Broad-leaved, generally tropical Grasses, distinguished from Paspalum by the awned glumes and paleæ. (Name
trom mXwpevos, curved; alluding to the curved palea.)
1. OpHsmenus æmulus, K u n th ; culmis graciHbus decumbentibus glabratis basi repentibus, vagiuis
nodisque pubescentibus, spica (racemove) in te rru p ta basi composita, spicuHs 2 - 3 eonfertis 4.-6-
floris basi barbatis, flonbus hispidis scaberulisve, glumis ambabus aristatis, interioris arista brevissima, fl.
^u ro st. p . 142. Orthopogon, B r . Prodr. Panicum unguinosum, B a n h et Sol.
Moo. ei Ic.
H a s. N o rth e rn Islan d ; common in woods and shady places, B a n h a n d Solander, ete.
A slender, prostrate Grass, with sparingly branched, weak, ascending culms, 6-1 0 inches long. Sheaths of the
loaras and knots of enhns more or less downy; blade of leaf flat. 4 -6 inches long, a broad. Raceme of a few
distant hispid spikelets, which are clustered together, nearly sessüe, and surroimded with a brush of long hairs at
he base. Glumes awned, the lower awn very short, upper i inch long, very stout and blunt for its size —A
common Grass in some parts of Australia, and thronghout the tropics of Asia, Africa, and America. I have retained
Mr. Brown s name for it of æmulus, though it has probably eai'lier ones; an investigation of the question of its
synonymy would however demand a critical examination of the genus, which is much involved.
Gen. V I I I . S P IN tF E X , L .
Plores polygamo-dioici; spicvdts b ifloris; masculis solitariis, ad basin racheos elongatæ aristæformis •
a n d r y m s r a distincta planta, spicatis. Glumæ 2, membranaceæ. Spiculæ androg. : - F l o s inferior g v.
n eu te r 2 v. 1, membranaceæ. Flos superior g . 2, coriaceæ, inferior superiorem binervem
amp ec ens. quamuloe 2, carnosæ. S ty li basi subcobærentes. Caryopsis in tra paleas libera.— Gramina
, in arenosis repentia. Spicæ masculæ nmbellatim congests, in acumen pungens
A veiy remarkable and conspicuous genus of downy or silky Grasses, forming creeping, bushy tufts in sea-sand,
much b ra n c h e d .-ftp ifa eoUected into globose bunches; mak spiles sohtary, placed at the base of a long, naked.
- subulate raehis ; hermaphrodite (androgynous) spikes usually on separate plants. Spiielets two-flowered. Glumes
wo, membranous, nearly equal. Paleæ of the male spikes two. membranous; lower oblong, channelled ; upper with
two cihated keels. Androgynous spikelets spiked, two-flowered; lower flower male or neuter, with two (rarely one)
membranous paleæ; upper flower hermaphrodite, with two coriaceous oblong concave paleæ, the lower including
the upper which is two-nerved. Seaks two, fleshy. Caryopsis enclosed between the paleæ, free. (Name from
spina, in allusion to the termination of the r.Tchis.)
1. Spmifex hwsutus, L a b .; vaginis sericeo-tomentosis inferioribus interdum glabratis, foliis in tu s
^ a b ris , racbi spicæ masculæ spicam s u p e r a n t e .- * to 7 ( . Fl. Nov. Ho ll. v. 2. p . 81. t. 280, 231. S. sericeus
B am d F k . P la n t non B r . S. inermis, B a n h et Sol. M S S . Ixalum inerme, Forst. Prodr. fid . Baoul.
H a s . N o rth e rn Is la n d ; Bay of Islands, Auckland, E a st Coast, etc., by th e sea-coast, B a n h and
ootanaer, Ounningkam, etc.
t h e r e é U e U r r T " " ’ “‘"foa
w n t / T ”? r ® ' ' “ "fo" fofo -< l shining ;
ï ï n l To 0 " f o ® fo numerous, peduncled, silky
£ ) r sn involucrate head, the rachis produced beyond the flowers. Ilermaplrodite ijndrc fy.
Z t i t t r T ™ ? ? “ fo “ fo “ fo'"’’ spines, 4 -5 J L
f ° “ sn directions: each of these is a peduncle or raehis. at whose bas o ily the fertile or
androgynous flowers are to be fo u n d .-T h is is a common Tasmanian and South Australian plant
Gen. IX . A K IS T ID A , L .
Spiculoe 1-floræ, flosculo pedicellato. Glumæ 2, inæquales. Fccleæ 2 : inferior coriacea, tereti-involuta,
apice arista trip a rtita ; superior minima. S tamin a 3, ovarii basi adnatæ. Caryopsis in tra paleas libera.
— Gramina sæpius rigida ; foliis involutis.
A very large genus of Grasses, chiefly inhabiting tropical and warm countries ; several are Australian.— Culms
generally rigid and wiry ; leaves involute. Glumes two, unequal. Floret one, stipitate. Paleæ two, vei^ unequal ;
lower coriaceous, involute, narrow, with a rigid awn split to the base into three arms, of which the two lateral are
often patent; upper palea very minute. Siamens three; filaments adnate to the narrow base of the ovary. (Name
from arista, an awn.)
1. Aristida calycina,F>x. •, glaberrima, culmis gracilibus rigidis simplicibus, foliis breviusculis subulatis,
panicula an g u sta rara pauciflora, ramulis brevibus pedicellisque glabris, glumis subæqualibus flosculo
æquilougis mucronatis, aristis flore longioribus v. æquilongis.— B r . Frodr. p . 173.
H ab. N o rth e rn Is la n d ; Bay of Islan d s, A . Cunningham.
The only specimens I have seen are indifferent ones in Cunningham’s Herbarium, now in Mr. Heward’s possession.
The plant is also a native of tropical Australia.— Culms rigid, wiry, quite smooth, a foot high. Leaves
subulate, why. Fanicle 3 inches long, very slender, few-fiowered, and sparingly branched; pedicels very sbort and
smooth. Spikelets inch long. Glumes narrow, mucronate, as long as the lower palea, which is shorter thau the
three spreading rigid arms of the awn.
Gen. X. D IC H E L A C H N E , E n d l
Spiculæ 1-floræ; floris stip ite brevi barbato. Glumæ 2, membranaceæ, acuminatæ, florem æquantes
V. superantes. Faleæ 2 : inferior scabra v. sericeo-pilosa, bifida, in te r lobos a rista ta ; arista simplici sub-
to rta basi in a rtic u la ta ; superior brevior, linearis, 2-dentata, inferiori conformi?, tenerior. Stamina 2, sub-
falcatæ.—Eolia convoluta. P an icu la coarctata.
Rigid, wiry Grasses, with flat, subulate or convolute leaves, and narrow, rather dense panicles of shiniug
flowers; natives of Australia, Norfolk Island, and New Zealand. Glumes two, membranous, sharp, as long as or
longer than the solitary flower, which has a short bearded stalk. Faleæ two : lower membranous or coriaceous,
scabrid or silky, bifid, witli a twisted or straight awn from between the lobes, which is not jointed on to the palea :
upper shorter, linear, two-toothed at tbe tip. Scales curved, three according to Endlicher (Prodr. Fl. Norf. Islaud),
two according to Trinius and Ruprecht (Act. Acad. Imp. Scient. Petrop. 1842), and iu all the New Zealand species.
Seed very narrow. (Name from cloven-footed, and chaff ; in allusion to the bifid palea.)
1. Diclielacline crinita, Hook. fil. ; glaberrima scaberula v. molliter pubescens, foliis planis involutisve,
panicula elongata coarctata spiculis densissimis rarius lobata v. rariflora aristis flexuosis quasi crinita,
glumis angustis longe acuminatis florem breviter stip itatum excedentibus, palea inferiore scaberula acuminata
apice integra v. bifida, arista dorsali supra medium in serta longissima flexuosa baud to rtili, palea superiore
breviore apice bidentata.— D. vulgaris et Eorsteriana, T ñ n . et R u p r. Act. Acad. Imp. Scient. Fetrop. 18 4 2 .
Muhlcnbergia mollicoma, Nees in Ile rh . Hook. Agrostis crinita, B r . Frodr. Apera crinita, F a i. Beauv.
Agrost. Aiitlioxanthum crinitum, Forst. Frodr. Lab. F l. Nov. Holl. v. 2 . p .W b . t. 293. Agrostis
barbata. Ba n k s et Sol. M S S . et Ic.
H ab. N o rth e rn Island, abundant, on dry clayey hills, etc., B a n k s a n d Solander, etc.
A very abundant and variable Grass, quite smooth, or with the lower leaves and sheaths covered with soft
down. Culms annual, tufted, 1 -3 feet high, stout or sleuder, leafy at the base, and sometimes up to the inflores-
ceuce. Fanicle 4 -8 inches long, pale yellow-green, shining, contracted, dense and spike-like, rarely thin, with the
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