Ctentum, Panz. 



Sptkkt.etr of .S to 4 florets, sessile, compactly crowded, unilateral, alternately 

 biseriate along the midrib of the flattened I'hachis ; vhachilla disarticulating above 

 the glumes, continuous between the valves, the lower 2 florets barren or the second 

 male, the third hermaphrodite, the fourth male or barren or c^uite rudimentary. 



Glumes unequal, the lower persistent, keeled, thin, 1-nerved, the upjxii- much 

 longer, oblong to lanceolate, flattened or rounded on the back, firm, 2-3-nerved, 

 with a stiff awn from the middle. ' Valves oblong in profile, obtuse, 3-nerved, 

 awned just below the tips, ciliate along the nerves or the uppermost glabrous, 

 white, thin. Pales slightly shorter, 2-keeled or 2-nerved. Lodicules 2, quadrate- 

 cuneate, delicate, faintly nerved. Stamens 3 in the hermaphrodite, 2 in the male 

 florets. Ovary glabrous ; styles distinct, stigmas slender, long, laterally exserted. 

 Grain free, embraced by the unchanged valve and pale, oblong ; embryo up to |- 

 the length of the grain ; hilum basal, punctiform. 



Perennial, densely tufted, rarely annual ; leaves narrow, flat or convolute ; 

 spikes terminal, solitary or in umbels of 2-3, usually curved ; spikelets prettily 

 pectinate and awned. Species about 9, in Africa and America. 



PLATE 433. 



Otenium concinnum, Nees. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 038 \ 



Nat. Order Gramineaj. 



Perennial, densely tufted. — Culms erect, Ij to 2 feet long, villous or 

 pubescent below the spike, 2-noded, upper 2 internodes very long, at length more 

 or less exserted. 



Leaves mostly crowded at the base ; sheaths tight or the upper subtumid, 

 striate, glabrous, smooth, the basal ones compressed, persistent ; ligule extremely 

 short, minutely ciliolate ; b'ades narrow, linear, acute, the basal up to 1 foot by J to 

 1 line, flat or setaceously convolute, smooth below, scaberulous above and along the 

 nnargins. Spikes solitary, rarely paired, olive-grey, 3 to 10 inches, by 2 to 2 J lines. 



Spikelets 3 to 3J lines. 



Glumes, lower ovate, acuminate, about 1|- line long, keel coarsely scabrid ; 

 upper, broadly lanceolate, acuminate, 3 to 3^ lines long, scabrid to hispidulous, 

 tubercled on the nerves, 2-nerved, middle nerve emitting an obliquely erect awn, 

 not produced beyond it or faintly so or percurrent and even excurrent, side-nerve 

 percurrent or excurrent, awn.scarcely exceeding the glume. Valves, lowest barren, 

 more or less cuspidate or apiculate, cihate, 1 J' line long, awn 2 to 4 lines long ; 

 second valve slightly longer, narrower, the cilia prolonged into a beard above the 

 middle with a rudimentary pale and 2 perfect or imperfect stamens, awn 3 to 3j 

 lines long, third valve like the second, but more delicate, shorter awned, with a 

 2-keeled glabrous pale, and a hermaphrodite flower ; fourth valve glabrous, delicate, 

 I J line long, with a broad 2-nerved delicate pale and 2 stamens ; lodicules up to 

 J line long. Anthers of the hermaphrodite flower 1|- line long, those of the male 

 usually shorter ; anther cells acute ; styles very short ; stigmas 1|- line long. 



HSibitSit : Natal. Umpumulo, 2000 feet alt., Bnchnnnn I7i) ; Pearson's Falls, 

 May, F. Lnnth. 



Fifj 1, A spikolet ; 2, lower glume; .3, upper glume; 4, 1st valve; 5, :ind valve ; 6, 

 pale, lodicules and stamens from 2nd valve ; 7, 3rd valve ; 8, i)ale ; 9, pistil, stamens and 

 lodicules ; 10, 4th valve ; 11, jiale ; 12, male flower. All cnlnrfietl. 



