22 cxLii. XYRiDEiE (brown). [Xijris. 



25- X, angulariSy A^. B. Brovm. Leaves and pediincular->heath 

 not. seen. Peduncle 14-18 in. high, about J lin. thick, distinctly 4-6- 

 angled, hollow, glabrous. Spike 3-4 lin. long, 2J-3 lin. thick, ellipsoid, 

 about 10-flowered. Bracts 2-2 J lin. long, ]| lin. broad, elliptic, very 

 obtuse, not keeled, concave, glabrous, rather light brown with a distinct 

 greyish lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong dorsal area ; nerves numerous, 

 much reticulated. Lateral sepals 2J lin. long, ^-^ lin. broad, falcate- 

 linear, acute, keeled, brown, paler towards the margins ; keel not pro- 

 duced at the apex, serrulate along the apical half, with the teeth often 

 ending in a fine hair. Corolla not seen. 



■CTpper Guinea, Niger Territory : Niipe, Barter ! 



Tbi« species is easily recognised by its sharply angular peduncles, combined with 

 the distinct dorsal area of the bracts. 



2fi- X. decipiens, N. E. Br. in I)per, FL Cap, vii. 3. Leaves 5-16 

 in long, 1J-2J ^in, broad, with concolorous sheaths 1^-3 in. long, linear, 

 acuminate, glabrous. Peduncular-sheath 5J~7J in. long, acute and 

 leailess. or (abnormally ?) with a distinct blade like the other leaves. 

 Peduncle 2-2 J ft. long, 1-li lin. thick, terete, sulcate-striate, glabrous; 

 pith rather loose, not hollow at the centre. Spike 6-9 lin. long, 5-6 lin. 

 thick, ovoid, acute or subacute, 30-40 -flowered. Bracts 3-3J lin. long, 

 2J-2f lin. broad, oblong-obovate, very obtuse, minutely subdenticulate, 

 concave. 7-9-nerved, light chestnut-brown, slightly shining, with a 

 distinct oblong-lanceolate greyish dorsal area about 1-1;^ lin. long and 

 ^ lin. broad ; nerves reticulate at their apex. Lateral sepals 2^ lin. 

 long, ^ lin. broad, pale brown, linear-falcate or linear-lanceolate, acute, 

 keeled ; keel winged, serru]a,te along the upper part. Corolla only seen 

 in bud. Arms of the stam.inodes very short ending in dense brush-like 

 tuft« of long hairs. Anthers linear-oblong. Capsule 2^ lin. long, 

 oblong-lanceolate, subax^ute. trigonous. — X. laxifolia, Benth. in Hook. 

 Niger Fl, 548, not of Mart. 



Upoer C-ulnea. Sierra Leone: Sainu Country, Scotf-Mliot, 4220! and 

 withont, precipe locality. Sm^fathman J 



Ziower c;u*nea. Angola, Curror ! 



This is the stomtsst of all the African species, and the dorsal area on the bracts is 

 more conspicuous than in any other. The pubescence on the keel of the lateral sepals, 

 mentioned in my original description, seems to be due to some accidental disintegra- 

 tion of the superficial cells in the specimens first examined, and does not occur in the 

 Sierra Jjeone example. Since this species was described it has been discovered that 

 the plants collected by Curror and labelled " W. Africa, S. of the Tropic," were all 

 collected in Angola. 



27, X, Bayteri, N. E. Br. Leaves not seen. Peduncular- 

 sheath 2| in. (or more ?) long, terminated by a linear acute leaf 2 in. 

 long, f lin. broad, glabrous. Peduncle l|-2 ft. long, |-| lin. thick, 

 somewhat compressed, 2-edged, hollow, glabrous, striate (from 

 shrinkage ?). Spike 3 lin. long, 2-'2h lin. thick, ellipsoid or ovoid, 7-12- 

 flowered. Bracts spirally imbricate one above another, 2^-'Zh lin. long, 

 1 h lin , broad, coriaceous, el liptic or elliptic-oblong, obtuse, entire, sometimes 



