16 CXLII, XYRIDEZ (BROWN). [Xyris. 
larger when in fruit, ovoid, ellipsoid, or in fruit subglobose, 4-10- 
flowered. Bracts all reaching to nearly the same level, 2-2 lin. long, 
1-1} lin. broad, oblong or broadly obovate-oblong, entire, light olive- 
brown, rather thin, 3-nerved; the outer very obtuse, slightly keeled ; 
the inner complicate-subacute and keeled at the apex, glabrous, Lateral 
sepals 2-2} lin. long, } lin. broad, linear-lanceolate, very acute, straw- 
coloured along the back, membranous and colourless on the sides; keel 
narrowly winged, slightly curved at about the middle, erect at the apex, 
minutely and sparsely ciliolate to 4 or 3 the way up; interior sepal 
bright reddish-purple. Petals 2 lin. long, 14 lin. broad, obovate, ob- 
tusely rounded at the apex, scarcely toothed, yellow. Staminodes very 
shortly 2-armed, with brush-like tufts of long yellow hairs; anthers 
oblong, at length subhastate at the base. 
Lower Guinea. Angola: Humpata; ina pool by the River Neve, Newton ! 
Very like X. affinis, Welw., but differing in the narrower lateral sepals which are 
very acute and erect at the apex. 
12, K. affinis, Welw. ex Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 70. Tufted. 
Leaves 2-44 in. long, including the 1 in, long sheath, 4-1 lin. broad, 
linear, acute, glabrous ; sheaths of the withered leaves persistent, dark 
brown, ciliate. Peduncular-sheath 24-3 in. long, leafless, apiculate. 
Peduncle 9-10 in. long, 4-3 lin. thick, subcompressed, glabrous. Spike 
24-3 lin. long and nearly as thick, ellipsoid or obovoid when young, 
becoming at length subglobose and somewhat flattened at the top, 
rather few-flowered. Bracts 14-2} lin. long, 14-2 lin. broad, broadly 
elliptic or slightly obovate, obtuse, entire, 3-nerved, subcoriaceous, dark 
brown with paler subscarious margins, those in the centre of the head 
deeply concave and much lighter in colour. Lateral sepals 2—24 lin. 
long, 4-4 lin. broad, narrowly oblanceolate, obtuse and slightly hooded 
at the apex, somewhat membranous, light yellowish-brown along the keel, 
darker brown at the apex and pallid straw-coloured at the sides; 
keel nearly straight in the lower 3, rather broadly winged, minutely 
ciliate and scabridulous from near the base to about } or } from the 
Apex ; interior sepal bright reddish-purple. Petals obovate, yellow. 
Staminodes 2-armed, pilose. Anthers 1 lin. long, orange in the bud. 
Capsule oblanceolate, beaked. Seeds as in X. nivea. 
Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; in the elevated damp meadows of Morro 
de Monino, 5000 ft., Welwitsch, 2467 ! 
Very similar to X. humpatensis, N. E. Br., and scarcely to be distinguished 
without dissection, when the rather darker, broader, oblanceolate, obt d slight! 
hooded sepals at once distinguish it. , obtuse and slightly 
13, X. obscura, V. H. Br, Leaves and peduncular-sheath not 
seen. Peduncles 12-15 in. long, }-} lin. thick, slightly compressed, 
glabrous. Spike about 3 lin. long, 24 lin. thick, ellipsoid, not more 
than 5—6-flowered. Bracts 2-2} lin. long, 2 lin. broad, coriaceous, 
orbicular or broadly elliptic, very obtuse, minutely apiculate, entire, 
dark chestnut-brown, very minutely papillate-scabrid in the apical part, 
5-7-nerved ; inner bracts all reaching to about the same level. Lateral 
