PLATE 113. 



ANDROPOGON EUCOMUS (Nees. Fl. Afr. Austr. 104). 



'EREXNIAL, densely tufted. CULMS slender, 1 to 3 feet long, glabrous, 4 to 6 

 or more noded, simple to or beyond the middle, then distantly branched. Branches 

 long, very slender, solitary or 2-3-nate, simple or again branched. 



LEAVES mainly basal. Sheaths shorter than the internodes, glabrous or hairy 

 near the mouth, rarely lower down, the lower compressed, keeled, the upper 

 distant, sub-tumid. Ligules membranous, very short, truncate, ciliolate. Blades 

 linear, acute, folded, 3 inches to 1 foot by 1-1^ lines long (unfolded), glabrous or 

 hairy, pale green. Spathe linear, setaceously acuminate, glabrous, 2 inches long, 

 usually exceeding the filiform glabrous peduncle. 



RACEMES 2-4-nate, 1-1 J inch long, very slender, flexuous, sub-erect or nodding, 

 silvery plumose, joints filiform, shorter than the spikelets, silky with soft long 

 (about 5 lines) hairs. Pedicels similar, exceeding the spikelets, barren. 



SPIKELETS lanceolate, oblong, 1-1^ line long, often purplish. Glumes mem- 

 branous, acute, loiivr nerveless between the scabrid keels. Callus minute, long 

 bearded, tij>j>ci- 1 -nerved. Valves, lower nerveless, ciliate ; upper lanceolate-oblong, 

 lobes very fine. Awn a fine bristle, 6-9 lines long. Pale very minute. Anthers 

 y line long. Grain over | line long. 



NATAL. Abundant on coast flats, Buchanan 211; Durban Flat, 

 linclinnan 26, Wood 1654: Zululand, Jenkinson 16; Dundee, Green 32a ; near 

 Durban, Wood 6004. 



Figured from Wood's 6004 and 1654, compared with Green's and Jenkinson's 

 specimens. 



Fig. 1, Plant about natural size; 2, rhachis with sessile, and rudimentary pedicel of 

 upper spikelet ; 3, lower glume : 4. upper glume ; 5, lower valve ; 6, upper valve ; 7, pale ; 

 N, ovary, stvle, stigmas, stamens and lodieules. Except fy. 1, att enlarged. 



