44 



8. Panicle C in. by 6 in. effuse. Side bristles 2-2£ lin. long. 



P. natalensis. 

 Panicle 2-4 in. flaccid. Side bristles 5-6| lin. long ... 



P. capensis. 



9. Panicle obovate when contracted. Basal sheaths silky 



tomentose 10 



Panicle oblong to ovoid. Basal sheaths not silky tomen- 

 tose 11 



10. Spikelets 7-8 lin. long P. aristidoides. 



Spikelets 5-6 lin. long P. viscidula. 



11. Blades rather broad, flat, or loosely folded 12 



Blades very narrow, filiform, convolute 13 



12. Spikelets brownish, straw coloured. Keel of glume 



smooth. Side bristles of valve stiff, 2-2^ lin. long. 



P. pallescens. 



Spikelets silvery, glistening. Keel of glume ciliate. Side 



bristles slender, 4-5 lin. long P. argentea. 



13. Panicle spike-like P. curvifolia. 



Panicle not spike-like 14 



14. Panicle 2-3 in. long. Lax, often scanty. Blades £-1 ft. 



long P. eolorata. 



Panicle 4-10 in. long, usually dense. Blades 1-2 ft. 

 long 15 



15. Sheaths broad. Ligular fringe curved 16 



Sheaths narrow. Blades channelled. Ligular fringe 



straight 17 



16. Spikelets 5£-6 lin. long. Glumes smooth P. nutans. 



Spikelets 4-J-4J iin. long. Glumes scaberulous on the 



keel P. tortuosa. 



17. Sheaths densely woolly or villous in the upper part, 



lower often sub-flabeilale P. eriostoma. 



Sheaths adpressedly hairy between the nerves, at length 

 glabrous, not flabellate P. juncifolia. 



18. Panicle very slender, acute, about 5 ins. long ... P. lima. 

 Panicle obtuse in the contracted state, or if acute then 



much less than 5 in. long 19 



19. Culms erect, rather stout. Panicle 3-6 in. long. Blades 



rigid often flat 20 



Culms ascending (or if erect then annual or panicle £-3 in. 

 long or blades not flat and broad) 22 



20. Panicle contracted, rather dense, divisions unequal. 



P. zeyheri. 



Panicle open, lax, all divisions except the ultimate 



long 21 



