Andropooon (Linn.) 



The genus Andropogon includes many species, chiefly inhabiting tropical and 

 sub-tropical regions. According to the Genera Plantaruni, Vol. 3, there are 

 " scarcely 100 species," while in the Flora Capensis, Vol. vii., page 334, it is stated 

 that it consists of over "200 species in the warm parts of the world," but as the 

 author, Dr. Stapf, says, " The genus as defined by Hackel consists of very hetero- 

 geneous elements, and I have no doubt that several of the old genera of which it 

 is made up will have to be restored, as, for instance, Chrysopogon, Cymboj^ogon 

 and Heteropogon," the difference between these two statements of numbers of the 

 species is thus accounted for. The species of which the genus is at present com- 

 posed differ very much in habit and utility, some being considered as excellent 

 pasture and fodder grasses, others as A. Sorghum, being cultivated for their seeds, 

 which are used as food ; A. saccharatus, from whose culms syrup is made ; 

 A. muricatus and A. Nardus, from which species an essential oil is distilled, 

 A. muricatus being the well-known " Khus-Khus" grass. Information as to the 

 value of the Natal species is not readily obtainable, but such as I am able to get 

 will be included under the descriptions of the different species. 



PLATE 111. 



Andropogon hirtiflorus (Kunth. Eev. Gram. ii. 569, t. 198) var. semiberbis (Stapf) 



Perennial, tufted. — Culms 1-3 feet long, glabrous, more or less branched or 

 almost simple. Sheaths tight, glabrous or hairy, particularly near the mouth. 

 Ligules membranous, short, glabrous. Blades linear, acute, 2-12 inches long, 

 1-2 lines wide, folded, firm, smooth except the margins, glabrous or hairy near the 

 base, glaucous or reddish, the uppermost very much reduced or suppressed. 

 Peduncles never more than one from each sheath, the lateral generally exserted. 



Racemes slender, stiff", 2-5 inches long, joints up to 20, 3-3|- lines long, with 

 white silky hairs at the base, or more or less ciliate along ' the edges. Pedicels 

 slightly shorter, ciliate along one or both edges. Sessile spilcelets linear, 3J-4 lines 

 long. Glumes, lower bicuspidate, coriaceous, sub-convex, smooth and often shining, 

 keels scaberulous, intracarinal nerves 2-5 ; upper chartaceous, 3-nerved, margins 

 ciliate, keel narrowly crested above. Valves, lower lanceolate, 2-nerved, ciliate ; 

 upper bifid beyond the middle, 1 -nerved, lobes ciliate. Awn 5-8 lines long, lower 

 twisted portion scarcely exserted. Pale very minute, or none. Pedicelled spikelets 

 barren, lg-2j lines long, middle and carinal nerves strong, often with a fine awn 

 from between the mucros. Valves hyaline, 3-1 -nerved or suppressed. 



Eabitat : Natal. XJmjiumMlo, Buchanan 199 ; Zululand, JenHnson 41. 



Drawn from Jenkinson's specimen, and compared with Buchanan's 199, but 

 the pale in the perfect spikelet and valves in the barren one have not been found. 



Fig. 1, Plant about natural size ; 2, joint o£ rhachis ; 3, sessile and pedicelled spikelets. 

 Sessile spikelet — 4, lower glume, back view ; 4a, same, front view ; 5, upper glume, side view ; 

 6, lower valve ; 7, upper valve ; 8, stamen, pistil and lodicules. Pedicelled spikelet— 9, loAver 

 glume, front view ; 10, upper glume, side view. Except fig. 1, all enlarged. 



