702 
CL VII. GRAMINEZE (Stapf). 
[. Panicum . 
exserted, lower and upper shorter and frequently enclosed in their 
sheaths. Leaf-sheaths somewhat tight, terete, prominently and 
finely striate, hirsute with short spreading tubercle-based hairs ; 
ligule a fine ciliolate rim ; blades erect, the upper subappressed, 
linear, very slightly constricted at the base, tapering to an acute 
point, 1J-1 in. by 2-1 J lin., flat, soft but somewhat rigid, yellowish- 
green, densely and finely hirsute all over with the hairs conspicuously 
tubercle-based, margins scaberulous, midrib and primary lateral 
nerves (about 2 on each side) very fine to inconspicuous. Panicles 
erect, shortly exserted, ovate in outline, 2-3 in. by 1J in., widely open, 
very loose, stiff, divided to the second, rarely third degree ; common 
axis filiform, terete, smooth, with some fine long spreading hairs in 
the lower part, internodes 4-6 lin. long ; primary branches very fine, 
1J-1 in. long, smooth below, scaberulous upwards, the lowest bearing 
a few distant 2-spiculate branchlets or, like the others, solitary long- 
pedicelled spikelets ; pedicels mostly 3-6 lin. long, capillary, slightly 
thickened towards the truncate or subdiscoid tips. Spikelets ovate- 
oblong, acute, 1J-1J lin. long, pale or tinged with purple, glabrous. 
Glumes thinly membranous, unequal, finely and somewhat promi- 
nently nerved ; lower ovate, acute, half the length of the spikelet, 
5 -nerved ; upper corresponding in length and outline to the spikelet, 
7-nerved. Lower floret barren: valve very like the upper glume, 
but 9-nerved ; valvule much shorter and more or less reduced. 
Upper floret oblong, obtuse, up to 1 lin. long, uniformly 
dark chestnut-brown, polished ; valve and valvule crustaceous- 
coriaceous. 
Nile Land. Abyssinia : Gallabat ; in wet places of the chors near Matamma, 
Schweinfurth, 1585 ! Sudan : without precise locality, Penton ! 
57. P. novemnerve, Stapf. Annual, in small tufts, 1-2 ft. high. 
Culms erect or ascending, rather slender or somewhat stout, 5-8- 
noded, simple, or with weak flowering branches from some of the 
nodes, spreadingly hirsute, hairs conspicuously tubercle-based. Leaf- 
sheaths mostly much shorter than the internodes except the upper- 
most, terete, closely striate, hirsute like the culms except at the 
often elongated nodal bases which are delicately pubescent or loosely 
beset with very fine spreading, but not tubercle-based, longer hairs ; 
ligules very short, membranous, truncate, ciliate ; blades linear to 
lanceolate-linear from a slightly or inconspicuously rounded base, 
long-tapering to a slender point, 3-8 in. by 3-6 lin., flat, rather thin, 
with tubercle-based spreading hairs along the lower margins and 
midrib and here and there on the primary lateral nerves (above and 
below), otherwise glabrous and smooth, the hairs often early de- 
ciduous or more or less reduced or suppressed leaving bare tubercles, 
particularly on the nerves, margins scab rid upwards, midrib slender, 
prominent below, lateral primary nerves 5-6, fine. Panicles erect, 
broadly obovate to ovate in outline, early opening out and very lax, 
