Sacciolepis.] clvii. gramineje (Stapf). 757 
and of the same length, but quite obtuse ; valvule very much 
reduced, oblong, acute, with broad flaps. Upper floret oblong- 
elliptic, subacute, slightly over J lin. by J lin., pale, smooth : valve 
and valvule thinly papery, nervation quite obscure. — Panicum 
spiciforme, Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. FI. Abyss, ii. 359 ; Walp. Ann. 
Bot. iii. 714 ; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum. i. 66 ; Schweinf. Beitr. FL 
Aethiop. 301 ; Durand &• Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 765. 
Nile Land. Abyssinia : in swampy places of the Shire plateau, Schimper , 
1825 !' and without precise locality, Schimper, 1478 ! 
(iAJaMc f.) 
9. S. interrupta^ Stapf. Perennial from a short creeping rhizome, 
up to 5 ft. high, the whole plant quite glabrous and smooth. Culms 
slender or more often stout and spongy, at least below (up to 3 lin. in 
diam.), erect or ascending or with a prostrate base, and then often 
copiously rooting from the nod.es, 5- 8- (rarely more) noded, simple 
or sparingly branched, terete, sheathed all along, with the uppermost 
internode (peduncle) at length often more or less exserted (stout 
specimens) or intermediate and upper internodes shortly exserted. 
Leaf-sheaths rather loose or the lower very loose, often slipping off 
the culm and inrolled, herbaceous, finely and loosely striate, the lower 
often thin and transversely veined and if submersed sometimes 
bladeless ; ligules whitish, membranous, truncate, up to over 4 lin. 
long ; blades linear from an equally wide or slightly narrowed or 
contracted base, tapering to a long slender point, 4 to over 12 in. 
by 3-6 lin., flat, soft, somewhat plump, smooth except along the 
margins and towards the tips, midrib very slender, slightly raised 
below, primary lateral nerves 3-5 on each side, very fine but usually 
like the secondary nerves (3-4 per interval) sharply raised and 
distinct. False spike at length exserted, cylindric, from a few inches 
to over 1 ft. by 3-4 lin., dense; common axis somewhat stout; 
pedicels very short to 1 lin. long, with minute discoid tips. Spikelets 
oblong, subacute or obtuse, symmetrical or almost so, dorsally 
slightly compressed to subterete, not gaping, up to over 1 J (or in weak 
specimens 1J) lin. by J-f lin., green, often brownish or livid purple 
upwards. Lower glume rotundate-elliptic, very obtuse, one-third 
to two-fifths the length of the spikelet, subhyaline, 5-7-nerved, with 
the nerves anastomosing near their ends ; upper corresponding 
in size and outline to the spikelet, prominently 9-nerved. Lower 
floret barren : valve very similar to the upper glume and of equal 
size ; valvule more or less reduced, delicately hyaline, or 0. Upper 
floret oblong-elliptic, acute, up to over 1 lin. by over J lin., pale, 
polished ; valve and valvule thinly papery, then crustaceous ; 
anthers f-J lin. long ; stigmas exserted terminally ; grain broad- 
elliptic in outline, f- lin. by \ lin., subpiano - convex ; scutellum 
rotundate, less than half the length of the grain. — Panicum inter- 
ruptum, Willd. Sp. PI. i. 341 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 87 ; Roxb. FI. Ind. 
ed. Carey, i. 289 ; Nees, FI. Afr. Austr. 51 ; Griff. Notul. iii. 26, and 
