TRAGUS, Haller. 

 Nat. Order Graminefle. 



SPIKELETS, sessile, in deciduous clusters of 2-4 on the filiform continuous axi; 

 of a cylindric, spike-like panicle; rhachilla tough, not continued beyond the floret 

 Floret 1, perfect, somewhat shorter than the upper glume. 



GLUMES very dissimilar, lower facing the rhachis, minute, hyaline, 01 

 suppressed, upper 5-ribbed or 5-nerved, membranous between the hispidor spine 

 hooked ribs or nerves, exceeding the valve. Valve lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong 

 membranous, 3-nerved. Pale as long as the valve, 2-nerved. Lodicules 2, broad 

 cuneate, fleshy. Stamens 3. Styles distinct, very slender ; stigmas narrow 

 plumose, terminally exserted. Grain enclosed by the valve and pale, oblong t< 

 ellipsoid, slightly compressed from the back ; embryo about J the length of tin 

 grain ; hilum punctiform, basal. 



ANNUAL OR PERENNIAL. CULMS erect, ascending or decumbent ; blade- 

 linear, rather rigid with cartilaginous spinulously ciliate margins ; ligules reducec 

 to a delicate, ciliate, rim ; panicles cylindric, slender; all the spikelets of a clustei 

 fertile, or often I more or less reduced. 



Species 2, one in South Africa, the other throughout the warm parts of botl: 

 hemispheres. 



PLATE 404. 



TRAGUS RACEMOSUS, All. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 577). 



ANNUAL OR SUBPERENNIAL (?) CULMS fascicled, simple or branched with the 

 branches often fascicled and densely leafy, geniculate, ascending often from a 

 decumbent base or wholly decumbent, slender, from a few inches to 1 foot long, 

 glabrous or pubescent near the panic'e, smooth, 3-5-noded, intermediate internodes 

 exserted, uppermost 1 or '2 usually enclosed, and from less than 1 to 4 inches long: 

 lowest sheaths short, broad, pallid, the following more or less herbaceous. iMthei 

 loose, uppermost tumid, usually embracing the base of the panicle ; blades lineai 

 to lanceolate, acute, j-2 inches by 1-2 lines, flat or wavy, rigid, very glaucous, 

 closelv striate. 



PANICLE 1-5 inches long, slender; axis straight or slightly wavy, pubescent : 

 branches very close or the lowest distant, very short, 2-3-spiculate, sometimes 

 minutely continued beyond the uppermost spikelets. 



SPIKELETS facing each other when paired, lJ-2 lines long, one of a cluster 

 often reduced ; lower glume very minute, up to J line long, hyaline, ciliolate. or 

 quite suppressed ; upper glume slightly curved, involute, completely enveloping 

 the floret, strongly 5-ribbed, thin between the ribs, these with rows of stout 

 hooked spines. Valve lanceolate-oblong, apiculate or mucronulate, 1-lJ line long, 

 thinly membranous, very minute'y pubescent, faintly 3-nerved ; pale sub-acute, 

 obscurely 2-nerved; anthers ellipsoid, \-\ line long; grain oblong to obovoid- 

 ellipsoid, subterete, J line long. 



Habitat: NATAL. Banks of Tugela River, near Colenso, 3000 feet, W<>u,I 

 4417; banks of Lower Tugela River, GOO feet, Bm-linimn 175; without pivri- 

 locality, Gerrtird C>73, 157. 



Throughout most warm regions. 



This grass is of no economic or agricultural value. 



Fi 1, Cluster of spikelets: 2. empty spikelet : o, lower plume: 4. upper chime: 5, 

 valve : P>, pale ; 7, pistil, stamen- and lodicules. All en /art/ ft/. 



