630 
clvii. geamine.® (Stapf). [< Commelinidium . 
acuminate, 2-4 in. by f-lj in., quite flat, somewhat firm, dark green, 
very minutely stiffly and appressedly hairy above between the 
nerves, with some fine small bristles here and there, or glabrescent 
to almost quite glabrous, finely and softly pubescent below, trans- 
verse veins distinct, midrib fine, primary lateral nerves 3-5, very 
slender and slightly differentiated from the secondary nerves (about 
6 per interval). Inflorescences 1-2, terminal or subterminal from 
the uppermost leaves, very shortly exserted, with up to 5 erect or 
suberect branches ; axis J t6 over 2 in. long, filiform, angular, loosely 
hairy ; branches similar to the axis but finer, the lower equalling 
half to over two-thirds of the panicle and in the longer panicles 
bearing up to 6 loosely disposed pairs of spikelets, in small panicles 
the spikelets rather crowded ; pedicels angular, truncate, one very 
short, the other up to J lin. long. Spikelets oblong, obtuse (rarely 
acute), 2J to almost 3 lin. long, somewhat plump, dull greenish, 
glabrous. Glumes membranous, prominently nerved, quite glabrous 
or with a few very minute hairs at the slightly callous tips ; lower 
ovate, subacute, about half the length of the spikelet, 3-nerved ; 
upper corresponding in length and outline to the spikelet, 5-nerved. 
Lower floret barrel] : valve very like the upper glume ; valvule very 
thin and appressed to the fertile floret. Upper floret as long as the 
lower, turning brown, polished : valve and valvule thinly coriaceous- 
crustaceous, the former obscurely keeled with a laterally compressed 
minutely puberulous apiculus, the latter subapiculate with the tip 
slightly recurved ; anthers 1 \ lin. long. 
Upper Guinea. Ivory Coast : Guideko, in the basin of the middle Sassandra 
river, Chevalier, 1 6396 ! near Assikasso, in the region of the middle Comoe river, 
Chevalier, 22598 ! 
Lower Guinea. Belgian Congo : Stanley Pool Distr. ; between Leopoldville 
and Mombasi, Gillet, 2512 ! 
Gillet’s specimen is referred here with some doubt. 
69. OPLISMENUS, P. Beauv. Flor. Owar. ii. 14. 
Spikelets oblong to ovate-oblong or lanceolate, awned from the 
glumes, falling entire from the pedicels, in small clusters on a common 
axis or 2-nate or solitary, secund and abaxial on the angular rhachis 
of racemosely arranged densely or more rarely interruptedly spiciform 
racemes ; lower floret or barren with a perfect or reduced or no 
valvule ; upper floret £>. Glumes similar in shape and texture, 
subequal, herbaceous to’ membranous, 3-7-nerved, both or at least 
the lower awned, more or less keeled upwards. Lower floret exceed- 
ing the glumes ; valve resembling them, 5-9-nerved, muticous or 
mucronate or very shortly awned ; valvule subequal to the valve 
and 2-nerved when perfect. Upper floret : valve oblong, broadly 
involute with firm margins, muticous, chartaceous to subcoriaceous ; 
valvule equalling the valve and embraced by the valve all along. 
