PLATE 427. 



ERAGROSTIS PATENTISSIMA, Hack. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. filrl). 

 Nat. Order Graminese. 



PERENNIAL. CULMS tufted, shortly ascending, subcom pressed, to 1 foot 

 long, glabrous, smooth, few-noded, sheathed almost to the base of the panicle, 

 sheaths lax, particularly the lower, glabrous except at the scantily l)earded mouth, 

 striate ; ligule a ciliate rim. Blades linear to lanceolate-linear, tapering almost 

 from the base to a fine point, 2 to 3 inches long, 1 to 2| lines wide at the base, 

 flat or involute, more or less hairy on the upper side, otherwise glabrous, smooth 

 below, scabrid in the upper part. 



PANICLE erect, ovate-orbicular in outline, divaricate, effuse, very loose, up to 

 8 inches long ; axis glabrous, smooth, subangular, branches solitary, rarely 2-natr, 

 subdistichous, lower almost f the length of the panicle, obliquely erect, divided 

 from near the base ; branches long divaricate, 2-1-spiculate, filiform to subcapillary, 

 angular, scabrid ; pedicels J to 1^ inch long. 



SPTKELETS oblong, compressed, 3 to 4 lines, by Ij to Ij line, 6-9-flowered, 

 light green tinged with purple ; rhachilla persistent, smooth. 



GLUMES subequal, lanceolate in profile, acuminate, almost 1^ line long, 

 herbaceous-membranous, 1-nerved Valves, ovate-lanceolate in profile, acuminate, 

 1 J line long, firmly membranous ; lateral nerves somewhat prominent, keels 

 scaberulous ; pales somewhat shorter than the glumes, strongly curved, keels stout 

 and spinulously ciliolate. Anthers line long. 



Habitat: NATAL. Hilltops at Umpumulo, 2700-2800 feet alt., />'</<//<///>(/, 

 278. 



The drawing of this grass was made from a drawing made at the Herbarium 

 of Kew Gardens by Miss M. Smith, by kind permission of the Director, as the 

 plant in our Herbarium was not complete enough for the purpose. 



Fig 1, A spikelet ; 2, glume ; 3, valve ; 4, pa'e, back view ; 5, pale, lodicules and ovary : 

 (i, stamen ; 7, pistil ; K, unripe caryopsis ; 9, caryopsis. All ruhirt/nl. 



