188 JOWITT : NOTES ON DR. OTTO STAPf's 



Dr. Stapf for description of C. nardus, Rendle , refers one to 

 Hook. , f . , in Trimen , Fl. Ceyl- , vol. V. , p. 242. I maintain that 

 any one turning this up for the purpose of identifying Maha- 

 pangiri would find a stumbHng block in his way, as I have 

 found to my cost. Hook., f., refers to Herm. Mus. 26. Is this 

 Hermann's specimen that Dr. Stapf refers to as the foundation 

 of G. nardus, Rendle, " only known in cultivation," and if so, 

 why does Sir J. D. Hooker refer to it, and then describe wild 

 mana ? 



Is it possible that Hermann's specimen does not represent 

 " Old Citronella " or " Winter's Grass," but some variety of 

 mana, cultivated by the Dutch ? 



I annex descriptions of wild mana and Maha-pangiri. 

 retaining Dr. Stapf 's nomenclature, but can but consider that 

 " Maha-pangiri " is worthy of specific rank as Cymbopogon 

 Winterianus. 



Cymho'pogon Confertiforus, Stapf, Syn. Andropogon nardus, 

 L., var. nilagiricus of Hackel. 



Mana S., Mana-pillu T., Mana Sanskrit — thatching 

 This grass is most variable. 



Roots, either fibrous from a thickened base or from a strong, 

 thick candex, marked with circular cicatrices. 



Stem, this may be either yellow or reddish pink, a single 

 stem or more of the latter being often found on a plant on 

 which the majority of the other stems are yellow. 



Leaf sheaths, these may also be green or tinged with red 

 to a greater or less degree — ventral surface reddish pink, 

 except in one variety. 



Leaves, these may vary considerably in length, and in 

 width from one inch or more to quarter inch, and be flat or 

 sub-conduplicate. The mid-rib may be broad or conspicuously 

 white, this as a rule when stems and sheaths are yellow, or the 

 colour of the mid-rib may be only slightly or scarcely paler 

 than the blade. The colour varies considerably, some leaves 

 being conspicuously glaucous on both surfaces ; of others the 

 upper surface is a dull green and the lower glaucous, or both 

 surfaces may be dull yellowish-green. 



Ligule, this appears to be constant in all varieties. 



