666 clvii . gramineje (Stapf). [. Panicum . 
brownish-green, quite glabrous, almost dull. Glumes membranous, 
finely but somewhat prominently nerved, very concave, obtuse, 
the lower narrow in profile, two-thirds to three-quarters the length 
of the spikelet, 3-nerved, upper equalling the spikelet, very broad 
in profile and very convex on the back, 5-nerved. Lower floret g : 
valve very similar to the upper glume but narrower in profile with a 
less curved back ; valvule very slightly shorter. Upper floret 
elliptic in outline, obtuse, not quite § lin. by J lin., whitish ; valve 
and valvule thinly papfery, very minutely verrucose, warts pointed ; 
anthers almost J lin. long. 
Nile Land. Jur: Ghatta’s Great Seriba, Schweinfurth, 2288 ! 
16. P. strictissimum, Afz. ex Sw. Adnot. Bot. 4. Perennial, 1-4 ft. 
high, in slender scanty tufts. Culms erect, hardly geniculate, 
slender to moderately stout, sparingly branched, many-noded, 
sheathed almost all along or the upper internodes at length exserted, 
glabrous. Leaf-sheaths terete, rather tight, quite glabrous, smooth, 
prominently striate ; ligule reduced to an obscure ciliolate rim ; 
blades linear from a shortly rounded and constricted base, tapering 
to a slender acute point, 4-6 in. (according to Swartz up to over 1 \ ft.) 
by 3 lin., stiffly erect or suberect, flat, glabrous or with a few scattered 
very long white hairs towards the base, smooth below, rough above 
and along the margins, midrib rather conspicuous downwards on the 
back, otherwise very slender, lateral nerves numerous, slender and 
close. Panicle permanently enclosed at the base in the uppermost 
sheath or at length shortly exserted, erect, oblong-obovate to obovate 
in outline, more or less open in flower, then contracted, 3 to over 6 in. 
long, divided to the third or sometimes fourth degree ; common axis 
slender, terete or angular, smooth or more or less rough upwards, 
lowest internodes about" 1 in. long ; lower primary branches solitary, 
undivided for up to 1 in., the following divided from the base, the 
longest more than three-quarters the length of the panicle, finely 
filiform or somewhat stouter and flattened towards the base, scaberu- 
lous, ultimate divisions capillary, more or less wavy ; pedicels 
capillary with minute discoid tips, the lateral from \ up to 1J lin. 
long, the terminal rarely over 3 lin. long. Spikelets plump, rotun- 
date-elliptic in outline, shortly more or less obtuse, about J lin. long, 
pale olive-green, usually dull, glabrous or sparingly hairy. Glumes 
membranous, very concave, broad-elliptic in outline, subacute in 
profile, subequal (the lower very slightly shorter) with the nerves 
usually not prominent, lower 3-, upper 5-nerved. Lower floret $ : 
valve very like the upper glume, 5-nerved ; valvule slightly shorter ; 
anthers f lin. long. Upper floret elliptic in outline, acute, pale, 
§ lin. long ; valve and valvule thin, papery, sparingly verrucose, 
warts formed of ovoid acute hairs. 
Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : Mabum, Thomas , 1540 ! 1571 ! 1631 ! and 
without precise locality, Afzelius ! 
