PLATE 423. 



Eragrostis Lappula, Nees. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 627), 



Nat. Order Gramineas. 



Perennial, densely csespitose. — Culms erect or geniculate, firm, rather stout, 

 2 to 3 feet long, glabrous, smooth, about 3-noded, upper internodes (sometimes 

 also the lower) exserted ; loxvev sheaths firm, strongly striate, pubescent or 

 glabrous, usually bearded at the mouth, persistent, upper tight, glabrous, smooth ; 

 ligule a very minutely ciliolate rim ; blades narrow, linear, filiform-convolute, 

 tapering to a fine point,. 6 to 12 inches long, l^ line broad wheu expanded, rigid, 

 flexuous, glabrous or sparsely hairy particulary towards the base, smooth on the' 

 back, scaberulous or smooth on the face, strongly striate. 



Panicle erect or nodding, narrow, linear to lanceolate, contracted, dense, 

 sometimes spike-like; 6 to 8 inches long ;. axis filiform, smooth ;. branches solitary, 

 sometimes 2 to 3-nate or irregularly approximate, adpressed, lower up to 4 inches 

 long, undivided for 1 to Ig- inch or like the others divided from near the base ; 

 branchlets somewhat distant, adpressed, simple or again divided ; lateral pedicels 

 very short; all the divisions finely filiform, angular, smooth or scaberulous. 



Spikelets oblong, 1^ to 4 lines long, brownish or purplish, loosely 4 to 

 iT-flowered ; rhachilla persistent. 



Glumes subequal, lanceolate, acute, 1 line long,, thin, deciduous, keel scabrid. 

 Valves somewhat spreading, stiff", lanceolate in profile, acute, 1 line long or slightly 

 longer, membranous, side-nerves prominent, like the keels rigidly ciliate, with the 

 cilia tubercle-based (or rarely with the keels glabrous). Pales equal to the valves, 

 keels tubercled, long and rigidly ciliate from the tubercles. Anthers over J line 

 long. 



Eabitat : Natal. Near Durban, Drege ; Plant 63 ; Gerrard 33, 475 ; 

 Williamson 57; Wood 6047; Rehmann 8630; Berea, Wood 5938; Zululand, 

 Buchanan 301. 



Fi^ 1, Lo-,Yer glume ; 2, upper glume ; 3, valve ; 4, pale ; 5, pistil, stamens aud lodicules. 

 All enlarged. 



