PLATE 139. 



DiaiTARiA SETiFOLiA (Stapf, Fl. Cap. Vol. VII. p. 376). 



Perennial, densely caespitose. — Culms erect, very slender, ^-1 foot long, 

 glabrous. Leaves glabrous except the scantily hairy mouth of the sheath, or more 

 or less hairy, all crowded at the base, except the uppermost, which is reduced to a 

 very long almost bladeless sheath ; basal sheaths firm, persistent, at length break- 

 ing up into fibres ; ligules very short, truncate. Blades filiform, setaceously 

 convolute, up to 2-6 inches long, rather firm, flexuous, smooth. 



Kacemes 2-3, slender, erect, 1-2 inches long ; rhachis very slender, angular, 

 smooth, internodes lJ-2 lines long, pedicels 2-nate, one very short, the other up 

 to 1^ line long, angular, scantily scabrid above. 



Spikelets oblong, obtuse, 1|- line long, greenish. Glumes, lower minute, 

 rotundate, delicately hyaline ; upper- oblong, subacute, l^^ line long, 3-nerved, 

 with lines of adpressed or slightly spreading, rufous capitellate hairs between the 

 nerves, and along the margins, upper marginal hairs exceeding the glume. Valves, 

 lower 7-9-nerved, nerves prominent, except the submarginal hairs similar to those 

 of the upper glume, in 4 dorsal and 2 dense marginal lines ; iipper subchartaceous, 

 oblong, subacuminate, chestnut brown, except the hyaline whitish margin. 

 Anthers ^ line long. 



Eabitat: — Natal. Hillside, near Mooi River, 4-5000 feet alt., Mawn 6. 



Drawn from Mason's specimen, the only one in the Herbarium. 



Also in Tembuland, which is the only South African locality given for it in 

 the Flora Capensis. 



Fig. 1, Ligule ; 2, i-hachis with pedicels ; 3, upper glume ; 4, lower valve ; 5, upper 

 valve,front view ; 6, same, back view; 7, pale, front view ; 8, same, back view ; 9, ovary, 

 styles, stigmas, stamens and lodicules ; 10, capitellate hair. All enlarged. 



