PLATE 424. 
Eragrostis aspera, Nees. (Fl. Cap., Vol. YIL, p. 628). 
Nat. Order GrauiinefB. 
Annual. — Culms scantily fascicled, erect or suberect, ^ to f foot long 
(excluding the panicle), glabrous, smooth, simple, 2 to 3-noded, internocles usually 
enclosed ; sheaths keeled, glabrous, except at the bearded mouth, or sparingly 
hairy, hairs fine, tubercle-based ; ligule a fringe of long hairs ; blades linear, 
tapering to a long setaceous point, 4 inches to more than 1 foot by 2 to 3 lines, 
flat, flaccid, scabrid on both sides, glabrous. 
Panicle large, very lax and open, thyrsiform, oblong to obovate-oblong, 8 to 
20 inches long; axis terete, filifbrui, smooth below; branches whorled or irregularly 
approximate, finely filiform to ca])illary, scabrid, bearded at the callous base, 
loosely and repeatedly divided from near the base, longest up to 6 inches long ; 
pedicels very long and fine. 
Spikelets scattered, linear, obtuse, 2J to 4 lines by f to f line, pallid or 
tinged with pur})le, loosely 4 to 16-flowered ; rhachilla very slender, breaking up. 
Glumes subequal, oblong, obtuse, J line long, 1 -nerved. Valves obliquely 
ovate-oblong, truncate, f to f line long, thin, side-nerves prominent, strong. Pales 
equal to the valves and falling with them, obtuse, keels scabrid. Anthers about ^ 
line long. Grain globose, about 5 line diameter, brown, loose in the somewhat 
turgid fiorets. 
HdbitcLt : Natal. Near Durban in Cofl^'ee Plantations, Drecje ; slopes of 
Tugela, 600 to 1000 feet alt., BucJiauaii 257 ; Zululand, JtnJdnnon 85. 
Drawn from Buchanan's 257. 
Fig 1, Lower glume : 2, upper glume ; 3, valve ; 4, pale ; 5, pistil, stamens and lodicules. 
All cnlarijed. 
