404 Transactions. — Botany. 



10. Note on the systematic position of the four Dcsclianipsias 

 described in this paper. 



Among botanists there has been great uncertainty as to 

 the systematic position of the grasses described as Dcschamp- 

 sias in the present paper. When the Campbell Island grass 

 was first described, Sir Josej^h Hooker placed it in the genus 

 Catahrosa, Beauv., at the same time indicating several im- 

 portant points of difference. In the " Genera Plantarum," 

 Bentham and Hooker removed it without hesitation from the 

 genus Catabrosa, but did not well know where to place it, 

 suggesting doubtfully that it might take rank in E. Brown's 

 genus Triodia. Some of our best local botanists readily 

 acquiesced in this view, but I have never been able to satisfy 

 myself of its correctness. Eepeated study of specimens of 

 Descliavipsia tenella and Deschampsia novce-zdandice (de- 

 scribed above) made me more and more unwilling to recognize 

 their affinity to Triodia, and my difficulties led me to consult 

 the botanical authorities at the Kew Herbarium in hopes that 

 light might be thrown on this puzzling group of grasses. Mr. 

 N. E. Brown, A.L.S.,was good enough to go into the question 

 very carefully, and he communicated to me his opinion that 

 the grasses in question were neither Catahrosas nor Triodias, 

 but Dcscliampsias. From the first I was inclined to accept 

 the view put forward by Mr. Brown, and the discovery of D. 

 chapmani and D. jntsilla, early in the present year, finally set 

 all my doubts at rest. Deschampsia cliapmani is clearly not a 

 Triodia, for it differs from that genus in having a dorsal awn, 

 more numerous teeth at the apex of the flowering glume, and 

 a wholly different type of ligule, as well as in many minor 

 particulars. On the other hand, it is clearly a close ally of 

 the series of grasses here described as DescJianipsias, and, in- 

 deed, occupies an exactly intermediate position between the 

 typical species of the genus and the aberrant awuless, or 

 nearly awnless, forms referred to it in the present paper. The 

 close alliance of the whole series makes it extremely probable 

 that they all belong to one and the same genus, and the struc- 

 ture of 1). cliapmani proves that that genus is not Triodia; 

 and I feel quite satisfied that their alliance is with Deschamp)- 

 sia, unless, indeed, a new genus should be created for their 

 reception. 



Mr. N. E. Brown has sent me a small piece of an awnless 

 grass from the Andes which the late Mr. Bentham regarded 

 as a Deschampsia, and he informs me that in one section of 

 the genus the species are without awns. Beyond the piece 

 above referred to I have seen none of these species, and no 

 account appears to be taken of them in the generic character 

 as given in the " Genera Plantarum," though the brief notices 



