77 



Melica are all xerophytic with, the culms ascending from 

 slender usually wiry bases. The blades are usually folded 

 conduplieate, c.f. Achneria, Daitthonia, etc., which they 

 resemble in cross section. The species favour open rocky 

 situations on the steep mountain sides. The Dronk gras causes 

 "staggers" in cattle and is said to prove fatal. 



Melinis minutiflora var. pilosa is a rare Natal species 

 which also occurs in" Nyassaland and on Mount Euwenzori, 

 the type being common in Brazil. Nearly allied to Tricholaena. 



Microcllloa. The two species M. caffra and M. altera var. 

 nelsoni are two of the most characteristic species of Tussock 

 Veld in the Eastern mountain ranges, but the former occurs 

 also in the High Veld. M. setacea is a Transvaal species. 

 The leaves are setaceous or subsetaceous in all the species, and 

 are crowded at the base. The old leaf bases persist, forming 

 very hard little tussocks, which collect the soil, and stand up 

 a few inches above the level of the rest of the ground, a 

 feature characteristic of most of the Mountain Veld species. 

 In M. caffra the chlorenchyma surrounds the bundles, and the 

 main bundles are girdered. The furrows are filled with large 

 motor cells, and the leaf is folded conduplicate. 



Olyra lalii'olia is a Forest species only known from the 

 Ingoya Forest, Zululand, where it is common. 



Oplisnienus afrieanus is another shade-loving mesophytic 

 forest species of the Eastern region, with slender culms 

 straggling up from a long decumbent rooting base like several 

 species of Panicum which share its habitat. There are two 

 varieties, capensis and simpler. 



Oropeliiun capense (See Fig. 2 A.) is a very densely 

 tufted dwarf grass, scarcely an inch high with spikelets sessile 

 in small slender spikes. It is common at Sterkstroom, where 

 it acts as a pioneer in the establishing of grassland, and it 

 extends northwards along the boundary of the Karroo to 

 Griqualand West. It also occurs in the Western region in 

 Hereroland. Stapf believes that its affinities are with the 

 Chlorideae near Microehloa, rather than with the Hordeae, 

 which it superficially resembles. The leaves are crowded at 

 the base, the blades being narrow, linear, and usually seta- 

 ceously folded. A very xerophytio species, in its habit it 

 resembles somewhat the Haas gras (Danthonia purpurea). 



Oryzopsis miliacea. A native of the Mediterranean, 

 recorded for the Free State. Introduced and rare. 



