PLATE 406. 
Sporobolus CENTRIFUC4US, Nees. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 584). 
Nat. Order Graminete, 
Perennial, compactly tufted. — Culms erect, rather slender, | to li feet long, 
glabrous, smooth, usually 2 rarely 1-noded ; lower sheaths very firm, persistent, ^ 
to inch long, glabrous except the usually long-ciliate margins, sometimes hairy 
all over, smootli, finely striate, vpper tight, the uppermost up to \ foot long ; ligule 
a very minutely ciliolate rim ; blades linear, usually very narrow, tapering to an 
acute point, 3 to 10 inches, by |- to 2 lines, involute, often setaceous, particularly 
those of the barren shoots, rarely flat, firm, more or less glaucous, glabrous, except 
the often serrulate-fimbriate lower margins, rarely scantily hairy, smooth below, 
subscaberulous above, margins rough or tubercled. 
Panicle erect, ovate or ovate-oblong, 1 to 4 inches, by \ to 2 inches, usually 
rather dense ; lower branches in whorls of 8 to 5, oblicpiely erect or spreading, 
filiform, smooth, branched from the middle or above it ; branchlets contracted ; 
lateral pedicels very short. 
Spikelets rather crowded towards the tips of the branches, dark olive-grey, 
1^- to 2 J lines long. 
Glumes unequal, the lower lanceolate-acuminate or acute, ^ to f the length 
of the spikelet, rarely longer, 1-nerved or nerveless, the upper broad-oblong- 
lanceolate, acutely acuminate, somewhat longer than the valve, 1-nerved, rarely 
with 2 obscure side-nerves. Valve very similar, sometimes with 2 to 4 short 
obscure side-nerves. Pale equalling the valve. Stamens 3 ; anthers \ line long. 
HRbitdt : Natal. Near Durban, Williamson 3 ; Durban Flats, Buclianan 
42, 64 ; on bare hills at Umpunmlo, 2400 to 2800 feet alt., Buchanan 297 ; Um- 
singa and base of Biggarsberg, Bnehanaii 92 ; var. angustus ; Inanda, Belimann 
1854 ; Wood 1578 ; Znluland, 1000 feet alt., BucJiaiuul 300 ; Van Reenen, Wood 
7218. 
Drawn from Wood's 7218, gathered at Van Pteenen, 5000-6000 feet alt. 
Fig 1, Lower glume ; 2, upper glume ; 3, valve ; 4, pale : 5, pistil, stamens aud lodicules. 
All eiihircjr'd. 
