690 
CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf). 
[ Panicum + 
and finely nerved, midrib very slender, primary lateral nerves about 
3 or 4 on each side, very fine. Panicle oblong to obovoid, up to over 
6 in. by 2-5 in. , very loose and open, divided to the fourth degree, quite 
glabrous ; common axis slender, finely striate or sulcate or angular 
upwards, like the primary divisions slightly scaberulous upwards, 
otherwise smooth ; primary branches filiform, at length obliquely 
or the lowest subhorizontally spreading, approximate in pairs or 
scanty false whorls or scattered, lower pairs or whorls distant by 
1J-J in., the lowest up to over 3 in. long, undivided for more than 
1 in. or only for a few lines, then very loosely divided, the secondary 
branches very finely filiform, often flexuous, from over 2 to \ in. long, 
at length divaricate, very loosely divided again, penultimate divisions 
with 3-2 distant spikelets, like the pedicels subcapillary, very slightly 
rough ; pedicels very obscurely thickened at the tips, the lateraL 
about 1 lin. long, or sometimes much shorter. Spikelets very early 
gaping, 1 lin. long, variegated with purple. Glumes membranous, 
finely or obscurely nerved, more or less purple ; lower ovate, acute 
or obscurely mucronulate (acuminate in profile), 5-nerved, appressed 
except the tips ; upper obliquely lanceolate-oblong, acuminate, 
almost 1 lin. long, 7-nerved. Lower floret : valve similar to the 
upper glume but broader, acute or subacute, 5-nerved ; valvule 
slightly shorter, oblong, subacute, flaps widened and overlapping at 
the base ; anthers § lin. long. Upper floret oblong, obtuse, 
f lin. by \ lin., white, glossy and smooth. — P. gracilifloium, Bendle 
n Cat. Afr. PL Welw. ii. 181 (partly). 
Mozambique Distr. Zanzibar : Kokotoni, on dry soil, Hildebrandt, 1087 ! 
1186 ! 1187 ! German East Africa : Usambara ; Muoa, Holst, 3120 ! 
44a. P. graciliflorum, Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 181 (partly). 
Perennial, up to over 2 ft. high. Culms crowded on a short rhizome, 
repeatedly geniculate, ascending, branched, slender, terete, smooth 
and glabrous, internodes long, the lower wiry. Leaf-sheaths tight, 
shorter than the internodes, striate, glabrous except for the minutely 
ciliate margins ; ligules short, membranous, ciliate ; blades linear,, 
tapering to a long fine point, 6-10 in. by up to 2 lin., rather stiff, 
margins at length revolute, glabrous, midrib very prominent on the 
lower face. Panicles ovate in outline, 8 in. long, very loose and 
widely open, divided to the fourth degree, quite glabrous ; common axis 
slender, finely striate or angular, like the primary divisions slightly 
scaberulous upwards, otherwise smooth ; primary branches filiform,, 
widely spreading, their divisions capillary ; pedicels 2-4 lin. long. 
Spikelets laterally compressed, early much gaping, 1J lin. long, 
glabrous, violet-purple. Glumes membranous, equal ; lower 
obliquely oblong in profile, long and subulate- or mucronate- 
acuminate or almost aristulate, equalling the spikelet, finely keeled 
upwards, the keel scaberulous, 3- to sub-5-nerved, the outer nerves 
faint and short ; upper obliquely ovate in profile, mucronate, 
5-nerved, the inner nerves joining at the tip, the outer some distance 
