PLAT]E 145. 



DipiTARIA TRICHOLAENOIDKS (Stapf, Fl. Cap. Vol. VII. p. 381). 



Perennial.-^— Rhizome short, obUque, densely covered by the iiersistent 

 imbricate bases of the old sheaths. Culms erect, simple, 1-1 J foot long, glabrous. 



Leaves about 4 at the base, one from the only suprabasal node, reduced to a 

 long almost bladeless sheath. Sheaths hairy, the uppermost narrow, silky bearded 

 at the node, the lower widened. Ligules short, truncate. Blades linear to linear- 

 lanceolate, tapering to an acute point, 2-3|- inches long,' by 2-3 lines' wide, flat', 

 firm, glaucous, glabrous or hairy. 



Racemes .3-6, subdigitate, erect, strict or slightly nodding, densely silky 

 .often purplish, 2^.-3 inches long, compound below. Racemes triquetroiis, narrowly 

 winged, scabrid, internodes .l|^-3 lines long. '■ 



Spikelets 2-5-nate, or in the lowest fascicle with the central 2-3 oh a very 

 short branchlet, oblong, acute, 2-2|- lines long (exclusive of the hairs), densely silky, 

 unequally pedicelled, longer pedicels up to 3 lines long, filiform, flexuous, glabrous, 

 tips subdiscoid. Glumes, lower delicately hyaline, whitish, truncate or rotundate, up 

 to ^ line long ; upjxn' oblong, acute to obtuse, ^-If line long, 3-nerved, densely 

 vlUodswith long, soft, acute hairs, upper margins broadly and very delicately hyaline. 

 Valves, lower oblong, acuminate, 7- nerved, glabrous along the middle, otherwise 

 densely villous with soft, very long hairs (up to 2 lines) ; tqipey chai^taceous, oblong, 

 acutely acuminate, 2 lines long. Anthers over 1 line long. 



Eabitat : — Natal. Umsinga and base of Biggarsberg, Buchanan, 87 ; Mooi 

 River, 4-5000 feet alt., Mason 21. 



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



This grass is in appearance very like a Iricholaena, with wliich genus it has 

 no doubt often been confused by collectors. I have no information as to its value 

 as a pasture grass. 



Fig. 1, Lower glume ; .2, upper gliime ; 3, lower valve ; 4, upper, valve, front view ; 5, 

 same, back view ; 6 pale, front view ; 7 same, back view ; 8, pistil, stamens and lodiciiles. 

 All enlarged. 



