Teiraphis, R. Br. (partly). 



Spikelets 5 to 15-flowered, laterally compressed, pedicelled, panicled; rhachilla 

 disarticulating above the glumes and between the valves. Florets perfect, the 

 iippermost gradually reduced. 



Glumes subequal, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acuminate or truncate, or 

 minutely 2-toothed and aristulate, 1-nerved, keeled, thin. Valves oblong, 3-lobed, 

 thin, 3-nerved, 3-awned, the middle lobe more or less bifid, awned from the sinus, 

 the side lobes shorter, entire, asymmetric, awned from the inner side, margins 

 inflexed, nerves ciliate, particularly the lateral ; awns fine, scabrid, often longer 

 than the valves ; callus slender, acute, bearded. Pales linear or linear-oblong, 

 somewhat shorter than the valves. Lodicules 2, cuneate, delicate, minute. 

 Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous, styles distinct, slender ; stigmas laterally exserted, 

 very slender, plumose. Grain tightly embraced by the scarcely changed valve and 

 pale, linear, terete or obtusely triquetrous ; embryo short ; hilum basal, punctiform. 



Annual OR Perennial ; blades narrow, linear; ligule a ciliate membranous 

 rim ; panicle contracted, spike-like, or open, much branched ; spikelets distinctly 

 pedicelled. 



Species : 8 in Africa, 1 in Australia, in Natal 1 only. 



PLATE 491. 



Triraphis Rehmanni, Hack. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 651). 

 Nat. Order Gramineae. 



Perennial, compactly csespitose, glabrous ; rhizome short, oblique. 



Culms erect or geniculate, 2 feet long, very firm, terete, striate, smooth, about 

 3-noded, internodes exserted ; sheaths tight, firm, smooth, striate, the basal reddish 

 or purplish- brown, persistent, the lowest reduced to short acute bladeless scales ; 

 blades linear, narrow, tapering to a setaceous point, usually tightly convolute, 4 to 

 8 inches, by 1 to 1^ line (when expanded), firm, smooth, coarsely striate. 



Panicle 2 to 12 inches long, contracted or open, and then 2 to 4 inches broad, 

 erect or slightly nodding ; rhachis smooth, branches solitary or fascicled, closely or 

 loosely branched from the base or almost so, smooth, filiform, straight or flexuous ; 

 pedicels |^ to 1 J line long. 



Spikelets subsecund, crowded, 4 to 8-flowered, 3 to 5 lines long; rhachilla 

 glabrous. 



Glumes linear-oblong, erose, minutely mucronate, the lower 1 to 2 lines, the 

 upper Ij to 2\ lines long, often with a fine lateral nerve on one or both sides. 

 Valves oblong (when expanded), not quite 2 lines long ; awns stiff, middle awn ^ 

 to 1|- line long, side-awns up to 1 line long, or mere mucros ; pale glabrous. or the 

 flaps hairy, keels scaberulous ; anthers f line long ; grain linear, terete, f line, by 

 ^ line. 



Eabitat : Natal. Near Dundee, 4000 feet, W. E. Green 95b {Wood 7452), 

 March. 



Fig 1, Spikelet ; 2, glume; 3, valve; 4, pale; 5, pistil, stamens and lodicules. All 

 enlarged. 



