166 MR. H. N. RIDLEY ON THE WEST-AFRICAN 
Huilla, in alte herbidis sylvaticis juxta rivulum Monino et Mumpanda, no. 6788; 
capitula nivea erinaceo-horrida; est һәс avis rara solummodo hoc loco a me visa, cum 
floribus, initio Aprilis 1860. 
I have referred this remarkable plant to the genus Schanus on account of its almost 
distichous glumes, non-bulbous base of style, and slightly flexuous but very short. 
rhachilla. It is, however, very distinct from the other species of the genus. From the 
swollen base of the solitary culm are emitted rather stout stolons, covered thickly with 
large scale-leaves. The stem-leaves, few in number (2 or 3), are about 1 foot long 
and 2 lines in diameter, the involucral leaves 5 to 8 inches in length. "The spikelets, 
iinch in length, are very much flattened, the lower glumes being almost completely dis- 
tichous, the upper ones less so. The terminal glume alone enwraps a flower, which 
consists of 3 stamens and a short pistil, without any hypogynous bristles. The stamens 
are unusually long, both in filaments and anthers. In most of the more advanced flowers 
two of the stamens projected from the apex of the glume, while the third remained enclosed 
within it. The pistil is shorter than the enclosing glume; it has 3 very delicate short 
stigmatic arms. The ovary is subcylindrical, tapering gradually into the style; but the 
flowers were too young to give any idea of the form of the ripe fruit. The lowest glumes 
in the spikelet are the smallest, the upper ones increasing gradually in length; ac- 
cording to Dr. Welwitsch, they are white in the living plant, but they become a yellowish 
cream-colour when dry. 
CRYPTANGIEX. 
ACRIULUS GRIEGIFOLIUS, Ridl. Journ. Linn. Вос. Bot. хх. p. 336. (Plate XXII.) 
Was collected at Lake Ivantala, Huilla, no. 6959. In the only specimen of this plant 
that I have seen, all the flowers are male. I have therefore supplied drawings of the 
female flowers of the other species, 4. madagascariensis, Ridl., 4. c. 
SCLERLE. 
ERIOSPORA ABYSSINICA, Hochst., Schimp. Pl. Abyss., no. 233. 
Pungo Andongo, frequens in fissuris editiorum Preesidii, Mart.- April. 1857, no. 6841. 
Loanda district; no specific locality. 
' Latissime сзовр ова 1-3-pedalis; foliis semper virentibus carnosulo-coriaceis Ігеуі- 
gatissimis. 
Originally collected in Abyssinia by Schimper. 
SCLERIA HIRTELLA, Sw., var. ATERRIMA ; foliis hispidioribus ; culmis validulis; capitulis 
magnis aterrimis, 
Huilla, in decliviis spongiosis editioribus sylvarum mixtarum ad Morro de Lopollo, 
frequens, at solummodo hoe loco mihi obvia, no. 7143. 
The African specimens of this species are usually stouter, and with larger capitula 
than the American ones. The variety above described is remarkable for the large size 
of the nodding capitula, 4 inch in length and i in breadth, and for the black glumes 
and hairs, which make it a very striking plant. Besides occurring in other parts of Africa 
and in Madagascar, it is abundant in America from the Southern States to Brazil. 
