PLATE 473. 
Panicum Crits-gallt, Liliii. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VIL, p. .'397). 
Nat. Order Gran linear 
Annual. — CUtlms creniculately ascendiiio;, compressed below, 1 to 8 feet high, 
glaljrous, smooth, o to 5-iioded, sheathed all along or the internodes at length more 
or less exserted, often branched below ; slieaths striate, smooth, the lower often 
strongly comjiressed, whitish, glabrous except the lowest, which are pul)escent at 
the vei'v base ; ligules 0, junction of blade and sheath glabrous inside. Blades 
linear from a scarcely narrowed base, tapering to an acute point, 3 to 8 inches by 3 
to G lines, tlat, subfiaccid, glabrous, more or less glaucous, smooth above, scaberulous 
below, particularly towards the tip, margins tineiy cartilaginous, scabrid to almost 
smootli, midrib nai'row. 
Panicle ei'ect, strict, or tlexuous, 3 to 8 inclies long; axis trl([uetrous. 3 to 
.'i-angled, scabrid; branches few to about 15, solitary or 2-nate, suberect or 
spreading, distant except the uppermcxst, the lower 1 to 2^ inclies long, forming 
rather stout, dense, simple or subsim|)]e, subsecund, sessile false s])ikes ; rhachis 
triquetrous, scabrid, coarsely bristly, particidarly near the nodes. Pedicels fascicled 
or 2-nate, very short, up to i line long, sc;d)rid, bristly at the base, tijjs obscurely 
discoifl. 
Si'TKLLKXS cniwded, ovoid-ellipsoid, cuspidate, 1^ to line long, greenish or 
tinged with pui'])le. 
Glumes, Joirer membranous, very broadly ovate, clasping at tlie base, obtuse 
to subcuspidate, |- line long, 5-nerved, scaberulous ; upper herbaceous-membranous, 
very broadly ovate-oblong, concave, acute or cuspidate, 1^ line long, 5- (or near 
the tips) 7-nerved, rigidly pubescent between the scabrid and spinulous nerves. 
Florets, loirer barren ; valve similar to the upper glume, but flat or depressad on 
the back ; cuspidate or produced into a scabrid, often long, awn, 7-nerved through- 
out or only towards the tips ; pale elliptic, shorter by \ than the valve, keels 
scaberulous above ; perfect floret elliptic-ovate, cuspidate, over 1 line long, whitish 
or yellowish, smooth ; valve subcoriaceous, 5-nerved. Anthers oblong, scarcely f 
line long ; grain broadly elliptic, \ line long. 
Habitat: Natal. Near Durban, Willia msmi , Biichdnan 3 ; Berea, ir^^rv/ 8883. 
Fig 1. Ijowei- glume; 2, upper glume; ."5, lower valve; 4, pale; 5, ii[)per valve ami 
])ale ; 6, pale ; 7, pistil, stamens and lodicules. All cnldriicd. 
