PLATE 417. 
Eragrostis Chapelieri, Nees. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. G14). 
Nat. Order Graniinea^. 
Perennial, tufted. — Oulms erect or siiberect, simple, somewhat stout, 2 to 3 
feet high, glabrous, 3-4-uoded, interuiediate and upper internodes exserted, upper- 
most very long ; sheaths glabrous except at the more or less bearded mouth, or the 
lower scantily hairy, striate, Joiver very firm, persistent ; ligule a narrow long 
hairy rim ; blades very narrow, linear, tapering to fine point, usually involute or 
convolute, 3 to 10 inches long, 1 line broad at the base when expanded, rigid, 
closelv sti'iate, more or less hairy towards tlie base on the upper side, glabrous aiid 
smooth underneath. 
Panicle erect, contracted, very narrow, 3 to Li inches long ; a.<is slender, 
striate ; bi'anches erect, more or less adpressed to the axis, lowest solitary, 2 to 5 
inches long, undivided for some distance, then (like the upper part of the axis) 
bearing tascicles of shortly pedicelled or subsessile s|)ikelets on shoi-t branchlets 
crowded towards tlie tips, or all branches very short, and then the panicle 
resembling an interrupted false spiive ; ultimate divisions and pedicels scabricl. 
Spikelet.s linear, much ct>m|)ressed, 3 to 8 lines by \\ to 1^ line, reddish- 
brown, 7 to 20-flowered ; rhacliilla persistent, glabrous, smooth, joints very short. 
Glumes equal or more or less unequal, deciduous, lanceolate, about 1 line 
long, 1 nerved or upper sub-3-nerved, membranous, keels scaberulous above. 
Valves broad, obliquely ovate in profile, shortly subacuminate or acute, 1 line long 
or very slightly longer, rather firm, deciduous from the base upwards, keels 
scaberulous above, side-nerves strono\ Pales slishtlv shorter than the valves, 
persistent, keels stout and rigidly ciliolate. Stamens 2, anthers about 5 to ^ line. 
Grain short ellipsoid, laterally compressed, \ to \ line long, wlntish, sul)translucent. 
Habitat: Natal. Umpumulo, 2000 feet alt., Biichfuiayt 254a; near Durban, 
WiUiainson 58 ; valley of the Undazi Piver, Drlu/c ; Avithout precise locality. 
Plant 59 ; Gerrard 481. 
Also in tropical Africa, L)elagoa Bay, and tlie Mascarene Islands. 
" When the spikelets are very crowded tlie lower florets are often more or less 
reduced and barren." 
Drawn from Buclianau's 254a. 
Fig 1, Lower glume ; 2, upper glume : 3, valve ; 4, pale ; 5, pistil, stamens and lodicule^. 
All cnlari/cd. 
