A great many varieties have been described; of these 7 are said to occur in South Africa. As I have, however, seen only a few specimens from that region, I must rely mainly on Hackel's, Körnicke's, and K. Schumann's descriptions which, unfortunately, are not always reconcilable. The following disposition is therefore only a provisional attempt, principally intended to give the student an idea in which directions the variation takes place chiefly, and to enable him to collect judiciously further material of this most important native cereal. The cereal of the Kaffirs, generally known as the Kaffir corn; occasionally grown in gardens in the western parts of the Cape Colony. I have seen only a few South African specimens, and as some of them are rather young or otherwise imperfect, the following determinations will have to be revised along with those by other authors, as soon as more complete material is at hand. VAR. saccharatus is very probably represented by a young specimen in the Kew herbarium distributed by Drège under the name “ Sorghum bicolor ,” and without locality. It is said to be the commonest form grown in tropical Africa, and is also cultivated in tropical Arabia, India, Southern Europe and the United States of North America. Var. Usorum is indicated by Nees from Dutoits Kloof, in Worcester Div., and from the country of the Koosa Kaffirs (“ tUs” Kaffirs of Nees, whence the name, approximately between the Great Fish River and Key River), and a flowering specimen collected by Wood (3990) near the Umvoti River, Natal, belongs very likely to it. Var. Schenkii was collected by Schenk on the Bosch Veldt, north of the Magalies Mountains, in the Transvaal, whilst var. Neesii is recorded from the Koosa Country and from Wilgebosch Spruit, in the Orange Free State (?). To the latter variety are evidently referable some specimens gathered by Burchell (5278!) at “Kaatje's Kraal,” in Knysna Div., and at Takun in Bechuanaland (2214!), as well as a specimen in Thunberg's herbarium, marked Sorghum Caffrorum. The Knysna specimens represent, however, 2 forms, one having almost black mature glumes, whilst, in the other, their colour is the same as in the flowering state. The Takun specimen is in flower. All of Burchell's specimens agree otherwise exactly. Their panicles are erect, oblong, the rhachis and the branches are villous at the nodes and more or less hairy above them. The spikelets answer the description of those of var. Neesii; they are, however, not always very obtuse, but often apiculate. Var. Schenkii as well as var. Neesii is said to be grown also in various parts of tropical Africa.
