Herb, 2-4 ft. high. Leaves opposite, ovate, 1½ in. long, hairy. Panicles terminal, 1-2 ft. long; spikes ½-1½ in. long, 4-12 flowered, bracteoles 2, shorter than flowers; per. segments 5, ⅛ in. long, green, hairy; stamens 5, filaments joined into a cup at the base. Red Sea Prov. (Soturba). =P. Schimperi= _Engl._ Glabrous branched herb, 18 in. high. Leaves lin.-oblong, 2 in. long. Spikes terminal and subaxillary, up to 5 in. long in fruit; per. green. Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post). 111 =Achyranthes aspera= _Linn._ ABRUKAB (Sennar), DANAB EL ABILANI or FAKHAH or NA’ANA’A (Meshra El Zeraf), ANAWIDIK (Khartoum), ERG EL ASDA & ERG EL DAM (Blue Nile)—Arab; DARATNIUWA—Hadendowa; EILUKWATEN (Dilling)—Nuba. Straggling or erect woody herb. Leaves opposite, elliptic, 2-3 in. long. Spikes usually simple, 2-18 in. long, occasionally compound and feathery; bracteoles spiny; fr. deflexed, somewhat prickly. Red Sea Prov. (Erkowit & Khortratib); from Lat. 15° 30′ southwards. Root chewed and used as a styptic on cuts. =A. aspera= _Linn._ =var. argentea= _C. B. Clarke._ Leaves silky, strigose beneath with white hairs, often silvery. Kordofan Prov.; Upper White Nile Prov. (near mouth of Bahr El Ghazal); Mongalla Prov. (Kenissa). =A. aquatica= _R. Br._ Hirsute aquatic herb. Leaves ovate or lanceolate, 3-4 in. long. Spikes 3 in. long; bracteoles small; per. straw-coloured; fr. deflexed as above. Fung Prov. (Deleib, Khor Agalin, & Jongol’s Post); White Nile Prov. (Abba Island & Kosti); Kordofan Prov.; Mongalla Prov. (Mongalla). 112 =Pandiaka cylindrica= _Hook. f._ Hairy herb. Leaves opposite, subsessile, oblong, 1 in. long. Spikes 1½ in. long, pinkish straw-coloured; bracteoles 2, longer than per., mucronate, white-hairy; per. ¼ in. long, white-hairy; stamens 5, connate at base with quadrate alternating hairy staminodes. Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (between Limbo’s & Abu Shakka’s, Jur Majob); Mongalla Prov. (Mongalla). =P. Heudelotii= _Hook. f._ Hairy herb, 2-3 ft. high. Leaves sessile, linear, 2-3 in. long. Spikes 1 in. long, green to straw-coloured; bracteoles ⅙ in. long, pointed; per. 1/5 in. long, hairy; stamens as above, glabrous. Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post); Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Jur Ghattas). =P. Schweinfurthii= _C. B. Clarke._ Herb, 1-2 ft. high. Leaves sessile, broad-elliptic or oblanceolate. Spikes 1½ in. long, terminal, straw-coloured; stamens as above, staminodes long-fimbriate. Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Dar Fertit). =P. oblanceolata= _C. B. Clarke._ Sparsely hairy herb. Leaves oblanceolate-oblong, 1¾ in. long, sessile. Spikes 2 in. long, pale-brown; bracteoles 1/5 in., bristle-pointed as is the per., which is ⅓ in. long; staminodes lacerate. Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Bongo, Addai). 113 =Alternanthera nodiflora= _R. Br._ ABU TUMRA (N. Kordn.)—Arab.