528 Eng lev. — Plants of the Northern Temperate Zone in their 
Of the genus Anthoxanthum two plants have been found lately in the 
mountains of East Africa. The first one, collected by Prof. Volkens 
near streamlets of the Kilimanjaro at 2,700-2,730 m., was described as 
A. nivale , K. Schum. The other one, grbwing on Lukwangula Plateau, 
Uluguru Mountains, at 2,300 m., has been designated as A. monticola , , 
K. Schum. in MS. Dr. Pilger of the Berlin Botanic Museum has carefully 
compared both these plants with A. odoratum, L., which is distributed from 
Europe to Algeria, but is not recorded from Abyssinia so far. He arrives 
at the conclusion that the Uluguru plant belongs to A. odoratum. He 
finds the European forms of A. odoratum having smaller spikelets, shorter 
awn, and the second and third palea more hirsute as a rule, but he has found 
a specimen collected near Dtirkheim, Palatinate, by A. Braun having 
spikelets and awns just as large as those of the Uluguru plant. On the 
other hand, Anthoxanthum nivale , K. Schum., although very different from 
A. odoratum , is more nearly related to this species than to any other. It 
is necessary to consider separately the specimens collected at 2,700 m. 
from those grown at 3,700-3,900 m. Both of them are perennial, having 
rhizomes and short stolons. The specimens grown at 2,700 m. have sheaths 
1 5 cm. long, thickened upwards and pilose, and leaves of the same length 
and 5-7 mm. wide, as is found in Anthoxanthum odoratum only very 
rarely. The panicle is similar to that of the European plant in a young 
stage, but is elongated afterwards to 9-12 cm., at the same time becoming 
looser and developing distant lateral branches. The first glume is rather 
larger than usual, reaching as it does beyond the middle of the spikelet. 
Several of the differences stated are to be found occasionally in European 
forms also, more particularly in f. umbrosum , Bluff ; but the perennial growth 
and the longer outer glume are entirely peculiar to A. nivale. 
The specimens grown near melting snow at 3,700-3,900 m. have the 
sheaths shorter and still wider, the lamina up to 1 cm. wide, the panicles 
elongated to 15 cm. and loose below, the glumes still darker coloured ; the 
rhizome is also more robust. 
We have, then, a well-distinguished species whose ancestors could spread 
to the high mountains of Africa from the northern temperate zone only, 
but have taken a peculiar course of development under the climatic 
conditions of the upper Kilimanjaro. 
Another grass which has spread from the north temperate zone to 
Africa is Koeleria cristata , (L.) Pers. It is to be found in Abyssinia, the 
Kilimanjaro, and Cameroon Peak. This plant is absent from the lower 
regions in the same manner as Anthoxanthum. Specimens collected in 
Abyssinia on the slopes of Mount Silke may be named as var. convoluta 
(Hochst.), but it seems to be impossible to separate them from our Koeleria 
cristata. The young leaves are flat, only the older ones becoming con- 
volute. The panicles are sometimes loose like those of K. cristata var. 
