Catabrosa, 0. Stapf.] clxxiii. gbamine^, (J. D. Hooker.) 311 



Stem 6-24 in., erect from the creeping sometimes floating base, sheathed nearly 

 np to the panicle ; stolons creeping or ascending, branches long or short. Leaves 

 1-6 by -1-4 in-) linear, obtuse, flat, subflaceid, smooth ; sheaths tight, smooth, of 

 young branches closed to near the mouth but easily split to the base ; ligule ovate or 

 truncate, hyaline. Panicle up to 8 in., open, loose, rachis smooth, lower branches 

 5-10-nnte, slender, very unequal, subscaberulous, the longer 4 in., branching ; 

 lateral pedicels very short. Spikelets pale green or yellowish, rarely purple ; 

 rachilla smooth; gls. very thin broad and obtuse; I about 4 in., nerveless or 1- 

 nerved ; II i in., 1- sub-3-nervud ; fl. gls. nearly Jj in., obovate to broadly oblong, 

 truncate, shortly hairy below j palea broad, very obtuse, keels hairy below. LoAicules 

 obliquely ovate. Anihers -^ in. Grain -^^ in., oblong, subacute at both ends or 

 top rounded, laterally subeom pressed, hilum punetiform.— I liave seen no Indian 

 specimens, but am informed by Mr. Dathie that his Wiis named by Haokel. 



Var. augusia, Stapf; dwarf, tufted, with or without stohnis, panicle narrow 

 contracted, bramhes very short, gls. 1 and II nerveless or nearly so, flg. gls. -J^— 

 1*4 in. C. aquation, Dutliie Qrass. N.W. Ind. 36. — Western Tibet; Lanak Pass, 

 alt. 15-16,000 it., Thomson. 



2. C. sikkimensis, Stapf; stem short, stolons long, leave's ^-1 in., 

 panicle Ig- in. narrow loose, branches 2-nate subsimple, spikelets -jo in. 

 2-fld., gl. I minute, flg. gls. 5-nerved, nerves ending below the hyaliue 

 margin, lateral rather strong. 



Alpike Sikkim; alt. 17,000 ft., Gammie. 



St-nm up to 6 in,, prostrate or ascending; sto'ons with short fascicles of few short 

 complicate leaves. Spikelets dark purple, variegated with yellow ; gl. I up to -Jg in. 

 nerveless, broadly ovate to oblong, H up to J^ in., broader, sub-1-nerved; flg. gls. 

 —■ in., truncate, erose, glabrous ; palea broad, very obtuse, keels smooth. — The 

 specimens are very scanty, and have all the appearance of being reduced forms, 

 growing on wet soil on the upper limits of vegetation. Specimens from a lower 

 altitude may require modification of the above characters. 



§ 2. CoLPOBiUM, Trin. (Gen.). Empty gls. 1-3-nerved; flg. gla. 5-3- 

 nerved, nerves faint, lateral short, intermediate often suppressed or 

 represented by a single spiral vessel. 



* Erwpty gls. about half as long as tlieflg. 



3. C. hlmalalca, Stapf; panicle erect spiciform denae-fld., spikelets 

 ■575-J in. 1-2-fld. Colpodium subapicatum, Sack. mss. Phippsia hima- 

 laica, Sooh.f. ante., p. 240. Vilfd, sp. 2, Herb. Strachei/ & Winlerb. 



From Kashmir to Kumaon, alt. 13-14,500 ft. 



Stems 3-8 in., tufted, erect, smooth, nodes 1-2. Leaves complicate or the 

 cauline flat ; sheaths tight, elost-d almost to the mouth ; ligule very siiort. Panicle 

 continuous or interrupted ; rachis and branches smooth. Spikelets obovoid to oblong, 

 rachilla glabrous; gls. very thin, nerves obscure; I very shortly 1-nerved ; II with 

 short obscure side-nerves ; III with very short obscure side-norves, keel and nerves 

 shortly hairy ; keels of palea ciliate. LodiCKZes conuiite at the base. Gram elliptic- 

 oblong, compressed. — For further description see p. 240. Duthie's u. 12,160 has 

 more acute empty glumes with sometimes erose margins, but does not otherwise 

 diff'er. 



4. C> Thomsonl, HooTt. /. ; panicle erect open lax-fld., spikelets 

 |-i in. 2-4-fld. 



Westbbn Tibet ; Nubra Valley, alt. 10-11,000 ft., Thomson. 

 Stems 4-6 in., tufted, very sleuder, erect, smooth, nodes 3-5. Leaves ^-1^ in., 

 linear, acute, flat, few-nerved; sheaths closed to I'g-^ in. of the mouth, thin, tight ; 



