24 CXLII, XYRIDEA (BROWN). [ Xyrvs. 
30. XK. nitida, Vilss. in Ofvers. Vet. Akad. Forhandl. Stockh. 1891, 
156. Tufted on a thick rootstock, emitting rather stout flattened 
roots. Leaves 9-14 in. long, 3-1 lin. broad, linear, acute, twisted, 
glabrous; sheaths 14-24 in. long, becoming dark chestnut-brown and 
shining. Peduncular-sheath 4-5 in. long, with a flat point 2-3 lin. 
long, glabrous, dark chestnut-brown in the lower part. Peduncle 13-2 
ft. long, compressed, 2-edged, glabrous, finely striate; pith not hollow 
at the centre. Spike 5-7 lin. long, 3-34 lin. thick, ovoid or oblong- 
ovoid, about 30- or more-flowered. Bracts 2}—3 lin. long, 1} lin. broad, 
elliptic-oblong, very obtuse, minutely ciliate at the apex, dark brown, 
shining, with an obscure oblong dorsal area on some of them, obscurely 
7-nerved, nerves scarcely reticulated. Lateral sepals 24-2? lin. long, 
} lin. broad, oblong-linear, slightly falcate, usually more or less hooded 
and ciliate at the apex, keeled, yellowish-brown with a dark brown 
keel ; keel ciliate or irregularly toothed and ciliate to the apex, which 
is produced into a short subulate point. Corolla-tube 2 lin. long; 
lobes 2 lin. long, ? lin. broad, oblong, obtuse. Arms of the staminodes 
short, linear, terminating in a small dense tuft of long yellow hairs. 
Anthers oblong.—Nilss. in Svensk. Vet. Akad. Handl. xxiv. no. 14, 30; 
Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 421, not of Willd. 
Lower Guinea. Corisco Island: in meadow ground, Mann, 1858! 
As the flowers are in a bad state I am rather doubtful if the description of corolla- 
lobes as given above is quite correct. In one head some of the bracts have a well- 
marked ciliate keel down the back, the other bracts of the same head being without a 
keel, which latter seems to be the normal condition, This species may prove to be 
the same as X. congensis, Biittner, but the leaves are not scabrous as described for 
that species ; if they should be found to be identical, the name X. congensis must 
take precedence, as that species was published in September 1889 (not 1890 as stated 
by Nilsson), nearly two years earlier than X. nitida, 
31. K. Hildebrandtii, Nilss. in Ofvers. Vet. Akad. FG 
Stockh. 1891, 155, Tufted. Leaves 4-12 miata $-14 ith bee hoes 
very acute, striate, often twisted, glabrous. Peduncular-sheath 2 wi 
lin. long, with a rigid acute point 24-3 lin. long. Peduncle 11-2 = 
long, 1 lin. thick, compressed, slightly striate. Spike 34-7 lin long, 
about 3 lin. thick, ovoid or cylindric-oblong, 10-30- or moredioweied: 
Bracts 23-2? lin. long, 1} lin. broad, spirally imbricating one above 
another, elliptic-oblong or suborbicular, very obtuse, sometimes minutely 
apiculate, not keeled, glabrous, opaque blackish-brown, indistinctly 5—9- 
nerved ; nerves reticulate at their apex. Lateral sepals 2 lin ae 
4-2 lin. broad, falcate-oblong, or the margins nearly straight co i 
keel much curved, brown with paler margins; keel winged, obtuse or 
slightly produced at the apex, very distinctly ciliate from the base to 
the apex, the cilia usually being grouped in small dense tufts. Corolla- 
lobes 2 lin, long, 1} lin. broad, cuneate-orbicular, toothed. Arms of 
the staminodes linear, with dense brush-like tufts : 
ingl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 133. 
Welw. ii. 67, hardly of Nilss. 
Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo; in damp meadows by the banks 
nse _brush-l of yellow hairs.— 
X. Umbilonis, Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pi. 
