PLATE 422. 



Eragrostis brizoides, Nees. (FI. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 622). 

 Nat. Order Graminete 



Perennial, compactly tufted with intravaginal innovation shoots. 



Culms erect or geniculate-ascending, slender, firm, from | to more than 2 feet 

 long, glabrous, smooth, 1 to 3-noded, internodes exserted, uppermost occupying 

 from J to 5 the length of the culm ; sheaths tight, glabrous except the bearded 

 mouth, lowest short, crowded, persistent ; ligule a fringe of minute hairs ; blades 

 narrow, linear, tapering to a fine point, 2 to 4 inches (rarely to 8 inches) by 1 to 

 IJ line, usually more or less convolute or involute and rigid, glabrous, smooth 

 below, scaberulous above, striate. 



Panicle linear to oblong, contracted, 2 to 4 inches long, erect or nodding ; ■ 

 axis filiform, flexuous, smooth, branches solitary, filiform, angular, smooth, 

 racemosely 6 to 2 spiculate ; pedicels very short. 



Spikelets crowded or sometimes more distant, ovate to ovate-oblong, or 

 suborbicular, strongly compressed, 2 to 6 lines, by ij to 3^ lines, densely 5 to 

 40-flowered, straw-coloured, usually tinged with dull purple ; rhachilla persistent, 

 rather stout, joint very short. 



Glumes and valves similar, closely imbricate, rigidly membranous to sub- 

 chartaceous, obtuse, back broad, keeled. Glumes subequal, oblong in profile, 1:|- to 

 Ij line long, lower 1-nerved ; valves obliquely elliptic-oblong in profile, 1^ to If line 

 long, side-nerves prominent, keel adpressedly ciliate. Pales subequal to the valves, 

 broad, keels very densely and itiinutely ciliolate. Anthers f line long. Grain 

 narrowly oblong, riot quite 1 line by |- line ; pericarp slightly swelling iii water 



Habitat : Natal. Kiet Vlei, 4000 to 5000 feet alt., Buchanan 251 ; Durban 

 Flats, Buchanan 27 ; near Durban, Williamson 59 ; Coastland, Sutherland ; 

 throughout Natal, /iTra^^ss 365 ; Inanda, 1800 feet alt., Wood 993; Mooi Hiver, 

 Wood 4068 ; Berea, Wood 5934 ; Van Reenen's Pass, 5000-6000 feet alt., Wood 

 7222, 7245 ; and without precise locality, Buchanan 102, 252 ; Plant 62. 



This grass appears to be found all over South Africa. 



Fig 1, Lower glume; 2, upper glume ; 3, valve ; 4, pale ; 5, pistil, stamens and lodicules. 

 All enlarged. 



