PLATE 436. 



CiiLuias viKGATA, Swartz. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., ]). G41). 

 Nut. Order (irainincii!. 



Pekenniai. or Annual (flowering the first year ?), 1 to 3 feet higli. 



C'uLiis erect or geniculately-asceuding or jjrostrate below, rooting and emitting 

 fascicles of barren shoots from the nodes, 3 to -o-uoded, more or less compressed below, 

 glabrous, smooth, internodes exserted ; sheaths glabrous, rarel}- sparingly hairy, 

 smooth, the lower much compressed, keeled ; ligules membranous, very short, ^'er}' 

 minutely ciliolate ; blades linear, gradually tapering to an acute point, 1 to 4 inches 

 by 1 to If line, flat or folded, sometimes flaccid, glaucous, glabrous, rarely sparingl}' 

 hairy, smooth below, scaberulous above, margins rough. Spikes 6 to 15 or more, 

 suberect, sessile, whitish-green or purplish, 1 to 2J uiches long, straight ; rhachis 

 pubescent or villous at the base, scabrid. 



Spikklets '2- (rarely sub-3) flowered, 2-awned, almost 2 lines long ; rhachilla 

 joint between the valves rather long, terminal joint very minute. 



(iLUJiES narrow, lanceolate, hyaline, mucronate, keels scabrid, the loxver 1 to Ij 

 line long, the upper almost 2 lines ; lower vah'e obliquely -oblong, acute or obscurel}' 

 2-toothed, Ij line long, whitish or almost black when mature, cihate along the 

 marginal nerves and bearded below the tip, finel}' grooved on the faces, keel glabrous 

 or minutely ciliate below the middle ; awn 5 to 8 lines long, straight ; pale glabrous ; 

 anthers 5 to J line long ; grain hnear-oblong, obtusely triquetrous, f line long ; upper 

 valve (or valves) quite empty, obliquely cuneate in profile, 1 line or less long, awn 

 from below the tip, 3 to 6 lines long. 



Var. Elegans (Stapf). Spikes ujj to 3 inches long. Spikelets usually sub-3- 

 flbwered ; lower valve cons])icuously gibbous, 1^ line long, more deeply grooved on 

 the faces, keel glabrous or ciliate to, and bearded at the middle. 



Habit&t : Natal. Berea, ]Vood 5948 ; river banks at Tugela, 600 to 1000 

 feet alt., Buchanan 186 ; A"an Reenen's Pass, 5500 feet alt., Wood 5990 ; Zululand, 

 2000 feet alt., Jenkinson 52 ; var. elegans, Inanda, 1800 feet alt.. Wood 687. 



\\'idely spread through the tropics of both hemispheres. 



Mr. Jenkinson says of this grass : " Found chiefly in old culti^•ated ground, 

 dries up altogether in A\'inter. It is said to be a good fodder grass, and to be much 

 relished by stock." Dr. Andrew Smith says that the nati\-es boil the roots to make a 

 bath for cold and also for rheumatism. 



/ 

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

 lodicules ; 6, second valve. All enlarged. 



