Fhrrt of the Lcribr Plateau and Environs. 345 



PHRAGMITES, Trin. 

 P. communis, Trin. 



Water courses and marshes. Spikes whitish-grey. Summer-Autumn, 

 A. Dieterlen, 256 ! ; Leribe, Buchanan, 122. 



DISTRIBUTION : Cape. Worcester. Uitenhage. Albany. Queens- 

 town. Somerst East. Graaff Reinet. Natal. Hope Town. Prieska. 

 Orange Free State. Transvaal (near Lydenburg). 



SESUTO : Lehlaka. Reed. Used for thatching and making the 

 enclosures near the native huts. In time of famine the rhizomes are 

 chewed. The Basutos believe that the human race sprung from a 

 reed. They have a custom of placing a stem of this grass on the roof 

 of the hut or in the " lelapa " (a circular courtyard surrounding the 

 hut) when a female child is born, and two in the case of a male child. 

 This is their method of informing the village folk of the event, and 

 no man will dare enter the " lelapa" when such a sign is exhibited. 



POLYPOGON, Desf. 



P. tenuis, Brongn. 



In cave on the Wittebergen, 6000 ft., Drkge. 



DISTRIBUTION: Cape. Tulbagh. Caledon. Uiteuhage. Port 

 Elizabeth. 



AGROSTIS, Linn. 



A. bergiana, Trin. 



Mountain slopes, under a wet rock. 5-12 in. high. Spikes whitish. 

 February. " Posa " Kloof, Leribe. A. Dieterlen, 842 ! 



DISTRIBUTION : Clanwilliam. Cape. Tulbagh. Albany. Natal. 



SESUTO : Yoang ba pliorora. The grass of the waterfall. Used when 

 working the divining bones. 



A. barbuligera, Stapf. 



Doodmau's Krans Mountain, 9000 ft., March, Galpin, 6914 

 DISTRIBUTION : Somerset East. King William's Town. 



A. lachnantha, Nees. 



River banks and mountain slopes. 6-40 in. high. Spikes greenish. 

 Summer. A. Dieterlen, 197 !, 975 ! ; ravine on west slopes of Leribe 

 plateau, Phillips, 591 ! ; Drakensbergen, near Harrismith, Buchanan, 

 119 ; in a cave, Wittebergen, 6000 ft., Drhje. 



DISTRIBUTION : Namaqualand Minor. Cape. Tulbagh. Uitenhage. 



