PLATE 116. 



Andropogon amplectens (Nees. Fl. Afr. Austr. 104). 



Perennial, densely tufted. — Culms erect, slender, 2-2|- feet long, glabrous, 

 3-5-uoded, simple or with 1-3 flowering branches from the upper nodes. 



Leaves mostly crowded at the base. Sheaths terete, tight, glabrous, lowest 

 widened, sub-persistent ; ligules membranous, short, truncate or rounded. Blades 

 linear, tapering to a long setaceous point, broad, rounded at the base, or subcordate 

 and subamplexicaul, 4-8 inches long, 3-5 lines wide, flat or convolute above, rather 

 firm, glabrous, margins scabrid. 



Racemes 2-nate, rather slender, 2-3^ inches long, strict or subflexuous ; joints 

 and pedicels very similar, sublinear, 3 lines long, shortly ciliate along the margins^ 

 tips hollowed, denticulate. Scssiir spihclcfs laterally compressed, wedged in 

 between the pedicel and the joint, 3^-4 lines long, glabrous, callus short, acute, 

 bearded, sunk in the hollows of the preceding joint. Glumes coriaceous, hnrer 

 linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 2-toothed, keels rounded and broad below, acute and 

 scabrid near the tips, with a distinct gi'oove (fold) extending between them to tlie 

 acumen, and with 2 fine lateral fiurows in the upper third ; iij>j>cr 1-nerved, 

 mucronate or aristulate. Valves subequal ; loirrr lanceolate, 3-nerved, softlv 

 ciliate ; ivp2>er linear-lanceolate, deeply bifid, lobes lanceolate, ciliolate. Awn 

 stout, l|-2 inches long, kneed and ])iibescent below the middle. Pale linear-oblong,. 



1 line long, nerveless, ciliate. Anthers 2i lines kmg. Pedicel led spikeJefs male, 

 dorsally compressed or subtei'ete, lanceolate, 5-6 lines long. Glumes subherbaceous,. 

 acuminate, often aristulate ; loivei- acutely 2-keeled, keels scabrid or rigidly ciliate 

 above, intracarinal nerves many (to l*j), middle nerve stronger ; iippc'i- linear- 

 lanceolate, 3-sub-5-nerved, ciliate. Valves linear, 3-nerved ; lower ac\uiunate> 

 4|- lines long, ciliate ; upper 3| lines long, 2-toothed, muticous. Pale linear. 



2 lines long, nerveless. 



HabitSLt : Natal. Umpumulo, Bnchanaj/ 194 ; (jerrard 7G9 ; Ihichaiiat> 116,. 

 partly : near Maritzburg. St. (rediye 33. 



Fig. 1, Plant about natural size ; 2, joint of rhaeliisi. JWicoHcd spi/irlef- :\, loAver 

 glume, front view ; 4, upper glume, front ^iew ; '), upper valve, front view ; fi, |)ale. Srs.iilc 

 xpihelet — 7, lowei' glume, back view ; 8, upper glume, side view ; 9, lower valve, front view ; 

 10, upper valve, front view ; II, stamen-*, stigmas anrl lodieiiles ; 12, ])ale. Excrpt Ji(/. 1, all 

 fi)du,r(/ed. 



XoTK. -Tlie upper valve of pedicellud spikelet is 2-tootlied, not mucronate as shown in 

 the di'awinsj. 



