76 
and perhaps 7. pauperculus. They form the nucleus of the genus, and Mr. Duthie will agree with 
me if I say that the structure of their spikelets differs too much f:om those of his No. 23532 to 
place the latter immediately with the former. A second group of species described under Tripogon 
(viz., Т. Іізђое, Jacquemontii), and approaching in some respects to the section Plagiostachys of 
Eragrostis, differs equally well. There is, however, another species enumerated under Tripogon in FI. 
Brit. Ind. 287, namely T. abyssinicus, which Mr. Duthie will have to compare very carefully with 
his plant from the Tons Valley. Some of the specimens placed in this species іп the Kew 
Herbarium I take to be identical with Duthie No. 23532, though the leaves are not so purple. 
Such specimens are: Jacquemont No. 932, ‘ab Adjalta ad Tahnao, inter valles 'Гопза et Simla’; 
Thomson, Simla, Aug. 1847; Thomson, Satlej Valley near Rampore, Aug. 1847; Thomson, Punjab 
Himalaya, 1848 (Chamba); Thomson, Kashmir, 1848; Aitchison, Rawul Pindi, No. 1136. Other 
specimens from Afghanistan, Kashmir, and one from the Satlej Valley (Thomson, below Kotgarh, 
1847) are taller and have more slender and flexuous spikes, leading to an extreme shade form 
collected near Simla (Duthie No. 10149), which was referred to T. Jacquemontii in Fl. Brit. Ind. 
as a variety ‘swbmuticus, although the author remarks that the ‘habitat is far removed from that 
of all other species’ (of the Jucquemontit group). Whether this is really a distinct species or only 
tan extreme variety of the Т. abyssinicus of the Fl. Brit. Ind., Mr. Duthie will be better able 
to judge, knowing as he does the ground. I must, however, remark that the latter is not identical 
with the Abyssinian plant named so by Hochstetter and Steudel, which is more like a typical 
Tripogon of the bromoides group. The Indian 7. abyssinicus, inclusive of Duthie No. 23532, might 
be regarded as а much reduced form of the typical Tripogon; but in this case the definition of 
Oropetium would have to be reconsidered. Oropetiwm is a comparatively little-known genus, and 
no doubt, a much reduced type; and as reduction often is accompanied by the obliteration of 
characters which help us otherwise in establishing the affinity of more fully developed species, the 
question is too difficult to be solved without a comprehensive study of all the alliel genera,” 
PraTE 92.—Tripogon purpurascens Duthie. Plant,—of natural size. Fig. 1, the two outer glumes; 
2, a two-flowered spikelet; 3, stamens and pistils (one lodieule also shown),—a// enlarged. 
я. В. 1% 
PLATE 93. 
100. Fersruca LUCIDA Stapf m Hook, f. Fl Br. Ind. vii. 355 (1897). 
Naiural order Graminez. 
Stem 6—9 dm., rather stout, smooth and shining; internodes 2, elongate; leaves 
1:5 to З dm. by *5 to 1 ст, finely acuminate, flat except the involute scaberulous 
margins, firm, smooth, glaucous, many-nerved ; basal sheaths of innovations very long and 
loose; cauline tighter, pale, glaucous ; ligule 6—8 mm. long, white, split to the 
middle into fine fibres; panicle 1:2 to 1°8 dm., lax, broadly ovate; branches simple 
to beyond the middle, scabrid; lowest 1 dm. long, lateral pedicels 9—13 mm.; 
spikelets 1 to 1°5 em. long, pale-green, glistening; rachilla scabrid; outer empty glume 
l-nerved, ovate, acute, hyaline except at the base; inner empty giume a little longer 
than the outer, 3-nerved, side nerves very short; flowering glume 5—T-nerved, oblong, 
acute or acuminate or trifid at the apex, membranous, scaberulous,. side-nerves 
prominent; tips and margins hyaline, white; pala linear-oblong, keels  scabrid ; 
lodicules obliquely ovoid; anthers 5 mm. long, linear; ovary with a slightly oblique 
hispidulous top; styles just below the apex. 
