PLATE 145. 



DIGIT ARIA TRK'HOLAENOIDES (Stapf, Fl. Cap. Vol. VII. p. .'581). 



PERENNIAL. Rhizome short, oblique, densely covered by the persistent 

 imbricate bases of the old sheaths. Culms erect, simple, l-l foot long, glabrous. 



LEAVES about 4 at the base, one from the only suprabasal node, reduced to a 

 long almost bladeless sheath. Sheaths hairy, the uppermost narrow, silky bearded 

 at the node, the lower widened. Ligules short, truncate. Blades linear to linear- 

 lanceolate, tapering to an ac\ite point, 2-3J inches long, by 2-3 lines wide, flat, 

 firm, glaucous, glabrous or hairy. 



RACEMES 3-G, subdigitate, erect, strict or slightly nodding, densely silky 

 often purplish, 2^-3 inches long, compound below. Racemes triquetrous, narrowly 

 winged, scabrid, internodes 1^-3 lines long. 



SPIKELETS 2-5-nate, or in the lowest fascicle with the central 2-3 on a very 

 short branchlet, oblong, acute, 2-2| lines long (exclusive of the hairs), densely silky, 

 unequally pedicelled, longer pedicels up to 3 lines long, filiform, flexuous. glabrous, 

 tips subdiscoid. Glumes, lower delicately hyaline, whitish, truncate or rotundate, up 

 to ^ line long ; upi>cr oblong, acute to obtuse, i-1 'I line long, 3-nerved, densely 

 villoaswith long, soft, acute hairs, upper margins broadly and very delicately hyaline. 

 Valves, lower oblong, acuminate, 7- nerved, glabrous along the middle, otherwise 

 densely villous with soft, very long hairs (up to 2 lines) ; uj>/>er chartaceous. oblong, 

 acutely acuminate, 2 lines long. Anthers over 1 line long. 



Habitat'. NATAL. Umsinga and base of Biggarsberg, lim:ltauu, 87 ; Mooi 

 River, 4-5000 feet alt.. J/a,swi 21. 



Drawn from Mason's specimen, the only one in the Government Herbarium. 



This grass is in appearance very like a Tricholaena, with which genus it has 

 no doubt often been confused by collectors. I have no information as to its value 

 as a pasture grass. 



Fig. 1, Lower glume ; 2, upper glume ; .'5. lower vuhe: 4, upper valve, front view; 5, 

 same, back view : 6 p:ile, front view ; 7 same. Vnu-k view ; K, pistil, stamens and loilicules. 

 All enlarged. 



