PLATE 488. 
Sporobolus 8UBT1LIS, Kuiith. (Fl. Cap., Vol. VII., p. 588). 
Nat. Older Graminete. 
Perennial, densely cpespitose, soiiietiiiiefs stolouiferous, erect, 1 to foot 
long, smooth, glabrous, about 4-noded, internodes enclosed oi- shortly exserted. 
Leaves glabrous, smooth ; sheaths very tight, more or less bearded at the 
mouth ; ligule a minutely ciliolate rim ; l)lades very narrow, setaceouslv convolute, 
acute, '2 to 5 inches long, striate. 
Panicle embraced at the base by the uppermost sheath, ovoid to oblong, 
open, very lax, 2 to 4 inches long, much branched ; branches and branchlets 
capillary, with very long and fine hairs from the axils ; pedicels very variable in 
length (from ^ to line long in the Natal, up to 5 lines long in the Madagascar 
specimens). 
Spikelets lanceolate, acute, ^ line long ; rhachilla produced into a fine bristle 
half as long to almost as long as the floret. 
Glumes subequal, lanceolate in profile, acute, i to § line long. Lower 1, upper 
1 to 3 -nerved. Valve ovate-lanceolate in profile, f line long, 3-nerved, lateral 
nerves evanescent above the middle. Pale as long as the valve or very slightly 
longer ; keels very fine, percurrent or evanescent below the subciliolate tips. 
Anthers § to J line long. Grain oblong, f line by ^-i line, subterete, finely 
striate ; pericarp adnate to the seed, indistinct ; embryo not quite ^ the length of 
the grain. 
Hdbitclt : Natal. Grassy flats between Umlazi River and Durban Bay, 
Kouiiss, 212. Also in Madagascar. 
The Natal plant dift'ers from the Madagascar specimens which I have seen 
(Hildebrandt 490G ; Baron 672 and 4092) in the much shoi'ter ramifications of the 
]ianicle. The presence of a bristle-like continuation of the rhachilla is unique 
in the genus ; as the structure of the spikelet is, however, otherwise essentially 
that of Spiirobolus it does not seem expedient to separate this species from that 
genus (Dr. (). Sta|jf). 
Our drawing was made from a drawing made by Miss Smith at Kew, and 
kindly sent to us for the purpose by the Director. 
Fig 1, Plant with inflorescence, natural size ; 2, ])lant in leaf only, natni-al size ; 3. 
spikelets ; 4, lower glume : 5, upper glume ; 6, valve and ])ale with termination of rhachis ; 
7, valve ; 8, pale ; 9, lodicules, stamens and pistil. K.vccpt Fiiji: 1 uiid 2, all (•iilai-ijed. 
