252 xxviii. GKAMiNE.E. [iJrcigo'ostis 



the keels conspicuou.sly scabridnlous in the upper f. and as in the 

 tiowering glumes forming cuspidate apices, the upper slightly 

 lai'ger with ciliolatc margin ; tiowering glumes membranous, 

 <lensely imbricate on the stout obscurely articulate rhachis, very 

 broadly ovate, violet, lateral nerves strongly marked up to about 

 the middle, ceasing below the apex ; pale much smaller, hyaline, 

 keels deep violet, scabridulous, back oval when flattened. 



Described by Welwitsch as of a splendid violet colour when 

 alive, and by far the most elegant grass which he collected in 

 xlfrica. Plants not exceeding 8 in. in height, lower internodes 

 rarely exceeding 1 line in thickness, sheaths | to barely 1 in. long ; 

 ligule about -^r line long; leaves reaching 2^ in. long by IH line 

 broad. Panicle 1^ to 3 in. long by j to nearly 2 in. broad, 

 branches 5 or fewer, 1^ in. long or less. Spikelets 1 to j line 

 long by -4 in. or little more in breadth, with 20 to 30 flowers ; 

 barren glumes 1^ and Ifi line respectively, fertile glumes from 

 1^ to 2 lines long and 1 to 1?. line broad, pale from 1 to barely 

 1^ line; anthers reaching f line. 



A very well marked species allied to iJ. superha Wawr. & Peyr., 

 but distinguished at once by its longer spikelets, characteristic 

 cuspidate glumes, etc, 



MossAMEDES AND Cabo Negro. — On dry low hills near Villa de 

 Mossamedes, growing plentifully with Eaphorhia, but almost past 

 flowering ; beginning of July 1859. No. 2300. 



38. E. oylindrispica Rendle sp. nov. 



A csespitose annual, culms erect, slightly spreading at the base, 

 branched, internodes 3 to 5, except the flowering short, glabrous, 

 subcompiessed ; nodes blown ish, glabrous ; sheaths compressed, 

 .striate, scabridulously pilose hke the leaf-blades, the lower exceed- 

 ing the internodes, the upper (next to the flowering) about i to i 

 shorter ; ligule a line of hairs barely 1 line long ; blades narrowly 

 linear-lanceolate, tapering, acute, membranous when dry, pro- 

 minently 5- to 7-veined on the lower face, which is especially 

 scabrid ; panicle narrow, almost cylindrical, rhachis strong, 

 glabrous, with 2 well-marked latei-al furrows in each of which is 

 inserted a row of shortened branches bearing 5 to 2 sessile, 

 flattened, ovate spikelets of 14 to 20 densely packed florets; 

 rhachis articulate between the glumes ; barren glumes resembling 

 the fertile but generally narrower with a longer cusp, ovate, 

 3-nerved, with strong scabridulous keels passing above into the 

 linear cusp, subequal ; fertile glumes coriaceous, yellowish-green, 

 orbicular-ovate, very concave, abruptly acute, apex strong, lateral 

 nerves reaching almost to the tip, keeled in the upper 4;, upper 

 part of keel minutely scabridulous ; pale slightly shorter, mem- 

 branous, very broad, rhomboidal-ovate from the strong broadly 

 winged keels the edges of which often project beyond the glumes, 

 veins strong, not carinate. 



A rather stifi"but elegant plant, culms reaching 15 in. in length, 

 internodes (excluding the flowering) from I to 1^ or sometimes 



