PLATE 465. 
Andropogon distachyus. Linn. (Fl. lap., Vol. A'lL, p. o4o). 
Nat. Order (rraminea'. 
Pkkexnial, tufted. — Culm.s erect, slender, 1 to 2^ feet loi^i;', ^laljrous, terete 
about o-noded, simple or l)raiiched below ; sheaths terete, tight, gla))rous or particularly 
the lower, hairv, lowest rediiceil to ^•illous scales ; ligules iiicml)rauous, al)out 4 to |- 
line long, ciliolate, blades linear, tapering to a long and sometimes \'ery tine point, 2 to 
8 inches by ^ to 1^ line, flat, sul)rigid to flaccid, more or less hairy to ^■illous or sub- 
glabrous, margins rough. Racemes !2-]iate, very rarely o to o-nate, (Hstant from the 
u])permost sheath, 2 to 4 inches long, rathei- stout, strict or curxed ; joints cuneate, 
2 to 2^ lines long, stcnit, translucent along tlie mi<ldle, fineh' pubeseent on the back, 
ciliate along the t)uter margin, ti])s denticulate, pedicels similai', slightly longer, tinner 
and less translucent, tips ])roduccd into a denticulate lobe facing tlie u])pcr glume. 
/Sessile .yiilc/rfs 5 to 05- lines long, pale green, tips often pur|)lisli, callus sh(jrt, 
obtuse, bearded. 
(iLU.MKs, /oirer subherbaccous, broadly lanceolate, dorsally flattened, glabrous or 
puberulous. rai'cly aHIous. Keels broadly winged above, wings membranous, whitish 
or ])ur])lish, intracarinal nerves about 7 to If, ])artlv evanescent ]:)elow ; upper glume 
(hstinctly shorter than the lower, rigidly meml)ranous, boat-shaped, o-nerved, softly 
ciliate, ti|)s minutely 2-toothed with an inter] )osed Iji'istle, al)out as long as the glume. 
\ alves e(]ual, o lines long ; I'xcer 2-iierved. ciliate : uppe)' ol)long. 2-tid to f, firmer 
beloAv, o-uer\ed, lobes lanceolate, glabrous, a,wu slcndei-, about 1 inch long, kneed 
nuich below the middle, seabsrulous bel(^w the knee : pale minute or o))solete. Anthers 
line long. (Ji'ain oblong, 1 line long. 
I'edlvelled spiLclcfs male, similar to the sessile, about 4 lines long, but narrower. 
( I LUMKs, /(//rc^/' less acuminate and less distinctly winged, Avith a short terminal 
bristle ; upper thinly membranous, ^'alves delicately hvalint', upper shortly l)ifid, 
nuiticous. 
Edibitdbt '. Natal. Newcastle, Buclnotdii 17!); and without precise locality, 
Jji/ch(!ii((/i 15. 
Common in the Mediterranean countries, also in Abvssiuia and on Cameroon 
Peak." 
Drawn from Buchanan's 171>, which was kindly lent for the })urpose by the 
Director of the Ko^ al ( Jardeiis and Herbarium at Kew. 
Fif>' 1, Spikelets. Sca.siir spikchi — Fig 2, lower glume ; 3. upper glume ; 4, lower A^alve ; 
0, upper valve ; 6, pistil, stamens and lodicules. PrdieeUcd spikrlrt — 7, lower glume ; 8, upper 
glume ; 9, lower valve ; 10, upper valve ; 11, tloret. All eidur^ed. 
