PLATE 420. 
Eragrostis major, Host. (Fl. C'a})., Vol. VII., ]>. G20). 
Nat. Order Grauiinefe. 
Annual, tufted. — Culms geniculate-ascending or sub-erect, usually stout and 
branched below, ^ to 2 feet long, glabrous, smooth, 3 to 4-noded, internodes more 
or less exserted ; sheaths loose, strongly striate, keeled in the up})er part, often 
glandular, particularly on the keel and the nerves above, glabrous or scantily hairy, 
bearded ; ligule a fringe of short hairs ; blades linear or lanceolate-linear, long 
ta|)ering to a fine point, 2 to 6 inches by to 4 lines, fiat, more or less flaccid, 
ligiit green or subglaucous, glabrous or very scantily hairy, smooth below, 
scal)erulous above, usually glandular along the margins. 
Panicle oblong to ovate-oblong, stilf, '2 to more than 6 inches long, dense oi- 
rather lax ; axis terete, smooth ; branches sub-solitary spreading, stifl:* or flexuous, 
lowest up to 3^ inches long or all short, branclied from near the base ; lateral 
pedicels h to 1^ line long, all the divisions tilif:)rm, angular, scabrid. 
Spikelets linear to ovate-oblong, 2 to 6 lines long, l^y 1 to almrist 2 lines, 
subflexuous if very long, ligiit or dark olive-green, few to 50-flowered ; rhacliilla 
persistent. 
Glumes subequal, ovate oblong, subobtu.se to acute, f or almost I line long, 
1- (or the upper 3-) nerved, keels scabrid, margins minutely sei-rulate. Valves 
broadly and obliquely ovate in profile, obtuse or subobtuse, 1 to fl line long, side- 
nerves prominent, strong Pales persistent, somewhat shorter than the valves, 
broad, keels scabrid or ciliolate. Anthers oblong, about \ to ^ line long ; grain 
globose, brown, loose within the turgid valves, ^ to ^ line in diameter. 
HilbitM : Natal. By the Tugela Pviver, 600 to 1000 feet alt., Buchaitaro 
253 ; without precise locality, (rei rard 472. 
Probably introduced. A native of tlie Mediterranean regions and India. 
Drawn from Buchanan s 253, tlie only specimen in the Herbariiun. 
Fi^- 1, Lower glume ; 2, upper glume ; .3, valve in jn'ofile ; 4, pale ; 5, pistil, stamens and 
loilicules. All enlarged. 
