576 
CL VII. GKAMINE^J (Stapf). 
[. Paspalum . 
and Indo-Malayan regions with an extension into New Zealand and Australia, 
and is therefore outside the scope of this work. P. scrobiculatum, var. Com- 
mersonii as defined in this place is a remarkably variable ” group, the final 
analysis of which can only be undertaken in the field and the experimental plot. 
Many of its states come probably within the range of individual variation and 
response to external conditions, whilst others suggest the presence of definite 
strains or crosses between them. 
A state with the leaves hairy all over has been described as P. Jardini by 
Steudel and as P. scrobiculatum, var. velutinum by Hackel. There seems to be 
no definite correlation between this and other characters, nor is this condition 
geographically confined. In fact, glabrous and hairy specimens have been 
collected side by side ( e.g . Hooker’s from Domingo Valley in S. Jago, Cape Verd 
Islands). The size, shape and nervation of the spikelet seem to be subject to 
similar apparently unaccountable fluctuations, but so that very small (^- £- lin. 
long) suborbicular spikelets are rather exceptional, whilst the addition of a pair 
of intramarginal nerves in the lower floret is more common. Another modifica- 
tion consists in the hardening of the valve of the lower floret, whereby it becomes 
more or Jess cartilaginous (P. cartilagineum, Presl). This has its parallel in 
other species of Paspalum and of Brachiaria. It may extend to all or only to 
some of the spikelets of an inflorescence, and it occurs altogether erratically. 
The number of racemes per inflorescence varies from 1 to 4, but 2 is most 
frequent (52 - 9 per cent, in 450 inflorescences examined), then come three (with 
26 ‘9 per cent.), then one (10*9 per cent.) and 4 (9\1 per cent.) ; but whilst 2- and 
3-racemed inflorescences may be considered to mark the normal range throughout 
the area, 1-racemed inflorescences are by far the commonest in Eastern Africa 
(from the Red Sea to Natal and in the Mascarene Islands) and 4-racemed in- 
florescences are met with mainly in West Africa from Lagos to the Congo. This 
polymorphism is further enhanced by a considerable diversity of habit — stiffly 
erect and semi -prostrate, tall and stunted, scantily tufted and heavily bunched 
and leafy specimens. 
P. scrobiculatum is regarded as a fodder grass of some value ( JJuthie , 
Appleton) and is said to constitute the only pasture in the Sende district in the 
Belgian Congo (Stanley Pool Distr.), but it ought to be stated that in India 
suspicious cases oX cattle poisoning have been connected with this grass. 
Var. polystachyum, f i,8ta > pi. Usually a taller and stouter plant than var. 
Commersonii , up to over 4 ft. high ; culms 5-9- (mostly 6-) noded and usually 
sheathed all along ; leaves commonly quite glabrous, very rarely loosely hirsute, 
blades up to over 1 ft. by 7 lin., the longest of a culm mostly 9-12 in. by 4 lin. ; 
inflorescences of 4-7, less often up to 10, very rarely up to 18 racemes, their 
peduncles always overtopped by the uppermost leaf and not or very shortly 
exserted from its sheath during flowering, very rarely with an accessory reduced 
inflorescence from the axil of the last sheath or last but one ; common axis 
rarely over 2 in. long, often very much shorter ; racemes 2£-4 in. long or the 
weakest of an inflorescence shorter, their ranks mostly facing almost one way ; 
rhachis 1-1£ (rarely If) lin. wide; spikelets broad-elliptic to suborbicular in 
outline, usually very obtuse, 1-1£ lin. long, cinnamon-colour to olive-brown, at 
length darkening. — P. firmum, Trin. Gram. Pan. 105, and Sp. Gram. Ic. 125 ; 
Kuntli, Enum. i. 60; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 28. P. ^scrobiculatum, Benth. 
in Hook. Niger PL 557 (partly) ; Durand & Scliinz ; Etudes PI. Congo, 320 
(partly); Durand & De Wild. Mat. PI. Congo, i. 44 ; not of Linn. P. scrobi- 
culatum, var., Pobeguin, Ess. PI. Guin. Pran9. 215. P. scrobiculatum, var. 
polystachyum, Cheval. Sudania, 33. 
Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Pendembu, 300 ft., Thomas, 740 ! Makump, 
400 ft., Thomas, 966! Mabam, 370 ft., Thomas, 1580! French Guinea: 
Kouroussa, Pobeguin, 487 ! Middle Niger : Mande Country ; Nafadie, Chevalier, 
2250 ! Southern Nigeria : Opobo, Jeffreys, 22 ! 25 ! Awka District ; Agolo, Obu, 
Thomas'. Nun Diver, Vogel, 51 ! Mann, 535! Idu, New Calabar, Holland , 
132 ! Onitsha, Macleod ! Northern Nigeria : Lokoja District, Richardson ! 
Buruta, common in marshy ground near the Niger, Parsons ! Nupe ; in swamps, 
