Potamophila.] GRAMINER (Stapf). 659 
revi tall aquatic grasses ; blades flat ; ligules membranous ; panicle effuse or 
con . 
Species 3; 1 in South Africa, 1 in Madagascar, and 1 in New South Wales. 
1. P, prehensilis aes in Journ. Linn. Soe. xix. 55); s 
several feet high, branched, many-noded, slightly ec or 
terete, glabrous, Bois internodes up to 4 in. long; branches 
spreading at a right se or almost so ; leaf-sheaths rather tight, 
and 
. h or oe. except the sometimes 
minutely villous nodes; ligule membranous, oblong or truncate, 
zl lin. long, pubescent ; blades linear-lanceolate from a very short 
contracted base, acute, 3-5 in. by 3-6 lin., flat, flaccid, glaucous, 
sparingly hairy and minutely seabrid on both sides, margins and 
midrib cies rough from minute reversed spines ; primary nerves 
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3-4 on each side ; panicle terminal, 4—6 in, long, ope 
rigid ; a ns 1es spreading, fine, up to 4 in. long, the lowest usually 
paired, sparingly branched, compressed and aig scaberu r 
elow, branchlets 2-3-spiculate; pedicels 1-7 lin. long; 
spikelets aetoaet oblong, acute, 3-4 lin. long, * slightly twisted, 
pallid; glumes extremely minute truneate hyaline scales; empty 
5 
valves subulate, 1—» lin. long, nerveless ; fertile valve tightly clasping 
he similar pale with the inflexe espa nerves raised, slightly 
grain unknown. ag i: prehetts Nees, Fl. Afr. Austr. 194 ; 
Durand § Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 788. Oryza prehensilis, 
Steud. Syn. 
Eastrrn Region : Natal; near the mouth of the Umzimkulu River, in 
fopses and woods, D) *oge ! at Umbilo Waterfall, Rehmana, ed Umpumulo, 
to 2000 ft., common in bush, Buchanan, 288! Inanda, Wood, 1805! 
LXX. LEERSIA, Sw. 
Spikelets laterally compressed, very shortly ‘serie panicled ; 
"achilla jointed above the rudi ry glu loret 1 
hach udimentar 9 Qe 
(rlumes reduced to an o e hyaline aw or 2-lobed rim. 
Valve 5-nerved, subcartilaginous awnless, keel and margins rigidly 
cl iate. Pale narrow, 3-nerv ee subcartilaginous a at the 
2; faba en aie Stamens 6, 3 orl. St am distinct ; stigmas 
feathery. Grain ovate or oblong, compressed, embraced by the valve 
and the pale, free ; embryo short. 
Perennial ; leaves narrow ; panicle usually flaccid with very slender branches. 
Spec = f both 
Fos sare 6-7, mostly in iho tropics and the subtropical regions 0 
1. L. hexandra (Sw. Prod. Veg. Ind. Occ. 21); 
thizome creeping, stoloniferous ; innovation- buds ovoid, sababate: 
uu? 
