PLATE 460. 



Bromus. natalensts, Stapf. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII. , p. 732). 



Nat. Order Graminese. 



Perennial. — Culms erect, slender above, 1. to 3 feet long, glabrous, smooth, 

 ,ibont 4-noded, upper internodes very long, exserted ; sheaths tight, glabrous or 

 nearly so, striate ; ligules hyaline, ^^ to | line long ; blades linear, over 4 inches, by 

 Ij line, flat, firm, strongly striate, very scantily hairy or glabrous. 



Panicle erect, up to 7 inches long, sometimes very scanty ; axis terete, 

 smooth ; branches 2 to 6-nate, filiform, 1-spiculate, purplish, smooth, or almost so, 

 flexuous, longest up to 3 inches long. 



Spikelets lanceolate- oblong, broad when quite open, glabrous, purplish, 1^ to 

 Ij inch long, rather loosely 7 to !)-flowered ; rhachilla joints scabrid, Ij line long. 



Glumes slightly unequal, lanceolate in profile, long-acuminate, glabrous, lower 

 5 to 6J lines long, strongly 3-nerved, iipj)er 6j to 7J lines long, strongly 5-nerved. 

 Valves lanceolate-linear, acuminate, 7|- to 9 lines long, firm, glabrous, smooth or 

 very sparingly scabrid on the nerves, purplish, 7 to 9-nerved, outer side-nerves 

 stout, margins gradually curved above, almost straight towards the base, narrow 

 and membranous towards the slender tips ; awn strictly terminal, 4 to 5 lines long, 

 straight, scabrid ; callus short, obtuse ; pales 6 to 7 lines long, keels loosely and 

 rigidly ciliolate. Anthers 3 lines long. 



Var. lasiophilus, Stapf — Culms slender, scarcely 1 J foot high. Leaves shortly 

 hairy all over ; blades up to 3 inches, by 1 line." Panicle very scanty, about 

 6-spiculate, secund, axis and branchlets scabrid to hispidulous. Spikelets light 

 green or tinged with purple ; nerves of glumes and valves less prominent than in 

 the type. 



5a6iJai ; Natal. Without precise locality, 5Hc7/«na?i. 58 ; var. lasiophilus; 

 Weenen County, South Downs, 4000 feet alt., Wood 4406. 



The plate was made from a drawing by Miss M. Smith, under the supervision 

 of Dr. Stapf, and by the kind permission of the Director of Kew Gardens and 

 Herbarium. 



Fig 1, Spikelet ; 2, lower glume ; 3, upper glume ; 4, valve ; 5, valve and pale ; 6, pale ; 

 7, pistii, stamens and lodicules ; 8, ovary ; 9, upper portion or ovary ; 10,. lodicule : II, pistil, 

 stamens, and lodicules ; 12, pistil and lodicules ; 13, pistil ; 14, lodicule. All enlarged. 



Figs 1 to 10, from Wood's 4406 ; var. lasiophilus ; figs U to 14, from Buchanan's 58 type* 



