PLATE 476. 
Panicum hymeniochilum, Nees. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 399). 
Nat. Order Graminese. 
Culms decumbent, very slender and weak, 1 to 1| foot long, more or less 
finely hairy or glabrescent, many-noded, branched from some or most of the nodes, 
internodes exserted. 
Leaves finely hairy ; sheaths thin, rather tight, at length often loose and 
thrown aside, strongly striate, tubercled between the nerves ; ligule an obscure 
ciliolate rim ; blades lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, tapering almost from the broad 
clasping base to a fine point, 1 to 3 inches, by 1 J to 3 lines, flat, flaccid, margins 
scabrid, sometimes callously serrulate, and often with a few bristles towards the 
base. 
Panicles very scanty, flaccid, I to 1^ inch long, consisting of few 5-2-spiculate 
short branches, up to ^ inch long ; axis, branches and pedicels filiform, angular, 
finely hairy or glabrescent, sub-scaberulous, lateral pedicels very short. 
Spikelets oblong, subobtuse, \\ line long, greenish, glabrous, finely but 
prominently nerved. 
Glumes, lower lanceolate to subulate from a broader base, 1 -nerved, hyaline, 
equalling ^ of the spikelet ; vpper one thinly herbaceous, oblong, subobtuse, 1 line 
long, 7 to l)-nerved. Florets, lower male ; valve like the upper glume, 1;^ line 
long, 7 to O-nerved ; pale slightly shorter, keels scabrid above, evanescent below 
the hyaline tip ; perfect floret oblong, subobtuse, 1 line long, suKwth, wliitisli ; 
valve thinly chartaceous, 5-nerved ; anthers ^ line long. 
Var. (jhi iidnlosnm, Nees. — More robust ; blades up to inclios by 3 lines, 
mf)re denselv liairv to villous ; panicle oblong to ovate, up to 3 inches long, mucli 
more divided : axis, branches and branclilets with scattered gland-tipped hairs, 
branches suberect or spreading, up to more than I inch long ; pedicels longer ; 
spikelets more scattered. 
ESibitSit : Natal. Between the Umzimkulu River and the Umkomanzi 
River, Drege 4247 ; var. f/IaridnIos7i'ni, near the Qmlazi River, below 200 feet, 
Drege 4292 : on the Flats near Durban. Drege 4248 : coastland, S'ltJierlarid. 
Our drawing was copied from one made by Miss M. Smith at Kew, and kindly 
sent to us by the Director. 
Fig 1, Whole plant { Drege 4247 ) ; 2, inflorescence {Drege 4292) ; 3, branclilets ; 4, two 
spikelets ; 5, Inwer glume ; 6, upper glume : 7, valve of male floret ; 8, pale of male floret ; 
9, valve of perfect floret ; 10, pale ; 11, pistil, stamens and lodicules. Fujs 1 and 2 natural 
size, remainder enlarged. 
