Ophiurus.] CLXXIII. GRAMINEJS. (J. D. Hooker.) 161 



below, solid, branching upwards, leafy throughout. Leaves |-2 ft. by -1 in., flat 

 (convolute iu vernation), linear-lanceolate from a rounded base, finely acuminate, 

 hairy above, margins spinulose; sheaths short, terete, upper leafless; ligule very 

 short. Spikes corymbosely fascicled, 2-5 by -^ in. diam., erect, often in very dense 

 fascicles, shortly peduncled ; joints as long and broad as the spikelets, tips obliquely 

 truncate. Spikelets ovate-oblong, obtuse, glabrous ; gl. I smooth or scrobiculate, at 

 length recurved. 



49. RATZEBURGXA, Kuntli. 



A tufted slender perennial grass. Spikelets 1-fld., superposed in opposite 

 pairs on a slender simple compressed sublragile spike, each pair sessile on 

 a joint of the rachis, dorsally strongly compressed and appressed face to 

 face (looking like one), rachis prolonged along the margins of the pairs on 

 one side, and with the rachilla of a neuter along the opposite edges. 

 Glumes 4, I thickly coriaceous, flat, oblong, deeply pitted, terminated with 

 2 erect coriaceous wings, margins strongly tubercled ; II thinly coriaceous, 

 lanceolate, acute, glabrous ; III oblong, obtuse, hyaline, epaleate ; IV 

 smaller, epaleate. Lodicules obliquely quadrate. Anthers 3, short. Stigmas 

 long. 



R. pulcherrima, KuntJi Eevis. Gram. ii. 487, Enum. PI. i. 468 ; Watt. 

 PL As Ear. iii. 253, t. 273 (Aikinia), Gat. n.8868; Hack. Monogr. Androp. 

 321. Ophiurus auriculatus. Trin. in Mem. Acad. Petersb. Ser. VI. ii. (1833), 

 246. Aikinia elegans, Wall. I. c. 



BURMA ; at Paghan and the Petroleum Wells, Wallich ; Upper Burma, Collett. 



Stolonifei-ous ; stem 6-18 in., geniculate and leafy below. Leaves 1-3 in., narrow, 

 flat, margins thickened, tip rounded ; sheath compressed; ligule short. Spike 1-2 in., 

 in. broad ; peduncle very slender with 2-3 long-sheathed leaves below ; joints and 

 pedicels of neuter alike, incurved, obtusely angled, bearded along the inner angle 

 and the hammer-headed top. Spikelets about in. ; wings of gl. I earlike, sub- 

 lobed. 



50. EX.XONURUS, Humb. & Bonpl. 



Aromatic grasses. Spikes solitary, subsimple, clothed with silky hairs, 

 rachis flattened, jointed, fragile. Spikelets 2-nate, a sessile and pedicelled; 

 joints compressed, margins thickened, tips obliquely truncate. Sessile 

 spikelets dorsally compressed, 1-fld. ; glumes 4, I coriaceous, entire or 2-fid, 

 embracing II by its margins ; II narrower, membranous ; III hyaline, 

 empty, paleate or not ; IY small, hyaline, paleate or not, awn 0. Lodicules 

 obliquely quadrate. Anthers 3, short. Styles short, free. Grain narrow, 

 plano-convex, free. Species about 15, tropical and subtropical. 



Hackel observes that Elionurus differs from Rottloelliece and agrees with 

 Huandropogonece in the entire sessile spikelet falling away with the joint, whereas iu 

 Rottboelliece, gl. I is removable and II and III persistent in the hollow of the joint. 

 The Aromatic oil of Elionurus is contained in the glumes. 



1. E. Royleanus, Nees ex A. Rich. Tent. Fl. Abyss, ii. 471 ; annual, 

 dwarf, spikes corymbose each sheathed, gl. I of sessile spikelet lanceolate 

 narrowed into a 2-fid beak, margins with penicillate tubercles, III and IV 

 epaleate. Hack. Honour. Androp. 343; Duthie Grass. N.W. Ind. 17, 

 Fodd. Grass. N. Ind. 28, t, 54. tf. Grisebachii, Schmidt Btitr. Fl. Ins. 

 Cap. Verd. 154. Rottboellia elegantissima, Hoclist. ty Steud. ex Steud. 

 Nom. Ed. II. ii. 474. Andropogon elegantissimus & Grisebachii, Steud. 

 Syn. Gram. 364, 36'5. Ratzeburgia Schimperi, Steud. Nom. I. c. 439. 



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