NOMENCLATURE OF CYMBOPOGON NARDUS. 187 



I can assure Dr. Stapf that the whole ten specimens were 

 growing wild, and I regret that I did not state on the labels 

 that they were wild, as I did not consider it necessary to do so. 



Dr. Stapf includes under G. nardus, Rendle, Nos. 2,383 to 

 2,386, 2,388, 2,389, and under C. confertiflortbs , Stapf, Nos. 

 2,384, 2,387, 2,390, 2,391. These numbers I maintain 

 represent varieties of what is known in Ceylon as mana, and 

 come under either A. nardus, proper, A. nardus, var. nilagiricus, 

 Hack., or var. luridus, Hook., f., Fl. B. Ind. It may be that it 

 is possible to recognize two species of mana, an awned and 

 an awnless one, but neither of them includes Maha-pangiri. 



I did not keep duplicates of these specimens, but before 

 despatching them I examined each one, and drew out a 

 schedule under Nos. 1 to 10, noting down differences in 

 leaves, Haulm, Glumes I. and IV. ; this schedule I append. 



If, as is probable, Mr. Barber gave them numbers corre- 

 sponding in sequence to my numbers, Dr. Stapf has grouped 

 those with sessile spikelets "awned" as C. confertiflorus, and 

 those with awnless, Gl. IV., under C. nardus. 



2,383 and 2,385 should have short awns, and on 2,384 I 

 found long and short awns and none. 



I am somewhat sceptical as to whether Andropogon nardus, 

 var. nilagiricus, Hack., is the mother plant of Maha-pangiri. 

 Seeing that " Hermann's specimen agrees absolutely with the 

 ordinary citronella as it is at present cultivated in the south 

 of Ceylon," I cannot reconcile the fact of Dr. Stapf having 

 included 2,383 to 2,386, 2,388, 2,389 of my suite under 

 C. nardus, Rendle, for they are but specimens of the wild 

 mana. 



Why should not Maha-pangiri have been a distinct species 

 in Hermann's time, 1672-1677 ? 



The Messrs. Winter have cultivated it since 1839, and the 

 specimens that Mr. Winter kindly sent me from the south of 

 the Island entirely agree with those grown at 4,500 ft. Lena- 

 batu-pangiri, I hazard an opinion, may be a hybrid from Maha- 

 pangiri and mana. If Maha-pangiri and Lena-batu-pangiri 

 have descended from^. nardus, var. nilagiricus, Hack., whence 

 have the two derived the valuable properties of their oils, 

 which do not exist in mana ? 



