PLATE 163. 



PANICUM ECKLONII, NEES. (Fl. Cap. Vol. VII. , p. 413). 

 Nat. Order Graminea?. 



PERENNIAL, compactly tufted, innovation shoots intravaginal. CULMS erect, 

 very sender, I to li foot long, glabrous, 1-noded. 3 to 4 inches above the base, 

 uppermost internode long exserted. 



LEAVES crowded at the base, strongly and closely nerved, more or less hirsute 

 with tubercle-based hairs ; sheaths tight, strongly bearded at the nodes and often 

 at the mouth, the lower firm, persistent ; ligule a ciliate rim ; blades linear, acute, 

 Ij to 5 inches long by 1^ to 2 lines wide, rather firm, flat, margins very scabrid. 



PANICLE erect, linear to oblong, rather lax or contracted, 2 to 4 inches long; 

 axis filiform, like all its divisions glabrous ; branches alternate, or the lowest 

 2-nate, suberect, loosely divided almost from the base or from ^ to i inch above it, 

 ultimate branchlets 4-1-spikelet, capillary, flexuous ; pedicels 1 to 4 lines long, 

 tips subclavate. 



SPIKELETS oblong, obtuse, 1^ to Ij line long, erect, glabrous, pallid or tinged 

 with purple. 



GLUMES herbaceoiisly membranous, nerves running out into teeth ; lower one 

 broad, ovate, \ to \ the length of the spikelet, 3-nerved and 3-toothed ; upper one 

 oblong, 3 to 5-toothed, 5-nerved, equalling f to * the length of the spikelet. 

 Florets, lotrrr one barren, reduced to the valve, which is similar to the upper glume 

 and 1 J line long Perfect floret, oblong, acute, equalling the lower floret ; valve 

 subcoriaceous, white or yellowish or purplish towards the minutely hairy, subros- 

 trate tip, 7-nerved. Anther 1 line long. 



Habitat: NATAL. Karkloof, April, J. WyUe (Wood 6017); Mooi River, 

 December, Maxon 33 (Wood 7318). 



Fig 1, Lower glume ; 2, upper glume ; 3, lower valve ; 4, upper valve ; 5, pale ; 6, pistil, 

 stamens and ludicules. AH enlarged. 



