PLATE 422. 
Eragrostis brizoides, Nees. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 622). 
Nat. Order Graminete 
Perennial, compactly tufted with iiitravaginal innovation shoots. 
Culms erect or geniculate-ascendino;, slender, tlrm, from 5 to more than 2 feet 
long, glabrous, smooth, 1 to 3-noded, internodes exserted, uppermost occupying 
from ^ to 5 the length of the culm ; sheaths tight, glabrous except the bearded 
mouth, lowest short, crowded, persistent ; ligule a fringe of minute hairs ; blades 
narrow, linear, tapering to a tine point, 2 to 4 inches (rarely to 8 inches) by 1 to 
1^ line, usually more or less convolute or involute and rigid, glabrous, smooth 
below, scaberulous above, striate. 
Panicle linear to oblong, contracted, 2 to 4 inches long, erect or nodding ; 
axis fihform, flexuous, smooth, brandies solitary, filiform, angular, smooth, 
racemosely G to 2 spiculate ; pedicels very short. 
Spikelets crowded or sometimes more distant, ovate to ovate-oblong, or 
suborbicular, strongly compressed, 2 to 6 lines, by Ih to 3g lines, densely 5 to 
40-flowered, straw-coloured, usually tinged with dull })urple ; rhachilla persistent, 
rather stout, joint very short. 
Glumes and valves similar, closely imbricate, rigidly membranous to sub- 
chartaceous, obtuse, back broad, keeled. Glumes subequal, oblong in profile, 1^ to 
1^ line long, Joiver 1-nerved ; valves obliquely elliptic-oblong in profile, i\ to 1^ line 
long, side-nerves prominent, keel adpressedly ciliate. Pales subequal to the valves, 
broad, keels very densely and minutely ciliolate. Anthers -| line long. Grain 
narrowly oblong, not quite 1 line by |- line ; pericarp slightly swelHng in water. 
Habitat : Natal. Eiet Vlei, 4000 to 5000 feet alt., Bm-lianan 251 ; Durban 
Flats, BuchaiKOi 27 ; near Durban, Willianison 59 ; Coastland, Sntlterland ; 
throughout Natal, 365 ; Inanda, 1800 feet alt.. Wood 993; Mooi Ptiver, 
Wood 4068 ; Berea, irocW 5934 ; Van Reenen's Pass, 5000-6000 feet alt.. Wood 
7222, 7245 ; and without precise locality, Biiclianan 102, 252 ; Plant 62. 
This grass appears to be found all over South Africa. 
Fig 1, Lower glume : 2, upper glume : 3, valve ; 4, pale : 5, pistil, stameus and lodicules. 
All (■ii1(tr<ic<J. 
