Jseilema.] Graminece. 251 



There is no specimen of var. Thwaitesii in Herb. Peradeniya, but 

 there is one in Herb. Kew. from Thwaites, numbered C. P. 961, without 

 a habitat. Var. brunnea is in Herb. Wallich, n. 8765, Herb. Heyne; and 

 there is a specimen in Herb. Kew. from Herb. Rottler, also collected by 

 Heyne and named A. arguens, from which it differs in the involucrant 

 spikelets being in superposed pairs. 



42. XSEXXiEXtXA, Anderss. 

 Habit and infl. of A nthistiria, but spikes articulate below 

 the involucrant spikelets, and bisexual spikelets inarticulate 

 at the base. — Sp. 5 ; 4 in Fl. B. Ind. 



As observed by Hackel, the dispersal of the spikelets of Iseilema is 

 by the wind carrying away all the spikelets in a body, whereas in 

 Anthistiria the bisexual glumes alone disarticulate, and are more 

 probably carried away by adhesion to the coats of animals. 



X. laxum, Hack. Monogr. Androp. 682 (1889). 

 /. prostratum, Anderss. in Nov. Act. Soc. Sc. Upsal. Ser. 3, ii. 251, 

 excl. syn. Anthistiria prosirata, Trim. Cat. Ceyl. PI. 108 (non Willd.). 

 Fl. B. Ind. vii. 218. Anderss. 1. c. t. 3. 



Perennial; stem 3 in. to 1^- ft. high, ascending from a stout 

 hard leafy sometimes shortly creeping rootstock, very slender, 

 simple or sparingly branched, flexuous, root-fibres wiry; 1. all 

 cauline, or the lower radical and tufted with compressed 

 equitant sheaths, 3-6 by -^-\ in., linear, acute or obtuse, 

 glabrous or ciliate, smooth or faintly scaberulous above; 

 sheaths shorter than the internodes, rather membranous, 

 smooth, mouth not auricled, ligule of long slender hairs; 

 panicle racemiform, long, narrow, of distant axillary peduncled 

 fascicles \-\ in. long, ped. capillary, J-2 in. long, outer bracts 

 narrowly lanceolate, ^-1 in. long, glabrous or with a few hairs 

 toward the margins, proper bracts about as long as the spikes; 

 pedicel of spikes short, smooth ; involucrant spikelets truly 

 whorled, \ in. long, pedicelled, oblong-lanceolate, acute, 

 pedicels short, flattened, bearded at the base; glumes I and II 

 sparsely ciliate, I 3-5 -veined, II oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, 

 3-veined, III linear, glabrous, hyaline; lodicules cuneate, 

 retuse; anth. long, narrow; 2 upper male spikelets on long 

 ciliate pedicels, lanceolate, glabrous; bisexual spikelet 

 narrowly lanceolate, i in. long, narrowed into a slender 

 stipes, glabrous, glume I bifid or truncate at the tip, margins 

 scaberulous in the upper third, thin, faintly 3-5-veined, II 

 lanceolate, acuminate, 1 -veined, tip scaberulous, IV a very 

 slender geniculate awn about | in. long; stigmas long, 

 exserted at the top of the spikelet; grain oblong, T V in. long, 

 rounded at both ends, much compressed, pale, embryo more 

 than half the length of the grain. 



