Heteropogon.| GRAMINACEAE. 507 
apex of the rhacheole. Spikelets sub-quadrangular, somewhat obtuse, 1" la—2" 
long, the anterior male floret of the same size as and parallel with the herma- 
phrodite one. Lowest glume minute scale-like or wanting, the second as 
long as the spikelet, rather thin, deep navicular 7-nerved; flowering glumes 
subcoriaceous, that of the male fl. 3—5-nerved and pie of the 
fertile one 5—7-nerved and rounded; their thinner 2-nerved paleae of 
the same length. Anthers yellow, linear. — Rottboellia sialidiotes Thbg. 
— R. stolonifera, Poir. — S. glabrum, Trin. in te 
_Allislands. Forms broad pat tches on op p to 2 above the sea; is ape 
liked by cattle. The original paeipne oS spots co of ce natives. — Occu 
the tropics of all continents. 
e rhachis, and in narrow rhachides throughout, the oe r 
ba f t 
spikelet is rsp gl or wanth aug: coward maturity the rays with their spikelets ri 
t 
from their be tion of the leaves is owing to a re; regular a eiceen 
“si gio in the internodes, a long internode a aaa ar from 1—4 inches being succeeded 
han 1 or 2 lines. the short internodes are concealed 
a Cite piles ee ni a which extend at least to ‘oe middle of the next longer one, this 
circumstance becomes apparent only on the re val of t yes. Not sel ot third 
node, or rather a agen ay ee constriction, without a leaf, is discover red close above 
the short i h < the stem is apt to break. In well caresses stems a 
ort internode, 
branch issues from eset shea 
Supretpe II, SACCHAREAE. 
Flowering glume thin and transparent, with a twisted awn, small, seldom 
entirely wanting; empty glumes usually of a firmer texture. 
8. HETEROPOGON, Pers. 
Spikelets monoecious, 1-flowered, in pairs, in a a simple one-sided spike, 
the rhachis articulate, at least toward the top. Female ES cylindrical, 
e hardened and 
flowerin 
Styles nin, with long and thick cylindrical stig 
in the outer glumes. Male spikelets lanceolate, See. arneee 
5 sag on the other side of the spike, on short pedicels, At the b 
of the spike the spikelets are often all male or neuter. 
A genus of several species, chiefly tropical, both of the Old and New World. 
1. H. contortus, Roem. & Sch. Syst 4 IG, — Stems tufted, erect, 
Maesting, compressed, glabrous, 1’; 2 ft % igh. Leaves pale, linear, flat, 
4—10‘ >< 2”, glabrous, rough above and on the margins, the 
Ligule short-ciliate. Spike single, exserted beyond the leaves, 
without the awns, the slender rhachis continuous and ‘glabrous i 
lower third or half which is exclusively male or barren, articulate and 
hairy, with brushes of brown hairlets mare Male or barren spikelets 
eiptonad, elongate, stramineous, 4”, icate in 2 rows along the back 
of the spike, their glumes of nearly eo noe the lowest coriaceous, 
