PLATE 457. 
FfsTUCA Sf'ABKA, \:\\]\. {11. ( ':!])., XU.. ]). T'J-J). 
Xat. Order (iraminea?. 
Din<:('T( »rs. romi^nrtlv Cii'spitoso ; imi()\ati(»ii shoots iiitrnvauiiinl. — ('tlms erect, 
^ to o feet lono-, rather robust, smooth, very i'arel\- sc;iherulons. l-i^-iiodcd. iippeiMiiost 
iiiternode lon^ii" exserted. 
Leaves erowded at tlieliase ; liasal slieatlis liroad, firm, o]icn to the base, breaking- 
up at length and forming dense tiglit eoats ol" filtres. smootli ; u])])er slieaths rather 
tight, gradna!l\' longei', sti'iate. smootli. I'arely scabi-id to \'erv scabrid ; ligules ovate, 
obtuse, u]» to Ij line long ; bla<les eomolnte in bud. then open oi' involute when dr^'. 
lineal', aeute. .') to S inches by 1^ to o lines, firm, usually rather rigid. !» to lo-nerved. 
smooth below, scabrid aboNc or rarely \'ei'y scabi'id all o\'er. ner\('s ])rominent on the 
U])])er side. 
Paxtcle very narrow, d(Mise, often s])ikedike. sometimes interru]ite(l, sti'aiglit or 
slightlv nodding. .") to (S inches long : rhachis terete, striate juid smooth below, angular 
and scabrid to hispidulous above ; l)riuiches !^-nate oi' solitary, s]iai"ingl\' to abundanth' 
and Ncry closely (li\ ide(l from the base oi- rarely un<li\"ide(l foi- ;i few lines ; l»ranchlets 
and ]H'di(M'ls vvvv short, scabrid. 
Spikei>e'I's denselx' civ^wded, ol»long, f-.") liiu's long, green, often tinge(l with 
pur])le, Ol' glaueescent. closcK- 4 to (i-fiowered ; fiorets unisexual witli the rudiments 
of the other sex. 
riu'MES unetpial to subequal, lineardaneeolate in ])rofile, acute to subobtnse. 
firmlv herbaceous except at the hyaliiK^ margins, smooth or scaberulous, loiirr usualh- 
shorter, 1;^ to lines long, 1 -ner\'ed. i/jijirr \ '-} to 8 lines long, o-ner\'ed. \'alves 
oblong, acttte <^r subacute, sometimes mucronulate, '2^ to oi lines long, scaberulous at 
least in the u])])er part, distinctly o-nerved. Pales minutely :2-tootlied or entire, keels 
stout, scabrid ; lodicules o\ate, acute. Anthers 1|- line long, on fine long filaments in 
the male, ver\- minute and empty and on \'ery short delicate filaments in the female. 
OvarA' obovoid, very densely \ iIlous from the middle upwards, with rather short 
loosel\- ])himose stigmas in the female, (pute rudimentary in the male ; grain oblono-. 
dorsallv com])ressed, subconca\'e in front. lines long ; embryo short ; hilum filibirm. 
^ to ^ the length of the grain. 
HabitSit : Natal. Near Ne^vcastIe, 4()()() feet alt., Jlnc]i(nuiii IS"). 
As no s])ecimen of this grass was in our collecti(~>n, the Director of Kew Gardens 
and Herbarium verv kindly lent us two s])ecimens, one being from Natal, the other 
a Cape specimen ; as the Natal s])eciinen Avas male only, from these two conjointly the 
drawino- and dissections were made. 
Fip; 1, fjower ijlnme ; 2, ii]i]>er o'liimo ; 3, valve : 4, ]);de : ."», ]>i<til, stiinioii> and loiliciiles 
from female plant ; G, sanii\ iVotn m;d(^ ])l;nit. All cnlanieil. 
