164 MR. H. N. RIDLEY ON THE WEST-AFRICAN 
leaves; the old leaf-sheaths of the tufts of the preceding years persist, forming brown 
stumps; the leaves, few in number, аге 2-3 inches in length, rather stiff and recurved. 
The bracts, at first erect, finally spreading, are similar; one is about 13 inch in: length, 
the other half an inch. The glumes, dark blood-colour, with a yellow carina and apex, are 
numerous and closely imbricate. The inner glumes, which enclose the flower, are more 
cartilaginous than in most of the other species, and one is coloured purple at the apex. 
Unlike any other species with which I am acquainted, there are three stamens in the 
flower; they are brownish yellow in colour, and terminated by a short conical apiculus ; 
the filament was, in all the specimens examined, very short and thick; but the plants 
were in quite young flower, and it seems likely that they would increase in length as the 
flowers developed. 
НУРОГУТВЕЖ. 
ASCOLEPIS, sect. ЕП-А8СОҺЕРІ8.--АП the species of this subgenus collected by Dr. Wel- 
witsch in Angola were described by him in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxvii. p. 74. There are 
four species, all previously undescribed, viz. A. protea, Welw., A. anthemifolia, Welw., 
A. speciosa, Welw., А. elata, Welw. Rhynchospora ochroocephala was a name given by 
Boeckeler (‘ Flora,’ 1879, p. 568) to a plant collected by Pogge in Kimbundo, West 
Africa, which he says, in a note to the description, was called an Ascolepis by Dr. Ascher- 
son (Botan. Verein d. prov. Brandenburg, Abhandl. 1878), on the authority of Dr. Wel- 
witsch, who found the plant in Angola. Dr. Ascherson (2. c.) mentions Ascolepis protea 
among Pogge's plants, which is presumably Boeckeler's Rhynchospora, though the distri- 
bution number (1) is not quoted. Boeckeler’s description does not, however, agree at all 
with Ascolepis protea, nor, indeed, with any species of Ascolepis in Dr. Welwitsch’s 
herbarium. I conclude, therefore, that there has been some error in identifying the 
plant with one of Dr. Welwitsch's Ascolepides*. 
A. (S PLATYLEPIS) CAPENSIS, Kunth, Enum. ii. 269. 
Huilla, in spongiosis, prope Lopollo, frequens, Morro de Lopollo, Oct.—Dec. 1859, no. 
1676; frequentissima una cuin Hriocauloneis in pratis spongiosis breviter herbidis ; Morro 
de Monino, in paludosis, socialis cum Orchideis (Disa et Habenaria, sp.) in editioribus. 
Flores et fructus, Feb.-Mart. 1860, no. 1677. Serra d'Oiahoa, April. 1860, no. 1677 6; 
in paludosis, prope Ferrao da Sola, no. 16766. “ Stirps elegantissima, floribus (glumis) 
lacteis." | 
A native also of South Africa. 
А. ($ PTATYLEPIS) PUSILLA, n. sp. (Plate XXIII. figs. 10-14.) Humilis, parce czespi- 
tosa, glabra, radicibus fibrosis; culmis erectis lj-pollicaribus striatis obscure 
triquetris ; foliis paucis setaceis vel anguste linearibus, culmo multo brevioribus; 
vaginis fissis chartaceis purpurascentibus striatis; involucralibus 3 longis erectis 
demum reflexis anguste linearibus, basi late dilatata ; spiculis tribus ovatis arcte 
compactis albis (in vivo) ; rhacheola cylindrica, spongiosa medio incrassato; floribus 
* Since writing the above I have, through the kindness of Dr. Ascherson, had the pleasure of seeing the type of 
R. ochroocephala, Boeckeler. It is a very remarkable plant, at first sight closely resembling Ascolepis protea, Welw., 
but apparently a true Rhynchospora. 
