

ovate, obtuse, 0-75-1 mm. long, delicately tliree-nerved. Valve 

 of lower (barren) floret tliin, membranous/as long as the spikelet. 



sub-seven-nerved, the three inner nerves parallel, approximate 

 and prominent, the lateral in pairs at the flexures, the outer- 

 most usually finer and shorter, the accompanying valvule almost 

 microscopic, broad, emarginate-truncate; valve of upper (fertile) 

 floret thinly papery, as long as that of the lower, smooth, 

 obscurely nerved, embracing the very similar valvule with wide 

 margins. Stamens 3; anthers 1 mm. long. Stigmas shortly 

 exserled from near the apex. Grain ellipsoid, slightly com- 

 pressed from the back, 1-5-1-T5 mm, long, white, very finely 

 pitted, tightly enclosed by the somewhaf indurated brown husks; 

 scutellum broad-elliptic, not quite reaching to the middle of the 

 grain. 



Nigehia. Hausa States, sown in rows as a field croj), Zaria, 

 Lamb 54. 



Fundi. This has for some time been known as a cultivated 

 cereal in West Africa. It was first observed by Afzelius, who 

 collected it in Sierra Leone in 1798, and on the label accompany- 

 ing his specimen in tlie SniitTiian Herbarium at the Linnean 

 Society observed that it Avas ^^much cultivated there by the 

 negroes'*; but he did not name it, and the plant remained un- 

 noticed until in 1842 specimens were brought to this country by 

 Mi\ Eobert Clarke^ senior assistant surgeon to the Colony of 

 Sierra Leone. From those Kippist described the grass as 

 Vaspalum ewile in the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, vol. I. 

 p. 157. Clarke's account of the cultivation and uses of the grass 

 is interesting enougli to be reprinted here in full. 



''This Lilliputian grain, which is described by Mr. Clarke as 

 being about the size of mignonette-seed, is stated to be cultivated 

 in the village of Kissy and in the neighbourhood of AVaterloo by 

 industrious individuals of the Soosoo, Foulah, Bassa and Joloff 



nations, by whom it is called "hungry rice." The ground is 

 cleared for its reception by burning down the copse-wood and 

 hoeing between the roots and stumps. It is sown in the months 

 01 May and June, the ground being slightly opened, and again 

 liglifcly drawn together over the seed with a hoe. In August, 

 when it shoots up, it is carefully weeded. It ripens in September, 

 crrowiufr to the heii^ht of about 18 in., and its stems, which are 



A 



'eiy slender, are then bent to the earth by the mere weight of 

 the" grain. They are reaped with h.ioked knives. The patch of 

 land is then either suffered to lie fallow, or planted with yams or 

 cassava in rotation. Manure is said to be unnecessary or even 

 iniurious, the plant delighting in light soils and being raised 

 even in rocky situations, which are most frequent m and about 

 Ki^sy. When cut down it is tied up in small sheaves and placed 

 in a dry situation within the hut, for if allowed to remain on the 



their 



.u^.wu^.. The gmin is trod^len out with the feet, and is then 

 parohecf or dried in the sun to allow of theniorc easy removal 



covorini>'S. 



