208 



In a country with so small a rainfall and so little surface water 

 the distribution of underground water must obviously play a 

 great part in the distribution of the vegetation. Accordingly we 

 see the grasses gather in the wadis and in the neighbourhood 

 of the wells, except in the higher mountain ranges where the 

 conditions are favourable for a more general expansion. There 

 are also, however, grasses which are evidently specially adapted to 

 the rigours of excessive heat and drought in a table land of so 

 monotonous a configuration as that of the Haud. The usual 

 arrangements for the regulation and restriction of transpiration 

 manifest themselves sufficiently in the xerophilous facies of their 



must 



from 



last particles of moisture. In respect to this, however, we know 

 next to nothinsr. 



grass 



one of its mainstays and is a great natural asset. To know its 



composition 



One object 



of this article is, as already stated, to bring together all that is 

 known or can be learned from material as yet unused. Another 



more 



lines, and in order to give the non-professional collector some help 

 in this direction a paragraph concerning the collecting of grasses 

 has been added. With respect to the economic value of the 

 grasses few can be expected to have the opportunities and the 

 experience of Colonel Appleton. Much could, however, be 

 learned by careful observation and from the natives, who are 

 generally good judges in such matters. I have carefully quoted 

 Colonel Appleton's notes, and also when possible referred to 

 Mr. Duthie's book on the fodder grasses of Northern India which 

 contains much valuable information, and considering the great 

 affinity of the grass floras of Somaliland and Northern India, 

 will be found generally useful. This is about all that can be 

 done in this direction as long as our knowledge of the nutritive 

 value of tropical fodder plants is so imperfect and crudely 

 empirical. A curious instance of a grass alleged to be poisonous 

 is that of Dactyluctenium glaucop) lyllum . It deserves further 

 investigation by a competent chemist and physiologist. 



Finally I would refer to the importance of collecting the 

 vernacular names of the grasses. I have quoted all the names 

 given by Robecchi-Bricchetti, Appleton, and Drake-Brockman 

 and it will be seen that there are remarkably few cases of 

 contradiction. This points to careful discrimination and accuracy 

 m the application of names by the native inhabitants. To make 

 the spelling of the geographical names uniform, I have adopted 

 the system used in the map prepared by the Intelligence Depart- 

 ment of the War Offi™. 



Enumeration of Somaliland Grasses. 



Erianthus Ravennae, fieauv., var. purpurascens, Hade. ; Hook, f., 

 Fl. Brit. Ind. vii., 121 ; Duthie, Fodd. Grass. N. Ind., 26 ; Chio- 

 venda in Ann. 1st. Bot. Koma, vi., 1G4 and vii., 58. 



Between Harpeisa and Berbera. Robecchi ; plains of "Seek" 

 (Au Bakhaclle, N.E. of Hargeisa), in isolated tufts or in thickets 



