Sorghum.] 
CLVIT. GRAMINEJE (Stapf). 
119 
pubescent on the back ; blades (upper) lanceolate-linear from a 
broad rounded clasping base, long-attenuate to a fine point, to 
over 2 ft. long and 2J in. broad, green, pubescent to tomentose at 
the base above the ligule, midrib very stout. Panicle obovate- 
lanceolate in outline, over 1 ft. by over 3 in., contracted, erect ; 
branches whorled, slender, subflexuous, finely villous at the base, 
the longest up to J ft. long and undivided to up to 2 in. from the 
base, like the branchlets spinulously ciliolate. Racemes 1-3-noded, 
almost up to 1 in. long ; joints slender, 2J lin. long, shortly ciliate, 
cilia dirty white ; pedicels very similar, tips very slightly thickened 
upwards. Sessile spikelet ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-oblong, acute, 
3£-4 lin. by 1J lin., dull straw-colour, faintly greenish upwards, 
awned ; callus-beard J lin. long. Glumes equal, coriaceous to 
beyond the middle then papery, lower 11-nerved, the nerves slightly 
showing near the tips, 2-keeledr and minutely spipulously ciliate 
above the middle, shortly and fihely strigillose, hairs pale fulvous, 
upper 7-nerved, finely keeled on the acumen, almost glabrous. 
Valves distinctly ciliate, lower broad-oblong, 3 lin. long, upper ovate, 
2-lobed to one-quarter or one-third, 2J lin. long ; awn 10 lin. long. 
Anthers 2-2 J lin. long. Grain unknown. Pedicel led spikelet <£ , 
linear-lanceolate, acute, 3J lin. long, greenish or tinged with purple ; 
lower glume about 8-nerved, lower 7-nerved ; anthers over 1J lin. 
long . — Andropogon Sorghum abyssinicus, Piper in Proc. Biol. Soc. 
Wash, xxviii. 39. 
Nileland. Gallabat : Matamma, a troublesome weed, Schweinfurth, 1521 ! 
9. S. aethiopicum, Pupr. ms. ex Hack, in DC. Monogr. Phan. vi. ^ %■ W 7 ' 
504. Annual. Culms slender, up to 10 ft. high, with suberect 
branches from the lower and middle nodes, pruinose (? always) 
below the nodes. Leaf -sheaths delicately silky -pubescent at the 
nodes ; ligules scarious, up to 1 lin. long, more or less pubescent on 
the back ; blades linear to linear-lanceolate, from a broad rounded 
or almost subcordate base, long or shortly tapering to an acute 
point, up to over 1 ft. long and up to over 1 in. wide, pale green, 
usually strongly flushed with red or purple, with a tomentose zone 
behind the ligule, flat, midrib rather slender. Panicle narrow, 
linear to linear-oblong, up to over 1 ft. long, contracted or loose 
below, often secund ; branches suberect, the longer more or less 
nodding, slender, flexuous, villous at the base, longest up to over 
3 in. long and undivided for a short distance (frequently apparently 
for 1-2 in. from the base owing to the arrest of the lowest branch- 
lets), like the branchlets rough to spinulously ciliolate upwards. 
Racemes fragile, 1-3- (rarely 4-) noded, up to f in. long; joints 
slender, 2 lin. long, densely ciliate, cilia white, J lin. long ; pedicels 
very similar, of same length or slightly shorter, tips slightly thickened. 
Sessile spikelet ovate- to elliptic-lanceolate, acute to subacute, 
3-3 J lin. by lj-lf lin., clay-colour, finally often reddish below, 
