Panicum. J 
CL VII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf). 
703 
the base enclosed in the uppermost sheath at the time of flowering, 
then exserted by 2-3 in., 4-8 in. by 2-6 in., divided to the fourth degree, 
all the divisions filiform to subcapillary, angular, scaberulous to 
scabrid, the lower part of the slender grooved or striate primary axis 
and often also the bases of the primary branches hirsute like the 
peduncle ; primary branches in false whorls or approximate in pairs 
or solitary, the lowest up to over 4 in. long, at length spreading at 
an angle of 45-60°, very loosely divided from the base or a short 
(rarely longer, up to 5 lin.) distance above it, bearing usually 2- 
spiculate spreading branchlets with the spikelets usually in their 
upper half or upper third ; pedicels at length more or less appressed, 
subclavellate upwards, the lateral 1-2 lin., the terminal to 4 and 
even 6 lin. long. Spikelets ovate-oblong, acute, up to 1J lin. long, 
green or tinged with purple, glabrous. Glumes unequal, distinctly 
and more or less prominently nerved ; lower broad-ovate, acute, 
about half the length of the spikelet, 5-nerved ; upper corresponding 
in size and outline to the spikelet, broadly rounded on the back, 
9- (very rarely 7-) nerved, nerves green, not anastomosing. Lower 
floret barren ; valve very similar to the lower glume, always 9- 
nerved ; valvule elliptic-oblong, about half to two-thirds the length 
of the valve. Upper floret oblong, subobtuse, almost 1 lin. long, 
dark brown to black when mature, very smooth and glossy ; valve 
and valvule crustaceous. 
Mozambique Distr. Rhodesia ; Mashonaland ; Salisbury, Allen, 692 ! 
Mrs. Gr aster, 27 ! N. Mazoe District, Mundy ! Buluwayo and Matoppo Hills, 
Appleton, 6 ! 
Similar to the North American P. capillare, Linn., but differing in the more- 
noded culms with exserted internodes, the smaller less compound panicle and 
slightly larger spikelets with a 9 -nerved upper glume and lower valve. Hitch- 
cock and Chase ( Gontrib . U.S. Nat. Herb. xv. 57) refer the plant described by me 
in Flora Capensis, vii. 407 under P. capillare to P. Gattingeri, Nash, but a re- 
examination of the specimen suggests rather P. barbipulvinatum, Nash, another 
segregate of P. capillar is (sensu lato), very widely distributed throughout the 
inner and western States of the Union. It is also very similar to P. atrosan - 
guineum, but is coarser and taller, with slightly larger spikelets and more 
numerous nerves in the upper glume and lower valve. 
58. P. atrosanguineum, Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 
375. Annual, tufted, from a few inches to over 1 ft. high. Culms 
erect or geniculately ascending, very slender, terete, 4-5-noded, 
simple or sparingly branched with all the branches flowering, glabrous 
or spreadingly and softly hirsute with tubercle-based hairs, nodes 
exserted or in short specimens or towards the base enclosed. Leaf- 
sheaths tight, terete, thin, prominently striate, with the same 
indumentum as the culms ; ligule a densely ciliolate rim ; blades 
linear-lanceolate to linear from a more or less rounded base, tapering 
to an acute point, 1-4 (rarely more) in. by 2-4 (rarely 5) lin., flat, soft, 
green, more or less finely and shortly hirsute mostly from the midrib, 
the primary nerves and the otherwise smooth or upwards scaberulous 
