LkptocArydion, Hochst. ex Bentli 
Spikelets 4 to y-tluwered, laterally compressed, sessile or subsessile, secuiid, 
biseriate, close, on a very slender rliachis ; ihachilla disai'ticulating above tlie 
glumes and between the valves. Florets bisexual, the uppermost reduced. 
Glumes subequal, lanceolate, acuminate, 1 -nerved, keeled. Valves oblong, 
truncate, minutely 4-toothed (teeth hyaline), thin, 3-nerved, margins inflexed, 
nerves ciliate, the middle nerve excurrent into a fine bristle, the side-nerves not 
excurrent ; callus slender, acute bearded. Pales linear-oblong, slightly shorter 
than tlie valves, 2-keeled. Lodicules 2, cuneate, delicate Stamens 3 ; anthers 
minute. Ovary glabrous ; styles distinct, slender ; stigmas laterally exserted, very 
slender, plumose. Grain linear, oljtusely triquetrous, tightly embraced by the 
scarcely changeil valve and pale, free ; embryo less than ^ the length of the grain ; 
hilum basal, punctiform. 
Species 3, in Africa. Allied to Triraphis, but difiering in the non-excurrent 
side-nerves and the sessile unilateral spike lets. 
Annual — Culms tufted, many-noded ; blades linear to oblong-lanceolate, 
ligule hyaline, ^•ery short or o])scure. Panicle spike-like, dense ; branches erect, 
simple or with a( [pressed Ijranclilets. 
PLATE 442. 
LeITOCAJIYDION VULJ'IASTKUM, Stajtf (Fl. Ca|)., Vol. VII., p. ()48). 
Nat. Order Gramineie. 
CJuLMS erect or ascending, 2 to 4 feet long, simple or sometimes braiiclied 
(branches intra vaginal), many-noded, internc>des shortly exserted, glabrous, smooth ; 
sheaths tight, glabrous, smooth or somewhat rough, striate ; ligule u}) to j line 
long, truncate, ciliolate, soon evanescent ; blades lanceolate-oblong from a rounded 
abru])tly constricted base, acute, 1 to 3 inches, by 3 to G lines, flat or involute, 
smooth or finely scaberulous below, glaucescent, finely many-nerved, primary 
nerves about 7 on each side. 
Panicle s})ike-like, 2 to 8 inches by h to \ inch, ]>alhd or faintly purphsh, very 
dense ; branches up to 1 inch long, branched from the villous base ; branchlets 5 to 
1-spiculate, up to 3 lines long. 
Si'iKELETS crowded, adpressed, 5 to 'J-Howered, up to 3 hues long; rhachilla 
very slender. 
Glumes reddish, subhyaline, the /"//vr lanceolate, acuminate, niucronate, about 
Ij line long; iijipcr linear-oblong, about \\ line long. Valves 1;^ line long, 
])ubescent below the middle, long and finely ciliate along tlie side-nerves. Anthers 
5 line long, ovate ; grain linear, obtusely tricjuetrous, less than h line l)y less than 
i line. 
Also in tropical East Africa as far north as Usaml)ara. 
Hctbitat : Natal. Banks of Tugela and its tributaries, COO to 1000 feet alt., 
Jiiic/tauaii 187. 
Fig 1, Lower gUime ; 2, iip]ier glume ; 3, valve : 4. jiale ; .3, pistil, !<tauieiis ami luilicules. 
A// €itlar(jv(l. 
