PLATE 424. 



ERAGROSTIS ASPERA, Nees. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 628). 

 Nat. Order Graminefe. 



ANNUAL. CULMS scantily fascicled, erect or suberect, ^ to f foot long 

 (excluding the panicle), gtabrous, smooth, simple, 2 to 3-noded, internodes usually 

 enclosed ; sheaths keeled, glabrous, except at the bearded mouth, or sparingly 

 hairy, hairs fine, tubercle-based; ligule a fringe of long hairs; blades linear, 

 tapering to a long setaceous point, 4 inches to more than 1 foot by 2 to -'3 lines, 

 flat, flaccid, scabrid on both sides, glabrous. 



PANICLE large, very lax and open, thyrsif'orm, oblong to obovate-oblong, 8 to 

 20 inches long; axis terete, filiform, smooth below; branches whorled or irregularly 

 approximate, finely filiform to capillary, scabrid, bearded at the callous base. 

 loosely and repeatedly divided from near the base, longest up to 6 inches long ; 

 pedicels very long and fine. 



SPIKELETS scattered, linear, obtuse, 2^ to 4 lines by f to f line, pallid or 

 tinged with purple, loosely 4 to 16-fiowered ; rhachilla very slender, breaking up. 



GLUMES subequal, oblong, obtuse, ^ line long, 1 -nerved. Valves obliquely 

 ovate-oblong, truncate, f to f line long, thin, side-nerves prominent, strong. Pales 

 equal to the valves and falling with them, obtuse, keels scabrid. Anthers about ,1 

 line long. Grain globose, about 5 line diameter, brown, loose in the somewhat 

 turgid florets. 



Habitat '. NATAL. Near Durban in Coffee Plantations, Dreye ; slopes of 

 Tugela, GOO to 1000 feet alt., Buchanan 257 ; Zululand, Jenkinson 85. 



Drawn from Buchanan's 257. 



Fig 1, Lower glume ; 2, upper glume ; 3, valve ; 4, pale ; 5, pistil, stamens and loclicules. 

 All enlur;//'/!. 



