Part 41
Perennial grass growing in low compact tufts, from which wiry slender stems arise 1-2 ft. high. Leaves basal, wire-like, greyish, from 1-4 in. long. Inflorescence narrow, 4-6 in. long, rarely larger. Spikelets shortly stalked, up to ½ in. long, narrow, 3-nerved. Awns very long and slender, one branch conspicuously feathery, breaking from the glume.
Red Sea Prov. (Soturba Mts.: Wadi Hebera); between Suakin and Berber (Wadi Omari).
=A. hirtigluma= _Steud._ AGEIG EL BAGGAR—Arab.
Slender perennial arising from a basal tuft of wiry leaves, 1-2 ft. high. Inflorescence slender, up to 6 in. long. Spikelets ⅓ in. long on short fine stalks. Glumes hairy. Awns hairy, column as well as the long middle branch.
Red Sea Prov. (Sinkat and Khor Tamanib); Darfur Prov. (Kulme).
=A. papposa= _Trin._ and _Rupr._
Annual, growing in small scanty tufts up to 2 ft. high. Leaves not all basal, wiry. Inflorescence narrow, lax; spikelets narrow, pointed, ⅓ in. long. Awn long, with a tuft of fine silky hairs at the junction of the column and the branches. One branch long and feathery at the tip.
Khartoum Prov.; Kordofan Prov.; Darfur Prov. (Prairies 20-80 miles N.E. of El Fasher).
=A. plumosa= _Linn._ SIMEIMA (or SUMEIMA), GABBAH (Kordn), BAYAD (N. Kordn), ANNAS (W. Dongola)—Arab.
Perennial, similar in habit to _A. papposa_, but generally denser in growth and shorter. Awn with middle branch 2-3 in. long, feathery above, smooth below.
Red Sea Prov. (Lat. 21° N.); Between Halfa and Dongola Prov.; Berber Prov. (Abu Hamed).
=A. acutiflora= _Trin._
Perennial grass up to 2 ft. high with thin, wiry, hairy stems. Leaves also wiry, drying light brown, often in tufts on the stem. Inflorescence up to 4 in. long, very narrow, lax, with very narrow, acute pointed spikelets. Awn feathery.
Between Suakin and Berber; Kordofan Prov. (Hassania).
896 =Tragus racemosus= _All._
Annual grass growing in tufts, from a few inches to 1 ft. high. Stems many-jointed and bent, leafy. Panicle 1-4 in. long, slender, moderately dense. Spikelets about ⅛-⅙ in. long, narrow, and pointed, with rows of strong hooked spines along the five prominent ribs.
Red Sea Prov. (Lat. 21° N.); Blue Nile Prov. (general); Kordofan Prov. (Um Marba and Abu Garad).
=T. paucispina= _Hack._ MASABIGH (Khartoum Prov.)—Arab.
Small tufted desert grass up to 8 in. high (generally much less). Stems leafy. Leaf blades short (about 1 in.). Inflorescence generally not so dense as _T. racemosus_ and the spines finer and straighter.
Between Suakim and Berber (Wadi Sarrawib and Khor Kokreb); Khartoum Prov. (Soba).
897 =Latipes senegalensis= _Kunth._
A perennial grass, growing in tufts with thin wiry leafy stems up to 10 in. high. Leaves very narrow, inrolled. Inflorescence 2-6 in. long, very loose, narrow, with a conspicuously wavy axis. Spikelets dark coloured on wide spaced, wavy, flattened stalks, two to a stalk. The lowest partly enclosed in a long leaf sheath. Glumes covered below with thick fleshy spines drawn to a fine point in upper half with the edges thickly fringed with fine spines.
Red Sea Prov. (Sinkat and Lat. 21° N.). Kordofan Prov. (Bareis and Shitangul).
898 =Perotis latifolia= _Ait._
Annual or subperennial grass, tufted and leafy at the base, stems bent, from a few inches to 1½ ft. long. Leaves lance-shaped, up to 3 in. by ⅓ in. wavy, with rigid hairs along the edge. Spike slender, 3-8 in. long, often purplish, rather dense. Spikelets about 1/12 in. long with a long soft awn which gives the resemblance of a dog’s tail to the inflorescence.
Bahr el Ghazal (Mittu land); Mongalla Prov. (Yei River).
899 =Sporobolus= near =S. minutiflorus= _Link._ TENTIT (Meshra el Zeraf)—Arab.
Annual grass 1½-3 ft. high, with tufted slender stems. Leaves 6-9 in. long, narrow and fine pointed. Panicle large (12-18 in.), open, branches very fine and numerous. Spikelets on the end of very fine branchlets, dark, about 1/30 in. long.
White Nile Prov.; Upper Nile Prov. (Meshra el Zeraf); Mongalla Prov. (Bor.).
=S. festivus= _Hochst._ DEFERA-MELAIHA—Arab.
Perennial, compactly tufted grass ½-1 ft. long; leaves mostly basal, thin and wiry, the sheaths persisting and forming dense tufts at the base. Panicles 2-6 in. broad, oval in outline, very loose and spreading, erect. Spikelets small, 1/25 in. long, solitary on very slender pedicels.
Northern Sudan; Kassala Prov. (Gallabat, Matamma); Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post); Kordofan (Khor Abu Habl); Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Niamniam land).
=var. fibrosus= _Stapf._
Similar in habit to above but with fibrous tufts of leaf sheaths at the base. The stems are somewhat longer, also the panicle larger but the spikelets are smaller.
Darfur Prov. (Kulme).
=var. stuppeus= _Stapf._
Resembling type, but with the basal inner fibrous leaf sheaths covered with pallid, tow-like hairs. The panicle is less spreading, and the spikelets larger (1/16 in.) than _S. festivus_.
Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Jur Ghattas, Jur: Kutshuk Ali).
=S. spicatus= _Kunth._
Perennial grass with rigid, jointed stems, ½-1½ ft. high, growing in small tufts on long runners. Leaves mostly basal, rigid, wiry, awl-like. Panicle very narrow, cylindric, 2-3 in. long. Spikelets not stalked, glossy.
Red Sea Prov. (Tokar, Dongonab, Soturba at Merza Gubetur. Lat. 21° N.); Bahr el Jebel (Hillet el Nuer).
=S. pyramidalis= _P. Beauv._
Large grass, often robust, 3-6 ft. high. Leaves long, narrow, strongly ribbed. Panicle ½-1¼ ft. long by 1-2 in. wide, branches fine, ⅓ in. long, not spreading much. Spikelets small (about 1/20 in), very short stalked, crowded on the branches.
Kassala Prov. (Gallabat, Matamma); Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post); Banks of the Nile; Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Jur Ghattas, Bongo, Gurfala; Niamniam land); Bahr el Jebel (Hillet el Nuer and Bari).
=S. scabriflorus= _Stapf._
Annual, 6-18 in. high, frequently having flowering branches springing from a leaf sheath about the middle of the stem. Leaves 1-2 in. long by ⅓ in. broad, lance-shaped, with short coarse bristles along the edges. Panicle up to 4 in. long by 1½ in. wide, lax, open, branches in whorls. Spikelets 1/20-1/9 in. long, slightly hairy, stamens 2, seeds black.
Bahr el Ghazal (Jur Ghattas).
=S. humifusus= _Kunth._ =var. cordofanus= _Stapf._
Annual, tufted, grass up to 1 ft. high, with many fine, jointed, bent stems rising from a common base. Leaves lance-shaped, about 1 in. long, bordered with fine white bristles. Panicle 1½ in. by 1 in., fairly compact. Branches fine, about 1 in. long, spreading. Spikelets up to 1/12 in. long, stamens 3.
Khartoum Prov.; White Nile Prov. (Geteina); Kordofan Prov. (Abu Garad).
=S. Schweinfurthii= _Stapf._
Tall perennial grass. Stems erect, stout. Leaves long, narrow, with fine white hairs. Panicle 1 ft. by 1½-2½ in., branches fine, up to 2 in. long, not spreading much. Spikelets on short stalks, grain blackish.
Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Niamniam land, Ibba River near Nganye).
=S. robustus= _Kunth._
Tall, perennial, strong growing grass, stems 3-8 ft. long, from an often prostrate and rooting base. Leaves long and narrow, ½-1 ft. by ⅛-¼ in., with weak white hairs. Panicle long and narrow with branches interrupted from the base. Spikelets up to 1/10 in. long.
Red Sea Prov. (Lat. 21° N., Khor Tamaneb, Tokar); Between Suakin and Berber (Khor Haraza); Darfur Prov.
=S. glaucifolius= _Hochst._ AKRASH (Meshra el Zeraf) & LUH or LUKH (Kordn)—Arab; ERKA—Rashida; EINWI—Hadendowa.
Perennial, densely tufted grass, grey green in colour and covered with a waxy bloom. Stems 12-18 in. long, many jointed, woody and bent below. Leaves mostly short and narrow. Panicle narrow, interrupted, 3-5 in. long, very pale. Spikelets very shortly stalked, up to 1/14 in. long.
A good fodder grass.
Northern Sudan and Red Sea District; Blue Nile Prov.; Kordofan Prov. (Katul Gombara, Safra, Khor Abu Habl); Upper White Nile Prov. (Meshra el Zeraf).
900 =Desmostachya cynosuroides= _Stapf._ HALFA—Arab.
Tall, coarse, perennial grass growing in clumps up to 3½ ft. high, branched from the base, branches covered with leathery sheaths. Leaves very long, rigid, tips fine pointed. Panicle 6-18 in. by about 1 in. erect, spikelets crowded on short branches.
The leaves are used for making coarse ropes.
Widely distributed in Northern Sudan along river banks and in Khors; Kassala Prov.
901 =Eragrostis pilosa= _P. Beauv._ NUA—Dinka; AROA—Shilluk.
Annual grass growing in tufts, very variable in height (3 in. to 3 ft.), stems slender, shiny. Leaves few, short and narrow. Panicle very variable in size, very delicate, flexuous, loose. Branches long and fine, spikelets on fine branchlets, 5-11 flowered, up to 1/5 in. long, very narrow.
Widely distributed throughout the Sudan.
=E. cf. E. pilosa= _Beauv._
Similar to _E. pilosa_, but larger generally and more leafy. (Panicle up to 1 ft.).
Red Sea Prov. (Tokar, south of delta).
=E. cf. E. ægyptiaca= _Del._
Annual growing in low tufts. Sudan specimen much reduced; structurally similar to _E. pilosa_ but spikelets not stalked. 15-20 flowered.
White Nile Prov. (Geteina).
=E. tenuifolia= _Hochst._
Perennial grass with slender stems 1½-3 ft. high, leaves very narrow, needle-like, often long. Panicle 3-6 in., very open. Spikelets on long, fine stalks, ⅓ in. by ⅙ in., glumes long pointed, giving a saw-edge effect.
Mongalla Prov. (Yei River, in cultivation).
=E. chalcantha= _Trin._
Perennial, densely tufted grass, stems slender, ½-1 ft. long, 1-jointed, upper joint ¾ length of stem. Leaves mostly basal, narrow, fine tapering, 1-4 in. long by 1/12-⅛ in., crowned with soft white glandular hairs. Panicle narrow, branches short, spikelets olive grey, up to ⅓ in. long, narrowly oval.
Mongalla Prov. (Yei River).
=E. major= _Host._ BANU (Khartoum)—Arab.
Annual grass, growing in small tufts, stems slender, but strong, ½-2 ft. high. Leaves few, 2-6 in. long, tapering to fine point, glandular along the edges. Panicle 2-6 in. long, moderately dense, erect. Branches spreading, stiff, longer at base. Spikelets large, up to ⅓ in. by ⅛ in., many flowered. Grain round.
Northern and Central Sudan; Kordofan and Bahr el Ghazal (Jur Ghattas and Niamniam land).
=E. Barrelierii= _Desv._
Annual grass growing in tufts up to about 1 ft. high. Stems slender, many jointed. Leaves not glandular. Inflorescence rigid, 1½-3 in. long, 1-1½ in. broad. Branches many, subopposite. Spikelets short stalked, many flowered, up to ½ in. long by 1/16 in. broad.
Halfa Prov. (Halfa).
=E. tremula= _Hochst._ BINNU or BANU (Kordn)—Arab.
Tufted annual, 6 in. to 2½ ft., stems 3-4-jointed. Leaves narrow, mostly basal, sometimes glandular. Panicle very large, broad, very loose, branches solitary. Spikelets nodding, on long, very fine stalks, many- flowered, up to 1 in. long by 1/12 in. broad.
Blue Nile Prov. (Rufaa); Fung Prov. (Fazoghli); Kordofan Prov. (Abu Garad, Hilla el Jebel, El Obeid, Khor Abu Habl); Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Niamniam land).
=E. superba= _Peyr._
Perennial, densely tufted grass with offshoots along the stems, 2-3 ft. high. Panicle erect, 4-10 in. long, often interrupted below. Spikelets almost round or oval, large, ¼-¾ in. by 1/5-1/3 in., straw coloured or purplish, irregularly placed on very unequal stalks.
Mongalla Prov. (Rejaf, near mountain).
=E. obtusa= _Munro._
Densely tufted perennial with numerous leafy shoots along stem, stems wiry, ½-1½ ft. long. Leaves very narrow, tapering to a very fine point. Panicle 2-4 in. long, rather lax. Spikelets large, 1/8-1/5 in., roundish or oval on very fine stalks, nodding in wind.
Mongalla Prov. (Yei River).
=E. rubiginosa= _Trin._
Tufted annual, with solitary stems arising from a basal tuft of leaves, up to about 1 ft. high. Leaves about 3 in. long by ¼ in., lance-shaped, tinged with red. Inflorescence small, consisting of 5 or 6 short branches, bearing broad heart-shaped spikelets, which are tinged with red.
Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Jur Ghattas).
=E. near E. Tholloni= _Franch._
Grass with dense basal tuft of leaves and fibrous sheaths. Leaves long, narrow, tapering. Flowering stem solitary, up to 2 ft. high. Inflorescence fairly loose, oval, with fine wavy branches about 1 in. long, bearing large, broad, heart-shaped spikelets of yellow colour.
Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post).
=E. ciliaris= _Link._
Tufted annual 2 in.-1 ft. high, or more; stems slender, hairless or nearly so, bent at the base, 3-4-jointed, leaves narrow, finely pointed, short. Spikes dense, 2-6 in. long, narrow, cylindrical. Spikelets densely crowded, pale, sometimes purplish, 1/10 in. long, 6-12 flowered, glumes hairy.
Red Sea Prov. (Soturba, at Mersa Elei, and Lat. 21° N., Khor Tamanib, Tokar); Khartoum Prov.; Kordofan Prov. (El Obeid); Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Jur Ghattas, and Niamniam land); Mongalla Prov. (Yei River).
=E. interrupta= _P. Beauv._ HOLAGOYA & HEILAGŪT (N. Kordn)—Arab.
Annual, very variable in size, 2 in.-3 ft. high, stem bent at base. Panicle with erect stiff branches, more or less contracted or slightly spreading. Spikelets very small, green or pale brown, 1/12-¼ in. long, glumes not hairy.
Atbara River; Berber Prov. (El Mesherif and Gubba); Khartoum Prov.; Blue Nile Prov.; Fung Prov.; Kordofan Prov.
=E. namaquensis= _Nees._
Tufted annual, 6 in.-2 ft. high, stem erect, slender. Leaves narrow. Panicle long and narrow, contracted or loose; spikelets usually crowded, 1/12 in. long, 5-6 flowered, light purplish or brownish.
White Nile Prov. (Jebel Arashkol); Kordofan Prov.; Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Jur Ghattas).
=E. aspera= _Nees._ HEMEIRA (Khartoum)—Arab.
Tufted annual 2-4 in. high. Panicle large, open, 10-20 in. long by 4-6 in. broad. Spikelets narrow, blunt, 1/5 in. long, 4-16 flowered, pale or tinged with purple, glumes rough.
Red Sea Prov. (Tokar and Lat. 21° N.); Blue Nile Prov. (Kamlin); Khartoum Prov.; Fung Prov. (Roseires); Darfur Prov. (Kulme); Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Niamniam land).
902 =Diplachne fusca= _Beauv._
Coarse perennial growing in compact tufts, stems stout, 3-5 ft. long, 3-jointed, branched, with leafy shoots springing from the lower. Leaf blades more or less rigid, 3-6 in. by 1/12-⅛ in. Panicle 9-18 in. long, narrow, slightly nodding, consisting of numerous slender branches up to 5 in. long, not spreading. Spikelets ¼-½ in. long, 5-10 flowered, very shortly stalked, olive grey in colour.
White Nile Prov. (Jebel Arashkol).
903 =Leptochloa chinensis= _Nees._
A rather coarse annual, stems stout, erect, 2-4 ft. high, many jointed. Leaves long, 6-18 in., narrow, grey-green. Panicle 6-18 in., consisting of numerous slender, flexuous branches, often spreading. Spikelets crowded on the branches, not stalked, dark colour, about 1/10 in. long.
Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Wau).
=L. sp.=
Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post).
904 =Schoenefeldia gracilis= _Kunth._ DANAB EL NAGA, EMFERID (Blue Nile), GAU DUMBELAD (N. Kordn)—Arab.
Annual with slender wiry stems growing in tufts, up to 18 in. high. Leaves very narrow, inrolled at the edges. Spikes 2 or 3, digitate, each 2-4 in. long, axis densely covered with 2 ranks of small spikelets (1/12 in. long), bearing long, flexuous awns up to 1½ in. long.
Northern and Central Sudan; Kordofan Prov.; Darfur Prov. (Jebel Barkin, Suruj district).
905 =Microchloa setacea= _R. Br._
Perennial, growing in compact tufts, stems very slender, from 2 in. to more than 1 ft. long. Leaves crowded at the base, short, rigid and wiry, the basal sheaths breaking into fibres. Spikes solitary, 1-6 in. long, very slender, little thicker than the stems, usually curved, often purplish. Spikelets 1-flowered in a single row, up to ⅛ in. long, widely spaced on the axis of the spike.
Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Jur Ghattas).
906 =Cynodon Dactylon= _Pers._ NAGIL, DIFRAT EL KHAIL (N. Kordn)—Arab; BURTIT (Dilling)—Nuba.
Perennial, creeping grass, forming matted tufts, with short, ascending, slender, many jointed branches from a few inches to 1 ft. long. Spikelets minute, 1-2-ranked on 3-6 digitate spikes. A common grass, an excellent fodder, very suited to the making of lawns.
Throughout the Sudan.
907 =Enteropogon macrostachya= _Munro._
Rather coarse perennial grass up to 2½ ft. high, stems slender and wiry, branched at the base. Leaves long, up to 1/5 in. broad, grey-green. Spikes up to 6 in. long, solitary, pallid. Spikelets densely packed on one side of the axis, narrow, and with a short awn.
Darfur Prov. (Jebel Barkin).
908 =Chloris pycnothrix= _Trin._
Slender perennial or annual grass, ½-1 ft. high, stems at the base prostrate, with tufts of barren shoots and stems springing from the rooting joints. Leaves 1½-2 in., very narrow. Spikes 3 to 9, sessile, or some shortly stalked, 1½-3 in. long, digitate. Spikelets minute, awn of lower valve very fine, ½-¾ in. long, upper valve also curved, with fine bristle ⅙-¼ in. long.
Mongalla Prov. (Yei district).
=C. punctulata= _Hochst._
Perennial, ½-1 ft. high, stems with stout, wiry, creeping stems rooting at the joints and sending up fresh tufts therefrom. Stems slender, enclosed in the sheathing bases of the leaves up to the base of the inflorescence. Spikes 1-2½ in. long, 3-6, digitate. Spikelets minute, rigid, and bristle-like, about ½ in. long, yellow.
Red Sea Prov. (Lat. 21-22° N.); Khartoum Prov.; Kordofan Prov. (Joka).
=C. virgata= _Swartz._ TIMALA—Hadendowa.
Perennial or annual, 1-3 ft. high. Stems often prostrate below, and giving off barren shoots from the rooting joints. Spikes 6-15 or more, digitate, whitish green or purplish, 1-2½ in. long. Spikelets about ⅙ in. long, 2-awned, on upper valve ¼-½ in. long, on lower ½-¾ in. long, lower valve also hairy and bearded below the tip.
A fodder grass.
Widely distributed in Northern and Central Sudan (Fung Prov. (Shellal).
=var. elegans= _Stapf._
Similar to type, but spikes up to 3 in. long, lower valve of spikelets conspicuously swollen.
Red Sea Prov. (Erkowit & Tokar).
=C. gayana= _Kunth._
Perennial or annual, 2-4 ft. high. Stems often stout with runners at the base from which spring barren shoots. Leaves narrow, long tapering, ½ to more than 1 ft. long. Spikes 6-15, digitate, not stalked, rarely spreading, 2½-4 in. long. Spikelets ⅛ in. long, shortly 2-awned, dense on the spikes.
Mongalla Prov. (Yei Valley District).
=C. barbata= _Sw._
Perennial very variable in size and habit. Stems stout, 1-3 ft. high, with long creeping runners at the base. Spikes 4-20, ½-4 in. long, digitate. Spikelets 1/10-⅙ in., green or red-purple, 3-awned, awn ¼-⅓ in. long; glumes very hairy, and pointed at the tip.
Darfur Prov.
=C. breviseta= _Benth._ DAZ (Meshra el Zeraf) UM ASABA—Arab; YOLOVAN (Meshra el Zeraf)—Dinka.
Perennial up to 2 ft. high, with stout stems and creeping basal runners. Leaves long and narrow. Spikes up to 12, about 3 in. long. Spikelets about ⅙ in. long, 3-awned, but awns only short bristles, glumes slightly hairy, often fringed with purple.
Kassala Prov. (Gallabat, Matamma); Kordofan Prov. (Abu Haraz); Darfur Prov. (Kulme, 3,600 ft.); Upper White Nile Prov. (Meshra el Zeraf); Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Jur Ghattas); Mongalla Prov. (Yei River, Gondokoro).
=C. villosa= _Pers._
Perennial from a densely tufted stout woody base which is clothed with broad overlapping leaf-sheaths. Stems slender, up to 3 ft. high, but generally smaller. Leaves very narrow 1-3 in. Spikes solitary up to 3 in. long. Spikelets 4-awned, awns up to ⅓ in. long, very dense on the axis, triangular, with the base upwards, glumes very hairy.
A good fodder grass in desert regions.
Red Sea Prov. (Khor Tamanib); Between Suakin and Berber (Wadi Omari).
=C. spathacea= _Hochst._
Tufted perennial up to 1 ft. high, similar in habit to _C. villosa_, but generally smaller, and the solitary spike wholly or partly enclosed in spathe-like leaf-sheaths. The awns also are rather more rigid.
Between Suakin and Berber (Wadi Laemab); Atbara River (Jebel Erimbat, Goz Regeb); Blue Nile Prov. (Wad el Haddad, Wad el Gamali); White Nile Prov. (Jebel Arashkol); Kordofan Prov. (Bir Sodari and Abu Haraz).
909 =Ctenium elegans= _Kunth._ DANAB EL NAGA, ABU-DHANABI—Arab.
Perennial densely tufted grass, stems thin, wiry, 1½-2½ ft. high. Leaves scanty, narrow. Spikes solitary up to 1 ft. long. Spikelets very narrow, densely packed on one side of the axis like the teeth of a comb, shortly awned with a fine bristle. Glumes and axis finely hairy.
Blue Nile Prov. (Sennar); Kordofan Prov. (Jebel Kon, Khor Abu Habl); Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Bongo: Gir).
=C. Schweinfurthii= _Gilg._
Similar in general habit to _C. elegans_, but differs in that two of the glumes are strongly hairy, the inner glume is not glandular and the awn from the side nerve is conspicuous.
Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Bongo land).
910 =Coelachyrum brevifolium= _Nees._
Small annual tufted grass 3-6 in. high, frequently bearing long trailing stems with leafy branches at the joints. Leaves 1-2 in. long, lance- shaped. Panicle loose, branches up to six in number, about 1 in. long, irregularly arranged. Spikelets crowded on the branches, about ⅛ in. long, 3-4-flowered, glumes ovate.
Red Sea Prov. (Tokar and Lat. 21° N.).
911 =Eleusine indica= _Gaertn._
Annual, often strong growing, but variable according to locality, from a few inches to 2 ft. in height. Stems flattened, 2-3-jointed. Leaves often numerous, crowded near the base, long, narrow, midrib conspicuous. Spikes 2-14, 1-7 in. long, digitate, with usually 1 or 2 extra below. Spikes slender, straight, axis breaking above the glumes. Spikelets 1/8-1/6 in. long, in two rows all crowded on one side of the axis. Seed heart-shaped in cross section.
Kassala Prov. (Gallabat, Matamma); Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post); Nubia Mts. Prov. (Talodi); Mongalla Prov. (Gondokoro, Mongalla and Yei River); Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Jur Ghattas and Niamniam land).
=E. coracana= _Gaertn._ TELABUN—Arab; KOELL—Bongo; MONU or MARO—Zande.
Very like _E. indica_, but more robust, up to 5 ft. high. Spikes thick, often curved, axis tough, grain roundish.
Cultivated for the grain in the Southern Sudan, where it is used both for food and in the preparation of native beer.
Fung Prov. (Fazoghli); Bahr el Ghazal Prov. (Jur Ghattas and Niamniam land); Bahr el Jebel (Bari country).
=E. flagellifera= _Nees._ HOMRA (Red Sea Prov.)—Arab; IGLA—Rashida; TOKSHIN—Hadendowa.
Perennial with long, stiff, wiry, creeping stems, much branched and rooting at the joints, which are often leafy and thickened. Erect flowering stems about 10 in. long. Spikes 3-6, 1-1½ in. long. Spikelets crowded, overlapping, ⅛-⅓ in. long, often purplish.
Desert grass.
Red Sea Prov. (littoral, Lat. 22° N., Wadi el Arab and Tokar); Between Suakin and Berber (Wadi Laemab); Berber Prov. (Atbara river); Kassala Prov. (Um Adam).
=E. verticillata= _Roxb._
Tufted annual 1-3 ft. high, with many strong leafy stems. Leaves rather broad. Spikes numerous, rather scattered on the axis or arranged in whorls, up to 3 in. long. Spikelets large, up to ¼ in., densely crowded, glumes very pointed, overlapping.
Between Suakin and Berber (Jebel Okurr).
912 =Dactyloctenium ægypticum= _Willd._ KOREIB (Khartoum), UM ASABA (Kordn)—Arab.
Annual, 1-1½ ft. high, stems stoutish, sometimes prostrate and rooting from the joints at the base. Leaves long, tapering to a fine point, 1-5 in. long by 1½-⅙ in. wide. Often hairy with white hairs bearing a small tubercle at the base. Spikes 2-6, digitate, ½-2 in. long, axis stout with spikelets densely packed in 2 rows facing in one direction and spreading at right angles. Spikelets up to ⅛ in. long, stiff, armed with a short curved rigid awn.
A good fodder plant; the seed is eaten at times.
Widely distributed in the Sudan.
=D. glauciphyllum= _Courb._
Perennial with long creeping stems bearing leafy flowering tufts at the thickened joints, 8 in.-1 ft. high. Leaves mainly basal, 1-5 in. long, very narrow, thinly covered with long soft white hairs. Spikes about 4 in number, digitate, up to 1 in. long, branches densely packed with spikelets about 1/5 in. long, glumes prolonged into a sharp hard point.
A desert grass, eaten readily by cattle, sheep, and goats, but dangerous to horses causing irritation to the bladder and kidneys if eaten in large quantities.
Red Sea Prov. (Lat. 21° N., Tokar, Khor Tamanib); Between Suakin and Berber (Wadi Sarrawib and Wadi el Omari).
913 =Dinebra arabica= _Stapf._ EL MILEIHA (Khartoum) and MAMLEIHA (Fung)—Arab.
Annual leafy grass 1-3 ft. high, growing in dense tufts, stems stout, branching from the base. Leaves flat, 3-8 in. long. Inflorescence up to 1 ft. long, axis stout, rigid, erect. Branches rather irregularly and widely spaced, becoming closer towards the apex, ½-2½ in. long. Spikelets overlapping, ⅙ in. long, outer glumes drawn out into a long, fine, rigid point.
Widely distributed in the Sudan.
914 =Trichoneura arenaria= _Ekman._
Small tufted annual grass, woody at the base up to 4 in. long, finely dense. Spikelets flattened, shortly awned.
Red Sea Prov. (Soturba, Mersa Elei).
915 =Triraphis nana= _Boiss._
Dwarf desert grass, annual, about 4 in. high. Leaves very narrow and fine pointed. Panicle brush-like, oval, about 1 in. long. Spikelets dense, very hairy, with a fine bristle-like awn.