138 
CLVII. GRAMINEiE (Stapf). 
[Sorghum. 
purple across the middle, the broad triangular somewhat depressed 
tip straw-colour or reddish upwards ; upper glume almost as broad 
as the lower, 9-nerved, slightly keeled, coloured like the lower. 
Valves ciliate ; lower broad-oblong, up to almost 2J lin. long ; upper 
ovate, subentire, 1J lin. long, awn up to 6 lin. long, sharply bent, 
column stout, twisted, equalling the bristle. Grain exposed upwards 
between the gaping glumes, equalling or slightly exceeding them, 
obovoid, 2 lin. by lf-lf lin., more or less orange ; embryo-mark 
and nerves obscure. Pedicelled spikelet neuter, persistent, linear- 
lanceolate, acute, 2-2 J lin. long, reddish, lower glume up to 11-, 
upper 7-nerved. — Andropogon subglabrescens , Steud. Syn. PL Glum, 
i. 393. A. Sorghum, subs]), sativus, var. subglabrescens , Hack, in 
DC. Monogr. Phan. vi. 519 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 
726 ; Chiovenda in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, viii. 25. 
Nileland. Abyssinia: hillsides above Jelajeranne, Schimper, 623 ! Eri- 
trea : Agard-Adarte, 2600 ft., Terracciano 6c Pappi, 2726. 
Also in tropical Arabia ( Defiers , 123 !) and in a smaller variety in India 
(Mahratta Country, Young !). 
Andropogon Sorghum , subsp. sativus, var. Schimperi, Hack. l.c. 518 (Durand 
& Schinz, Consp. El. Afr. l.c.), based on Schimper, 968, from Abyssinia, is 
evidently the same. Schimper gives “ Maschilla Morobi ” as the vernacular 
name for his No. 623, whilst Hackel quotes “ Maschilla legna fensha ” as the 
Abyssinian name of his var. “ rugulosus ” (Hack. l.c. 508 ; Durand & Schinz, 
l.c. 725), which according to him also occurs in the Cape Verd Islands (S. 
Nicola, Ball). Whether the latter be a form of S. subglabrescens is not quite 
certain, but from the description this is very probable. Chiovenda (l.c.) has 
var. Schimperi (including a form pallida) from the following localities in 
Eritrea : — Mensa ; between Ferekanrot and Aba Maitan, 2500-5300 ft., Terrac- 
ciano 6c Pappi, 1772 ; Bogos ; Keren Dari, 5300 ft., Terracciano 6c Pappi, 
2673 ; Barca ; Agordat, Terracciano 6c Pappi, 4799, 4801 (f. pallida). 
25. S. versicolor, J. N. Andersson in Peters, Reise Mozarnb. Bot. 
563. Perennial, csespitose, 2-3 ft. high. Culms erect, somewhat 
stout, simple or branched below, glabrous, about 3-noded, inter- 
nodes exserted. Leaf-sheaths terete, smooth, glabrous or very 
sparingly hairy upwards, subherbaceous, with a dense white spread- 
ing beard up to 3J lin. long at the nodes and a densely tomentose 
dorsal band at the junction with the blade ; ligules very short, 
membranous, ciliate and long-hairy from the back ; blades linear, 
long-attenuated to a fine point, slightly narrower at the base, to over 
1 ft. long, 4 lin. broad, very loosely hairy on both sides, hairs very 
fine from minute tubercles, margins very finely cartilaginous and 
scaberulous, midrib whitish, broad and flat above, prominent below, 
lateral nerves about 4 on each side. Panicle oblong, up to 9 in. 
long ; rhachis smooth, glabrous or scantily and shortly bearded at 
the nodes ; lower branches 4-7-nate, upper mostly 3-4-nate or in 
depauperate states 2-3-nate or solitary, filiform, flexuous, undivided, 
1 to over 2 in. long, glabrous and smooth or more or less rough from 
short stiff hairs. Racemes somewhat stout, mostly 6-noded, 
