Fknttca. Limi. 
Spikelets livteriill\' conijjix'sscd (nt least aftci' Howoriiio-) paiiicli'd. I'liacliilla dis- 
articulatiiifi; aboxc the uliiiiu's and Ix'twocii the xaKos. I'lorcts 2 to inaiiv. ])i'rtVct (tlic 
up])ennost usualh' reduced), distiiictK' exserted IVoiii the uiiiiiies. (iliiuies snl)e(|ual. 
rarely eons])icu()iisl\- iiiie(|iial. siil)]u'rl)aee()us oi- siihscai'ioiis. more oi- less keeled. 1-^)- 
(rarely the U])])ei" .">) nerxcd. \ ahes laneeolate, niiiticoiis. iinicroiiate oi" awiu'il. liei'- 
baceoiis. I'oiiiided on the hack or keeled towards the tip. r)-7-ner\('(l ; iiiiiero oi" awn 
from the ti]) or vvv\ close to it. sti'aiuht : calhis small, u'lahrons or almost so. Pales 
2-keeled, more or less :^-toothed. Lodicules '2, une<iually :^dol)e(l oi* entire. Inaline. 
Stamens o. Ovarx* <i'lal)rous or the top minntelv haii'v ; st\ les distinct, \-er_v short, 
terminal or subtei'niinal ; sti,n"mas ]>lumose, lateralK- exserted. drain ti^^litlx' enclosed 
l)y the sliii'litlv hai'dened valx'e and ])ale. free oi" more or less adherin;^' to the pale or to 
Itoth, ol)l()n^". dorsalK' conxcx. iiroo\ed or conca\'e in front ; hihim lineai". lonj^' ; 
embryo small. !\'rennial, tnfted : siieatiis open or more o)' less closed ; liu'ules 
scarious ; blades flat, foldeil or conxohite, often setaceons. Panicles more or less 
compound, contracted oi' o|»en. sometimes eifuse. 
Xumerous sj)ecies, often xery ditHciilt to discriminate, in tlie teniju'rate reii'ions. 
]>articidarly of tlie noi'thern hemisphere, and a few in the hiii'h mountains of the tropics. 
PLATE 456. 
FesTECA roSTA'PA. Xees. (Fl. (ap., A'ol. X'Tf.. ]). 7'2\). 
Xat. Oi-der (iraminea'. 
Pekexxtae. densel\- tufted : iiino\ation slioots intravau'inal. 
Celms ei'cct. I'obust. u|» to .") feet loni;'. smooth, about l^-iioded. internodes 
exserted. 
Leax es u'labi'ous : l)asal sheaths ci"o\vded. the outer coriaceous, bi-own. at lenfi'th 
breakin<i' uj) into tibi^'s. persistent, njtpcr sonle^vhat lax. striatt' to sulcate, ^'I'een. 
smooth, uppermost more than ^ foot lon<>\ li^'ules ovate, obtuse. \^ to '2 lines lon^- ; 
blades conxolute in l)ud, then Mat. or inxolute when di'\-, much narrower than the 
sheath, linear, ta]>erin;^" to a \ei'\- acute point, Imrcf up to more than 1 foot })y H b> o 
lines, tii'm. smooth on both sides oi* scabi'id abox e and alon^' the mar<>'ins, prominently 
I'iblx'd on the u|i|>er side, with a continuous sclei'enchx inatous hwei' on the back, 
I'axici.e contracted or o])eii. lax. anuulai'. or anci])itous above ; branclu's 2 oi" 
o-viate, Idirer \vv\ I'cmote. filiform, flex nous, ei'cct oi' spi-eadinu". an<i'ular. or ancij)itous. 
smooth or scal)i'id. lowest 4 to (i inches lonu'. usually un(li^•i(led to the middle or 
be^•on(l, then looseK (hx ided : branchlets contractecl. tine : ]>edieels very une(pial. 1 to 
(! lines lonu'. often \vv\ flexuous. 
Seikei.ei's ei"ect or noddinu'. elliptic, (i to S lines lonu', ui'een, tin^e<l with |)Ui'])le 
or violet. \ci'\' looseK' .") to "-Howered : I'hachilla \-er\' slender, joints u]i to 1 line lonu'. 
(lEE-XFEs sul)e(pial oi' Imrcr distiiictK' shortei'. to o lines lonii', iippcv W to \ 
lines l(^n<;\ l)Oth lanceolate, acute. i)-ner\ed. smooth. \'al\('s lanceolate in ])rotile. 
acute or minutelv mucronate. 4 to .')|- lines lonu'. rather tiiMU. scaberuloiis. distinctK' 
■")-nei'\ed ; keels of pale scaberiilous ; lodicules lanceolate, oxer \ line loni;'. Anthei's 
2 to lines lonn' ; top of oxarx' pubescent. 
Habitat: Xatai,. Kiet \'lei. KHHI to :)()()() bn-t alt.. llnrlKiiiaii 2:\\ : lienvie. 
Karkloof, .'lOOO- lOOO b'ct alt.. W'oih I {'){)[):) ; and without precise locality, /liiclia/ia/t .");>. 
Also in Xxassaland. 
Drawn iVom Ibichanan's l^")4. 
Fif;' 1. A s|)ik(4('t : 2. \:'\\or <,diinio : ."l. upper o-]iiino : 4, vnlxe ; ]iale : 6, pii^tH ancl 
lodicules : 7, grain, front view : .s, same, l)ack view. A// cn/aiycd. 
