340 iSUCCTNCT NOTES ON THE AFFmiTY OF THE PLANTAGINE^. 



infimo prorsua castrato glumclla inferiore glumis omnino simili 

 tantum iiistructo superiore deficiente 5 lin. lonpcis 2 lin. inter se 

 (listantibus rhachillre gonioulo inerassato insidentibus, glumella in- 

 fcriore rigida lanccolata mucronata 7-9 nervi prajter niarginem tenuittM- 

 ciliatam glaberrima dorso ])lana. suporiore vix brcviore cymbiformi 

 jiilosula dorso convexo piot'uiide sulcata bicarinata cariiiis dense 

 longO(|ue ciliatis rachillce anfractibus aptata eicjue striete adprtssu, 

 staminibus inclusis, lodiculis 8 hyalinis lanceolatis inajqiialibus longe 

 ciliatis ovarium te(juantibus, stylo ad basin fere trifido. 



In insula Danorum, Whampoaj, exeunte Maio 187G, detexit Rev. 

 J. C. Nevin. (Herb, propr. n. 19336.) 



This very distinct and remarkable species is intermediate between 

 the two sections established by General Munro, the florit'erous culms 

 being neither entirely separate from the foliiferous ones, nor the branches 

 bearing both leaves and flowers, but the respective branches being 

 distinct on the same culm. The frecjuent (which in this case is more 

 instructive and of greater value than would be the invariable) presence 

 of a barren floret at the base of the spikelet com])letely bridges over 

 the interval between Arundinaria and Arthrostylidium. which, as I 

 long ago remarked,*' cannot naturally be kept apart ; and the Whara- 

 poa plant, judging from Rupreeht's figure of the spikelet, f resembles 

 in the flexuose rachis and distant florets ArthrostijUdium pubescens, 

 Rupr., much more than any hitherto described Arimdiiiaria. As 

 General ^lunro observes,;}: there are some Armidinariai (ex gr. A. 

 amplissiina, N. ab E.) with deciduous florets ; but, even were this not 

 the case, the occui-rence of continuous and fragile spikelets in IJordcuin 

 and Ehjmus, genera belonging to the most nearly allied tribe, would 

 greatly weaken the value of this character. If, indeed, " the lower 

 barien flower, with only one palea, kept Arthrosti/lidium well dis- 

 tinct " — an opinion in which I by no means concur, for there are 

 instances of Arundinaricc with a male lower floret, which is a half 

 approach to the normal condition in the former genus— that distinction 

 is obliterated by the discovery of the Grass now described. And, as 

 there are several undoubted species of Arundinaria natives of ]irazil, 

 no stress can be laid on geographical distribution as a ground for sepa- 

 ration. As to Aidonemia, a reference to Goudot's detailed description 

 and beautiful plate § will show that its lax divaricate panicle is the 

 only character by which it can be distinguished from the ordinary 

 Arthrostylidia ; and such genera as Eragrostis, Fanicum, &c., contain 

 species infinitely more unlike each other in their inflorescence. 



SUCCINCT NOTES ON THE AFFINITY OF THE 



PLANTAGINE^. 

 Br Baeon Ferd. von Mueller. C.M.G., M.D., PhD., F.R.S. 



The small Order of Plantagmete, through represented in nearly all 

 zones of the inhabitable part of the globe, does not as yet occupy a 

 finally recognised place in systematic arrangements. Xor in the 



• Ann. 8C. nat. 4« ser. xviii., 235, t Ruprecht, Bambusea), t. iv , f. 14. 



+ '^^'^nogr. Bambus. 39. ^ Ann. sc. nat. 3« ser. v. 76, t. 4. 



