PLATE 427. 



ERAttROSTIS PATENTISSIMA, Hack. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 613). 



Nat. Order Graminese. 



Perennial. — Culms tufted, shortly ascending, subcompressed, ^ to 1 foot 

 long, glabrous, smooth, few-noded, sheathed almost to the base of the panicle, 

 sheaths lax, particularly the lower, glabrous except at the scantily bearded mouth, 

 striate ; ligule a ciliate rim. Blades linear to lanceolate-linear, tapering almost 

 from the base to a fine point, 2 to 3 inches long, 1 to 2^ lines wide at the base, 

 flat or involute, more or less hairy on the upper side, otherwise glabrous, smooth 

 below, scabrid in the upper part. 



Panicle erect, ovate-orbicular in outline, divaricate, effuse, very loose, up to 

 8 inches long ; axis glabrous, smooth, subangular, branches solitary, rarely 2-nate, 

 feubdistichous, lower almost f the length of the panicle, obliquely erect, divided 

 from near the base ; branches long divaricate, 2-1-spiculate, filiform to subcapillary, 

 angular, scabrid ; pedicels J to 1 J inch long. 



Spikelets oblong, compressed, 3 to 4 lines, by 1^ to Ij line, 6-9-flowered, 

 light green tinged with purple ; rhachilla persistent, smooth. 



Glumes subequal, lanceolate in profile, acuminate, almost Ij line long, 

 herbaceous-membranous, 1 -nerved Valves, ovate-lanceolate in profile, acvnninate, 

 1 J line long, firmly membranous ; lateral nerves somewhat prominent, keels 

 scaberulous ; pales somewhat shorter than the glumes, strongly curved, keels stout 

 and spinulously ciliolate. Anthers § line long. 



Eabitat : Natal. Hill tops at Umpumulo, 2700-2800 feet alt., Bnchauan 



278. 



The drawing of this grass was made from a drawing made at the Herbarium 

 of Kew Gardens by Miss M. Smith, by kind permission of the Director, as the 

 plant in our Herbarium was not complete enough for the purpose. 



Fig 1, A spikelet ; 2, glume ; 3, valve ; 4, pale, back view ; 5, pale, lodicules and ovary ; 

 6, stamen ; 7, pistil ; 8, nnripe caryopsis ; 9, caryopsis. All enlarged. 



