CLV1I. GrRAMlNE J3 (Stapf). 
559 
Brachiaria .] 
the Niger and Benue, Vogel ! Ansell ! Lokoja, Richardson ! Dalziel, 280 ! 
Nupe ; about villages on cultivated ground, Barter, 719 ! Baikit, ! in shady 
ravines, Barter , 1367 ! Sokoto ; common in fields, Dalziel, 475! 
Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Cataracts District ; Lukungu, in sand, 
800-2000 ft., Hens, 215 A ! Angola : Pungo Andongo ; Pedras de Guinga, 
Welwitscli, 2934 ! 
Panicum Despreauxii, Steud., which is reduced here to a synonym of P. 
distidiophyllum, was described from specimens which differ from typical 
examples of the latter only in that the longer white hairs of the spikelets are 
sometimes gathered into a well-defined transverse fringe below the apex 
which they overtop slightly. In other spikelets, however, of the same in- 
florescence, they are distributed more irregularly or are altogether very scarce, 
so that this peculiarity, which seems to have escaped the author, cannot be 
relied upon. 
Panicum distichophylloides, Mez, has been referred here on account of Barter, 
1367, the original of Mez’s species; but the description, although tallying with 
B. disticliophylla, in most respects, differs in others, as the size of the blade 
(± 70 mm. by 4 mm.) and the spikelets (± 4 mm.) ; also the presence of a large 
valvule in the lower floret. See also Barter 1367B under B. regularis (p. 545). 
Excellent pasture grass, the ordinary fodder for the hippopotamus all the 
year through ( Lecard ). A * 
■) 
46. B. kotschyana„ Staff. Annual, \ to over 2 ft. high. Culms 
slender or more often rather robust, terete, geniculate, usually ascend- 
ing from a shortly decumbent or prostrate and then rooting base, 
rarely almost erect, more or less branched, with the branches sub- 
erect, few- to many-noded, the uppermost internode often very 
long, at length always more or less exserted and like the preceding 
internodes (or at least their upper parts) more or less pubescent or 
more rarely glabrous and smooth. Leaf-sheaths subherbaceous, 
rather firm and tight, those supporting a branch slipping off the culm 
and often rolled round the branch, striate, pubescent to softly and 
shortly hirsute ; ligules reduced to a narrow ciliolate rim ; blades 
lanceolate to linear-lanceolate from a shortly rounded but not clasp- 
ing base, tapering to an acute point from low down, 1-3 in. by 2-5 
lin., stiff and somewhat succulem, green, of the same vestiture as 
the sheath, rarely glabrescent with age, margins cartilaginous, 
minutely spinulously ciliolate and frequently closely crisped (at least 
one of them), primary lateral nerves 3-4 on each side, very fine, 
differentiated from the very numerous and close secondary nerves 
below only, midrib very slender. Panicle more or less exserted, 
secund or subsecund, 3 (rarely 2) to over 6 in. long, of 6 to very many 
oblique rarely subhorizontal moderately distant solitary slender 
more or less interrupted mostly compound racemes ; common axis 
very slender, terete, adaxillarily channelled, or more or less flattened 
upwards, terminating with a spikelet. Racemes straight or fiexuous 
and sometimes nodding, the lowest and intermediate \ to over 3 in. 
long, the following gradually shorter, compound up to or sometimes 
far beyond the middle, secondary racemes very short except the 
lowest which may be up to J (very rarely 1) in. long ; rhachis very 
slender, subtriquetrous or semiterete and channelled in the lower 
