HAHPECHLOA, Kunth. 



SPIKKLETB of 3-4 florets sessile, crowded, unilateral, alternately biscriate alono- the 

 midrib of H flattened rhachis ; rhachilla disarticulating above the 'glumes, contiguous 

 between the valves, the lower floret hermaphrodite, the following 1 or 2 male the 

 uppermost barren, rudimentary. 



ES unequal, the lower persistent, keeled, very thin 1 -nerved, the upper 

 much longer, oblong, flattened on the back, 2 to 3-nerved, firm. Hermaphrodite 

 floret alx)ut equalling the upper glunic. Valve folded, obliquely oblong in profile, 

 obtuse, white, thin, 3-nerved, densely ciliate along the nerves ; callus obscure ; pale 

 lightly shorter, 2-keeled ; lodicules cuneate, fleshy, almost 3-winged ; stamens 3 ; 

 ovary glabrous ; styles distinct ; stigmas slender, plumose, laterally exscrted. Upper 

 florets crowded in a club-shaped body, not exceeding the hermaphrodite floret, 

 enveloped by the valve of the lower male floret ; valves 2-nerved or with a trace of 

 the middle nerve near the apex, ciliolate or glabrous ; pales 2-ncrved ; stamens 3 or ; 

 ovary usually quite suppressed. Grain free, embraced by the unchanged valve and 

 pale, oblong, obtusely triquetrous ; embrvo i the length of the grain ; hilum nuncti- 



< 1 * v w m O O 



Eprm, basal. 



PERENNIAL, densely ca-spitosc ; leaves firm, folded or convolute alxwc, more or 

 less ciirve<l ; spikes terminal, soliturv, rarely germinate, dark olive-grev. 



Species 1, endemic. 



PLATE 434. 



HARPKCHLOA CAPEXSIS, Kunth. (Fl. Cap., Vol. ATI., p. (53!)). 

 Xat. Order (iramineie. 



Ci'i.MS erect, f to 2 feet long, compressed below, 2-noded, woolly below tlie spike, 

 otherwise usually glabrous, upper "1 internodes very long, exserted. 



LKAVKS inosth crowded at the base ; basal sheaths imbricate, firm, persistent, 

 compressed, keeled, hairv or glabrescent, bearded at the mouth, striate, the uppermost 

 slightly tumid, glabrous ; ligule a ciliolate rim ; blades linear, acute to obtuse, 3 to 10 

 inches! by J to l line when flattened out, glaucous, glabrous or hairy to woolly, 

 smooth. Spikes 1 to '1\ inches long to 4 lines broad ; rhachis ciliate or woolly. 



SPIKKLKTS 3 to 3J lines long. 



(ii.iMKs. lower ovate, acute to obtuse, l to If lines long ; iipper 3 to 3 lines 

 long: valve of the hermaphrodite floret 3 to 3J lines long: pale ciliate along the 

 margins and hairy near the tip, keels scabernlous ; lodicules .1 line long. Anthers 1 

 lo 1 : | line long ; upper valves and anthers smaller, (ir.iin 1J line long. 



Habitat : NATAL. Xear Maritzburg, 1000-3000 feet alt., Kiwtstt 44;'> : Uiet 

 Vlei, 4()00-.')00() feet alt.. Buchanan 17S ; Mooi Kiver. 4000 feet alt., Wood 7317 : 

 and without precise locality, Buchanan o7 ; 93. 



Fig 1, A spikelct ; 2, lower glume ; 3, upper glume ; 4, valve ; ,">, pale : 6, pistil, stamens 

 and lorli'mles ; 7, second valve : 8, pnle ; 9, stamens : 10, third valve ; 11, pale. AB ntargfd, 



