Brachiaria .] 
CL VII. GrBAMINEiE (Stapf). 
528 
tilaginous, sometimes crisped, loosely and very minutely to densely 
spinulose upwards or almost smooth, nerves very numerous, rather 
obscure below, primary lateral nerves obscurely differentiated, 
midrib very slender ; uppermost blades reduced to a subulate 
point. Inflorescence shortly exserted, of 3-1 suberect or oblique 
secund sessile spiciform racemes ; common axis 2-J in. long, semi- 
terete or flattened, glabrous, smooth. Racemes simple, slender, 
moderately dense, |-1J in. long, 2-seriate in plan but usually 
1-seriate by the fusion of the ranks ; rhachis flattened, with a 
wavy or almost straight prominent keel on the face, J-J lin. wide, 
pubescent at the short pulvinus, otherwise glabrous and smooth 
or almost so, greenish, internodes £-1 lin. long ; pedicels solitary, 
very short with subdiscoid tips, glabrous and smooth. Spikelets 
subcontiguous if 1-seriate, otherwise discontiguous, oblong, obtuse 
to subacute, 1J-1J- lin. long, greenish, glabrous. Glumes very 
unequal, membranous ; the lower broad-ovate or rounded, slightly 
clasping at the base, obtuse, one-third to one-half; the length of the 
spikelet, about 11 -nerved without cross- veins ; upper glume cor- 
responding in outline and size to the spikelet, 7-9-nerved, with 
numerous cross -veins which like the nerves are slightly prominu- 
lous. Lower floret as long as the spikelet ; valve flattened on 
the back, broad-oblong, subobtuse to acute, thinly membranous, 
5-nerved with lateral nerves near the margin, and more or less 
prominulous cross-nerves ; valvule oblong, slightly shorter than 
the valve with smooth fine keels. Upper floret oblong, obtuse, 
almost as long as the spikelet, pale ; valve and valvule crustaoeous, 
very obscurely pitted or almost smooth, keel-margins of valvule 
faint. Anthers mm. long. 
Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool District ; Mokaba, Vanderyst : 
3864 ! 3889 ! 3619 ! Kitebe, Vanderyst, 3687 ! on sand banks at Muschie , 
Vanderyst, 3971 ! 
t^~bo~p4 ) 
14. B. interstipitata^/Sto^/’. Perennial (base not known). Culms 
robust, evidently tall with the upper internodes exserted and 
accompanied by short leafy branches, quite glabrous and smooth. 
Leaves quite glabrous ; sheaths rather loose, very smooth and 
shining, the upper 4-5 in. long ; ligules a dense fringe of hairs, 
1 lin. long ; blades linear from a broadly rounded or cordate base, 
tapering to a long slender point, up to 2 ft. by 1 in., flat, green, 
spinulously scab rid along the margins, otherwise smooth and 
glabrous, midrib prominent below, primary lateral nerves 6-7 on 
each side. Inflorescence secund, of 9-15 mostly solitary sessile 
or subsessile spike-like racemes, the lower of which (or their pairs) 
are widely distant whilst the upper are much more approximate ; 
common axis slightly stout, smooth, glabrous. Racemes secund, 
simple, 2-seriate, rather dense, glabrous, straight or arching or 
flexuous, 4-2 in. long ; rhachis flattened, herbaceous with a midrib 
