligule none or
represented by an obscure minutely ciliolate line ; blades linear-
lanceolate to linear from a rounded semi-amplexicaul base, tapering
to an acute point, 1-3 in. by 2-3J lin. or the upper of the longest
culms linear and up to 6 in. by 2 lin., flat, flaccid, green, glabrous,
margins cartilaginous, smooth below, scaberulous upwards, midrib
very fine, primary lateral nerves about 3 on each side, faintly distinct
on the lower side only, with 3 secondary nerves between them con-
nected by mostly very inconspicuous cross-veins. Panicles erect,
straight, those of the longest culms long-exserted, 3 to over 9 in. long,
of 2-5, rarely more, straight' usually much spreading secund often
interrupted spiciform branches, very distant on a very slender
semiterete smooth or upwards more or less triquetrous and scaberu-
lous or scabrid common axis ; branches subvillosulous at the very
base, the longest from half to two-thirds the length of the panicle,
triquetrous, with scaberulous or downwards almost smooth angles,
a flat or subconvex back, up to J lin. wide, and an acutely keeled
face, bearing at , the nodes (4-6 lin. distant) from the base, more
rarely from above it, mostly paired spikelets ; pedicels stiff, angular,,
scaberulous, with truncate tips, one very short, the other 2-3 lin.
long. Spikelets appressed to the rhachis, linear-lanceolate, subulate-
apiculate, 2J lin. long, pale green with darker tips, quite glabrous.
Glumes thinly membranous, finely or obscurely nerved ; lower

Acroceras.]

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

627

lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, 3-nerved, middle-nerve suddenly
widened towards the tip into an acutely ending keel ; upper as
long as the spikelet, oblong, acuminate, 5-nerved, apiculus laterally
compressed, oblong, obtuse, very minutely scaberulous. Lower
floret barren : valve very similar to upper glume ; valvule linear,
almost as long as or distinctly shorter than the valve, subacute, with
scaberulous keels. Upper floret Q linear to linear-oblong, bluntly
apiculate, 2J lin. by slightly over \ lin., whitish, smooth : valve
and valvule coriaceous, apiculus of valve short, obtuse, of valvule
slightly recurved and subacute or 2-toothed ; anthers 1 \ lin. long.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. ; Kitebe, Vanderyst, 3642 !
4118 ! 4144 ! 4145 ! between Leopoldville and Mombaxi, Gillet, 2619 ! 2704 !

68b. COMMELINIDIUM, Stapf.

Spikelets oblong, subobtuse, subterete, falling entire (or sub-
entire ?) from the pedicels, usually 2-nate or solitary, more rarely
fascicled, subsecund and abaxial on the angular rhachis of racemously
arranged loosely or interruptedly spicif orm racemes ; lower floret
barren with a more or less reduced valvule ; upper floret Glumes
similar in texture, membranous, greenish, with slightly callous
tips ; lower shorter, ovate from a clasping base, 3-nerved ; upper
oblong, broadly rounded on the back, 5-nerved, separated from
the lower by a distinct internode. Lower floret equalling upper
glume : valve very similar to upper glume ; valvule much shorter
than the valve, hyaline, with narrowly winged keels and upwards
evanescent flaps. Upper floret : valve oblong-lanceolate, broadly
involute with firm margins, minutely cucullate, with a small
blunt apiculus, coriaceous, smooth with a dorsal semilunar de-
pression at the base ; valvule almost equalling the valve and similar
in substance, with rounded keels and an entire tip, embraced
by the valvule ail along or the very tip free. Lodicules 2, cuneate,
fleshy. Stamens 3. Styles distinct, plumose, purplish, exserted
laterally towards the tip of the spikelet. Grain unknown. — Perennial
from a prostrate rooting base, with much the habit of certain broad-
leaved Commelince or of Polys'paiha ; blades obliquely ovate,
contracted at the base and articulated with the sheath, many-
nerved with transverse veins ; ligules distinct, membranous ;
panicles of rather few branches, bearing spikelets from low down ;
spikelets quite glabrous and smooth, except at the mostly minutely
puberulous tips.

Species 3, endemic in West Africa.

My observations on the affinity of Acroceras (see above) may be applied with
even greater force to Comm,elinidium, which should have been placed between
Chloachne and Microcalamus. The curious dorsal semilunar depression at the
base of the fertile valve corresponds to a very considerable reduction of tissues,
and in the mature state frequently leads to a rupture along its line. The portion
of the valve immediately inside the line bulges slightly. The same structure

n>

628

/

-t L~ (pi-C i t'-'O

, i Ax iA A JAok ^

■Urfxx

clvii. geamine^e (Stapf). [Commelinidium.

occurs in Chloachne and Microcalamus and is also faintly indicated in some forms
of Acroceras. /\

As in certain species of Panicum, the spikelets seem sometimes to break up
before dissemination, the second glume becoming detached and laying bare the
back of the fertile floret.

Spikelets slightly under 2-| lin. long, linear-oblong, olive-

brown ; lower glume 3-nerved ... ... ... ... 1. C. mayumbense.

Spikelets 2|--3 lin. long,, somewhat plump, greenish ; lower .

glume 5 -nerved. • [h •£&(>) ***-& 3 - o /

Panicles 7-10 in. long, with a terete axis and horizontally

spreading branches ; leaf -blades glabrous below ... 2. C. gabunense.

panicles 1 to over 3 in. long, contracted, with a triquetrous

axis ; leaf-blades finely pubescent below 3. C. nervosum.

(_ F'njCxnn-cJk. J

1. C. mayumbense^ Staff. Perennial. Culms ascending from a
prostrate or rambling base, emitting aerial roots from the lower
nodes, many-noded, branched ; flowering culms and branches up to
6 in. long, slender, terete, striate, each internode with a line of
pubescence in the median plain of the supporting leaf. Leaf-sheaths
shorter than the internodes, tight, terete, striate, densely ciliate along
the margins and more or less bearded at the nodes, otherwise finely
pubescent or glabrescent downwards, those supporting branches soon
thrust aside ; ligules short, truncate, rather stiffly membranous,
finely ciliate ; blades obliquely and broadly ovate- or elliptic-
lanceolate from a much contracted disarticulating base, acutely
acuminate, 1J-2J in. by 8-12 lin., quite flat, dark green, glabrous
above except for a few small fine bristles, midrib fine, lateral primary
nerves 3-4, very slender and slightly differentiated from the secondary
nerves (about 6 per interval). Inflorescences 2-3, terminal and
subterminal from the uppermost leaves, very shortly exserted with.
2-3 ultimately horizontally spreading branches ; axis 1-1J in. long,
filiform, subterete, like all its divisions pubescent ; branches similar
to the axis but finer, up to § in. long, bearing up to 3 pairs of spike-
lets ; pedicels subangular, slightly thickened upwards, truncate,
one very short, the other 1-1J lin. long. Spikelets linear- oblong,
subacute, not quite 2J lin. long, olive-brown, glabrous except at the
tip. Glumes minutely penicillate-puberulous at the very slightly
callous tip, both 3-nerved ; lower ovate, acute, half the length of
the spikelet ; upper corresponding in length and outline to the
spikelet. Lower floret barren : valve very like the upper glume,
but 5-nerved ; valvule very thin, often shrivelled and appressed
to the fertile floret. Upper floret slightly shorter than the lower,
pale-brown, polished ; valve and valvule thinly coriaceous, the
former broadly rounded on the back, involute margins of the valvule
firm with delicate hyaline flaps downwards. — P. mayumbense ,
Franch. Contrib. FI. Congo Frany. in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun,
viii. 343 (reprint 35) ; Th. & Hel. Durand, Syll. FI. Congol. 833.
P. gabunense , Bendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 172 ; not of Hack.

Lower Guinea. French Congo : Mayumbe Forest, Thollon, 1209. Belgian
Congo : Equator Distr. ; Lulanga, in humid soil on the banks of the Congo river,

629

C ommelinidium . ] clvii. gramine^ (Stapf).

900 ft., Hens, C, 101 ! Angola : Golungo Alto; in dense primitive forest near
Cungulungulo, Welwitsch, 7174 ! 7208 !

According to Welwitsch this grass grows socially in the shade of primitive
woods and disappears with cultivation.

(_

2. G. g’abunense^tap/. Up to over 3 ft. high. Culms ascending,
emitting aerial roots, terete, striate, fistular, many-noded, simple,
upwards sparingly pubescent, leafy all along. Leaf-sheaths tight,
terete, less than half the length of the internodes, ciliolate along the
margins and more or less bearded at the mouth, pubescent upwards,
otherwise glabrous ; ligules short, rotundate, membranous, glabrous ;
blades spreading, lanceolate-elliptic to elliptic from a rounded much
constricted (almost petioloid) base, acuminate, 3-4 in. by 1J-1J in.,
flat, firm, dark green, scaberulous with scattered small bristles above,
glabrous below, midrib very slender, lateral primary nerves 5-6 on
each side with 6-7 secondary in the interval, all very fine ; cross-
veins delicate. Panicle broad-ovate, compound, open, rather loose,
7-10 in. long ; axis terete, striate, obscurely puberulous ; branches
spirally arranged, pubescent in the axils, angular, scaberulous or
hairy, divided almost from the base ; branchlets bearing 3-5 spike-
lets ; pedicels about 1 lin. long. Spikelets lanceolate, 2J-2f lin.
long, greenish or suffused with violet. Glumes membranous, acute,
5-nerved, glabrous except for the minutely puberulous tips ; the
lower ovate, half the length of the spikelet, the upper elliptic-
lanceolate, as long as the spikelet. Lower floret imperfectly £ :
valve similar to the upper glume, but obtuse ; valvule linear, obtuse,
shorter by one-third ; anthers seen minute, sterile. Upper floret
lanceolate, with a subacute densely white-puberulous tip, obscurely
keeled, whitish ; valve and valvule coriaceous. — P. gahunense,
Hack, in Yerhandl. Bot. Yer. Brandenb. xxxi. 70 ; Durand &
Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 750.

Lower Guinea. Gaboon : Sibange Farm, in a dry river bed, Biittner, 555.

The description is taken entirely from Hackel, l.c. The large panicle and the
glabrous under side of the leaf -blades seem to distinguish this species from both
its congeners, whilst the nervation of the glumes (5-nerved instead of 3) adds
another palpable character to distinguish it especially from C. mayumbense.

3. 0. nervosum, Stapf. Perennial, rising to over 1 ft. Culms
ascending from a prostrate or rambling base, emitting long aerial
roots from the nodes, many-noded, upwards simple or branched ;
upper branches (if any) short, slender, terete, striate, each node with a
line of pubescence in the median plane of the supporting leaf or at
length glabrescent. Leaf-sheaths shorter, or the upper as long as or
longer than the internodes, tight, terete, striate, densely ciliate along
the margins, cilia very long towards the mouth, otherwise spreadingly
pubescent all over ; ligules truncate, stiffly membranous, ciliate, up
to § lin. long ; blades obliquely and broadly ovate- or oblong-
lanceolate from a much constricted disarticulating (?) base, acutely

630

clvii. geamine.® (Stapf). [< Commelinidium .

acuminate, 2-4 in. by f-lj in., quite flat, somewhat firm, dark green,
very minutely stiffly and appressedly hairy above between the
nerves, with some fine small bristles here and there, or glabrescent
to almost quite glabrous, finely and softly pubescent below, trans-
verse veins distinct, midrib fine, primary lateral nerves 3-5, very
slender and slightly differentiated from the secondary nerves (about
6 per interval). Inflorescences 1-2, terminal or subterminal from
the uppermost leaves, very shortly exserted, with up to 5 erect or
suberect branches ; axis J t6 over 2 in. long, filiform, angular, loosely
hairy ; branches similar to the axis but finer, the lower equalling
half to over two-thirds of the panicle and in the longer panicles
bearing up to 6 loosely disposed pairs of spikelets, in small panicles
the spikelets rather crowded ; pedicels angular, truncate, one very
short, the other up to J lin. long. Spikelets oblong, obtuse (rarely
acute), 2J to almost 3 lin. long, somewhat plump, dull greenish,
glabrous. Glumes membranous, prominently nerved, quite glabrous
or with a few very minute hairs at the slightly callous tips ; lower
ovate, subacute, about half the length of the spikelet, 3-nerved ;
upper corresponding in length and outline to the spikelet, 5-nerved.
Lower floret barrel] : valve very like the upper glume ; valvule very
thin and appressed to the fertile floret. Upper floret as long as the
lower, turning brown, polished : valve and valvule thinly coriaceous-
crustaceous, the former obscurely keeled with a laterally compressed
minutely puberulous apiculus, the latter subapiculate with the tip
slightly recurved ; anthers 1 \ lin. long.

Upper Guinea. Ivory Coast : Guideko, in the basin of the middle Sassandra
river, Chevalier, 1 6396 ! near Assikasso, in the region of the middle Comoe river,
Chevalier, 22598 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. ; between Leopoldville
and Mombasi, Gillet, 2512 !

Gillet’s specimen is referred here with some doubt.

69. OPLISMENUS, P. Beauv. Flor. Owar. ii. 14.

Spikelets oblong to ovate-oblong or lanceolate, awned from the
glumes, falling entire from the pedicels, in small clusters on a common
axis or 2-nate or solitary, secund and abaxial on the angular rhachis
of racemosely arranged densely or more rarely interruptedly spiciform
racemes ; lower floret or barren with a perfect or reduced or no
valvule ; upper floret £>. Glumes similar in shape and texture,
subequal, herbaceous to’ membranous, 3-7-nerved, both or at least
the lower awned, more or less keeled upwards. Lower floret exceed-
ing the glumes ; valve resembling them, 5-9-nerved, muticous or
mucronate or very shortly awned ; valvule subequal to the valve
and 2-nerved when perfect. Upper floret : valve oblong, broadly
involute with firm margins, muticous, chartaceous to subcoriaceous ;
valvule equalling the valve and embraced by the valve all along.

'Oplismenus.]

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

631

Lodicules 2, broadly cuneate, often very delicate. Stamens 3.
Styles distinct, long ; stigmas terminally or subterminally exserted,
plumose. Grain tightly enclosed by the somewhat hardened valve
and valvule, oblong ; hilum oblong, one-third to half the length of
the grain. — Annual or more usually perennial, often weak grasses
with slender many-noded ascending culms, the internodes of which
have mostly a decurrent villous line adaxial to the subtending leaf ;
blades flat, thin, often slightly asymmetrical, often minutely cross-
veined ; lower and intermediate racemes mostly distant, the upper
decreasing upwards and more or less approximate ; the awn of the
lower glume the longest.

Species about 15, in all the warmer parts of the world, but mostly tropical.

Awns filiform, subobtuse, smooth, more or less viscous and
often vividly coloured upwards.

Spikelets or pairs of spikelets closely contiguous ; if in
racemes, the lower racemes mostly distant by more
than their own length ... ... ... ... 1. 0. hirtellus.

Spikelets or pairs of spikelets not contiguous, often
conspicuously distant ; racemes long, the lower
equalling or exceeding the adjacent internode ... 2. 0. compositus.

Awns capillary, flexuous, slightly rough, pale ... ... 3 0. Burmannii.

1. 0. hirtellus, P. Beauv. Agrost. 54, 168. Perennial, up to several
feet (according to Mann up to 8 ft.) high. Culms slender, ascending
(occasionally climbing in trees) from an often long decumbent or
rambling rooting base, the internodes of which are mostly strongly
compressed, while its nodes emit often long aerial roots, terete
upwards, many-noded, branched from the base, simple or subsimple
upwards, glabrous or frequently very shortly hairy upwards or along
a line adaxial to the supporting leaf. Leaf-sheaths rather tight,
strongly striate, densely ciliate along the margin, otherwise usually
glabrous except at the frequently pubescent nodes, rarely shortly
hirsute upwards or all over, or eciliate and altogether glabrous, short
or long ; ligules very short, truncate, ciliate ; blades lanceolate to
linear-lanceolate from a distinctly constricted and slightly rounded
base, acutely acuminate, l|-5 in. by 2-9 lin. (those of the lower
leaves and barren shoots often small and ovate-lanceolate), flat,
thin, flaccid to rigid, dull green, scantily and minutely hairy to almost
velvety below, sometimes with scattered longer white hairs above,
rarely quite glabrous, rough on the upper side, at least upwards,
margins scabrid, midrib very slender, primary lateral nerves 2-4 on
each side, usually obscure or not at all differentiated from the
numerous secondary nerves, in the larger more rigid blades often
with a tertiary nerve between each pair of secondary nerves and then
mostly closely and finely striate above, frequently with short trans-
verse veins. Inflorescence of 3-8 dense spike-like racemes on an.
erect straight or flexuous semiterete or upwards triquetrous glabrous
or finely pubescent axis, sometimes ciliate along its lateral angles.

632

CL VII. GKAMINEJE (Stapf).

[Oplismenus*

Eacemes distant usually by more than their own length (the lower
often by 1 in. or more), erect or obliquely spreading, linear, decreasing
upwards, 12-13 lin. long, or all the racemes short and reduced to
2-3-spiculate clusters or solitary spikelets ; rhachis usually terminated
by a solitary spikelet, straight, triquetrous, dorsally flat, green or
greyish-green from very minute appressed hairs, frequently fringed
with tubercle-based bristles, tomentose or hispid at the base, inter-
nodes from less than J to 1 lin. long ; pedicels 2-nate or solitary, very
short and stout with truncate tips and usually a few bristles. Spike-
lets contiguous, ovate-oblong, 1J-2 lin. long (excluding the awns),
green to greyish-green, minutely bearded at the base ; if clustered,
then one or several of a cluster more or less reduced (in extreme cases,
to awns). Glumes subequal (the upper slightly longer), 1-1 J- in.
long, thinly herbaceous, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate in profile,
produced into filiform subobtuse smooth upwards more or less
viscous and purplish awns, hairy at least near the margins, rarely
quite glabrous ; the lower acute, 5-nerved, with the nerves near the
margin, and an awn usually from 3-5 lin. long, in weak specimens
or in the lower and often somewhat arrested spikelets of a raceme or
cluster only 1J-2J lin. long, or (the other extreme) occasionally up
to over 6 lin. long ; upper subobtuse, 7-5-nerved with an awn 1-2 lin.
long. Lower floret barren, rarely equalling the spikelet : valve
similar to the glumes, with a minutely notched tip, membranous,
mucronate or very shortly awned, 7-11 -nerved ; valvule linear,
hyaline, more or less reduced. Upper floret oblong, acute or
subcuspidate, 1-1J lin. long, whitish to brownish, polished : valve
and valvule subcoriaceous, the former 7-nerved. Anthers pale
pink, f-f- lin. long. Stigmas long, red. . Grain f-1 lin. long,
convex on the back, almost flat on the face, with an oblong
hilum, one-third the length of the grain. — Eoem. & Schult. Syst.
Yeg. ii. 481 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 140 ; K. Schum. in Engl. PfL
Ost-Afr. C. 104 ; Hitchcock in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 229, xvii.
255 ; Hitchcock & Chase in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb, xviii. 344.
0. africanus, P. Beauv. FI. Owar. ii. 15, t. 68, fig. 1, and Agrost. 54, t.
xi. fig. 3 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 140 ; Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 60 ; Durand
& Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 771, and Etudes FI. Congo, 325 ; Hack,
in Bolet. Soc. Brot. v. 211 ; K. Schum. l.c. ; Franch. Contr. FI.
Congo Fran<y in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun. viii. 362 (reprint 50) ;.
Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 416, including vars. capensis and simplex ;.
De Wild. & Durand, Contr. FI. Congo, fasc. ii. 73, and in Bull. Herb.
Boiss. 2me ser. i. 61 ; Eendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 184, and in J ourn.
Linn. Soc. Bot. xl. 224 ; De Wild. Etudes FI. Bas- et Moyen- Congo, L
11; ii. 12, and Miss. ]S. Laurent, 203; Th. &Hel. Durand, Syll. FI. CongoL
636 ; Eyles in Trans. E. Soc. S. Afr. v. 302 . 0. loliaceus , H. B. .& K.

Nov. Gen. et Sp. i. 106 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 140, partly ; Nees, Agrost.
Bras. 266. 0. setarius , Eoem. & Schult. Syst. ii. 481 ; Poir. Encycl.

iv. 741 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 139 ; Small, FI. South-east. U.S. 84 ;

Oplismenus.] clvii. graminea] (Stapf). 63B

Hitchcock & Chase in Conti*. U.S. Nat. Herb, xviii. 344. 0. brasi-
liensis, Raddi, Agrost. Bras. 4=0. 0. velutinus, Schult. f. Mant. ii. 271 ;
Kunth, Enum. l.c. 0. oahuaensis, Steud. Nomencl. ed. 2, ii. 260.

0. capensis, Hochst. in Flora, 184:6, 114:. 0. undulatifolius, Rendle,

Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 184: ; not of P. Beauv. 0. barbifultus , Hochst.
ex Hack. l.c. 0. simplex, K. Schum. in Engl. Glied. Veget. Usambara
in Abh. Preuss. Akad. Wiss. 1894:, 4:8 (name). 0. compositus, Rendle,

1. c. ; Cummins in Kew Bulletin, 1898, 81 ; not of P. Beauv. Panicum
hirtellum, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 10, ii. 870, and Amoen. Acad. v. 391 ;
Sw. Obs. 35 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 44 (the West Indian plant).
P. loliaceum, Lam. Encycl. iv. 7 43, only as to the West Indian plant ;
Trin. Gen. Pan. 124, and in Mem. Acad. Sc. St. Petersb. 6 me ser. iii.
212 ; Doell in Mart. El. Bras. ii. ii. 145, t. 23. P. africanum , Poir.
Encycl. Suppl. iv. 275. P. incanum, Schum. in Schum. k Thonn.
Beskr. Guin. PL 60. P. velutinum, G. Meyer, Prim. El. Esseq. 51 ;
Steud. l.c. P. Kraussii, Steud. l.c. 45. P. compositum, Doell in Mart.
FI. Bras. ii. ii. 146, at least in part ; not of Linn. P. compositum , var. i. ,
Trin. Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 188 ; Baker, FI. Maurit. 439. P. sylvaticum,
Steud. l.c. 108, partly ; not of Lam. P. sylvaticum, var. a, Trin. Gen.
Pan. 124, and in Mem. Acad. Petersb. 6 me ser. iii. 212. P. pseudo-
undulatifolium, Jardin, Aper§u FI. Gabon. 1891, 15 ; not of Roem.
k Schult. Orthopogon sp., R. Br. Prodr. 194, in obs. 0. hirtellus,
Spreng. Syst. i. 306 ; not of Nutt. 0. loliaceus and 0. velutinus,
Spreng. l.c. 0. africanus, Sweet, Hort. Brit. ed. i. 448.

Upper Guinea. Cape Verd Islands: S. Nicolao; Monte Gordo, 5000 ft.,
Lowe ! Foge ; Mount Queimado, Lowe ! Sierra Leone : in forest near Lester
Peak, Scott Elliot, 3854 ! Mamaha, Thomas, 4639 ! (*partly) Ronietta, Thomas,
5401 ! Kumrabai, Thomas, 6791 ! Pujahun, Thomas, 7987 ! and without
precise locality, Don ! French Guinea : Baffing Valley, Pobeguin, 1737 !
Liberia : within 20 miles of Kakatown, Whyte ! * Ivory Coast : Bouroukru,
in primary forest, Chevalier, 16572 ! * Ashanti : Assin Yan Kumassi, Cummins,
142! Gold Coast: Akwapim, Johnson, 781 !* Aburi Hills, Johnson, 294!
and without precise locality, Thonning. Togo : Sokoda-Baravi, in savannah,
Schroeder, 159 ! Southern Nigeria : Lagos ; in shady places in the Ikoyi bush,
Dalziel, 1324 ! * MacGregor, 301 ! * Chama, Koto, Oware and Benin,
Beauvois ! Agege, Kitson ! Oban, Talbot, 849 ! Northern Nigeria : in shady
situations on the Kebba road. Parsons, 26 ! Cameroons : Cameroon Peak, 6000
ft., Johnston, 96 ! Yaunde Station, Zenker 6s Staudt, 38 ! 483 ! 647 ! * Johann -
Albrecht Hohe, Staudt, 450 ! Bipinde, Zenker, 1214 ! * Buea, Preuss ! * and
without precise locality (probably near Victoria), Preuss, 1305 ! 1355 ! * in
shady bush near Batanga, Bates, 86 ! Fernando Po, Mann, 112 ! Vogel, 140 !
Prince’s Island, Barter, 1969 ! * Pico de Papagaio at 1000 ft., Welwitsch,
2926 ! *

Lower Guinea. S. Thomas Island : by the shore at Santa Anna, and at Ango-
lares, 150 ft., Moller and Quintas, 142 ! * at 2000 ft., Mann ! * Monte Caffe,
1000-2500 ft., Welwitsch, 2886 ! * Moller ! and without precise locality, Don !
Macambrara, Santa Maria, 3900-4100 ft., Moller, 141 ! ** summit of the Peak,
6900 ft., Mann ! ** Santa Maria, 3900-4100 ft., Moller ! Gaboon : without
precise locality, Thollon, 654!* Jardin ! French Congo: Loango ; at the
Makunga spring near Chinchoxo, Soyaux, 81 ! and without precise locality,
Thollon ! * Belgian Congo : Lower Congo, Smith ! Stanley Pool Distr. ;
Lower Kasai river, Vanderyst, 4320 ! * Kitebe, Vanderyst, 4068 ! Kimuenza

634

clvii. gramine^j (Stapf). [Oplismenus .

and Kisantu, Gillet, 466 ; Tshumbiri, Laurent ; Ngombi, Demeuse. Kwango
Distr. : common on the lower Kwango to the Kasai river, Vanderyst, 4274 !
Kikiwit, Vanderyst, 2963 ! Bangala Distr. ; in woods at Lisha, Hens, 151 !
157 ! Angola : Golungo Alto ; common in shady woods on the rivers Guiapose,
Cuango, etc., Welwitsch, 7186 ! 7199 ! 7200 ! Pungo Andongo ; in shady woods
between the Presidium and Luxillo, Welwitsch., 7391 !

Nile Land. Uganda : Toro, Tufnell ! in dense forest near Kipayo, 4000 ft.,
Hummer, 759 ! Entebbe, on the lake shore, 3900 ft., Dawe ! near the Victoria
Nyanza, Maitland, 162 ! British East Africa: Nairobi, Linton, 220 !

Mozambique Distr. German East Atrica : Usambara ; virgin forest near Amani,
Broun, 375 ! * Mbarama, Holst, 2496 ! Kilimanjaro ; Marangu, 4500 ft., Volkens,
1432 ! at 5300 ft., Johnston, 63 ! Rhodesia : Victoria Falls, Rogers, 13284 ! Living-
stone, Rogers, 7400 ! Gazaland : Chipete forest, 3800 ft., Swynnerion, 409 ! *

Also in South Africa and the Mascarenes, in the warm parts of America from
Georgia and the Gulf States southwards, and in the Sandwich Islands. The size
of the spikelets, the length of the awns and their number in the raceme are
apparently dependent on the vigour of the plant, the first two characters varying
frequently in the same individual or the same raceme as much as they do between
the individuals of a given collecting or a limited area. Robust states with
longer and more linear -lanceolate blades, longer racemes and longer awns
represent the O. loliaceus of America. They are marked with an asterisk (*)
in the enumeration given above. More meagre forms with lanceolate to lanceo •
late-ovate blades, reduced inflorescences, very short racemes and mostly
shorter awns occur throughout the area, but prevail, or occur to the exclusion
of the other state, towards the northern and southern limits of the area. They
correspond to the O. setarius of authors. They intergrade with typical
O. hirtellus, as already observed by Hitchcock & Chase (Grass. West Ind. in
Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb, xviii. 344), and are not marked off in this place. Another
extreme, with delicate culms and small narrow blades (1-2 in. by 2-3 lin.) and
the racemes replaced by small clusters with partly arrested spikelets or by
solitary spikelets, was named O. simplex by K. Schumann, and described by me
as a variety of O. africanus. The few specimens referable to it are indicated
above by a double asterisk (**). O. capensis of Hochstetter ( O . africanus , var.
capensis, Stapf) is intermediate between it and the “ setarius ” form. The
amount of indumentum is very variable in the leaves as well as in the inflor-
escences and apparently is not correlated with any structural differences or
with geographical distribution.

Dawe states that this is the grass on which the natives of the neighbourhood
of Entebbe feed their horses.

2. 0. compositus, P. Beauv. Agrost. 54. A perennial grass with all
the vegetative characters of 0. hirtellus , but on the whole more robust.
Inflorescence up to 1 ft. long, secund or subsecund, of up to 10 or
more loose mostly interruptedly spiciform racemes on a flexuous
downwards semiterete otherwise triquetrous usually glabrous and
almost smooth axis, or sometimes ciliate along its lateral angles,
rarely spreadingly hairy all over ; racemes distant, at least the
intermediate, by less than their own length, the lowest by 1-2| in.,
erect or more or less spreading, the uppermost reduced to clusters of
spikelets gathered in a long terminal raceme which is very like the
lateral racemes, the longest 1 to over 3 in. long, rarely all short and
the whole inflorescence as it were represented by a terminal inter-
rupted spike-like raceme ; rhachis flexuous, triquetrous, terminated
by a spikelet, green or greyish-green, glabrous or sparingly (very
rarely copiously) ciliate with fine soft spreading hairs, bearded at the

"

'

.

fOplismenus.l

CL VII. GRAMINE.E (Stapf).

685

base ; internodes mostly 1J-2J lin. long, often irregularly longer or
shorter ; pedicels 2-nate or solitary, very short and stout with
truncate circular tips and usually a few bristles. Spikelets lanceolate
to lanceolate-oblong, acuminate, 1J-2 lin. long (excluding the awns),
green to greyish-green, often with purple tips or altogether red-
purple, minutely and often very scantily bearded at the base.
Glumes subequal, 1J lin. long, thinly herbaceous, lanceolate to
lanceolate-oblong in profile, produced into slender filiform smooth
upwards more or less viscous and purple awns, sparingly hairy, the
lower towards the margins, the upper upwards, rarely quite glabrous,
the lower gradually, the upper more abruptly passing into the awn,
the lower 5-, the upper 7-9-nerved, awn of the lower up to over 5
(occasionally 8) lin. long, if the spikelets be paired usually one only
with a long awn ; awn of the upper glume 1-1J lin. long. Lower
floret barren, equalling the spikelet : valve similar to the upper
glume, abruptly apiculate, mucronate or with a very short awn,
9-nerved ; valvule very much reduced or 0. Upper floret oblong,
acute, lin. long, whitish to brownish, polished ; valve and valvule
subcoriaceous. Grain oblong, dorsally compressed. Embryo one-
third the length of the grain. — Roem. & Schult. Syst. ii. 484 ; Kunth,
Enum. i. 141 ; Benth. El. Austr. vii. 491 ; Duthie, List Fodd. Grass.

N. Ind. 13 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. El. Afr. v. 771 ; Hook. f.
El. Brit. Ind. vii. 66 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 310.

O. elatior, P. Beauv. Agrost. 54, 168. 0. indicus, Willd. in Act. Acad.

Nat. Cur. iv. 224. 0. sylvaticus , Roem. & Schult. Syst. ii. 481 ;
Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 44, and Enum. i. 139, Suppl. 101. 0. pratensis,
Schult. Mant. ii. 597. 0. Jacquinii , Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 44,

and Enum. i. 140. 0. lanceolatus, Kunth, 11. cc. 45, 146. 0. decom-

positus, Nees in Endl. Prodr. El. Norfolk. 19. 0. africanus\ Wood,

Natal PI. t. 165 ; Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 302, partly ;
not of Beauv. Pcinicum compositum, Linn. Sp. PI. ed. i. 57 ; Trin.
Gram. Ic. et Descr. t. 187, 189 ; Pan. Gen. 123, and in Mem. Acad.
Sc. Petersb. 6me ser. iii. 211 ; Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 44 ; Benth. El.
Hongk. 411 ; Baker, El. Maurit. 439, partly. P. elatius, Linn. f. Suppl.
107. P. aristatum, Retz. Obs. iv. 17. P. lanceolatum, Retz. Obs. v. 17 ;
Roxb. FI. Ind. i. 297 ; Steud. l.c. 48. P. sylvaticum, Lam. Encycl.
iv. 733 ; Trin. Gram. Ic. et Descr. t. 190, fig. A, and in Pan. Gen.
123, and in Mem. Acad. Sc. St. Petersb. 6me ser. iii. 212 (vars. a, /3, S) ;
Steud. l.c. 45. P. composite proximum, Rottl. in Gesellsch. Naturf.
Ereund. Neue Schr. iv. (1804) 224. P. peninsulanum, P. certifi-
candum, P. longer acemosum, P. undatum, P. bidentulum, Steud. Syn.
PL Glum. i. 44, 45. Andropogon undatus, Jacq. Coll. iii. 237, and
Ic. Pl. Rar. iii. t. 631. Orthopogon compositus, R. Br. Prodr.
194 ; Miq. FI. Ind. Bat. iii. 443. 0. remotus, Trin. Fund. Agrost.

181. 0. pratensis, Spreng. Syst. i. 306. O. Junghuhnii, 0. longe-

racemosus, O. sylvaticus, Miq. l.c. Echinochloa lanceolata, Roem. &
Schult. l.c. 476.

636

clvii. gramineje (Stapf). [Ojplismenus.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen ; Dongollo, near Ghinda, Pappi, 4536 ;
along the Fil-Fil torrent, Pappi, 5426 ; on mount Faghenat, 6500-8200 ft.,
Pappi, 5326. Socotra : forming turf along streams in Wadi Digal, 1900 ft.,
Schweinfurth, 587 ! British East Africa : bush near Lincoru, 7000 ft., Bummer,
1640 !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar Island, Last ! German East Africa : Usambara,
in virgin forest near Lutindi, Holst , 3279 ! Nyasaland : Namasi, Cameron !
Portuguese East Africa : in damp woods near Shupanga, Kirk !

Also in Madagascar and the Mascarenes and widely distributed throughout
tropical and subtropical Asia, Australia and Polynesia. Here too, as in
O. hirtellus, a wide range of variation, apparently of the same character, is
noticeable, although it does not seem to lead to cases of such extreme reduction,
nor to the appearance of regionally prevailing or exclusive forms.

3. 0. Burmannii, P. Beauv. Agrost. 54. Annual, np to 1J ft. high.
Culms very slender, ascending front a long decumbent or rambling
branched and rooting base, the internodes of which are often strongly
compressed or at least very compressible, simple or more often
branched upwards with the branches short and barren or flowering,
glabrous or more or less hairy, often along a line adaxial to the
supporting leaf. Leaf-sheaths somewhat loose, prominently striate,
ciliate along the margins and pubescent at the nodes, otherwise
glabrous or more or less spreadingly hairy, short or long ; ligules
very short, truncate, ciliate ; blades lanceolate from a distinctly
constricted and slightly rounded base, acutely . acuminate, £-2 in.
by 2-6 lin., flat, thin and soft, dull pale green, loosely to very sparingly
beset with fine rather long white hairs, not rough, margins slightly
scaberulous upwards, midrib very slender, primary lateral nerves
2-3 on each side, but generally hardly differentiated from the
secondary nerves, transverse veins very short and often obscure.
Inflorescence more or less secund, of 3-8 very dense pale spike-like
racemes on a flexuous slender semiterete or upwards triquetrous
glabrous or finely pubescent axis 1-3 in. long, sometimes softly
ciliate along its lateral angles ; lower racemes distant by more than
their own length (J-l in.), erect or oblique, linear, the longest rarely
over f in. long, the upper or all often much shorter ; rhachis usually
terminated by a spikelet, straight, triquetrous, dorsally flat, pale
green, fringed with fine almost silky hairs, internodes J lin. long ;
pedicels 2-nate or solitary, reduced to very short truncate stumps,
or up to \ lin. long, with long hairs like the cilia of the rhachis.
Spikelets contiguous, oblong-lanceolate, rarely much over 1 lin. long,
pale green, one of a pair often imperfect. Glumes subequal (the
upper slightly longer), f-J lin. long, thinly membranous to sub-
hyaline, oblong in profile, with pale capillary slightly rough awns

4- 1 lin. long from a minute notch, ciliate and more or less (sometimes
very sparingly) pubescent, the lower narrower, sub-3-nerved, upper

5- 7-nerved with faint side-nerves. Lower floret barren: valve
lanceolate-oblong in profile, acuminate, produced into a fine very
short capillary awn, 7-nerved, ciliate upwards and finely pubescent
above the middle ; valvule 0. Upper floret oblong, acute, 1 lin.

Oplismenus .]

CL VII. GRAMINE^ (Stapf).

637

long or almost so, brownish, polished ; valve and valvule papery, the
former faintly 7-nerved. Anthers \ lin. long. Stigmas moderately
long, red. Grain lanceolate-oblong, almost 1 lin. long, convex on
the back, almost flat on the face, with a narrow oblong hilum almost
half the length of the grain. — Roem. & Schult. Syst. ii. 482 ; Kunth,
Rev. Gram.i. 44, and Enum. i. 139, Suppl. 101 ; Trin. Ic. et Descr.
Gram. t. 193 ; Eranch. & Savat. Enum. PI. Jap. ii. 160 ; Duthie,
List Grass. N.-W. Ind. 8, 111. Indig. Eodd. Grass, t. 47, and Fodd.
Grass. N. Ind. 13 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 771 ; Franch.
Contr. FI. Congo Fran§. in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 362
(reprint 50) ; Balf. f. Bot. Socotra, 312 ; Hook, f . FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 68,
and in Trim. Handb.Fl. Ceyl. v. 169 ; Cheval. Sudania, 90, and Etudes
FI. Afr. Centr. Fran9. i. 366. 0. Burmannii , var. albidulum, N. E. Br.

in Gard. Chron. 1886, xxvi. 776. 0. albus , Roem. & Schult. Syst. ii.

890. 0. bromoides, P. Beauv. l.c. 0. humboldtianus, Nees, Agrost.

Bras. 264 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 140. 0. cristatus, Presl, Rel. Haenk. i.

323 ; Kunth, l.c. 141 ; Hitchcock in Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb. xvii.
255. 0. affinis, Presl, l.c. 0. Preslei, Kunth, l.c. 0. indicus , Duthie,
List Grass. N.-W. Ind. 8 ; not of Roem. & Schult. 0. africanus ,
Rendle in Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 184 ; Chase in Proc. Biol. Soc.
Washington, xxiv. 152, fig. 15. Panicum Burmanni j Retz. Obs. iii.
10 ; Roxb. FI. Ind. i. 298 ; Trin. Pan. Gen. 121, and in Mem. Acad.
Sc. St. Petersb. 6me ser. iii. 209 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 44 ; Baker,
FI. Maurit. 438 ; Doell in Mart. FI. Bras. ii. ii. 148. P. bromoides ,
Lam. 111. i. 170, and Encycl. iv. 732. P. hirtellum, N. L. Burm. FI. Ind.
t. 12, fig. 1 ; Host, Gram. Austr. iii. t. 52 ; not of Linn. P. multi -
setum, Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 377. P. japonicum,
Steud. in Flora, 1846, 18. Orthovoqon albus, Nees ex Steud. Syn. PI.
Glum. i. 44 ; Miq. FI. Ind. Bat. iii. 442. 0. Burmanni, Miq. l.c.

Upper Guinea. Cape Verd Islands : S. Antao ; ribeira da Torre, Lowe !
St. Nicolai, Bolle ! S. Vincent ; Monte Verde, Lowe ! Senegambia : without
precise locality, Heudelot, 590 ! Sierra Leone : Mamaha, Thomas, 4414 !
Bumbuna, 650 ft., Thomas 9 3343 ! Ronietta, 250 ft., Thomas, 5292 ! French
Guinea : around Kouria, Chevalier, 14924 ! Southern Nigeria : Lagos, MacGregor,
100 ! Ndoni Town, Baiter, 1767 ! and without precise locality, Thomas, 1753 !
Cameroons : Yaunde, Zenker & Staudt, 515 ! Fernando Po : in swampy places,
Vogel, 212 ! in open woods, Vogel, 246 ! Ansell !

North Central. Upper Oubangui ; Krebedje ; Fort Sibut, Chevalier, 6067 \
between Krebedje and Mpokou poste, Chevalier, 6068 !

Nile Land. Jur : Abu Gurun’s Seriba, Schweinfurth, 177 ! Abyssinia : by
the Tacaze near Jelajeranne, Schimper, 1469 ! Socotra ; south of Tamarid,
Schweinfurth, 422 ! Balfour, 295 !

Lower Guinea. Island of S. Thomas ; Mount Cafe, Guegue, 2500 ft., Moller,
140 ! Gaboon : without precise locality, Thollon ! Belgian Congo : Stanley
Pool Distr. ; Mokaba, Vanderyst, 3697 ! 3780 ! Angola : Golungo Alto ; in
grassy wooded places near Cungulungulo, Welwitsch, 7203 ! Mount Queta, by
the Cuango river, Welwitsch, 7252 ! in maize fields near Sange, Welwitsch, 3003 !
Huilla ; in shady woods by the Monino river, Welwitsch, 2696 !

Mozambique Distr. Lake Nyasa, Simons !

Widely distributed throughout the tropics of both hemispheres.

638

CLVII. GRAMINEA: (Stapf).

[ Panicum ...

70. PANICUM, Linn.

Spikelets lanceolate to oblong, elliptic or orbicular in outline,
symmetrical in profile, rarely somewhat oblique, falling entire or
almost so, from the often elongated pedicels of a compound or de-
compound panicle, without a definite orientation towards the axis ;
lower floret g or barren, and then usually with a distinct valvule ;
upper floret Glumes more or less herbaceous- membranous ; the
lower usually shorter than the upper (often by very much), rarely
equalling it, usually with 1 or more nerves or if very small nerveless ;
upper as long as the spikelet, rounded on the back, 5-9-nerved. Lower
floret : valve very similar to the upper glume and equally rounded and
curved on the back (rarely less when the spikelets become oblique),
5-9-, rarely 3- or 11 -nerved ; valvule thinly membranous to sub-
hyaline, subequal to the valve or more or less reduced, rarely sup-
pressed. Upper floret : valve subcoriaceous to coriaceous with firm
margins, obtuse to subacute, emucronate (see 1, P. meyerianum),
faintly nerved ; valvule subequal to the valve and of similar sub-
stance, tightly embraced by the more or less involute margins of the
valve. Lodicules 2, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct ;
stigmas laterally exserted near the tip of the floret. Grain tightly
enclosed by the hardened valve and valvule, dorsally compressed,
biconvex to almost plano-convex ; scutellum elliptic to ovate-
elliptic, about half as long as the grain ; hilum subbasal, punctiform.
— Perennial or annual, rarely suffrutescent, of varying habit and
size ; leaf-blades mostly linear to linear-lanceolate, but in some
groups ovate or filiform to subulate ; panicles usually much divided
and at least temporarily open ; spikelets usually loosely scattered,
glabrous or hairy.

Species about 400, in the tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres,
few in the warm-temperate regions.

The sections adopted here are mainly based on the Old World and especially
the African material. They appear to represent on the whole homogeneous
groups, held together by a number of correlated characters which suggest
genetic affinity ; only one or two of the smaller groups are somewhat unsatis-
factory in this respect and may require revision when more material comes to
hand.

Key to the Sections.

^ Spikelets symmetrical in profile (see § Monticolce) ; leaves
not soft and at the same time very thin and ovate-
lanceolate to ovate from a rounded and much con-
stricted base.

* Valve of lower floret more than 3 -nerved.

jBlades typically much more than V-l-| in. long or, if
not, then subulate-involute and pungent.

J Spikelets over 1 £ lin. long or if smaller then different
from those of § Monticolce (see below) and on
plants of different habit.

Panicum.]

CLVII. GRAMINE.^ (Stapf).

639

§Glumes entire.

Fertile valve very minutely mucronate, like the
valvule finely transversely rugose ; spike-
lets shortly pedicelled and subsecund on
short secondary or lower down in the
panicle tertiary branchlets rather crowded,
1^- lin. long, glaucous green ; lower glume
minute, nerveless or faintly 1 -nerved, upper
glume and lower valve finely 5 -nerved ;
dorsally flattened? perennial

Fertile valve emucronate ; spikelets differently
arranged.

Spikelets more or less obtuse to shortly acute
and plump, not gaping.

r . (r* Spikelets oblong, 1-^-2 lin. long ; fertile

glumes quite smooth.

£ Axes of the inflorescence and sometimes
also the culms with clavellate-
tipped hairs ; spikelets 1^-2|- lin.
long ; glumes and lower valve sub-
herbaceous ; lower usually § the
length of the spikelet or almost
equalling it, rarely shorter and then
conspicuously truncate and 9—1 1 -
nerved ; upper glume and lower
valve 5-11 -nerved ; perennial

I. Eriochloide^e.

II. Clavel-

LIGERiE.

&C Axes of the inflorescence glabrous or if
hairy the hairs not gland-tipped ;
spikelets 1|— 2 lin. long, glabrous ;
glumes and lower valve subher-
baceous ; lower very small, rarely
\ the length of the spikelet, very
thin to hyaline, nerveless or 1-3-
nerved, rounded or subacute, upper
glume and lower valve 5- (rarely 7-)
nerved, nerves usually very slender
(see 7, P. infestum) ; perennial . . . III. Maxima

Spikelets broad-elliptic in outline to sub-
globose, |-1 (mostly f) lin. long,
breaking up ; fertile glumes warty
(see also 88, P. heterostachyum,§ Ovali-
folice ) ; glumes and lower valve
thinly herbaceous - membranous,
green or variegated with yellow or
suffused with purple, frequently
with a bronzy lustre ; lower glume
\ to over f the length of the spikelet
or equal to it, 3 -nerved ; upper
glume and lower valve 5-nerved ;
valve 'and valvule of fertile floret
with few to many wart- like obliquely
globose ovoid club- or spindle-
shaped trichomes, attached to the
epidermis by a minute circular base
and appressed to it, pointing
forwards, one-celled or frequently
with 1, rarely 2, apical cells ;
perennial or annual ... ... IV. Verruculosjs.

640

CLVII. GRAMINE^ (Stapi).

[. Panicum .

d (y Spikelets acuminate or distinctly acute or
apiculate, usually not plump (turgid in
§ Dura?).

Spikelets much gaping early and perma-
nently, 1-2 (rarely under 1) lin. long ;
glumes and lower valve more or less
acuminate and often mucronulate or
mucronate, finely keeled upwards
with frequently slightly recurved tips,
rather dry, pale or tinged with purple
or quite purple ; lower glume £ the
length of the upper glume, this like
the lower valve 5-9 -nerved, false fruit
white or yellowish or bluish white,
rarely honey- coloured ; perennial or
annual V. Hiantes.

V

Spikelets not conspicuously and perma-
nently gaping or only when mature;
upper glume and lower valve with
straight or slightly incurved tips.

Spikelets mostly very loosely scattered on
long pedicels or, if paired, on long
fine branchlets, subulate -acuminate
/ to acute, 1-3 (mostly over IJ) lin.

long, pale green, frequently tinged
witli purple ; lower glume \ to # the
length of the spikelet ; upper glume
like the lower valve 7-11- (rarely 5-)
nerved ; false fruits at length
brownish to almost black

Spikelets more approximate on shorter
pedicels, subobtuse, subacute or
apiculate, rarely shortly subulate-
acuminate ; pedicels (particularly
the lateral) from less than 1 to 2 lin.
long ; false fruits whitish or
yellowish.

Lower glume as long as or almost as
long as the upper, 7-9 -nerved ;
suffrutescent with downwards
woody culms and hard pungent
leaf-blades, the latter often much
reduced

VI. Miliace^e.

p. b'vvb

VII. Dure.

Lower glume very small to up to J the
length of the spikelet, few- or
imperfectly nerved.

Erect or procumbent caespitose
perennials usually with long
more or less wiry stolons or
runners, barren shoots often
distichously leafy ; leaf -blades
firm to hard, often convolute to
subulate or aciculiform ; spike-
lets pale . . . . . . VIII. Repentes.

Erect perennials without long sto-
lons (short stolons in 68, P. color-
atura) or runners, or annuals ;
leaf-blades flat, usually long to

m

Panicum.]

641

CLVII. GRAMINB^J (Stapf).

very long, rarely convolute ;
spikelets pale green, or vividly
variegated or uniformly tinged
with dark purple

$ §. Glumes pectinately toothed ; spikelets oblong,
f-2 lin. long, on very fine flexuous pedicels,
in open or somewhat contracted and loose
panicles ; perennial

JJSpikelets 1-1 £ lin. long, ovate-oblong to lanceolate
(slightly oblique in 78, P. subobliquum), acute, in
rather delicate open panicles or with the short
ultimate divisions contracted on the primary
branches ; lower glume acute, as long or
almost as long as the spikelet, 3 -nerved or
shorter to much shorter and then mostly much
narrower than the lower valve with the lateral
nerves evanescent ; upper glume and lower
valve 5-, or the former 7 -nerved ; perennial
with slender branched (often copiously) many-
noded culms and frequently sharply reflexed
linear to linear-lanceolate distinctly acuminate
leaf-blades

•ffLea-f-blades |— | in. by less than 1-2| lin., linear-oblong
to ovate-lanceolate ; spikelets -§-l lin. long, oblong
to ellipsoid in small panicles, |-1 in. long with
rigid horizontally spreading or ascending branches ;
loosely tufted annuals or perennials, the latter
with long trailing and rooting runners

■♦♦Lower valve 3-nerved ; spikelets 1-14 lin. long, variously
shaped, pubescent to villous, in delicate open panicles
with the lowest branches pseudo-verticillate ; lowest
glume hyaline to subhyaline, less or much less than
half the length of the spikelet, faintly 1 -nerved;
upper glume faintly 5-nerved (finely caudate-
acuminate in 83, P. caudiglume ) ; annual or perennial
with linear-lanceolate leaf- blades ...

^ Spikelets slightly oblique to gibbous in profile, 4-1 lin. long,
loosely scattered in delicate rigidly open panicles ;
lower glume mostly 3-nerved, half as long to as long
as the spikelet, in the latter case narrower than the
lower valve to which it is appressed ; upper glume and
lower valve 5-nerved ; weak loosely tufted annuals
with thin soft ovate or ovate-lanceolate leaf- blades
which are suddenly constricted and much rounded at
the base

I. Eriochloideje.

Only species

II. Clavelligerje.

Spikelets 2-2^ lin. long, turgid in large somewhat coarse
panicles (up to 1 ft. by 6-7 in.) with all or most of the
ultimate divisions more or less contracted on the
primary branches ; glumes and lower valve 5-7-
nerved, ovate, subacute to obtuse but not truncate, a

robust grass

.PL. TROP. AFR. VOL. IX.— PT. 4.

IX. C/OLORAT2E.

X. Pectinate.

XI. Monticol^j.

XII. PuSXLLiE.

XIII. Trinerves.

XIV. OVALIEOLIJE.

/

1. P. meyerianum.

2. P. deustum.

2 T

<642

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

Spikelets 1^-2 lin. long, in smaller panicles 2-4 in. by
l§-3 in. ; upper glume and lower valve 9-1 1 -nerved.

Lower glume acute, 5-nerved ; spikelets under 2 lin.
long.

Panicle somewhat stiff with the rather short pedicels

mostly contracted on the branchlets 3.

Panicle flexuous, very loose and delicately branched
with many of the pedicels long (up to 5 lin.), very
flexuous and spreading ... ... ... ... 4.

Lower glume truncate, 9 -nerved ; panicle very loose ;
spikelets 2 lin. long ... ... ... 5.

,5^ t * Ayv

III. Maxima.

Fertile valve and valvule finely transversely rugose ;
panicles large, floribund ; blades long (up to 1|- or even
2 ft.).

Lower secondary and tertiary divisions of the panicle
usually elongated (the former up to 3 in.) and more
or less spreading, hence the spikelets more or less
scattered ; lower valve rounded on the back,
faintly nerved 6.

Secondary and tertiary divisions of the panicle very
short, the spikelets in long spiciform racemes on a
common axis ; lower valve depressed on the back
with the midnerve usually sunk in a groove ... 7.

Fertile valve and valvule quite smooth, polished ; panicles
from a few to 6 in. long.

Culms rather firm to almost woody, many-noded, more
or less anfractuous, rambling or climbing ; blades
linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, 1^—6 in. by 3-7 lin.

Axis of panicle and peduncle with long very fine
spreading hairs ; spikelets obtuse to subobtuse ;
lower glume minute, nerveless ; lower floret 6. ... 8.

Axis of panicle and peduncle glabrous ; spikelets
acute ; lower glume of the spikelet,- 1 -nerved ;
lower floret barren with a rudimentary valvule ... 9.

Culms stout, very spongy ; blades very narrow, up to
1 ft. by 1J lin., more or less spongy ; upper glume
7-, lower 9-nerved ,10.

IV. V ERRUCULOSiE.

Perennial.

Leaf-blades setaceously convolute or if unrolled not much
over 1 lin. wide, never keeled ; compactly csespitose
grasses with 1-2-noded culms, nodes faintly marked.

Short grasses, up to 1 ft. high with small panicles
(1-3 in.).

Spikelets quite glabrous, about f lin. long, more or
less acute or apiculate : compactly csespitose,
with persistent coats of pale firm sheath- bases,
blades finely setaceous ... ... ... ... 1 1.

Spikelets pubescent, £ lin. long, more or less obtuse ;
more loosely csespitose with few brown or
purplish and loose basal sheaths, blades

[. Panicum .

P. lineatum.

P. adenophorum
P. flacciflorum.

P. maximum »

P. infestum.

P. trichocladum.

P. transvenulo-
sum.

P. spongiosum.

P * hrazza-

villense.

P. ianthum.

> 2 40

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Panicum .]

CLVII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

643

Taller coarser grasses with longer panicles (5-8 in.).

Spikelets pubescent, up to £ lin. long 13. P. Frederick

Spikelets glabrous, about 1 lin. long ... ... 14. P. juncifolium.

Leaf- blades not setaceously convolute or if convolute then
much over 1 lin. wide when unrolled ; loosely or
scantily tufted grasses with mostly many-noded
culms.

Culms erect, stiff or only slightly geniculate, somewhat
robust ; leaf-blades 4 to over 12 in. by l-|-4^ lin.

Culms about 6-noded ; blades of lower leaves long-
narrowed towards the base with recurved
margins and a dorsally much projecting midrib 15 P. carinifolium.
Culms frequently more than 6- (up to 12-) noded ;
blades flat or somewhat involute, not or only
slightly narrowed towards the base, with a
slender midrib.

Blades stiff, erect, glabrous except for some long
cilia near the base ; sheaths eciliate ; spikelets
almost 1 lin. long, rather obtuse, dull ; lower
glume | the length of the spikelet or almost as

long 16. P. strictissimum.

Blades spreading or reflexed, usually hairy at the
base above the ligule ; sheaths ciliate ;
spikelets 1-1 £ lin. long, shortly acute with
strong metallic lustre ; lower glume about

£ the length of the spikelet ... ... ... 17. P. 'prcealtum .

Culms slender to very slender, weak and usually

geniculately ascending ; leaf-blades narrow
(1-2 lin.) and usually much under 6 in. long.

Spikelets over 1 lin. long, very plump, in slightly
subsecund and sometimes nodding panicles,
quite glabrous ; culms sparingly branched :
blades 3-7 in. by 1^-2 lin. ... ... ... 18 . P. subrepcmdum.

Spikelets under 1 lin. long ; panicles erect, quaqua-
versal, usually stiff ; blades 2-4 in. by 1-1 \ lin.

Panicles distinctly and usually long-exserted ;
spikelets roundish in outline to almost
orbicular.

Spikelets quite glabrous with a conspicuous
bronze lustre, almost globose ; lower
glume |— £ the length of the spikelets ;
culms simple or sparingly branched below 19. P. fulgens.

Spikelets pubescent, very rarely glabrous, dull
without a metallic lustre.

Culms simple or sparingly branched below ;

blades spreading, flat, flaccid ... ... 20. P. nervatum .

Culms much branched below, the branches
in erect leafy fascicles ; blades suberect,
flat or convolute, rigid, running out into
a long subulate point ... ... ... 21. P. pubiglume.

Panicles shortly or laterally exserted and often
equalled or overtopped by the uppermost
blade ; spikelets ovate to lanceolate-oblong,
acute, glabrous, with a faint metallic lustre ;
culms simple or sparingly branched below ;
blades obliquely erect, frequently convolute,
slightly rigid, quite smooth ..22 . P. plagianthum .

644

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

Annual.

Culms slender but not finely filiform ; blades 1-5 in. by

1-4^ lin. ; fertile floret distinctly verrucose.

Panicles open and loose with the ultimate divisions
more or less spreading ; pedicels 1-4 lin. long.

Spikelets ovate to elliptic-oblong, quite glabrous ;
blades 2|-4| lin. wide.

Culms leafy up to the panicle, somewhat wiry;
blades firm, drying dark, very closely and
finely nerved, 2-4 in. by 2|— 4| lin

Culms leafy mostly below the middle, rather weak ;
panicles long-exserted ; blades soft to flaccid,
drying bright green or yellow, up to 3 in. by
1^-2 lin., more loosely nerved

Spikelets broad- or rotundate-elliptic, hairy ; blades
1-1^ lin. wide.

Spikelets with short and often scanty hairs

Spikelets densely covered with long spreading
hairs

Panicles more or less open, but with the ultimate
divisions contracted along the primary branches ;
pedicels 1-2 lin. long

Culms finely filiform ; blades up to f in. by f lin. ; spikelets
ovate, acute, variegated, glabrous or sparingly
pubescent ; fertile floret almost smooth

V. Hiantes.

Perennial.

Upper glume and lower valve 7-9 -nerved.

Panicle large, decompound, often 1 ft. long or longer ;
culms simple, more or less stout, sometimes reed-
like.

Spikelets 1 lin. long ; upper glume narrow, long
mucronate-acuminate, much exceeding the
lower floret ; panicle hirsute below ; leaf-

blades 1 ft. by 3|-4J lin.

Spikelets 1-2 lin. long.

Spikelets 1^ lin. long, slender, oblong-lanceolate ;
a more or less reed-like grass with long wide
blades (1-2 ft. by 5-10 lin.)

Spikelets 1^-2 lin. long, somewhat turgid, ovate-
oblong or ovate-lanceolate ; blades 6-9 in. by
2-3 lin. ...

Panicle much smaller and less divided, 3-7 in. long.

Culms fastigiately branched above the simple base,
lower internodes elongated, 'glaucous, more or
less woody ; spikelets lf-2 lin. long ; glumes
finely mucronate-acuminate

Culms simple or nearly so, geniculately ascending ;
spikelets 1^-1 |din. long ; acumen of upper glume
laterally compressed, beaked.

Culms 5-9-noded, wiry below, glabrous ; inter-
nodes exserted or bared by the slipping off
or the decay of the sheath ; spikelets up to
1^ lin. long, yellowish-green

23. P. suhlcetum.

24. P. gracilicaule.

25. P. lindleyanum.

26. P. hystrix .

27. P. vicini -

florum.

28. P.filicaule.

29. P. Hanningtonii.

30. P. plnragmi-

toides.

31. P. andbaptis-

tum.

32. P. Ruspolii .

33. P. massaiense.

Cfct

0 . • V ..

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~iCf>/C /? y rfr ,> '■/;> iftj:

¥ i¥:i/ c:: i - . A/tfi' r) ■ < $(■■■?•■ /a .: !-'

£c l . - ‘ . iifn'i ,-t J/ “{hi ■■ : • '/,« <'

AU<3y’ : / -1 { {' >< Cai-CC/ ; >

-i/j j£r £■>■ : -T if fs' A f'

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rW t

Panicum.] clvii. gramine^i (Stapf). 645

Culms 3-noded, soft, hirsute, internodes shortly

exserted except the uppermost ; spikelets

up to over 1\ lin. long, dull green with purple , r

or altogether dark purple ... ... ... 34. P. poceoides.

Upper glume and lower valve 5-nerved or the former
7-nerved.

Spikelets § lin. long, somewhat turgid, in narrow

contracted often interrupted panicles ... ... 35. P. graniflorum.

Spikelets 1-1 £ lin. long, not turgid, nor the panicles
as in P. graniflorum.

Compactly csespitose, the slender culms densely
coated with the firm persistent leaf-bases ; leaf-
blades narrow, flat or setaceously convolute,
flattened out l-2£ lin. wide.

Panicles open, up to 1£ in. wide, delicate, very
loose and somewhat stiff, often with ex-
tremely fine long hairs downwards ; spikelets
widely and obliquely gaping, f-1 lin. long ;
blades setaceously convolute, up to 1 lin.
wide (flat) ... ... ... ... ... 36. P. congoense.

Panicles open, 2-4 in. wide, glabrous ; spikelets
usually less and not so obliquely gaping,

1-1£ fin. long ; blades 1-2| lin. wide (flat).

Spikelets 1 lin. long ; panicle very loose,
divisions very fine ; blades often flat ;
culms |— § lin. diam.

Whole plant glabrous ; culms 4-noded ;

leaf-blades flat ... ... 37. P. vagiflorum .

Whole plant more or less hairy, except the
panicle ; culms 1-noded ; leaf -blades
flat or setaceously convolute upwards ... 38. P. pcecilanthum .
Spikelets mostly 1£ fin. long ; panicle less
loose, divisions less fine and stiffer ; lowest
sheaths tomentose at the base ; blades
flat or setaceously convolute, firm and
more or less rigid ; culms 1-2-noded, up to

1 lin. diam 39. P. dregeanum .

Not compactly csespitose nor with a dense coat of
persistent sheath-bases.

Panicle with long spreading hairs from all axes ;

glumes long-mucronate 40. P. Pilgeri.

Panicle glabrous.

Culms simple, reed-like, stout, 4-6 ft. high,

4-6-noded ; blades ft. by 2-5 fin. ;
panicle J to over 1 ft. by 2-5 in. ; upper

glume faintly 5-nerved ... 41. P.aphano-

neurum.

Culms slender, more or less branched ; upper
glume usually 7 -nerved.

Culms sparingly branched ; panicle con-
tracted, narrow, 6-2 in. by 1-2 in. ; spike-
lets up to almost fin. long ; blades
1-2 lin. wide.

Culms up to 9-noded ; blades up to over
1 ft. ; lower glume distinctly 5-nerved,

§-f the length of the lower floret ... 42. P. Rowlandii.

Culms 4-noded ; blades 4-8 in. ; lower
glume with obscure side-nerves, f-f
the length of the lower floret ... 43. P. fluviicola.

646

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Panicum.

Culms 4-5-noded, branched all along, the
branches often fascicled ; lower inter-
nodes wiry ; blades 3-6 in. by 2-2 h lin. ;
panicle very loose and open, about 6 in.
by 2-5 in. ; spikelets 1 lin. long ; lower
glume 5 -nerved 44. P. genufiexum .

Annual.

Spikelets hairy ; whole plant including the panicle

finely hirsute ; lower glume 5-nerved 45. P. Griff onii.

Spikelets glabrous ; lower glume 3-1 -nerved.

Spikelets to 1 J lin. long ; lateral pedicels 3-6 or 9 lin.
long ; culms branched upwards with the panicles
mostly in tiers (see p. 210).

Culms undivided for a short distance (1 or 2 inter-
nodes), sheaths not deciduous ; panicles up to
over 1 ft. long ; pedicels 3-6 or occasionally
9 lin. long 46. P. paucinode.

Culms undivided at the base for half their length
(about 8 internodes), with the stem-nodes
enclosed in the cuff-like persistent bases of the
deciduous sheath ; panicles about 3 in. long ;
pedicels from very short to up to 4 lin. long . . . 47. P. manicatum.

Spikelets up to 1 lin. long ; lateral pedicels 1-3 lin.
long ; culms 2-4-noded ; panicles 3-5 in. long.

Spikelets more or less but not very widely gaping ;
divisions of the primary branches 'at length
mostly contracted ; spikelets 1 lin. long ; lower
glume not or very obscurely mucronate ; lower
floret barren ... ... ... ... ... 48. P. Jiumile.

Spikelets widely and often obliquely gaping ; all
the divisions of the panicle divaricate ; spikelets
hardly 1 lin. long ; lower glume distinctly
mucronate or aristulate ; lower floret <$ ... 49, P. Afzelii .

VI. MlLIACEiE.

Panicles much divided ; blades flat, 1^-10 lin. wide.

Spikelets 2|-3 lin. long, in more or less nodding and
5 contracted panicles; lower glume 7-, upper 9-11-
nerved.

Spikelets 3 lin. long, deciduous ; pedicels 4-8 lin. long ;
blades passing quite gradually into the sheath,

2|— 5 lin. wide, with spinulose margins 50. P. callosum.

Spikelets 2| lin. long, with the glumes persistent on
the pedicels, these very short to 3 lin. long ; blades
with a more or less rounded and often semi-
amplexicaul base and scaberulous margins. A

cultivated grass 51. P. miliaceum. p, £ ^

Spikelets 1-2 lin. long, in erect very loose panicles ; lower
glume 5-, upper 7-9-nerved.

Spikelets 2 lin. long ; primary branches of panicle up
to 9 in., divided from 1-2 in. above the base with
internodes 1|-1 in. long, like all the divisions
rather stiff ; pedicels 2§-12 lin. long ... ... 52. P. hippothrix.

Spikelets 1-14 lin. long.

* Spikelets shortly pedicelled in pairs on long very
slender branchlets or distant and mostly on
long pedicels.

CLVII. GrRAMINEiE (Stapf).

647

Panicum.']

f Spikelets usually in pairs, contiguous and shortly
pedicelled at the ends of long finely filiform
sparingly divided more or less flexuous
branches and their branchlets ; panicles
terminal, up to 20 in. long when mature,
widely open ; lower floret barren with a much
reduced ovate or triangular valvule with
obscure basal flaps.

Culms sheathed up to the panicle which
emerges with a sheaf of branches from the
uppermost sheath ; its divisions finely
filiform to capillary ...

Culms exserted from the uppermost sheath with
most of the leaves near the base ; the
divisions of the panicle never capillary . . .

tfSpikelets usually distant often on long pedicels
or relatively shorter and more numerous
branchlets ; panicles terminal and lateral,
2-6 in. long ; lower floret barren with a
valvule the length of the valve and with
distinct flaps.

Panicles just exserted from the supporting
sheaths : upper glume and lower valve
9 -nerved or the former 7 -nerved.

Panicles 3-6 in. long, glabrous, equalled by
the uppermost blades ; longest blades
up to 8 in. by 3-5 lin. ; valvule of lower
floret with almost contiguous flaps ;
mature false fruits pale olive-brown . . .

Panicles 2-3 in. long, finely hairy all over,
much exceeding the upper blades ; the
longest blades up to 1 in. by l|-2 lin.;
valvule of lower floret with the flaps
reaching up to § of the valve ; mature
false fruits dark chestnut-brown to black ;

a delicate grass ...

Terminal panicles at length distinctly exserted,
lateral panicles few and mostly poorly
developed ; grains dark brown to jet black.

Upper glume and lower valve 9-nerved ; flaps
of valvule of lower floret very narrow
upwards ; blades almost glabrous
excepting the tubercle-based hairs of
the margins and the dorsal midrib, 3-8 in.
by 3-6 lin.

Upper glume and lower valve 7-nerved or
the former 5-nerved ; flaps of valvule
of lower floret broad all along, con-
tiguous or almost so ; blades usually
hirsute on both sides apart from the
margins and midrib, 1-4 in. by 2-4 lin.

**Spikelets mostly 2-nate from low down on the
penultimate divisions of an open panicle (3-4 in.
by 1-3 in.), with frequently curved branches ;
upper glume 7-, lower valve 9-nerved; lower
floret barren with a slightly shorter narrow-
flapped valvule

53. P. Kerstingii.

54. P. pansum.

aJl 1^'

55. P. laetum.

56. P. sociale.

57. P. novemnerve.

58. P. atrosan-

guineum »

59. P. arcurameum.

648

cl vn. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf), [ Panicum *

Panicles reduced to 3-1 branches, bearing 4-1 spikelets
1J lin. long ; blades setaceously convolute, £ lin.

... 60. P. haplocatdos -

across

VII. Dur^:.

Spikelets about 2 lin. long ; glumes subequal, acutely
acuminate in profile ; panicles up to 6-9 in. long
(lateral often much reduced), primary branches about
half the length of the panicle ... 61. P. turgidum .

Spikelets under 2 lin. long ; glumes unequal, lower § the
length of the spikelet, not or obscurely acuminate in
profile ; panicle not much over 1 in. long ; primary
branches in. long 62. P. neglectum .

VIII. Repentes.

Leaf-blades 2|-6 in. by l§-3 lin., usually convolute ;
spikelets 3— If lin. long, in more or less contracted
panicles, 3-8 in. long ; stoloniferous 63. P. repens.

Leaf -blades 2 in., more or less pungent ; spikelets f-1 lin.
long.

Procumbent with stolons or runners.

Stolons and runners stout, covered with tough per-
sistent cataphylls and almost bladeless sheaths ;
blades of the short shoots very rigid, needle-
shaped ; panicles very small, up to \ in. long,
hardly exserted from the leaf-tufts 64. P. pinifolium *

Runners and prostrate culm-bases slender, bared by
the decay or the slipping off of the sheaths ; blades
of the short shoots tightly involute, but hardly
needle-shaped ; panicles up to 1| in. long, very
loose, exserted ... ... ... 65. P. rigidum.

Erect or obliquely ascending without stolons or runners ;
culms slender and very wiry, branched all along or
simple towards the base ; leaf -sheaths very firm
and long-persistent ; panicles up to 1£ in. long,

closely contracted when mature, exserted 66. P. subflobella ♦

turn .

(r.w

IX. CoLORATiE.

Spikelets If— 2 lin. long with a slender acumen, in large
loose panicles (up to 1 ft. long) with the lateral pedicels
short and the terminal up to 4 lin. long ; lower

floret 6 or barren ; perennial 67. P. porphyror-

rhizos .

Spikelets 1-lf lin. long ; pedicels mostly 1-1| lin. long.

Grasses of dry land with somewhat plump often
variegated subacute or shortly apiculate spikelets ;
lower floret 3 ; ligules distinctly ciliate.

Perennial with short stolons 68. P. coloratura.

Annual 69. P. JSchinziL

Hygrophilous grasses with more or less acuminate spike-
lets 1£ hn. long which are pale green, rarely
uniformly suffused with purple.

Annual ; panicles 3-5 (rarely 6) in. long ; penultimate

Panicum.] clvii. gramineje (Stapf). 649

divisions of the panicle forming loosely 3-2-
spiculate racemes, contracted on their branchlets ;
lower floret 6 ; ligules distinctly ciliate ... ... 70. P. hygrocTiaris.

Perennial, with readily disintegrating rhizomes ;
panicles up to over 1 ft. long, abundantly divided ;
ligules a very short minutely ciliolate rim or
sometimes obscure.

Spikelets oblong when closed, somewhat plump,
shortly and acutely acuminate, loosely arranged
on the long slender branches of the panicle ;
lower floret $ ... ... ... ... ... 71. P. Swynner-

tonii.

Spikelets lanceolate when closed, with a slender
acute acumen, in short 3-2-spiculate racemes
appressed to the branchlets bearing them, these
again contracted on their mother branches
which assume a whip-like appearance ; lower
floret barren, with or more often without a

valvule 72. P. longi- W-

jubatum.

X. Pectinate.

Spikelets If— 2 lin. long ; lower glume with 3-4 nerves and

as many teeth, | the length of the spikelet ; lower y

valve 7-nerved and minutely 3-toothed 73. P. pectinatum.

Spikelets f-1 lin. long ; lower glume 3-nerved and 3-
toothed, ^ the length of the spikelet ; lower valve with
5-7 nerves and as many teeth 74. P. pectinellum.

1

XI. Monticol^e.

Lower glume very much shorter than the spikelet.

Panicle more or less flexuous to flaccid, the divisions of
the primary branches contracted.

Spikelets with a tuft of fine long hairs from the acute

tip of the upper glume, 1-1 £ lin 75. P. acrotricbum.

Spikelets glabrous, to over 1 1 lin. long ... ... 76. P. monticolum.

Panicle ultimately stiff, widely open and loose ; spikelets

glabrous, 1| lin. long 77. P. calvum.

Lower glume as long or almost as long as the spikelet.

Spikelets lanceolate, slightly oblique in profile, in
panicles up to 6 in. long ; glumes quite equal and as
long as the spikelet, faintly nerved : leaf-blades
2-6 in. by 7-11 lin. ... " ... 78. P. subobliquum .

Spikelets oblong to ovate-oblong, symmetrical in profile,
in long-exserted widely open or sometimes con-
tracted panicles 2-3 in. by 2 to over 3 in. ; lower
glume about § the length of the spikelet, like the
upper and the lower valve prominently nerved from
the base upwards ; leaf-blades up to 3 in. by 2 lin. 79. P, Hochstetteri.

XII. PuSILLiE.

Annual ; culms very weak ; blades soft ; spikelets 1 lin.
long ; lower glume f the length of the spikelet or
almost as long ... 80. P. pusillum.

650

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

Perennial ; culms filiform, wiry ; blades rather rigid ;
spikelets f— f lin. long ; lower glume much shorter than
the spikeiet.

Spikelets oblong, in divaricate panicles ; lower glume
not more than | the length of the spikeiet ; blades
lanceolate to linear-oblong 81. P. parvifolium.

Spikelets elliptic, in a contracted panicle with ascending
branches ; lower glume f the length of the spikelets ;
blades ovate to lanceolate ... ... ... ... 82. P. Beccabunga.

XIII. Trinerves.

Upper glume produced into an awnlet ... ... ... 83. P. caudiglume.

Upper glume acute.

Spikelets elliptic, obtuse, finely tomentose or villous all

over ; lower glume rounded, very obtuse 84. P. tephro-

santhos.

Spikelets lanceolate, acute, very loosely and minutely

hairy ; lower glume acute ... ... ... ... 85. P. micro-

thyrsum .

XIV. OvALIFOLIiE.

Spikelets slightly oblique in profile.

Lower glume broad- ovate, up to \ the length of the

spikeiet ; spikelets § lin. long 86. P. trichoides.

Lower glume as long as the spikeiet, lanceolate, narrower

than the spikeiet ; spikelets f lin. long ... ... 87. P. brevifolium. 7 3 )

Spikelets gibbous, particularly when young,. 1 lin. long ;
fertile floret minutely granular-papillose : branching
pseudo- dichotomous ... ... ... ... ... 88. P. hetero-

stachyum .

1. P. meyerianum, Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 32. Perennial, to over
3 ft. high, often apparently tall. Culms erect or ascending from a
decumbent rooting base, simple or more often sparingly branched,
stout, terete, glabrous, 5- to many-noded, sheathed all along or some
of the upper nodes shortly exserted. Leaves more or less glaucous ;
sheaths tight, firm, glabrous except at the silkily pubescent or villous
nodes or softly ciliate upwards with a delicately pubescent or villous
transverse zone at the junction with the blade or loosely and softly
hairy all along, with the hairs tubercle-based and deciduous ; ligule
reduced to a fine ciliate rim ; blades linear-lanceolate from a rounded
contracted base, long-tapering to a fine point, 3-8 in. by 3-7 lin.,
firm, somewhat succulent, glabrous, smooth except along the scaberu-
lous margins, midrib of large leaves slightly prominent below and
whitish above towards the base, otherwise very fine or indistinct
like the lateral nerves. Panicle oblong to ovate-oblong, 3-6 in. long,
contracted or opened out by the spreading of the lower branches
and then up to 4 in. wide, divided to the third or sometimes the fourth
degree, glabrous except the silkily pubescent or villosulous motile
bases of the primary branches and some long fine hairs on the
pedicels ; primary axis slender, angular, scaberulous upwards ;

Panicum .]

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

651

primary branches irregularly scattered or approximate in pairs,
suberect or more or less spreading, the lowest up to 3-4 in. long,
filiform, scaberulous, divided from low down or from the very base,
the branchlets more or less secund, representing short dense down-
wards sometimes compound racemes ; pedicels with discoid tips and
usually with 1-3 fine long hairs below them, the lateral very short,
the longer up to 1 lin. long. Spikelets rather crowded, ovate-oblong,
acute to subacuminate, 1J lin. long, glabrous, glaucous or sometimes
tinged with purple. Glumes very different ; lower minute, truncate
or qpiculate, hyaline, white or purple ; upper membranous, oblong,
acute to subacuminate, faintly 5-nerved, the tips or the back often
purple. Lower floret usually ; valve very similar to the upper
glume and of equal size ; valvule as long as the valve, oblong ;
anthers \ lin. long. Upper floret fcjS, oblong, obtuse or minutely
apiculate, J lin. long, dull, whitish, very finely pitted ; valve and
valvule thinly crustaceous. — Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 61 ; Durand &

Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 754 ; Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii.

App. ii. 21 ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 406. P. mite , Steud. l.c.

68 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 755. P. schimper ianum, Hochst. ex A. — ^ '
Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 371 ; Steud. l.c. 68 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FI. 0"! -
Aethiop. 301. -U*k

Nile Land. Sudan : Egedh (between Berber and Khartum), Schweinf urth,

532 ! Cordofan ; without precise locality, KotscTiy, 442 ! Blue Nile ; near Singa,

Broun , 807 ! Zamarka, Broun, 042 ! Bahr el Gebel ; near Bor, Broun, 019 !

Abyssinia : Shire, Quartin Dillon, and without precise locality, Schimper, 1853 !

British East Africa : in grassy plains and salt marshes near the shore at
Nakonumbi, Gregory ! Tana plains, near Ngatana, Gregory !

Also in Yemen and in Natal.

Panicum umbratile, Mez in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiv. 142, described from a specimen
collected by Schimper in Abyssinia (no. 1554) apparently belongs to this species,
although the author does not mention the characteristic minute mucro of the
fertile floret. The position of P. meyerianum in Panicum is somewhat irregular.

It may be considered as a connecting link between it and Eriochloa, with which
it has much in common ; but the globose swelling of the basal internode of the
spikelet of Eriochloa is only slightly indicated, and the first glume reduced in
the latter genus to an obsolete rim is well developed although small.

■3. P. deustum, Thunb. Prodr. i. 19. Perennial, up to 4 ft. fligb,
tufted on a short rhizome covered with the appressedly hairy
remainders of cataphylls ; innovations intra- or extra- vaginal.

Culms erect or geniculately ascending, slender or more or less stout
(to 2 lin. diam.), up to 9-noded, simple or more or less branched,
with the branches long and erect, terete, glabrous or more or less
pubescent or hirsute below the nodes, sheathed almost all along or
the upper internodes exserted. Leaves glabrous or sparingly (rarely
densely) hirsute with tubercle-based hairs ; sheaths rather firm, of
strong branched specimens almost coriaceous, terete, striate, finely
pubescent or quite glabrous at the nodes ; ligule reduced to a narrow
membranous ciliate rim ; blades linear to lanceolate-linear from a

652 cl vii. GBAMiNEiE (Stapf). [. Panicum .

contracted and rounded or gradually narrowed base, long-tapering
to a very fine point, J-1J ft. by 4-9 (rarely 12) lin., flat, margins
scabrid, midrib rather stout and prominent below, channelled and
whitish above, primary nerves 5-7 on each side, fine, but distinct
below. Panicle erect or slightly nodding, contracted, ultimately
usually widely open, 3-9 in. long, divided to the third degree ; axis
slender, grooved below, upwards angular, scabrid, often pubescent
or softly hirsute in the lower part, particularly towards the nodes,
the hairs fine, mostly with very minutely clavellate tips ; primary
branches scattered or irregularly approximate in pairs or false
whorls, up to 4 (rarely 5) in. long, flexuous or somewhat stiff, mostly
remotely divided from the base, filiform, angular, very scabrid to
rigidly ciliolate, lowest branchlets (secondary divisions) often un-
divided, very fine, flexuous, bearing a single spikelet, up to 1 in. long,
the others forming short cluster-like or elongated 3- or 2-spiculate
racemes, their lateral pedicels usually very short, all the divisions
of the panicle beset with scattered and usually clavellate-tipped
hairs. Spikelets oblong, obtuse, turgid, 2-2 \ lin. long, light green
with usually purple or blackish tips, glabrous or with a very few
small hairs. Glumes similar, broadly rounded on the back, mem-
branous, 5-7 -nerved ; lower ovate-oblong, obtuse or subacute,
two-thirds to three-quarters the length of the lower floret, nerves
fine, anastomosing upwards ; upper oblong, obtuse. Lower floret $ :
valve very similar to upper glume, but slightly shorter ; valvule
oblong, acute or obtuse, almost as long as valve ; anthers 1J-1J
lin. long. Upper floret b, oblong, acute or obtusely apiculate, as
long as or slightly exceeding the upper glume, yellowish or tawny,
smooth, glossy ; valve and valvule coriaceous-crustaceous. Grain
obovoid-elliptic, over 1 lin. long. — Thunb. FI. Cap. ed. Schult. 104 ;
Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 403 ; Wood, Natal PI. 1. 155. P. unguicu-
latum, Trin. Pan. Gen. 187, and in Mem. Acad. Petersb. 6me ser. iii.
275 ; Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 75 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr.
v. 767; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. A. 31, C. 102.
P. numidianum, Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 33 ; not of Lam. P. corymbi-
ferum, Steud. l.c. 76 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 744. P. arundim '.folium,
Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 22 ; Durand and Schinz,
l.c. 741 ; K. Schum. in Engl. l.c. C. 103 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot.
Boma, viii. 306. P. jpubivaginatum, K. Schum. in Engl. l.c. A. 34,
C. 102. P. Menyharthii, Hack, in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2me ser. i. 766.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen ; Ginda, among luxuriant herbage, Schwein-
furth, 435, Pappi, 3830 ! South Abyssinia : Galla Country; Sheikhusim, Donald-
son-Smith, 68 ! and without precise locality, Stordy ! Uganda : Ruwenzori,
2600 ft., Emin Pasha ; in thickets near Ntakafunvu, 4000 ft., Dummer , 693 ! [
and without precise locality, Lugard ! British East Africa : Ukambane, Scott
Elliot, 2322 ! Taro, 1000 ft., Kdssner, 495 ! Makindu, Linton, 103 ! 168 !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar, Hildehrandt, 1187! German East Africa:
Usambara ; Mascheua, Holst, 8816 ! Tanga, Holst, 2100 ! Sacleux, 946! Portu-
guese East Africa : Boruma, Menyharth, 902 ! Shire Highlands, Buchanan , 59 !

Also in Natal and Southern Cape Colony.

’

jj*^jL tfLswtv**

3^-lK

Ct^-ttjV

Panicum .]

CLVII. GRAMINE^3 (Stapf).

4-5, differentiated
between. Panicle
exserted from the

658

1 9" 2. ^ /uurf’

3. P. lineatnm, Trin. Gram. Ic. et Descr. ii. t. 233. Perennial, l&'X.n
2-3 ft. high. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, many-noded, '

sparingly branched from one or few of the intermediate nodes,
terete, lower internodes short and enclosed in or shortly exserted
from their sheaths, upper up to over 4 in. long and more exserted,
all softly pubescent, the pubescence intermixed with short clavellate
gland-tipped hairs, these more numerous towards the upper part
and particularly below the panicle. Leaf-sheaths tight, firmly
subherbaceous, terete, prominently striate, ciliate and more or less
softly hirsute with fine tubercle-based hairs, gland-tipped hairs
mixed in ; ligule a short membranous ciliolate rim ; blades lanceo-
late from a broadly rounded and constricted base, long-acuminate
with a slender somewhat callous point, 2J-4J in. by J-l in., spreading,
quite flat, green, firm, finely pubescent on both sides or glabrescent
above, often with longer hairs towards the ligule and a dorsally
tomentose zone at junction with blade, midrib slender, prominent
and whitish below, primary lateral nerves
below only with about 5 secondary nerves
erect, somewhat stiff, terminally or laterally
uppermost sheath, oblong to ovate-oblong, 3-4 in. by about 2 in.,
divided to the third degree ; common axis slender to filiform, terete
or more or less angular, very finely pubescent and like all its divisions
slightly wavy, smooth but more or less beset with short clavellate
gland-tipped hairs, internodes irregularly shorter and longer (up to
10 lin.) ; primary branches obliquely spreading, filiform, scantily
divided from the base or some distance above it, pubescent down-
wards ; secondary bearing 6-2 rather scattered spikelets from low
down, the lower 12-6 lin. long, spreading, but with the pedicels con-
tracted ; pedicels very unequal where paired, one very short, the other
up to 3 lin. long, all subcapillary, frequently with a few long fine
hairs besides the gland-tipped, tips very obscurely discoid. Spikelets
oblong, acute, turgid, lj-lf lin. long, pale green, glabrous. Glumes
very thinly membranous, very finely and somewhat prominently
nerved ; lower ovate, acute, to over two-thirds the length of the
spikelet, 5-nerved, the nerve-tips joined by venules ; upper of the
length and outline of the spikelet, 9-11 -nerved. Lower floret barren :
valve very similar to upper glume ; valvule more or less reduced,
oblong, acute, keels scaberulous, flaps rather wide ; lodicules often
present, but no stamens seen. Upper floret broad-oblong, sub-
acuminate, 1J by almost } lin., yellowish, polished ; valve and
valvule subcoriaceous, the incurved margins of the valve wide, the
latter faintly 7 -nerved, the nerves j oined by venules in the tip ; anthers
not much over J lin. long. — Kunth, Enurn. PI. i. 109 ; Trin. Pan. Gen.

199 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 83 ; Stapf in Johnston, Liberia, ii. 666.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Kanya, 1500 ft., Thomas, 3015 ! 3037 !
Yombana, Thomas, 4049 ! Kumrabai, 50 ft.. Thomas, 6782 ! 7049 ! 7107 ! and
without precise locality, Morson ! Liberia : within 20 mil. of Kakatown, Whyte !

654 clvii. gramineze (Stapf). [Panicum.

4. P. adenophorum, K. Schum. in Engl. Pflauzenw. Ost -
Afr. C. 103. Evidently perennial, apparently a tall rambling
grass. Culms moderately slender, terete, many-noded, simple for
a long distance from the panicle downwards, internodes enclosed
or very shortly exserted, pubescent upwards, the hairs from
small tubercles. Leaf-sheaths very tight, terete, pubescent like
the culms, striate ; ligule a densely ciliate rim ; blades lanceo-
late-linear from a slightly rounded base, long- and acutely acuminate,
3-3 J in. by 3-5 lin., spreading, flat, rather firm, pale to glaucous-
green, finely pubescent all over, margins rough, midrib very fine,
whitish below, not or indistinctly differentiated above from the very
numerous and close nerves. Panicle hardly exserted from the
uppermost sheath, rather flexuous, broad-ovate in outline, 4 in. (up
to 8 in. according to Schumann ) by almost 3 in., widely open
and very loose, divided to the third degree, bearing on the
common axis and all its divisions spreading hairs with clavellate
tips ; common axis filiform, angular, very finely shortly and
loosely hairy except for the clavellate hairs, internodes 9-6 lin.
long ; primary branches very loosely divided from the base or very
near it, subcapillary, flexuous, terete, smooth, glabrous except for
the scanty clavellate hairs, the longest up to almost 3 in. long, inter-
nodes 10-5 lin. long ; secondary up to over 1 in. long, very scantily
and distantly divided ; pedicels very unequal, lower short to very
short, upper and terminal up to 5 lin. long, very flexuous, all with
very fine long hairs (besides the clavellate) towards the discoid tips.
Spikelets elliptic-oblong, obtuse, up to 1 J lin. long, somewhat turgid,
pale green, variegated with purple, quite glabrous. Glumes unequal,
membranous, faintly nerved, concave ; lower obliquely lanceolate or
ovate-lanceolate, subacute in profile, J-f lin. long, 5-nerved ; upper
obliquely oblong in profile, rather broad-elliptic when flattened out,
subobtuse, as long as the spikelet, 9-nerved. Lower floret ; valve
very similar to upper glume, but slightly narrower; valvule oblong, sub-
acute, almost as long as the valve, keels minutely scaberulous ; anthers
1 lin. long. Upper floret oblong, subobtuse, 1J lin. long, whitish :
valve and valvule tough, papery, smooth or obscurely granular.

Nile Land. Uganda : Ruwenzori ; very common in open places in the forests,
5000-8000 ft., Scott Elliot, 7640! Ankole; in shady woods near Ruhanga,
8200 ft., Stuhlmann, 2143, 2331.

5. P. flacciflorum, Stapf. Annual (?), base unknown, up to 3 ft.
high (according to the collector). Culms very slender, anfractuous
and much branched up to the middle with the branches flowering,
angular, spreadingly and shortly pubescent upwards, terete, glabrous
except for some gland-tipped hairs below the panicle, and very
smooth and almost filiform, internodes short in the branched part,
much longer above. Leaf-sheaths loose, subherbaceous, strongly
striate, softly and loosely hirsute with tubercle-based hairs, the
lower and intermediate shorter to (upwards) much shorter than the

-b

CP. 1'^irCjL- ' i

/V T^A^Uj2^L^t 3 0 sffi'bj-

Panicum .]

CLVII. GRAMINE^ (Stapf).

655

internodes and pushed aside by the branches, the uppermost up to
almost 3 in. long, slightly inflated ; ligule reduced to a line of short
cilia ; blades linear-lanceolate from a rounded base, acutely
acuminate, 1J-2J in. by 3-4J lin., flat, very flaccid, green, finely
hirsute on both sides and along the margins, hairs (particularly the
marginal) tubercle-based, midrib very slender, primary lateral nerves
3 on each side, very fine, distinct below only. Panicles long-
exserted, ovate to oblong in outline, open and very loose, more or
less flaccid, 2-2 J in. by 1J in., divided to the second or third degree ;
common axis filiform, terete, with scattered gland-tipped hairs,
otherwise like all its divisions glabrous and smooth, internodes
8-5 lin. long, here and there with a much shorter one intermixed ;
primary branches capillary, spreading, flexuous, the lower about
1 in. long, very loosely divided from the base, its divisions representing
paired or upwards solitary pedicels, 1J-4J lin. long, with slightly
thickened truncate tips. Spikelets oblong, obtuse or subacute,
slightly turgid, 2 lin. long, pale green, glabrous. Glumes very
unequal, thinly membranous, slightly rough and finely nerved ;
lower very broad, truncate-obtuse, 9—11 -nerved with the nerve-
tips joined by transverse venules ; upper of the length and outline
of the spikelet, 9-nerved. Lower floret barren : valve very similar
to upper glume ; valvule as long as valve or shorter, thinly hyaline,
oblong, subacute, with softly ciliate keels and narrow flaps. Upper
floret oblong, subacute, If lin. long, whitish ; valve and valvule
papery, the valve finely 9-nerved with the nerves joined by trans-
verse venules close to the pubescent tip ; anthers over | lin. long.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Unyamwezi ; Mikinga (4° S. Lat.),
3800 ft., Grant !

6. P. maximum, Jacq. Ic. i. 2, t. 13; Collect, i. 76. Perennial,
up to over 10 ft. high, densely tufted on a short sometimes very stout
rhizome covered with the appressedly hairy remainders of cataphylls ;
innovations mostly intravaginal. Culms erect or geniculate-sub-
erect, usually stout (up to over 3 lin. in diam.), 3-4-noded, simple or
sparingly branched with the branches erect, terete or compressed
below, usually quite glabrous and smooth, more rarely more or less
hirsute and rough from the tubercular hair-bases. Leaves glabrous
or more or less softly hairy or coarsely hirsute with tubercle-based
hairs ; sheaths rather firm, the lower compressed, the others terete
and tight, more or less striate, often bearded at the mouth and usually
so at the nodes, beards silky, very variable in length and density,
rarely the nodes quite glabrous ; ligule membranous, very short,
ciliolate, usually with dense hairs from behind it ; blades linear from
an equally wide or very gradually narrowed and shortly contracted
base, long-tapering to a fine (sometimes convolute and filiform)
point, J-2 ft. by 2-9 or occasionally even 12 lin., flat, margins
scaberulous to spinulously scabrid, midrib prominent below and

656

CL VII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

[Panicum.

(of large leaves) stout, whitish and shallowly channelled above,
primary nerves up to 9 on each side, very slender and often in-
distinctly differentiated. Panicle erect or nodding, contracted or
open, from J to over 1J ft. long, glabrous or more often villosulous at
the lower nodes and motile branch bases, divided to the fourth or fifth
degree, all the divisions filiform to finely filiform or capillary, often
more or less wavy, angular and scabrid or the larger smooth down-
wards ; primary axis comparatively slender, smooth, terete and
often fluted below, scaberulous upwards ; lower primary branches
whorled, suberect or spreading (rarely by more than 30°), up to 1 ft.
long, mostly remotely divided from 1-3 in. above the base, their
lower branchlets often up to 3 in. long, flexuous and remotely divided
or like the rest rather short and contracted ; penultimate divisions
usually closely 2-3-spiculate with the lateral pedicels shorter than the
clustered spikelets, more rarely loose to very loose with the pedicels
several times longer ; all the pedicels very fine with small sub-
cupular tips. Spikelets oblong, sub obtuse to acute, somewhat
turgid, broadly rounded on the back, lj-lf or sometimes 2 lin. long,
light green or tinged with purple, glabrous or rarely more or less
densely pubescent. Glumes very dissimilar, faintly nerved ; lower
rounded or shortly acute or minutely apiculate, about one-third to
one-quarter the length of the spikelet, hyaline, 3-1 -nerved or almost
nerveless ; upper glume corresponding in shape and size to the spike-
let, membranous, 5-nerved. Lower floret $ : valve like the upper
glume, 7 -nerved ; valvule slightly shorter, oblong, obtuse. Upper
floret oblong, shortly acute, up to almost 1J lin. long, whitish ;
valve and valvule thinly crustaceous, finely transversely rugose
except on the flexures. Anthers J-f lin. long. Grain over J lin.
long. — Trin. Pan. Gen. 180, and in Mem. Acad. Petersb. 6me ser.
iii. 268 ; Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 36 ; Hook. Niger FI. 560 ; Steud. Syn.
PI. Glum. i. 72 ; Griseb. FI. Brit. West Ind. 549 ; Doell in Mart.
FI. Bras. ii. ii. 202 ; Oliv. in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxix. 171 ; Baker, FI.
Maurit. 436 ; Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. iii. 135, vi. 140 ; Martelli,
FI. Bogos. 91 ; Klatt in Jahrb. Hamb. Wissensch. Anst. ix. (1891)
120 ; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 119 ; Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 753 (mostly) ; Penzig in Att. Congr. Bot.
Genoa, 1893, 366 ; Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App.
ii. 21, 95, and Plant. Util. Eritrea, 53 ; K. Schum. in Engl.
Pfl. Ost-Afr. B. 81, C. 103 ; Franch. Contr. FI. Congo Frang.
37 ; Durand & Schinz, Etudes FI. Congo, i. 323 ; Hook. f. FI.
Brit. Ind. vii. 49, and in Trimen, Handb. FI. Ceyl. v. 153 ; Chiov. in
Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, vi. 166 ; vii. 64 ; viii. 33, 306, and inBesult.
Scient. Miss. Stefanini-Paoli, i. Bot. 226 ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap.
vii. 404, and in Kew Bulletin, 1907, 213 ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. PL
Welw. ii. 181 ; De Wild. & Durand, Contr. FI. Congo, fasc. ii. 72
(partly), and in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2me ser. i. 61 ; De Wild. Not. PL
Util. Congo, i. 63-68, 504-506, and Miss. lS. Laurent, 201 ; Wood,

/x

Panicum.']

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

657

Natal PI. tu 156 ; Th. & Hel. Durand. Syll. PL Congol. 633 ; Hitchcock
& Chase in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xv. 78 ; Lanza & Mattei, PI.
Erythr. 107 ; Cheval. Sudania, 68 ; Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot.,
lx. 224 ; Eyles in Trans. R. Soc. South Afr. v. 300, inch var. tricho-
glume. P. maximum , var. hirsutissimum , Oliv. in Trans. Linn. Soc.
xxix. Bot. 171 ; P. maximum , var. obtusissimum, Stapf in Cheval. l.c.
161, 163 (name). P. polygamum , Sw. Prodr. Ind. Occ. 24. P. Iceve,
Lam. 111. i. 172. P. jumentorum, Pers. Syn. i. 83 ; H. B. & K. Nov.
Gen. & Sp. i. 104 ; Duthie, List Grass. N.-W. Ind. 5, and Fodd. Gr.
N. Ind. 9. P. altissimum, Brousson. Elench. Hort. Monsp. 42 ; not of
Meyer. P. Irichocondylum, Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 74. P. pample-
moussense , Steud. l.c. 71. P. hirsutissimum , Steud. l.c. 72. P. tricho-
glume, K. Schum. ex Engl. Glied. Yeget. Usambara, 38 (name only).
P. Chlorochloe, K. Schum. in Engl. Jahrb. xxiv. 333. P. sp. no. 5,
Grant in Speke, Nile Journal, App. 652. P. giganteum , Mez in
Engl. l.c. xxxiv. 143.

Upper Guinea. Cape Verd Islands : St. Vincent, Milne ! S. Nicalao, Lowe,
56 ! S. Jago ; Lowe ! Portuguese Senegambia : Bolama Island, Carvalho !
Sierra Leone : without precise locality, Vogel, 128 ! Gold Coast : Dadour Plains,
Johnson, 999 ! Dahomey : Cotonou, Chevalier, 4469 ! Southern Nigeria : Lagos ;
Dalziel, 1311 ! Dawodu, 43 ! Ala, Thomas, 1972 ! Opobo, Jeffreys, 1 !
Quorra, near Attah, Vogel, 36 ! Idu, on the Engemi River, Holland, 130 !
Northern Nigeria : Lokoja, Migeod, 72 ! Dalziel, 285 ! Abinsi, Dalziel, 904 !
“ On the Niger,” Baikie ! Cameroons : near Batanga, “ the most abundant
grass in open places, excluding almost everything,” Bates, 101 ! St. Thomas
Island, 820-2100 ft., Moller, 135 ! Don !

North Central. Bagirmi : Tchekna, Chevalier, 9543 ! Arahil, Chevalier,
9625 !

Nile Land. Monbuttu Country : on the Welle, Schweinfurth, 3184 ! on the
Kussumbo River, Schweinfurth, 3174 ! Niamniam country : on the Nabambisso
River, Schweinfurth, 3702 ! Eritrea : Ghinda, 3300 ft., Schweinfurth, 213 !*
Ocule Cusai ; Decamere, 6560 ft., Pappi, 1705 ! Habab, Hildebrandt, 354 !
quoted by Penzig , Martelli, Schweinfurth, Chiovenda , Lanza and Mattei from
numerous other localities throughout the colony up to 8500 ft. ; Abyssinia :
Jaja, 4000-6500 ft., Schimper, 319 ! Tigre ; Hamedo plains, 4900 ft., Schimper,
1098 ! Southern Abyssinia : by the Dawa River, Riva ; and without precise
locality, Stordy ! British Somaliland : between Hargeisa and Berbera, Robecchi ;
Golis "Range, Drake- Brockman, 383 ! near Bohotle, Burao and Upper Sheikh,
Appleton ! Jebel Serrut, near Meid, 5250 ft., Hildebrandt, 1482 ! Italian
Somaliland : Jub Valley near Elvalda, Scasselatti & Mazzocchi, 103 ; on dunes
near Brava, Mangano, Uganda : Kipayo, 4000 ft., Dummer, 666 ! Victoria
Nyanza region, Maitland, 155 ! Usoga, Scott Elliot, 7171 ! British East
Africa : Majichumwi, Scott Elliot, 6145 !* Ukambane, 5000-6000 ft., Scott
Elliot, 6707 ! Makindu, Linton, 116 ! Siani, 300 ft., Kassner, 345 ! Nairobi,
Linton, 6 ! Miss Johnstone, 57 ! Kibose, Powell, 12 ! Dummer, 1902 !
Kisumu, Dummer, 1805 ! 1853 ! Witu, Thomas, 123 ! Rabai Hills and

Freretown near Mombasa, Taylor ! near Kau, in a saltmarsh in the Ozi River
Basin, Gregory ! Takangu, at sea-level, Battiscombe, 456 ! Mombasa to
Lamu, Grant, . 880 !

Lower Guinea. Annabon Island, Burton ! French Congo : Brazzaville,
Brazza & Thollon, 220, 221 ; Chevalier, 11216 ! Libreville, Dybowski, 188.
Belgian Congo : Lower Congo, Smith ! Burton ! Banana Div. ; Moanda,
Vanderyst. Boma Div. ; Boma, Van Houtte ; Bingila, Dupuis. Matadi Div. ;
Matadi, ft. Laurent. Cataracts Div. ; Luvituku, Demeuse ; and without precise
locality, E. Laurent. Stanley Pool Div. ; Dembo and Kisantu, Gillet ; Kutadi,

FL. TROP. AFR. VOL. IX. — PT. 4. 2 U

658 cl vii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [. Panicum _

Dupuis ; Bokala, Vanderyst, 3688 ! Kwango Div. ; Eiolo, P. Laurent. Angola :
Barra do Bengo ; in damp sandy mud near Cacuaco, Welwitsch, 7286 ! Loanda ;
Welwitsch, 7362 ! 7362 b ! Cazengo, Gossweiler, 4661 ! Golungo Alto ; edges
of woods, Welwitsch, 2990 ! Bumba district; by the Guiapoze River, Welwitsch,
7187 ! 7239 ! 7240 ! Molembas, Welwitsch, 1087 ; Pungo Andongo, Welwitsch
2863 ! Benguella ; country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas, Gossweiler ,
1672 ! among rocks in open forest, between Gambo Fort and Mission Station,
Pearson, 2443 !

South Central. Belgian Congo : Lake Leopold II. Div. ; Fini, P. Laurent.
Equator Div. ; Eala, M. Laurent ; Wangata, E. Laurent. Bangala Div. ; Upoto,
Wilwerth ; Lisha, Hens, and without precise locality, Demeuse. Aruwimi Div. ;
Basoko (collector not recorded). Kasai Div. ; Leki, P. Laurent ; Luluabourg,
Gentil. Province Orientale ; Kavala Island, Kidston, 7 !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar : in hedges, Hildebrandt, 1084 ! 1085 ! Last !
Wendland, 22 ! German East Africa : Usambara ; Buiti, Holst, 2391 ! Masheua,
Holst, 8716 !* 8798 ! and without precise locality, Buchwald, 207 ! Kilimanjaro ;
near Uschiri, Volkens, 394 ! Marangu, Volkens, 1475 ! Ushashi ; Neuwied on
Ukerewe Island in Lake Victoria Nyanza, Conradi, 106 ! Unyanyembe ; Kwale
River, Grant ! Ujiji, Gonda, Bohm, 156 ! Rovuma Bay, Kirk ! Usaramo,
Stuhlmann, 6553, 6712, 6754. Nyasaland : Chiromo, Scott Elliot, 8692 ! 8694 !
Portuguese East Africa : Msalu River, Allen, 139 !* east coast of Lake Nyasa,

J ohnson, 95 ! near Sena, Kirk ! between Shupanga and Sena, Kirk ! x Boruma,
Menyharth, 912 b !* Beira, Rogers, 4546 ! Rhodesia : Mumbwa, 15° S. 28° E.
Mrs. Macaulay, 39 ! Victoria Falls, Allen, 260!* Mrs. Cr aster, 67 ! Rogers,.
5630*! 7036. Livingstone, Rogers, 7054! Mashonaland; Salisbury, Nobhs,
617 ! 618 ! Matabeleland ; Insiza Distr., Mundy ! Bulawayo, Rogers, 8072 ;
Heany Junction, Jeffreys, 12 ; Tabaindima, Jeffreys, 32 ; Bechuanaland :
Mochudi, Rogers, 6701 !* Gazaland : Chirinda outskirts, 3700-4000 ft.,
Swynnerton, 417 b ! Ngamiland, Stigand !

Also throughout South Africa, Madagascar, the Mascarenes and in Yemen.
Introduced and widely spread in India and America. Known in Brazil as
“ Capim (grass) de Angola,'’ which name is, however, also applied to other
grasses. It is commonly cultivated in the tropics under the name “ Guinea
grass ” and has the reputation of being one of the best fodder grasses of the
tropics. Apart from the more acute or blunt tips of the spikelets and their
glabrous or pubescent condition the species is very uniform. The specimens
with pubescent spikelets have been marked with an * in the enumeration. This
state has been distributed as P. trichoglume by K. Schumann {Holst, 8716) and
noted as P. maximum, var. trichoglume by Eyles. Its incidence and distribution
hardly suggest a definite and geographically fixed variety.

7. P. infestum, Peters, Reise Mozamb. Bot. 546 (name only).
Perennial, up to over 4 ft. high, compactly tufted on a very short
rhizome with intravaginal innovations. Culms erect or geniculately
ascending, rather slender (not much over 1 lin. in diam.) 4-5-noded, .
sparingly branched with long erect branches, compressed below,
terete above, usually softly hairy below the nodes, hairs spreading
or subappressed, sometimes very long. Leaf-sheaths tight, the lower
much compressed, strongly keeled, up to over 6 in. long, the upper
terete below but keeled upwards, all finely striate or more strongly
so at the base and more or less softly hirsute to almost villous,
particularly towards the densely bearded nodes, or the uppermost
glabrous upwards, but mostly with a band of hairs or a beard at the
junction with the blade ; ligules very short, membranous, truncate,
silkily ciliate ; blades erect., linear from a long and often much
attenuated folded and keeled base, flat above the latter, tapering'

Panicum.]

GLVII. GRAMINE^S (Stapf).

659

to a long slender point, up to 1 \ ft. long, from 1 lin. wide at the folded
base to over 5 lin. at the flat middle, rather firm and flexuous, more
or less hairy like the sheaths, midrib slender, but very prominent
below from the keeled portion of the blade upwards, nerves fine and
very close, the primary laterals hardly differentiated. Panicle
6-9 in. long, of 7-10 suberect fastigiate slender spiciform branches
borne singly and at subequal or upwards shortened distances on a
common axis, 3 -4 in. long, slender, more or less terete and pubescent
or beset with long spreading hairs below, angular and scabrid
upwards ; branches 3-5 in. long, the uppermost or at least some of
them quite as long as the rest, filiform, upwards triquetrous, scabrid,
bearing from the villosulous or pubescent base, or a short distance
above it, 3-2-spiculate clusters or short racemes of spikelets, usually
distant by less than their own length, the nodes usually with some
long fine spreading white hairs ; pedicels subcapillary, scaberulous,
often with long spreading hairs from below the minutely cupular
tips, those of a cluster very unequal, the longest rarely much over
1 lin. long. Spikelets oblong, acutely or mucronate-apiculate,
from not quite 1J to over If lin. long, green or slightly tinged with
purple, with usually black-purple tips, glabrous. Glumes very
dissimilar, lower broad-ovate, subacute, about the length of the
spikelet, subhyaline, faintly 3-nerved ; upper corresponding in size
and outline to the broad back, convex, membranous, faintly
5-nerved. Lower floret : valve very like the upper glume, but
the back depressed along the midnerve ; valvule oblong, acute,
flaps much widened downwards ; anthers § lin. long. Upper floret

oblong, obtuse, about 1-1 J lin. long, whitish ; valve and valvule
thinly crustaceous, finely transversely rugose. — Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 751. P. lasiocoleum, K. Schum. ex Engl. Glied.
Yeget. Usambara, 14, 23, 35 (name only).

Nile Land. British East Africa : Tanaland, Linton , 209 !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar, Stuhlmann ! German East Africa : Usambara ;
savannas near Tanga, Sacleux, 2000 ! Duga Bush, Holst, 3206 ! Portuguese
East Africa : Mozambique ; in moist sand on the Querimba coast, Peters !

8. F. trichocladum, Hack, ex Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Prop. Afr. 119
(name) ; K. Schum. in. Engl. Pjl. Ost-Afr. C. 103. Perennial,
rambling or climbing up to 8 ft. Culms slender, many-noded,
branched, particularly from the prostrate much geniculate and
sometimes rooting bases, terete or the lowest compressed, glabrous
or sometimes finely pubescent or softly and spreadingly hirsute
below the nodes, the older internodes often completely bared.
Leaf-sheaths rather firm, terete, the lower frequently slipping off the
culms or breaking away, the upper tight, all usually quite glabrous
and smooth except at the mouth, rarely softly pubescent all over,
beardless at the nodes ; ligules reduced to a narrow membranous
ciliolate rim ; blades almost horizontally spreading, linear-lanceolate

660

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Btapf).

[ Panicum .

from a suddenly contracted and rounded base, tapering to a long
fine point, 1J-6 in. by 3-7 lin., thin, flat, green, more or less softly
and shortly hairy, sometimes almost velvety, rarely quite glabrous,
midrib very slender, whitish ; primary lateral nerves 3-4 on each side,
usually inconspicuous, margins scabrid to minutely spinulose, some-
times crisped. Panicle soon expanding and then usually permanently
open and extremely loose, broad-oblong to ovate in outline, 2-6 in.
by 2-3 in., divided to the second or third or low down to the fourth
degree, all the divisions sub capillary to capillary, flexuous or wavy,
finely scaberulous, like the very slender primary axis more or less
beset with long fine spreading white hairs, or at least the principal
towards their bases and the pedicels below their tips, hairs of the
axis usually tubercle-based, primary branches solitary or irregularly
approximate, the lower mostly divided from 3-4 lin. (rarely up to
1 in.) above the base ; pedicels very slightly thickened upwards,
frequently paired, those of a pair very unequal, the shorter from
\ (rarely) to 3 lin., the longer up to 8 lin. long. Spikelets oblong,
obtuse, somewhat turgid, 1J to over 1J lin., pale green or flushed with
purple, glabrous. Glumes very dissimilar, faintly nerved ; lower very
small, rounded, very obtuse, one-seventh to one-fifth (rarely one-third)
the length of the lower floret, hyaline, nerveless ; upper corresponding
in size and shape to the spikelet, membranous, broadly rounded on the
back, 5-nerved. Lower floret $ : valve very like the upper glume,
5-6-nerved ; valvule almost as long, oblong, subacute, with broad
flaps throughout ; anthers almost 1 lin. long. Upper floret <8,
oblong, acute, almost as long as the lower, whitish, smooth, slightly
glossy ; valve and valvule thinly crustaceous. — Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 766. P. trachycladum (sphalm.), K. Schum. in
Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. A. 108.

Nile Land. Uganda : Ruwenzori ; Kabamaga, Scott Elliot, 7591 ! Entebbe,
Fyffe, 17 ! edge of swamps, Kipayo, 4000 ft., Bummer , 2417 ! and without
precise locality (Damia ?) Scott Elliot, 7131 ! British East Africa : Aberdare
Range, Dowson, 78 ! Rabai Hills, Taylor ! Ngatama, Taha plains, Gregory !
in sandy plains in the Sabaki Valley, Gregory !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar : rambling in shrubs, Hildebrandt, 1088 !
Kirk ! Last ! German East Africa : Tanga District ; Amboni, Holst, 2680 !
Ukinga ; Kyimbali, Stolz, 1176! Nyasaland : Msalu, Allen, 117! Portuguese
East Africa : Zambesi Delta ; “ forming high masses resting on shrubs ” on
the sea coast near Luamo, Kirk ! right bank of Luabo, Kirk, 35 !

9. P. transvenulosum, Stapf. Evidently perennial. Culms
geniculate, terete, smooth, glabrous, more than 6-noded, branched
from the lower and intermediate nodes, branches obliquely erect
or almost in continuation of the preceding internode, pushing the
main culm aside. Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, glabrous except along
the ciliolate or pubescent margins, shorter than the internodes,
strongly striate ; ligule a ciliolate rim ; blades linear-lanceolate
from a slightly rounded base, long and finely acuminate, 3-4 in. by
4-7 lin., spreading, green, rather thickly herbaceous, sparingly and

;

.

«•

!& =- (P.

Panicum .] clvii. gramineje (Stapf). 661

minutely hairy or almost glabrous, margins finely cartilaginous and
scaberulous, midrib very slender, whitish, primary lateral nerves
between them, these connected by numerous fine transverse veins,
visible in transmitted light or sometimes owing to their being raised
in the dried plant. Panicles partly enclosed (permanently ?) in the
uppermost sheath, 4-5 in. long, divided to the third or fourth degree ;
common axis slender, like all its divisions angular and scaberulous
or scabrid except downwards, lowest and intermediate internodes
up to 1 in. long ; primary branches solitary, sub erect, filiform,
flexuous or wavy, suberect, loosely divided from the base, its branch-
lets more or less appressed, 1-1J in. long, bearing 5-2 spikelets ;
pedicels J-2 lin. long, tips minutely discoid. Spikelets ovate-
lanceolate, acute, 1J-1J lin. long, green or variously tinged with
purple, quite glabrous. Glumes very unequal ; lower more or less
hyaline, rounded, obtuse or subacute, finely 1 -nerved or nerveless,
about one-third the length of the spikelet ; upper of the size and
outline of the spikelet with the tip involute upwards and thereby
apparently acutely acuminate, membranous, 5-nerved, nerves
prominent upwards, the outer joining the inner side-nerves below
the tip. Lower floret : valve very similar to the upper glume if
not slightly shorter and narrower ; valvule oblong, obtuse, almost
as long as the valve ; anthers f lin. long (mature ?). Upper floret fcjj,
oblong, acute, 1J lin. long, whitish, polished ; valve and valvule
tough, papery to subcoriaceous ; anthers almost 1 lin. long.

Nile Land. Uganda : Mau forest, 8000 ft., Scott Elliot , 6922 !

10. P. spongiosum, Staff. Perennial, up to 3 ft. high, from a
short rhizome. Culms erect, stout (up to 3 lin. diam.) and very
spongy up to beyond the middle, then slender, terete, very smooth
and glabrous, prominently striate, simple, about 7-noded, nodes
enclosed or shortly exserted. Leaf-sheaths loose, terete, striate,
somewhat spongy, the lowest appressedly hairy all over, one or two
of the following hairy at the nodes only, otherwise like the upper
quite glabrous and smooth, the basal finally decaying ; ligule a very
narrow densely ciliolate rim ; blades very narrow, linear, very
gradually tapering from the base, which is as wide as or narrower
(lower leaves) than the mouth of the sheath, to a blunt tip, up to 1 ft.
long by 1J lin., more or less convolute, more or less spongy, par-
ticularly towards the base, glabrous, smooth, midrib rather wide
but slightly raised below and very distinct, lateral nerves fine and
close above, a few of them more or less differentiated below as
primary nerves. Panicles enclosed with their base in the uppermost
sheath, oblong, over 3 in. long, divided to the third degree ; common
axis slender, angular, filiform upwards, like all its divisions quite
smooth and glabrous ; internodes 5-8 lin. long with a few which are
much shorter intermixed ; primary branches finely filiform, solitary,
very loosely divided from the base (or the lowest entire up to 9 or

662

CLVII. GRAMINE^J (S’tapf).

[ Panicum .

10 lin.), longest 2-1J in. long; secondary branches capillary, the
lower 10-5 lin. long, bearing 4-2 approximate spikelets from the
middle; pedicels \ to (the terminal) 2 lin. long, tips slightly thickened.
Spikelets oblong, obtuse or subobtuse, subterete and somewhat turgid,
1J lin. long, green, glabrous. Glumes very unequal, very thinly
membranous ; lower ovate, obtuse, faintly 1 -nerved, up to one-third
of the spikelet ; upper of the length and outline of the spikelet, very
finely 7-nerved. Lower floret £ : valve similar to the upper glume,
9-nerved ; valvule slightly shorter, oblong, acute ; anthers f lin.
long. Upper floret §, oblong, subacute, over 2J lin. long, whitish,
polished ; valve and valvule thinly subcoriaceous, the former
pubescent at the tips.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. (?) ; Bugumu, Vanderyst ,
43221 ' —

11. P. brazzavillense, Franch. Contrib. FI. Congo Frang. 33 (in
Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 341). Perennial, 9-12 in. high,
compactly tufted with extravaginal innovations ; cataphylls firm,
pale, glabrous, very smooth. Culms erect, very slender, terete,
simple, 1-2-noded with the (upper) node at or below the middle,
glabrous. Leaves crowded at the base ; sheaths terete, tight, firm,
minutely auricled, quite glabrous and smooth, prominently striated,
the basal 1-1J in. long, long-persistent and coating the culms and
innovations ; ligule reduced to a ciliolate rim ; blades of the basal
leaves setaceous, slightly blunt, terete or laterally somewhat com-
pressed, deeply channelled, 5-8 lin. by up to over J lin. across, of the
culm-leaves much shorter (down to less than 1 in.), rigid or sub-
flexuous, wiry, glabrous, smooth except along the margins, midrib
and lateral nerves quite obscure outside. Panicle contracted or more
or less open, up to 1J in. by 4-10 lin., divided to the third degree ;
common axis filiform, terete or subterete, smooth, lowest internodes
up to \ in. long ; lower primary branches usually divided from the
base or close to it, forming scanty imperfect false whorls, the longest
equalling three-quarters of the panicle, subcapillary, smooth ;
ultimate divisions finely capillary, flexuous ; pedicels 1-2 lin. long,
tips minutely discoid. Spikelets broad- elliptic in outline, acute to
subacute or apiculate, about f lin. long, pale green, here and there
with a bronzy metallic lustre or dark violet, glabrous. Glumes
thinly membranous, very concave, finely and somewhat prominently
nerved, broad-oblong in profile, shortly acute or apiculate, the lower
three-quarters the length of the lower floret, 3-nerved, the upper as
long as or almost as long as the lower floret, 5-nerved. Lower
floret ; valve very similar to the upper glume ; valvule slightly
shorter, acute, keels almost quite smooth ; anthers § lin. long.
Upper floret g, ovate in outline, acute or subacute,- k lin. by 4 lin.
or slightly larger ; valve and valvule thinly papery, whitish, smooth
or very sparingly and minutely verrucose ; anthers — lin. long. —

/ 7- “h(j?, . (fL

Y&-*

O^—'CAu^v

ivt + i .

Panicum.']

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

663

Isachne filifolia , branch. Contr. FI. Congo Fran9. 32 (in Mem. Soc.
Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 340).

Lower Guinea. Gaboon : plains of Denys, Griffon du Bellay , 265 ! Corisco
tsland, in meadows, Mann, 1890 ! French Congo : Brazzaville, Thollon, 876 !

12. P. ianthum, Staff. Perennial, in small tnfts, not much over
1 ft. high, innovations extravaginal. Culms erect, terete, glabrous,
slender, simple, 2-noded, intermediate and upper nodes long-exserted.
Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, smooth and glabrous, dull purple, the
basal at length somewhat loosened and more or less persistent ;
ligule a narrow ciliate rim ; blades setaceously convolute from an
equally wide base, tips slightly blunt, 2-4 in. long, up to J lin. across,
flattened out almost 1 lin. wide, rigid, almost wiry, smooth, glabrous
below, loosely and long-hairy above, particularly downwards, finely
and closely nerved, midrib and primary nerves hardly differentiated.
Panicle erect, narrow, oblong, J-3 in. long, rather loose, divided to
the third or fourth degree, vividly tinged with violet ; common axis
slender, terete, smooth, lowest internodes J-f in. long; lower
primary branches usually divided from the base (rarely undivided
tor some distance), forming very unequal fascicles or imperfect false
whorls, finely filiform, smooth, longest two-thirds to three-quarters
the length of the panicle ; ultimate divisions capillary, wavy, quite
smooth ; pedicels 1 to over 2 lin. long. Spikelets rotundate-elliptic
in outline, f lin. long, dark violet, somewhat turgid, spreadingly and
loosely pubescent. Glumes subequal, membranous, semi-elliptic
in profile, obtuse or subacute, slightly shorter than the spikelet, the
lower with 3, the upper with 5 fine slightly prominent nerves. Lower
floret g ; valve very similar to the upper glume, if not thinner and
more faintly nerved, pale violet or greenish, very sparingly hairy ;
valvule slightly shorter, keel slightly rough ; anthers f lin. long.
Upper floret ovate in outline, subacute, J lin. long ; valve and valvule
thinly papery, pale violet, very sparingly and minutely verrucose ;
warts spindle-shaped. — P. Frederici , var. minor, Eendle in Cat. Afr.
PI. Welw. ii. 181.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Huilla, in damp pastures, Welwitsch , 2671 !

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia : M’rewa, near water, Appleton, 6 !

13. P. Frederici, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 180 (excl. var.).
Perennial (base unknown). Culms erect, probably rather tall,
slender, terete, smooth, glabrous, uppermost 2 internodes 6-4 in.
long, the uppermost hardly exserted during flowering. Leaf-
sheaths terete or subcarinate upwards, tight, firm, slightly auriculate,
glabrous, smooth, striate ; ligule a membranous ciliolate rim about
| lin. high, laterally adnate to the auricles ; blades setaceously
convolute with a sharp point, downwards slightly laterally com-
pressed and obscurely keeled, the upper 5-3J in. long, J lin. across at
the middle, up to J lin. at the base, erect, rigid and very firm, glabrous
<and smooth on the back, loosely hairy on the face, here finely and

664 clvii. gramineje (Stapf). [. Panicum .

closely nerved, much more coarsely so on the underside, with the
midrib slightly prominent towards the base, nerves indistinctly
or not at all differentiated into primary and secondary. Panicle
erect, narrow, open or more or less contracted, 6-8 in. long, floribund,
divided to the fourth degree ; common axis somewhat slender, terete,
striate, smooth, lowest internodes up to almost 1 in. long ; lower
primary branches divided from the base, forming more or less im-
perfect false whorls, the longest less than half the length of the
panicle, suberect or obliquely spreading, finely filiform, striate,
smooth or almost so, divided again usually from low down with the
lower secondary branches up to over 1 in. long ; ultimate divisions
capillary, upwards rather short, contracted ; pedicels unequal,
1-3 lin. long, tips minutely discoid. Spikelets broad-elliptic, minutely
apiculate, f-J lin. long, brownish-green, dull or here and there with
a' metallic lustre, pubescent. Glumes membranous, about equal
and as long as or very slightly shorter than the upper floret, very
shortly acuminate, at least the upper, very finely and more or less
prominently nerved, lower 3-5-nerved, upper 5-nerved. Lower
floret : valve very similar to the upper glume, but glabrous ;
valvule almost as long, acute with broad flaps and finely scaberulous
keels ; anthers f lin. long. Upper floret elliptic-oblong, acute,

§ lin. by J lin., whitish ; valve and valvule thinly papery, smooth
except for a few very minute acute warts in the upper part ; anthers
slightly shorter than in the floret.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Kwango District ; Mukulu, Vanderyst ,
3185 (or 3186 ?) ! Angola : Pungo Andongo ; in damp meadows between Condo
and Guisonde, Welwitsch, 7410 ! between Pungo Andongo and Cambambe,
Welwitsch, 7422 ! Quibinda, Welwitsch, 7432 ! and without precise localities,
Welwitsch, 2860 ! 2872 ! 2874 ! Huilla ; damp pastures, Welwitsch, 2671 !

14. P. juncifolium, Stapf. Perennial, caespitose, up to over 2 ft.
high, with extravaginal innovations rising close to the mother culm,
cataphylls quite glabrous. Culms erect, slender, simple, terete,
1-noded, node faint, below the middle, glabrous and very smooth.
Leaf-sheaths tight, firm, glabrous and smooth, striate, the bases of
the lowest persistent ; ligule obscure, reduced to a transverse line ;
blades j unciform, very firm and rigid, erect, tapering to an acute
point, deeply channelled with the margins touching, J to almost
J lin. across, or flattened out upwards and then up to over 1 lin. wide,
rarely flat all along, the basal up to over 1 ft. long, the cauline con-
siderably shorter, glabrous, the upper (inner) side with about 1 or 2
very prominent primary lateral nerves on each side of the similar
midrib, the lower side quite smooth. Panicle erect, oblong, open,
but with the spikelets somewhat crowded along the branches, 5-8 in.
by 1J-4 in., divided to the third or fourth degree ; common axis slender y
terete, very smooth, lowest inter nodes 1-2 in. long ; lower primary
branches solitary, usually divided from the base, occasionally forming
very unequal false whorls, the longest over half the length of the

I

Panicum. j clvii. gramine.® (Stapf). 665

panicle, obliquely spreading or more erect, flexuous or somewhat
stiff, filiform, quite terete and smooth, divided again from low down,
with the ultimate divisions rather contracted and capillary ; the
rather short pedicels slightly unequal and mostly 1-1 J lin. long, their
tips discoid. Spikelets elliptic-oblong, subacute, about 1 lin. long,
olive- or brownish-green, here and there with a faint metallic lustre,
quite glabrous. Glumes membranous, finely and here and there
prominently nerved, subobtuse, the lower narrower in profile, three-
quarters the length of the spikelet or only slightly shorter than the
spikelet, 3-nerved, upper much broader, deeply concave, 5-nerved.
Lower floret g : valve very similar to the upper glume ; valvule
slightly shorter, keels faintly scaberulous ; anthers § lin. long.
Upper floret oblong, subacute, § lin. by J lin., whitish ; valve and
valvule very thinly papery, quite smooth or with a few extremely
minute warts ; anthers slightly smaller than in the g floret. —
P. strictissimum, Eendle in Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 180 (partly) ; not
of Afz. ex Sw.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. ; Kimuenza, Gillet,
1667 ! 1743 ! Angola: country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas, Gossweiler,
4098 ! and without precise locality, Welwitsch, 2870 !

15. P. carinifolium, Stapf. Perennial from a short premorse
rhizome, 4-5 ft. high, with intravaginal innovations. Culms erect,
straight and stiff, simple, terete, somewhat robust, about 6-noded,
only the upper internodes exserted from the sheaths. Leaf-sheaths
tight or at length involute upwards and slipping from the culm,
terete, firm, glabrous except along the upper ciliate margins, striate ;
ligule reduced to a rim or transverse line ; blades linear, the lower
from a very long and gradually attenuated, the upper from an equally
wide base, tapering upwards to a long fine point, up to over 1 ft. long
and 3 lin. wide, suberect, rather rigid, the lower flat above the attenu-
ated base which is more or less channelled and with narrow and
upwards often recurved margins, quite glabrous, smooth except
along the scabrid margins, midrib prominent below and rather stout
in the lower leaves, primary lateral nerves indistinctly differentiated
below, obscure like all the nerves above. Panicle oblong to ovate-
or lanceolate-oblong in outline, stiffly erect, 4-5 in. by 1-2 in., moder-
ately open and loose, divided to the third or fourth degree ; common
axis slender, terete or subangular, smooth, lowest internodes J to
over 1 in. long ; lower primary branches solitary, divided some
distance from or at the base, in the latter case sometimes forming very
unequal false whorls, the longest rarely more than half the length
of the panicle, filiform, scaberulous, rather stiff and obliquely erect :
secondary branchlets divided from the base with their basal divisions
crowded in fascicles ; ultimate divisions capillary, rather short and
somewhat contracted ; pedicels unequal, 2 lin. long, smooth
upwards, tips discoid. Spikelets very broadly elliptic to rotundate
in outline, obtuse, somewhat turgid, slightly over f lin. long, pale

666 clvii. gramineje (Stapf). [. Panicum .

brownish-green, quite glabrous, almost dull. Glumes membranous,
finely but somewhat prominently nerved, very concave, obtuse,
the lower narrow in profile, two-thirds to three-quarters the length
of the spikelet, 3-nerved, upper equalling the spikelet, very broad
in profile and very convex on the back, 5-nerved. Lower floret g :
valve very similar to the upper glume but narrower in profile with a
less curved back ; valvule very slightly shorter. Upper floret
elliptic in outline, obtuse, not quite § lin. by J lin., whitish ; valve
and valvule thinly papfery, very minutely verrucose, warts pointed ;
anthers almost J lin. long.

Nile Land. Jur: Ghatta’s Great Seriba, Schweinfurth, 2288 !

16. P. strictissimum, Afz. ex Sw. Adnot. Bot. 4. Perennial, 1-4 ft.
high, in slender scanty tufts. Culms erect, hardly geniculate,
slender to moderately stout, sparingly branched, many-noded,
sheathed almost all along or the upper internodes at length exserted,
glabrous. Leaf-sheaths terete, rather tight, quite glabrous, smooth,
prominently striate ; ligule reduced to an obscure ciliolate rim ;
blades linear from a shortly rounded and constricted base, tapering
to a slender acute point, 4-6 in. (according to Swartz up to over 1 \ ft.)
by 3 lin., stiffly erect or suberect, flat, glabrous or with a few scattered
very long white hairs towards the base, smooth below, rough above
and along the margins, midrib rather conspicuous downwards on the
back, otherwise very slender, lateral nerves numerous, slender and
close. Panicle permanently enclosed at the base in the uppermost
sheath or at length shortly exserted, erect, oblong-obovate to obovate
in outline, more or less open in flower, then contracted, 3 to over 6 in.
long, divided to the third or sometimes fourth degree ; common axis
slender, terete or angular, smooth or more or less rough upwards,
lowest internodes about" 1 in. long ; lower primary branches solitary,
undivided for up to 1 in., the following divided from the base, the
longest more than three-quarters the length of the panicle, finely
filiform or somewhat stouter and flattened towards the base, scaberu-
lous, ultimate divisions capillary, more or less wavy ; pedicels
capillary with minute discoid tips, the lateral from \ up to 1J lin.
long, the terminal rarely over 3 lin. long. Spikelets plump, rotun-
date-elliptic in outline, shortly more or less obtuse, about J lin. long,
pale olive-green, usually dull, glabrous or sparingly hairy. Glumes
membranous, very concave, broad-elliptic in outline, subacute in
profile, subequal (the lower very slightly shorter) with the nerves
usually not prominent, lower 3-, upper 5-nerved. Lower floret $ :
valve very like the upper glume, 5-nerved ; valvule slightly shorter ;
anthers f lin. long. Upper floret elliptic in outline, acute, pale,
§ lin. long ; valve and valvule thin, papery, sparingly verrucose,
warts formed of ovoid acute hairs.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Mabum, Thomas , 1540 ! 1571 ! 1631 ! and
without precise locality, Afzelius !

Panicum.]

CLYII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

667

17. P. praBaltum, Afz. ex Sw. Adnot. Bot.5. Perennial, 1 to over
4 ft. high, in slender scanty tufts with intravaginal innovations.
Culms erect, rarely slightly geniculate, slender to robust, terete,
simple or more often sparingly branched with erect branches, many-
noded, internodes enclosed or shortly or the uppermost very long
exserted, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths terete or the longest upwards
compressed and slightly keeled, rather tight, quite glabrous or
ciliate upwards, rarely slightly pubescent towards the junction with
the blade ; ligule reduced to a membranous often obscure rim,
ciliolate or more rarely ciliate ; blades linear from a slightly attenu-
ated base, tapering to an acute point, 4-10 in. by 1J-4 (rarely 4J)
lin., flat, rather rigid and usually suberect, quite glabrous or hairy
towards the ligule, very rarely higher up, smooth below, more or less
rough above and along the margins, midrib whitish, slender but
conspicuous below, lateral nerves numerous, close, scarcely differ-
entiated above. Panicle erect, oblong to broad-ovoid, widely open
in flower or more or less contracted, 4-6 in. long, 1J-6 in. wide,
divided to the third or sometimes fourth degree ; common axis slender,
terete or somewhat angular, smooth or more or less rough higher up,
lowest internodes 1J-1 in. long ; lower primary branches solitary
or in scanty false whorls, if solitary then undivided only for a short
distance, the following divided from the base, forming very unequal
false whorls, the longest usually more than half the length of the
panicle, finely filiform, scaberulous or upwards almost smooth,
ultimate divisions subcapillary, more or less wavy ; pedicels very
unequal, the lateral from J to over 1 lin. long, the terminal to 3 lin.
long, with minute discoid tips. Spikelets plump, rotundate- ovate
or rotundate- elliptic in outline, shortly acute to subobtuse, 1 to
slightly over 1 lin. long, pale green or slightly tinged with brown or
purple with a metallic yellow lustre, glabrous, rarely sparingly
puberulous. Glumes membranous, very concave, distinctly and
often prominently nerved, broad-elliptic in outline, subacute to
obtuse, the lower two-thirds to four-fifths the length of the spikelet,
3-nerved, the upper more or less equalling the spikelet, 5-nerved.
Lower floret : valve very like the upper glume, 5-nerved ; valvule
slightly shorter ; anthers § lin. long. Upper floret t>, elliptic in
outline, acute, pale, f lin. long ; valve and valvule thinly papery,
sparingly verrucose, warts formed of ovoid acute hairs ; anthers
i lin. long ; mature grain unknown. — Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI.
Afr. v. 768. P. Baumannii, K. Schum. in Engl. Jahrb. xxiv. 331.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Mabum, Thomas, 1669 ! Binkolo, 570 ft.,
Thomas, 1878! Yabaya, 1200 ft., Thomas, 2284! and without precise locality,
Afzelius ! French Guinea : Fouta Jallon ; Kouria, Caille (Herb. Chevalier,
19010) ! between Kouria and Trebeleva, Chevalier, 18229 ! Togo, Baumann,
354! Northern Nigeria : Lokoja, Macleod, 17 !

18. P. subrepandum, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 178.
Perennial, over 2 ft. high. Culms suberect or geniculately ascending,

668

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

slender, branched from the lowest and sometimes one or the other
of the upper nodes, terete, glabrous, about 5-noded, lower internodes
shortly, upper long-exserted. Leaf-sheaths terete, frequently rather
loose, quite glabrous except along the ciliolate upper margins, very
smooth, prominently striate ; ligule a ciliolate transverse rim ; blades
narrowly linear from an equally wide base, tapering to a fine blunt
point, 3-7 in. by lj-2 lin., flat or more often tightly convolute, rather
rigid and firm, quite glabrous and smooth except on the scaberulous
margins and sometimes the upper side, midrib very slender, more or
less prominent below, lateral nerves numerous, close, hardly differ-
entiated. Panicles erect and open, and rhomboidal or ovate in
outline, or slightly nodding and subsecund, very long-exserted,
3-d in. by f-2 in., divided up to the third degree ; common axis very
slender, terete, smooth, finely striate, lowest internodes f-1 lin. long
lower primary branches mostly solitary and undivided for 4-10 lin.
from the base or sometimes divided at the base and 2-nate, the lowest
internode but one usually 6-3 lin. long, the following much shorter,
longest branches about half the length of the panicle-, all finely
filiform like all the other divisions, often coloured and very slightly
scaberulous or smooth ; ultimate divisions subcapillary, short,
rather contracted ; pedicels unequal, J-1J lin. long, tips discoid.
Spikelets plump, subglobose, obtuse or subacute, over 1 to 1J lin.
long, pale green or straw-coloured, slightly variegated with purple
(particularly at the tips and edges of the glumes) here and there with
a metallic lustre. Glumes membranous, very concave, minutely
acute, prominently nerved, the lower two-thirds the length of the
spikelet, 3-nerved, the upper as long as the spikelet, 5-nerved. Lower
floret ; valve very like the upper glume ; valvule slightly shorter,
keels almost smooth. Upper floret ob ovate- elliptic in outline,

subacute, f-1 lin. by f lin. ; valve and valvule thinly papery,
faintly purplish or whitish, verrucose, warts more or less depressed,
globular.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Huilla ; in bnsh near Monino, W dwitsch, 2686 !

Mozambique Distr. North Rhodesia: near Mumbwa (15° S., 28° E.), Mrs.
Macaulay, 40 ! Umtali, Sawer, 14 !

19 P. fulgens, Stapf. Perennial, up to 2 ft. high, forming large
easily disintegrating tufts ; innovation-buds small, compressed,
ovate in outline with short acute glabrous cataphylls. Culms erect
or more or less geniculately ascending, simple or branched below,
very slender, wiry below, rooting from the lowest nodes, terete,
glabrous, many-noded, nodes exserted (except sometimes the lower).
Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, quite glabrous and smooth or ciliate
towards the mouth, finely and prominently striate ; ligule reduced
to a narrow membranous ciliolate rim ; blades narrowly linear from
an equally wide base, long-attenuated to a sharp point, 2-5 in. by
1-1 \ lin., suberect, somewhat rigid, flat or more or less involute.

if* (P

y£^skj!s£o

n^L^-ut ^y

Panicum.] clvii. gramine^i (Stapf). 669

green, quite glabrous except for some long hairs behind the ligule or
more or less loosely hairy above or on both sides, midrib very
slender, lateral nerves numerous, close, not differentiated, margins
smooth or nearly so. Panicle erect, ultimately long-exserted from
the uppermost sheath, loose and open, 2J-5 in. by 1-1 J in. or more or
less contracted, divided to the third or fourth degree ; common axis
terete, slender, smooth, lowest internodes J-f in. long or irregularly
longer and shorter ; lowest primary branches divided from the base
(sometimes the lowest branchlets arrested), forming very unequal
fascicles or false whorls, like the following obliquely erect, the
longest up to half the length of the panicle, finely filiform, slightly
rough or almost smooth ; ultimate divisions subcapillary, rather
contracted ; pedicels usually moderately unequal, the lateral J-1J
lin., the terminal 2 (sometimes 3) lin. long, tips minutely discoid.
Spikelets very turgid, ovate- or elliptic-rotundate in outline, obtuse,
| to almost 1 lin. long, pale olive-green with a very marked bronzy
lustre, quite glabrous. Glumes thinly membranous, very concave,
obtuse, unequal, the lower narrow, half to three-quarters the length
of the spikelet, faintly 3-nerved, the upper much broader, semi-
elliptic in profile, as long as the spikelet, finely and prominently
5-nerved. Lower floret : valve very similar to the upper glume ;
valvule slightly shorter ; anthers up to f lin. long. Upper floret fcjf,
elliptic in outline, subacute, \ lin. long ; valve and valvules thinly
papery, minutely verrucose, whitish ; anthers § lin. long.

Upper Guinea.. Southern Nigeria : Lagos, by water, MacGregor. 166 !

Nile Land. Uganda : hillsides near Kipayo, 4000 ft., Bummer, 593 ! Horma
Road, Fyjfe, 159 ! and without precise locality, Maitland, 48, Alt]

Lower Guinea. French Congo : dry land near Niouwana, Lecomte, C. 23 !
Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. ; Kisantu, Gillet, 478 ! . 659 !

23. P. nervatumA Staff. Perennial, about 2 ft. high, scantily
tufted. Culms erect from a geniculately ascending base, very slender,
simple, 5-8-noded, with the lower nodes shortly and the upper long-
exserted, smooth and glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, quite
glabrous, rather thin, prominently striate ; ligule a membranous
ciliolate rim, up to J lin. high ; blades linear from an equally wide
base, long-tapering to a slender point, 2-3 in. by 1-1 J lin., flat,
flaccid, spreading, quite glabrous or delicately and very sparingly
hairy below, more or less rough on the upper face and margins,
midrib very slender, whitish below, lateral primary nerves 2 or 3
on each side, differentiated only below. Panicle at length long-
exserted, narrow or more or less effuse, 3-5 in. long, somewhat
sparingly and very loosely divided up to the third degree ; common
axis filiform, striate, smooth, lower internodes f-| in. long ; lower
primary branches usually with a long fine branchlet from the base
or near it, then bare for 1-J in., then more closely divided, finely
filiform, usually almost smooth, rarely rough : ultimate divisions
scanty, capillary, flexuous ; pedicels unequal, 1-3 lin. long, with

670

CLVII. GRAMINEjE (Stapf) .

[. Panicum .

very minute subdiscoid tips. Spikelets elliptic, rotundate in outline,,
often minutely apiculate, § lin. long, pale dull green or faintly tinted
with brown, pubescent. Glumes thinly membranous, very finely
and more or less prominently nerved, equal or subequal and almost
as long as the lower floret, minutely apiculate, the lower 3-nerved,
the upper 5-nerved, hairs of the latter tubercle-based. Lower
floret (J ; valve very like the upper glume, but quite glabrous ;
valvule slightly shorter with scaberulous keels ; anthers f lin. long.
Upper floret broad-elliptic in outline, subacute, over J lin. by
almost f lin. ; valve and valvule thinly papery, brownish- white,
minutely verrucose all over ; anthers slightly smaller than in the
floret. — Isachne nervata, Franch. Contrib. FI. Congo Fran9. 32 (in
Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 331).

Lower Guinea. French Congo : plains of M’pila near Brazzaville. Thollon ,
390 ! Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. ; Dima, Vanderyst, 5106 ! Wombali,
Vanderyst, 4482 !

21. P. pubiglume, Stapf in Cheval. Sudania, 17 (name). Perennial
(according to Barter), up to 4 ft. high. Culms erect or ascending,
much branched below, with the branches in erect fascicles, slender,
glabrous, many-noded, lower nodes not or only shortly exserted.
Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, quite glabrous and smooth or ciliolate
towards the mouth, prominently striate ; ligule reduced to a narrow
membranous ciliolate rim ; blades linear from an equally wide base,
long-attenuated to a long subulate point, 2-4 in. by 1-1 J lin.,
suberect, rigid, flat or more or less involute, green, glabrous below,
loosely hairy above, at least downwards, midrib very slender, lateral
primary nerves 2-3 on each side, margins rough. Panicle erect,
somewhat stiff, more or less exserted from the uppermost sheath,
2J-6 in. by 1-2 in., loose, divided to the third or fourth degree ; com-
mon axis slender, terete, smooth ; lowest internodes 1— J (rarely 1 J) in.
long ; lowest primary branches divided from or near the base
forming very unequal false whorls, like the following obliquely erect
and stiff, equalling half or three-quarters the length of the panicle,
finely filiform, smooth or here and there slightly rough ; ultimate
divisions finely capillary, more or less wavy, usually quite smooth,
obliquely spreading ; pedicels unequal, the lateral up to 1 lin.,
the terminal up to 2J lin. long, tips minutely discoid. Spikelets
rotundate-obovate or suborbicular in outline, -J to almost f lin. long,
somewhat turgid, pale green or faintly tinged with brown, more or
less dull. Glumes thinly membranous, obliquely ovate-oblong in
profile, subacute to obtuse, loosely pubescent, distinctly and finely
nerved, the lower four-fifths the length of the spikelet and 3-nerved, the
upper equalling the spikelet, and 5-nerved. Lower floret ; valve
very like the upper glume, but glabrous ; valvule slightly shorter ;
anthers \ lin. long. Upper floret elliptic in outline, subobtuse,

\ lin. long ; valve and valvule thinly papery, whitish or ultimately

Panicum .]

CLVII. GrRAMINEiE (Stapf).

671

pale brown, very minutely and sparingly verrucose at least upwards ;
anthers slightly smaller than in the g floret.

Upper Guinea. French Sudan : Sikasso, Chevalier, 805 ! Northern Nigeria :
Nupe, in swamps, Rafter. 1013 ! in bush near Abinsi, Dalziel, 899 ! Baro,
Parsons, 13 ! Lokoja, Richardson !

22. P. plagianthum, Stapf. Perennial, up to 2 ft. high ; innova-
tions intra vaginal. Culms geniculately ascending from a branched
prostrate rooting base, or suberect, very slender, rather wiry below,
many-noded, nodes exserted, quite glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tight,
terete, quite glabrous except for the upwards ciliate margins, the
basal more or less decaying and leaving the wiry internodes bare ;
ligule reduced to a very narrow membranous ciliolate rim ; blades
narrowly linear from an equally wide base, very gradually tapering
to an acute point, 2-4 in. by up to over 1 lin., flat or more often
setaceously convolute, glabrous or more or less appressedly hairy,
smooth below and above, or like the margins slightly scaberulous,
midrib very slender, whitish below, lateral nerves fine, not or im-
perfectly differentiated. Panicle shortly or laterally exserted from
the uppermost sheath and often equalled or overtopped by the blade,
narrow, 2-3 in. long, contracted (permanently ?), divided up to the
third degree ; common axis very slender, striate, smooth, lower
internodes up to 1J in. long ; lower primary branches divided from
low down, emerging with their lowest branchlets in fascicles from the
sheath, finely filiform, angular and slightly rough ; ultimate divisions
subcapillary, flexuous ; pedicels unequal, the lateral about J lin.
long, the terminal 2 lin. long, with minute subdiscoid tips. Spikelets
ovate- to lanceolate-oblong, acute, ~ lin. long, green, here and there
with a faint metallic lustre, glabrous. Glumes thinly membranous,
finely nerved, obliquely lanceolate in profile, acute or apiculate,
the lower about three-quarters the length of the spikelet and 3-nerved,
the upper equalling the spikelet and 5-nerved. Lower floret g ;
valve very similar to the upper glume ; valvule shorter by a quarter,
subacute ; anthers § lin. long. Upper floret elliptic-oblong,
subacute, up to over \ lin. long ; valve and valvule very thinly papery,
very minutely verrucose ; anthers as in the floret.

Lower Guinea. French Congo : Loango, Lecomte, D. 44 ! Belgian Congo :
Cataracts Distr. ; in sand by the roadside, near Lutete, 2000 ft., Hens, A. 245 !

23. P. sublastum, Stapf. Annual, up to ft. high. Culms erect
or suberect, slender, terete, simple or branched below, 4-7-noded,
nodes exserted, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths terete, tight or those sup-
porting the branches loosened and more or less thrown aside, quite
glabrous and smooth or softly and sparingly hairy and ciliate up-
wards ; ligules very short, hyaline, long-ciliate ; blades linear from
a rounded to subcordate base, long-acuminate, 2-4 in. by 2 J-4J lin. ,
the lowest much smaller, spreading, firm but thin or somewhat

672 clvii. graminbj] (Stapf). [Panicum.

flaccid, quite glabrous or more or less finely and softly hairy, smooth
or slightly rough on the upper side, margins scaberulous, midrib very
fine, usually distinct and whitish below, lateral nerves numerous,
very fine, not differentiated. Panicle erect, rotundate-ovate to
obovate in outline, loose and open, 3-8 in. by 1-4 in., divided to the
third or fourth degree ; common axis terete, smooth, lowest internodes
1-J in. long or irregularly shorter and longer ; lower primary
branches solitary and divided from low down or like the following
divided from the base, forming imperfect false whorls, the longest
equalling three-quarters or more of the panicle, finely filiform to
capillary, scaberulous ; ultimate divisions delicately capillary, wavy
or flexuous, all these divisions frequently with a flush of pale purple ;
pedicels unequal, the lateral 1 lin. long, the terminal up to over
3 lin. long, with very minute discoid tips. Spikelets ovate to
elliptic-oblong in outline, subacute, about 1 lin. long, pale to bright
green or faintly tinged with purple or brown, here and there with a
slightly silky lustre, but on the whole dull, glabrous. Glumes very
thinly membranous, finely nerved, rather concave, obliquely ovate,
oblong or oblong-lanceolate in profile, subacute to acute, the lower
over three-quarters the length of the spikelet, 3-nerved, the upper
equalling the spikelet, 5-nerved. Lower floret ; valve very like
the upper glume but less acute to obtuse, 5-nerved ; valvule slightly
shorter. Upper floret elliptic-oblong, obtuse, up to f lin. long ;
valve and valvule thinly papery, almost transparent, minutely
verrucose ; anthers § lin. long.— P. Icetum, Stapf in Johnston,
Liberia, ii. 666 ; Pobeguin, Ess. FI. Guin. Fran9. 21b ; not of Kunth.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Kenmensi, Thomas, 7642 ! and without precise
locality, Meade ! French Guinea : Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 523 ! common on
dry ground and on cultivated land in the Bating valley, Pobbguin, 1723 ! 1822 !
Liberia : about 70 miles up the St. Paul’s River, Reynolds ! Northern Nigeria :
waste places near Abinsi, Dalziel, 892 !

24. P. gracilicaule, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 179. Annual,
up to over 1 ft. high, in small tufts. Culms geniculately ascending
or sometimes with a decumbent base, with flowering branches up
to the middle, about 4-noded, internodes exserted or laid bare by
the slipping off of the sheaths, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths terete, rather
loose except the uppermost, quite smooth or ciliate upwards ;
ligules very short, hyaline, ciliate ; blades linear from a slightly
rounded base, tapering to a slender point, 2-2 J in. by 2-2 J lin., flat,
spreading or deflexed, thin, soft, drying yellowish, glabrous or
minutely and scantily hairy, midrib very slender, lateral nerves faint,
margins minutely scaberulous, sometimes slightly crisp. Panicles
terminal and lateral, the terminal long (up to 3 or 4 in.), exserted,
broadly rhomboid or ovate in outline, up to 3 in. by 2J in., very
loose, divided to the third degree ; common axis terete or angular
downwards, smooth, lowest internodes short, the next up to over
J in. long, the following gradually or irregularly decreasing ; lower

■

Panicum .]

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

678

primary branches 1- 2 in. long, divided from low down (occasionally
undivided for J-l in.), the following from the base, very finely
filiform to subcapillary, smooth ; ultimate divisions capillary, wavy ;
pedicels unequal, the lateral 1-2 lin. long, the terminal slightly longer,
with minute discoid tips. Spikelets ovate-elliptic, acute to subacute,

1 lin. long, dull, pale green or slightly tinged with brown, glabrous.
Glumes very thinly membranous, faintly nerved, rather concave,
obliquely oblong to (the lower) lanceolate in profile, the lower over
three-quarters the length of the spikelet, 3-nerved, the upper sub-
equal to the spikelet, 5-nerved. Lower floret $ : valve very like
the upper glume but less acute, 5-nerved ; valvule slightly shorter.
Upper floret elliptic, subobtuse, § lin. long ; valve and valvule
thinly papery, verruculose, turning fuscous when mature, with the
warts showing like white pearls ; anthers § lin. long. Grain pale
brown, £ lin. by \ lin. ; embryo much less than half the length of the
grain.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo • without precise locality, WeU
witsch, 2857 ! 2862 c ! Huilla ; in meadows near Humpata, Welwitsch , 2687 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Shire Highlands, Adamson, 279 !

25. P. lindleyanum, Nees ex Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 91. Annual,
from a few inches to over 3 ft. high, in scanty tufts. Culms erect,
branched below, all the branches (which are mostly short) flowering,
slender, terete, 3-7-noded, in tall specimens the upper internodes
very long and long-exserted, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tight or the
lower loose, terete to subterete, glabrous, prominently striate ;
ligules hyaline, truncate, up to J lin. long ; blades linear from an
equally wide bas'e, tapering to an acute point, 1-2 J in. by f-lj lin.,
flat, flaccid, green, loosely and often sparingly hairy, more or less
rough above and along the margins, midrib very slender, but quite
distinct below, whitish, raised, primary lateral nerves very fine,

2 on each side below, not differentiated above. Panicle erect,
obovate to ovate in outline, open and loose, up to over 3 in. by 2 in.,
divided to the third or fourth degree ; common axis filiform, terete,
smooth, lowest internodes J-J in. long ; lower and intermediate
primary branches divided from the base or very near it, but very
rarely forming false whorls, finely filiform, obliquely erect, flexuous
or rather stiff, scaberulous, the longest about two-thirds the length
of the panicle ; ultimate divisions capillary, obliquely spreading,
more or less flexuous ; pedicels unequal, 1-3 lin. long, smooth
upwards, tips minutely discoid. Spikelets broad- or rotundate-
elliptic in outline, subacute, f-f lin. long, pale green, more or less
shortly pubescent. Glumes very thin, similar, obliquely ovate or
ovate-oblong in profile, mostly unequal, almost as long as the spikelet,
or the lower slightly but distinctly shorter, subacute, 3- and 5-nerved
respectively. Lower floret ; valve very similar to the upper
glume but glabrous ; valvule slightly shorter ; anthers \ mm. long.

FL. TROP. AFR. VOL. IX. — PT. 4. 2 X

674

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[ Panicum *

Upper floret elliptic in outline, obtuse, lin. long ; valve and
valvule thinly papery, whitish or ultimately turning brownish,
conspicuously verrucose, warts milk-white. — Durand & Schinz,
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 753. P. drosocarpum, Stapf in Journ. de Bot.
1905, 104 ; Pobeguin, Ess. FI. Guin. Frang., 215. P. hystrix, ChevaL
Sudania, 32 ; not of Steud.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Sherbro Island, dry roadsides, Hunter, 15 !
and without precise locality (Herb. Lindley, collector ? ). French Guinea :
Kouroussa, Pobeguin . 541 ! Mande country ; Koulikoro, Chevalier, 2178 !

26. P. hystrix, Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 95. Annual (? ■ — base
unknown), up to over 1 ft. high. Culms erect or slightly geniculate,
sparingly branched, all the branches flowering, slender, terete, up
to 5-noded, nodes exserted. Leaf-sheaths tight or the lower loose,,
rather thin, glabrous or ciliolate towards the mouth ; ligules up to
| lin. long, hyaline, truncate, ciliolate ; blades linear from an equally
wide base, long-tapering to an acute point, 1-3 by 1-1 J lin., flat,,
flaccid, green, loosely hairy, more or less rough above and along the
margins, midrib very slender, primary lateral nerves 2-3 on each side,,
differentiated below. Panicle erect, more or less ovoid, open and loose,
up to 4 in. by 3 in., divided to the third or fourth degree ; common
axis filiform, terete, smooth, lowest internodes up to 5-9 lin. long ;
lower primary branches divided from the base, but not forming false
whorls, finely filiform, obliquely erect, flexuous, smooth, the longest
two-thirds to three-quarters the length of the panicle ; ultimate
divisions capillary, spreading, flexuous or wavy ; pedicels unequal,
from 1 lin. (lower lateral) to 4 lin. long, tips minutely discoid. Spike-
lets ovoid-elliptic to broad-elliptic in outline, obtuse to subacute,
§ lin. long, pale green or greyish-green, copiously pubescent with
spreading hairs, J lin. long. Glumes very thin, similar and subequal
(or the lower slightly shorter), almost as long as the upper floret,,
subobtuse, the lower 3-, the upper 5-nerved, the latter more hairy
with the hairs tubercle-based. Lower floret : valve very similar
to the upper glume, but glabrous ; valvule slightly shorter, sub-
obtuse with smooth or obscurely scaberulous keels ; anthers over
J lin. long. Upper floret ovate-elliptic in outline, subacute,
almost J lin. long ; valve and valvule thinly papery, whitish, more or
less glossy and smooth or with a few very minute wartlets. — Jardin,
Aper9U FI. Gabon, 15 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 767.

Upper Guinea. Portuguese Guinea : Loss Island, Jardin ! Senegambia :
without precise locality, Heudelot, 583 !

27. P. viciniflorum, Stapf. Annual (?), up to 3 ft. high, base
unknown. Culms geniculately ascending, slender, weak, terete,
simple, the upper part as far as seen 4-noded, nodes exserted. Leaf-
sheaths terete, moderately tight, quite glabrous and smooth ; ligules
delicately hyaline, truncate, up to over J lin. long ; blades linear
from a suddenly and slightly constricted base, tapering to a fine point, .

Panicum .]

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

675

up to 5 in. by 2 lin., flat, thin, sometimes flaccid, mostly suberect,
quite glabrous or with some very fine and soft long hairs on the upper
surface particularly towards the base, smooth below, very slightly
rough above and along the margins, midrib very fine, whitish below,
primary lateral nerves 3 on each side, like the secondary very fine.
Panicle erect, oblong to obovoid, up to 5 in. by 2 in., loose and open or
more or less contracted, divided up to the third degree ; common axis
terete, very slender, smooth, lowest internodes 1— \ in. long ; primary
branches finely filiform, scabrid, divided from the base or nearly so,
the longest up to 2J in. long, the lowest secondary branches rather
short, hence not producing the appearance of false whorls ; ultimate
divisions capillary, wavy, more or less contracted, scaberulous ;
pedicels on the whole not strikingly unequal, 1-2 lin. long. Spikelets
broadly elliptic in outline, obtuse except when quite young, -J lin.
long, pale green, loosely pubescent, dull. Glumes thinly mem-
branous, very finely and somewhat prominently nerved, very concave,
subobtuse, equalling the spikelets or the lower slightly shorter ; the
latter 3-, the upper 5-nerved. Lower floret £ : valve very like the
upper glume, but glabrous ; valvule somewhat shorter ; anthers
f lin. long. Upper floret obliquely elliptic-rotundate in back
view, subobtuse, over J lin. long ; valve and valvule thinly papery,
minutely verrucose ; anthers f lin. long. Grain unknown.

Upper Guinea. French Sudan : dry ground near Segu, Lecard, 250 !

The grains are eagerly sought for by birds (Lecard)*

28. P. filicaule, Staff. Annual, up to 1 ft. high, very delicate.
Culms erect, finely filiform, terete, simple or more often with a short
flowering branch from the last node but one, 4-5-noded, uppermost
internode much exceeding the others taken together and very long-
exserted, lowest short, but also exserted. Leaf-sheaths tight or at
length loosened, thin, glabrous or sparingly hairy ; ligules hyaline,
truncate, ciliolate, up to J lin. long : blades linear, acute, up to § in.
by If lin. (sometimes much smaller), flat, thin and flaccid, green,
loosely hairy all over or only towards the base and particularly
behind the ligule, midrib and lateral nerves very fine, hardly differ-
entiated, margins scaberulous upwards. Panicle oblong to ovate
in outline, 2-3 in. by J-l in., open and very loose, very delicate in all
parts, divided to the third degree ; common axis finely filiform,
terete, smooth, lowest internodes 4-3 lin. long ; primary branches
solitary, lower and intermediate sparingly divided from 1-2 lin.
above the base, the longest 1-1 J in. long, all obliquely erect, capillary,
flexuous, minutely scaberulous ; ultimate divisions very delicate ;
pedicels 3-6 lin. long, smooth upwards, with minutely discoid tips.
Spikelets ovate in outline, acute, f lin. long, pale, variegated with
purple or brown, glabrous or very sparingly pubescent. Glumes
very thin, lanceolate in profile, acute, very faintly nerved, unequal ;
low~er acute, half the length of the spikelet, narrow, 3-nerved, upper

676

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Panicum.

acuminate, equalling the spikelet, broad-lanceolate in profile and
very concave, 5-nerved. Lower floret : valve very similar to the
upper glume, but always glabrous ; valvule slightly shorter ; anthers
| lin. long. Upper floret elliptic in outline, obtuse, almost J lin.
by J lin. ; valve and valvule thinly papery, obscurely verruculose
or asperulous.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Fouta Jallon, between Memon and
Trebeleyia, Chevalier, 8622 bis ! —

V, l-j

29. P. Hanningtonii, Stapf. Base unknown. Culms terete,
strongly striate, finely hirsute below the panicle, very sparingly so
below the uppermost leaf, hairs very fine, 1J lin. long, spreading,
springing from minute tubercles. Leaf-sheaths (uppermost leaves)
somewhat tight, 3-3 J in. long, subherbaceous, finely and closely
striate, hirsute, hairs like those of the culms, but slightly coarser ;
ligule reduced to a narrow ciliate rim ; blades linear from a slightly
rounded semi-amplexicaul base, long-tapering to an acute point,
up to 1 ft. by 3J-4J lin., equalling or exceeding the panicle, flat,
green or tinged with purple, ciliate near the base, otherwise very
loosely and finely hairy (hairs long) or glabrous upwards, margins
scabrid, midrib and primary lateral nerves slender, the latter quite
distinct, about 4 on each side. Panicle oblong, 9-10 in. by up to
4 in., somewhat contracted (always ?), divided to the fourth or fifth
degree ; common axis and primary branches loosely and finely
hirsute towards the base, otherwise glabrous and scabrid along the
slender ribs or angles like the finely filiform and often purplish
divisions of a higher order ; primary branches 2-3-nate or pseudo-
verticillate, the lowest pairs of fascicles distant, the following
gradually more approximate or congested towards the top, their
members unequal, the longest up to over 6 in. long, suberect with
their tops often curving outwards, divided from low down, their
divisions mostly more or less secund and dividing in a similar manner,
forming very slender and loose downwards compound or simple
racemes ; pedicels usually longer than the spikelets, if paired often
very unequal, up to over 2 lin. long, tips slightly thickened, pale.
Spikelets oblong, mucronate- or rostrate-acuminate, excluding the
mucro about 1 lin. long, green tinged with purple to almost entirely
dull purple. Glumes unequal ; lower subhyaline, ovate, acute or
acuminate, with or without a minute mucro, clasping, appressed
except the tip, about half the length of the spikelet, 1 -nerved or
with a short faint rudimentary side-nerve on each side ; upper
obliquely oblong in profile, finely rostrate- or subulate-acuminate,
generally ending with a minute mucro as long as the spikelet, promi-
nently 7-nerved. Lower floret : valve similar to the upper
but shorter, broader, hardly acuminate and whitish- or yellowish-
green, often vividly contrasting with the dark purple glumes,
9-nerved ; valvule subequal to the valve, acute with downwards

(?. (%s^yV/Ot*^y*i^^ J ' (

Panicum .]

CLVII. GRAMINE^I (Stapf).

677

widened flaps ; anthers almost f lin. long. Upper floret oblong,
subacute, £ lin. long, whitish or greyish, very glossy and smooth ;
valve and valvule thinly crustaceous.

Nile Land. Uganda or British East Africa: 2-7° South Lat., without precise
locality, Hannington !

39. P phragmitoides, Staff ex Cheval. Sudania, 74, 76 ( name
only). Perennial, 3 to over 6 (or more ?) ft. high. Innovations
extravaginal with short firm brown glabrous cataphylls ; rhizome
short. Culms erect, terete, 1J-2J- lin. in diam., about 4-noded,
simple, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths terete, rather tight or the lower at
length slipping off the stem, mostly very long (up to 1 ft.), firm,
strongly striate, glabrous or more or less hirsute upwards ; ligule
reduced to a narrow long-ciliate rim ; blades linear from an equally
wide or somewhat narrowed base, long-tapering to a slender point,
flat, rather firm, from 1 to almost 2 ft. long, 5-10 lin. wide, glabrous or
hirsute towards the base, margins scabrid or downwards rigidly
ciliate, midrib not very stout, shallowly channelled above, lateral
nerves slender and close, very marked, the primary 5-9 on each side.
Panicle large, loose, often over 1 ft. long, divided to the fourth or sixth
degree, usually open, sometimes more or less contracted, common
axis angular, strongly striate, more or less rough, glabrous, lower
internodes usually 1-2 in. long ; lower primary branches mostly in
false whorls, up to 1 ft. long, undivided for 1-J in. from the base ;
ultimate divisions filiform, scabrid, usually slightly wavy or flexuous ;
pedicels very unequal, the lateral very short or more usually up to
3 lin. long, slightly thickened upwards. Spikelets oblong or oblong-
lanceolate and acutely acuminate at first, soon gaping, 1J lin. long,
glabrous, mostly tinged with dull purple or brown. Glumes firmly
membranous, prominently nerved, lower more or less divergent,
ovate, acutely acuminate to rostrate- or mucronate-acuminate,
about two-thirds the length of the spikelet, 5-nerved with an upwards
scaberulous keel ; upper ovate in profile with a slightly recurved
acute or almost beaked acumen, as long as the spikelet, mostly
7-nerved. Lower floret ; valve very like the upper glume, but
7-9-nerved ; valvule slightly shorter, oblong, acute, flaps gradually
widening from the middle downwards ; anthers almost 1 lin. long.
Upper floret elliptic-oblong, obtuse to subacute, whitish, about
1 lin. long, very smooth. — P. coloratum, Durand & De Wild.,
Mat. FI. Congo, i. 44 ; Th. & Hel. Durand, Syll. FI. Congol.
630 (partly) ; not of Linn. P. trypheron, var. giganteum , Rendl'e
in Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 181, and in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot.,
xl., 230.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : banks of Baffing river, PoMguin, 1823 !
Cameroons : Yaunde station, 2600 ft., Zenker & Staudt, 462 !

North Central. Middle Oubangui : Fort Possel, Chevalier, 5304 ! Bondjos
country ; Bangui, Chevalier, 5217 ! Upper Oubangui : Krebedje, Chevalier,
5742 ! and without precise locality, Viancin !

678 cl vn. GKAMINE2E (Stapf). [Panicum.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Cataracts Distr. ; dry hillsides near Lutete,
1800-2000 ft. , Hens, A. 245 (?), A. 279 ! Kwango Distr. ; Bandundu, Vanderyst,
3556 ! Atene, Vanderyst, 3446 ! Mukulu, Vanderyst, 3193 ! Angola : Golungo
Alto ; in damp thickets near Camilnngo, Welwitsch, 7213 ! Pungo Andongo ;
in primaeval woods near Calundo, Welwitsch, 7434 ! Ponte do Luiz Simoes,
Welwitsch, 7254 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Mount Sochi, 3000 ft., KirJc ! Shire High-
lands, Buchanan ! Gazaland : near Chirinda, 3800 ft., Swynnerton, 1620 a !

Var. lasioneuron, Stapf ; leaf-blades 10-16 in. by 5-6 lin., lateral nerves (also
the secondary) more prominent, primary of both sides loosely ciliate with stiff
white hairs springing from minute tubercles.

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Msalu river, Allen, 131 !

31. P. anabaptistum, Sleud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 75. Perennial,
up to 5 ft. high, from an oblique premorse rhizome emitting very
coarse root-fibres ; innovations intr-a- and extra- vaginal, tbe latter
rather slender, conical, almost pungent, covered with pale very firm
smooth cataphylls. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, simple,
terete, up to 5- or sometimes 7-noded, firm, quite glabrous and
smooth. Leaf-sheaths tight, firm, usually quite glabrous and smooth,
frequently slightly bearded at the mouth, rarely more or less shortly
hirsute, closely striate ; ligule reduced to a shortly ciliate rim ;
blades linear from an equally wide or slightly and gradually narrowed
base, tapering to an acute point, 6-9 in. by 2-3 lin., flat, somewhat
rigid, firm, usually quite glabrous except towards the ligules, rarely
shortly greyish-hirsute to almost tomentose, smooth on both sides
and along the margins or slightly rough along the latter owing to the
presence of distant short rigid cilia, midrib distinct only in the lower
part, like the very close and nunferous lateral nerves slender. Panicle
oblong to oblanceolate in outline, 9-12 in. long, divided to the third
or fourth degree, usually somewhat contracted ; common axis slender,
terete, glabrous, smooth at least downwards, internodes rather
unequal, the lower often up to or even over 2 in. long ; primary
branches usually scattered, only occasionally subopposite or pseudo-
verticillate, up to 6 in. long, slender, frequently flexuous, rarely
undivided for more than 1 in. from the base, often branching low
down ; penultimate divisions usually short to very short (hence the
spikelets often clustered), filiform, slightly angular and scaberulous ;
pedicels often paired, the secondary then very much shorter, hardly
up to more than J lin. long. Spikelets ovate-oblong or ovate-
lanceolate and acutely acuminate at first, soon more or less gaping,
1J-2 lin. long, glabrous, pale greenish. Glumes firmly membranous,
more or less prominently nerved, unequal, lower ovate-lanceolate,
acutely acuminate or mucronate-acuminate, about half to over
two-thirds the length of the spikelet, 5- to- sub-7-nerved, with an
upwards scaberulous keel ; upper ovate-lanceolate in profile, as
long as the spikelet, with an usually straight (not recurved) slender
subulate or mucronate acumen, 7-9-nerved. Lower floret
valve very like the upper glume, but usually somewhat shorter and

Panicum.~\

CLVII. GRAMINE^J (Stapf) .

679

less acuminate, not mucronate, 7-nerved or upwards with a few fine
additional nerves ; valvule slightly shorter, oblong, acute, flaps
equally wide or gradually widening from the middle downwards ;
anthers f lin. long. Upper floret oblong, obtuse to subacute,
whitish, 1J lin. long, very smooth ; valve and valvule crustaceous. —
Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 740. P. oxyanthum , Steud. ex
Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 75. P. subalbidum, Cheval. Sudania, 34 and
176 ; not of Kunth.

Upper Guinea. Senegambia : on the right bank of the Senegal near Richard
Tol, Dollinger, 18 ! Walo country, Roger , 51 ! and without precise locality,
Heudelot, 286 ! Leprieur . French Sudan : San, Chevalier, 2274 ! Macina, be-
tween Zinguetti and Sompi, Chevalier, 2285 ! Northern Nigeria : Nupe, in moist
places, Barter, 838 ! Katagum District, Dalziel, 274 ! Sokoto, Dalziel, 480 !
near Adamaua, Macleod, 100 ! Oameroons : Bogolo river, Macleod, 86 !

North Central. Shari Territory : between Fort Lamy and Mandjafa,
Chevalier, 10300 !

According to Dalziel this is known in Northern Nigeria as “ Tsuntsia ”
(native name for a broom, because so used), and is much planted as a field
boundary in Sokoto.

Very similar to P. phragmitoides, but distinguished by its less reed-like habit,
narrower more contracted panicles, with scattered branches and more crowded
heavier spikelets which have the tips or beaks of their glumes and lower valve
directed forwards or very slightly inwards and not recurved. I have not seen
the original of the species, but there seems no reason to doubt the identity of the
specimens referred here to P. anabaptistum.

32. P. Ruspolii, Chiov. in Ann . Istit. Bot. Roma, vii. 64, t. 4.
Perennial, over 2 ft. high, from a slender oblique rhizome, densely
covered with' tightly appressed firm glabrous cataphylls ; innova-
tions extravaginal, short, stout, glabrous. Culms terete, woody
and simple below, then branching fastigiately and sometimes
copiously, secondary culms (branches) 4-5-noded, pale or glaucous,
very smooth, lower internodes usually elongated. Leaf-sheaths very
tight, very firm, finely striate, glabrous or more or less softly hairy,
particularly towards the mouth, mostly (except the uppermost)
longer than the internodes ; ligule reduced to a ciliate rim ; blades
linear from a slightly rounded or almost equally wide base, long-
tapering to an acute point, J-l ft. by 2-3 \ lin., flat or more or less
involute, convolute in bud, rigid, pale to bright green, delicately
loosely hairy or almost villous just above the ligule, uniformly and
closely striate above, primary nerves about 3 on each side below,
subdistinct. Panicle obovate or lanceolate in outline, 4-7 in. long,
1J in. wide, glabrous ; common axis slender, terete, striate, smooth ;
primary branches solitary or 2-nate, rather distant, the lower 2-3 in.
long, subfiliform, slightly flexuous or wavy, sub erect, undivided for
1J— J in., then bearing loosely scattered racemes (secondary axes)
of 3-2 spikelets closely approximate in their upper part ; axes
smooth downwards, otherwise finely scaberulous ; pedicels solitary
or 2-nate, the lateral shorter to much shorter than the spikelets,
filiform. Spikelets ovate-elliptic in outline, acuminate, soon more

680 clvii. graminea; (Stapf) . [ Panicum .

or less gaping, lf-2 lin. long, slightly turgid, pale or glaucous green,
usually with deep purple tips and margins, quite glabrous and smooth*
Glumes unequal, firmly membranous, mucronate (mucro J-f lin.
long, scaberulous), very concave ; lower obliquely ovate in profile,
shortly acuminate, excluding the mucro half the length of the
spikelet, 3- to sub-7-nerved ; upper ovate-lanceolate in profile,
shortly acuminate, 7-9-nerved, as long as the spikelet. Lower
floret : valve very similar to the upper glume, subacuminate, but
hardly mucronate, 9-nerved ; valvule oblong, acute, 1J lin. long,
flaps much (but gradually) widened downwards ; anthers deep
purple, 1 lin. long. Upper floret <J>, oblong, subacute or obtuse*
1J-1J lin. long : valve and valvule subcrustaceous to papery,
whitish or straw-coloured, very smooth and glossy ; stigmas purple,
§ lin. long.

Nile Land. Southern Abyssinia : Surro, Riva, 66 ! between Adisabeba and
Borana, Stordy !

33. P. massaiense, Mez in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiv., 144. Perennial,
from a slender rhizome, 2 ft. high. Culms geniculately ascending,
simple, 5-9-noded, slender, wiry below, terete, glabrous, internodes,
exserted or the lowest at length bared by the slipping off or the decay
of the sheaths. Leaf-sheaths terete, tight, or at length loosened,
firm, finely striate, glabrous or sparingly and finely hirsute ; ligule
reduced to a ciliate rim ; blades linear from an equally wide or slightly
rounded base, long-tapering to a slender point, up to 6 in. by 2-24 lin.,
green, fiat, somewhat firm, glabrous and smooth or very sparingly
and finely hirsute, margins finely cartilaginous, scaberulous,
midrib stouter, dorsally rounded and prominent downwards, primary
nerves 3-4 on each side, fine but usually distinct at least below.
Panicle oblong to obovate-oblong, 3-5 in. long, somewhat contracted,
divided to the fourth degree ; primary axis very slender, terete, striate
and smooth below, angular and scaberulous upwards ; primary
branches very finely filiform, scattered or variously approximate to
pseudo-verticillate, the lowest 2-3 in. long, undivided to up to
14 in. from the base, upwards first loosely then more and more
closely branched ; the following divisions very fine to capillary, sca-
berulous, forming slender racemes which are subcompound downwards
and bear 10 to few spikelets ; pedicels very slightly thickened at the
tips, lateral usually much shorter than the spikelets. Spikelets
early and widely gaping, up to 1 J lin. long, glabrous, yellowish-green.
Glumes widely divergent, membranous, lower ovate, acute or shortly
acuminate, appressed, one-third to not quite half the length of the
spikelet, imperfectly 1-5-nerved, middle-nerve percurrent, scaberu-
lous, the others faint and short ; upper obliquely lanceolate
in profile with a slender laterally compressed straight or slightly
recurved beak, up to 1J lin. long, prominently 7-nerved. Lower
floret : valve obliquely oblong in profile, acute, slightly shorter

■ .

Panicum .]

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf) .

681

than the upper glume, prominently 7 -nerved ; anthers not quite

1 lin. long. Upper floret fcjf, oblong, obtuse or subacute, J lin. long,
whitish, quite smooth, glossy ; valve and valvule papery to crus-
taceous.

Nile Land. Uganda: grassy uplands near Bungunga, 4000 ft., Dummer,
3176 ! Massai Steppe, Stuhlmann, 4307.

34. P. poaeoides, Stapf. Annual, tufted, up to 1 ft. high. Culms
geniculately ascending, simple or sparingly branched, about 3-noded,
slender, soft, hirsute, internodes hardly exserted except the upper-
most, sometimes at length bared by the slipping off of the sheath.
Leaf-sheaths terete, subherbaceous, finely striate, more or less softly
hirsute ; ligule reduced to a membranous ciliolate rim ; blades
linear from an equally wide or slightly rounded base, tapering to an
acute point', 3-5 in. by 2-3 lin., pale or yellowish-green, flat, somewhat
soft, hirsute (sometimes densely) on both sides, margins minutely
scaberulous, closely and uniformly nerved above with the midrib
flat and whitish, the latter very slender below and like the primary
lateral nerves (3-4 on each side) distinctly raised. Panicle oblong
to ovate-oblong in outline, 2-3 in. by 1-1 -J in., somewhat contracted,
divided to the f ourth degree ; primary axis slender, terete, striate and
loosely hairy below, angular and scabrid upwards ; primary branches
solitary or here and there approximate in pairs, the lowest 2-24 in.
long, undivided .for 6-7 lin. from the base, then divided with their
divisions contracted and mostly short (hence the whole of the spike-
lets of a primary branch congested), filiform, scaberulous ; all the
lateral pedicels short to very short, with small subdiscoid tips.
Spikelets oblong, acutely acuminate, up to 1J lin. long, glabrous,
dull green with purple or altogether dark purple. Glumes moder-
ately divergent, membranous ; lower obliquely ovate, acute or shortly
and acutely acuminate, with or without a minute mucro, less than
half the length of the spikelet, oppressed, imperfectly 3-5-nerved,
middle nerve percurrent, minutely scaberulous upwards, the others
faint and short ; upper obliquely lanceolate-oblong in profile,
rostrate-acuminate with the slender straight or slightly curved beak
laterally compressed, finely 7 -nerved, as long as the spikelet. Lower
floret f : valve similar to the upper glume, but not rostrate and
wider, 7-nerved ; valvule slightly shorter, oblong, acute ; anthers
about | lin. long. Upper floret oblong, subacute, 1 lin. long,
whitish or greyish, smooth and glossy.

Nile Land. British East Africa : Nairobi, Linton, 213 ! Dowson, 256 !

35. P. graniflorum, Stapf. Perennial, densely csespitose, over

2 ft. high, with intra vaginal innovations and stout root-fibres.
Culms erect, very slender, terete, 3-4-noded, simple, glabrous,
smooth, internodes more or less exserted, the uppermost (peduncle)
at length very long and grooved. Leaf-sheaths terete, tight, quite
glabrous or sparingly ciliolate or ciliate towards the mouth and

682

CL VII. GRAMINBJE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

there slightly bearded, the lowest 1-2 J in. long, more or less persistent ;
ligule reduced to a small ciliolate rim ; blades very narrow, setace-
ously convolute with a fine subacute point, 4-7 in. by \ or (when
flattened out) 1 lin., rigid, glabrous or with some fine hairs towards
the base, smooth except along the scaberulous margins and towards
the tip, closely nerved, midrib slender, primary lateral nerves 2-3 on
each side, slightly differentiated. Panicle slightly nodding, very
narrow, 5-7 in. by J— § in., contracted, divided up to the third degree,
quite glabrous, all the divisions finely filiform to almost capillary and
like the primary axis scaberulous ; primary branches rather distant
to beyond the middle and shorter or not very much longer than the
internodes, then rapidly shorter and overlapping, hence the panicle
subinterrupted below and rather dense upwards ; pedicels slightly
thickened at the tips, the lateral very short to | lin. long. Spikelets
more or less gaping, J lin. long, slightly turgid, slightly variegated
with purple, glabrous. Glumes similar but unequal, membranous,
finely nerved ; lower obliquely lanceolate in profile, acuminate, .
mucronulate, three-quarters the length of the spikelet, sub-5-nerved,
lateral nerves short, midnerve and mucro scaberulous, tip standing
off ; upper obliquely oblong, acuminate, acumen involute or
laterally compressed, usually very slightly recurved, nerves 5.
Lower floret g : valve very similar to the upper glume and almost
or quite as long, but broader downwards and much less acuminate,
5-nerved ; valvule almost as long as the valve, subacute ; anthers
\ lin. long. Upper floret 8, oblong, obtuse, £- lin. long, yellowish-
white, glossy and smooth.

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Kongone mouth of the Zambesi,
Kirk (Jan., 1861) !

36. P. congoense, Franch. Contr. FI. Congo Frang. 34 in Bull. Soc.
Hist. Nat. Autun. viii. 342. Perennial, compactly csespitose, up to
2 ft. high with intra- and extra-vaginal innovations, covered by firm
glabrous cataphylls. Culms very slender, erect, 4-6-noded, branched
lower down, with the branches erect, glabrous, smooth, internodes
mostly more or less exserted. Leaf-sheaths terete, very tight, firm,
finely striate, glabrous and smooth, or the lowest appressedly hairy
at the base ; ligule reduced to a ciliate rim ; blades very narrowly
linear, usually setaceously convolute, tapering to a long fine point,
up to 6 or 8 in. by 1 lin. (when flattened out), quite glabrous and
smooth or very delicately ciliate or bearded at the base, midrib
slender but distinct, lateral nerves obscure. Panicle oblong, up
to 5 in. by 1J in., loose, divided to the third degree, all the axes more
or less finely filiform to capillary, rather rigid and obliquely spreading
or divaricate, smooth or scaberulous upwards, and those of the first
and second order often bearing downwards extremely fine spreading
flexuous long white hairs ; primary branches scattered or approxi-
mate in pairs, the lower 1-2 in. long, loosely divided from low down,

Panicum.~\

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

683

or the lowest undivided for up to 1 in. ; pedicels hardly thickened
at the tips, the lateral very short or up to over 1 lin. long. Spikelets
early widely and obliquely gaping, f-1 lin. long, glabrous, more or
less variegated with purple and white. Glumes widely divergent,
membranous, somewhat similar, faintly nerved with the midnerve
scaberulous upwards, mostly purplish, lower lanceolate or ovate-
lanceolate in profile, acuminate or mucronate-acuminate, f-f lin.
long, 1- to sub-5- (mostly 3-) nerved, upper obliquely oblong or
lanceolate-oblong in profile, up to 1 lin. long, acutely acuminate,
5-nerved. Lower floret as long as or slightly shorter than the upper
glume, g : valve semi-ovate in profile, subacute, 5-nerved, paler
than the glumes to almost white ; valvule slightly shorter, oblong,
acute, flaps widening downwards ; anthers almost J lin. long, dark
purple. Upper floret g, oblong, obtuse, \ lin. by over J lin., whitish,
smooth and glossy ; valve and valvule papery to crustaceous.- —
P. mitophyllum, Pilger in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiii. 50.

Upper Guinea. Old Calabar, Robb !

Lower Guinea. Gaboon : Munda Distr. ; Sibange Farm, Soyaux, 345 !
and without precise locality, Griffon du Bellay ! Miss Kingsley I French Congo :
savannas near N’Gore, Dybowski, 85 I Niounvoux, Lecomte, C. 94 ! Portuguese
Congo : Vista, Chaves, 10 !

37. P. vagiflorum, Staff. Perennial, up to over 2 ft. high, com-
pactly csespitose, with intravaginal innovations, shortly coated by
the persistent sheath-bases. Culms erect or slightly geniculate,
simple, about 4-noded, slender, terete, finely striate, glabrous like
the whole plant. Leaf-sheaths very tight, firm, the basal short with
their bases persistent, the intermediate and upper very much shorter
than the internodes, all finely striate and smooth ; ligule reduced
to a fine ciliolate rim ; blades linear from a slightly narrowed or
equally wide base, long-tapering to a slightly callous point, 5 to over
6 in. by 1J-2 lin., rigid, flat, green, quite glabrous and smooth except
at the scaberulous margins, midrib very slender, slightly prominent
below, hardly differentiated from the lateral nerves above. Panicle
oblong to broadly ovate or obovate in outline, 3-6 in. by 2-3 in.,
open and very loose, divided to the third degree ; common axis very
slender, striate and smooth below, angular and scaberulous upwards,
quite glabrous ; primary branches finely filiform, mostly scattered,
more rarely approximate in pairs, rather distant, the lowest up to
over 3 in. long, undivided for 4-2 lin., then very loosely or remotely
and divaricately branched ; branchlets almost capillary, more or
less wavy, finely scaberulous, representing usually simple, very
loose 4-2-spiculate racemes ; pedicels unequal, mostly 1J-3J lin.
long, hardly thickened upwards. Spikelets soon gaping, 1 lin. long,
variegated, glabrous. Glumes similar, obliquely ovate to ovate-
lanpeolate or oblong, acutely acuminate, unequal, membranous,
finely 5-7-nerved, mostly purple, lower three-quarters the length of
the upper, often minutely mucronulate. Lower floret : vaive

684

CLVII. GRAMINE^ (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

very similar and equal to the upper glume, but less acute, rather
broader, paler at least downwards, 5-nerved ; valvule slightly
shorter, oblong, acuminate, flaps generally wider downwards. Upper
floret £>, oblong, subacute, § lin. by f lin., yellowish, very glossy and
smooth.

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Msalu river, Allen, 115 !

38. P. poecilanthum, Stapf. Perennial, up to 3 ft. high, compactly
csespitose, with intra vaginal innovations, coated by the persistent
sheath-bases. Culms erect, slender, simple, usually 1-noded, with
the node about the middle, more rarely 2-noded, terete, striate or
sulcate, sparingly hairy below the node or glabrous, scaberulous.
Leaf-sheaths tight, the lowest very firm and long-persistent, greyish-
tomentose at least upwards, often glabrescent towards the nodes,
densely ciliate along the outer margin, much shorter than the
internodes ; ligule reduced to a brown minutely ciliolate rim ;
blades very narrowly linear, acute, J to over 1 ft. long, 1-1 J lin. wide,
rigid, flat or particularly upwards setaceously convolute, dull green,
finely and spreadingly hairy on both sides with white hairs, midrib
slender, flat above, raised below, lateral nerves very close, raised.
Panicle oblanceolate to obovate in outline, open and loose, 6-7 in.
by 4 in., divided to the third or fourth degree ; common axis slender,
striate or sulcate, angular upwards, like all the divisions scaberulous,
hairy at the lower nodes ; primary branches filiform, obliquely
spreading, usually approximate in pairs, pairs lj-f in. distant, more
rarely sub-3-nate, pseudo-verticillate or solitary, the lowest 3-4 in.
long, undivided for 1J-1 in., the following 5-3 lin. only, then loosely
divided, the fine flexuous divisions forming very slender downwards
compound loose or upwards contracted racemes of about 7 or fewer
spikelets ; pedicels very unequal, often longer (to 2 lin.) than the
spikelets, tips obscurely thickened. Spikelets oblong, acuminate-
soon gaping, 1 lin. long, richly tinged with purple. Glumes mem-
branous, finely nerved ; lower obliquely ovate-lanceolate or lanceo-
late, acuminate in profile, appressed or spreading upwards, two-
thirds to three-quarters the length of the spikelet, 5-nerved ; upper
obliquely oblong, acuminate with a slightly blunt point, 1 lin. long,
5-nerved. Lower floret : valve equal and very similar to the
upper glume, if not broader ; valvule subequal, oblong, minutely
truncate, flaps much widened at the lower third ; anthers 1 lin. long.
Upper floret oblong, subobtuse, f lin. long, whitish, glossy and
smooth ; valve and valvule thinly crustaceous.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons : without precise locality, Unwin, 9185 !

39. P. dregeanum, Nees , FI. Afr. Austr. 42. Perennial, compactly
csespitose, with a coat of persistent leaf-bases, 1-4 ft. high, with
intravaginal innovations. Culms erect, slender, up to 1 lin. in
diam., 1-2-noded, simple, very smooth, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths firm.

Panicum. ]

CLVII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

685

terete, tight, striate, the lowest long-persistent, appressedly silky-
tomentose at the base, glabrous upwards, with ciliate margins, then
more or less pubescent to tomentose towards the mouth, at length
often glabrescent, the upper sheath glabrous except along the margins
or below the junction with the blade ; ligule reduced to a ciliate
rim ; blades linear from an equally wide or narrowed base, tapering
to a slender point, up to 9 in. long, 1-2J lin. wide, firm and more or
less rigid, sometimes flushed with red, loosely pubescent to hirsute
on both sides, more densely so towards the base or densely ciliate
there and otherwise glabrous, smooth except along the scaberulous
margins, sometimes distinctly waxy between the nerves of the upper
side, midrib very slender, lateral nerves close, fine, the primary
usually hardly differentiated. Panicle oblong to ovate-oblong,
erect, more or less contracted or more rarely widely open, 3-7 (rarely
to 12) in. by 14-3 in., divided to the fourth degree, quite glabrous,
rarely with tufts of small hairs in the lower axils ; primary axis
slender, grooved below, angular upwards, scaberulous all along or
smooth below ; primary branches either solitary or approximate in
pairs or in false whorls, the lowest 1J-3J or sometimes 5 in. long,
undivided for a shorter or longer distance (to 1J in.) from the base,
then loosely and downwards repeatedly branched, the penultimate
divisions forming loose 4-2-spiculate racemes, all the divisions
increasingly fine, filiform, angular, scaberulous ; pedicels with
minutely subcupular tips, the lateral very short or as long as or
longer than the spikelets. Spikelets more or less gaping, 1-1J lin.
long, greenish, usually tinged with purple or almost wholly deep
purple, glabrous. Glumes similar and membranous ; lower obliquely
ovate or ovate-lanceolate in profile, acuminate, sometimes slightly
mucronulate, half to three-quarters the length of the spikelet, finely
5- (rarely 7-) nerved, midnerve scaberulous upwards ; upper
obliquely lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong, acutely acuminate, as
long as the spikelet, 5- or more often 7 -nerved, nerves more prominent
upwards. Lower floret : valve very similar to the upper and
about as long, but less acuminate ; valvule almost as long as the
valve, oblong, acute ; anthers \ lin. long. Upper floret oblong,
obtuse, f-f lin. long, whitish, smooth and glossy. — Steud. Syn. PI.
Glum. i. 87 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 748 ; K. Schum.
in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 103 ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 411 ; Wood,
Natal PI. 1. 161 ; Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot., xl. 230 ; Eyles in
Trans. R. Soc. S. Afr. v. 300. P. amethystinum, Franch. Contr. FI.
Congo Fran9. in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun. viii. 343 (35 of reprint).
P. chilianthum, Stapf ex Cheval. Sudania, 62, 132.

Upper Guinea. Northern Nigeria : common in damp pastures near Abinsi,
Dalziel, 897 !

North Central. Shari Territory: in swamps near Ndelle, Chevalier, 8112 !
Nile Land. Sudan : Jur ; near Ghattas’ Great Seriba, Schweinfurth , 1966 !
British East Africa ; Nairobi, Linton, 14 !

686

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

Lower Guinea. French Congo : in dry plains near Brazzaville, Thollon, 389 !
Chevalier, 4166 ! Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. ; Wombali, Yanderyst,
4483 ! Angola : Benguella ; country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas,
Gossweiler, 2359 !

South Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga ; Elisabethville, Rogers, 10318 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Tanganyika Plateau ; Fort Hill, Whyte !
Shire Highlands, Adamson, 194 ! Mayomero Mission, 3000 ft., Waller ! Man-
ganja Hills, Waller ! Zomba, 2500-3500 ft., Whyte ! and without precise
locality, Buchanan ! Northern Rhodesia : Kankasa Spruit, Kdssner, 2098 !
near water and on swampy ground near M’rewa, Appleton, 8 ! 21 ! Mashona-
land ; Charter District, Mundy ! Umtali, Hon. Mrs. Cecil, 273 ! Salisbury,
4900 ft., Eyles, 620 ! Stapleford Farm near Salisbury, Mrs. Cr aster, 77 ! 78 !
South Rhodesia : Ingesi, Nobbs, 683 ! Gwelbi Flat, Nobbs, 605 ! and without
precise locality, 5200 ft., Walters, 2245 ! 2267 ! Gazaland : Nyahodi river,
Swynnerton, 1669 ! Portuguese East Africa : in open woods near Beira,
Swynnerion, 1592 !

Also in the Transvaal and Natal. Said to be good fodder {Appleton).

40. P. Pilgeri, Mez in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiv. 146. Perennial, up
to 4 ft. high. Culms erect, rather slender, simple, 3-noded, softly
and very finely hirsute, particularly the lower internodes. Leaf-
sheaths tight, softly and loosely or densely hirsute, up to 3 in. long,
shorter than the internodes ; ligules thinly ' membranous, up to

lin. long, ciliolate ; blades linear from an equally wide base, long-
tapering to a slender point, up to 14 in. by 2 lin., flat or involute,
firm, softly hirsute on both sides, midrib and primary lateral nerves
about 4 on each side, slender, prominent. Panicle oblong, con-
tracted, somewhat dense, up to 8 in. long, stiffly erect, divided up
to the fourth (rarely fifth) degree, all the axes including the pedicels
with long loose white hairs ; primary axis slender, terete, striate
or sulcate, rough ; primary branches solitary or approximate in
pairs or threes, branched from near the base and forming false
whorls of very unequal divisions (the longest up to 4 in. long), with
somewhat distant small clusters of spikelets (penultimate divisions)
below the loose terminal raceme ; lateral pedicels from very short to
2 lin. long, their hairs up to over 1 lin. long. Spikelets ovate,
acuminate in outline, gaping, 1 lin. long, pale or tinged with purple,
glabrous. Glumes similar, membranous, faintly nerved, long-
acuminate, the acumen passing into a fine scaberulous mucro or
awnlet up to J lin. long ; lower obliquely lanceolate or ovate-lanceo-
late, without the mucro or awn slightly shorter than the lower
floret, prominently 3-nerved ; upper broader, 5-nerved, as long as
the lower floret, the mucro or awnlet shorter. Lower floret :
valve ovate, subacute, finely 5-nerved ; valvule slightly shorter,
oblong, acute, flaps gradually widened downwards ; anthers J lin.
long. Upper floret §, elliptic-oblong in outline, obtuse, § lin. long,
whitish, glossy and smooth ; valve and valvule crustaceous. —
P. lasiopodum , Stapf in Journ. de Bot. 1905, 105 ; Pobeguin, Ess.
FI. Guin. Erany. 214.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 500 ! Northern
Nigeria : Nupe; in open plains, Barter, 1377 !

Panicum .]

CLVII. GBAMINEiE (Stapf).

687

41. P. aphanoneurum, Stapf ex Cheval. Sudania, 32, 34, 149, 152,
180 (name). Perennial, densely csespitose, reed-like, 4-7 ft. high
with intra- and extra-vaginal innovations, the latter slender and
covered with smooth glabrous cataphylls. Culms erect, rather
stout, to 3 lin. in diam., 4-6-noded, simple, very smooth and often
glaucous below the dark nodes. Leaf-sheaths firm, terete, tight,
all glabrous except at the upwards ciliolate margins and very smooth,
or very rarely some of the lowest pubescent upwards, frequently
flushed with purple, the basal more or less persistent ; ligule reduced
to a very narrow ciliolate rim ; blades linear from an equally wide
base, long-tapering to a slender point, J-1J ft. by 2-5 lin., firm and
tough, more 'or less rigid, dull green or flushed with red, quite
glabrous except for a lateral tuft or a line of small white hairs on each
side at the junction with the sheath, smooth below, rough above
(at least upwards) and along the margins, midrib slender, downwards
slightly prominent on the back and whitish on the face, otherwise
often inconspicuous, lateral nerves close, the primary (up to 6 on
each side) usually little differentiated. Panicle oblong to ovate-
or obovate-oblong, more or less contracted or more rarely widely
open and loose, J to over 1 ft. by 2-5 in., divided to the fourth or fifth
degree ; primary axis slender, terete or grooved below, angular
upwards, quite glabrous, scaberulous or scabrid all along or smooth
below ; primary branches either solitary and of these the lowest
often much divided from the base, forming more or less dense fascicles
of very unequal branchlets, or approximate in pairs or frequentfy
in false whorls, the lowest 3-9 in. long, undivided for a short or long
(to over 1 in.) distance from the base, then very loosely branched,
the secondary or, in decompound panicles, the tertiary branchlets
forming downwards compound or altogether simple long and loose
or short and more or less dense racemes, all the divisions filiform,
increasingly fine, often compressed below, angular and scabrid ;
pedicels with minutely discoid tips, the lateral often very short.
Spikelets early and often widely gaping, lj-lf lin. long, quite pale
or pale with purple tips or richly tinged with purple or altogether
deep purple, glabrous. Glumes similar, somewhat firmly mem-
branous, obscurely nerved ; lower obliquely ovate in profile,
acuminate and more or less mucronulate, appressed except the
tips, half to over three-quarters the length of the lower floret,
3-5-nerved, midnerve prominent upwards and scaberulous ; upper
obliquely oblong in profile, acutely acuminate with the acumen
slightly recurved, as long as the spikelet, 5-nerved. Lower floret £ :
valve very similar to the upper glume and equalling it or almost so,
but less acuminate with the acumen straight, 5-nerved ; valvule
slightly shorter, oblong, acute ; anthers J-f lin. long. Upper
floret oblong, obtuse, f to almost 1 lin. long and half as wide,
wdiitish, very smooth and glossy. — P. anabaptistum, Pobeguin, Ess.
El. Guin. Fran9. 214 ; not of Steud.

688

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

I" Panicum.

Upper Guinea. Gambia, Don (?) ! French Guinea: on flooded land and
along streams in the valley of the Baffing river, Pobeguin, 1720 ! 1721 ! 1730 !
French Sudan : Kouroussa, Pobeguin , 493 ! between Nyamina and Ivoulikoro,
Chevalier , 2272 ! Segu, Lecard, 251 ! 253 (partly) ! San, Chevalier, 2273 !
near Mopte and Djenne, Chevalier, 2189 bis ! 2190 ! 24950 ! Northern Nigeria :
Katagum Distr., Dalziel, 258 ! Abinsi, Dalziel, 905 ! Nupe ; in moist places,
Barter, 728 ! near Lokoja, Dalton ! Southern Nigeria : Lagos ; in Ikoyi bush,
Dalziel, 1328 ! 1330! Aboh, Barter, 343! Cross River Distr.; Ogurude,

Holland, 280 !

North Central. Shari Territory: Bahr Salamat, Chevalier, 10511 ! Central
Shari ; region of Lake Iro, Kabas-Solo, Chevalier, 8936 ! Koulfe, Chevalier,
8956 ! 9090 bis !

Nile Land. Bongoland : Dukutto by the Roah river, Bchweinfurth, 2756 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. ; Muschie, Vanderyst,
3903 ! sandbanks near Chenul, Vanderyst, 5178 ! Kimpese, Vanderyst, 4388 !

Mozambique Distr. Southern Rhodesia: Victoria Falls, Rogers, 5717 !

42. P. Rowlandii, Stapf. Perennial, 1J-3 ft. high. Culms erect
or geniculately ascending, slender, up to 9-noded, branched below or
almost all along, smooth, sometimes slightly glaucous below the dark
nodes. Leaf-sheaths firm, terete, tight, finely striate, all quite
glabrous or minutely bearded at the mouth ; ligule reduced to a
narrow ciliolate rim ; blades linear from an equally wide base, long-
tapering to a fine point, up to over 1 ft. by 1-2 lin., firm and tough,
flexuous, dull green, quite glabrous, slightly rough on the margins
and sometimes towards the tips, otherwise smooth on both sides,
midrib slender or inconspicuous, lateral nerves close, the primary
(about 3 on each side) usually little differentiated. Panicle oblong,
contracted, 6-12 in. by about 2 in., divided to the fourth degree ;
primary axis slender, terete or grooved below, angular upwards,
quite glabrous, scaberulous upwards ; primary branches either
solitary or approximate in pairs or false whorls, the lowest 3-6 in.
long, undivided for rarely more than \ in., then loosely branched or
upwards more closely branched, all divisions filiform to almost
capillary, scaberulous ; pedicels very slightly thickened upwards,
the lateral very short to 1 lin. long. Spikelets more or less gaping,
from slightly over 1 to If lin. long, quite pale or tinged with
purple, glabrous. Glumes membranous, obscurely nerved ; lower
obliquely ovate in profile, acute or acuminate and minutely
mucronate, appressed except the tips, half to two-thirds the length
of the lower floret, 5-nerved, midnerve prominent upwards
and scaberulous ; upper obliquely oblong in profile, acuminate,
with the acumen hardly recurved, 5- to sub-7-nerved. Lower
floret rj : valve very similar to the upper glume and about as long,
5-nerved ; valvule slightly shorter than the valve ; anthers f lin.
long. Upper floret §, elliptic, oblong, obtuse, 1| lin. long, glossy
and smooth, valve and valvule subcrustaceous.

Upper Guinea. Southern Nigeria : near Lagos, Rowland ! at the edge of a
marsh, Dalziel, 1329 ! on the Quorra, on dry ground, Vogel, 24 !

Very near P. agghanoneurum, but of slender growth with branching culms and
much narrower leaves.

Panicum.]

CL VII. GKAMINEiE (Stapf).

689

43. P. fluviicola, Steud. Syn. FI. Glum. i. 89. Perennial, csespitose
from a short rhizome. Culms suberect, geniculate, over 2 ft. high,
about 4-noded, sparingly branched, terete, thickened at the nodes,
like the whole plant quite glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tight, firm,
striate, the lower longer, the upper shorter than the internodes ;
ligule a ciliate rim ; blades narrowly linear, convolute, tapering to a
long slender point, flexuous, 4-8 in. by 1 lin. Panicle up to 9 in. long,
narrow, contracted, flexuous, much divided, all the divisions finely
filiform to capillary, scaberulous ; lower branches pseudo-verticillate,
unequal, up to 3 in. long, undivided for a short distance from the
base, then very loosely branched ; penultimate divisions representing
very lax racemes of up to 6 spikelets ; lateral pedicels 1J lin. long or
longer, hardly thickened at the tips. Spikelets early gaping, 1J to
almost 1 J lin. long, pale greenish, with purplish tips. Glumes :
lower obliquely ovate-lanceolate, mucronate-acuminate, two-thirds
to three-quarters the length of the spikelet, appressed except the
acumen, midnerve distinct, side-nerves up to 2 on each side,
faint in transmitted light ; upper obliquely lanceolate in profile,
mucronate-acuminate, as long as the spikelet, the dull purplish
acumen slightly recurved, faintly 7-nerved, nerves more distinct
upwards. Lower floret : valve similar to the upper glume, but
slightly shorter, broader, less acuminate, without any mucro, paler
to almost whitish below the tips, faintly 5-nerved ; valvule shortef,
ovate-lanceolate, acuminate ; anthers J lin. long. Upper floret
oblong, obtuse, not quite 1 lin. long, glossy and smooth ; valve and
valvule subcrustaceous. — Jardin, Herbor. Cot. Occ. Afr. 6 ; Durand
& Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 749 (excl. syn.) ; Franch. in Bull. Soc.
Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 342 (reprint 34).

Upper Guinea. Southern Nigeria : Old Calabar, Robb ! Cameroons ; Bogalo
District, Macleod ! Tuburi marsh, MacLeod ! Ham river, Logone, MacLeod,
151 !

Lower Guinea. Gaboon : banks of the Gaboon river, Jardin ! French
Congo : Loango, in sandy places, ThoLlon, 1215. Belgian Congo : Lower
Congo, Smith !

Jardin, L.c., enumerates this species among the plants collected by him in
Prince’s Island, but on the label the “ banks of the Gaboon river ” is given as
the locality.

44. P. genuflexum, Staff. Perennial, up to 2 ft. high, forming
tufts of flowering and barren culms, with intravaginal innovations.
Culms repeatedly geniculate, ascending, terete, slender, smooth and
glabrous like the whole plant, 4-5-noded, branched all along, the
lower and intermediate branches repeating the features of the main
culm, lower internodes wiry, bared by the slipping off of the sheaths,
slightly thickened at the nodes. Leaf-sheaths rather firm, tight at
first, greenish with purplish bases and dark nodes, finely striate ;
ligule reduced to a minutely ciliolate rim ; blades linear from an
equally wide base, tapering to a slender point, 3-6 in. by 2-2 \ lin.,
flat or involute when dry, slightly glaucous, quite smooth, closely

FL. TROP. APR. VOL. IX. — PT. 4. 2 Y

690

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[ Panicum +

and finely nerved, midrib very slender, primary lateral nerves about
3 or 4 on each side, very fine. Panicle oblong to obovoid, up to over
6 in. by 2-5 in. , very loose and open, divided to the fourth degree, quite
glabrous ; common axis slender, finely striate or sulcate or angular
upwards, like the primary divisions slightly scaberulous upwards,
otherwise smooth ; primary branches filiform, at length obliquely
or the lowest subhorizontally spreading, approximate in pairs or
scanty false whorls or scattered, lower pairs or whorls distant by
1J-J in., the lowest up to over 3 in. long, undivided for more than
1 in. or only for a few lines, then very loosely divided, the secondary
branches very finely filiform, often flexuous, from over 2 to \ in. long,
at length divaricate, very loosely divided again, penultimate divisions
with 3-2 distant spikelets, like the pedicels subcapillary, very slightly
rough ; pedicels very obscurely thickened at the tips, the lateraL
about 1 lin. long, or sometimes much shorter. Spikelets very early
gaping, 1 lin. long, variegated with purple. Glumes membranous,
finely or obscurely nerved, more or less purple ; lower ovate, acute
or obscurely mucronulate (acuminate in profile), 5-nerved, appressed
except the tips ; upper obliquely lanceolate-oblong, acuminate,
almost 1 lin. long, 7-nerved. Lower floret : valve similar to the
upper glume but broader, acute or subacute, 5-nerved ; valvule
slightly shorter, oblong, subacute, flaps widened and overlapping at
the base ; anthers § lin. long. Upper floret oblong, obtuse,
f lin. by \ lin., white, glossy and smooth. — P. gracilifloium, Bendle
n Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 181 (partly).

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar : Kokotoni, on dry soil, Hildebrandt, 1087 !
1186 ! 1187 ! German East Africa : Usambara ; Muoa, Holst, 3120 !

44a. P. graciliflorum, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 181 (partly).
Perennial, up to over 2 ft. high. Culms crowded on a short rhizome,
repeatedly geniculate, ascending, branched, slender, terete, smooth
and glabrous, internodes long, the lower wiry. Leaf-sheaths tight,
shorter than the internodes, striate, glabrous except for the minutely
ciliate margins ; ligules short, membranous, ciliate ; blades linear,,
tapering to a long fine point, 6-10 in. by up to 2 lin., rather stiff,
margins at length revolute, glabrous, midrib very prominent on the
lower face. Panicles ovate in outline, 8 in. long, very loose and
widely open, divided to the fourth degree, quite glabrous ; common axis
slender, finely striate or angular, like the primary divisions slightly
scaberulous upwards, otherwise smooth ; primary branches filiform,,
widely spreading, their divisions capillary ; pedicels 2-4 lin. long.
Spikelets laterally compressed, early much gaping, 1J lin. long,
glabrous, violet-purple. Glumes membranous, equal ; lower
obliquely oblong in profile, long and subulate- or mucronate-
acuminate or almost aristulate, equalling the spikelet, finely keeled
upwards, the keel scaberulous, 3- to sub-5-nerved, the outer nerves
faint and short ; upper obliquely ovate in profile, mucronate,
5-nerved, the inner nerves joining at the tip, the outer some distance

Panicum.\

CL VII. GRAMINAJ (Stapf).

691

below. Lower floret g, very similar to the upper glume, but not
mucronate nor with the nerves joining, although converging ; valvule
somewhat shorter, sharply keeled, with the flaps widening from the
tips downwards. Upper floret very broadly elliptic, obtuse,
with narrow involute margins, § lin. long, brownish, polished.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Golungo Alto ; in sunny sandy places between
Cambondo and Trombete, rare, Welwitsch, 2959 !

45. P. Grriffonii, Franch. Contr. FI. Congo Frang. in Bull. Soc.
Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 342 (reprint 34). Annual, tufted, J-3 ft. high.
Culms erect or geniculate-suber'ect, usually branched all along or
upwards with the branches erect, usually about 6-noded, terete,
slender, densely hirsute to almost glabrous, internodes mostly at
length bared by the slipping off of the sheaths. Leaf-sheaths at
first tight, then loosened, somewhat firm, strongly and closely striate,
more or less hirsute, sometimes densely so, hairs spreading from small
persistent tubercles ; ligule a densely ciliate rim ; blades narrowly
linear from an equally wide base, tapering to a slender point, J to
over 1 ft. long, 1-2 lin. wide, flat or convolute and flexuous, finely
hirsute, mainly from the midrib and primary nerves, these 2-3 on
each side, like the midrib very slender, somewhat prominent below,
hardly differentiated above. Panicles terminal and axillary, oblong
to obovate, contracted or open, flexuous or slightly stiff, 3-9 in. long,
when opened out up to 4 in. wide and very loose, divided to the third
or fourth degree, all divisions very slender to finely filiform, obliquely
spreading when mature (see note below), upwards sharply angular
and scabrid, all over loosely to very loosely and finely hirsute ;
primary branches irregularly scattered, often approximate in pairs
or false whorls, with obscure motile cushions at the base, divided
from the base or some distance (a few to 9 lin.) above it, the longest
2-5 in. long, divisions remotely divided again twice (below with 2
rarely 3 spikelets) or once, 8-2-spiculate ; pedicels hardly widened at
all upwards, the lateral 1-3 lin. long. Spikelets oblong, acutely
acuminate, early gaping, sometimes widely so, slightly over 1 lin.
long, pale greenish or brownish with darker tips, stiffly hairy. Glumes
obliquely spreading to subdivaricate, very similar, obliquely lanceo-
late in profile, thinly membranous, finely and slightly prominently
nerved ; lower rather narrower and more finely acuminate, usually
mucronate, three-quarters to over four-fifths the length of the upper,
5-nerved, upper 5-7-nerved. Lower floret : valve similar to the
upper glume but slightly shorter, less or obscurely acuminate,
5-nerved, outer nerves very faint ; valvule lanceolate-oblong,
slightly shorter, acuminate, flaps wide below ; anthers J lin. long.
Upper floret oblong, about § lin. by not quite J lin., whitish,
smooth, slightly glossy. — rTh. & Hel. Durand, Syll. FI. Congol. 632 ;
Cheval. Sudania, 92. P. Zenkeri, K. Schum. in Engl. Jahrb. xxiv.
330 ; Th. & Hel. Durand, l.c. 635. P. kirsutulum, Rendle in Cat.

692 cl vii. gramineje (Stapf). [Panicum.

Afr. PL Welw. ii. 176. P. mixtum, Mez in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiv.
147.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Mabould, 550 ft., Thomas, 3662 ! Nigeria : Lagos ;
on rocks, Dawodu, 186! Ebute Matta, Mitten, 13! Cameroons : Yaunde,
Zenker, 499 ! 542, ; and without precise locality, Buchholz : Dinklage, 605.

Lower Guinea. Gaboon : without precise locality, Griffon du Bellay ! Munda
District ; Sibange Farm, Soyaux, j|29J Belgian Congo : Cataracts District ; in
sandy Manioc fields near Lutete, 2000 ft., Hens, A. 284 ! French Congo :
Upper Oubangui; Ungouras plateau, Chevalier, 6135! Angola: Pungo
Andongo ; in rocky places near springs near Quilombo, Welwitsch, 2824 !
between Pungo Andongo and Cambamba, Welwitsch, 7421 !

Chevalier’s specimens from the Upper Oubangui represent a stunted con-
dition with the divisions of the panicle much more spreading and rigid than
usual. Mez describes the mature fruits of his P. mixtum as brown.

46. P. paucinode, Stapf. Annual, tufted, 1-2 ft. high. Culms
erect or geniculate-suberect, very slender, glabrous, 1-2-noded,
simple or sometimes branched from the lowest node, branches
similar to the main culm, flowering. Leaf-sheaths thin, somewhat
tight or the lowest at length loosened, striate, glabrous, shorter than
the internodes, sometimes tinged with purple ; ligule reduced to a
narrow membranous ciliolate rim ; blades linear from an equally
wide or somewhat attenuated base, tapering to a slender point,
2-4 in. by 1-1 J lin., flat or convolute when dry, subflaccid, glabrous
except for a small beard at the junction with the sheath, midrib and
primary lateral nerves (2-3 on each side) slightly prominent below,
very slender, hardly differentiated above, margins scaberulous.
Panicles mostly in tiers of 2-3, shortly or the primary at length long-
exserted from the uppermost sheaths of the culm and its branches,
open and very loose, oblong, up to over 1 ft. long by 14-2 in., quite gla-
brous, divided to the fourth degree, all divisions very slender to almost
capillary, scaberulous except the bases of the primary, obliquely
spreading ; primary branches mostly solitary and scattered, rarely
pseudo verticillate, with minute motile cushions at the base, divided
from 3-6 lin. from the base, or occasionally quite low down, the
longest up to 2 J in. long, divisions distantly divided once or twice,
6-2-spiculate or the upper simple ; pedicels 3-6 or occasionally
9 lin. long, tips slightly thickened and minutely discoid. Spikelets
to over 1 J lin. long, oblong, acutely acuminate, soon gaping, yellowish-
green or tinged with purple. Glumes obliquely spreading but not
divaricate, similar, thinly membranous, finely nerved ; lower
obliquely ovate to ovate-lanceolate in profile, acuminate, usually
with a fine mucro, without the latter about two-thirds the length of
the spikelet, 3-nerved, lateral nerves faint, midnerve slightly scaberu-
lous ; upper obliquely lanceolate-oblong, shortly acuminate,
obscurely mucronulate, as long as the spikelet, 5-nerved, inner nerves
prominent upwards. Lower floret ; valve very like the upper
glume, but less acuminate and subacute ; valvule almost as long as
the valve, oblong, subacuminate, flaps broad downwards ; anthers

• ; •; ( if' |V> “ • • ! /: ■

••

\Mo t/

*fo<*jLu*--< JL.a

iLM (s-

Panicum .]

CLV1I. GRAMINE.ZE (Stapf).

698

§ lin. long. Upper floret j£, oblong, obtuse, £ lin. by lin., white,
very glossy and smooth.

Upper Guinea. Northern Nigeria : abundant in bush near Yola, Dalziel ,
270 !

47. P. manicatum, $ tayf. Annual, up to over 4 ft. high. Culms
slender, very compressible, erect, many-noded, simple and erect or
suberect for about 8 internodes (2J ft.), then branching in tiers or
fascicles, the main culm and the very slender to filiform branches
repeatedly geniculate, only the last internode (peduncle) erect, culm
and branches glabrous and smooth, internodes mostly bared by the
breaking or slipping off of the sheaths, the upper channelled. Leaf-
sheaths shorter than or more rarely as long as the internode, striate,
more or less loosely hirsute or glabrous, the lower and intermediate
swollen and sulcate- striate at the nodes, the swollen portion remain-
ing as a ring covering the stem-node after the fall of the sheath ;
ligules membranous, very short, rounded, ciliolate ; blades linear
from a slightly constricted base, long-tapering to a slender point,
1J-2 in. by 1J lin., flat, thin, green, glabrous except for some tubercle-
based cilia near the base, margins scaberulous, closely nerved, midrib
and primary lateral nerves hardly differentiated . Panicles erect , ab out
3 in. long, mature subfastigiate, obovate-oblong, glabrous, divided
to the third or here and there the fourth degree, all the divisions
finely filiform, angular or terete upwards, minutely scaberulous ;
primary axis very slender, terete below, angular above ; primary
branches solitary or approximate in pairs or false whorls, permanently
obliquely erect rarely at length more spreading at an angle of up to
45°, very loosely divided from low down for up to 6 lin. ; branchlets
forming very lax 4-2-spiculate or downwards compound and then
up to over 6-spiculate racemes ; pedicels contracted, capillary, very
unequal, quite short to up to 4 lin. long, tips minutely cupular.
Spikelets lanceolate-oblong, apiculate-acuminate, soon gaping,
about 1 J lin. long, green, variegated with purple, glabrous. Glumes
dissimilar ; lower ovate, mucronate-acuminate, half to two-thirds the
length of the spikelet, subhyaline, with an excurrent midnerve' and 1 or
2 minute obscure side-nerves on each side ; upper glume correspond-
ing in size and outline to the spikelet, broadly rounded on the back,
prominently 7-nerved, tip contracted and usually dark. Lower
floret g : valve like the upper glume ; valvule oblong, subacute,
flaps much widened downwards ; anthers \ lin. long. Upper floret
oblong, obtuse, £ lin. long, greyish-white, very smooth and glossy ;
valve and valvule thinly crustaceous.

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese Ea,st Africa: Zambesi Delta; on flooded
land between Mambucha and Vicente, Scott ! /

Mrr

48. P. humile, IS rees ex Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 84. A Annual,
tufted, j-lj ft. high, sometimes quite dwarf. Culms erect or

694

CLVII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

geniculate, in tall specimens often repeatedly so and arching, slender,
glabrous and very smooth, often purplish, up to 4-noded, internodes
up to over 4 in. long, branched from all or most nodes, with the
branches often fascicled and very unequal, the longest occasionally
almost equalling the main culm. Leaf-sheaths somewhat loose,
striate, rarely much over 2 in. long, glabrous except at the upper
margins which are sometimes delicately ciliate ; ligule a minute
ciliolate rim ; blades linear from a slightly rounded base, tapering
to a slender point, from less than 1 to over 6 in. by 1J-2 lin., flat,
flaccid, quite glabrous, slightly scaberulous along the margins, midrib
and primary lateral nerves (about 3 on each side) fine and slightly
prominent below, less so or hardly at all above. Panicle open and
very loose, oblong or in short specimens more usually ovate in out-
line, up to 4 (rarely 6) in. by 2 in. , quite glabrous, divided to the third
or sometimes the fourth degree, all divisions very slender, somewhat
rigid, scaberulous upwards, obliquely erect or more or less spreading
but hardly divaricate ; primary branches scattered or more often
irregularly approximate or pseudoverticillate, with minute motile
cushions at the base, divided from the base or somewhat above it,
the lower in large panicles up to over 2 in. long, divisions distantly
divided again from the base or near it, forming very loose at length
mostly contracted racemes of 6-2 spikelets or upwards simple ;
pedicels slightly thickened at the tips, lateral to over 1-3 lin. long ;
in dwarf specimens the panicles much smaller and more contracted.
Spikelets 1 lin. long, oblong, acutely acuminate when closed, then
more or less but never widely gaping, greenish or more often tinged
with purple. Glumes obliquely erect, not divaricate, thinly mem-
branous, finely nerved ; lower obliquely lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate
in profile, acutely acuminate, not or very obscurely mucronate,
three-quarters to four-fifths the length of the spikelet, 3-nerved,
midnerve smooth or very minutely scaberulous ; upper similar
but longer, wider, 5- to sub-5-nerved, the inner 3 nerves some-
times slightly prominent upwards. Lower floret barren: valve
similar ' to the upper glume, but somewhat shorter and paler,
5-nerved ; valvule distinctly shorter than the valve, empty or with
minute rudimentary anthers. Upper floret oblong, obtuse,
J-f lin. by J lin., whitish, glossy and smooth ; valve and valvule
crustaceous ; anthers not quite \ lin. long, purplish. — Thwait. Enum.
PI. Zeyl. 360 ; Duthie, List Grass. N.-W. Tnd. 4, and Eodd. Grass.
N. Ind. 9 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 48, and in Trim. Handb.
FI. Ceyl. v. 152 ; Cheval. Sudania, 33 (partly). P. tenellum , Griff.
Not. iii. 21, and Ic. PI. Asiat. t. 139, fig. 194 ; not of Boxb.

Upper Guinea. Lower Senegal and Cayor : Tamboukane, Chevalier, 2234 !
Mohou, near Matam, Chevalier, 2235 ! Gambia, Mungo Park ! Northern
Nigeria : Nnpe, Barter, 886 B !

Also in India, from Ceylon to Assam. Of the Indian specimens the taller
agree exactly with those enumerated here, whilst the dwarf forms owing to

Panicum. ]

CLVII. GBAMINEiE (Stapf).

695

their stunted habit, more contracted smaller panicles and slightly plumper
.spikelets, have a facies of their own which at the first glance might suggest a
distinct species.

49. P. Afzslii, Sw. Adnot. Bot. 5. Annual, tufted, J-l ft. high.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending, very slender and rather weak,
glabrous, 2-4-noded, branched from all or most nodes, with the
branches often fascicled and very unequal, the longest often equalling
the main culm, all flowering. Leaf-sheaths thin, somewhat loose,
striate, glabrous or more often ciliate or loosely hirsute upwards,
the hairs fine, spreading from tubercles, longer or shorter than the
internodes ; ligule a minute ciliolate rim ; blades linear from a slightly
rounded base, tapering to a fine point, 2-5 in. by 1-1 J (rarely 2) lin.,
flat, flaccid, sparingly hirsute, midrib and primary lateral nerves
(2-3 on each side) very fine and slightly prominent below, hardly
differentiated above, margins scaberulous. Panicle open and very
loose, oblong, 3-5 in. by 1 to almost 3 in., quite glabrous, divided to
the third or here and there the fourth degree, all divisions very slender
to capillary, minutely scaberulous upwards, divaricate ; primary
branches scattered or more often approximate in false whorls or
pairs, with a distinct motile cushion at the base, divided from the
base or somewhat (up to 3 lin.) above it, the lower 2 (rarely 3)-l in.
long, divisions divided again, 6-2-spieulate or the upper simple ;
pedicels slightly thickened at the tips, the lateral if representing axes
of the third or fourth degree very short to over 1 lin. long, otherwise
like the terminal, often much longer (to over 3 lin.). Spikelets up
to 1 lin. long, oblong, acuminate when closed, soon widely gaping,
greenish or more often tinged with purple. Glumes divaricate,
similar, thinly membranous, finely nerved ; lower obliquely ovate-
lanceolate or lanceolate in profile, acuminate and mucronate or
aristulate, three-quarters to four-fifths the length of the spikelet
or sometimes including the awnlet as long as it, 1-3-nerved, mid-
nerve scaberulous, outer nerves short and faint ; upper obliquely
oblong in profile, finely acuminate, sometimes shortly mucronulate,
as long as - the spikelet, 3-5-nerved, the inner 3 nerves sometimes
slightly prominent upwards. Lower floret somewhat gibbously
semi-ovate in profile, acute or shortly acuminate, firmer and shorter
than the lower glume, 5- (rarely 3-) nerved, side-nerves distant from
the midnerve ; valvule almost as long, flaps much widened down-
wards ; anthers J-f lin. long. Upper floret oblong, subacute,
i~t lin. long, white or whitish, very smooth and glossy ; valve and
valvule thinly crustaceous. — Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v.
767. P. divergens, Afz. ex Sw. l.c. ; not of H.B. & K. P. muscarium ,
Trin. Ic. et Descr. Gram. ii. t. 235 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 105 ; Steud.
Syn. PI. Glum. i. 79. P. humile, Cheval. Sudania, 33, partly ; not
of Nees ex Steud.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Magbile, Thomas , 6467 ! by hard paths on

696

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

augite near Regent, Scott Elliot, 4115 ! and without precise locality, Afzelius l
French Guinea: Fouta Jallon ; Timbo, Pobeguin, 1716 ! 1717 ! 1717 bis ! be-
tween Soumbalako and Boulivel, Chevalier, 18650 ! French Soudan : Middle
Niger ; Koulikoro, Chevalier, 2233 !

1/ / /V] —

50. P. callosum, Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 374.
Annual, up to 3 ft. high. Culms erect or geniculate-ascending,,
terete, rather slender, simple, about 3-noded, glabrous and smooth.
Leaf-sheaths terete, somewhat loose, striate, ciliate along the outer-
margin, otherwise glabrous, shorter than . the long internodes ;
ligules rounded, membranous, J lin. long, ciliate ; blades linear from
an attenuated base, long-tapering to a slender point, up to over 14 ft.
by 3-5 lin., flat, flexuous or flaccid, glabrous or very sparsely hairy
and ciliate upwards, margins scabrid, midrib slender or in the
longest leaves stouter and more prominent downwards, primary
lateral nerves 4-5 on each side, fine. Panicles contracted or slightly
open, loose, narrow, over 1 ft. long, slightly nodding or erect, with
their base at length shortly exserted from the uppermost sheath,
glabrous, divided to the third or fourth degree, all the divisions filiform
to subcapillary, angular and scabrid or the primary smooth at the
base ; primary axis slender, subterete and grooved or very angular
and smooth below ; primary branches scattered, often widely
distant or the lowest whorled, up to almost 1 ft. long, very loosely
divided from J-1J in. above the base ; branchlets very long and
remotely divided from high above the base, the penultimate divisions
representing very loose usually 2-spiculate racemes ; pedicels hardly
thickened upwards, with truncate tips, the lateral 3-4 lin., the
terminal up to 6 lin. long. Spikelets broad- or elliptic-oblong, sub-
subulate-acuminate, hardly turgid, 3 lin. long, glabrous, green or
tinged with dull purple. Glumes falling with the spikelet, mem-
branous, finely and prominently nerved ; lower ovate-oblong
mucronate-acuminate, equalling three-quarters of the lower-
floret, 7- or sub-7 -nerved ; upper broad-oblong, subsubulate-
acuminate, the tip laterally compressed, broadly rounded on the
back, 9-nerved, nerves more prominent upwards. Lower floret
barren : valve similar to the upper glume but less acuminate, sub-
9-nerved, the innermost side-nerves evanescent below the upper
third ; valvule slightly shorter, oblong, truncate or subacute ;
stamens rudimentary or 0. Upper floret broad-elliptic-oblong,
obtuse, 2 lin. long, brown, smooth and shining. — Steud. Syn. PI.
Glum. i. 77 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 300.

Nile Land. Abyssinia : Gallabat ; near Matamma, Schweinfurth, 1081 !.
Sana ; by the Tacaze River near Jelajeranne, S dumper, 1713 !

51. P. miliaceum, Linn. Sp. PI. ed. i. 58. Annual, tufted 2-4 ft.
high. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, terete, stout or
slender, 4-5-noded, simple or sparingly branched, more or less softly
hirsute below the nodes, the uppermost internode usually quite

Panicum.]

CLVII. GRAMINE^ (Stapf).

697

glabrous. Leaf-sbeaths terete, somewhat loose or the upper tight,
closely striate, spreadingly hirsute with conspicuously tubercle-
based hairs, pubescent or loosely bearded at the nodes, longer or
slightly shorter than the internodes ; ligule a narrow ciliate rim ;
blades linear from an equally wide or slightly contracted and rounded
base long- tapering to a slender point, \ to over 1 ft. by 3-10 lin.,
flat, flexuous, usually glabrous except for the often ciliate lower
margins and hispidulous dorsal midrib, rarely sparsely hairy all
over, hairs long and fine, midrib somewhat stout and prominent
below in large leaves, primary lateral nerves 3-6 on each side, very
slender. Panicles contracted and rather dense or open, narrowly
oblong, nodding, often with their base permanently enclosed in the
uppermost sheath or only shortly exserted, up to 1 ft. long, in sub-
spontaneous specimens usually scantier, looser and at length more
open, divided up to the fourth or in cultivated specimens the fifth
degree, all the divisions filiform, angular and scabrid ; primary axis
slender or somewhat stout below, subterete, striate or grooved and
smooth towards the base ; primary branches more or less approximate
below, more distant upwards, up to two-thirds or three-quarters the
length of the panicle, often much divided from low down ; branchlets
relatively long, the lower divided again in the same manner or like
the remainder from much higher up with spikelets in small loose
racemes of 2 (rarely 3) towards the summit ; pedicels hardly
thickened upwards, with truncate tips, the lateral from less than
1 to 3 lin. long, terminal somewhat (rarely much) exceeding the lower.
Spikelets ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, apiculate-acuminate,
turgid, 2J-2J lin. long, glabrous, green or brownish-green. Glumes
persistent, unequal, strongly and prominently nerved ; lower broad-
ovate, acute, from half to two-thirds the length of the lower
floret, 5-nerved ; upper corresponding in size and outline to the
spikelet, broadly rounded on the back, 11 -nerved, tip contracted,
apiculate to shortly rostrate. Lower floret barren : valve very like
the lower glume ; valvule ovate to ovate-oblong, truncate or
emarginate, up to about one-third the length of the valve. Upper
floret elliptic- oblong in outline, subacute, very convex on the back,
up to over 1J lin. by 1 lin., variously coloured (white, yellow, red,
brown or black), very smooth and polished ; valve and valvule
crustaceous. Grain white. — Forsk. FI. iEgypt.-Arab. civ. ;• Host,
Gram. Austr. ii. 16, t. 20 ; Kunth. Enum. i. 104, Suppl. 81 ; Trin.
Pan. Gen. 194, and Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 221 ; Eeichb. Ic. FI. Germ. vii. t.
82 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 77 ; Goss. & Durieu, Expl. Scient. Alger,
ii. 32 ; Duthie, List Grass. N.-W. Ind. 5 ; Field and Gard. Crops,
t. 23, and Fodd. Grass. N. Ind. 9 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 301,
and in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 23 ; Fig. & De Not. in Mem. Ac.
Torin. ii. xii. 354 ; Batt. & Trab. FI. Alger. Monoc. 36 ; Aschers. &
Schweinf. Illustr. FI. figypte, 160 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr.
v. 754 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 45 ; Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. Ind.

698

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

vi. 12. P. asperrimum, Eisch. Cat. Hort. Govenk. ex Jacq. Eclog.
Gram. 46, t. 31 ; Nees, Agrost. Bras. 199. P. Milium, Pers. Syn. i.
83. Milium esculentum, Moench, Method. 203 ; M. Panicum, Mill.
Gard. Diet. Ed. viii. no. 1.

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Manganja Hills near Soche, 3000 ft., Kirk !
Mungazi (cultivated), Kirk !

According to Schweinfurth, Hohnel found this species in cultivation in
Kikuyu and Ukambani, 4200-5200 ft., British East Africa (Schweinf. in
Hohnel, Discovery Lakes Rudolf and Stefani, ii. App. 352). Very commonly
cultivated in India where it is supposed to have originated. I have seen no
specimen which I should consider spontaneous. The specimens quoted above
appear to belong to the form described by Koernicke (in Koern. & Wern. Handb.
Getreidebau, i. 258) as P. miliaceum , var. contractum, f. luteum.

52. P. hippothrix, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 103.
Annual, 2-3 ft. high. Culms moderately slender, erect from a genicu-
late base, simple or sparingly branched, terete, easily compressible,
glabrous, smooth, 4-5-noded, intermediate nodes exserted, lower and
upper enclosed. Leaf-sheaths terete, the lower loose, the upper
tight, glabrous or shortly hirsute upwards with tubercle-based hairs
and ciliate towards the mouth, rarely sparingly hirsute all' over,
prominently striate, smooth ; ligule a membranous densely and long-
ciliate rim ; blades linear from an equally wide or slightly attenuated
base, long-tapering to a subsetaceous point, 6-9 in. by 1J-2J in.,
flat, somewhat hard, flexuous, loosely and finely hairy above par-
ticularly towards the base where the hairs are sometimes gathered
in a beard, glabrous or almost so on the back, scaberulous along the
margins, otherwise smooth or slightly rough above, midrib very
slender, primary lateral nerves about 3 on each side, more or less
differentiated below only. Panicle erect, rather stiff, with its
contracted base enclosed in the uppermost sheath, opening out up-
wards, wide and loose, up to over 1 ft. by over J ft., very loosely
divided to the third degree, common axis slender, angular, smooth
below, upwards like all the divisions scabrid, lowest internodes short,
the following much longer (to over 3 in.) ; lower primary branches
solitary or whorled, up to 9 in. long, filiform, remotely divided from
1-2 in. above the base, internodes 1J-1 in. long ; secondary branch-
lets 3-1 \ in. long, bearing very few spikelets ; pedicels finely filiform,
stiff, 2J to over 12 lin. long, slightly thickened towards the truncate
tips and sometimes with a few short stiff hairs below them. Spikelets
lanceolate-ovate or oblong, subulate-acuminate, about 2 lin. long,
greenish or straw-coloured, sometimes tinged with purple, quite
glabrous. Glumes membranous, ovate, prominently nerved ;
lower very acute to subacuminate, lj-lf lin. long, 5-nerved, nerves
joined at their tips by cross-veins ; upper of the size and
outline of the spikelet, 7-9-nerved, both rounded on the back.
Lower floret barren ; valve very similar to the upper glume, but
slightly shorter, 9-nerved ; valvule oblong, subacute, shorter. Upper

Panicum .]

699

CL VII, GrRAMINEJ® (Stapf).

floret oblong, obtuse, 1-1 J lin. by over J lin,, yellowish, polished;
valve and valvule subcoriaceous ; anthers dark purple, almost
1 lin. long. — Engl. Glied. Yeg. Usambara, 22.

Nile Land. British. East Africa : Tanaland, Linton , 206 ! Rabai Hills,
near Mombasa, Taylor !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Usambara ; in fields near Tanga,
Saccleux , 2307 ! abandoned cultivation near Muoa, Holst, 3 EL 7 !

Very similar to and possibly identical with P. obscurans'(Isachne obscurans,
Woodr.) from the Deccan, but the blades of P. obscurans are much wider (up
to 7 lin.) and the panicle is perhaps on the whole more open with slightly
larger spikelets. Woodrow says of his plant that the whole inflorescence breaks
off and is driven about by the wind. According to the same author its grains
are eaten as a fast- day food, and cooked like rice.

53. P. Kerstingii, Mez in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiv. 145. Annual, 2 ft.
high, scantily tufted. Culms slender, erect, simple, terete, glabrous,
smooth, 4-5-noded, nodes shortly (if at all) exserted. Leaf-sheaths
terete, the lowest becoming involute and slipping off the stem,
increasing in length upwards, the upper up to 6 in. long, glabrous
below, more or less hirsute upwards with tubercle-based hairs,
rigidly ciliate, prominently striate, smooth ; ligule a membranous
ciliate rim ; blades linear from an equally broad base, tapering to a
very acute point, 4-10 in. by 2J-3J lin., flat, somewhat flaccid, more
or less finely hirsute from tubercle-based hairs on or by the midrib
and primary lateral nerves and along the margins, midrib slender,
nerves fine and close, prominent, 4-5 primary nerves distinctly
differentiated below. Panicles erect, enclosed with their contracted
base in the uppermost sheath, much opening out upwards and very
loose, up to 1-1 J ft. by 4-10 in., divided to the fourth or sometimes the
fifth degree ; common axis slender, angular, smooth below, upwards
like all its divisions scaberulous, exserted, internodes about 1 in.
long or irregularly shorter (4 in.) and longer (up to 2 in.) ; lower and
intermediate primary branches 6-10 in. long, solitary, very finely
filiform, remotely divided from 1-1J in. above the base, internodes
i in. to over 1 in. long ; secondary and ulterior branchlets sub-
capillary to capillary, the secondary 1-1J in. long, the tertiary or
upwards the secondary bearing the spikelets towards their tips ;
pedicels from very short to 1 \ (rarely 3) lin. long, somewhat thickened
towards the truncate tips. Spikelets ovate-oblong, acute or shortly
acuminate, 1 \ lin. long, pale green, often tinged with purple, glabrous.
Glumes membranous, more or less prominently nerved upwards,
rounded on the back, unequal ; lower ovate, acute or mucronulate,
up to half or two-thirds the length of the spikelet, 3-5-nerved ;
upper of the length and outline of the spikelet, 7-nerved. Lower
floret barren : valve very similar to the upper glume, but slightly
shorter and the nerves fainter ; valvule very much reduced. Upper
floret oblong, subobtuse, 1 lin. by \ lin., turning yellowish,
polished ; valve and valvule subcoriaceous ; anthers dark purple,
over | lin. long.

700 cl vii. GRAMiNEiE (Stapf). [ Panicum .

Upper Guinea. Togo : without precise locality, Ker sting, J247, 253 ;
Zech, 34, 4.6,. Southern Nigeria: Lagos, Dawodu, 155! Aguku UistrT;
Thomas, 623 ! 660 ! 956 ! 696 ! (inflorescence only). Northern Nigeria : Nupe ;
in cultivated land, Barter, 1374 ! Northern Cameroons : Logone river, Macleod,
150 !

54. P. pansum, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 177. Annual,
tufted from a subgeniculate base, simple, 2-noded with the uppermost
internode long-exserted and occupying much more than half the
culm. Leaf-sheaths terete, tight, prominently striate, the lowest
less than 1 in., the following 1J-2J in. long, loosely and scantily
hirsute in the upper part with tubercle-based hairs, margins ciliolate ;
ligule a short ciliolate rim ; blades linear from a slightly rounded
base, tapering to a slender slightly callous point, 2-8 in. by 2-J — 3 lin.,
flat, rigidly suberect or oblique, drying yellowish, finely hirsute with
minutely tubercle-based hairs along the midrib and on the nerves
on the lower face and the margins, and less or more irregularly so
on the upper, the hairs often deciduous, leaving the tubercles behind,
midrib very slender, lateral nerves fine, prominent and very close,
not differentiated. Panicles erect, long-exserted, ovate to broad-
oblong in outline, from \ to over 1J ft. long, very loose and open,
divided to the third or fourth degree ; common axis slender, terete to
angular, smooth below, like all its divisions scaberulous upwards,
internodes irregularly long (to over 1J in.) and short ; primary
branches ascending, somewhat flexuous, solitary or here and there
(particularly the intermediate) paired, very long, finely filiform,
remotely divided from near the base or higher up, longest internodes
up to 1 in. long, the following divisions capillary, the ultimate bearing
the spikelets mostly in pairs near their tips ; pedicels with minute
discoid tips, the lower of a pair often very short, the upper 1-1 £ lin.
long, those of solitary spikelets up to 6 lin. long. Spikelets ovate to
ovate-oblong, shortly acute, 1J lin. long, drying a golden-brown.
Glumes membranous, glabrous, very finely but prominently nerved, at
least upwards ; lower lanceolate and acutely acuminate in profile,
half to three-quarters the length of the spikelet, 3-5-nerved ; upper
broader and less acuminate, acute, 5-7-nerved. Lower floret
barren : valve very similar to the upper glume and as long, 7-9-
nerved ; valvule much reduced (to half or less than the length of the
valve), ovate, with the flaps evanescent above the middle.
Upper floret elliptic- oblong, obtuse, up to 1 lin. long, brown,
polished.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. (?), Vanderyst ! Angola :
Golungo Alto ; in sandy places between Cambondo and Luinha, Welwitsch,
7261 ! Pungo Andongo ; in sandy woods between Candumba and Lombe,
Welwitsch, 2832 !

55. P. lsetum, Kunth , Rev. Gram. ii. 399, t. 113. Annual, more or
less tufted, 1 to over 2 ft. high. Culms erect or geniculately ascending,
terete or subterete, slender to rather stout, branched from below,

Panicum .]

CLVII. GRAMINEAJ (Stapf).

701

glabrous or more or less hirsute below the nodes, 3-4~noded, usually
shortly or the uppermost sometimes long exserted. Leaf-sheaths
loose or tight, striate, quite glabrous, rarely more or less hirsute with
tubercle-based ultimately deciduous hairs ; ligule reduced to a thinly
membranous ciliate rim ; blades linear from a shortly rounded or
equally wide base, long-tapering to a slender point, 3-8 in. by 2-5 lin.,
flat, pale or yellowish-green, quite glabrous and smooth except at the
scaberulous margins, rarely more or less hirsute like the sheaths or
rigidly ciliate towards the base, finely and closely nerved, primary
lateral nerves 4-6 on each side. Panicle broadly ob ovate or turbinate
in outline, very loose, open, 3-6 in. long and ultimately often almost
twice as wide, divided to the third or fourth degree, slender, angular,
striate or sulcate, smooth or more or less scaberulous ; primary
branches solitary, rather distant and stiff, subfiliform, oblique or the
lower at length almost horizontal, up to 3 or 4 in. long, very loosely
branched from 12-3 lin. above the base, scaberulous like the following
divisions or smooth downwards ; penultimate divisions rarely with
more than 2 spikelets ; pedicels finely filiform, very unequal, the
lateral mostly longer to much longer than the spikelet, the terminal
up to 6 lin. long, all with subcupular tips. Spikelets ovate to
elliptic-oblong in outline, acute or subacuminate, hardly gaping
except when ripening, 1J lin. by f lin., greenish to straw-coloured,
glabrous. Glumes thinly membranous, very unequal ; lower broad-
ovate, acute to subacute, clasping, about half the length of the spike-
let, 5- (rarely 7 -) nerved, nerves usually anastomosing below the tip ;
upper corresponding in size and outline to the spikelet, 7-9- (more
rarely 11-) nerved, nerves prominent upwards. Lower floret barren :
valve very similar to the upper glume ; valvule oblong, acute, slightly
shorter, flaps narrow. Upper floret oblong, subacute, lin. by
slightly over lin., pale olive-brown, very glossy and smooth : valve
and valvule crustaceous ; anthers § lin. long. Grain elliptic in
outline, very obtuse, § lin. by over lin., yellowish ; scutellum more
than half the length of the grain. — Kunth, Enum. PI. i. 115 ; Steud.
Syn. PL Glum. 73 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. PI. Afr. vi. 752 (partly).
P. psilojp odium, var. afrum, Stapf ex Cheval. Sudania, 34, 160 (name).

Upper Guinea. Senegal : Walo and Richard Tol, Perrottet. French Spdan :
Middle Niger ; Sompi, Chevalier, 2279 ! Takadji. Chevalier, 2281 ! Northern
Nigeria : Katagum District, Dalziel, 262 !

North Central. Baghirmi ; Nigui, Chevalier, 9465 ! Massenia, Chevalier,
9621 ! Aouni, Chevalier, 9934 !

Dalziel says that this grass, known as “ Baia ” in the Katagum district, is
an important food in time of scarcity.

56. P. sociale, Sta^pf. Annual, up to almost 1 ft. high, growing
in dense stands. Culms erect or geniculately suberect, filiform,
terete, about 5-noded, simple or sparingly branched with all the
branches flowering, more or less spreadingly hirsute with long very
fine tubercle-based hairs, intermediate internodes about 1J in. long,

702

CL VII. GRAMINEZE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

exserted, lower and upper shorter and frequently enclosed in their
sheaths. Leaf-sheaths somewhat tight, terete, prominently and
finely striate, hirsute with short spreading tubercle-based hairs ;
ligule a fine ciliolate rim ; blades erect, the upper subappressed,
linear, very slightly constricted at the base, tapering to an acute
point, 1J-1 in. by 2-1 J lin., flat, soft but somewhat rigid, yellowish-
green, densely and finely hirsute all over with the hairs conspicuously
tubercle-based, margins scaberulous, midrib and primary lateral
nerves (about 2 on each side) very fine to inconspicuous. Panicles
erect, shortly exserted, ovate in outline, 2-3 in. by 1J in., widely open,
very loose, stiff, divided to the second, rarely third degree ; common
axis filiform, terete, smooth, with some fine long spreading hairs in
the lower part, internodes 4-6 lin. long ; primary branches very fine,
1J-1 in. long, smooth below, scaberulous upwards, the lowest bearing
a few distant 2-spiculate branchlets or, like the others, solitary long-
pedicelled spikelets ; pedicels mostly 3-6 lin. long, capillary, slightly
thickened towards the truncate or subdiscoid tips. Spikelets ovate-
oblong, acute, 1J-1J lin. long, pale or tinged with purple, glabrous.
Glumes thinly membranous, unequal, finely and somewhat promi-
nently nerved ; lower ovate, acute, half the length of the spikelet,
5 -nerved ; upper corresponding in length and outline to the spikelet,
7-nerved. Lower floret barren: valve very like the upper glume,
but 9-nerved ; valvule much shorter and more or less reduced.
Upper floret oblong, obtuse, up to 1 lin. long, uniformly
dark chestnut-brown, polished ; valve and valvule crustaceous-
coriaceous.

Nile Land. Abyssinia : Gallabat ; in wet places of the chors near Matamma,
Schweinfurth, 1585 ! Sudan : without precise locality, Penton !

57. P. novemnerve, Stapf. Annual, in small tufts, 1-2 ft. high.
Culms erect or ascending, rather slender or somewhat stout, 5-8-
noded, simple, or with weak flowering branches from some of the
nodes, spreadingly hirsute, hairs conspicuously tubercle-based. Leaf-
sheaths mostly much shorter than the internodes except the upper-
most, terete, closely striate, hirsute like the culms except at the
often elongated nodal bases which are delicately pubescent or loosely
beset with very fine spreading, but not tubercle-based, longer hairs ;
ligules very short, membranous, truncate, ciliate ; blades linear to
lanceolate-linear from a slightly or inconspicuously rounded base,
long-tapering to a slender point, 3-8 in. by 3-6 lin., flat, rather thin,
with tubercle-based spreading hairs along the lower margins and
midrib and here and there on the primary lateral nerves (above and
below), otherwise glabrous and smooth, the hairs often early de-
ciduous or more or less reduced or suppressed leaving bare tubercles,
particularly on the nerves, margins scab rid upwards, midrib slender,
prominent below, lateral primary nerves 5-6, fine. Panicles erect,
broadly obovate to ovate in outline, early opening out and very lax,

Panicum. J

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

703

the base enclosed in the uppermost sheath at the time of flowering,
then exserted by 2-3 in., 4-8 in. by 2-6 in., divided to the fourth degree,
all the divisions filiform to subcapillary, angular, scaberulous to
scabrid, the lower part of the slender grooved or striate primary axis
and often also the bases of the primary branches hirsute like the
peduncle ; primary branches in false whorls or approximate in pairs
or solitary, the lowest up to over 4 in. long, at length spreading at
an angle of 45-60°, very loosely divided from the base or a short
(rarely longer, up to 5 lin.) distance above it, bearing usually 2-
spiculate spreading branchlets with the spikelets usually in their
upper half or upper third ; pedicels at length more or less appressed,
subclavellate upwards, the lateral 1-2 lin., the terminal to 4 and
even 6 lin. long. Spikelets ovate-oblong, acute, up to 1J lin. long,
green or tinged with purple, glabrous. Glumes unequal, distinctly
and more or less prominently nerved ; lower broad-ovate, acute,
about half the length of the spikelet, 5-nerved ; upper corresponding
in size and outline to the spikelet, broadly rounded on the back,
9- (very rarely 7-) nerved, nerves green, not anastomosing. Lower
floret barren ; valve very similar to the lower glume, always 9-
nerved ; valvule elliptic-oblong, about half to two-thirds the length
of the valve. Upper floret oblong, subobtuse, almost 1 lin. long,
dark brown to black when mature, very smooth and glossy ; valve
and valvule crustaceous.

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia ; Mashonaland ; Salisbury, Allen, 692 !
Mrs. Gr aster, 27 ! N. Mazoe District, Mundy ! Buluwayo and Matoppo Hills,
Appleton, 6 !

Similar to the North American P. capillare, Linn., but differing in the more-
noded culms with exserted internodes, the smaller less compound panicle and
slightly larger spikelets with a 9 -nerved upper glume and lower valve. Hitch-
cock and Chase ( Gontrib . U.S. Nat. Herb. xv. 57) refer the plant described by me
in Flora Capensis, vii. 407 under P. capillare to P. Gattingeri, Nash, but a re-
examination of the specimen suggests rather P. barbipulvinatum, Nash, another
segregate of P. capillar is (sensu lato), very widely distributed throughout the
inner and western States of the Union. It is also very similar to P. atrosan -
guineum, but is coarser and taller, with slightly larger spikelets and more
numerous nerves in the upper glume and lower valve.

58. P. atrosanguineum, Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii.
375. Annual, tufted, from a few inches to over 1 ft. high. Culms
erect or geniculately ascending, very slender, terete, 4-5-noded,
simple or sparingly branched with all the branches flowering, glabrous
or spreadingly and softly hirsute with tubercle-based hairs, nodes
exserted or in short specimens or towards the base enclosed. Leaf-
sheaths tight, terete, thin, prominently striate, with the same
indumentum as the culms ; ligule a densely ciliolate rim ; blades
linear-lanceolate to linear from a more or less rounded base, tapering
to an acute point, 1-4 (rarely more) in. by 2-4 (rarely 5) lin., flat, soft,
green, more or less finely and shortly hirsute mostly from the midrib,
the primary nerves and the otherwise smooth or upwards scaberulous

704

CL VII. GRAMINE® (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

margins, hairs tnbercle-based, midrib fine, primary lateral nerves
3-5 on each side, very fine, distinct below only, somewhat distant.
Panicles erect, at length mostly exserted, sometimes much so, broad-
oblong to broad-ovate or obovate, widely open and loose, somewhat
stiff, 3-6 in. by 1J-3 in., divided to the third or fourth or even fifth
degree, glabrous or frequently the hairs of the culm spreading over the
lower part of the common axis and its principal divisions ; common
axis subfiliform to filiform, terete or more or less angular, smooth or
like its divisions slightly scaberulous upwards, lower and intermediate
internodes 10-5 lin. long, with some shorter intermixed ; primary
branches filiform, more or less straight, particularly at maturity and
like all the divisions more or less obliquely spreading, loosely divided
from some distance (up to 5 lin.) above the base, more rarely
from near the base and then the lower branchlets often subfasciculate
and long ; secondary branches subcapillary, the lowest of large
panicles often 1-1 J in. long ; pedicels capillary, very unequal, 1-6 lin.
long, with minutely discoid tips. Spikelets oblong to elliptic- oblong,
acute to minutely apiculate-acuminate, f to over 1 lin. long, greenish,
usually variegated with purple, glabrous. Glumes thinly mem-
branous, finely and somewhat prominently nerved, unequal ; lower
lanceolate from a broad-ovate clasping base, acute to acuminate or
mucronulate, two-thirds the length of the spikelet, 5-nerved ; upper
corresponding in length and outline to the spikelet, 7 -nerved. Lower
floret barren : valve very similar to the upper glume ; valvule
oblong, acute, shorter than the valve or much reduced. Upper
floret oblong, obtuse, | lin. long, turning uniformly chestnut-
brown to black-purple when ripe, polished ; valve and valvule
subcoriaceous, at length crustaceous ; anthers \ lin. long. Grain
elliptic-oblong in outline, obtuse, f lin. long, white. — Steud. Syn. PI.
Glum. i. 84 ; Schweinfurth in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. 23 ; Balf.
f. Bot. Socotra, 311 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 741 ; K.
Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 103 ; Bendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw.
ii. 176 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 308.

Nile Land. Nubian desert : without precise locality, Petherick ! Eritrea :
Medri od Tesfa ; Mamut Mahader, Pappi, 6742. Abyssinia : Tigre ; Hamedo
plain, 4600 ft., Schimper ! Sana; near Jelajeranne, Schimper, 1709 ! Samen ;
Dehli Dikeno, Schimper, 257 ! and without precise locality, Schimper, 230 !
769 ! Socotra : on Haghier, Balfour ! Uganda : Kafuru (acc. to K. Schumann) ;
Victoria Nyanza region, Maitland, 209 ! Nakuru, on very dry ground, Scott
Elliot, 6819! British East Africa: Nairobi, M. J. Johnston, 47! Linton,
28 ! Makindu, Linton, 113 !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo ; Muta Lucala, Welwitsch, 2722 !
in damp sandy meadoAvs at the Luxillo river betAveen Pungo Andongo and
Cambambe, Welwitsch, 7418 ! in sandy places near Luxillo, Welwitsch , Coll.
Carp. 1088 !

Also in tropical Arabia.

According to Welwitsch excellent fodder for cattle.

59. P. arcurameum, Stapf. Annual, tufted, about 1 ft. high. Culms
radiating from the centre and geniculately ascending, 5-6-noded,

'

S f . l-O . U'A? : ■ , : . ■ : : /■i-

/

Panicum .]

CLYIT. GRAMINEZE (Stapf).

705

branched from the lower and middle nodes, with the branches
.shorter than the culms and all flowering, terete, hirsute, hairs spread-
ing, long, particularly towards the panicle, and very fine, internodes
more or less exserted. Leaf-sheaths subherbaceous, loose, strongly
striate, softly hirsute with tubercle-based hairs ; ligule reduced to a
shortly ciliate rim ; blades linear from a somewhat rounded base,
tapering to an acute point, about 3 in. by 2J-3.J lin., flat, soft or
almost flaccid, loosely hairy on the nerves, hairs like those of the
sheaths, margins scaberulous, primary lateral nerves 3-4 on each
side, little distinct, midrib very fine. Panicle oblong or ultimately
ovate in outline, often slightly nodding or at least the ends of the
branches drooping, 3-4 in. by 1-3 in., opening out towards maturity,
divided to the fourth or fifth degree ; primary axis slender, terete,
striate and loosely hairy below, more angular, glabrous and scabrid
upwards ; primary branches scattered or irregularly approximate in
pairs, the lower 1 to over 2 in. long, ascending and then curving out-
wards, or flexuous, more rarely straight and stiff, filiform, like all the
divisions sharply angular and scabrid, sparingly hairy towards the
base, divided from 6-2 lin. above the base ; penultimate divisions
2-spiculate from near the base (pedicels 2-nate) or higher up ; pedicels
fine, clavately thickened at the tips, the lateral rarely over \ lin.
long. Spikelets oblong, acute, 1-1J lin. long, hardly gaping before
maturity, greenish with dark purple tips or the glumes tinged with
purple, glabrous. Glumes thinly membranous, very unequal, more
or less prominently nerved ; lower ovate, acute, clasping, 5-nerved,
half the length of the spikelet ; upper corresponding in size and outline
to the spikelet, 7-nerved. Lower floret barren : valve very similar
to the upper glume but 9-nerved ; valvule oblong, acute, shorter
than the valve, flaps very narrow or almost 0. Upper floret
oblong, subacute, § lin. by J lin., very dark brown when ripe, very
glossy and smooth ; valve and valvule crustaceous. Grain elliptic
in outline, obtuse, white.

Mozambique Distr. Transvaal : in sandy places near Mara, 3300 ft.,
Schlechter, 4614 !

Distributed as P. hirticaulum, Presl, a Mexican species with larger and more
acuminate spikelets and pale fruits.

60. P. haplocaulos, Pilger in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiii. 49. Annual,
about 1 ft. high, growing gregariously in close stands. Culms almost
filiform, erect, simple, 4-5-noded, with the nodes exserted, terete,
glabrous, smooth, sometimes rooting from the lowest node. Leaf-
sheaths thin, terete, glabrous, smooth, finely striate ; ligule a mem-
branous ciliate rim ; blades erect, setaceously convolute, 4-5 in.
long, when flattened out f lin. across, erect, rather soft, glabrous
or with tubercle-based spreading marginal or submarginal hairs
downwards, quite smooth, midrib fine, like the primary lateral
nerves (2 on each side) more or less prominent below. Panicles

FL. PROP. AFR. VOL. IX. — PT. 4. 2 Z

706

[. Panicum ..

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

reduced to the common axis and 3-1 distant branches each bearing
4 or 1 spikelet ; common axis up to 2| in. long, smooth below,
otherwise, like its very finely filiform to capillary divisions, scaberu-
lous, branches up to over 1 in. long, undivided for one-third to over
half its length from the base ; pedicels very unequal, the lateral
often very short, the terminal up to 6 lin. long, rather stiff, slightly
thickened towards the truncate or subdiscoid tips. Spikelets oblong,
acute, 1J lin. long, greenish to straw-coloured, quite glabrous.
Glumes unequal, membranous, finely and upwards somewhat
prominently nerved ; lower ovate, acute, up to half the length of the
spikelet, 5-nerved, nerves joining by their tips ; upper of the length
and outline of the spikelet, 7-nerved. Lower floret reduced to its
valve, this very similar to the upper glume. Upper floret oblong,
subacute, almost as long as the spikelets, at length fuscous, polished ;
valve and valvule thinly coriaceous.

Nile Land. Jur : Ghattas’ Great Seriba, Schweinfurth, 2003 !

— J=\jZZZ-'- ujiscuu — '

61. P. turgidum, ForsJc. FI. /Egypt.- Arab. 18. Suffrutescent, up to
4 ft. high, with stout root-fibres (over 1 lin. in diam.) and large extra-
vaginal innovation-buds which grow into erect or ascending or long
prostrate culms, which together form low dense bushes ; cataphylls
ovate to oblong, firm, whitish, finely pubescent to tomentose at the
base. Culms terete, woody, solid, 1-2 lin. diam., the whole plant
very glaucous, glabrous and smooth, many-noded with very un-
equally long internodes (up to over 6 in. long), frequently producing
fascicles of numerous short or long branches from the nodes, the
strongest- of which may repeat this mode of branching. Leaf-
sheaths firm to coriaceous, those supporting branches soon drying
up, becoming straw-coloured and thrown aside, 1-3 in. long, the
upper very tight, all glabrous, smooth and very finely striate ;
ligule reduced to a dense ciliate rim ; blades extremely variable
in size, linear, tapering to a fine pungent point, when well developed
up to 8 in. by 3J lin., flat, rigid, but mostly more or less reduced,,
often to mere sharp points, glabrous, smooth below, slightly rough
above, with distant spinules along the margin, midrib very slender,
whitish, lateral nerves very numerous, close, fine, prominent, not or
hardly differentiated. Panicles very different in size, those of
lateral branch clusters usually much reduced, short and mostly
narrow, the longest 6-9 in. by 2-3 J in., oblong or ob Ovate- oblong in
outline, divided to the fourth degree ; common axis slender, terete,
smooth, finely striate, lowest 1 or 2 internodes up to 2 (rarely 3) in.
long, the following much shorter, primary branches divided from low
down but the basal branchlets of the lowest often arrested, flexuous,
the longest about half the length of the panicle, filiform, more or
less angular and scabrid or scaberulous, ultimate divisions short and
contracted, often much reduced and then the branches racemiform
to spiciform ; pedicels subterete, scaberulous, very short, to 2 lin.

Panicum.\

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

707

long, rarely the terminal elongated. Spikelets ovoid, acuminate,
turgid, about 2 lin. long, glabrous, glaucous, soon more or less gaping.
Glumes firmly membranous, subequal and about as long as the lower
floret, or the lower slightly longer, the latter lanceolate and acutely
acuminate in profile, 7-nerved, the upper obliquely ovate and acute
or subacuminate in profile, 9-nerved, both rounded on the back,
nerves prominent upwards. Lower floret ; valve very like the
upper glume and also 9-nerved ; valvule broad-oblong, acute, flaps
widened downwards ; anthers over 1 lin. long. Upper floret
lanceolate- to elliptic-oblong in outline, acute, about 1J lin. by 1 lin.,
very convex on the back, polished, brownish when ripe ; valve and
valvule more or less coriaceous ; anthers 1 lin. long. Grain elliptic-
rotundate, apiculate, convex on both sides, fuscous, slightly over
1 lin. long. — Delile, FI. Egypte, 19, t. 9, fig. 2 ; Trin. Diss. Gram.
Pan. 189, Gram. Icon. & Descr. ii. 227, and Pan. Gen. 221,
and in Mem. Acad. Petersb. ser. vi. iii* 307 ; Kunth, Enum. i.
97 ; Fig. & De Not. in Mem. Ac. Torin. ser. 2, xiv. 354 ; Steud. Syn.
PL Glum. i. 88; Schweinf. Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 301, in Verh. Zool.
Bot. Gesellsch. Wien, xv. 557, Piant. Util. Eritrea, 53 ; in Bull. Herb.
Boiss. ser. ii. App. ii. 23; Boiss. FI. Or. v. 441; Aschers. & Schweinf.
111. FI. figypte, 160, 778, 807, 813 ; Duthie, Fodd. Grass. N. Ind.
13 ; Martelli in Nuov. Giorn. Bot. Ital. xx. 368, 371 ; Balf. f. Bot.
Socotra, 310 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 766 ; Hook. f. Fh
Brit. Ind. vii. 44 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, vi. 166 ; viii.
34, 307 ; Engl. Yeget. Verhalt. Somaliland, 10, 43, 44; Stapf in
Kew Bulletin, 1907, 214 ; Chevai. Sudania, 25 ; Muschler, Man. FI.
Egypt, i. 57. P. nubicum, Fig. & De Not. in Mem. Ac. Torin. ser. 2,
xiv. 352, t. 21, fig. 1-12 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 756.

Upper Guinea. Senegambia : without precise locality, Heudelot , 393 1
French Sudan Timbooctoo, on dunes near Korioume on the banks of the
Niger, Chevalier, 1221 !

Nile Land. Nubia : Soturba Mountains, filling the wadis, Schweinf urth,
Erba Mountains, between 3000 and 4000 ft., Bent ! Otau, Johnston, 12 !
Tokar, Massey ! Wadi Laemeb, Schweinfurth, 509 ! Wadi-Halfa, Letourneux,
310 ! “ Nubian desert,” Petherick ! Eritrea : Dahlak Archipelago ; Sciumma

Island, Tellini. 76, 769. Damoeita ; Assar-Ka Island, Terracciano, 2619 ;
Dilemmi Island, Terracciano, 817. Assab, Beccari. Samhar ; Massaua,
Arcadipane, Cocastelli. Mokullo, Schweinfurth ; Otumlo, Tellini, 42 ; Terrac-
ciano do Pappi, 2583 and 2587. Dogali, Terracciano do Pappi, 2624 ; Emberemi,
Pappi, 1627 ! Habab ; various localities, Terracciano do Pappi, 1026, 1628,
1629. Assaorta ; Valley of Camaile, Pappi, 5892 ! Arkiko, Pappi, 2623 ! and
numerous other localities quoted by Chiovenda, l.c. Dembesa, along the Mai
Atal, Pappi, 4759. Bogos ; Keren, Tellini, 810. Baza ; Badum, along the
Mareb river, Pappi, 6839. Barca, Agordat, Terracciano do Pappi, 2815 ;
Agordat-Adarte, Terracciano do Pappi, 2757. Cordofan : Abu Gerad, Kotschy,
29 ! Darfur : El Fasher, Pfund ! Somaliland : Zeyla, Drake- Brockman, 715 1
between Hargeisa and Berbera, Robecchi. Laku, Keller, 139 ! Mandera,
Keller, 143 ! Socotra: Galonsir, Schweinfurth, 717 ! and without precise locality,
Balfour, 75 !

Also in Egypt, Cyprus, Southern Palestine, and eastwards through Southern
Persia and Baluchistan to Sind.

Excellent fodder for camels.

708

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[ Panicum .

62. P neglectum, Roem. & Schult. Syst. ii. 451. Perennial,
suffrutescent (?). Culms stiff, terete, hard, over 1 lin. in diam.,
glaucous and glabrous, like the whole plant, with the internodes
long-exserted from the sheaths and up to 3 in. long, with short erect
or spreading branches from all the nodes. Leaf-sheaths firm,
prominently striate, up to over 1 in. long ; ligule a ciliate rim ;
blades linear, tapering to a pungent point, 1-1 J in. by up to 2 lin.,
rigid, spreading or deflexed, flat below, convolute upwards or convo-
lute all along, smooth. Panicles up to over 1 in. long, narrow,
divided to the second degree ; common axis very slender, terete or
angular, lowest internodes about 3 lin. long ; primary branches
scaberulous, up to 5 lin. long, forming short dense racemes or,
higher up, clusters ; pedicels shorter to much shorter than the
spikelets. Spikelets turgid, ovoid-globose, If lin. by over'l lin.,
somewhat gaping. Glumes firmly membranous, shortly and acutely
acuminate in profile ; lower obliquely ovate, two-thirds to four-
fifths the length of the spikelet, 5-nerved, nerves evanescent above
the middle, joined upwards by delicate cross-nerves; upper
obliquely oblong- elliptic in profile, much curved to almost gibbous
above the middle, as long as the spikelet, firmly 9-nerved, almost
grooved between the unconnected nerves. Lower floret $ : valve
very similar to the upper glume, but subobtuse with widened hyaline
margins towards the tips ; valvule as long as the valve, elliptic,
obtuse, keels sharp and scaberulous downwards with the narrow
flaps suddenly widened towards the base ; anthers 1 J lin. long.
Upper floret obliquely obovate in profile, broadly elliptic in
dorsal view, apiculate, 1 J lin. long, polished ; valve and valvule
subcoriaceous, the former faintly 7-nerved. Grain ovate in outline,
•acute, whitish. — Kunth, Enum. i. 132 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 81.

“ Africa ” ( Collector ?).

The specimen in Herb. Shuttleworth (British Museum) answers perfectly
to Roemer & Schultes’ description and represents evidently the type or a cotype.
No indication of its origin is given beyond the inscription “ Africa.” The
affinity of P. neglectum with P. turgidum is quite clear, and it is like the latter
manifestly a desert grass of a pronounced xerophytic structure.

63. P. repens, Linn. Sp. PI. ed. ii. 87. Perennial, up to 2 (rarely 4)
ft. high ; rhizome long, creeping, innovation-shoots mostly extra-
vaginal, often growing into long stolons. Culms erect or ascending,
glabrous, many-noded, simple or branched at the base, the barren
shoots densely and distichously leafy. Leaf-sheaths generally
exceeding the internodes, the lower more or less loose, wide and
tough, the upper tight, all ciliate along the margins, otherwise usually
smooth and glabrous or the lower more or less finely hirsute or
pubescent, with tubercle-based hairs ; ligule a membranous ciliate
rim ; blades linear, shortly tapering to a callous point, 2J-6 in. by
1J-3 lin., usually involute, very firm and rigid, spreading, glaucous,

Panicum .]

CLVII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

709

glabrous or hairy, particularly on the upper surface downwards,
margins cartilaginous, smooth or appressedly spinulose and sparingly
tubercled near the base, very closely and finely nerved, midrib and
primary nerves very slender if at all differentiated. Panicle usually
contracted, erect and stiff, rarely slightly nodding, 3-8 in. long,
glabrous, divided to the third or (downward) fourth degree ; main axis
and all divisions glaucous, increasingly filiform, angular and upwards
scaberulous or scabrid, often somewhat wavy ; primary branches
usually erect, solitary or approximate in pairs or threes, the lowTer
mostly remote and 2-6 in. long, sparingly divided, the penultimate
divisions forming loose or contracted 6-2-spiculate racemes ; pedicels
with subcupular tips, the lateral about 1 J lin. long. Spikelets ovate-
oblong, acute to subacuminate, 1-lf lin. long, glabrous, pale.
Glumes very unequal ; lower subhyaline, whitish, very broad,
clasping, rounded or shortly acute, midnerve very slender, percurrent,
side-nerves 1-4 on each side, very short and fine ; upper thin,
membranous except at the firmer tip, broadly rounded on the back,
corresponding in shape and size to the spikelet, 9-7-nerved, nerves
prominent upwards. Lower floret : valve very like the upper
glume but less acute or acuminate, 9-nerved ; valvule subequal,
oblong, obtuse to acute ; anthers up to almost 1 lin. long. Upper
floret fcj$, elliptic-oblong, subacute, 1 lin. long, white, smooth and
glossy : valve and valvule coriaceous-crustaceous, faintly 7-nerved*
Grain white, f lin. long. — Forsk. FI. iEgypt.-Arab. xix ; Desf. FI.
Atl. i. 60 ; Cav. Ic. et Descr. ii. 6, t. 110 ; Sibth. & Smith, FI. Grsec.
i. t. 61 ; Trin. Pan. Gen. 182, and in Mem. Acad. Petersb. 6me ser.
iii. 270 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 103 ; Cosson & Durieu, Expl. Scient.
Alger, ii. 31 ; Benth. FI. Hongk. 412, and FI. Austral, vii. 484 ; Ball,
Spied. Marocc. in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot., xvi. 709 ; F. von MuelL
Select. Extratrop. PL ed. iv..223 ; Duthie, List Grass. N.-W. Ind. 6,
and Fodd. Grass. N. Ind. 11 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v.
760 ; Franch. Contr. FI. Congo Frang. in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat.
Autun. viii. 345 (37 of reprint) ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 49 ; Lamson-
Scribner, Amer. Grass. 70; Maiden, Man. Grass. N.S.W. 44; Bendlein
Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 181, and in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot., xxxvi. 332 ;
Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 409 ; Merrill in Philipp. Journ. Sci. i.
Suppl. 359 ; Hitchcock & Chase in Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb. xv. 85 ;
Cheval. Sudania, 33 ; Eyles in Trans. R. Soc. S. Afr. v. 300 ; Backer
in Teysmannia, xxviii. 273, t. 38; Muschler, Man. FI. Egypt, i. 57.
P. notatum, Retz. Obs. Bot. iv. 18. P. ischcemoides, Retz. l.c. 17 ;
Nees in Nov. Act. Nat. Cur. xix. Suppl. i. 175 ; Miq. FI. Ind. Bat. iii*
450. P. arenarium, Brot. FI. Lusit. i. 82 ; Trin. Pan. Gen. 181, and
in Mem. Acad. Petersb. 6me ser. iii. 269 ; Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 37 ;
Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 73. P. leiogonum, Delile, FI. Aegypt. 111. 51 ;
Poir. Encycl. Suppl. iv. 284 ; Kunth, l.c. 104 ; Steud. l.c. 79 ;
Barbey, Herbor. Levant, t. 8, fig. 4 ; Aschers. & Schweinf. Illustr.
FI. Egypte, 160 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 752. P. convolutum> P.

710

CL VII. GBAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

Beauv. ex Spreng. Syst. i. 319 ; Nees, Agrost. Bras. 173 ; Presl, Rel.
Haenk. i. 304 ; Kunth, l.c. i. 130 ; Steud. l.c. 73 ; Miq. l.c. iii. 450.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Mungem, 50 ft., Thomas, 7258 ! Sherbro ;
in the streets of Bonthe, Dalziel, 941 ! French Sudan : Niger Bend ; Faguibine,
Chevalier, 2248 ! Middle Niger ; Goundam, Chevalier, 2247 ! Southern
Nigeria : Lagos, Millen, 80 ! by water, Dawodu, 215 ! Northern Nigeria :
Nupe, in wet places, Barter, 1355 ! Cameroons : in sandy flats near the beach,
Batanga, Bates, 335 !

Nile Land. Sudan : Hillet en Nuer on the Bahr el Gebel, Broun, 1100 !
Uganda : Entebbe, by the lake, 4000 ft., Dummer, 3068 ! Mibanye, edge of lake,
3780 ft., Dummer, 1407 !

Lower Guinea. French Congo : Alima River, Thollon, 955 ! Belgian Congo :
Stanley Pool Div. ; Kwamouth, Vanderyst, 3724 ! Mpie, Vanderyst, 3804 !
Angola : Huilla ; on river banks near Lopollo, Welwitsch, 2674 !

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia : Victoria Falls, Rogers, 5009 ; 13138 !

Widely distributed on the tropical and subtropical coasts of both hemispheres
and in India and Africa, also in and along rivers ; probably originally a native of
the Old World.

Considered a very good fodder and also useful as a sandbinder.

64. P. pinifolium, Chiov. Result. Scient. Miss. Stefanini-Paoli , i.
Coll. Bot. 184. Perennial, csespitose, quite glabrous ; rhizome short,
emitting numerous long fibrilliform roots and tufts of erect shoots
and creeping or ascending stolons ; shoots and stolons branching
when reaching the surface, forming dense intricate tufts from 2-4 in.
high, or some of them much stouter, elongated (to over 2 ft.), pros-
trate and shortly branched ; underground parts covered with
persistent sheaths, erect overground branches fascicled, slender,
many-noded, closely sheathed. Leaf-sheaths terete, smooth, firm,
slightly striate, of the underground parts or prostrate branches up
to H in. long and the lowest bladeless, of the short erect branches
under 5 lin. long ; ligule reduced to a fringe of minute stiff hairs ;
blades firm, linear-lanceolate to sublinear, tapering almost from the
base, those of the long shoots up to 2 in. by 2 lin. (when flattened out),
of the short shoots from less than \ to over 1 in. long, tightly involute,
needle-shaped, rigid, spreading, crowded, all rather blunt, finely-
nerved. Panicles scarcely exserted from the uppermost leaves, up to
almost \ in. long, divided to the second or at the base the third degree,
all the divisions finely filiform, rigid, glabrous, smooth ; primary
branches 4-5, solitary, up to 3J lin. long, forming simple or the lowest
downwards compound 6-2-spiculate contracted racemes ; pedicels
slightly thickened upwards, very short to 1 lin. long. Spikelets
ovoid, subturgid, subacute, almost 1 lin. long. Glumes membranous,
broad-ovate ; lower shortly acute, half the length, of the lower floret
or almost so, carinate towards the tip, side-nerves short, 1-2 on each
side ; upper obliquely elliptic in profile, obscurely and obtusely
acuminate, 5-nerved. Lower floret $ : valve very similar and
equal to the upper glume ; valvule slightly shorter, broad-elliptic-
oblong. Upper floret Q elliptic in outline, subobtuse, f lin. long,

711

Panicum.] clvii. gramine^ (Stapf).

greenish-brown, smooth and glossy ; valve and valvule thinly
crustaceous. — P. Appletonii , Stapf in Kew Bulletin, 1907, 225.

Nile Land. Italian Somaliland: in sand near Obbia, Appletonl common on
all the dunes along the coast near Mogadiscio and El Sai, Paoli , 14, 296.

65. P. rigidum, Balf. f. in Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb. xii. 97, and
Bot. Socotra in Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinb. xxx. 311. Perennial, densely
■csespitose with numerous tough root-fibres and intra- and extra-
vaginal innovations, the buds of these covered with papery or mem-
branous pale downwards appressedly hairy cataphylls. Culms many,
slender, radiating, from a few inches to 2 feet long, prostrate and
rooting from the nodes or geniculately ascending, many-noded, simple
or branching here and there, the branches from the prostrate portion
swollen at the base and covered with silkily hairy cataphylls, the
internodes glabrous and smooth. Leaf-sheaths short, moderately
firm, the lower pale, somewhat loose, the upper glaucous, tight, more
or less softly ciliate at the junction with the blade ; ligule reduced
to a softly ciliate rim ; blades narrowly linear, tapering to an acute
point, J-2 in. by f-1 lin. (when flattened out), glaucous, firm, but
hardly rigid, those of compact tufts tightly involute, quite glabrous
■except at the base, smooth, finely and closely nerved. Panicle exserted,
oblong to ovate in outline, f-1 \ in. by f-1 in. when quite open, very
loose, divided up to the third degree, quite glabrous except for some
axillary hairs, all divisions finely filiform, slightly wavy, almost
smooth ; primary branches 6-8, solitary, J-l in. long, the lower
divided again, the branchlets forming downwards compound or
simple 5-2-spiculate loose racemes ; pedicels very slightly thicker
upwards, the lateral very short to almost 1 lin. long. Spikelets
oblong, obtuse to subacute, f lin. long, at length more or less gaping,
pale with greenish nerves, glabrous. Glumes similar but unequal,
thinly membranous ; lower obliquely ovate in profile, shortly acute,
one-third to one-half the length of the upper floret, up to 5-nerved,
side-nerves short to very short ; upper obliquely and broadly
oblong, obtuse to subacute, 5- to sub-7 -nerved. Lower floret barren :
valve very similar and equal to the upper glume, obtuse, 5-nerved,
side-nerves close ; valvule shorter, oblong, subacute with rather
narrow flaps. Upper floret elliptic- oblong, obtuse, lin. long,
whitish, smooth, glossy. — Durand & Schinz, Consp.Fl. Afr. v. 761.

Nile Land. Socotra : near Galonsir and Tamarida, Balfour. 130 ! 561 !
Schweinfurth, 346 !

66. P. subflabellatum, Staff. Perennial, quite glabrous, 1 ft. high,
csespitose from a short rhizome, emitting very numerous root-fibres,
with glabrous extra vaginal innovation-buds. Culms erect, very
slender, wiry below, terete, glabrous and smooth, 6-8-noded,
branched from all but the lower 2 or 3 nodes ; branches subfastigiate,
obliquely erect and pushing the supporting sheath away from its

712

CLVII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[. Panicum „■

internode, frequently branching again in the same manner. Leaf-
sheaths firm, at first tight, soon slipping off the culm, finely striate,
f-1 in. long, smooth, the lowest more or less persistent ; ligule a
minutely ciliolate rim ; blades linear from a hardly widened base,
tapering to a slender subobtuse point, involute, 1-2 in. by over 1 lin.
(when unfolded), rigid, erect, smooth, closely nerved, midrib and
primary lateral nerves (2 on each side) very slender. Panicle narrow,

1- 1 J- in. long, at length distinctly exserted, divided to the third degree,
all the divisions finely filiform, flexuous and like the primary axis
smooth, in the mature state very closely contracted ; primary
branches solitary or irregularly approximate to pseudo-verticillate,
sparingly branched from low down, rarely undivided for more than
4 lin., the lowest 1-J in. long ; pedicels with slightly thickened tips,
the lateral extremely short or up to 1 lin. long. Spikelets turgid,
obliquely ovate- elliptic in outline, more or less gaping, 1 lin. long,
pale. Glumes dissimilar, membranous ; lower very broadly ovate,
acute, one-third to almost half the length of the spikelet, appressed,
3-5-nerved, lateral nerves (at least the inner) exceeding half the
glume ; upper obliquely oblong in profile, subobtuse (when flattened
out acute), 5-nerved, nerves fine, slightly prominent. Lower floret
(J : valve very similar to the upper glume, 7-nerved, the inner
side-nerves much shorter than the outer and joined to the mid-
nerve ; valvule broad, subacute, shorter than the valve. Upper
floret Q oblong, subacute, f lin. by f lin., whitish, glossy and
smooth.

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : West Luabo Mouth of the
Zambesi, Kirk (May, 1858) !

67. P. porphyrrhizos, Steud. Syn. PI. Glum . i. 72. Perennial,
up to over 3 ft. high, densely tufted, on a short rhizome with elongate-
conical extra- (and intra- ?) vaginal innovation-buds which are'
covered by glabrous firmly scarious cataphylls. Culms moderately
stout, erect or slightly geniculate and suberect, simple, 4-5-noded,
internodes mostly long-exserted, terete, quite glabrous and smooth.
Leaves glabrous or very sparsely hirsute, with tubercle-based hairs,
particularly towards the basal margins of the blade ; sheaths tight,
more or less firm, striate particularly the basal ; ligule very short,
subhyaline, sparingly ciliolate ; blades linear-lanceolate from an
equally wide base, long-tapering to a hard slender point, 5-8 in. by

2- 3 lin., or the lower linear-lanceolate, 1-4 in. by 3-5 lin., flat or
convolute firm and rigid, smooth, very closely nerved, midrib and
primary lateral nerves very slender and often obscurely differentiated.
Panicle at first contracted and slightly nodding, ultimately quite
erect, widely open and very loose, 9 to over 12 in. long and up to over
6 in. wide, quite glabrous, divided to the fourth or fifth degree, all the
divisions finely filiform to capillary and scaberulous ; primary axis

~t~ (jf*. /4^i

fyjttA^aJL- ■

Panicum .]

CLV1I. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

718

slender, prominently striate, subterete and more or less smooth below,
angular and scabrid upwards ; primary branches solitary or approxi-
mate in pairs or whorls, the lower widely distant, half to two-thirds
the length of the panicle, at length spreading at an angle of up to 45°,
very loosely divided from 2-1 in. above the base, secondary branch-
lets up to over 2 in. long, more or less spreading, branching again
after the manner of the primary, but permanently contracted,
penultimate divisions usually 2-spiculate ; pedicels with subcup ular
tips, the lateral of a pair very short to 1 lin. long, the terminal up
to 4 lin. long. Spikelets lanceolate-oblong, with an acute and slender
acumen, If— 2 lin. long, broadly rounded on the back, green or tinged
with dull purple, glabrous. Glumes very unequal ; lower broadly
ovate, acute or obtuse, when flattened out wider than high, one-
quarter to one-fifth the length of the spikelet, hyaline, 1-nerved or
almost nerveless except for some extremely short side-nerves ; upper
corresponding in shape and size to the spikelet, membranous, acumen
subulate, 7-9-nerved, nerves prominent upwards. Lower floret g
or more often barren ; valve as long or almost as long as the upper
glume and very like it ; valvule shorter, elliptic-oblong to oblong,
acute ; anthers if present rudimentary or perfect and up to 1J lin.
long. Upper floret elliptic- oblong when ripe, subacute, up to

over 1J lin. by f lin., pale brown, smooth and glossy ; valve and
valvule thinly crustaceous. — P. confine, Hochst. ex Steud. l.c.
P. jumentorum, A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 373 ; not of Jacq.
P. maximum, Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 753 (partly) ;
not of Jacq. P. virgatum, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 103 ;
not of Linn.

Nile Land. Sudan : Fazogl, Figari ! Abyssinia : Gallabat ; Matamma,
by ditches, Schweinfurth, 1144 ! 1160 ! Tigre ; Gafta, Schimper, 1230 !

Amogai, in marshes, 6800 ft., Schimjper, 1096 ! Shire, without precise locality,
Schimjper, 1808 !

68. P. coloratum, Linn. Mant. i. 30. Perennial, csespitose, up to
4 ft. high, with intravaginal innovations which sometimes grow out
into short ascending stolons. Culms more or less stout and erect
or ascending from a geniculate often decumbent and branched base,
with the suprabasal portion simple or sparingly divided, rarely finely
hirsute below the nodes, mostly exserted from the sheaths. Leaf-
sheaths terete, striate, glabrous or more or less hirsute, the lowest
pale, scarious and loose, the upper subherbaceous and tight ; ligule
a membranous ciliolate rarely subeciliolate or densely ciliate rim ;
blades linear to lanceolate-linear from a usually slightly rounded and
constricted base, 5 to over 12 in. by 3-6 lin., flat, slightly rigid or
flaccid, glabrous and smooth or sparsely hairy, green or more or less
glaucous, margins finely cartilaginous, smooth below except for the
tubercles of deciduous hairs, scaberulous towards the tips, midrib
marked by a white band on the upper side, otherwise usually not

714 cl vn. graminejb (Stapf). \Panicum.

conspicuous, primary nerves very slender, 3-8 on each side. Panicle-
erect or nodding, contracted or widely open, oblong or obovate,
from 4 to over 12 in. (mostly over 6 in.) long, and when quite open
up to over 6 in. wide and very loose, quite glabrous, divided up to
the fourth degree, all divisions finely filiform to capillary, straight or
flexuous, upwards angular and scaberulous ; primary axis very
slender, terete, striate or grooved and angular, scaberulous to scabrid
or smooth below ; primary branches solitary or approximate in
pairs or false whorls, distant, the lowest about three-quarters the
length of the panicle, loosely divided, in large panicles the lower often
from 1-2J in. above the base, with the branchlets up to 2 and even
3 in. long, penultimate divisions forming very loose 3-2-spiculate
racemes ; pedicels with cupular tips, the lateral J-1J lin. long.
Spikelets oblong, acute or acutely acuminate, 1-1J lin. long, not or
moderately gaping except during flowering, glabrous, green or
tinged with purple. Glumes very unequal, membranous ; lower
very broadly ovate, clasping, acute, one-quarter to one-third the
length of the lower floret, very thin, midnerve percurrent, side-
nerves 1-2 on each side or 0, very short and fine ; upper
corresponding in size and shape to the spikelet, 7-9-nerved, nerves
prominent upwards. Lower floret $ : valve like the upper glume ;
valvule as long as or slightly shorter than the valve ; anthers J-f lin.
long. Upper floret b, narrow, oblong, subacute, up to -J lin. by
f lin., yellowish or bright yellow, quite smooth and glossy; valve
and valvule crustaceous.— Kunth, Enum. i. 104 ; Trin. Pan. Gen.
182, and in Mem. Acad. Petersb. 6me ser. iii. 270 ; Eig. et De Not.
in Mem. Ac. Torin. ser. ii. xiv. 355 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 73 ;
Schweinf. Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 300, and in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App.
ii. 22, 95 ; Boiss. FI. Or. iv. 440 ; Aschers. & Schweinf. 111. FI.
Egypte, Suppl. 778 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 743
(partly) ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 409 ; Cheval. Sudania, 161 ;
Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 2Q9.

Upper Guinea. Northern Nigeria : Sokoto, in moist waste places, fields,
edges of marshes, etc., Dalziel, 483 !

North Central. Bagirmi : Tchecma, Chevalier, 9544 !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Malange District, Gossweiler, 1488 !

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : between Lupata and Tete,
Kirk ! Shupanga, Kirk ! Mazzaro, Kirk ! 30 miles below the Shire Falls,
Meller, 4 ! Nyasaland : near Zomba, 2500-3500 ft., Whyte ! Rhodesia :
Mashonaland ; Salisbury, Mrs. Craster, 34 ! Bechuanaland ; Eastern Baman-
guato Territory, Holub ! Matabeleland ; Insiza District, Mundy ! Victoria
Falls, Rogers, 5068. Southern Rhodesia: without precise locality, Walters,
2234 !

Durand & De Wildeman {Mat. FI. Congo, i. 44 ; Reliq. Dewevr. 256 ; Dtudes
FI. Bas- et Moyen Congo, i. 94, and Miss D. Laurent, 200) have indicated this
species from several localities in the Belgian Congo (Boma, Dewevr e ; Cataracts,
Lutete, Hens, A. 245, and A. 279 ; Stanley Pool Div., between Leopoldville and
Sabuka, M. Laurent, and Kisantu, Gillet, 1510 ; Kasai Div. ; Island in the lower
Sankuru, A. Laurent). The only specimen, however, which I have seen of this
series is Hens, A. 279, and that is P. phragmitoides, Stapf.

Panicum.] clvii. graminej^ (Stapf).

715

Var. minus, Stapf ex Chiov. in Result. Scient. Miss. Stefanini-Paoli, i. Rot.
Coll. 183, 226. Culms slender, springing from short wiry stolons, the over-
ground part usually starting with a bundle of branches or secondary culms, these
not much over 1 ft. high, slender, 2-4-noded, with the uppermost node below
the middle ; leaves nearly always glabrous or nearly so, blades rarely up to
6 in. long, not over 2 lin. wide, more or less rigid and glaucous. Panicle erect,
usually not much over 3 in. (rarely up to 9) long. — P. coloratum (forma minor),
Stapf in Kew Bulletin, 1907, 214. P. repens, Stapf l.c. P. maximum, var.
confine, Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Rot. Roma, viii. 33, 306 (excl. syn.).

Nile Land. Eritrea : Dembelas ; Mantai on the upper Barka River, Schwem-
furth, 15. Assaorta; Mount Gheden, Terracciano & Pappi, 2634. Amasen ;
Ghinda-Baresa, 3300 ft., Terracciano & Pappi, 117. Dongollo, near Ghinda,
Pappi, 4281 ; Mai-Atal-Dongollo, Tellini, 1583 ; Sabarguma Dongollo, Tellini,
1685 ; Anseba torrent on the Ghinda plateau, Tellini, 558. British Somaliland :
Golis Range, Drake-Brockman, 98 ! 491 ! 493 ! near water at Bohotle, Buras
and Upper Sheikh, Appleton ! Italian Somaliland : Dafit, between Wanle
Wen and Ilduk Wen, Paoli, 1270 ; dunes near Brava, Mangano ; near Merca,
Provenzale. British East Africa: Nairobi, Lyne, 153! Ukambani, sunny
savanas on laterite, 3300 ft., S die filer, 199 !

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Usambara ; west of the Pare
Mountains, 650 ft.. Hohnel, 24 !

In habit rather different from typical P. coloratum, but probably nothing
more than a xerophytic modification from a dryer region.

69. P. Schinzii, Hack, in Verhandl. Bot. Ver. Prov. Brandenb.
xxx. 142. Annual, tufted, over 2 ft. high. Culms erect and straight-
or subgeniculate, 2-3-noded, branched from the lowest 1 or 2 nodes,
with the branches erect and subfastigiate, terete, soft and com-
pressible, finely striate or here and there sulcate, glabrous and smooth,
up to over 1J lin. in diam. towards the base. Leaf-sheaths shorter
than the internodes, rather tight, striate, smooth and glabrous except
at the delicately pubescent nodes ; ligule reduced to a ciliate narrow
membranous rim ; blades linear from a broadly rounded semi-
amplexicaul base, long-tapering to a fine point, up to over 6 in. by
3-4 lin., flat, thin, flaccid, green, glabrous and quite smooth, also
along the margins, midrib and primary lateral nerves (about 3 on
each side) very slender. Panicle oblong to rotundate-obovate when
fully opened out, loose, 6-7 in. by 2-5 in., divided to the fourth (rarely
fifth) degree ; primary axis slender, striate, smooth below, scaberulous
upwards ; primary branches solitary or approximate in pairs,
obliquely erect or the lowest ultimately almost horizontal, somewhat
stiff or flexuous, filiform, up to 6 in. long, mostly undivided for
■J-f in. from the base, then loosely and evenly branched, the following
divisions often secund, directed outwards, very fine, scaberulous,
forming slender loose downwards compound racemes, 2-1 in. long,
of 8-6 or upwards fewer spikelets ; pedicels very slightly thickened
at the tips, lateral about J lin. long. Spikelets oblong, shortly
acuminate or apiculate, slightly gaping when mature, slightly over
1 lin. long, glabrous, greenish or tinged with brown. Glumes very
thinly membranous, unequal, often persistent until after the shedding
of the fruit and then falling one after the other ; lower appressed or
at length somewhat spreading, broadly ovate, acute, clasping,

r/y a:\ 'tl; O *LL. ; / ) 7

716

CLVII. GEAMINE^] (Stapf).

[Panicum .

sub hyaline, 1 -nerved or with a minute rudimentary nerve on each
side ; upper obliquely oblong in profile, subacuminate, as long as the
spikelet, 7-9-nerved, nerves anastomosing upwards and more or
less prominent in the dry state. Lower floret : valve very like
the upper glume and equal in size, 7-nerved ; valvule oblong, obtuse,
flaps rather wide in the lower third; anthers purple, £ lin. long.
Upper floret <J>, oblong, subacute or almost obtuse, 1 lin. by f lin.,
brown, glossy and smooth ; valve and valvule subcoriaceous to
crustaceous. Grain yellowish. — Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr.
v. 764 ; Hack, in Bull. Herb. Boiss. iv. App. iii. 15.

Lower Guinea. South Angola : in open forest near kilometre 108 -5 on the
Mossamedes railway, Pearson, 2861 ! and near kilometre 107 on the same
railway, Pearson, 2368 ! Amboland : Olukonda, Schinz, 641 ! between Ondonga
and Unkuanyama, Rautanen, 5 !

70. P. hygrocharis, Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 72. Annual, tufted,
up to over 2 ft. high. Culms slender to somewhat stout, soft, erect
or geniculately ascending, sometimes from a short decumbent base,
few- to 6-noded, more or less fastigiately branched or almost simple,
smooth, glabrous like the whole plant, the internodes more or less
equalling the sheaths, except the uppermost which is at length long-
exserted. Leaf-sheaths rather loose or slightly inflated, finely
striate, very smobth ; ligule a minutely ciliolate or obscure rim ;
blades linear from a slightly rounded or in robust specimens almost
amplexicaul base, usually shortly tapering to a subacute slightly
callous point, rarely long and finely attenuated upwards, 3-4 by
2J-4J lin., occasionally up to 9 in. by 6 lin., flat, soft, when long
more or less flaccid, pale to glaucous-green, quite smooth except
along the finely scaberulous upper margins or somewhat rough on the
back towards the tips, midrib almost as slender as the 3-5 primary
lateral nerves, or the latter all but indistinct from the very close
secondary nerves, or in large blades the midrib thickened downwards.
Panicles erect or somewhat nodding, contracted or more or less open,
moderately loose, 3-4 (rarely over 6) in. long, divided to the fourth
degree, all the divisions finely filiform, subangular and upwards
slightly scaberulous or almost quite smooth ; primary axis slender,
angular, lower and intermediate internodes of unequal length, some
up to over 1J in. long ; primary branches solitary and scattered or
irregularly approximate in pairs or occasionally in false whorls, the
longest often almost as long as the panicle, divided from a few lines
to over 1 in. above the base ; secondary branches rather long (to over
1J in.), their divisions contracted with the penultimate divisions
forming slender or short 3-2-spiculate racemes, the spikelets irregu-
larly scattered or approximate ; pedicels slightly widened upwards
with truncate-clavellate tips, the lateral J-2 lin. long. Spikelets
oblong, acutely apiculate, up to 14 lin. long, pale greenish. Glumes
very unequal ; lower broadly ovate from a clasping base, shortly

^ ■ V'

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(?* a

'/Y€'t4>

Panicum .] clvii. gramineai (Stapf). 717

acute to obtuse or rounded, from less than a quarter to over a third
the length of the spikelet, subhyaline to hyaline, with a very fine
percurrent midnerve and with or without obscure and short side-
nerves ; upper membranous, obliquely lanceolate-acute in profile,
as long as the spikelet, 9-nerved, nerves usually not prominent
or only so upwards. Lower floret $ or barren ; valve very similar
and equal to the upper glume ; valvule distinctly shorter than the
valve, with narrow flaps throughout ; anthers f lin. long. Upper
floret oblong, subacute, up to over 1 lin. long, polished ; valve
and valvule thinly crustaceous. — Aschers. in Schweinf. Beitr. FI.
Aethiop. 300 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 751. P. aquati-
cum, A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 373 ; not of Poir. P. albidulum,
Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 69 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 740. P. sub-
albidum, Hochst. ex Steud. l.c. 69 ; not of Kunth ; Chiov. in Ann.
Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 34, 305. P. paludosum , Hochst. ex Steud. l.c. 72.

Nile Land. Cordofan : in dried up morasses near Abu Gerad, Kotschy, 42 !
Eritrea : Dembelas ; along the Mai Ciagarit, Pappi, 6045 ! Beni Amer *
Carajai, Pappi, 6201. Barca ; Agordat, Pappi, 2810. Abyssinia : in wet
ditches near Eerras Mai, Schimper, 1786 !

71. P. Swynnertonii, Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot., xl. 230.
Annual (?), 3-4 ft. high (base unknown). Culms slender, erect, soft,
usually simple upwards or sparingly branched, more than 3- or 4-
noded, terete, quite glabrous and smooth, internodes rather long-
exserted. Leaf-sheaths tight, striate, glabrous or more rarely
spreadingly hirsute, with tubercle-based hairs, prominently striate,
nodes glabrous, dark ; ligule a narrow membranous minutely
ciliolate rim or quite obscure to obsolete ; blades linear from a more
or less constricted rounded base, tapering to a very long fine point,
5 to over 12 in. by 2-6 lin., flat, obliquely erect, green, glabrous or
softly hirsute towards the base, smooth except upwards along the
finely cartilaginous margins and dorsally towards the tips, midrib
obscure or slender and whitish on the face, lateral nerves very
numerous and close, 4-5 primary differentiated. Panicle oblong,
mostly rather contracted, jubate, sometimes open, slightly fiexuous or
nodding, floribund, 6-10 in. long, divided to the fourth or fifth degree,
all the divisions filiform to finely filiform, angular, finely scaberulous
at least upwards ; primary axis slender, terete or angular, striate,
smooth below ; primary branches usually in false whorls, at least
in the lower part or solitary in weak panicles, the longest up to over
three-quarters the length of the panicle, loosely divided from J-2 in.
above the base ; secondary branches long, their divisions loosely
contracted, the penultimate divisions 4-2-spiculate forming rather
loose racemes with their spikelets distant by more than their length ;
pedicels with minutely discoid tips, the lateral 1-2, the terminal to
over 3 lin. long. Spikelets oblong, acutely acuminate, 1J lin. long,
greenish, the tips often purplish. Glumes very unequal ; the lower
broad- ovate from a clasping base, acute in profile, a quarter to almost

718 cl vn. gramineje (Stapf). [. Panicum .

half the length of the spikelet, sub hyaline, 1- to sub-5-nerved, the
lateral nerves short to very short; the upper as long as the
spikelet, membranous, finely and prominently 7-9-nerved. Lower
floret : valve very similar to the upper glume ; valvule slightly
shorter than the valve, subacute, sharply keeled, with narrow flaps
all along ; anthers § lin. long. Upper floret elliptic- oblong, J to
almost 1 lin. by § lin., pale yellowish, polished ; valve and valvule
thinly crustaceous. — P. coloratum, var. cuanzense, Rendle in Cat. Afr.
PL Welw. ii. 178. P. Merketi, Mez in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiv. 144
(partly ? ) . f , , ; / • '7 ->

Lower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo ; Cuanze cataract near Condo,
Welwitsch, 2833 ! and without precise locality, Welwitsch, 7355 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Zomba, 2500-3500 ft., Whyte ! Portu-
guese East Africa : 30 miles below the Murchison Falls, Meller ! near Shupanga,
Kirk ! below Mazzaro, in damp places, Kirk ! between Lupata and Tete, Kirk !
Rhodesia : Northern Melsetter, 2000-6000 ft., Swynnerton, 1702 a !

The type specimen is a rather weak plant as compared with the other
specimens quoted above, but there is no structural difference. Mez’sP. Merkeri
was described from a plant collected by Merker in the neighbourhood of Kiliman-
jaro which I have not seen, and from Whyte’s specimen quoted above. If the
two plants should indeed be identical, Mez’s name (1904) would have priority
over P. Swynnertonii.

72. P. longijubatum^ Stapf. Perennial from a very short and
early disintegrating rhizome up to over 4 ft. high, quite glabrous.
Culms stout, soft, sometimes spongy, erect or geniculately ascending,
3-4- (rarely 5-) noded, rarely with a prostrate and rooting base and
then manv-noded, mostly simple, seldom with 1 or 2 branches, terete,
quite glabrous and smooth, intermediate and upper internodes at
length shortly exserted. Leaf-sheaths rather loose, striate, very
smooth ; ligule reduced to a narrow ciliolate membranous rim ;
blades linear from a usually slightly constricted base, long-tapering
to an acute point, up to 1 ft. by 3-8 lin., flat or involute when drying,
smooth or more or less rough upwards, particularly on the upper
side, margins scaberulous to scabrid upwards, midrib conspicuous
only in broad blades and then whitish above, primary lateral nerves
up to 8 on each side, slender, prominent. Panicle erect or slightly
nodding, usually contracted and narrow, sometimes ultimately
widely open and very loose, 6 to over 12 in. long, divided to the fourth
(rarely fifth) degree, all the divisions filiform to finely filiform, angular,
scabrid ; primary axis slender, terete, grooved and smooth below,
angular and rough upwards ; primary branches solitary and scattered
or irregularly approximate in pairs or occasionally in whorls, the
longest up to three-quarters the length of the panicle or occasionally
as long as it, spreading at maturity at an angle of mostly under 30°,
very loosely divided from 1-2 in. above the base ; lowest secondary
branches of large panicles 5-3 in. long, their divisions like the shorter
secondary branches contracted (also oft maturity) with the penulti-
mate divisions forming short 3-2-spiculate racemes, their spikelets

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Panicum .]

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

719

distant by less than their own length ; pedicels slightly widened
upwards with truncate tips, the lateral J-1J lin. long. Spikelets
lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, acutely acuminate, 1J lin. long, pale
greenish. Glumes very unequal; lower broadly ovate, clasping,
acute to subobtuse, a quarter to one-third the length of the spikelet,
subhyaline, imperfectly 3-6-nerved, the midnerve percurrent, the
side-nerves very short to (the inner) half as long as the glume,
obscurely anastomosing ; upper corresponding in size and shape
to the spikelet, membranous, prominently 7-9-nerved. Lower
floret barren, with or without a more or less reduced valvule ; valve
like the upper glume, mostly 9-nerved. Upper floret £>, oblong,
subacute, 1 lin. by almost J lin., smooth, glossy, yellowish; valve
and valvule thinly crustaceous. Anthers J lin. long. Grain over
J lin. long, white. — P. paludosum, Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 35 ; Durand &
Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 758 ; not of Roxb. P. proliferum, vars.
longijubatum and paludosum, Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 406, 407 ;
Wood, Natal PL t. 159 ; Pobeguin, Ess. FI. Guin. Franp. 214 ;
Cheval. Sudania, 32 ; Chiov. in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 306,
and in Result. Scient. Miss. Stefanini-Paoli, i. Bot. 226. P. miliare,
Cheval. Sudania, 159 ; not of Linn.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Bumba, Thomas, 1938 ! French Guinea :
Kouroussa, very common, Pobeguin, 488 ! French Sudan : Middle Niger ;
between Sebe and Mopti, Chevalier, 2192 ' 2198 ! 2199 ! Sebu, abundant on
river banks, Lecard, 206 ! Gold Coast : Christiansborg, Johnson, 1028 ! 1032 t
Northern Nigeria: Katagum District, Dalziel, 289 ! Sokoto, Dalziel, 1483 !

North Central. Bagirmi : Nigui, Chevalier, 9453 ! Albougher, Chevalier ,
9686 (Herb. Kew) !

Nile Land. Eritrea : Sarae ; Gaza-Gobo, 5900-6500 ft., Pappi, 155, 208.
Italian Somaliland : Jub Valley, Scassellati & Mazzochi. British East Africa :
by streams between Kisumu and Nairobi, Bummer, 1514 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Div. ; Chenul, Vanderyst, 5173 !
Kwango Div. ; Bandundu, Vanderyst, 5160 !

Mozambique Disfcr. German East Africa : Usambara ; Kwa Mshuza, Holst,
9020 ! Ujiji (?) ; flooded meadows near Gonda, Bohm, 36 ! 166 ! Nyasaland :
Elephant Marsh, Kirk !

Also in South Africa.

The P. proliferum of authors covers a number of allied yet clearly distinct
species. The name is Lamarck’s, but since Hitchcock (in Contrib. U.S. Nat.
Herb. xii. 147) has shown that his plant so named is identical with P. miliare, j
Lam., P. proliferum becomes a synonym unconnected with any of the forms so far
referred to it. Of these, one, namely Hooker’s P. proliferum (FI. Brit. Ind. vii.,
50), is identical with Roxburgh’s P. paludosum (Roxb. FL, Ind. ed. Carey, i. 310),
another, a native of America, is P. dichotomiflorum, Michx (FI. Bor. Am. i. 48).
Both appear to me sufficiently distinct from the African plant described above ;
P. paludosum mainly by its conspicuously larger and more finely acuminate
spikelets ; P. dichotomiflorum by its pronounced branching habit and the smaller
number of nerves of the upperglume (mostly 7) and lower valve (5-7, mostly 5).

73. P. pectinatum, Rendle in Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bol. iv. 54.
Perennial, compactly csespitose, up to 2 ft. kigh, with intravaginal
innovations. Culms very slender, erect, terete, 1-2-noded, upper-
most internode at length more or less exserted, glabrous and smooth.

720 clvii. gramine^j '(Stapf). [ Panicum .

Leaf-sheaths tight, terete or the lowest subterete, very closely and
prominently striate, tomentose at the nodes, the basal otherwise
more or less densely pubescent, the upper less so to subglabrous with
short clavellate gland-tipped hairs among the finer and acute hairs,
or the latter absent ; ligule a ciliolate rim ; blades linear from an
equally wide base, gradually tapering to a subacute slightly callous
point, up to 3 in. by 1-2 lin., flat or the basal setaceously convolute,
green, somewhat thickly herbaceous, loosely pubescent on both sides,
hairs white, fine, here and there intermixed with a few gland-tipped
clavellate hairs, margins scabrid, midrib and nerves very fine and close.
Panicle erect or slightly nodding, open and then obovate and very
loose or more or less contracted, 3-5 in. long, divided to the third
degree, bearing on the common axis and all or most of its divisions
spreading hairs with clavellate glandular tips, more rarely glabrous
upwards ; common axis filiform, terete, slightly striate, smooth,
glabrous except for the gland-tipped hairs, or shortly pubescent
downwards, lower internodes J-f lin. long ; primary branches finely
filiform to flexuous, very loosely divided from the base or near it,
terete, smooth, the longest up to over 3 in. long, scantily and distantly
divided from the base, lowest branchlets up to 1 in. long ; pedicels
very unequal, 1J-6 lin. long, very flexuous, with gland-tipped hairs
only or quite glabrous, slightly thickened towards the subdiscoid
tips. Spikelets oblong, subacute or obtuse, slightly dorsally com-
pressed, If to almost 2 lin. long, green or tinged with purple, glabrous.
Glumes unequal, membranous, finely prominently nerved, dentate ;
lower broadly ovate, one-third to almost half the length of the
upper floret, 3-4-nerved, with the nerves running into as many narrow
acute subterminal teeth ; upper broadly oblong, equalling about
three-quarters of the spikelet, 5-nerved and shortly and very
acutely 5-toothed, with few delicate transverse nerves. Lower
floret barren, reduced to a valve which is lanceolate in profile and
oblong in back view, with a blunt minutely 3-toothed top and as
long as the fertile floret, nerves 7 with few transverse venules
upwards. Upper floret oblong or lanceolate-oblong, subobtuse,
whitish ; valve and valvule thinly papery, the valve softly pubescent
near the tip ; anthers 1 lin. long. — K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr.
C. 103.

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Mount Mian jo, Whyte ! Mount Malosa,
4000-6000 ft., Whyte ! and without precise locality, Buchanan , 996 !

74. P. pectinellum, Stapf. Annual (?), up to almost 2 ft. high.
Culms very slender, erect or subgeniculate at the base, up to 9-noded,
upper internodes long, the others shortly or not exserted, simple or
nearly so, glabrous7 or pubescent towards the nodes, with a few
clavellate gland-tipped hairs here and there. Leaf-sheaths terete,
tight, prominently striate, scantily to densely pubescent, with
spreading tubercle-based hairs mixed with a few gland-tipped ones ;

! 3 f (¥■

^ £ S'

V

Tanicum .] clvii. GtRamineje (Btapf).

721

ligule a densely ciliolate rim ; blades lanceolate-linea^ to linear ^
from a very slightly rounded base, tapering to a very acute point,
2-3 in. by 2-3 lin., spreading, flat, thickly herbaceous, greyish-green,
very scabrid above and along the margins, densely pubescent below,
midrib and nerves fine, prominent or almost lamellate above, much
less conspicuous below. Panicle long-exserted, open and loose, ovate
to broad elliptic-oblong in outline, 4-5 in. by 2-3 in., divided'to the
fourth degree, bearing on the common axis and all its divisions short v
fine spreading hairs with clavellates glandular tips, otherwise glabrous ;
common axis filiform, angular, smooth, lower and intermediate
internodes mostly 8-5 lin. long ; primary branches solitary, loosely
divided from the base, sometimes forming imperfect false whorls,
longest up to 2J in. long, finely filiform, flexuous, terete, smooth,
secondary branchlets similarly divided, up to over 1 in. long,
•capillary ; pedicels 1-2 J lin. long, very fine, flexuous, very slightly
thickened towards the tips. Spikelets oblong, subacute, hardly
compressed, § to almost 1 lin. long, green, tinged with purple, glabrous.
Glumes unequal, membranous, prominently nerved; lower a small
roundish shortly 3-toothed scale, 3-nerved, lin. long ; upper
sub quadrate, with 5 fine acute teeth, four-fifths to half the
length of *the spikelet, with 1 nerve for each tooth and a faint inter-
mediate nerve here and there. Lower floret barren, reduced to a
broad-oblong valve four-fifths to five-sixths the length of the spikelet,
with 5-7 short teeth and as many nerves. Upper floret oblong,
acute, smooth, whitish or suffused with purple, as long as the
spikelet ; valve and valvule thinly papery, the valve finely pubescent
at the tip.

South Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga ; near Elisabethville, on dry wooded
ground, Hornbte, 54 !

,,X L

75. P. acrotrichum, Hook, f in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot., vii. 226.
Perennial (?), base unknown. Culms very slender, erect or genicu-
lately suberect, apparently 4- or more-noded, sparingly branched,
terete, glabrous and smooth, upper internodes 3-5 in. long. Leaf-
sheaths tight, terete, prominently finely striate, densely ciliate,
otherwise glabrous, smooth ; ligule reduced to a minutely ciliolate
rim ; blades lanceolate from a rounded and much constricted to
subpetiolate base, finely acuminate, about 3 in. by 6-8 lin., spreading,
flat, thin, green, very sparingly and finely hairy, margins scaberulous,
midrib very slender, whitish below, primary lateral nerves 3-4, very
fine and distant, distinct below only, secondary nerves 5-7 in the
intervals connected by delicate cross- veins. Panicle exserted, erect,
somewhat flexuous and delicate, 3-6 in. long, contracted or more or
less open, divided to the third degree ; common axis terete, filiform,
smooth, lowest internodes 1-2 in. long, lower primary branches
solitary or 2-nate, divided from f-lj in. above the base, finely
filiform, subangular, like the higher divisions smooth, or very slightly

FL. TROP. AFR. VOL. IX. — PT. 4.

3 A *

722

CLVII. GRAMINE^l (Stapf).

[ Panicum .

rough upwards, lower internodes long ; secondary branchlets
capillary, bearing 4-1 spikelets approximate upwards ; pedicels very
short to 1| lin. long, with truncate tips. Spikelets shortly lanceolate,,
acute, 1-1 J lin. long, green with an apical tuft of fine long hairs from
the upper glume. Glumes thinly membranous, unequal ; lower
lanceolate, acute, half the length of the spikelet or less, 1-3-nerved
or almost nerveless, glabrous ; upper corresponding in length and
outline to the spikelet, 5-7 -nerved, with some scattered short hairs on
the back and sides and a slender tuft of long ones (up to 1J lin.)
from the tip. Lower floret barren ; valve very similar to the upper
glume ; valvule reduced to a tiny hyaline scale. Upper floret Q
oblong, acute with a broad back, 1 lin. long, smooth, yellowish or
whitish ; valve and valvule papery ; anthers f lin. long. — Durand
& Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 740.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons : Cameroon Peak, Mann, 2100 !

76. P. monticolum, Hook. f. in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot.,v ii. 226.
Perennial, up to over 1 ft. high. Culms very slender, geniculately
erect from a prostrate rooting branched base, simple or very sparingly
branched above it, terete, glabrous and smooth, up to 7- or more-
noded. Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, subherbaceous, finely and promi-
nently striate, densely ciliate, otherwise glabrous and smooth ;
ligule reduced to a minutely ciliolate rim ; blades lanceolate from a
much constricted to almost petiolate base, acutely acuminate, about
1J in. by 5-6 lin., spreading, flat, very thin, green, quite glabrous^
or here and there with a few fine tubercle-based hairs, margins very
scabrid, midrib very fine, primary lateral nerves delicate, 2-3 on.
each side, distant, with 4-5 secondary nerves between, connected
by more or less distinct cross-veins. Panicles shortly exserted,
flexuous, 2 to over 3 in. long, somewhat contracted, rather scanty,
somewhat irregularly divided and rarely beyond the second degree ;
common axis filiform, terete and like all its divisions glabrous and
smooth or almost so, internodes few, up to over f in. long ; primary
branches obliquely erect to suberect, the lowest up to 1J in. long,
bearing from low down or the lowest from some distance above it
few remote or approximate spikelets, or owing to abortion bare
high up ; pedicels very short to over 2 lin. long (sometimes the
terminal). Spikelets oblong, acute, up to over 1J lin. long, pale
green, faintly suffused with pink, glabrous. Glumes thinly mem-
branous, unequal ; lower broad-ovate, obtuse, 1 -nerved or nerveless ;
upper corresponding in length and outline to the spikelet, 5-nerved.
Lower floret reduced to a valve very like the upper glume. Upper
floret , oblong, acute, 1 J lin. long, yellowish, smooth ; valve and
valvule subcoriaceous ; anthers § lin*. long.— Durand & Schinz. .
Consp. FI. Afr. v. 755.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons : Cameroon Peak, 7000 ft., Mann, 1353 !

Panicum.]

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

723

77. P. calvum, Stapf. Apparently a rambling perennial, several
ft. high. Culms very slender from a geniculate subprostrate
or ascending base, rooting from the lower nodes, many-noded and
with long ascending or suberect branches, terete, very smooth,
glabrous, internodes 2-5 in. long, of the flowering culms mostly
exserted. Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, prominently finely striate,
quite glabrous and smooth ; ligule a very narrow membranous rim ;
blades lanceolate to linear-lanceolate from a rounded and much
constricted or subpetiolate base, finely acuminate, 2-4 in. by 3-8 lin.,
spreading, flat, thin, green, loosely and appressedly hairy to glabrous,
margins scaberulous, midrib slender, whitish below, primary lateral
nerves 3-d, very fine and distant, distinct on both sides or at least
below, secondary nerves 5-8 in the intervals, connected by distinct
cross-veins. Panicle exserted, often long, erect, flexuous or ultimately
stiff, about 6 in. by 4-8 in., opening widely and very loose, divided to
the third or fourth degree ; common axis terete, very slender to sub-
filiform, smooth and glabrous, lowest internodes usually not much
over 1 in. long ; primary branches mostly very loosely divided from
the base, forming false whorls, or 2-nate branches, filiform, like the
following divisions smooth or very slightly rough upwards, the
longest up to over 4 in. long, internodes 1-J in. long (sometimes up to
2 in.), secondary branchlets similarly divided, ultimate divisions sub-
capillary, bearing few much scattered spikelets ; pedicels very
unequal, very short to 4 lin. and even 6 lin. long, with minutely discoid
tips. Spikelets lanceolate-oblong, acute, about 1J lin. long, green,
quite glabrous. Glumes thinly membranous, very unequal ; lower
lanceolate, acute, 1-3-nerved, two-thirds to three-quarters the length
of the spikelet ; upper corresponding in length and outline to the
spikelet, 7-nerved. Lower floret reduced to a valve, very similar
to the upper glume but 5-nerved. Upper floret q| oblong, acute,
up to 1 lin. long, pale, smooth and polished ; valve and valvule
papery ; anthers \ lin. long.

Nile Land. Uganda : Ruwenzori; in shady forest near Kivata, 6000-8000 ft.,
Scott Elliot, 7647 ! 7686 ! Mt. Elgon ; in thickets about Butalivi, 5000 ft..
Bummer , 3727 ! British East Africa : Aberdare forests, 7500 ft., Battiscombe ,
685 !

78. P. subobliquum, Stapf. Annual (?), base unknown, apparently
several ft. high. Culms many-noded, sparingly branched, slender,
glabrous and smooth, intermediate internodes up to 6 in. long and
bared at the base by the fall of the sheath, upper shorter. Leaf-
sheaths tight, prominently striate, densely ciliate upwards, minutely
pubescent in the grooves, those supporting branches thrust aside
by the branch and ultimately thrown off, leaving an irregular cuff-
like base behind ; ligule a narrow membranous ciliolate rim ; blades
lanceolate to linear-lanceolate from a rounded and much constricted
base, tapering to a long often linear acute acumen, 2-6 in. by 7-11 lin.,

724

CLVII. GRAMINEiB (Stapf).

[Panicum.

obliquely erect, flat, thin, somewhat rigid, green, minutely and
appressedly hairy to subglabrescent, with minutely tubercle-based
hairs, margins scaberulous, midrib fine, whitish below, primary
lateral nerves very fine, 3-4 on each side, distant, with 4-6 secondary
nerves in the intervals and fine cross- veins. Panicle emerging from
the uppermost sheath, widening out upwards, up to 6 in. long,
divided to the fourth degree ; common axis very slender, angular,
smooth below, like all its divisions scaberulous to scabrid upwards
with a few fine long hairs here and there ; internodes short low down,
then §— | in. long ; lower branches finely filiform, up to over 3 in. long,
divided like the secondary branches from the base or some distance
above it, the latter subcapillary, 3-4 lin. apart, its divisions up to
4 or 5 lin. long, bearing 4-1 much scattered spikelets or in the lower
part of the panicle barren, with small arrested spikelets ; pedicels
capillary, J-1J (rarely the terminal 3) lin. long. Spikelets acutely
lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong in back view, slightly oblique in
profile, 1 lin. long, pale or greyish-green, loosely pubescent from the
glumes. Glumes equally long, thinly membranous, very finely
and prominently nerved ; lower broad-lanceolate, acuminate,
3-nerved ; upper corresponding in length and outline to the spikelet
(as seen in back view), rather concave, rounded on the back, 5-nerved.
Lower floret barren : valve similar to the upper glume, but glabrous
and less concave, equalling it or very slightly shorter ; valvule more
or less reduced, keels scaberulous. Upper floret lanceolate-
oblong, acute, £ lin. long, whitish, smooth.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Fouta Jallon ; Dalaha plateau, 3250-
4250 ft., Chevalier, 18755 !

79. P. Ilochstetteri, Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 90. Perennial,
loosely csespitose from a slender rhizome, from J to over 1 ft. long.
Culms very slender to filiform, erect from a much- branched base,
above it simple or sparingly branched, many-noded, terete, glabrous,
smooth, lower nodes enclosed, upper shortly, uppermost long-
exserted. Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, finely striate, ciliolate, other-
wise glabrous or sparingly pubescent upwards, the basal very short,
the uppermost up to 2| in. long ; ligule reduced to a ciliolate rim ;
blades reflexed, often strongly so, linear from a slightly rounded base,
tapering to a very slender somewhat blunt point, up to 3 in. by 2 lin.,
those of the basal shoots often much smaller, green, flat, more or less
involute, particularly upwards, glabrous and smooth below or both
sides loosely and shortly hairy, margins scaberulous, midrib and
primary lateral nerves 2-3 on each side, very fine but distinct below
only. Panicles long-exserted, widely open and loose, 2-3 in. by 2 to
over 3 in. , divided up to the third or fourth degree ; common axis
filiform, like all its divisions terete, glabrous and smooth or almost so,
and more or less flexuous or wavy upwards, often purplish, lower
internodes up to 6-8 lin. long, mostly much shorter or the lowest

Panicum.] clvii. gkamine^e (Stapf). 725

almost suppressed (hence lowest branches subopposite), the following
about 4-3 lin. long ; branches solitary, loosely divided from some
distance (up to 8 lin.) above the base, the longest two-thirds to three-
quarters the length of the panicle ; lowest secondary branchlets
rarely over 6 lin. long, often much shorter, like the others bearing
few scattered or more or less approximate spikelets ; pedicels J-2 lin.
long, tips minutely subdiscoid. Spikelets ovate-oblong to oblong
in outline, acute, slightly over 1 lin. long, variegated or deep purple,
glabrous. Glumes similar, lanceolate in profile, acute, thinly mem-
branous, finely but very prominently nerved ; lower narrower,
four-fifths the length of the spikelet, finely 3-nerved ; upper as long
as the spikelet, boldly 7-nerved. Lower floret : valve very
similar to the upper glume but somewhat shorter and often less acute ;
valvule slightly shorter, oblong, acute ; anthers f lin. long. Upper
floret oblong, acute or subacute, almost as long as the lower,
yellowish or whitish, polished ; valve and valvule thinly coriaceous.—
Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 119 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. El.
Afr. v. 751 ; Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. App. ii. .95 ; Chiov.
in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 308, incl. vars. trichanthum and
glaherrimum. P. trichanthum , A. Bich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 375 ;
not of Nees. P. Richardii, Aschers. ex Schweinf. Beitr. FI. Aethiop.
301. Isachne refracta, Hook. f. in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot., vii. 227.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons : Cameroon Peak, 7000 ft., Mann, 1343 ! 2082 !

Nile Land. Eritrea : Amasen ; Asmara plateau, Tellini, 350 ; Ambelaco
near Maldi, 6550 ft., Schweinf urth , 17. Ocule Cusai ; Assare scrub near Halai,
8500 ft., Pappi, 1956. Soyra Mountains, 9200-9850 ft., Pappi, 1157 ; Mount
Metateu, 8200 ft., Pappi, 1595. Sarae ; Gaza Gobo, 5900-6550 ft., Pappi, 129.
Abyssinia : Tigre ; Mount Hedja, 8500 ft., Schimper ! Mount Sholoda,
Schimper, 115 ! Amba Sea, 6000-7500 ft., Schimper, 1087 ! Agow Distr. ;
Bellaka, 60t)0-7000 ft., Schimper, k 07J and without preciseT locality, Schimper,
127 ! Roth ! Uganda : forest edge near Kipayo, 4000 ft., Dummer, 2411 !
Mt. Elgon ; common in thg bamboo zone, 9000-10,000 ft., Dummer, 3567 !

— AUX-P^ta ^

80. P. pusillum, Hook, f in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot., vii. 227.
Annual, growing in loosely tufted clumps, 3-6 in. high. Culms
geniculately ascending, filiform, very weak, branched from most
nodes with the lower branches interlacing and the upper short, but
all ultimately flowering, terete or subangular, prominently striate,
smooth and glabrous, nodes mostly exserted. Leaf-sheaths some-
what loose, subherbaceous, finely striate, softly hairy ; ligule
reduced to a fine ciliate membranous rim ; blades lanceolate to
lanceolate-linear from a gradually rounded and constricted base,
acute, J to over 1 in. by less than 1 to 3J lin., flat, thin and soft,
spreading more or less horizontally, loosely and softly hairy all over,
midrib and primary lateral nerves (2 or 1 on each side) very fine or
hardly differentiated, cross-veins none. Panicles exserted, or at
least the lateral enclosed with their base in the supporting sheath,
erect, broad-ovate in outline, from less than \ to over 1 in. long and
wide, rigidly open and loose, divided up to the third or fourth degree ;

726

CLVII. GKAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

common axis filiform, terete, glabrous, internodes 4-2 lin. long ;
primary branches like tbeir divisions much spreading, to horizontal
or deflexed, capillary ; the ultimate divisions bearing 2 scattered
spikelets ; pedicels J-lJ.lin. long, with truncate tips. Spikelets
lanceolate to oblong, acute to acuminate, 1 lin. long, green, glabrous
or loosely pubescent. Glumes thinly membranous, finely and
prominently striate ; lower lanceolate, acuminate, three-quarters
to four-fifths the length of the spikelet, 3-nerved; upper corresponding
in length and outline to the spikelet, 7-nerved. Lower floret barren ;
valve similar to the upper glume, but 5-nerved and sometimes slightly
shorter ; valvule more or less (sometimes much) reduced, linear,
subobtuse, quite hyaline. Upper floret oblong, obtuse, f- lin.
long, whitish, polished : valve and valvule papery to sub coriaceous.
— Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 760. P. tylanthum, Hack, in
Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 118 ; Durand & Schinz, l.c. 766.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons : Cameroon Peak, 7000-8000 ft., Mann, 2090 ! ,

Nile Land. Abyssinia : Tigre ; Mount Hedja, 9000 ft., Schimper, 1095 !

81. P. parvifolium, Lam. III. i. 173 (?), and Encycl. iv. 742. A
loosely tufted perennial, with long trailing and rooting stolons from a
very slender rhizome, the flowering culms rising J-l ft. above the
leafy tufts. Culms filiform, many-noded, ascending, simple or
sparingly branched, terete, smooth and glabrous, nodes mostly
long-exserted. Leaf-sheaths tight, terete, finely striate, quite
glabrous and smooth, usually much shorter than the internodes ;
ligule reduced to a fine ciliate membranous rim ; blades lanceolate
to linear-oblong from a rounded clasping base, acute, from less than
\ to over § in. by 1J-2J lin., flat, firm, spreading or more or less
deflexed, quite glabrous, smooth, midrib and primary lateral nerves
(2 to 3 on each side) very fine and sometimes indistinct with 3-4
secondary nerves in the intervals, connected by cross- veins. Panicles
very shortly exserted, erect, ovate in outline, from J to over 1
(rarely up to 3) in. long and broad, rigidly open and loose, divided up
to the third degree ; common axis angular, smooth ; internodes
irregularly short and long, in average panicles from 1-4 lin. long ;
primary branches like their divisions much spreading, to horizontal
or deflexed, and bearing from some distance above the base 4-2
solitary spikelets or downwards 3-2-spiculate branchlets, finely
filiform or like the pedicels capillary and smooth, the latter 1-2 lin.
long, rarely longer, with truncate tips. Spikelets elliptic-oblong,
subacute, § to almost f lin. long, somewhat plump, quite smooth.
Glumes thinly membranous, finely but distinctfy nerved, unequal ;
lower ovate, acute, about half the length of the spikelet, 3-nerved ;
upper corresponding to spikelet in length and outline, 5-nerved.
Lower floret barren : valve like upper glume ; valvule oblong,
shorter. Upper floret broadly ovate^elliptic in outline, subapiculate,
whitish, J-f lin. long, polished ; valve and valvule subcoriaceous ;

u

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Panicum.] clvii. gramine^e (Stapf). 727

anthers J lin. long. Grain rotnndate-elliptic in outline, almost J lin.
long. — Roem. & Schult. Syst. ii. 445 ; Nees, Agrost. Bras. 224 ; Trin.
Sp. Gram. Ic. et Descr. t. 236, Pan. Gen. 224, 225, and in Mem.
Acad. Sc. St. Petersb. 6me ser. iii. 312, 313 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum,
i. 88 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 109 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. El. Afr.
v. 758 ; Cheval. Sudania, 65. P. brasiliense, Spreng. Syst, i. 321.
P. raripilum, Kunth, Rev. Gram. ii. t. 114, and Enum. i. 109 ; Steud.
Syn. PI. Glum. i. 91 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. El. Afr. v. 760.

Upper Guinea. Senegambia : in fields near Albida, Leprieur ! Sierra Leone :
Mayoso, 350 ft., Thomas, 1503 ! Magbile, Thomas, 6277 ! Southern Nigeria ;
Lagos ; Ikoyi Plains, at the edge of pools, Dalziel, 1319 ! Opobo, Jeffreys, 17 !
Lagos Island, in swampy places, Barter, 20221 ! Aguku Distr., Thomas, 733 !

Lower Guinea. French Gaboon : Cape Lopez, Chevalier, 4319 ! Belgian
Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. ; Kimuenza, Gillet, 1784 ! between Dembo and
Kisantu, Gillet, 1600 ! Leopoldville, Gillet , 2650 ! Kwango Distr. ; Mukulu,
Vanderyst, 3352 ! 3354 ! Atene, Vanderyst, 3427 !

Also in Madagascar and in tropical South America.

82. P. Beccabunga, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 179. A
straggling perennial with long-trailing culms, rooting at the nodes,
the very slender rhizome dying off behind. Culms filiform, many-
noded, the internodes hardly over 9 lin. long, terete, smooth, glabrous,
long-exserted. Leaf-sheaths tight, up to 4 lin. long, finely striate,
quite glabrous and smooth ; ligule reduced to a narrow membranous
rim ; blades narrowly ovate to lanceolate from a rounded clasping
base, acute or acutely acuminate, 4-9 lin. by 2-3 lin., flat, firm,
obliquely spreading, quite glabrous, smooth, midrib and primary
lateral nerves (2-3 on each side) very fine with 3-4 indistinct secondary
nerves in the intervals, connected by cross-veins. Panicles very
shortly exserted, erect, ovate in outline, from 6-9 lin. long and 4-5
lin. wide, rigidly and moderately open, divided to the second, rarely
the third degree ; common axis slightly angular, quite smooth,
internodes irregularly short and long, 1-2 lin. long ; primary
branches spreading at 45°-60°, bearing from near the base about
6 solitary spikelets ; branches and pedicels fine, terete, smooth and
glabrous, the pedicels from less than J-l lin. long. Spikelets
elliptic-oblong, obtuse, almost 1 lin. long, somewhat plump, quite
smooth. Glumes thinly membranous, finely but distinctly nerved,
unequal ; lower broad-ovate, subacute, over half to two-thirds the
length of the spikelet, 3-nerved ; upper corresponding to the spikelet
in length and outline, 5-nerved. Lower floret $ (?) : valve like
the upper glume ; valvule slightly shorter, oblong, with minutely
scaberulous keels. Upper floret broadly elliptic-oblong in outline,
obtuse, f lin. long, polished, white ; valve and valvule subcoriaceous.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Huilla ; by cold streams in the mountains of Morro

“i-2694 !

^ 83. P. caudiglume, Stapf.i% Annual, up to over 1 ft. high, growing
gregariously in patches. Culms filiform, weak, erect or suberect,

728

CL VII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

[. Panicum -

rooting from the lower nodes, simple or sparingly branched, terete,
whitish, sparsely and very finely hairy, internodes mostly long-
exserted and the intermediate 1-1J in. long. Leaf-sheaths thin,
tight or at length involute and slipping off the stem, finely and
loosely hairy, finely striate ; ligules very short, membranous, truncate,
ciliolate ; blades linear-lanceolate from a shortly attenuated and
constricted base, finely acuminate, 1-2J in. by 1J-4 lin. (the lower
small), flat, very thin, flaccid, green, sparingly hairy on both sides
with long extremely fine hairs, margins scaberulous, midrib very fine,
whitish below, primary lateral nerves 1 on each side, very slightly
differentiated from the other nerves. Panicles exserted, at least the
terminal, flaccid and contracted, 1J-2J in. long, divided to the third
degree ; common rhachis filiform, terete, striate, like its principal
divisions smooth or slightly rough upwards and beset with scattered
long and very fine hairs, lower and intermediate internodes 3-4 lin.
long, upper decreasing very gradually ; lower primary branches
flexuous, up to 1J in. long, finely filiform to almost capillary, loosely
branched from the base, the branchlets divided in the same way,
the latter distant by 2-3 lin. and up to 6 lin. long or the lowest much
longer, divisions of all grades fascicled at the lower nodes ; pedicels
capillary, 1-3 lin. long, tips very obscurely widened. Spikelets
ovate-lanceolate, finely caudate, including the tail f-J- lin. long, pale
greyish-green, very finely pubescent froni the glumes and lower valve.
Glumes very dissimilar ; lower a minute roundish hyaline scale,
one-fifth the length of the lower valve to which it is applied tightly ;
upper corresponding in length and outline to the spikelet, produced
into a fine curved bristle-like tail J-f lin. long, 5-nerved with the
outer nerves very faint or almost suppressed. Lower floret barren :
valve as long as the body of the upper glume, and very like it,
3-nerved, oblong, acuminate ; valvule more or less reduced, oblong,
acute, acuminate, keels very faint, scaberulous upwards. Upper
floret oblong, obtuse, about f lin. long, whitish, polished.

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Shire Highlands ; Namasi, Cameron, 16 !

This may be identical with P. delicatulum, Fig. & De Not. (in Mem. Ac.
Torin. ser. 2, xii. 351, t. 20, fig. 1-13 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. v. 746),
collected by Figari on the Blue Nile ; but I have not seen specimens of Figari’s
plant and on comparison of the description and figures of P. delicatulum with
Cameron’s, I find the former to differ in the following points : more copious
and subdichotomous branching, larger leaf-blades (3^ in. by 6 lin. ) with a glabrous
upper face, larger spikelets with a comparatively shorter tail (body 1| lin.,
tail \ lin.) and larger false fruits (1 lin.). The dimensions of the spikelet given
here are based on the authors’ figs. 1 and 2, which are said to be magnified 10
times. The magnification of figs. 3-12 is given as 20, which, however, does not
answer to the values deducible from figs. 1 and 2.

84. P. tephrosanthum, Hack, in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2 me ser. i. 766.
Perennial (?), up to over 2 ft. high. Culms erect, slender, terete,
glabrous, internodes shortly exserted. Leaf-sheaths (upper only
seen) tight, terete, smooth, glabrous except near the mouth and

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PanicumJ]

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

729

along the more or less tomentose junction with the blade and the
long-bearded nodes ; ligules short, membranous, ciliate ; blades
linear-lanceolate, gradually tapering to an acute point, 7 in. by § in.,
flat, somewhat soft, loosely and softly and sometimes very sparingly
hairy, particularly below, hairs very fine from minute tubercles,
margins cartilaginous, rigidly ciliolate, primary nerves about 5 on
each side. Panicles ovate in outline from an acuminate base, about
10 in. by 4 in. ; common axis subangular, smooth below, upwards
scaberulous ; lowest branches pseudo-verticillate, 4-nate, the follow-
ing scattered or 3-2-nate, up to 5 in. long, obliquely erect, undivided
for 1-J in., then bearing scattered lax racemes up to over 1J in. long,
filiform, flexuous, scaberulous ; pedicels subcapillary, unequal, the
longest up to 6 lin. long, with fine white hairs below the slightly
thickened tips. Spikelets elliptic to ovate-oblong in outline, acute
to subobtuse, IJ-lf lin. long, very pale, tomentose all over. Glumes
very thin, densely covered with soft hairs ; lower rotundate- ovate,
obtuse, hyaline, one-third to half the length of the spikelet, faintly
1 -nerved ; upper corresponding to the spikelet in length and outline,
finely 5-nerved. Lower floret barren (or ?) : valve very similar
to the upper glume ; valvule oblong, subacute, shorter than the
valve, with a few hairlets from the keels. Upper floret <J>, oblong,
subacute, minutely hairy from the tip, 1 lin. long, straw-coloured :
valve and valvule papery, faintly transversely rugose, the valve
faintly 5-nerved ; anthers f lin. long.

Mozambique Distr. Portuguese East Africa : Boruma, Menyharth , 898 !

85. P. microthyrsum, Staff. Perennial (?), up to 2 ft. high from a
long prostrate base. Culms long-ascending, many-noded, freely
rooting from the nodes of the prostrate base, much branched below,
with the branches barren or flowering, terete, finely pubescent,
internodes exserted, mostly about 1 in. or the uppermost up to 3 in.
long. Leaf-sheaths subherbaceous, finely and loosely hairy to hirsute
(upper sheaths of barren shoots), finely striate, the lower loose and
very short, and those of the base early decaying, the upper longer,
tight and terete ; ligules very short, membranous, truncate, ciliate ;
blades linear-lanceolate from a rounded and much constricted base,
tapering to an acute point, 1J to almost 2 in. by 2-3 lin., obliquely
erect, flat, thin, finely and loosely hairy to subglabrescent, midrib
and primary lateral nerves (about 3 on each side) very fine, distinct
only below, cross- veins none. Panicles exserted, erect and at length
rather rigid, 2 to over 3 lin. long, contracted or some of the longer
branches more or less spreading, divided to the fourth degree ; common
rhachis subfiliform, terete or angular, like its principal divisions more
or less finely and loosely hairy, but smooth, lower internodes J-l in.
long with a short one thrown in here and there, the upper rapidly
decreasing in length ; lower primary branches up to over 1 in. long,
finely filiform, at length like all the others very rigid, all branched

730

CL VII. GRAMlNEiE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

from the base ; secondary branchlets mostly 1J-2 lin. distant, np
to 6 lin. long, but mostly much shorter, again divided from the base ;
pedicels capillary, very unequal, from very short to over 2 lin. long,
with obscurely widened tips. Spikelets lanceolate, acuminate,
1 lin. long, pale greyish-green, very finely pubescent from the glumes
and the lower valve. Glumes very thinly membranous, very finely
nerved ; lower ovate, acute or subacuminate, up to half the length
of the spikelet, 1 -nerved, almost hyaline ; upper corresponding to the
spikelet in length and outline, 3-5-nerved. Lower floret reduced to the
valve which is very similar to the upper glume but 3-nerved. Upper
floret lanceolate-oblong, acute, § lin. long, turning brown, polished.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool District ; Kimanzu, GilleU

1720 ! _ _ '3XZ

86. P. trichoides, Sw. Prodr. Veg. Ind. Occ. 24. Annual, loosely
tufted, from a few inches to 1 J ft. high. Culms very slender to filiform
from an ascending base, up to 9- or more-noded, terete, glabrous or
more or less finely pubescent, lower internodes short, those of the
upright part few and long (the uppermost up to over 6 in.) and long-
exserted. Leaf-sheaths thin, the lower loose and short (3-4 lin.
long), the upper tight and long, prominently striate, spreadingly
hirsute with tubercle-based hairs ; ligule a very narrow mem-
branous ciliolate rim ; blades narrowly lanceolate, from a rounded
much constricted base, finely acuminate, from less than 1 (lower
leaves) to 3 in. by 3-4 lin., flat, very thin, flaccid, sparingly and finely
hairy, margins scaberulous, midrib and primary nerves (about 3 on
each side) very fine, secondary nerves about 5 in each interval with
obscure extremely delicate cross-veins. Panicles erect, long-
exserted, ultimately somewhat stiff, widely open and very loose and
delicate, ovate-oblong in outline, up to 9 in. by 6-8 in., divided to the
third degree ; axis very slender, terete or angular, smooth below,
scaberulous upwards, internodes •§— f in. long, sometimes with a few
longer ones thrown in ; primary branches finely filiform, ultimately
much spreading, smooth like all the following divisions, and like
these very loosely divided from the base, the longest up to 4 in. long ;
secondary branchlets finely capillary, up to 8 lin. long, bearing 3-1
very widely scattered spikelets ; pedicels extremely delicate, but
straight, 3-8 lin. long, not thickened upwards. Spikelets elliptic-
oblong, obtuse, very slightly over J lin. long, hardly oblique in profile,
greenish, finely puberulous. Glumes very thinly herbaceous, very
faintly nerved ; lower broad-ovate from a clasping base, acute,
3- to sub-5-nerved, upper corresponding to the spikelet in length and
outline, 5-nerved, broad on the back. Lower floret barren ; valve
very like the upper glume ; valvule reduced to a hyaline oblong scale.
Upper floret Q elliptic in outline, acute, less than \ lin. long, whitish
or yellowish, smooth, but not polished ; valve and valvule papery. —
Sw. El. Ind. Occ. i. 176 (partly) ; H. B. & K. Nov. Gen. i. 105;
Pres], Keliq. Haenk. i. 309 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 112 ; Klatt in

■<2-L^C — Z^*

IfasU&C*.

Panicum .] clvii. gramineje (Stapf). 731

Jahrb. Hamb. Wiss. Anstalt. ix. 120 ; Kendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw.
ii. 183 ; Hitchcock in Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 140 ; xv. 129,
131 ; xvii. 249, 504. P. capillaceum , Lam. Encycl. i. 173 ; Doell in
Mart. FI. Bras. ii. ii. 249, incl. var. strictius. P. filamentosum, Pers.
Syn. i. 83.

Upper Guinea. Gold Coast : Ashanti; Mansu, Cummins, 11! Southern
Nigeria : New Calabar ; Degema, Holland, 135 ! Eruwa ( collector ?), 60 ! and
without precise locality, Thomas , 1760 !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Golungo Alto ?, Welwitsch, 2962 !

Widely distributed throughout tropical America and often a weed of cultiva-
tion. Probably introduced in Africa. Klatt (l.c.) quotes it from Zanzibar
(Stuhlmann).

87. P. brevifolium, Linn. Sp. PI. ed. i. 59. Annual, very loosely
tufted on an often prostrate base or rambling among other vegetation,
2 or more ft. (up to 7) high. Culms slender, weak, very many-noded,
throwing out aerial roots from the lower nodes (usually one per node),
branched from the prostrate or ascending base, simple or almost so
upwards, terete, smooth and glabrous, internodes exserted or the
lowest becoming quite bare by the loss of their sheaths. Leaf-
sheaths tight or the lower loose and thrust aside, prominently finely
striate, densely long-ciliate, otherwise glabrous and smooth, rarely
with a few hairs here and there ; ligule a low membranous rim ;
blades lanceolate to lanceolate-ovate from a broad rounded to
subcordate and tightly constricted to subpetiolate base, 1-3 in. by

6- 10 lin., spreading, flat, very thin, green, usually long-ciliate at the
rounded base, otherwise loosely and appressedly hairy to glabrous,
midrib very fine, whitish below, primary lateral nerves 3-4 on each
side, distant, with about 5 secondary nerves between, connected by
extremely delicate and often inconspicuous cross-veins. Panicles
erect, at length long-exserted, delicate, widely open and very loose,
broad-oblong, ovate or obovate in outline, from less than 3 to over 6 in.
by 2-6 in., divided to the third or fourth degree ; common axis like
all its divisions, terete, glabrous and smooth or scaberulous upwards,
very slender, lower internodes mostly about 1 lin. long, but here and
there one much shorter to almost suppressed, or up to almost 2 in.
long ; primary branches solitary or 2-nate or subopposite, obliquely
spreading, wavy, but more or less rigid, very loosely divided from the
base or near it and then often forming imperfect false whorls or from
some distance above it, filiform, very fine upwards, internodes mostly

7- 4 lin. long ; secondary branchlets capillary, up to over 1 in. long,
bearing 4-1 very loosely scattered spikelets ; pedicels very unequal,
1-6 lin. long, tips very slightly thickened. Spikelets ovate-oblong to
oblong, acute (back view), oblique in profile, f lin. long, green,
glabrous or rarely pubescent, the lower floret with the lower glume
persistent for some time after the fall of the fruit and upper
glume. Glumes equally long but very different in shape and texture ;
lower hyaline to subhyaline, linear-lanceolate, acute, finely 3- or

732

cl vii. gramineje (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

sub-3-1 -nerved, rather flat ; upper herbaceous-membranous, green,
corresponding in length and outline to the spikelet, very concave with
a broad back, 5-nerved. Lower floret or barren : valve similar
to the upper glume but thinly membranous and much less concave
or almost flat on the back ; valvule almost as long, lanceolate-
oblong, acute, rather firm, keels rough ; anthers if any § lin. long.
Upper floret broad-elliptic, obtuse, up to f lin. long, whitish,
smooth : valve and valvule papery, the latter with very broad flaps ;
anthers as in the g floret. Grain broad-oVate-elliptic in outline,
not quite J lin. long, yellowish, hilum punctiform. Embryo half the
length of the grain. — Roxb. FI. Ind. ed. Carey, i. 308 ; Hitchcock in
Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. xii. 140 ; Cheval. Sudania,101. P. arbor escens,
Linn. Sp. PL ed. i. 59 (partly) ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 176 ;
Stapf in Johnston, Liberia ii. 667 ; Th. & Hel. Durand, Syll. FI. Con-
gol. 630. P. bijiorum, Lam. 111. i. 174, and Encycl. iv. 743. P. dubium,
Lam. Encycl. iv. 743 ; Doellin Mart. FI. Bras. ii. ii. 270. P. ovaiifo-
lium, Poir. Encycl. Suppl. iv. 279 ; P. Beauv. El. Owar. ii. 79, 1. 110,
fig. 1 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 113 ; Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 44 (in note) ; Hook.
Niger FI. 561 ; Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 84 ; Benth. FI. Hongk. 413 ;
Duthie, List Grass. N.-W. Ind. 6 ; Hack, in Bolet. Soc. Brot. v. 210 ;
Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 758, and Etudes FI. Congo, 323 ;
Franch. Contr. FI. Congo Franc, in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun, viii.
341 (33 of reprint) ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 44, and in Trim. Handb.
FI. Ceyl. v. 149 ; Cummins in Kew Bulletin, 1898, 81 ; De Wild. &
Durand, Contr. FI. Congo, fasc. ii. 73 ; Reliq. Dewevr. 256, and in
Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2me ser. i. 61 ; Pilger in Schlechter, West-Afr. Kau-
tschuk-Exped. 268 ; De Wild. Miss. E. Laurent, 201. P. amplexicaule ,
Poir. ex P. Beauv. l.c. 80. P. guineense, Desv. MS. ex Poir. Encycl.
Suppl. iv. 279. P. tricarinatum, Steud. Nomencl. ed. 2, ii. 264, and
Syn. PL Glum. i. 94. P. trichopiptum, Steud. l.c. 85. P. litigpsum ,
Steud. l.c. 89. P. gladiatum, Wawra in Maximil. Reise, 178, t. 31.
Isachne tricarinata, Roth, Nov. Spec. 57 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 136.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Bafodeya, Scott Ellict, 5628 ! Matotoka
400 ft., Thomas, 1234 ! Binkolo, 570 ft., Thomas, 1774 ! Bumban, 650 ft.,
Thomas, 1989 ! Kanya, 1000 ft., Thomas, 2930 ! Bumbana, 650 ft., Thomas,
3296 ! 3397 ! Yombana, Thomas , 4257 ! 4684 a ! Mamaha, Thomas, 4404 !
Port Lokoh, Thomas, 6514 ! Bo, Thomas, 7446 ! and without precise locality,
Afzelius ! Strickland ! Thomas, 5458 ! French Guinea : Timbo, Pobeguin,
1722 ! Liberia : within 20 miles of Kakatown, Whyte ! Gold Coast : Ashanti ;
Asim Yan Kumassi, Cummins, 167 ! Aburi, Johnson, 1008 ! Southern Nigeria :
Lagos; interior, Rowland ! Lagos Island, Dalziel, 3J21! Dawodu, 382!
Millen, 119 ! Akassa on the Nun river, Barter, 2090 ! Onitsha, in shady woods,
Barter, 1780 ! Opobo, Jeffreys ! Oban, Talbot, 770 ! Old Calabar, Robb !
Cameroons : Victoria, Winkler, 54 1 Lolodorf, Standy, 201 ! 344 ! very common
in cassava fields and open bush near Batanga, Bates, 55 ! 55 a ! Fernando Po,
Vogel, 85! Mann, 116! Prince’s Island, Mann, 2020! Rattray ! Newton !
North Central. East Shari : Senoussi country ; Kaga M’Bra, Chevalier, 6595 !
Nile Land. Uganda : Entebbe, in gardens, 3900 ft., Mahon !

Lower Guinea. St. Thomas Island : Boca Ledroma, Mocquerys, 135 ! Nora
Moka, 2700 ft., Moller, 136 ! Rolas Island, Quintas ! Gaboon : Sierra Corisco,
Strickland ! and without precise locality, Griffon du Bellay ! Loango ; swamps

t^c ^

Panicum .] clvii. gramineje (Stapf). 738

near Chinchoxo, Soyaux , 146 ! Jardin ! Landana, Phillips ! French Congo :
Brazzaville, Brazza & Thollon, 379 ! N’Goma valley, Lecomte ! Belgian
Congo : Lower Congo, Smith ! Cobra ! Boma Distr. ; Shinganga, j Dewevre,
319. Cataracts Distr. ; Tombe (Lutete), Hens, A. 270 ! Kitobola,
Laurent ; between Tombe and Kitobola, in shady places, Vanderyst, 4426 !
Stanley Pool Distr. ; Dolo, Schlechter, 12496 ! M’suata, Buttner, 557. Kisantu,
Gillet, 254, 726. Kunzulu, Vanderyst, 5191 ! Equator Distr. ; Eala ( collector ?) ;
Kasai Distr., Luja ! Angola : Golungo Alto ; in very shady woods by the
Cuango river, Welwitsch, 2982 ! Queta Mountains and along the Delamboa
river, Welwitsch, 7223 ! Banza do Bongo ; Aquitamba, Welwitsch, 7299 ! and
without precise locality, Welwitsch, 2968 !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar, Boivin !

Also throughout tropical Asia.

88. P. heterostachyum, Hack, in Oest. Bot. Zeitschr. 1901, 430.
Annual, 1-1J ft. high. Culms subfiliform, erect or more often
geniculately ascending, simple or branched (sometimes subdichoto-
mously) above the base, 4-5-noded, terete, smooth, glabrous, the
lower bared by the thrusting aside or falling off of the sheaths,
Leaf-sheaths at first tight, but soon loosened, except the upper,
thinly subherbaceous, finely prominently striate, loosely ciliate.
otherwise glabrous or softly and loosely pubescent ; ligule an
obscure hyaline almost sparsely ciliate rim ; blades lanceolate-ovate
from a broadly rounded or cordate and tightly constricted base,
acutely acuminate, 1 in. by 4 lin., spreading or flaccid, flat, thin,
green, long-ciliate at the rounded base, shortly ciliate upwards,
almost glabrous, margins scaberulous upwards, midrib very fine,
all the lateral nerves alike, rarely some primary nerves (3-4 on
each side) differentiated, cross-veins very inconspicuous. Panicles
exserted (at least the terminal), ovate-rotundate in outline, rigidly
open and very loose, 1 J-3 in. and almost as wide, divaricately divided
up to the third degree ; axis filiform, terete, beset with fine usually
tubercle-based spreading hairs, otherwise like all its divisions smooth
or almost so and slightly viscous, internodes 2-3 lin. long, here and
there with a shorter one thrown in ; primary branches subhori-
zontally spreading, loosely divided from 1 J-2 lin. above the base, sub-
capillary ; secondary branchlets capillary, the lower bearing up to
3 widely scattered spikelets ; pedicels 1-14 lin. long, with obscurely
thickened tips. Spikelets gibbously ovate in profile when young,
less so when mature and then with a broadly rounded back, 1 lin.
long, bright green. Glumes thinly membranous, glabrous or loosely
and very shortly or very long hairy all over, equally long, the lower
much thinner, concave at first, then almost flat, lanceolate, acute,
3-nerved ; upper broad-oblong and shortly acuminate in outline,
very concave, gibbous below, 5-nerved. Lower floret barren :
valve oblong, acute, as long as the glumes, but less concave and not
gibbous, 5-nerved, hairs submarginal only, or none ; valvule oblong,
acute, slightly shorter than the valve, keels scaberulous. Upper
floret broad-oblong, subacute, very convex on the Tounded back,
slightly over J lin. long : valve and valvule papery, pale, slightly

734

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Panicum .

rough from very minute thin- walled papillae which are appressed and
directed forward ; anthers J lin. long. — Eyles in Trans. R. Soc. S.
Afr. v. 300.

Nile Land. Eritrea : Keren ; Boga Valley, Steudner, 1009 ! British East
Africa : Kibwezi, Kdssner, 710 !

Mozambique Distr. Northern Rhodesia: near Mumbwa (15° S. 28° E.),
Mrs. Macaulay, 75 ! Livingstone, in sand, 3000 ft., Rogers , 7034 !

Imperfectly known species .

89. P. Bossii, Tropea in Boll . Ort. Bot. Giord. Col. Palermo , x. 100.
Annual. Culms erect, simple or branched upwards with brown
slightly thickened nodes. Leaf-sheaths sparingly tubercled ; blades
broad-linear, acuminate, flat, ciliate- denticulate at the base. Panicle
erect, large, rather wide and loose ; branches solitary, capillary,
hardly horizontal (patentibus) ; pedicels stiff. Spikelets pale green,
ovate, acute. Lower glume minute, obtuse ; upper acute, obsoletely

5- nerved. Lower floret barren. Upper floret Q ovate, subacute,
smooth, yellowish : valve and valvule coriaceous.

Nile Land. Italian Somaliland : Benadir ; near Giumbo, Macaluso.

Said to be allied to P. coloratum, Linn., and P. repens, Linn. The description
is too incomplete to suggest to me any definite affinity.

90. P. buluwayense, Hack, in Proc. Rhodesia Scient. Assoc, vii.
part ii. (1908) 69, and in Fedde, Repert. vi. 323. Perennial, up to
1J ft. high. Culms compressed, simple, 3-4-noded, quite glabrous.
Leaf-sheaths rather loose, the lower compressed and keeled, the
upper terete, ciliate along the margins, hirsute with tubercle-based
hairs, pubescent at the nodes ; ligule reduced to a fringe of cilia ;
blades linear-lanceolate from a narrow base (the lower) or from a
rotundate base (the upper), gradually tapering to a slender point,

6- 8 in. by 74 lin., firm, green, glabrous, scabrid along the margin,
midnerve stout, lateral nerves slender. Inflorescence of about 12
very much spreading sessile secund spiciform racemes ; common axis
about 4 in. long. Racemes irregularly 4-ranked, simple, the lower
2J in. long and solitary, 1-14 in. distant, the upper more approximate
to subverticillate, over 1 in. long, shortty bearded at the base, rhachis
half the width of the spikelets, loosely and finely pubescent, with some
long hairs in the lower part, margins scabrid- ciliolate ; pedicels
paired, minutely puberulous, not thickened at the tips, one of each
pair J lin., the other 4 lin. long. Spikelets subimbricate, ovate-
lanceolate, acuminate, turgid, green, variegated with dull purple,
quite glabrous. Lower glume three-quarters to four-fifths the length
of the spikelet, cuneate-lanceolate and narrower than it, acute,
3-nerved ; upper ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, convex, as long as the
lower floret, 3-nerved. Lower floret : valve similar to the upper
glume but flat ; anthers f lin. long. Upper floret elliptic-
rotundate, shortly mucronate, half the length of the spikelet ; valve

Panicum.] clvii. gkamineje (Stapf).

735

and valvule transversely rugose, the former 3-nerved ; anthers 1 lin.
long. — -Eyles in Trans. Eoy. Soc. S. Afr. v. 299.

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia : Bulawayo, Jeffreys, 28.

This was referred by the author to the § Brachiaria of Panicum. It is clearly
a species of Urochloa, and evidently closely allied to U. jpullulans, Stapf, which
has, however, usually densely and spreadingly bearded nodes, blades with a
slender midrib, erect or suberect, 2-ranked and more evenly disposed racemes,
elliptic-oblong spikelets and a 5-nerved upper glume and lower valve.

/Zej? Jo' -j z- (.

91. F. catangense, Chiov. in Ann. di Bot. Roma , xiii. 44. Perennial,
CEespitose, coated at the base with the remains of old sheaths and
culms ; innovations extra vaginal. Culms terete, slender, appressedly
pubescent with clavellate-tipped hairs intermixed. Leaf-sheaths
loose, longer than or as long as the internodes, closely striate, indu-
mentum like that of the culms with a dense dorsal transverse line of
whitish hairs at the upper end ; ligule a densely ciliate rim ; blades
linear-lanceolate, slightly constricted at the base, tapering upwards
to an obtuse tip, f-2J in. by 2-3 lin., the uppermost very short.
Panicle ovate-pyramidal, loose ; lowest branches more or less
arrested, barren, intermediate fascicled, 2 or 3 of a fascicle fertile,
the rest arrested, upper solitary, the fertile branches erect and
appressed to the common axis or (the upper) spreading, undivided
at the base, often with some arrested spikelets, all the divisions
slender, very minutely scaberulous, flexuous, glabrous except for
some clavate-tipped hairs ; pedicels 1J-3 lin. long or the terminal
much longer, with some clavate-tipped hairs near the tips which are
hardly thickened. Spikelets narrowly oval, subterete, subacute,
If lin. by almost \ lin. Lower glume rotundate-truncate, entire,
half the length of the spikelet, 5merved ; upper oblong, two-thirds
the length of the spikelet, truncate or rotundate or minutely and
irregularly dentate, 7-nerved, nerves somewhat stout. Lower floret
barren : valve elliptic, similar to the upper glume, 7 -nerved ;
valvule 0. Upper floret narrowly ovate, with a slightly incurved
tip, pale yellowish, dull, but quite smooth and glabrous ; valve and
valvule cartilaginous.

South. Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga ; Bianos plateau, Katantania,
Bovone, 92.

Evidently nearly allied to P. jpectinellum, Stapf, after which it should be
inserted. It differs clearly, however, by the much larger entire first glume and
the minutely dentate upper glume and lower valve.

92. P. Cienkowskii, Rupr. ex Aschers. in Schwein f. Beitr. FI.
Aethiop. 300 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 742 (name only)..

Nile Land. Cordofan, CienJcowsJci.

93. P. crinitum, Hack, ex Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 744
(name only).

This, from the locality and number quoted, is Digitaria xanthotricha, Stapf
(see p. 451 of this work).

ft

f fcAA*'

736 cl vn. gramine2e (Stapf). [. Panicum .

94. P. glabrescens, Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 71. Perennial, up to
2 ft. high, with a shortly creeping rhizome. Culms erect, sub-
fistular, glabrous like the whole plant, internodes few. Leaf-sheaths
with brown bases (nodes) : ligule short, membranous, ciliate ; blades
linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 8-12 in. by 2 lin., with scaberulous
margins. Panicles erect, rather loose, 6-8 in. long, with subverti-
cillate virgate erect branches and pedicels longer than the spikelets.
Spikelets oblong-lanceolate, acute, 1 lin. long, glabrous. Lower
glume ovate from a clasping base, acute, less than half the length of
the spikelet, 1 -nerved ; upper glume 5-7-nerved. Lower floret
barren, equalling the upper glume and like it. Upper floret
polished. — Durand & Schinz, Consp. PI. Afr. v. 750.

Upper Guinea. Senegal, Leprieur.

The author compares this with P. fistulosum, Hochst., a South American
grass, closely allied to P. longijubatum, Stapf, and it may indeed prove
identical with the latter. I have not found the original of the species in
Steudel’s herbarium at Paris. - j ^

95. P. gracillimum, K. Schum. in Engl. Jahrb.xx iv. 331. Culms
simple, 2-2J ft. high, slender, terete, quite glabrous. Leaf-sheaths
3-5 in. long, quite glabrous ; ligule very short, densely and shortly
ciliate ; blades linear, up to 1 ft. by 3 lin., glabrous and smooth.
Panicle rather large, subovate in outline, up to J ft. long, very
delicate ; branches and pedicels capillary, subflexuous, quite glabrous,
flushed with pale purple upwards, tips thickened. Spikelets 1 lin.
long. Glumes equal, as long as the spikelet, membranous ; lower
ovate, subacute, flat, 1 lin. long, yellowish-green, glabrous ; upper
subobtuse, ciliolate. ' Lower floret (J, like the upper glume. Upper
floret ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, j lin. long, polished : valve
and valvule thinly membranous.

Lower Guinea. Angola : near Dondo, Mechow, 25.

Probably a member of the § Verruculosce.

96. P. mitopus, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 103. Culms
weak, geniculate, probably rambling in other vegetation. Leaf-
sheaths glabrous ; blades lanceolate, 2-J in. by 5 lin., sparingly hairy.
Panicles axillary and terminal on long very slender peduncles,
dichotomous or trichotomous. Spikelets collected on the ends of
the primary or secondary branches, elliptic in outline, 1J lin. long.
Glumes very thin ; the lower one-third the length of the upper.
Lower floret equalling the upper glume. Upper floret : valve papery,
polished.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Usambara ; in woods, Holst, 514 b.

Said to be similar to P. laticomum, Nees, but much more delicate.

97. P. Notarisii, Aschers. ex Schweinf Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 301 ;
Durand & Schinz , Consp. FI. Afr. v. 756 (name only).

Nile Land. Sennar (collector not stated).

JPanicum .] clvii. gramine^j (Stapf).

737

98. P. nyanzense, K. Schum. in Engl. Jahrb. xxiv. 333. Culms
erect, simple, slender, over 1 ft. high. Leaves conspicuously dis-
tichous ; sheaths broad, 1J-2 in. long, longer than the nodes and
imbricate, usually quite glabrous, very rarely softly ciliate ; ligule
short, rounded, glabrous ; blades triangular-lanceolate from a
narrowed base, tightly folded with involute margins, yellowish.
Panicles open ; common axis angular, quite glabrous, smooth.
Spikelets 1 J lin. long. Lower glume ovate, acute, over one-third the
length of the upper, which is yellowish, frequently with a violet
margin. Lower floret : valve similar to the upper glume and
subequal in length. Upper floret slightly shorter than the lower,
polished.

Mozambique Distr. Lake region : . Bukoba, Stuhlmann, 3302.

The leaf -blades are stated to be “ elongate-triangular-lanceolate ” and
relatively short ( pro rata brevi), but the actual dimensions given are l§-2 in.
(6-8 cm.), rarely 4 in. (10 cm.) by hardly more than 1^ lin. I cannot suggest any
affinity for this plant.

99. P. Pauli-Ducis, Hochst. ex Schweinf Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 301 ;
Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 768 (name only).

Nile Land. Sennar : Duke Paul of Wurtemberg.

100. P. praflongum, Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 73. Culms erect,
reed-like, up to over 3 ft. high, quite glabrous and glaucous. Leaf-
sheaths hairy at the nodes and the mouth ; blades linear, acuminate,
1J-2 ft. by 1-2 lin., flat below, convolute upwards. Panicle erect,
contracted, almost 1 ft. long, its base enclosed in the uppermost
sheath ; lower branches approximate, upper solitary, undivided at
the base, long, flexuous ; pedicels long or short. Spikelets ovate in
outline, 1 lin. long, quite glabrous. Lower glume ovate, subacute,
nerveless, upper equalling the barren lower floret and like this
obscurely nerved. Upper floret delicately transversely rugose. —
Durand & Schinz, Consp. PL Afr. v. 759.

Upper Guinea. “ Guinea,” Herb. Lenormand.

101. P. pseudoagrostis, Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 71 ; Durand &
.Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 760.

Upper Guinea. Senegal, Leprieur.

This cannot be a Panicum if the description is correct. It is said to have very

102. P. scalare, Mez in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiv. 138 ; not of Schweinf.
Perennial, up to 1L ft. high. Culms decumbent, very slender,
rooting from the nodes. Leaf-sheaths obtusely keeled upwards,
with long partly tubercle-based hairs, bearded at the nodes ; ligule
reduced to a transverse rim. ; blades lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate
from a rounded but not amplexicaul base, shortly acute or subacute,
EL. TROP. AFR. VOL. IX. — PT. i. 3 B

788

CL VII. GBAMINEiE (Stapf).

[. Panicum »

spreading, 1J in. by 3J lin., flat, with erect stout hairs on both sides
or almost glabrous below, margins markedly cartilaginous and
minutely spinulose-serrulate, often crisped on one side, midrib
obscure. Panicle long-exserted , pyramidal, subsecund, remotely and
irregularly divided to the third degree, about 2 ft. long ; common axis
slender, angular, glabrous, scabrid, upwards wavy ; branches sub-
erect or somewhat spreading, the lowest a quarter the length of the
panicle, compressed, very scabrid ; pedicels minute, sparingly
strigose. Spikelets secund, mostly paired or the uppermost solitary,
elliptic in outline, acute, 1 lin. by § lin. , green to black- violet, shortly
hairy, obscurely veined. Lower glume one-third the length of the
spikelet, narrowly rotund ate, 3-nerved ; upper glume distinctly
shorter than the lower floret (about as long as the upper), elliptic,
obtuse, 5-nerved. Lower floret barren : valve similar to the upper
glume ; valvule acute, obscurely and loosely hairy. Upper floret
narrowly elliptic, subacute, very minutely mucronate with the mucro
pilosulous, straw-coloured : valve and valvule coriaceous, glossy, the
latter distinctly 2-carinate.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Kilimanjaro, VolJcens.

This is referred to § Brachiaria by the author, but I am unable to suggest its
distinct affinity either within that genus or in Urochloa to which the mucronate
fertile floret points. Nor can it well be a Panicum in the sense understood
here.

103. P. sparsum, Schumach. in Schumach. & Thonn. Beskr. Guin .
PI. 64. Culms erect, terete, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tight, striate,
long-bearded at the mouth ; blades up to over 1 ft. long, 14 in. broad,
glabrous, rough. Panicle virgate, almost 1 ft. long ; branches very,
slender, straight, erect ; branchlets capillary, angular, glabrous ;
pedicels unequal in pairs or fascicles of 3-4. Spikelets oblong,
smooth, “ 2-flowered.” Upper floret coriaceous, rugulose.

Upper Guinea. Gold Coast (?), Thonning.

Probably P. maximum , Jacq.

104. P. Stuhlmannii, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 102.
Culms up to 2 ft. high, ascending from a geniculate branched base.
Leaf-sheaths soft, villous ; blades up to If in. long, pubescent,
margins often crisped. Panicle 3-34 in. long, with spreading sub-
flexuous branches ; pedicels long, hairy. Spikelets frequently
congested, hardly 1 lin. long. Glumes hairy ; lower hardly one-
quarter the length of the spikelet. Lower floret : valve with a
violet margin. Upper floret : valve rugulose.

Mozambique Distr. Lake region : Bukoba, Stuhlmann, 4092.

105. P. tristachyoides, Trin. Gram. Suppl. in Mem. Acad Sc..
Peter sb. time ser. iv. ii. 106 ; Durand & Schinz , Consp. FI. Afr. v. 766*

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone (collector not stated).

Evidently not a Panicum.

b 3F- IVt

Entolasia .] clvii. gramine^ (Stapf). 739

70a. ENTOLASIA, Stapf.

Spikelets lanceolate-oblong to lanceolate, acute or acutely sub-
acuminate, slightly compressed from the back, falling entire from the
pedicels, solitary or (the lowest of a raceme) 2-nate, secund or sub-
secund and adaxial on the very slender subtriquetrous rhachis of
spiciform paniculately or upwards racemosely arranged racemes ;
lower floret barren ; upper floret Glumes unequal ; the lower
reduced to a minute nerveless hyaline scale, appressed to the base of
the lower floret, upper corresponding in outline and size to the
spikelet, membranous, very faintly to obscurely 5-nerved. Lower
floret reduced to the valve, very like the upper glume. Upper floret :
valve papery to almost membranous, with the margins not hyaline,
delicately villous or villosulous, obtuse and muticous, very faintly
nerved ; valvule equal to the valve, 2-nerved with bluntly involute
margins and rather narrow flaps. Lodicules 2, broadly cuneate.
Stamens 3. Styles distinct ; stigmas laterally exserted above the
middle of the spikelet. Grain elliptic in outline, dorsally compressed,
more convex on the back than on the face ; scutellum rotundate-
elliptic, less than half the length of the grain ; hilum punctiform,
basal. — Perennial. Leaf-blades flat, papery ; ligule reduced to a
ciliate rim. Racemes subsessile or sessile on and appressed to the
primary branches of an open or contracted panicle or upwards
representing primary branches. Spikelets quite glabrous outside.

Species 2, in tropical Africa.

Closely approaching in the structure of the inflorescence and the shape of the
spikelets to Panicum meyerianum and Eriochloa, but differing from both in the
perfectly muticous thin-valved finely villous or villosulous fertile florets, the
complete suppression of the valvule of the lower floret and the absence of any
trace of a swelling of the axis at the base of the spikelets. In the key adopted
in this work, Entolasia might be placed near firiochloa.

Spikelets over 2 lin. long, acute, pale straw-coloured ... 1. E. imhricata.

Spikelets ljlin. long, acutely acuminate, dull green ... 2. E. olivacea .

1. E. imhricata, Staff. Perennial from a short rhizome, up to
4 ft. high ; cataphylls of the innovations appressedly silky. Culms
erect, simple, rather stout at the base, 3-4-noded, internodes much
shorter than the sheaths except the uppermost which is long-
exserted. Leaf-sheaths rather firm, increasing in length upwards,
the basal 1-2 in., the uppermost much over 1 ft. long, the lower
keeled upwards, otherwise terete, glabrous except at the silkily
bearded nodes ; ligule a ciliate rim ; blades linear, slightly attenuated
or equally wide at the base, more or less tapering to an acute some-
times subcallous point, 3-6 in. by 3-4 lin., flat, somewhat plump,
glabrous and smooth except near the tips, margins cartilaginous,
midrib slender, raised downwards on the underside, lateral nerves
very fine to indistinct, sometimes 4-5 primary nerves standing out
from the rest below. Panicle terminal, over J ft. long, very na.rrow.

740

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[Entolasia.

slightly flexuous, glabrous ; common axis slender, angular, com-
pressed and scaberulous upwards, internodes irregularly long (up to
14 in.) and short ; primary branches erect, solitary, up to over 3 in.
long, the longest undivided up to and even 2 in. from the base,
or with some quite rudimentary spikelets low down, slender, sub-
flexuous, triquetrous with marginate scabrid angles, the lower bearing
at the base secondary branches, otherwise like all the upper branches
simple ; all the branches and branchlets forming dense secund
spiciform racemes. Rhcemes § to over 1 in. long ; rhachis trique-
trous, scabrid, often wavy, internodes J-l lin. long ; pedicels very
short, somewhat stout with scabrid angles or reduced to mere stumps,
with truncate slightly cupular tips. Spikelets imbricate, 2-ranked,
lanceolate-oblong, acute, dorsally rather markedly compressed,
2 J-24 lin. long, very pale. Lower glume much wider than high, obtuse,
about one-fifteenth the length of the spikelet, hyaline, nerveless ;
upper glume faintly 5-nerved in transmitted light, otherwise
apparently nerveless. Lower floret reduced to a valve exactly like
the upper glume. Upper floret oblong, obtuse, 2 lin. long, pale ;
valve papery, delicately hairy, very faintly 5-nerved, with narrowly
involute margins ; valvule similar in substance, the lateral keels
sharply set off from the thinner back, passing on the other side
gradually into the blunt indexed flaps ; anthers lin. long.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Unyam wezi, 3600 ft., 5°5 S. Lat.
33° E. Long., Speke & Grant !

2. E. olivacea, Stapf Perennial, up to 2-3 ft. high, with a
decumbent copiously rooting and apparently early disintegrating
base. Culms erect, geniculate (sometimes repeatedly), branched,
many-noded, internodes shorter than the sheaths or at length usually
more or less exserted from them, terete, striate, glabrous. Leaf-
sheaths rather tight, terete, "slightly keeled upwards, more or less
subherbaceous, prominently striate, slightly and minutely hairy at
the nodes and with a transverse dorsal fringe of hairs at the junction
with the blade, otherwise quite glabrous and smooth or, rarely, with
some stiff minutely tubercle-based hairs ; ligule a densely ciliate
rim ; blades linear-lanceolate from a suddenly constricted and
rounded base, very acutely acuminate, 3-54 in. by 4-6 lin., flat,
papery, glabrous and smooth except along the cartilaginous scabrid
and on one side markedly crisped margins, midrib not or indistinctly
differentiated on the face, very slender but prominent on the back,
primary lateral nerves about 4 on each side, mostly faint with equally
faint secondary nerves and short transverse veins in the intervals.
Panicles terminal, 5-6 in. long, contracted or (temporarily ?) wide
open, somewhat flexuous, glabrous ; common axis very slender,
terete and smooth below, angular and scaberulous above, internodes
in. long ; primary branches erect or (temporarily ?) widely spread-
ing, solitary or here and there 2-nate, up to over 3 in. (lower) or

Entolasia. 1

CL VII. GR AMINE iE (Stapf).

741

1J-1 in. (upper) long, mostly divided from the base or the lowest
undivided for a distance of 8 (very rarely 2) lin., subflexuous, trique-
trous, with scaberulous angles ; secondary branches appressed or
subappressed to the primary, forming somewhat dense secund or
subsecund spiciform racemes. Racemes about 3 (or the lowest
sometimes up to over 5) lin. long ; rhachis finely filiform, ^n*
wide, wavy, compressed, scaberulous, internodes not much over
J lin. long ; pedicels very fine, filiform, the longer flexuous, up to
J or sometimes § lin. long, with minute discoid tips. Spikelets-
irregularly ranked, those of one rank hardly contiguous, lanceolate,
acutely acuminate, dorsally moderately compressed, lin. long,
olive-green, often slightly flushed with lurid purple, particularly
upwards, one-tenth to one-twelfth the length of the spikelet, hyaline,
nerveless^ upper glume 5-nerved with the nerves more prominent
upwards. Lower floret reduced to a valve exactly like the upper
glume. Upper floret elliptic-oblong in outline, obtuse, lin. long,
pale : valve very thinly papery, loosely and delicately villous,
obscurely 5-nerved ; valvule similar in substance and hairiness,
lateral keels obscure, flexures obtuse ; anthers up to \ lin. long.
Grain broad-elliptic in outline, 1 lin. by § lin., pale. — Panicum
entolasium, Stapf ex Cheval. Sudania, 60, 99 (name).

North Central. Eastern Shari : Senoussi country ; in woods between the
Koddo river and Kaga M’JBra, Chevalier, 6492 bis !

Lower Guinea. French Congo : Brazzaville, Chevalier, 4034 ! Belgian
Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. ; Kisantu, Gillet, 1059 ! 1072 ! 1224 ! 1226 !
Kwango Distr. ; Lutschima, Vanderyst, 2855 !

i * 1

70b. HEMIGYMNIA, Stapf.

Spikelets oblong, acute, dorsally compressed, falling entire from
the pedicels of short to very short racemes, disposed on the filiform
branches of a contracted or widely open panicle, abaxial or without
definite orientation towards the axis ; lower floret reduced to the
valve ; upper floret as long as or almost as long as the lower, fcjj.
Glumes similar and of about equal size, much shorter than the spike-
let, firmly membranous, lower 3-, upper 3- 5-nerved. Lower floret :
valve corresponding in shape and size to the spikelet, slightly de-
pressed on the back, 7 -nerved. Fertile floret : valve sub coriaceous,
with the margins very narrowly hyaline and ciliolate upwards,
smooth, obsoletely 5-nerved ; valvule equal to the valve, embraced
by it all along, finely 2-nerved, of the same texture. Lodicules 2,
minute, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct ; stigmas
laterally exserted above the middle of the spikelet. Grain elliptic
in outline, dorsally much compressed, almost flat on both sides ;
hilum basal, punctiform ; embryo not quite half the length of the
grain. — Perennial, with long geniculate scrambling culms or a de-
cumbent freely rooting base. Blades linear-lanceolate to lanceolate,
flat, firmly papery ; ligules very short and membranous to obscure.

742

CL VII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

[. Hemigymnia .

Racemes or fascicles more or less distant, often irregularly so, or here
and there approximate ; rhachis filiform ; pedicels finely filiform,
short to as long as or (the terminal) longer than the spikelet. Spikelets
usually approximate to subimbricate, glabrous or nearly so.

Species 3-4, one in tropical Africa, the others in the Indo-Malayan region.

Panicum nodosum, Kunth ( Hemigymnia multinodis, Stapf), together with
P. canaliculatum, Nees ex Steud., forms a section “ Breviglumce ” in
Hooker’s Flora of British India. The circumstance that the glumes of both
species are of about equal length and at the same time so short that the
greater part of the back of the fertile floret is exposed, might at the first
glance suggest affinity, but neither the habit nor the structure of the spikelet
— except for the character alluded to — supports that view. In fact P. canalicu-
latum, “ a very peculiar species,” as Hooker calls it, finds its closest allies among
the species of Setaria in which the “ bristle ” apparatus is reduced to a minimum,
whilst P. nodosum and its congeners represent a small group of closely allied
■species the affinity of which is not quite clear, but may perhaps be looked for in
the neighbourhood of Ichnanthus and Pcecilostachys. There is some resemblance
to Digitaria, but it is merely superficial.

1. H. arnottianaA Stapf. Perennial, scrambling from an often
decumbent rooting base, up to over 6 ft. high. Culms many-noded,
much geniculate, branched below and here and there also upwards,
terete, hard and more or less woody below, glabrous and very smooth ;
internodes shorter or longer than the sheaths. Leaf-sheaths tight,
rather firm, terete, finely striate, quite smooth and glabrous except
along the upwards ciliolate margins (African specimens) or some-
times hirsute with tubercle-based finally deciduous hairs, at length
circumscissile at the base and deciduous ; ligule a very obscure
membranous rim ; blades linear-lanceolate to lanceolate from a
suddenly much constricted almost petioloid base and, finally dis-
articulating there, acuminate with a subsetaceous point, 3-6 in.
by 4J-10 lin. , flat, firmly papery, dark and often dull green, minutely
puberulous at the constricted base, otherwise quite glabrous, rough
near the tips, sharply serrulate-scabrid along the margins, midrib
slender, prominent below, primary lateral nerves very slender,
4-5 on each side with very faint oblique and sometimes meandering
transverse veins and pellucid dots or striae (lacunae in the parenchyma).
Panicle terminal, erect, slightly flexuous, more or less exserted from
the uppermost sheath or its base enclosed in it, 5-9 in. long, con-
tracted and subfastigiate or widely open ; common axis angular,
smooth, lower internodes § to over 1J in. long, the following often
irregularly decreasing ; primary branches frequently 2-nate to
pseudoverticillate or, particularly upwards, solitary, erect or spread-
ing at an angle of 60° or more, up to three-quarters the length of the
panicle, filiform, angular, scabrid, divided from the base but with the
lowest divisions often quite rudimentary, the next often remote
(in large panicles up to 2 in. from the base), the following usually
irregularly distant or approximate, representing short racemes or
fascicles, rarely long and again branched. Racemes sessile, up to
10-spiculate and over 3 lin. long, but mostly much shorter and often

743

Hemigymnia. j clvii. gramine^ (Stapf).

reduced to clusters of 6-3-spikelets ; rhachis finely filiform, wavy,
scabrid ; pedicels very fine with, discoid tips, scaberulous, J-l lin.,
or sometimes up to 2 lin. long and then flexuous. Spikelets ovate-
lanceolate to linear- oblong, acute or acuminate, 14-lf lin. long, quite
glabrous (in the African specimens). Glumes similar, ovate to ovate-
lanceolate, acute, lower one-third to two-fifths the length of the
spikelet, 3-nerved ; upper slightly longer, 5- (rarely 7 -) nerved.
Lower floret : valve 7-nerved, nerves distinct. Upper floret pale,
smooth ; anthers 1 mm. long. Grain oblong-elliptic, obtuse, sides
slightly thickened. — Panicum arnottianum, Nees ex Steud. Syn. PI.
Glum. i. 59. P. nodosum , Pranch. Contr. FI. Congo Fran9. in Bull.
Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun, viii. 346 (reprint, 38) ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind.
vii. 43, and in Trim. Handb. FI. Ceyl. 145 ; not of Kunth. P. mala-
baricum , Merrill in Philipp. Journ. Sc. iv. 248.

Lower Guinea. French Congo : Bangui, Chevalier, 10956 ! Brazzaville, in
woods along the Diowe river, Thollon, 4087 ! Mpila plain, Thollon, 386. Belgian
Congo : Stanley Pool Distr, ; Wombali, Vanderyst, 4518 ! 4519 ! Kibambeli,
Vanderyst, 4153 !

Widely distributed in the Indo-Malayan region, as far as the Philippines.
Apparently very variable as to size and lignilication of the lower parts of the
culms. All the African specimens examined have glabrous spikelets and leaves
{except along the margins of the sheaths), whilst in the Indian material the
glumes are frequently ciliolate and the leaves hairy.

In the Philippine Journal of Science, iv. 248, Merrill identified this plant with
Poa malabarica, Linn. , and he named it consequently Panicum malabaricum. This
was done on Munro’s authority who had referred the original of Poa malabarica
in the Linnean Herbarium to Panicum nodosum, and on the assumed identity of
certain Philippine specimens with the plant figured in Rheede, Hort. Malab.
xii. t. 45, and quoted by Linnaeus with his original description of Poa malabarica.
The comparison of Panicum nodosum (sensu lat. auct.) with the plate quoted —
Merrill saw only a rough tracing of it — and the accompanying text shows,
however, at a glance that the two plants are not identical, even generically.
Linnaeus must have come to the same conclusion ; for in the second edition
of his Species Plantarum the reference to Rheede is wanting. What Rheede’s
plate represents may be doubtful, but I would suggest that it was drawn from
a specimen of Diplachhe fusca. However, Linnaeus’ quotation is of little im-
portance in this instance. His description was not made from it but from a
specimen in his collection. This is still in excellent preservation and is evidently
a member of the “ Panicum nodosum ” group but characterised by its small
spikelets. No locality or collector is quoted, but from the two facts
(1) that Osbeck in his Voyage to China and the East Indies, ii. 29 and 343,
quotes Poa malabarica and (2) that the Linnean specimen is a perfect match of
specimens collected since in Hongkong (Happy Valley Woods, Wilford, no. 254)
we may safely assume that Linnaeus had the grass from Osbeck who collected it
near Canton on Dec. 17, 1751. The observation in Species Plantarum ed. i.
“ Habitat in Indiae arenosis ” may be explained either by the loose way in which
the term India was. used in those days or as a consequence of Linnaeus’ mistaken
identification of the plant of Rheede who says of it (p. 83) “arenoso gaudens solo.”

71. ICHNANTHUS, P. Beaiiv. Agrost. 56, t. xii. fig. i.

Spikelets lanceolate to oblong or elliptic, acute or acuminate, more
rarely obtuse, slightly laterally compressed, rounded on the back and

744

CL VII. GU AMINE JE (Stapf).

[ Ichnanihus -

front and sometimes turgid, falling entire from the pedicels or after-
shedding the ripe false fruit, solitary or downwards 2-nate, secund or
subsecund and adaxial, or without definite orientation, on the very
slender filiform terete or more or less angular rhachis of racemosely
or paniculately arranged racemes ; lower floret or barren, upper
floret Glumes similar, although usually unequal, herbaceous-
membranous, 3-7-nerved. Lower floret : valve more or less like
the upper glume ; valvule thinly membranous to hyaline, more or
less developed; Upper floret ^ ; valve muticous, firmly coriaceous,
the margins variously modified at the base, forming a short wing,
decurrent on the internode and collapsed in the dry state, but
swelling out when wetted, or more or less produced into auricles of
sometimes considerable size ; valvule subequal to the valve, of
similar substance, with bluntly involute margins, clasped all along
by the valve. Lodicules 2, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles
distinct ; stigmas laterally exserted at or above the middle. Grain
oblong, dorsally flattened, convex on the face ; scutellum elliptic,
about half the length of the grain ; hilum rather large, elliptic, basal.
— Perennial. Blades lanceolate to ovate with a much constricted
more or less oblique base, sometimes contracted into a short petiole,
rarely linear and narrowed towards the base, faintly transversely
veined. Bacemes loose or contracted, often compound. Spikelets
frequently rather large, with herbaceous glumes.

Species oyer 25, in the tropics of both hemispheres, but mostly American.

1. I. pallens, Munro in Benth. FI. ffongk. 414. Perennial, up to
2 ft. high, with a creeping rooting base. Culms slender, geniculately
ascending from the prostrate base, the upright portions 7-8-noded
and sparingly branched, easily compressible, striate, with alternate
pubescent lines, lowest internodes (particularly the prostrate) more
or less compressed, the upper terete. Leaf-sheaths rarely over 4 in.
long, much shorter than the internodes, tight, subherbaceous, densely
ciliate along the margin, with a densely hairy transverse line at the
junction with the blade, otherwise glabrous or loosely and usually
very sparingly hairy, prominently finely striate ; ligule a mem-
branous ciliolate rim ; blades lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate from a
much constricted oblique base, acutely acuminate, 14-2 in. by
4-9 lin , flat, thinly papery, dark green above, quite glabrous or
minutely and very sparingly hairy below, somewhat rough above,
margins scaberulous, midrib hardly different from the distant primary
lateral nerves, 3-4 on each side, secondary nerves about 5 in each
interval, extremely fine, transverse veins numerous, delicate.
Panicles terminal and lateral (from 1 or 2, rarely 3, uppermost
leaves), very shortly exserted or with their base enclosed in the
supporting sheath, 2-3|- in. long, slightly nodding, narrow to very
narrow, green, the terminal divided to the third or fourth degree, with
1-3 basal branches, the latter up to 3 in. long ; common axis and

Ichnanthus .]

CLVJL GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

745

primary branches filiform, more or less angular or compressed,
glabrous, rarely pubescent downwards, smooth below, scaberulous
upwards ; lower primary branches distant (by up to more than 1 in.),
the following much more approximate, solitary, erect or suberect,
forming like the secondary branches of the lower part of the panicle
shortly peduncled to sessile sparingly compound or simple racemes
15-6 lin. long, and loose or moderately contracted ; pedicels
unequal, where paired, one 1 lin. or less, the other up to over
2 lin. long, angular, scaberulous, truncate. Spikelets lanceolate,
acutely acuminate, about 2| lin. long. Glumes glabrous or finely
hairy along the margins, lower two-thirds to over three-quarters the
length of the lower floret, lanceolate in profile, more or less setaceously
acuminate, 5-nerved, upper as long as or sometimes slightly shorter
or longer than the lower floret, similar to the lower glume, but
broader and mote oblong in profile with a shorter less narrow acumen
or when flattened out shortly acute, prominently 7 -nerved. Lower
floret imperfectly $ : valve similar to the upper glume but hardly
acuminate, quite glabrous, 7 -nerved, finely keeled upwards ; valvule
broad-oblong with wide flaps and scaberulous keels, more or less
reduced ; anthers rudimentary. Upper floret oblong, obtuse,
1 lin. by almost | lin., polished, white or pale brownish, on maturity
with its median plane at right angles to that of the spikelet, the lower
third of the margin occupied by a shallow whitish depression which
on wetting swells out into a semitransparent narrow wing continued
downwards along the supporting internode ; valvule hardened
towards the minutely saccate base. — Doell in Mart. FI. Bras. ii. ii.
290 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 60 ; Hitchcock & Chase in Contr.
U.S. Nat. Herb, xviii. 334. Apluda Zeugites, AuhL Hist. PL
Guian. ii. 933, excl. syn. ; not of Linn. Panicum pollens, Sw.
Prodr. 23, & FI. Ind. Occ. i. 164 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 89 , Nees,
Agrost. Brasil. 137 ; Trin. Pan. Gen. 232, in Mem. Acad. Petersb.
6me ser. iii. 320, and Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 211 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 93 ;
Griseb. FI. Brit. West Ind. 550. P. vicinum, Bailey, Syn. Queensl.
FI. Suppl. iii. 82.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Mamaha, Thomas , 4635 ! 4571 ! Cameroons :
Efulen, Bates, 271 1

Also throughout tropical America and a large part of the Indo -Malayan region
as far as New Guinea and Queensland.

72. CYRT0C0CCUM, Stapf.

Spikelets obliquely obovate to semi-obovate, laterally much com-
pressed, falling entire from the pedicels of very loose and open or
contracted and dense panicles ; lower floret barren with or without a
valvule ; upper floret about as long as or almost as long as the lower,
<J>. Glumes thinly membranous, unequal to subequal, 3-5-nerved.
Lower floret : valve similar to the upper glume ; valvule, if present,
narrow, 2-nerved. Fertile floret : valve narrowly boat-shaped,

746

clvii. GBAMiNEiE (Stapf). \Cyrtococcum .

papery to subcrustaceous with firm very narrowly involute margins,
obsoletely 5-nerved ; valvule subequal to the valve, with a narrow
convex back, of the same substance as the valve, with fine keels and
thin flaps. Lodicules 2, minute, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles
distinct ; stigmas sublaterally exserted high up. Grain unknown. —
Perennial with weak culms rising from a decumbent or creeping and
rooting base. Blades flat, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate or almost
linear ; ligules membranous, short. Spikelets on long to very long
and capillary or short pedicels and accordingly widely scattered or
approximate.

Species 6 or 7, mostly confined to the Malayan region.

1. G. setigerum^ Stapf. Perennial, 1-3 ft. high. Culms genicu-
latelv ascending or with a prostrate base, rooting from the nodes,
more or less branched, with the branches erect, terete, smooth and
glabrous, the erect culms or portions of culms 7-8-noded, internodes
mostly shorter than the sheaths or at any rate not long-exserted.
Leaf-sheaths tight, but the lower soon slipping off the culms and
inrolled, subherbaceous, shortly and often scantily pubescent at the
nodes, ciliate along the outer margin, often bearded at the mouth,
otherwise glabrous and smooth, striate ; ligules membranous,
rounded, 1 lin. long ; blades linear-lanceolate to sublinear from a more
or less narrowed base, tapering to a very fine point, 3-5 in. by
4-5 lin., flat, thin, soft, dark green, long and finely fimbriate- ciliate
at the base, otherwise finely and appressedly hairy or glabrescent,
slightly rough on the face and along the margins, midrib very
slender, whitish and slightly prominent below, primary lateral nerves
about 3 on each side, very fine. Panicles terminal on the culms and
their branches, enclosed with their base in the uppermost sheath,
obovate to broad-oblong in outline and very loose and open or more or
less contracted, 4-9 in. long, divided up to the third, rarely the fourth
degree ; primary axis slender, like all its divisions terete, loosely
beset with long and short silky hairs and very minutely scaberulous
except downwards where it is smooth, internodes unequal from over
1 in. to a few lines ; primary branches solitary or paired or in scanty
false whorls, remotely divided from 4-1 -J in. from the base, finely
filiform or like its divisions capillary and flexuous, the latter up to
over 14 in. long, bearing 3-2 distant or only .l spikelet, rarely again
divided ; pedicels short (if axes of the third or fourth order) to long or
very long (over 1 in.). Spikelets broadly and obliquely obovate to
semi-obovate in outline, laterally much compressed, up to 1 lin. long,
dark olive-brown, very loosely scattered. Glumes very unequal,
thinly membranous ; lower lanceolate-acute in profile, broad-ovate
if flattened out, one half to two-thirds the length of the lower floret
to which it is tightly appressed, obscurely scaberulous and sparingly
and minutely hairy, 3- to sub-5-nerved ; upper obliquely oblong with
a curved back, subacute, almost as long as the spikelet, ciliolate and

747

Cyrtococcum.] clvii. gramine^ (Stapf).

loosely silkily hairy on the back, faintly 5-nerved. Lower floret :
valve oblong (in profile), obtuse, very similar to the upper glume but
with a straight back, 3- to sub-5-nerved ; valvule more or less reduced,
very narrow, 3-nerved. Upper floret almost semi-obovate or
semi-elliptic, apiculate at the tip, subacute at the base, up to over
•J lin. long, narrowly boat-shaped, brown, minutely punctate all over ;
valve and valvule papery, at length subcrustaceous, the former very
obscurely 5-nerved with firm very narrow margins, the latter with a
narrow oblong convex back, finely and transparently winged keels
and thin flaps ; anthers b lin. long. Grain unknown. — Panicum
setigemm , P. Beauv. FI. Owar. i. 82, t. 49, and Agrost. 171, t. x. fig. 3,
and Expl. pi. 8 ; Poir. Encycl. Suppl. iv. 280 ; not of Retz. P. chceto-
phoron, Roem. & Schult. Syst. Veg. ii. 884 ; Ivunth, Enum. i. 113 ;
TSTPan. Gen. 219, and in Mem. Acad. Petersb. 6me ser. iii. 307 ;
Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 87 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v.
742 ; Stapf in Johnston, Liberia, ii. 667. P. patens, Rendle in Gat.
Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 183 ; not of Linn.

Upper Guinea. Liberia : within 20 miles of Kakatown, Whyte ! Gold
Coast : Aburi Hills, Johnson, 286 ! Southern Nigeria : Lagos, MacGregor, 312 !
Benin, Beauvois ! Old Calabar, Robb ! Northern Nigeria : in damp places,
Kabba Road, Parsons, 28 ! Cameroons : Batanga, Bates, 85 ! Spanish Guinea :
Bebai, Tessmann, 636 !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Golungo Alto ; in primitive woods on Monte de
Queta, Welwitsch , 7210 ! mountains of Alto Queta, Welwitsch, 7263 ! 1086
{carp, coll.) !

73. RAMPH0LEPIS, Stapf.] (See under 74. Sacciolepis.)

74. SACCIOLEPIS, Nash in Britt. Man. Bot. 89.

Spikelets oblong to ovate-oblong or elliptic or lanceolate, subterete
or laterally compressed, frequently more or less oblique (seen in
profile), usually somewhat turgid, falling entire from the short finely
filiform pedicels of a spiciform very rarely open panicle ; lower
floret or barren ; upper Glumes similar in structure but
unequal, the lower being much shorter, softly or rigidly membranous
with a narrow hyaline margin or hyaline tip, stiffened by the
hardening of the prominent and often rib-like nerves, or more or less
dissimilar owing to the reduction of the lower glume to a small
hyaline scale, or its differentiation into a narrow hardened obscurely
nerved back and broad hyaline margins ; upper glume with a curved
or basally gibbous or saccate back, always much concave, mostly
7- or 9-, rarely 5- or up to 13-nerved. Lower floret : valve very
dissimilar to the upper glume and of the same or almost the same
length, but with a straighter back (except 10, S. cymbiandra) ; valvule
narrow, hyaline, finely 2-keeled, shorter than the valve, sometimes
more reduced or quite rudimentary. Upper floret : valve oblong in
outline (when seen from the back), very convex, chartaceous,

748

CL VII. GKAMINE2E (Stapf).

[Sac dole fis.

ultimately subcrustaceous, with firm narrowly involute margins,
obscurely 5-nerved ; valvule almost as long as the valve, tightly
embraced by it all along and of the same texture, 2-nerved, hardly
keeled. Lodicules 2, small, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles
distinct ; stigmas long, loosely plumose, exserted terminally or
subterminally. Grain tightly enclosed by the somewhat hardened
valve and valvule, elliptic in outline, dorsally compressed, with an
almost flat back and convex face ; hilum punctiform ; embryo more
or less half the length of the grain. — Annual or more often perennial
grasses ; blades linear and flat or filiform-convolute, or filiform-
subulate. False spikes often very dense and dark or variegated ;
spikelets mostly rather small.

Species over 30, in the tropics of both hemispheres.

The section Rhampholepis corresponds to what was intended to form the genus
Rampholepis as proposed on p. 15 of this volume. A closer survey of Sacciolepis
as represented by the species with spiciform panicles has since led to the con-
clusion that the structure of the spikelets of Rhampholepis conforms to such a
degree with that of Sacciolepis proper (Sect. Eusacciolepis ) that a generic
separation of Rhampholepis resting solely on the loosening of the panicle cannot
be maintained.

^Inflorescence spiciform.

Branches fused with the axis of the false spike ; pedicels
crowded all along it singly or in pairs or rarely in
small fascicles ; spikelets laterally compressed,

2 lin. long ; lower glume with a narrow hardened
back and hyaline margins ; valve of lower floret
with a transverse fringe of hairs (see also 15,

S. transbarbata). Annual grasses : Sect. Ramifus^e.

False spike much attenuated downwards, bearing
there imperfect tightly appressed spikelets,

1 in. by 4 lin. (upwards) ; perfect spikelets broad,
ovate-elliptic ; upper glume 7-nerved with a line
of tubercle-based hairs along each side of the keel
and the margins ... ... ... ... ... 1. S. ciliocincta.

False spikes not or very slightly attenuated down-
wards ; spike ^-1 in. by 3-4 lin., all the spikelets
perfect, lanceolate ; upper glume 9 -nerved,
uniformly shortly pubescent all over ... ... 2. S. cingularis.

Branches not or imperfectly fused with the axis of the
false spike. Annual or perennial grasses : Sect.

Eusacciolepis.

Spikelets §— | lin. long ; glumes rigid, ribbed ; upper
glume and lower valve 7-nerved.

Culms up to 2J ft. high ; spikes 2J-5 in. by 1-1 £

lin. ... ... ... ... ... ... 3. S. micrococca.

Culms 3-6 in. high ; spikes 1 in. by 1 lin. or less,

rather loose ... ... ... ... ... 4. S. nana.

Spikelets over \ lin. long.

Spikelets f-l lin. long.

Perennial with dense tufts of leaves from which
the slender few-noded culms rise ; leaf-blades
fleshy or spongy, elliptic in cross-section with
a narrow frontal channel and 2 wide grooves
on each side, very smooth.

Sacciolepis .] clyii. gramine^e (Stapf). 749

False spike up to 5 in. by H-2 lin., loosely
pubescent with minutely tubercle-based
hairs, pale greyish-green to straw-coloured;
spikelets f-1 lin. long ; nerves blunt, pale ;
leaf-blades up to 6 in, long 5. 8. Chevalieri.

False spikes up to 1| in. by l|-§ lin., glabrous
or delicately pubescent, olive-green with
fine purple nerves and dark tips or almost
entirely dark purple ; spikelets f lin. long ,•
leaf-blades up to over 2 in. long ... ... 6. 8. brevifolia.

Annual, 3-6 in. high with short flowering
branches and only one culm-node, or up
to 1 ft. high with long erect flowering
branches and 2-3 culm-nodes ; leaf-blades
thin, flat or folded, l|-6 in. by f-f lin. ;
false spikes f- 2 in. by 1-1 £ lin., olive-
green ; spikelets £— § lin. long ; glumes
very thinly and softly membranous with
purple nerves and dark tips 7. S, Tmillensis.

Spikelets 1-2 J lin. long.

Annual, tufted, 3-4 in. high ; blades 1-1 f in. by
1-1 1 lin. ; false spikes £-f in. by If — 2^ in. ;
spikelets 1 lin. long, quite smooth and
glabrous ; lower glume 5-, upper 7-9-
nerved ... 8, & spiciformis.

Perennial.

Spikelets 1-1 1 lin. long (see also 16, S. cmricu-
lata), or if 2 lin. long then with a transverse
fringe of hairs and with a 13 -nerved upper
glume (15, S. transbarbata) ; glumes and
lower valve thin and softly membranous
between the nerves which may be rigid
and thickened, or very fine, rarely the lower
valve thickened below (see 10, S. cymbi-
cindra).

Axis of false spike rather stout and more or
less stiff, up to over 1 lin. in diam. and
up to over 12 in. long ; basal sheaths up
to 6 in. long, spongy and cross-barred ;
apparently all aquatic perfectly glabrous
grasses.

Leaf-blades flat, up to over 1 ft. by 3-6 lin. ;
spikelets over 1 lin. long.

Spikelets oblong, obtuse to subacute,
dorsally slightly compressed to
almost terete, bright yellowish-
green with darker or brownish tips 9. S. interrupta,

Spikelets broad-ovate, acuminate, later-
ally compressed, asymmetric with
the lower floret narrowly boat-
shaped and gibbous and hardened
below 10. S, oymbiandra.

750

CLVIIo GRAMINEiE (Stapf)

[Sacciolepis.

Leaf-blades filiform-convolute, up to 1 ft.
by £-f lin. in diam. (1-1| lin. when
flattened out); spikelets 1 lin. long ll.[S. scirpoides.

Axis of false spikes slender, hardly rigid ;
basal sheaths short or if long (13,

8. ty'phura ) then not spongy, but rather
firm and closely nerved ; spikelets hairy
(except 12, 8. glaucescens).

Spikelets without a transverse fringe of
hairs, in dense spikes ; upper glume
and lower valve 7-9-nerved.

Spikelets quite glabrous, obtuse or sub-
acute to acute owing to the inrolling
of the hyaline tips of the upper
glume and lower valve ; leaves glau-
cous ; basal sheaths short, wide,
more or less spongy ; blades mostly
convolute, rigid, up to 6 in. long ... 12.'#. glaucescens.
Spikelets more or less hairy, very dark.

Culms rigidly erect, simple ; leaf-
blades more or less rigid, 6-12 in.
by l|-5 lin. ; false spikes 3-10 in.
by 3 lin. ... ... ... ... 13. 8. ty'phura.

Culms very slender, ascending in wide
curves like their remote branches ;
leaf -blades soon flaccid, 3-6 in. by
1| lin. (flat) ; spikes f-lj in. by

2-2| lin 14. 8. incurva.

Spikelets with a transverse fringe of
silvery hairs ; false spikes lobed or
much interrupted or very scanty,

1^ in. by 2\ lin. ; upper glume 13-

nerved; lower valve 11 -nerved ... 15. 8. transbarbata.

Spikelets 2-2 1 lin. long, or if 1£ lin. long then
the sheaths auricled at the mouth ; glumes
(or at least the upper) rigidly or firmly
membranous, glabrous, rarely hairy (some-
times in 16, 8. auriculata), nerves rather
rib-like, sometimes evanescent downwards.

Leaf-sheaths auricled at the mouth ; culms
collapsing when dried, ascending from a
decumbent and rambling base with long
aerial roots from the nodes ; blades up to
over 6 in. by 1 J-2 lin., flexuous ; spikes
1-6 in. by 3-3J lin. ; spikelets pale,
glabrous or hairy .. . ... ... ... 16. S. auriculata.

Leaf-sheaths not or obscurely auricled (17,

8. leptorrhachis) ; spikes rather short,
rarely over 3 in. long.

Nervation of glumes and lower valve dis-
tinct ; spikelets yellowish or olive-
green, darker upwards.

Culm-bases hardly wiry, the culms above
it up to 5- or more-noded, collapsing
when dried ; sheaths with obscure
auricles or shoulders ; false spikes
up to 4 in. long, continuous or irregu-
larly interrupted ; spikelets ovate-
lanceolate, more or less oblique ... 17, S . leptorrhachis

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Sacciolepis.]

CL VII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

751

Culm-bases hard to wiry, erect or very
shortly ascending with short often
bladeless sheaths, simple below,
then sparingly branched forming a
scanty erect tuft ; the following
culm with only 1 or 2 nodes above
the base.

False spike compact, §-l| in. long ;
spikelets ovate-oblong ; upper
glume and lower valve rather firm
and bluntly ribbed ... ... 18. S. seshrioides*

False spikes lobed or interrupted or
reduced to a succession of scanty
clusters and solitary spikelets ;
spikelets lanceolate-oblong ; upper
glume and lower valve less firm
with slender ribs ... ... ... 19. 8. catumbensis.

Nervation of the hard glumes and lower
valve more or less obscure, at least
downwards, ribs as far as visible blunt ;
spikelets pale straw-coloured to almost
whitish ; false spikes rather loose, less
than 1 in. long 20. S. albida.

^Inflorescence an open or temporarily contracted panicle
with subcapillary to capillary branches, bearing dis-
tantly loose racemes of 7-2 oblique gibbous gaping
spikelets ; lower glume reduced to a minute scale :

Sect. Rhampholepis 21. S. curvata.

1. S. ciliocincfa^ Stapf. Annual, gregarious, up to 1J ft. high.
Culms erect, terete, spongy, up to 2 lin. in diam. near the base,
5-6-noded, simple or sparingly branched with the branches 2-noded,
uppermost internodes (peduncles) slender, 4-6 in. long, lowest 1 or
2 nodes emitting stilt-roots. Leaf-sheaths quite glabrous and
smooth, the lower somewhat spongy and loose, the upper tight, all
pale, faintly striate, not or very obscurely auriculate at the mouth,
but mostly with a small rounded shoulder ; ligule membranous,
rounded, up to 1 lin. long ; blades erect, mostly overtopping the
spikes, linear from a more or less (in the lower leaves often long)
attenuated base, tapering to a callous point, 3-9 in. by 1-2J lin.,
flat, convolute in the upper part, somewhat plump, densely whitish-
papillose above on the nerves, otherwise glabrous and smooth,
midrib and nerves very fine. False spike erect, straight, subcylindric,
narrow downwards, about 1 in. long, very compact, bearded ; pedicels
springing direct singly or in pairs from the slender common axis,
minutely and loosely hairy, very short, tips discoid. Spikelets
laterally much compressed, broad ovate-elliptic in side view, acutely
acuminate, 2 lin. long, straw-coloured, bearded. Lower glume
oblong, subacute, with the sides suddenly widened at the base, over
half the length of the spikelet, with a firm narrow finely 3-nerved
back, near the tip with a small beard of hairs, margins hyaline,
narrow upwards ; upper boat-shaped, almost keeled, obliquely

752

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Sacciolepis.

oblong in profile, curved xwith a slender recurved acumen, mem-
branous, finely 7-nerved, with a longer or shorter fringe of tubercle-
based hairs along the margin and along each side of the keel. Lower
floret barren : valve similar to the upper glume and of about the
same length, but less curved on the back, 7-nerved on each side, with
a large triangular hyaline window-like area at the base and an
oblique fringe of tubercle-based hairs (up to f lin. long) ascending
from the middle of the keel, the tips of the valves hyaline above the
fringe ; valvule narrowly linear, somewhat shorter than the valve,
finely 2-keeled, with very narrow flaps from the middle downwards.
Upper floret oblong, acute, 1 lin. by J lin., white, polished.
Grain oblong-elliptic in outline, § lin. by | lin. ; scutellum elliptic-
oblong, exceeding the middle of the grain ; hilum suprabasal, puncti-
form. — Panicum ciliocinctum , Pilger in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiii. 48.

Nile Land. Jur : Ghattas’ Great Seriba, Schweinfurth, 2420 !

2. S. cingularis, Stapf Annual (?), probably up to 2 ft. high.
Culms geniculately ascending from a decumbent rooting base with
the roots partly aerial, terete, up to 2 lin. diam., smooth and glabrous,
branched with the branches in scanty tiers, all flowering, internodes
3-4 in. long, the lower laid bare by the slipping off of the sheaths ;
branches of a tier unequal, the outermost up to 1 ft. long, the inner
gradually shorter, all branches of 2 internodes, the upper about
double the length of the lower. Leaf-sheaths coarsely striate,
shortly hirsute, the lower wide and almost papery, about 3 in. long,
upper tight and more herbaceous ; ligules membranous, whitish,
truncate, up to 1 lin. long ; blades linear, mostly imperceptibly
passing into the sheaths, long-tapering to a callous point, of lower
leaves flat and up to 6 by 2J- lin., or those of the branches very short
and subulate-convolute, rather plump, very loosely and finely hairy,
densely papillose above on all the nerves, otherwise quite smooth,
midrib and primary lateral nerves (2 on each side) slender, more or
less differentiated from the very fine prominent secondary nerves.
False spikes at length long-exserted on slender flexuous peduncles,
cylindrical, 1-| in. by 3-4 lin., very compact ; pedicels very short,
somewhat stout, very sparingly puberulous, closely appressed to and
rising direct singly or in pairs from the common axis, tips discoid.
Spikelets lanceolate, acuminate, symmetrical or more or less oblique,
2 lin. by f lin., pale greyish-green, bearded. Lower glume lanceolate,
acute to subacute, over three-quarters the length of the spikelet,
with a firm narrow finely 3-nerved back, on each side with a row of
fine rigid hairs inside the wide hyaline margin ; upper ovate
(when flattened out), acuminate, membranous, 9-nerved, shortly
and loosely hairy all over, often with some long hairs on the sides.
Lower floret $ : valve very similar to the upper glume, if not more
abruptly acuminate and of equal length, 9-nerved, glabrous or almost

Sacciolepis.] clvii. gramine^e (Stapf). 758

so except for a transverse fringe of rigid white hairs, up to almost
1 lin. long, at first appressed to the tip, then more or less spreading ;
valvuie linear-oblong, subacute, three-quarters the length of the
valve ; anthers § lin. long. Upper floret oblong, subacute, 1 lin.
by | lin., white, polished. — Panicum indicum, Chev. Sudania, 102
(not elsewhere).

North Central. Shari Territory : Senussi Country ; about Kago Dje,
ChevalieP, 6658 !

3. S. micrococca, Mez in Fedde, Revert, xv. 122. Annual, growing
in tufts or clumps, up to 2 J ft. high. Culms erect, very slender from
,a stouter base, filiform upwards, smooth and glabrous like the whole
plant, rarely with more than 3 distinctly elongated internodes, the
uppermost by far the longest, the intermediate about 3-4 in. long,
more or less shortly exserted, the lowest shorter than the sheaths.
Basal leaf-sheaths loose, wide, spongy, up to 1-3 in. long, glaucous-
green, collapsing when dry and then often more or less sulcate, the
upper tight and narrower to very narrow, sulcat e-stria fce, with
rounded shoulders at the mouth ; ligules hyaline, very short,
truncate, subciliolate ; blades filiform to setiform, folded, with an
acute to subacute point, up to 6 in. long, J-J lin. wide (when folded),
soft, flexuous, sulcate-striate when dry, papillose on the face, midrib
fine, obtuse, lateral nerves 3-d on each side. False spikes long-
exserted, erect, straight or flexuous, cylindric, 2J-5 in. by 1-1 J lin.,
dense or more or less interrupted ; common axis very slender ;
pedicels very short and fine, smooth or almost smooth with discoid
tips. Spikelets elliptic-oblong, subacute to obtuse, turgid, symme-
trical, not quite J lin. long, olive-green or brown or lurid. Glumes
very thin, very finely but distinctly nerved ; lower broad-ovate from
a clasping base, subacute, 3-nerved, rather thin, less to slightly
more than half the length of the spikelet ; upper broadly rounded on
the back, corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, 7-nerved.
Lower floret barren : valve very similar to the glume and of the same
length ; valvule reduced to a minute hyaline scale. Upper floret
elliptic-oblong, subobtuse, up to f lin. by \ lin., greyish- white,
polished. — Panicum myosuroides , Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr.
w. 755 ; Bendle in Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 174 ; Pobeguin, Ess. FI.
Guin. Franp. 215 ; not of R. Br.

Upper Guinea. Senegambia : without precise locality, Heudelot, 551 !
French Guinea : Kouroussa, in water, Pobeguin, 536 ! 541 (partly) ! North
Nigeria : Borgu, in ricefields, Barley 759 !

Nile Land. Jur : Ghattas’ 'Great Seriba, Schweinfurth, 186 ! 2570 {Herb.
Kew) !

4. S. nana, Stapf Annual, growing apparently gregariously and
forming small tufts, excluding the flowering culms 2-3 in. high.
Culms erect up to slightly over 6 in. high, very slender, filiform,
.smooth and glabrous like the whole plant, with rarely more than

EL. TROP. APR. VOL. IX. — PT. 4. 3 C

754

CLVII. GRAMINE^l (Stapf).

[Sacciolepis,

2 distinctly elongated internodes, the uppermost by far the longest,
the preceding 1-2 in. long, shortly exserted. Basal leaf-sheaths
loose, widened downwards, spongy but thin, -J-§ in. long, pale lead-
coloured, the upper tighter to tight, sulcate-striate with minute
truncate shoulders ; ligules hyaline, very short, truncate, ciliolate ;
blades filiform to setiform, folded, with an acute or subacute point,
from less than 1-2 in. long, up to over J lin. wide (when folded), soft,,
suberect, delicately 7-nerved, papillose above on the nerves. False
spikes, more or less to long exserted, erect, straight, f-1 \ in. by J-J lin.,
very slender and somewhat loose, with the- racemules l|-2 lin. long
and more or less distinct ; axis very slender ; pedicels short, smooth,
with minute discoid tips. Spikelets oblong to elliptic-oblong in
outline, acute to obtuse (when mature), symmetrical, slightly turgid,
up to slightly over | lin. long, olive-green or brownish. Glumes very
thin, very finely nerved ; lower ovate, subacute, 3-nerved, two-thirds
the length of the spikelet ; upper corresponding in outline and size
to the spikelet, 7-nerved. Lower floret barren ; valve similar to the
glume and of the same length ; valvule ovate-lanceolate, nerveless,
| lin. long or quite rudimentary. Upper floret elliptic-oblong,
acute, §-j lin. by 1 J lin., pale, polished. — Panicum myosuroides, var.

. sudanensis , Stapf ex Cheval. Sudania, 87, 88, 102, and in Miss..
Chari-Lac Tchad, Etud. FI. Afr. Centr. Franc, i. 363 (name only).

North Central. Upper Oubangui : M’Brous country ; Kaga Do, Chevalier
5911 ! 5921 ! Boma Poste, Chevalier , 59614 ! Upper Shari : Dar Banda ;
Kaga M’Bra, Chevalier, 6643 !

This is possibly a stunted condition of 8. micrococca, but the facies of the ex-
tremely slender spikes is very peculiar, their racemules being more or less
marked out instead of being merged in the cylindrical arrangement of the spike,
whilst the spikelets point more forward than they do in 8. micrococca. All the
specimens quoted were evidently growing in black mud.

5. S. ChevalieriA Staff. Perennial, densely tufted on a short
oblique rhizome, up to 2 ft. high ; innovations intra vaginal. Culms
erect, very slender, smooth and glabrous, 2-3-noded, with the upper-
most node at the middle or well below it, the lower internodes mostly
shorter than the sheaths. Basal leaf -sheaths loose, wide, more or
less spongy, up to 3 in. long, brownish or grey or suffused with livid
purple, upper tight, green, sulcate-striate when dry, all with rounded
minutely puberulous shoulders at the mouth, otherwise glabrous and
smooth ; ligules short, truncate, ciliolate ; blades erect, filiform,
subterete or laterally slightly compressed, 5-angular and 5-sulcate
with the frontal groove deepest, up to 6 in. by hardly -J lin. in diam.,
spongy, quite glabrous, none of the vascular bundles with sclerenchy-
matic girders. False spikes erect on at length long-exserted
peduncles, cylindric, 1J-5 in. by 1|— 2 lin., more or less dense, con-
tinuous or here and there slightly interrupted ; common axis very
slender ; pedicels very short or up to J lin. long, puberulous. Spike-
lets ovate in outline, acute or acuminate, symmetrical or slightly

9.

Sacciolepis.] clvii. gramine^: (Stapf). 755

oblique when gaping, up to 1 lin. long, pale greyish-green to straw-
coloured, loosely puberulous with the hairs tubercle-based. Glumes
thinly membranous, ovate ; lower subobtuse, over half to two-thirds
the length of the glume, 5-nerved ; upper acute, 7-nerved with the
nerves fine, but ultimately prominent. Lower floret <£ : valve very
similar to the upper glume, but less puberulous ; valvule three-
quarters the length of the valve, narrow. Upper floret ovate,
subobtuse, . ■§-§ lin. long, whitish, polished; anthers lin. long. —
Panicum Cheraiieri, Stapf in Cheval. Sudania, 10, 106, 124 (name
only).

Upper Guinea. French Sudan : Upper Niger ; between Sanguiana and
Moussaia, Chevalier , 466 !

North Central. Upper Shari : Senussi Countri, Ndelle, Chevalier , 6820 I
Kounde, Chevalier , 7714 !

6. S. brevifolia, Stapf. Perennial, densely tufted. Culms very
slender, rising 6-9 in. from the short dense basal tufts of leaves,
1-2-noded with the upper node 2-3 in. above the base, simple,
glabrous and smooth. Leaf-sheaths somewhat firm, the basal more
or less compressed and keeled, imbricate, 4-1 in. long, obscurely
auricled, those of the culm somewhat tighter and very narrow with a
more pronounced shoulder or auricle, the uppermost up to 24 in.
long, all loosely striate, smooth and quite glabrous except at the
ciliate mouth and (sometimes) upper margins ; ligules very short,
hyaline, ciliolate ; blades subsetaceous with a callous point, convolute-
plicate, up to over 2 in. long, and up to 4 lin. across, those of the upper-
most culm-leaf very much shorter, plump, green, sulcate on the back,
glabrous and smooth. False spikes erect on a long-exserted peduncle,
cylindric, 1J in. by li-lf lin., dense; pedicels very short, with a
few minute hairs, tips minutely discoid. Spikelets ovate in outline,
broadly rounded on the back, symmetrical or suboblique, acute,
turgid, at maturity more or less gaping, up to § lin. by § lin., glabrous
or with a few minute hairs or loosely pubescent, olive-green, richly
tinged upwards with dark lurid purple. Glumes thin, finely nerved ;
lower broad-ovate, obtuse to subobtuse, about half the length of the
spikelet or more, 5-nerved with the nerves anastomosing ; upper
obliquely oblong in profile, acute or subacute, 5- or sub-7-nerved.
Lower floret $ : valve very similar to the upper glume and of the
same length, 7-nerved; valvule somewhat shorter, oblong; anthers-
J lin. long. Upper floret elliptic-oblong, subacute, J lin. by J lin.,
white, polished.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Benguella ; country of the Ganguellas and
Ambuellas, Gossweiler, 2057 ! -

7. S. huillensis^ Stapf. Annual, 3 to over 12 in. high. Culms
very slender, glabrous and smooth, simple from the uppermost node
but usually branched from the two preceding nodes, in dwarf speci-
mens the lower internodes arrested, hence the plants scantily tufted

756

CL VII. GrRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Sacciolepis.

with short flowering branches from the base and a 1-noded primary
culm rising above them ; in elongated specimens the lower 2 or 3 nodes
more or less distant, hence the branches also more or less remote and
distinctly above the base, the corresponding internodes stouter and
spongy, the primary culm and often also the elongated branches
geniculate. Leaf-sheaths rather loose and wide, uppermost tight,
all thin with minute auricles or shoulders, quite glabrous and smooth ;
ligules membranous, truncate, very short ; blades narrowly linear from
an equally wide base, tapering to a minute callous point, 1 J to over
6 in. by 4-f lin., flat or involute, thin, weak, green, loosely papillose
to glabrous on the nerves above, midrib and lateral nerves (2 or 3
on each side) very delicate. False spikes erect on a finely filiform
often long-exserted peduncle, f-2 in. by l-J- If lin., continuous and
dense or slightly interrupted ; axis very slender, lin. in diam. ;
pedicels fine, with few minute hairs or slightly scaberulous, tips
discoid. Spikelets ovate to ovate-oblong, symmetrical, first acute,
then obtuse, §-§ lin. long, widely gaping when mature and shedding
the false fruit, tardily deciduous, olive-green mostly with dark
purple nerves and tips, glabrous. Glumes very thin, finely nerved ;
lower broad-ovate, subobtuse or obtuse, over half to three-quarters
the length of the spikelet, 3-5-nerved : upper 5-7-nerved. Lower
floret barren : valve very like the upper glume and of the same
length, 5-7-nerved ; valvule linear, three-quarters the length of the
valve or more reduced with narrow upwards evanescent flaps.
Upper floret oblong, subobtuse, 4 lin. by J lin., brownish when ripe,
polished. — Panicum Jmillense , Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 174.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Benguella ; country of the Ganguellas and
Ambuellas, Gossweiler, 3152 (partly) ! Huilla ; in poor damp pastures in the
Humpata district, Welwitsch, 2699 !

Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia : Mazo e, Eyles, 320 ! North-west Rhodesia :
Choma, Rogers, 8091 ! . v

/ H ‘ )

8. S. spiciformisA Stapf. Annual, tufted, 3-4 in. high. Culms
slender, erect, with a subbasal node and sometimes another 4 in.
higher up, smooth and glabrous. Leaf-sheaths herbaceous, or pale
and submembranous at the base, somewhat compressed upwards,
quite glabrous and smooth, striate ; ligule a very narrow glabrous
membranous rim ; blades linear from an almost equally wide base,
tapering to a slender point, 1-1 § in. by 1-14 lin., flat, green, soft,
quite glabrous and smooth, midrib and primary lateral nerves very
fine. False spike cylindric, |-f in. by lf-2J lin., compact, quite
glabrous ; pedicels up to J lin. long with minutely discoid tips.
Spikelets symmetrical or nearly so, not gaping, ovoid, somewhat
plump, subacute to obtuse, 1 lin. by slightly over 4 lin., pale olive-
green, tinged with lurid purple upwards, quite glabrous and smooth.
Lower glume broad-elliptic, obtuse, two-thirds the length of the
spikelet, 5-nerved ; upper broadly elliptic-oblong, subacute, 7-9-
uerved. Lower floret barren : valve very like the upper glume

^UClA/Z^ (h*^

Sacciolepis.] clvii. gramineje (Stapf). 757

and of the same length, but quite obtuse ; valvule very much
reduced, oblong, acute, with broad flaps. Upper floret oblong-
elliptic, subacute, slightly over J lin. by J lin., pale, smooth : valve
and valvule thinly papery, nervation quite obscure. — Panicum
spiciforme, Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 359 ; Walp. Ann.
Bot. iii. 714 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 66 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FL
Aethiop. 301 ; Durand &• Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 765.

Nile Land. Abyssinia : in swampy places of the Shire plateau, Schimper ,
1825 !' and without precise locality, Schimper, 1478 !

(iAJaMc f.)

9. S. interrupta^ Stapf. Perennial from a short creeping rhizome,
up to 5 ft. high, the whole plant quite glabrous and smooth. Culms
slender or more often stout and spongy, at least below (up to 3 lin. in
diam.), erect or ascending or with a prostrate base, and then often
copiously rooting from the nod.es, 5- 8- (rarely more) noded, simple
or sparingly branched, terete, sheathed all along, with the uppermost
internode (peduncle) at length often more or less exserted (stout
specimens) or intermediate and upper internodes shortly exserted.
Leaf-sheaths rather loose or the lower very loose, often slipping off
the culm and inrolled, herbaceous, finely and loosely striate, the lower
often thin and transversely veined and if submersed sometimes
bladeless ; ligules whitish, membranous, truncate, up to over 4 lin.
long ; blades linear from an equally wide or slightly narrowed or
contracted base, tapering to a long slender point, 4 to over 12 in.
by 3-6 lin., flat, soft, somewhat plump, smooth except along the
margins and towards the tips, midrib very slender, slightly raised
below, primary lateral nerves 3-5 on each side, very fine but usually
like the secondary nerves (3-4 per interval) sharply raised and
distinct. False spike at length exserted, cylindric, from a few inches
to over 1 ft. by 3-4 lin., dense; common axis somewhat stout;
pedicels very short to 1 lin. long, with minute discoid tips. Spikelets
oblong, subacute or obtuse, symmetrical or almost so, dorsally
slightly compressed to subterete, not gaping, up to over 1 J (or in weak
specimens 1J) lin. by J-f lin., green, often brownish or livid purple
upwards. Lower glume rotundate-elliptic, very obtuse, one-third
to two-fifths the length of the spikelet, subhyaline, 5-7-nerved, with
the nerves anastomosing near their ends ; upper corresponding
in size and outline to the spikelet, prominently 9-nerved. Lower
floret barren : valve very similar to the upper glume and of equal
size ; valvule more or less reduced, delicately hyaline, or 0. Upper
floret oblong-elliptic, acute, up to over 1 lin. by over J lin., pale,
polished ; valve and valvule thinly papery, then crustaceous ;
anthers f-J lin. long ; stigmas exserted terminally ; grain broad-
elliptic in outline, f- lin. by \ lin., subpiano - convex ; scutellum
rotundate, less than half the length of the grain. — Panicum inter-
ruptum, Willd. Sp. PI. i. 341 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 87 ; Roxb. FI. Ind.
ed. Carey, i. 289 ; Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 51 ; Griff. Notul. iii. 26, and

758

CLVII. GRAMINEA3 (Stapf).

[Sacciolefiis.

Ic. PL Asiat. t. 139, fig. 221, and 1. 146, fig. 2 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i.
66 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 751 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Xnd.
vii. 40 ; Bendle in Gat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 174 ; Stapf in Dyer, FI.
Cap. vii. 413 ; De Wild. Miss. E. Laurent, 201 ; Tli. & Hel. Durand,
By 11. FI. Congol. 633. P. uliginosum, Roth, Nov. PI. Sp. 50.
P. inundatum ,~ Kunth, Rev. Gram. i. 34, and Enum. i. 88 : Steud.
l.c. 66. Hymenachne interrupta, Biihse in Miq. PI. Jungh. i. 377 ;
Miq. FI. Ind. Bat. iii. 458 ; Steud. l.c. 101. P. indicum, Hack, in
Bolet. Soc. Brot. v. 210 ; not of Linn.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Bumba, 650 ft., Thomas, 1944 ! 1991 !
Kaballa, Thomas, 2210 ! Mabonto, Thomas, 3555 ! Mamaba, Thomas, 4508 !
Yombana, Thomas, 4691 ! French Guinea : Timbo, in water, Pob'eguin, 1740 !
Southern Nigeria : Lagos, Rowland ! Opobo, Jeffreys, 16 ! Northern Nigeria :
in stream -beds and marshes near Sokoto, Dalziel , 478 ! St. Thomas Island :
Macambrara, M oiler, 134 !

Nile Land. Jur : Ghattas’ Great Seriba, Schweinfurth, 2315 ! Upper Nile
Province : Tonga, Broun, 1467 ! Lado : Yei river, Sillitoe, 5 ! Abyssinia :
bays of Lake Tsana near Grinja Mariam, Schimper, 1367 ! Uganda : near
Entebbe, Fyffe, 41 !

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Lower Congo, Smith ! Stanley Pool Distr. ;
Kisantu, Gillet, 995 ! Kwango Uistr. ; Bandundu, Vanderyst, 4270 ! Lake
Leopold II. Distr.; Fini marshes, Laurent ! Angola: Golungo Alto (?),
Welwitsch, 2963 ! Pungo Andongo : banks of Calunda stream, Welwitsch,
2715 ! South Angola : Cunene marshes, in fairly deep water, Pearson, 124 !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Karonga, Whyte !

10. S. cymbiandra, Stapf. An aquatic perennial over 2 ft. high
(base unknown). Uppermost leaf-sheath up to over 9 in. long, tight,
firmly herbaceous, quite glabrous and smooth, with short truncate
shoulders at the mouth, closely striate, preceding sheath (imperfectly
preserved) similar, passing straight into the blade ; ligules mem-
branous, very short, truncate ; blades linear from an equally wide
base, tapering to a slightly callous point, the uppermost 1-2 in. by
1-J lin. (when flattened out), the preceding up to 6 in. by 3 lin., flat
or convolute (at least upwards), somewhat plump, bright green,
quite glabrous and smooth, except along the scaberulous upper
margins, midrib very slender, nerves fine, obscurely raised and hardly
differentiated. False spike on a long-exserted peduncle, erect,
straight, cylindrical, up to over 10 in. by 2-| lin., dense or downwards
here and there slightly looser, so as to expose the axis, frequently
with more or less arrested spikelets among the perfect, particularly
downwards ; pedicels very short, very sparingly puberulous or
glabrous, smooth, tips discoid. Spikelets (perfect) broad-ovate,
somewhat oblique and laterally compressed, not gaping, acutely
acuminate, turgid, up to 1J lin. by f lin., glabrous, pale olive-green
to brownish. Glumes membranous, prominently nerved ; lower
elliptic to elliptic-ovate, half the length of the spikelet, obtuse,
5-7 -nerved ; upper obliquely lanceolate-oblong and acute in profile,
evenly curved on the back, 9-nerved. Lower floret : valve
laterally much compressed, boat-shaped, semi-ovate in profile, very

Sacciolepis.] clvii. gramineje (Stapf). 759

gibbous in the lower half, acutely acuminate, as long as the upper
glume, thickened and less distinctly or obscurely nerved in the
gibbous part, 7-nerved ; valvule lanceolate-linear, almost as long as
the valve. Upper floret <J>, narrowly oblong, acute, J lin. by slightly
over J lin. , whitish or greyish, polished ; valve thin, papery, broadly
embracing the valvule.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Baffing Valley, in water, Pobeguin, 1746 !

The shape of the lower valve is very striking, and if quite normal would render
the recognition of the species very easy.

11. S. scirpioides, Stapf. Perennial, from an oblique copiously
rooting rhizome, up to over 3 ft. high, with extravaginal innovations,
sometimes growing out into short stolons, with papery cataphylls.
Culms erect, somewhat stout, terete, 3-noded, with the uppermost
node about the middle, simple above the base, terete, smooth and
glabrous. Leaf-sheaths rather loose, terete, not keeled, closely
striate, the lower 2 or 3 crowded at the base, wide, spongy, papery,
glabrous or very scantily and shortly hairy, the outermost of them
about 1 in., the innermost up to 6 in. long, the following tighter,
firmer and more herbaceous, up to over 9 in. long, all with short
rounded auricles or shoulders at the mouth ; ligules very short,
membranous ; blades filiform, convolute, with slender slightly blunt
tips, nearly 1 ft. long, J-f lin. in diam., flattened out 1-1 \ lin. wide,
flexuous, quite smooth and glabrous or more or less hairy inside and
above the ligule, midrib very slender, like the nerves obscure upwards.
False spike on a long-exserted peduncle, cylindric, straight or slightly
curved, interrupted downwards, otherwise compact or here and
there looser, 3 to over 9 in. by 2J-3 lin. ; pedicels with a few minute
hairs, \ lin. long, discoid tips minute. Spikelets broad-ovate in
outline, subacute or acute, rather symmetrical, about 1 lin. by
slightly over \ lin., olive-green or brownish, with darker nerves and
tips (the extreme point of the latter, however, sometimes snow-
white), glabrous. Glumes membranous, finely but prominently
nerved ; lower broadly ovate, clasping at the base, often slightly
gibbous at the base when ripe, 5- to sub-7-nerved ; upper ovate (in
back view), subacute or acute, with or without a fine hyaline margin
near the tip, 7 -nerved. Lower floret $ : valve very similar to the
upper glume, but usually more obtuse, 9-11-nerved ; valvule oblong,
acute, three-quarters the length of the valve ; anthers f-f lin. long.
Upper floret §, elliptic-oblong, acute, § lin. by § lin., white, polished.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Benguella ; country of the Ganguellas and Ambuellas,

• Gossweiler, 2579 ! 2672 !

12. S. glaucescens, Stapf. Perennial from a creeping rhizome, up
to 1 ft. high ; innovations extravaginal with pale rather thin and
papery cataphylls. Culms slender, erect or shortly ascending,

760 clvii. geamine^ (Stapf). [Sacciolepis »

terete, glabrous and smooth, 1-noded above the basal tuft of leaves,
with the node much below the middle. Leaf-sheaths rather unequal,
those of the basal leaf -tuft (2-3) short, wide, spongy -papery, rounded
on the back, J-l in. long, the following more herbaceous, glaucous
or purplish, the uppermost tight, 2 to over 3 in. long, all sparingly
hairy, at least upwards, and ciliate along the margins, or the lower
silkily subtomentose, closely striate, those of the base reticulate if
spongy, without shoulders or auricles at the mouth ; ligules very
short, truncate, subhyaline ; blades linear from an equally wide base,
tapering to a firm almost acicular point, up to 6 in. by 1-1 J lin.,
rigid, mostly convolute, glaucous, somewhat plump, glabrous or
more or less softly hairy, midrib and nerves very slender, slightly
raised, smooth. False spike on a long-exserted peduncle, cylindric,
straight or slightly curved, compact, 3-5 in. by 2J lin. ; pedicels
glabrous and smooth or with a few minute hairs, tips minutely
discoid. Spikelets ovate-oblong, obtuse or subobtuse, symmetrical
or very slightly oblique in profile, not gaping, subterete, up to 1 lin.
by J lin., greyish-green to greyish-purple, glabrous. Glumes finely
and prominently nerved, herbaceous with hyaline white margins ;
lower half to over half the length of the spikelet, 5-nerved ; upper
ovate (in back view), subobtuse, 7-nerved. Lower floret : valve
very similar to the upper glume and of the same length, 9-nerved ;
valvule narrow, linear-lanceolate, acute, up to almost as long as the
valve ; anthers f lin. long. Upper floret oblong, acute, § lin.
by J lin., white, polished.

Mozambique Distr. Mashonaland : Charter Distr., Mundy ; Departm. Agric.
S. Rhodesia, 2102 !

iTstcxW-)

13. S. typhura^ Staff. Perennial, tufted from a short rhizome,,
up to 3 ft. high. Culms erect, slender, simple, terete, smooth and
glabrous, 3-4-noded, rarely more-noded with additional very short
basal internodes, uppermost internode very long (up to over 1 ft.),
long-exserted. Leaf-sheaths tight, rather firm, terete, very closely
striate, glabrous or more or less hairy, particularly upwards, the
lowest persistent ; ligules membranous, truncate, very short,
minutely ciliolate ; blades linear from an equally wide or hardly
contracted base, tapering to a slender slightly callous point, 6-12 in.
by 1J-5 lin., erect, more or less rigid, convolute or flat, glabrous or
more or less hairy to subtomentose, scaberulous to scabrid along the
margins, midrib slender, lateral nerves very close and prominent.
False spike erect, straight or slightly curved, 5-10 in. by 3 lin., usually
very dense ; pedicels rarely much over J lin. long, scaberulous or
puberulous, with minutely discoid tips. Spikelets ovate to ovate-
oblong or ovate-lanceolate in outline, acute to subacuminate, rarely
obtuse, usually slightly oblique, more or less turgid, 1 lin. long,
purplish or blackish-grey, often very dark, more or less finely hirsute
with white hairs. Glumes membranous, finely but distinctly nerved ;

S acciole f is. ~\ clvii. graminb^e (Stapf). 761

lower broad-ovate, obtuse to acute, half or almost half the length of
the spikelet ; upper ovate to ovate-oblong in dorsal view, subacute to
obtuse, 7-9-nerved. Lower floret $ : valve like the upper glume
and of the same length, but less concave ; valvule about three-
quarters the length of the valve ; anthers J-f lin. long. Upper floret

ovate-oblong, acute, 4 lin. long, whitish or yellowish. — Panicum
tyfhurum, Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 414. P. indicum, Hack, in
Bolet. Soc. Brot. iii. 135 ; not of Linn.

Nile Land. Jur : Agada, Schweinfurth, 2591 !

Lower Guinea. Huilla : Humpata ; by the Nene river, Newton !

Mozambique Distr. Nyasaland : Mount Sochi, 3000 ft., Kirk ! Mount
Mlanje, Adamson, 407 ! Namasi, Cameron, 18 ! Shire Highlands, Buchanan,
73 !

14. S. incurva, Staff. Perennial, up to over 1 ft. high. Culms
ascending in wide curves, slender, filiform, glabrous and smooth,
4-6-noded, remotely branched with the branches ascending in
similar curves to the level of the main culm. Leaf-sheaths terete,
rather tight, the lower loosened and slipping off or embracing the
branch, about 3 in. long, quite glabrous or minutely ciliate at the
mouth, smooth ; ligules thinly membranous, very short, truncate ;
blades narrowly linear from an equally wide base, flat or (the upper)
filiform-convolute, tapering to a blunt callous point, 3-6 in. by 14 lin.
or if convolute up to 4 lin. in diam., the lower soon flaccid, upper
flexuous, quite glabrous and loosely hairy, smooth, midrib and
lateral nerves very fine. False spikes on long-exserted peduncles,
f-lj in. by 24-3 lin., dense, very dark greyish-purple; axis very
slender ; pedicels very short, with a few minute hairs below the
discoid tips. Spikelets ovate-oblong in outline, acute to sub-
acuminate, symmetrical, 1J lin. by § lin., sparingly hairy, hairs white.
Glumes rigidly but thinly membranous, nerves slender, prominent ;
lower ovate, acute or subobtuse, half to two-thirds the length of the
spikelet, 5-nerved ; upper corresponding in outline and size to the
spikelet (seen in dorsal view), 9-nerved, tips hyaline. Lower
floret : valve like the upper glume ; valvule slightly shorter,
linear, acute, with broad overlapping flaps ; anthers § lin. long.
Upper floret elliptic-oblong, obtuse, £ lin. by f lin., pale, polished.

Mozambique Distr. German East Africa : Ukinga ; Nadcheni, in mountain
meadows by the water, 6500 ft., Stolz, 2484 !

15. S. transbarbata, Staff. Perennial from a slender oblique
rhizome, about 1 ft. high. Culms in scanty fascicles, erect, very
slender, terete, about 2-noded, with the uppermost node low down,
simple or branched from the lower node, with the branches sometimes
in tiers, smooth and glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tight, the lower rather
narrow, not or very obscurely keeled, over 1 in. long, bladeless or
early throwing off the short blade, the following more herbaceous,
longer, the uppermost up to 4 in. long, sparingly hairy to glabrous.

762

CL VII. GRAMINEJE (Stapf).

[Sacciolepis.

finely striate, without auricles at the mouth ; ligules very short,
rounded or truncate, membranous, minutely ciliolate ; blades linear
from an equally wide or more or less attenuated base, tapering to a
long fine point, 4-5 in. by 1-2 lin., flat, thin, green, loosely silkily
hairy with the hairs rather long downwards, slightly rough upwards
and along the very fine cartilaginous margins, midrib and lateral
nerves (3 on each side) about equally fine. False spike erect on a
long-exserted peduncle, • cylindric, about 1J in. by 2| lin., more or
less silky, lobed with the lobes made up of short rather dense com-
pound racemes or much interrupted and sometimes extremely scanty
and broken up into 3-2-spiculate racemes and solitary spikelets ;
common axis very slender, lobes up to 3 lin. long ; pedicels smooth,
up to over 1 lin. long, tightly appressed, tips discoid. Spikelets
oblong, symmetrical, somewhat gaping, with the upper halves of the
upper glume and lower valve almost parallel, 2 lin. long, greyish-
green or tinged with purple or brown. Glumes thin, finely but
prominently nerved ; lower broad-ovate, subacute, half the length
of the spikelet, minutely and loosely hairy, 7 -nerved ; upper broad-
oblong (in dorsal view), subacute, uniformly loosely , and shortly
hairy, 13-nerved. Lower floret : valve very similar to the upper
glume, but 11 -nerved with a long transverse fringe of silvery hairs
above the middle and loose short hairs above it ; valvule lanceolate,
acute, much shorter than the valve ; anthers 1 lin. long. Upper
floret oblong, subacute, 1 lin. long, white, polished ; valve and
valvule very thin.

Mozambique Distr. Northern Rhodesia : bv the Chibenga stream, Kassner,
2087 ! 2157 !

16. S. auriculata, Stapf. Perennial (?), up to 3 ft. high. Culms
slender, easily compressible, ascending from an often long-decumbent
and rambling base emitting long (over 6 in.) aerial roots from its
nodes, the erect portion about 5-noded and sparingly branched, the
lower internodes soon bared by the sheaths slipping off, 2-3 in.
by 1-1 \ lin., the lowest sometimes more or less compressed, the upper-
most up to over 1 ft. long, all quite glabrous and smooth. Leaf-
sheaths herbaceous, somewhat firm, prominently striate, glabrous
and smooth or sparingly hairy upwards, more or less compressed
and keeled upwards, produced at the mouth into acute or subacute
auricles, up to 2 lin. long, shorter than the internodes ; ligules thinly
membranous, laterally adnate to the auricles ; blades linear from
a gradually attenuated or equally wide base which is much narrower
than the mouth of the sheath, upwards tapering to a fine point, over
6 (rarely up to 9) in. by 1J-2 lin., flexuous, at first plicate-convolute,
then flat, quite glabrous or rarely very sparingly hairy, smooth
except along the upwards scaberulous margins, midrib slender,
prominent below and whitish, lateral nerves 2-3 on each side, gener-
ally obscure. False spike erect on a long-exserted peduncle, straight

.

.-A,

/ -V -2... /"

h

r L

A ) * .•• '

Sacciolepis.]

CLVII. GRAMINE^J (Stapf).

763

or flexuous, 1-6 in. by 3-3-J lin., dense, continuous or here and there
slightly interrupted or constricted ; pedicels very short, smooth,
with discoid tips. Spikelets ovate, subacute to acutely acuminate,
symmetrical or slightly oblique, 1J to over If lin. by f-J lin., pale
greyish-green to a warm straw-colour, glabrous or more or less hairy,
with finely tubercle-based short hairs. Lower glume broad-ovate,
subacute to almost obtuse in dorsal view, half or over half the length
of the spikelet, thin, 5- (rarely 3- or 7-) nerved; upper broad-
oblong to ovate-oblong in dorsal view, tip hyaline and rather obtuse
if flattened out, finely and prominently 9- (rarely 7-) nerved. Lower
floret (J or barren : valve very similar to the upper glume, but
slightly shorter, 9-nerved ; valvule narrow, distinctly shorter than
the valve ; anthers £ lin. long. Upper floret oblong, subacute,
£~— lin. by J-§ lin., white, polished. — Panicum indicum, Rendle in
Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 174 ; Cheval. Sudania, 105 ; not of Linn.

Upper Guinea. French Guinea : Baffing Valley, in wet places, Pobeguin,
1745 ! 1745 b ! Southern Nigeria : Lagos ; in damp situations, Dawodu , 157 !
Northern Nigeria : Borgu, Barter, 752 !

North Central. Shari Territory : Senussi Country ; Ndelle, Chevalier, 6798 !

Nile Land. Uganda : low swamps between Ukoko and Makaswa, 4000 ft.,
Bummer , 2951 !

Lower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo ; in marshy meadows, near
Pedras de Guinga, Welwitsch, 2826 !

Panicum indicum, as understood by Linnaeus, is a small weak annual with
small spikes and spikelets and exauriculate leaf-sheaths. The nearest approach
to it in Africa is 8. spiciformis (see above, p. 756). It seems to be limited to
the Indo-Malayan region from Ceylon to North Australia. The various varieties,
among them var. datum (see below under 8. leptorrhachis), admitted in the
Flora of British India are mostly referable to 8. anausta, Stapf ( Panicum
angustum, Trin.). None of them has the auricled leaf -sheaths characteristic of
the African plant described here.

17. S. leptorrhachis, Stapf. Perennial, up to 2-§ ft. high, glabrous
throughout. Culms suberect or geniculately ascending from a very
slender rooting base, sparingly branched from some of the lower nodes,
up to over 10-noded, lower internodes short (J-14 in.), the lowest very
slender and almost wiry, the following stouter, weaker and more or
less compressed, or, if erect, terete like the upper, these 4-8 in. long
or the uppermost (peduncle) up to ft. long. Lowest leaf-sheaths
short, thin, soon decaying, the following herbaceous, somewhat loose
and slipping off the culm, shorter to much shorter than the adjoining
internodes, rarely over 3 in. long, with short auricles or shoulders at
the mouth ; ligules membranous, truncate, up to J lin. long ; blades
more or less spreading, linear from an almost equally wide base,
tapering to a fine point, 3-4 in. by 2 lin., flat, green, glabrous and
smooth except along the minutely scaberulous margins, midrib
very slender, whitish below, lateral nerves obscure. False spikes
1J-4 in. by 3 lin., rather dense, continuous or irregularly con-
stricted or interrupted ; common axis slender, up to £ lin. in diam. ;
pedicels short, up to -f lin. long, smooth, tips more or less discoid.

764 cl vn. gramineje (Stapf). [Sacciolepis.

Spikelets ovate-lanceolate, acute, more or less oblique after flowering,
slightly gaping with subparallel tips, 2 J lin. long, olive-green, smooth.
Glumes membranous, prominently nerved ; lower broad- ovate,
acute, 7-nerved; upper oblong, gently curved on the back, sub-
acuminate, 9-nerved. Lower floret barren : valve very similar to
the upper glume and of the same length, but with a straight back,
9-nerved : valvule much shorter, linear, with narrow flaps. Upper
floret oblong, acute, over 1 lin. by § lin., whitish, polished. —
Panicum indicum, var. datum, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 174 ;
not of Hook. f.

Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. ; Kitebe, Vanderyst,
4116 ! and without precise locality, Vanderyst, 3692 (partly) ! Angola : Pungo
Andongo ; damp wooded meadows between Cordo and Quisondo, W elwitsch ,
7411 ! and without precise locality, W elwitsch, 2844 !

/ itwdbhU)

18. S. seslerioiaesA Stapf. Perennial, tufted from a slender wiry
sometimes branched rhizome, up to over 1 ft. high, quite glabrous ;
innovations extra vaginal. Culms very slender, terete, erect or
shortly ascending, 2-5-noded, simple or with 1-2 short leafy branches,
if more than 2-noded, lower 3-4 internodes very short or short, the
uppermost more than half the length of the culm, very long-exserted.
Leaf-sheaths unequal, the lower 3 or 4 very firm, bladeless or early
throwing off the blades, reddish or brownish, increasing upwards,
from a few lin. to 2 in., more or less opened out and prominently keeled,
with rounded or truncate (lower) to subacute tips, or more or less
herbaceous and slightly compressed and keeled upwards, upper terete
and tight, with or without a minute truncate shoulder at the mouth,
not auriculate, striate ; ligule a minute ciliolate rim ; blades linear
from an equally wide base, tapering in the uppermost leaves to an
acute slender point, 1J-6 in. by 1J-2 lin., somewhat plump, convolute
in bud, then more or less flat, green, smooth except at the upper
margins, midrib very slender, primary nerves 2-3 on each side,
obscure. False spike f-lj in. by 3-4 lin., cylindric, compact;
pedicels hardly over J lin. long. Spikelets ovate-lanceolate to
ovate-oblong in outline, symmetrical or slightly oblique, not gaping,
subterete, not quite 2 lin. long, over § lin. in diam., pale olive-
green below, darker and tinged with brown or livid towards the
tips, glabrous. Glumes stoutly nerved ; lower ovate, obtuse or
subobtuse, one-third to almost half the length of the spikelet,
5-nerved ; upper obliquely oblong in profile, obtuse, 7-nerved.
Lower floret ; valve very similar to the upper glume and of the
same length, 9-nerved ; valvule narrow, linear-oblong, three-
quarters the length of the valve ; anthers over 1 lin. long. Upper
floret narrowly oblong, subacute, 1J lin. by § lin., whitish,
polished. — Panicum seslerioides, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 174.

South Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga, HombU, 19 !

19. S. catumbensis^ Stapf. Perennial, from a slender woody

Sacciolepis.]

CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

765

rhizome, emitting numerous wiry roots, np to 1 ft. high. Culms
slender, erect or shortly ascending, with 4-5 short more or less wiry
internodes (|— 1 in.) at the base, followed by 1 or 2 longer and a very
long uppermost one, occupying half or more than half the culm
{excluding the spike), simple or with a few erect leafy branches from
the lower nodes, terete, glabrous, smooth. Leaf-sheaths tight,
terete, exauriculate, hairy upwards or all over, prominently striate,
the lowest often bladeless, acute, J-f in. long, the uppermost over
6 in. long ; ligules very short, truncate, minutely ciliolate ; blades
linear from an equally wide or very slightly rounded base, tapering
to a somewhat hard point, the lower and uppermost very short,
the intermediate up to 5 in. by 2 lin., rigid, flat, loosely hairy (hairs
sometimes rather long and very fine), rough above and along the
margins, midrib very slender, prominent and whitish below, primary
lateral nerves moderately slender, and slightly prominent below, or
obscure. False spike erect on. a more or less exserted peduncle,
J-3 in. by up to 2J or 3J lin., lobed or interrupted, sometimes
reduced to a succession of appressed 2-3-spiculate racemes and
(upwards) solitary spikelets ; pedicels rather stouter than usual in
this genus, up to 1 J lin. long, minutely scaberulous with discoid tips.
Spikelets lanceolate-oblong, acute, temporarily slightly gaping,
2-2 J lin. long, yellowish-green, glabrous. Glumes ribbed ; lower
broad-ovate, subacute to obtuse in' dorsal view, two-thirds the length
of the spikelet, 7-9-nerved ; upper ovate-oblong, with (when
flattened out) subobtuse subhyaline tips, 9-nerved. Lower floret
or barren : valve very similar to and of the same or almost the same
length as the upper glume, 9-nerved ; valvule lanceolate-acute, much
shorter than the valve with flaps evanescent upwards ; anthers (if
present) up to almost 1J lin. long, whitish. Upper floret oblong,
acute, 1-1 J lin. by § lin., white, polished; anthers 1J lin. long;
plumose stigmas up to 1 lin. long, long-feathery.— Panicum catum-
bense, Eendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 175.

Lower Guinea. Angola : Benguella ; Andrade Corvo Mountains, 4400 ft.,
Wellmann, 1806 ! Huilla ; pastures near Catumba, Welwitsch, 2689 !

20. S. albida, Staff. Perennial, from a very slender rhizome,
up to over 2 ft. high. Culms erect or suberect, with a slender and
hard base, which comprises 3-4 upwards increasing internodes
(J-1J in. long), above it 2-noded, very slender with 1 or 2 long leafy
erect branches, the internode above the branching node compressed,
otherwise terete, uppermost internode but one up to 6 in. long, the
following (peduncle) up to over 1 ft. long, all quite glabrous, and
smooth. Basal leaf-sheaths longer than or as long as the internodes,
with rudimentary blades, brownish, the following herbaceous, some-
what loose and slipping off the culm, the uppermost tight, the longest
2-3 in. long, all without auricles or shoulders, finely keeled upwards
and prominently striate, the lower very loosely hairy with fine

766

CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf).

[Sacciolepis.

tubercle-based finally deciduous hairs, the others quite glabrous and
smooth ; ligule a fine membranous rim ; blades linear-lanceolate
(lower) to linear from a slightly narrowed base, tapering to a sub-
callous point, 2 in. by 3 lin. (lower) to 5 by 2 lin., flat or more or less
folded or convolute upwards, green, loosely hairy on both sides with
the hairs deciduous leaving small tubercles behind, margins scaberu-
lous, midrib very slender, whitish and prominent below, primary
lateral nerves 2-3 on each side, distinct below. False spike erect on
a long-exserted peduncle, less than 1 in. by over 3 lin., rather loose ;
axis very slender ; pedicels in small clusters or solitary from the axis,
very short, somewhat stout, smooth with discoid tips. Spikelets
ovate-oblong, mostly slightly oblique, acute to subobtuse, 2 lin. by
J lin., quite glabrous and smooth, whitish. Glumes firmly mem-
branous, nervation evanescent downwards or altogether obscure ;
lower broad-ovate from a clasping base, obtuse, over half the length
of the spikelet ; upper very concave, with a back more curved than
that of the lower floret, 9-1-nerved. Lower floret barren : valve
very similar to the upper glume and of equal length, but the tip more
obtuse when flattened out, 9-nerved with a marked “ window ” on
each side at the base ; valvule narrow, half the length of the valve,
narrow. Upper floret oblong, obtuse, 1J lin. by 4 lin., whitish,
polished.

South Central. Belgian Congo : Katanga ; dry woods near Elisabethville,.
HombU, 71 !

(m

21. S. curvata; Chase in Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. xxi. 8. Perennial,
from a very slender early disintegrating rhizome, 1 to several ft.
high. Culms very slender, weak, geniculately ascending from an
often decumbent base, branched below, the upright parts 4-7 -noded,
terete, quite glabrous and smooth, internodes mostly exserted. Leaf-
sheaths rather tight, the lowest at length drying and breaking up,
all quite glabrous and smooth or finely ciliolate along the outer
margin, striate ; ligule reduced to a very obscure minutely ciliolate
rim ; blades lanceolate-linear to linear from a shortly constricted
base, tapering to an acute point, 2 to over 3 in. by 2-3 J lin., flat,
thin, glabrous and smooth except along the finely scaberulous
margins ; midrib very fine, somewhat prominent below, primary
lateral nerves 2-3 on each side, faint. Panicle erect, at length mostly
long-exserted, ovate to ovate-oblong in outline when open, 1J-44 in.
long, divided to the third or sometimes fourth degree ; common axis
slender, striate to subangular, like all its divisions more or less wavy,
terete and smooth, lowest internodes from over 1— J in. long, the
upper relatively numerous and short ; primary branches solitary,
rarely approximate in pairs, subcapillary to capillary, divided from
the base, the lowest up to half the length of the panicle, often spread-
ing at angles of 50°-90° ; secondary branchlets forming more or
less secund simple or downwards compound loose racemes of 2-7

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CLVII. GRAMINE2E (Stapf).

767

spikelets ; pedicels j-1 lin. long, with minutely but distinctly
discoid tips. Spikelets very obliquely oblong, gibbous and soon
gaping, up to over 1J lin. long, green, glabrous and smooth. Glumes
ver}r dissimilar ; lower reduced to a minute ovate faintly 3-1 -nerved
thin scale ; upper obliquely ovate-lanceolate and acute in profile,
ovate in dorsal view, conspicuously gibbous below, as long as the
spikelet, herbaceous-membranous, prominently 9-11-nerved. Lower
floret (J : valve sublinear in profile, oblong in dorsal view, as long as
the upper glume and of the same substance, but 5-nerved ; valvule
linear, hyaline, 2-nerved, shorter than the valve, with very narrow flaps.
Upper floret elliptic-oblong in outline, obtuse, dorsally convex
(the curvature much broader than high), up to § lin. long, pale honey-
coloured, polished ; valve and valvule thinly crustaceous, the former
very narrowly involute, obscurely 5-nerved, the latter with narrow
downwards widening flaps ; anthers | lin. long. Grain broad-
elliptic, almost plano-convex, § lin. by J lin. ; embryo not quite half
the length of the grain ; hilum small, punctiform. — Panicum
curvatum, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. xii. 732 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 87 ; Nees,
FI. Afr. Austr. 50 (excl. syn.) ; Steud. Syn. PL Glum. i. 67 ; Durand &
Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 745 ; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C.
103 ; Hook. f. FI. Brit. Ind. vii. 42 ; Stapf in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 414 ;
Wood, Natal PI. t. 475 (bad). P. curvatum , var. tenellum, Durand
& Schinz, l.c. (excl. syn. Roxb. & Kunth). P. coryojphorum, Kunth,
Rev. Gram. i. t. 107, and Enum. i. 88 ; Steud. l.c. 67 ; Durand &
Schinz, l.c. 744.

Nile Land. British East Africa : in sandy plains in the Sabake valley,
Gregory !

Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar, Last ! Taylor ! German East Africa :
Tanga, Sacleux, 2572 ! Kilimanjaro, Maurui, Volkens, 2369 ! Usambara •
on cultivated land near Muoa, Holst, 3119 ! Rovnma Bay, Kirk !

Also in Natal, the islands of the Western Indian Ocean and Southern India
and Ceylon.

Imperfecilir known species. / ^

22. Panicum (§ Gomphopanicum) rigens,. Mez.in Engl. Jahrb.
xxxiv. 141. Perennial, stoloniferous, over 3 ft. high. Culms erect,
stout, almost simple, terete, glabrous and smooth. Leaf-sheaths'
slightly keeled upwards, glabrous and smooth, produced at the mouth
into large triangular auricles ; ligules adnate to the auricles, glabrous ;
blades linear from an equally wide base, gradually tapering to an
acute point up to 14 in. by 2\ lin., erect, involute when dry, quite
glabrous, margins almost smooth, midrib stout. False spike cylin-
dric, dense, over 3 in. by 3J lin. ; axis stout, straight, multi-
angular ; pedicels short to very short, stout, glabrous and smooth.
Spikelets conical, 2 lin. by } lin., terete, erect or obliquely erect,
glabrous or sparingly hairy, hairs long. Lower glume broadly
rotundate-ovate, half the length of the spikelet, 5-nerved ; upper

>7 9%

x 1 • 5 ^

768 cl vn. gramineje (Stapf). [Scicciolepis.

ovate, subacute, very concave, rigid, 9-nerved. Lower floret barren :
valve like the upper glume and of about equal length but obtuse,
9-nerved ; valvule 0. Upper floret much shorter than the lower,
obtuse, almost white, polished ; the tip of the valve slightly incurved.

Upper Guinea. Togo : Sokode-Basari, Kersting , 595.

This species seems to come very near to S. auriculata, but to differ in the
presence of stolons, stout culms, very large auricles (quam maxime triangulatim
auriculigeris), very long blades and spikes with a stout axis and stout pedicels.

75. SETABJA, P. Beauv. Agrost. 51, t. xiii. fig. iii.

Spikelets oblong to ovate in outline in dorsal view, very convex
on the back, flattened or slightly depressed in front, hence oblique
in profile, falling entire from the pedicels, subtended by 1 to many
persistent bristles (modified branchlets), gathered into contracted
spike-like or more or less open panicles ; lower floret or barren and
sometimes reduced to its valve ; upper floret Glumes mem-
branous, unequal, the lower generally much smaller, ovate from a
clasping base, mostly 3-5- (rarely 1- or 7-) nerved ; upper similar to
the lower but longer or corresponding in size and outline to the
spikelets (in dorsal view), 5-7- (rarely 3- or 9-) nerved. Lower floret
usually equalling the upper floret or slightly exceeding it : valve
corresponding in size and outline to the spikelet (in front view),
membranous, 5-, rarely 7-nerved, flat or depressed longitudinally ;
valvule if fully developed almost as long as the valve, oblong to
elliptic-oblong, acute, sharply keeled or the keels marginate or
narrowly winged. Upper floret : valve very convex on the back or
boat-shaped, more or less apiculate, crustaceous, very finely pitted
or more often transversely rugose ; valvule subequal to the valve
and similar in substance, embraced all along by the involute margins
of the latter up to its more or less prominent keels. Lodicules 2,
broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct ; stigmas laterally
exserted upwards. Grain tightly enclosed by the hardened valve and
valvule, oblong or ellipsoid in outline ; hilum basal, punctiform or
orbicular ; scutellum about half the length of the grain. — Perennials
or annuals of various habit ; ligule usually reduced to a ciliate rim ;
panicle mostly cylindric with the solitary or clustered spikelets on
very stunted branches which are hiore or less produced into bristles
beyond the spikelets or divided into a one-sided involucre of bristles,
or the panicle more or less open with elongated branches and more
distant spikelets, often with or without subtending bristles in the
same inflorescence.

Species up to 100 in the warm regions of the world, a few common as weeds
in the more temperate parts.

The reasons for the retention for this genus of the name Setaria, in
preference to the name Chcetochloa employed by Lamson-Scribner, are explained
in detail in the Kew Bulletin for 1920.

Illllf