Kirk. — On a Neiv Gemcs of Gramineas. 497 



Art. XLV. — Description of a Nciu Genus of Gramineae. 

 By T. KiEK, F.L.S. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 17th February, 1897.] 

 Plate XLIV. 

 Agrostide^. 

 Simplicia, n.g. 

 Spikelet solitary, 1-flowered, pedicellate, the rhachis pro- 

 duced into a minute bristle. Glumes, 3, the 2 outer unequal, 

 minute, hyaline, persistent. Flowering-glume much longer 

 than the outer glume, lanceolate-acuminate, awnless ; nerves 

 2, rarely 3, obscure. Palea almost as long as the glume. 

 Stamens 2 or 1. Stigmas 2. Lodicules 2. Ovary minutely 

 stipitate ; grain enclosed in the palea, free. 



1. S. laxa, n.s. 



Culms weak, decumbent, llaccid, filiform 10in.-18in. long. 

 Leaves flat, lin.-4in. long, J^in.-iin. broad, sheath rather 

 long, glabrous or pubescent ; ligule short, lacerate. Panicle 

 strict, narrow, with few short capillary branches. Spikelets 

 about xV^- lo'^o ; outer glumes one - fifth to one - fourth as 

 long as the flowering -glume, ovate, acute, minutely ciliate. 

 Flowering-glume and palea pubescent or almost silky, the 

 nerves of the former usually obscure. Palea as long as the 

 flowering-glume, narrow, acute or subacute. Filaments short. 



Hah. North Island — Dry Eiver Station, Euamahanga, 

 Lower Wairarapa : January, 1880 : T. K. South Island — 

 Waikouaiti and Deep Stream, Otago : D. Petrie ! 



Some specimens may be polygamous, as suggested by Dr. 

 Stapf, but I have not been able to determine this point, the 

 material at my disposal being very limited ; in some speci- 

 mens the rhachilla is not easily made out. The Euamahanga 

 specimens are much weaker, and have narrower leaves than 

 those from Otago, but there is no other difference. Both 

 forms are protandrous. 



I am greatly indebted to Dr. Stapf, who, at the request of 

 Sir Joseph Hooker, has kindly examined this curious plant for 

 me. He remarks, " It comes pretty near certain species of 

 Mithlenhergia, but has a distinct though minutely-produced 

 rhachilla, and is probably polygamous." 



Local botanists will easily distinguish it from Deyeuxia by 

 the outer glumes being only one-fifth the length of the awnless 

 flowering-glume, which is destitute of hairs at the base. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XLIV. 

 Simplicia laxa,Tl.li.\x:\. Natural size. 1. Unexpanded spikelet, enlarged. 

 32 



