Tbagus, Haller. 

 Nat. Order Graminefe. 



Spikelets, sessile, in deciduous clusters of 2-4 on the filiform continuous axis 

 of a cylindric, spike-like panicle ; rhachilla tough, not continued beyond the-floret. 

 Floret 1, perfect, somewhat shorter than the upper glume. 



Glumes very dissimilar, loioer facing the rhachis, minute, hyaline, or 

 suppressed, upper 5-ribbed or 5-nerved, membranous between the hispidor spine- 

 hooked ribs or nerves, exceeding the valve. Valve lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong, 

 membranous, 3-nerved. Pale as long as the valve, 2-nerved. Lodicules 2, broad, 

 cuneate, fleshy. Stamens 3. Styles distinct, very slender ; stigmas narrow, 

 plumose, terminally exserted. Grain enclosed by the valve and pale, oblong to 

 ellipsoid, slightly compressed from the back ; embryo about J the length of the 

 grain ; hilum punctiforni, basal. 



Annual or Perennial. — Culms erect, ascending or decumbent ; blades 

 linear, rather rigid with cartilaginous spinulously ciliate margins ; ligules reduced 

 to a delicate, ciliate, rim ; panicles cylindric, slender; all the spikelets of a cluster 

 fertile, or often 1 moi'e or less reduced. 



Species 2, one in South Africa, the other throughout the warm parts of both 

 he mispheres. 



PLATE 404. 



Tragus racemosus. All. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 577). 



Annual or subperennial (?) — Culms fascicled, simple or branched with the 

 branches often fascicled and densely leafy, geniculate, ascending often from a 

 decumbent base or wholly decumbent, slender, from a few inches to 1 foot long, 

 glabrous or pubescent near the panic'e, smooth, 3-5-noded, intermediate internodes 

 exserted, uppermost 1 or 2 usually enclosed, and from less than 1 to 4 inches long; 

 lowest sheaths short, broad, pallid, the following more or less herbaceous, rather 

 loose, uppermost tumid, usually embracing the base of the panicle ; blades linear 

 to lanceolate, acute, ^-2 inches by 1-2 lines, flat or wavy, rigid, very glaucous, 

 closely striate. 



Panicle 1-5 inches long, slender; axis straight or slightly wavy, pubescent ; 

 branches very close' or the lowest distant, very short, 2-3-spiculate, sometimes 

 minutely continued beyond the uppermost spikelets. 



Spikelets facing each other when paired, lJ-2 lines long, one of a cluster 

 often reduced ; lower glume very minute, up to \ line long, hyaline, ciliolate, or 

 quite suppressed ; n^jj^er glume slightly curved, involute, completely enveloping 

 the floret, strongly 5-ribbed, thin between the ribs, these with rows of stout 

 hopked spines. Valve lanceolats-oblong, apiculate or mucronulate, 1-1|- line long,' 

 thinly membranous, very minute'y pubescent, faintly 3-nerved ; pale "'sub-acute, 

 obscurely 2-nerved; anthers ellipsoid, ^-^ line long; grain oblong to obovoid- 

 ellipsoid, subterete, J line long. 



Habitat : Natal. Banks of Tugela River, near Colenso, 3000 feet. Wood 

 4417; banks of Lower Tugela River, 600 feet, Bvchroiaii 175; without precise 

 locality, Gerrard 673, 157. 



Throughout most warm regions. 



This grass is of no economic or agricultural value. 



Fig 1, Cluster of spikplets ; 2. empty spikelet : 3, lower glume; 4, upper glume; 5, 

 valve ; 6, pale ; 7, pistil, stiimens and lodicules. All enlarged. 



