Flora of the Sudan | Project Gutenberg

Hairy herb; rhizome long; stems often solitary, 4-16 in. long, 3-angled, nodose. Leaves 6 in. long, base with a prominent ligule, lowest bract as highest leaf. Infl. a panicle 10 by 2 in., with remote peduncles, or reduced to 1-2 few-fld. corymbose clusters. Spikelets ovoid, ¼-⅓ in. long; glumes broad-elliptic, obtuse, hairy on back, blackish-green, ending in a bristle ⅓-½ length of glume; hypog. bristles 0 or rudimentary; style 3-fid; nut less than ½ length of glume, white.

Hairy annual; stems 4-16 in. long. Leaves 4-6 in. long. Panicle oblong of a few clusters. Spikelets ⅓-½ by ⅛-⅙ in.; glumes dark green to dull brown, keel continued in a long bristle; hypog. bristles 3 or 6, outer linear or 0, 3 inner as long as nut, broad, quadrate, toothed, clawed, falling with the nut; nut ½ length of glume, pallid, acuminate both ends, beak narrow; style 3-fid.

Annual. Leaves 4-8 in. long. Spikelets ¼-⅓ by 1/16-1/10 in.; 3 interior hypog. bristles as long as nut, lamina small, oval, or with 2 recurved teeth.

Hairy or only the glumes; rhizome stout; stems 1½-5 ft. long, nodose. Leaves up to 6 by ½ in. Pan. long, oblong often with many axillary compound corymbs and 200-600 spikelets. Spikelets ¼-⅓ by ⅛-⅙ green or dull chestnut-coloured. Glume elliptic, keel produced into a curved bristle; hypog. bristles: 3 outer small or absent, 3 inner as long as nut, obovate, hardly clawed; style 3-fid, linear; nut ½ length of glume, acuminate at both ends, pallid to brown, beak small, narrow.

Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Jur: Jur Ghattas; Niamniam-land: Yubbo River); Mongalla Prov. (Yei River); Bahr El Jebel (Madi).

Glabrous herb; rhizome up to 1½ in.; stems tufted, 4-24 in. long, nodeless. Leaves ⅓ to full length of stem. Head 1; bracts 2-3, horizontal, lowest 1-4 in. long. Spikelets 3-10, ¼-½ in. long, ovoid or cylindric; glumes dense in numerous spirals, obovate, obtuse, incurved in fruit; hypog. scales (not bristles) shorter than glume; sta. 2; style ⅔ length of nut, branches 2-3 short; nut ½ length of scale, brown-black, smooth.

Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Jur: Jur Ghattas, Meshra El Rek); Mongalla Prov. (Yei River).

Glabrous herb; stems tufted, 4-16 in. long, 3-angled. Leaves ¼-½ length of stem. Spikelets 3-18 to a head, ⅓ by ⅛ in., cylindric, dense, smooth, reddish to purple; bracts 3-7, spreading, up to 4 in. long; glumes broadly obovate, obtuse; hypog. hyaline scales 2, lower suborbicular, 5-nerved; nut obovoid-globose; style branches 3, almost sessile.

Glabrous herb; stems 4-15 in. long, nodeless. Leaves ½ length of stem. Head 1 of 1-6 spikelets, straw-coloured, ¼-¾ in. diam., hemispheric or subglobose; bracts 3-4, 1-2½ in. long. Glumes lin.-lanc., hyaline scale (squamella) solitary, up to ⅓-½ in. long or more; protruding beyond glume; sta. 1; style ½ length of nut, 2-3-fid; nut minute, dark brown.

Glabrous herb; stems tufted, 8-20 in. long. Leaves ½-¾ length of stem, narrow. Head of 1-3 spikelets, fused or nearly distinct, whitish; bracts 3, lowest 1-4 in. long, spreading. Spikelets ⅓-½ in. long, ovoid, dense; glumes oblong, shorter than the solitary squamella, which is flattened and shaped as a watch-pocket with a beak to the front up to ⅙ in. long. Style 2-fid, hardly exserted from the pocket; nut sessile, black, compressed.

Upper White Nile Prov.; Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Jur: Jur Ghattas, Jur Aweit); Bahr El Jebel.

(iii) Empty glumes at base of spikelet 3; fertile glume 1; hypogynous bristles 6; inflorescence panicled; fertile fl. bisexual.

Nearly glabrous herb; stem nodose, 3-6 ft. long. Leaves 1-2 ft. by ½ in. Panicle up to 16 in. long with lower axillary distant corymbs 2-5 in. diam., bearing 100-200 spikelets. Spikelets usually in clusters of 3-10; hypog. bristles 6, barbed upwards; style subentire or obscurely 2-fid, base dilated; nut ½ length of glume, notched each side, beak as long as nut.

(iv) Flowers unisexual; spikelets with 1 fem. flower only; infl. panicled or capitate; hypog. bristles 0 to many.

Almost glabrous annual; stems tufted, 1-2 ft. long, nodose, slender. Leaves 4-12 in. long, narrow. Spikelets many, bearing both male and fem. fl. in clusters of 2-5, ⅛-⅙ in. long, sessile, on a spike 2-5 in. long; bracts to the clusters ovate, acute, ab. length of clusters, 2-sexual (monœcious) spikelet of ab. 7 glumes, 2 lowest empty, the third carrying the nut, ⅛-⅙ in. long, elliptic-oblong, dark brown; upper glumes male or empty; also many spikelets similar to foregoing, without fem. fl.; sta. 1-3; anthers crested; style linear 3-fid, not dilated at base; nut minute, white; hypog. bristles 0.

Hairy annual; stems 4-24 in. long, slender. Leaves ½-⅔ length of stem. Spike 2-7 in. long, ciliate, with long rusty-black or white hairs, with cluster of 3-12 spikelets, ¼-⅓ in. diam., sessile, pendent; bracts inconspicuous. Spikelets 1/5 in. long, black-red or pallid; nut 1/16 in. long, straw-coloured; otherwise much as above.

Sparsely hairy perennial; stems 12-20 in. long, base bulbous. Leaves 4-12 in. long. Spike subsimple, 3-6 in. long; lower bracts often longer than the clusters of 4-10 spikelets, which are suberect in fruit and 1/5 in. long; nut minute, white, smooth.

Thinly hairy perennial; stems 1-2 ft. long, not bulbous. Leaves 4-12 in. long. Spike subsimple with 10-14 clusters of often 10-12 spikelets on a rhachis 4-8 in. long; spikelets ¼ in. long, ellipsoid-oblong, chestnut-coloured; nut white, tubercled on shoulders, minute.

Herb, nearly glabrous except ligule; stems 16-24 in. long. Leaves up to 1 ft. long. Panicle with lower peduncle remote, nearly included in sheath of the bract, carrying oblong inflorescences with 6-12 nuts, whence bracts ½-1½ in. long diverge; monœcious spikes none, or very few. Spikelets nearly ¼ in. long, straw-coloured, marked with brown; nut ⅙ in. long, cylindric, tessellated, stalked, with short pallid 3- (ovate) lobed straw-coloured hypog. disk, hardly longer than the stalks of the nut.

Leaves with spreading hairs or glabrate. Nut large, globose, tessellate, minutely hairy on edge of reticulations; hypog. disc 3-lobed, lobes subquadrate; otherwise as above.

Annual; stems 3 ft. long, minutely rusty retrorse scabrous. Leaves 4-12 in. long. Lowest axillary ped. hardly exserted from sheath; ped. carrying 1-4 fem. fl.; nut-bearing spikelets ab. ¼ in. long, pale green or reddish; spikelet bract as long as it; nut small, subglobose, tessellated, pallid; hypog. disc short funnel-shaped with 3 thin straw-coloured ovate lobes.

Slightly hairy herb; stems 16 in. long. Leaves 12 in. long, ¼ in. or more broad, very obtuse at tip. Lowest axillary ped. exserted 1-2 in., carrying 3-5 nuts. Fem. spikelets ¼ in. long, chestnut-brown; nut large, depressed globose, smooth, white; hypog. disc with 3 small oblong, pallid lobes.

Robust herb; stem 3-5 ft. long. Leaves 8-12 by ¼-⅓ in. Lowest axillary peduncle remote, often exserted 3-6 in., carrying up to 20-50 spikelets. Nut ⅛ in. long, ovoid, white, smooth; 3 lobes of disc small, tipped with minute tails.

Very slender, glabrous herb; stems 16-24 in. long, almost capillary, each bearing 2-3 nuts. Leaves 4-8 in. long, narrow. Pan. very slender, with few branches; lowest ped. remote, exserted ½-1½ in., nodding, with 1 nut. Spikelets all 1-sexual, the fem. scarcer, 1/6-1/5 in. long; nut minute, globose, smooth, white; lobes of disc 3, short, rounded.

Robust, glabrate to hairy herb; rhizome creeping; stems 2-3 ft. long, scabrous to smooth, 3-angled. Leaves up to 24 by ⅓ in., scabrous on margins. Infl. straggling 1-2 ft., compound, partial panicles dense oblong to linear. Spikelets 1-sexual, ¼-⅓ in. long, green or mottled with brown; nut ⅛ in. long, ovoid, smooth, white or with black tip; disc obpyramidal, large, ruddy black, margin triangular yellow; lobes 0.

Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Niamniam-land: River Hoo, Buddu); Mongalla Prov. (Yei River).

Robust, glabrous herb; rhizome thick scaly; stems 3-6 ft. long. Leaves 1-2 ft. by ½-1¼ in. 3-nerved, scabrous on margins, near top suddenly narrowed; sheaths 3-winged; ligule ovate 3-angular, up to ¼ in. long. Infl. up to 1 ft. long; partial panicles 2-3 in. long on stout axillary peduncles, forming a terminal compound panicle. Spikelets 1-sexual, 1/5 in. long, pallid or dark; fem. glumes ovate, shorter than nut; nut ¼-⅙ in. long, ovoid, white or coloured; disc thickened, the lobes forming a cup with densely ciliate margin, holding the base of the nut.

Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Jur: Jur Ghattas); Mongalla Prov. (Yei River); Bahr El Jebel (Madi).

Weak, nearly glabrous annual; stems tufted, 2-5 in. long, leafy. Leaves 1-1½ in. by 1/8-1/5 in., tip suddenly acuminate. Infl. of minute axillary heads often all up the stem. Spikelets ab. 1/10 in. long, ovate-lanc., greenish, all 1-sexual; nut minute, subglobose, white, striate.

Glabrous perennial; stems tufted, 2 ft. high, bearing leaves all the way up. Leaves 4-16 by ¼ in.; sheaths stout, straw-coloured, imbricate, striate, split as in grasses with a ring of short hairs in the mouth. Pan. 8-14 in. long with several peduncles, 3-6 in. long, from each sheath, often carrying narrow panicles. Spikelets ⅓ in. long, 2-3-fid, dusky straw-coloured; bracts ovate, acuminate; glumes ovate; hypog. hairs numerous, fine; sta. 1-3; nut from an ovoid base tapering into a beak, altogether ab. 1/5 in. long; style short, branches 3, longer.

GRAMINEÆ.

Spikelets in pairs, usually one sessile, the other stalked, very rarely both stalked. Glumes more or less rigid, and firmer than the valves, the lower always larger than the florets. Valves membranous, often transparent, that of the upper floret awned or reduced to an awn, or blunt.

A. Joints and pedicels more or less stout, three cornered or rounded.

i. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered; fertile floret awned from the sinus of the 2-divided or 2-toothed valve.

(a) Racemes in pairs or digitate.

(b) Pedicelled spikelets developed; lower glume flat, keels frequently winged or marginate.

841 Ischæmum

(bb) Pedicelled spikelets represented by a narrow curved pedicel, lower glume convex, covered all over with transverse much raised teeth or warts, not keeled.

842 Thelepogon

(aa) Racemes always solitary on the stems or branches. Glumes not winged, the upper of the sessile spikelets with a silky-haired awn.

843 Sehima

ii. Fertile spikelets 1- or 2-flowered, fertile florets awnless.

(a) Racemes in spatheate inflorescences, racemosely arranged on a common axis, or subpaniculate or solitary.

(b) Lower glume smooth, long tailed, racemes digitate, spikelets 2-flowered.

844 Vossia

(bb) Lower glume rough, not tailed, racemes panicled, spikelets 1-flowered.

845 Jardinea

(aa) Racemes at the end of the stems and their branches, in a false spatheate panicle, or solitary and terminal on simple or sparingly branched stems.

(b) Sessile spikelets small, globose, 1-flowered; joints and pedicels fused.

846 Manisuris

(bb) Sessile spikelets not globose.

(d) Spikelets 2-flowered, very softly hairy all over.

847 Lasiurus

(dd) Spikelets 1-flowered, racemes more or less hairy from the joints and pedicels or the edges of the spikelets; lower glume with a transparent oil-duct inside each keel, or a fringe of hairy warts.

848 Elyonurus

(cc) Racemes smooth (not hairy), cylindrical, particularly when the spikelets are closed.

(d) Pedicels and joints fused.

(e) Racemes stout, few from each stem, sessile spikelets 2-flowered.

849 Rottbœllia

(ee) Racemes slender in ample spatheate panicles, sessile, spikelets 1-flowered.

850 Ophiurus

(dd) Pedicels free from the joints.

(e) Pedicels club-shaped, joints cup-shaped, gaping, spikelets of each pair similar, 2-flowered smooth.

851 Chasmopodium

(ee) Pedicels and joints touching the main axis behind. Pedicels spikelets usually much reduced, back of the lower glume usually transversely rough.

852 Rhytachne

AA. Joints and pedicels slender, thread-like, of uniform width or wedge or club-shaped; fertile spikelets usually 1-flowered and awned.

(i) All spikelets alike in shape and sex.

(a) Axis of racemes tough, all spikelets pedicelled. Racemes in spike-like or spindle-shaped solitary panicles, spikelets blunt, not awned, glumes delicate.

853 Imperata

(aa) Axis of racemes readily breaking up at joints; spikelets paired, one sessile, the other pedicelled. Panicles wide, more or less silvery and feathery; spikelets usually armed.

854 Saccharum

(ii) The spikelets of each pair different in sex and frequently also in shape and size, or if alike in sex, then both male or neuter.

(a) Racemes in more or less compound espatheate panicles; pedicels without a translucent middle line. Stalked spikelets male, neuter, or quite suppressed. Awn from the sinus of the 2 divided valve.

(b) Spikelets compressed on the back (at least when in flower).

855 Sorghum

(bb) Spikelets more or less compressed laterally.

856 Vetiveria

(cc) Racemes usually reduced to 1 sessile male, and 2 pedicelled or barren spikelets.

857 Chrysopogon

(aa) Racemes not in compound espatheate panicles, or if so, then the pedicels with a translucent middle line.

(b) Fertile valve awned from low down on the back.

859 Arthraxon

(bb) Fertile valve awned from the sinus of a 2-divided or 2-dentate valve, or continuing the more or less minutely stalked valve.

(c) Margins of the lower glume of the fertile spikelets incurved and the glume sharply 2-keeled more or less all along, with a short, obtuse, hard point. Awn smooth or roughish, very rarely hairy. Andropogon (sp.).

(d) spikelets awned, the awn forming a continuation of the minutely stalked fertile glume.

(e) Racemes digitate or racemosely arranged.

(f) Sessile spikelets of all pairs perfect, awned.

860 Amphilophis

(ff) Sessile spikelets of the lowest 1-3 pairs male or neuter, and awnless.

861 Dichanthium

(ee) Racemes solitary.

858 Eremopogon

(dd) Awn from the sinus of the 2-divided or 2-toothed fertile valve.

(e) Racemes solitary at the ends of the stalks and their branches, usually gathered into a narrow, lax, spatheate, false panicle; joints and pedicels often somewhat stout.

(f) Pedicelled spikelets not conspicuously larger than the sessile, very often smaller to very small, upper glume awnless.

862 Schizachyrium

(ff) Pedicelled spikelets very much larger than the sessile, almost concealing them; upper glume awned.

863 Diectomis

(ee) Racemes mostly in pairs at the end of undivided stalks, or gathered into spatheate false, or true, panicles, each pair supported or surrounded by a spathe; more rarely the racemes digitate, the lateral always sessile, joints and pedicels narrow and of uniform width.

(f) Racemes mostly in pairs or sometimes digitate at the end of simple or almost simple stems.

864 Andropogon

(ff) Racemes always in pairs, with a spathe or sheath supporting or surrounding each pair, gathered into often much divided spatheate panicles, mostly aromatic grasses.

865 Cymbopogon

(cc) Margins of the lower glume of the fertile spikelet inrolled and 2-keeled only close to the tips, with the hardened base elongate and sharp pointed. Awn hairy or glabrous.

(d) Awn from the sinus of the 2-divided fertile valve.

(e) Racemes paired in more or less compound panicles; awn hairy.

Only genus.

866 Hyparrhenia

(ee) Racemes usually much reduced, solitary at the end of the stalks and their branches, or in more or less compound panicles; awns smooth.

Only genus.

867 Monocymbium

(dd) Awn from the minutely stalked fertile valve, hairy.

(e) Racemes many-jointed, solitary.

Only genus.

868 Heteropogon

(ee) Racemes few-jointed, much contracted solitary on the branches of decompound panicles.

Only genus.

869 Themeda

Spikelets in usually continuous spikes, racemes or panicles. Glumes thin and green or membranous, the lower generally smaller, very small or suppressed. Lower valve generally resembling the glumes in structure and nerves, the upper fertile firmer, at length rigid, often papery to brittle, awnless, very rarely shortly pointed (Urochloa, Alloteropsis sp.), or finely awned (Alloteropsis sp.).

A. Inflorescence of usually slender (stout in Alloteropsis) spike-like, digitate, very rarely solitary racemes. Fruiting valve with usually flat, thin to transparent margins, often brown or black.

(a) Spikelets quite awnless.

870 Digitaria

(aa) Spikelets slender awned from the fertile valve.

871 Alloteropsis

AA. Inflorescence various, not as A. Fruiting valve with more or less inrolled margins, usually brittle, straw coloured or whitish.

(a) Spikelets falling entire and singly from the persistent pedicels.

(b) Spikelets not awned, or if awned, with the awn from the undivided tips of the upper glume and lower valve.

(c) Inflorescence not an open or contracted and cylindrical panicle, usually composed of spikelike racemes, the spikelets of which face one direction.

(d) Back of the fruit away from the axis.

(e) Lower glume rudimentary, forming with the base of its stalk a swollen annular callus. Fruit minutely pointed.

872 Eriochloa

(ee) No callus at the base of the spikelet, lower glume present.

873 Brachiaria

(dd) Back of fruit turned to axis.

(e) Lower glume absent.

874 Paspalum

(ee) Lower glume developed.

(f) Glumes neither awned nor tailed.

(g) Spikelets crowded, more or less contiguous.

(h) Fruiting valve acute, not shortly pointed, spikelets solitary, closely 2-rowed, false spikes rigid.

875 Paspalidium

(hh) Fruiting valve obtuse, abruptly short pointed or tipped, spikelets solitary or paired, false spikes often curved or bent.

876 Urochloa

(gg) Spikelets very laxly arranged, in one row.

878 Acroceras

(ff) Glumes with a tail or awn.

(g) Glumes awned from the undivided, acute or tapering tip, or prolonged into a tail. Racemes dense, more or less one sided.

877 Echinochloa

(gg) Glumes awned from the slightly notched tip.

879 Oplismenus

(cc) Inflorescence an open panicle, or cylindrical and spikelike.

(d) Spikelets not supported by bristle-like branches, inflorescence a panicle.

880 Panicum

(dd) Spikelets without bristles, but inflorescence composed of cylindrical false spikes with a stout axis, spikelets more or less swollen.

881 Sacciolepis

(ddd) All the spikelets, or only the upper of each branch supported by bristle-like branchlets. Inflorescence cylindrical and spike-like.

882 Setaria

(bb) Spikelets finely awned from the notched tips of the upper glume, and barren valve.

883 Tricholæna

(cc) Upper glume, not swollen, 5-7-nerved, nerves conspicuous.

884 Melinis

(aa) Spikelets falling in groups, or if singly, then surrounded by a whorl of bristles, or at least supported by 1 to several bristles.

(b) Whorl of bracts formed by hardened lower glumes of the spikelets of each cluster, clusters spike-like.

885 Anthephora

(bb) Whorl formed of bristles, sometimes feathery, free, is not united.

886 Pennisetum

(bbb) Whorl of spines or rigid bristles united at the base into a hard cup.

887 Cenchrus

Mature spikelets breaking up, leaving the persistent or sub-persistent glumes on the pedicel, or if falling entire, not consisting of 2 heteromorphous flowers as in Panicoideæ.

A. Blades of leaves never transversely veined.

B. Awn of the fertile floret, if present, kneed and twisted below the knee, or straight in reduced forms. (Up to Perotis.)

C. Florets 2 or more. (Up to Phragmites.)

Tribe IV. ARUNDINELLEÆ.

Florets 2, heteromorphous, the lower awnless or barren. Lower valve awnless, upper always awned, at length firm or hard. Awn from the sinus between 2 sometimes minute lobes, usually kneed and twisted below the knee.

(a) Spikelets solitary on distinct pedicels.

888 Trichopteryx

(aa) Spikelets in clusters of 3.

889 Tristachya

Tribe V. AVENEÆ.

Florets 2 to many, all alike, glumes generally transparent, thin, and dry. Awn if present, from the back or from the sinus, kneed and usually twisted below the knee.

(a) Valves awned from the back.

890 Avena

(aa) Valve awned from the sinus of the more or less distinctly 2-lobed tip.

891 Danthonia

Tribe VI. ARUNDINEÆ.

Florets 2 to many, enveloped by very long hairs. Glumes and valves membranous, often clear, awnless or minutely awned from the tips.

Only genus.

892 Phragmites

CC. Floret one. (Up to Perotis.)

Tribe VII. AGROSTEÆ.

Floret 1. Valve membranous or thin and green, not or hardly changed when mature, usually ending abruptly. Awn, if present, from the back.

(a) Spikelets in compact heads or false spikes, glumes awnless.

893 Heleochloa

(aa) Spikelets not in compact false spikes, more or less spike-like, glumes awned from the notched or lobed tips.

894 Polypogon

Tribe VIII. STIPEÆ.

Floret 1. Valve hardened when mature, tightly enveloping the fruit, awn terminal. Awns 3, from the entire tip; or one, simple below and 3 branched above.

895 Aristida

Tribe IX. ZOYSIEÆ.

Floret 1, mature spikelets falling entire and singly, or in clusters. Valve small, delicately membranous. Spikelets in slender spike-like panicles or racemes.

(a) Glumes awnless and at least the upper rough.

(b) Spikelets in sessile clusters of 2-4; lower glume minute, transparent or suppressed.

896 Tragus

(bb) Spikelets in pairs, or solitary on a flattened stalk and falling with it, both glumes rough.

897 Latipes

(aa) Glumes drawn out into a long fine awn. Spikelets solitary, smooth, spikes usually long.

898 Perotis

BB. Awn of fertile floret, if present, never kneed and twisted below the knee. (Up to Bromus.)

C. Valves typically 3-nerved. (Up to Tripogon.)

Tribe X. SPOROBOLEÆ.

Floret 1. Glumes and valves very similar. Valve membranous, acute or obtuse, not changed when ripe, awnless, usually olive or olive grey. Seed often free in the delicate seed-coat.

Only genus.

899 Sporobolus

Tribe XI. ERAGROSTEÆ.

Florets usually numerous (1 in Leptochloa sp.) and protruding from the glumes. Spikelets pedicelled and variously panicled, or sessile or subsessile in spikes which are racemosely arranged. Glumes and valves rather similar. Valves membranous, very often olive green or olive grey, very rarely with a very short awn. (Diplachne sp.).

(a) Valves undivided, not short pointed, usually smooth, occasionally hairy. (Eragrostis sp.).

(b) Spikes straight, crowded into a long narrow dense panicle, spikelets very closely packed.

900 Desmostachya

(bb) Spikelets usually in panicles, rarely in spikes.

901 Eragrostis

(aa) Valves usually notched and minutely pointed, frequently more or less hairy near the base or along the sides.

(b) Spikelets much over 1/25 in. long, in often flexuous spike-like racemes, or in short contracted panicles; valves often dark.

902 Diplachne

(bb) Spikelets rarely over 1/25 in. long in very slender spikes on a long common axis, valves usually pale with green nerves.

903 Leptochloa

Tribe XII. CHLORIDEÆ.

Spikelets sessile or subsessile, in 2-ranked, secund, usually very dense, rarely loose spikes; spikes solitary, or digitate, or racemosely arranged on a common axis. Valves generally membranous to papery. Awn, if any, straight, fine, from the blunt or notched tip, or all 3 nerves running out into short awns or bristles.

(a) Valves undivided, notched, or more or less 2-toothed or 2-lobed, blunt, or with the middle nerve running out into an awn, or minute point. (Trichoneura.)

(b) Spikelets 1-flowered.

904 Schœnefeldia

(cc) Spikelets awnless or very shortly awned.

(d) Spikes solitary.

905 Microchloa

(dd) Spikes always digitate.

906 Cynodon

(bb) Spikelets with several florets.

(d) Fertile florets with imperfect florets above it.

(e) Valves with a short erect awn from the notched tips. Spikelets in long, secund solitary spikes.

907 Enteropogon

(ee) Spikelets in digitate spikes, rarely solitary; valves awned from below the tips.

908 Chloris

(dd) Fertile florets with 2 imperfect florets below and 2 or more above. Spikes solitary, secund, compact, upper glume turning from the axis, with a stiff bristle from the back.

909 Ctenium

(cc) Spikelets with 2 or more fertile florets, and without imperfect ones below them.

(d) Valves awnless, or with a rigid point or very short awn from the fine tips, undivided or nearly so.

(e) Spikelets in digitate or subdigitate spikes.

(f) Glumes broad, not keeled, grain deeply hollowed out on the face.

910 Cœlachyrum

(ff) Glumes strongly keeled; grain not hollowed out.

(g) Spikes terminated by a spikelet, glumes and valves not finely pointed or obscurely so.

911 Eleusine

(gg) Spikes terminating with a sharp point; upper glume and valves rigidly sharp pointed or shortly awned.

912 Dactyloctenium

(ee) Spikelets in racemose spikes.

913 Dinebra

(dd) Valves distinctly blunt, toothed or lobed, the middle nerve of the valve running out into a fine point or short awn.

914 Trichoneura

(aa) Valves variously toothed or lobed, with the middle and side nerves running out into awns or sharp points.

(b) Spikelets usually pedicelled, in open or contracted panicles, valves toothed, or lobed, and 3-awned, awns fine and bristle-like.

915 Triraphis

(bb) Spikelets sessile, in solitary or racemosely arranged, often very short spikes.

916 Tripogon

CC. Valves 5- to many-nerved. (Up to Bromus.)

Tribe XIII. PAPPOPHOREÆ.

Valves broad, cleft into 2 to many, sometimes, awnlike lobes, with or without alternating straight awns from the sinuses.

(a) Fertile floret 1; valves cleft into 9 awl-like, awn-like lobes.

917 Enneapogon

(aa) Fertile florets 3-5; valves cleft into 4 transparent lobes alternating with 5 straight awns from the sinuses.

918 Schmidtia

Tribe XIV. ORYZEÆ.

Spikelets all alike, or more or less differing and unisexual. Fertile floret 1, awnless, rarely even with a bristle; terminal with 2 minute empty florets below it, solitary; glumes very minute or suppressed.

(a) Spikelets panicled, fertile valve coriaceous, lower florets represented by two scales or bristles falling with the mature fruit.

919 Oryza

(aa) Spikelets panicled, fertile valves papery, lower florets quite suppressed.

920 Leersia

Tribe XV. FESTUCEÆ. Fertile florets 2 to many, rarely 1, protruding from the glumes. Glumes more or less resembling the valves in general appearance. Awns, if any, not kneed, terminal or subterminal.

(a) Spikelets sessile in long cylindric dense or often interrupted spikes, spikelets breaking up at maturity. Glumes and valves drawn out into long fine points.

921 Elytrophorus

(aa) Spikelets in compact ovoid heads, or short interrupted spikes; glumes and valves broad.

922 Æluropus

(aaa) Spikelets in loose, more or less open panicles; valves lance-shaped, rounded on the back.

923 Bromus

AA. Leaf blades transversely veined, or if not so, then tall shrubs with woody stems.

Tribe XVI. PHAREÆ.

Spikelets heteromorphous, unisexual, monoecious, the male small. Floret 1. One or both glumes of the male often minute. Leaf blades flat, very broad, many nerved, and definitely stalked.

Only genus.

924 Olyra

Tribe XVII. BAMBUSEÆ.

Shrubs or trees, leaf blades flat. Florets one to many. Valves thin green to leathery.

Only genus.

925 Oxytenanthera

The Maize Plant. A tall annual grass with sexes in different inflorescences, the male spikelets in terminal panicles, the female in the axils of the sheathing leaves, forming a “cob.”

841Ischæmum brachyatherum Fenzl. BEGHEIL, GHARAZ (N. Kordn.)—Arab; NUN—Shilluk.

Perennial densely tufted grass up to over 3 ft. high; racemes in pairs or threes, joints very stout, club-shaped. Spikelets in pairs, one sessile, the other pedicelled and developed, the sessile spikelet variably hairy, rendering the appearance very different. Awn to 5/12 in. long, twisted, sometimes purplish.

Kassala Prov. (Gallabat, Matamma); Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post); Kordofan Prov. (near Rahad); Upper White Nile Prov.

A coarse annual grass; stems tufted, as thick as a crow quill below, and branching above, up to 2 ft. high. Leaves up to 10 in. long and 1 in. broad, coarsely hairy on the edges and base; racemes 2-12 in number, 2-6 in. long. Pedicelled spikelets represented by linear curved pedicel. Glumes prominently ridged on the back. Awn up to 1 in. long, kneed at and twisted below the middle.

Annual with slender stems in small bundles, rarely over 1½ ft. high; racemes solitary, sessile, 1-3 in. long, joints and pedicels densely hairy; glume of sessile spikelet deeply channelled. Awn up to 1¾ in. long, hairy, spirally twisted, brown in colour.

Nubia (Wadi Læmeb, between Suakin and Berber); Kassala Prov. (Gallabat, Matamma); Fung Prov. (Fazoghli); Kordofan Prov. (Abu Snun).

A very large floating grass, perennial, one of the principal constituents of the Sudd, copiously rooting from enlarged nodes, aerial portion up to over 3 ft. high; racemes solitary, or 2-6 on a common axis, 6-9 in. long, short, erect, or slightly nodding; joints about ⅓ in. long, curved, swollen, lower glume of sessile spikelets smooth with a channelled, pointed tail up to 1 in. long; spikelets 2-flowered, awnless.

Kordofan Prov. (Takari and Birket Rahad); Upper White Nile Prov. (Moghren El Behur); Bahr El Jebel.

Tall coarse grass up to 10 ft. high, inhabiting swampy places; racemes very numerous, slender; spikelets 1-flowered, the lower glume of the sessile spikelets running out into a sharp point with sharp pointed tubercles on the back, much spreading during flowering. This grass is used for making mats, screens and baskets on the West Coast.

Much branched annual grass up to over 3 ft. high; stems leafy to the top with shortish, soft, hairy foliage; spikes solitary, axillary and terminal, up to 1 in. long, partly enclosed in a spathe-like sheath; spikelets in dissimilar pairs, sessile spikelets conspicuous on account of their grain-like appearance.

Perennial grass, more or less branched and woody below, branches often in dense bundles; racemes at the end of the stalks enclosed in a spathe-like sheath, up to 4½ inches long. Spikelets 2-flowered, densely hairy all over; glume of sessile spikelet narrowed into a long divided beak.

Nubia (between Suakin and Berber, Wadi El Omari), Red Sea Prov. (Suakin, Jebel Waratab).

Aromatic annual grass; stems from a few inches up to 1 ft. high, erect, tufted, especially above. Racemes 1¼-2¼ in. long, gathered in bunches, straight, embraced by the spathe, only slightly protruding, often tinged with red; spikelets 1-flowered, with the edges hairy, the lower glume with brush-like tubercles on the margins.

Red Sea Prov. (L. 21° to 22° N.); Kassala Prov. (Gallabat, Matamma); Blue Nile Prov. (Sh. Talha).

A tall coarse grass up to 12 ft. high, annual; stems stout, erect, hispid, branching from the base. Racemes stout, 3-6 in. long, cylindrical, particularly when the spikelets are closed.

Annual grass with rather stout stems 1½-4½ ft. high, much branched, the branches forming ultimately a rather leafy, hairy panicle. Racemes cylindric, slender, in simple spatheate panicles; spikelets sessile, 1-flowered. Grains oblong, 1/12 of an inch long.

Annual grass up to 10 ft. high, rooting from the lower nodes. Racemes stout, cylindric, terminal, spike-like, up to 3 in. long, with a tail formed by the elongated glume of the terminal spikelet.

Perennial, densely tufted grass; stems 1-2½ ft. high, sometimes reddish in colour. Leaves long, narrow, especially when folded; racemes solitary, very slender, 3-6 in. long, wavy with longitudinal grooves; lower glumes of spikelets with transverse ridges.

Annual grass up to 1½ ft. high; stems in small tufts; leaves very narrow and folded, as above. Racemes similar to above; pedicelled spikelet represented by a terminal pair of unequal bristles.

853Imperata cylindrica Beauv. var. Koenigii Durand & Schinz. BINGBA—Zande.

Erect, perennial grass, up to 4 ft. high; leaf sheaths long, bearded at the nodes. Panicle spike-like, 2-8 in. long, cylindric, very dense, axis not breaking up into joints; spikelets surrounded by long white hairs, giving the whole a silvery appearance.

Tall, perennial, grass up to 12 ft. high, many jointed, silky below the panicles, and coated with wax below the joints. Panicle up to 1½ ft. long and 5 in. wide, dense, plumose, silvery; axis breaking up.

Kassala Prov. (Gallabat, Matamma) Blue Nile Prov. Fung Prov. (Fazoghli, Jongol’s Post, Harun). Darfur Prov. (in wadis). Upper Nile Prov. (Malakal).

Annual, with slender stems branched from lower and middle nodes. Panicle narrow, very lax, ½ to over 2 ft. long, branches erect, the lowest up to 6 in. long, fine; sessile spikelets lanceolate, finely awned, deciduous with the pedicelled spikelet, pale straw colour, greenish in the upper portion, occasionally flushed with purplish brown.

Widely distributed in the northern Sudan, along river; also in Kordofan and Kassala Provinces.

Annual, with slender stems up to 10 ft. high. Panicle 9-15 in. long, loose, more or less nodding. Sessile spikelets lanceolate, acutely acuminate, sparingly hairy to almost smooth, straw coloured, slightly greenish, on maturity turning bright red, finely awned. Pedicelled spikelets deciduous. Grain obovate oblong, compressed on the back, yellowish above, paler below, 1/8 by 1/12 in. in size.

Tall annual, up to 10 ft. high; panicle open, pyramidal, spreading, 6-12 in. long, erect, up to 6 in. wide at the base. Sessile spikelet lanceolate to elliptic oblong, rather acute, finely hairy (white hairs), straw-colour to light yellow, with dull green, striate tips when young. Awned. Pedicelled spikelets persistent. Grain oval, flattened, orange, 16 in. long.

Widely distributed in northern and central Sudan. A fodder grass of growing importance.

Perennial, up to 5 ft. high; stems slender, springing from strong creeping rhizomes. Panicle open and spreading, 6 in.-2 ft. long. Fertile spikelet at first hairy, later becoming smooth; pedicelled spikelets falling early. This grass resembles Sudan Grass, but differs in the rootstock being perennial. It is therefore not suited to cultivation.

Tall annual, stems up to 12 ft. high; panicle pyramidal, larger and denser than S. sudanense. Pedicelled spikelets falling, narrowed to an acute point, oblong, not minutely-stalked; with yellowish or reddish hairs.

Annual, 4-8 ft. high. Leaf blades 1 in. broad, sometimes flushed with purple. Panicle up to 15 in. long, pyramidal; sessile spikelets ovate to ovate-lanceolate, shortly narrowed to a point, hairs whitish or purplish, awn up to ½ in. long.

Tall annual grass; leaves up to 2½ in. wide, panicle obovate lanceolate in shape, over 1 ft. long and about 4 in. wide; sessile spikelets ovate-oblong to elliptic-oblong, acute, with pale yellow hairs; awns up to 1 in. long.

Annual, slender stalks up to 10 ft. high. Leaves up to 1 ft. long and up to over 1 in. wide, usually strongly flushed with red or purple. Panicle narrow, linear to linear-oblong, up to over 1 ft. long, often secund. Sessile spikelet ovate to elliptic lanceolate, clay colour, often reddish below; pedicelled spikelet linear lanceolate, often bright red. Awn about 1 in. long.

Nubia (Sagadi between Suakin and Berber); Blue Nile Prov.; Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post); White Nile Prov. (Jebel Arashkol).

Annual, with slender stalks up to 6 ft. high. Leaf sheath strongly blotched with blackish purple. Panicle narrowly oblong to ovate lanceolate. Sessile spikelet finally glossy jet black. Awn up to ¾ in. long, but sometimes reduced to short point.

Tall annual up to 7 ft. high; stems stout, wavy; leaf up to over 2 ft. by 3 in. Panicle oblong, mature spikelets gaping, exposing the grain, which is round and dark red in colour. Glumes also dark red, glossy.

Cultivated as a food crop in the Southern Sudan. A red dye is obtained from the leaf sheaths.

Tall annual grass up to 14 ft. high, leaf blades up to 15 in. by 2 in. Panicle much more compact than preceding, ovoid or ellipsoid; spikelets densely clustered; sessile spikelets rhombic-obovate in flower; mature grain subglobose with a broad, round, much exposed top, white, yellow, or reddish-yellow in colour.

Types. Aklimawi—glumes dull whitish with a brown band across just below the tip, more or less white hairy; grain with very broad and almost flattened yellow tops.

Safra Kohia—glumes more or less glossy without a dark band, straw yellow, frequently brown or blackish at the base, grains ivory colour.

Hamaizi—glumes more or less glossy without the dark band, burnt sienna colour to blackish, particularly below, grains reddish ochre.

Tall annual up to 14 ft., stems stout. Panicle erect, oblong, moderately to very dense. Sessile spikelets elliptic oblong, subobtuse or minutely pointed, sparingly hairy. Grain very broad-elliptic to orbicular, exposed.

var. angolensis. Grain up to ⅛ in. long, broad obovate in outline, dark red, glume black. Panicle erect, oblong, rather small and compact.

var. Cerevisiæ. Grain up to ⅛ in. long, broad obovate in outline, purplish red in colour, glume black, panicle umbrella-shaped owing to shortening of axis.

var. Schweinfurthii. Grain over ⅛ in. long, roundish, white or ochre salmon in colour, panicle oblong with axis running through; pedicelled spikelets more or less persistent, up to ⅛ in. long, mature glumes straw colour to whitish.

var. fragile. Grain over ⅛ in. long, obovate, rather flattened, mature glumes white, brittle upwards. Panicle slightly open, branches long ascending. Pedicelled spikelets persistent.

var. umbonatum. Panicle as var. fragile, grain much flattened with a central boss, apricot colour, lower glume transversely constricted. Pedicelled spikelets persistent.

var. rutilum. Panicle obovate, rather open, mature glumes straw coloured, tinged with red, grain ochre red to salmon on the top, paler below. Pedicelled spikelet persistent.

var. atrolutescens. Panicle obovate, somewhat irregular and loose, branches long and flexuous. Mature glumes black, grains sulphur or maize yellow to ochre buff, large, flattened at the sides. Pedicelled spikelet persistent.

var. gibbum. Panicle rather oblong, fairly dense; pedicelled spikelets readily deciduous; mature glumes black; grain ochre, salmon colour, terracotta or Indian red, more or less swollen on one side.

var. Feterita. Panicle usually oblong, rather narrow, moderately open to dense, glumes glossy black, grain white with an enamelled appearance.

var. Gassabi. Panicle dense, broadly elliptic to obovate. Glumes white, margins, often hairy. Grain creamy globose, rather large.

Tall annual up to 12 ft. high. Panicle oblong to oblanceolate in outline, moderately dense, branches long, flexuous. Mature glumes transparent, papery and brittle, breaking irregularly at the tips; grain shorter than the glumes and completely enclosed by them, or partly exposed where glumes are broken, obovate in shape, compressed, dull white or orange.