Mr. Woops on the Genera of European Grasses, 43 
genus, with a tendency to become geniculate and twisted, and rises from about 
the middle of the back of the bicuspidate palea. In this it is a seta from near 
the extremity of the entire palea. This, in words, seems amply sufficient; but 
on examining the species, each of the characters is sometimes so slightly 
marked, that the student is at a loss to know to which genus a plant may 
belong. : 
The large glumes of Scutsmus might induce us to put it with the Avenacee. 
The florets, cylindrical and truncate, and bluntly ribbed towards the extremity, 
bring it near to Sclerochloa. Linnæus considered it as a Festuca, and De 
Candolle placed it with Keleria, with which it has very little affinity. Palisot 
de Beauvois marks a small terminal seta which I do not observe. 
Meca, like Schismus, has large glumes, and neither awn nor seta. The 
one-sided inflorescence and linear seed favour its arrangement with the Fes- 
tucacee, and its habit is very different from that of the dvenacew. Yet in this 
respect it divides itself into two parts, M. ciliata and M. Bauhini presenting a 
very different appearance from the wide-spreading branches of M. aspera, 
M. minuta, and M. uniflora. In Melica ciliata Y usually find the second floret 
barren, and the third so small as to be exposed with difficulty. Both unite 
to form the club-like rudiment which characterizes the genus. Melica per- 
sica is said to have 6 florets, of which the lower alone is perfect. Mozinia 
seems well divided from Melica. Whether Festuca serotina be rightly placed 
with it may admit of a doubt. It must mainly depend on whether the paleæ 
harden or not on the seeds. 
Carasrosa is a very distinct genus, which has nothing in common with 
Aira, with which it was formerly united, but the number of its florets. 
In Sester, the large and almost scariose glumes and the three or five nerves 
of the outer palea, each running beyond its scariose — into a ts: 
point, clearly mark the genus. We can hardly conceive this structure united 
to a true awn, and therefore have no hesitation in placing it among the F. ag 
tucaceæ. None of the Avenacee have a clearly marked point or seta — 
nuing from the inner nerve of the outer palea. The united styles - E 
stigmas are probably important; yet Kunth says, “ styli duo, — Eo 
leria disticha, or Poa disticha, as it has sometimes been anes wants E 
these characters, and agrees better with Poa, with which it has been uni 
G2 
