862 GRAMINES. (Agrostis. 
17. AGROSTIS, Linn. 
Annual or perennial grasses, of very various habit. Leaves 
usually flat, sometimes setaceous, often flaccid; ligules mem- 
branous. Spikelets small, 1-flowered, arranged in effuse or con- 
tracted panicles with capillary whorled branches; rhachilla dis- 
articulating above the 2 outer glumes, not produced beyond the 
flower. Glumes 3; 2 outer equal or subequal, empty, keeled, 
acute, not awned, usually l-nerved; 35rd or flowering glume mem- 
branous or hyaline, glabrous or hairy, usually truncate, 5-nerved or 
rarely 3-nerved, with a dorsal awn or unawned, callus glabrous or 
with a few minute hairs. Palea usually short, often minute or 
wanting, thin and delicate, hyaline, 2-nerved or nerveless. Lodi- 
cules 2. Stamens 3. Styles very short, distinct; stigmas plumose. 
Grain oblong, free within the flowering glume. 
Species about 100, found in all parts of the world, but most abundant in 
temperate regions, and penetrating as far into the arctic and antarctic zones as 
any other grasses. Of the 7 species admitted in this work, one is generally dis- 
tributed in high southern latitudes, two or possibly three are found in Australia, 
the remainder are endemic. 
* Awa of flowering glume distinctly exserted beyond the empty glumes. 
Culms 3-18in. Panicle contracted, 1-4in. Spikelets 
1in. long; pedicels almost hispid 3 1. A. magellanica. 
** Awn of flowering glume often wanting; when present not exceeding the 
empty glumes. 
Minute, softly pulvinate, seldom more than lin. high. 
Panicle usually sunk among the leaves 3 .. 2, A. muscosa. 
Slender, strict, densely tufted, 2-9in. Panicle narrow, 
almost spike-like, 4-2 in. long is oye cf: 
Tufted, 4-18 in.; innovation-shoots intravaginal, without 
leafless scales at the base. Panicle 2-5 in., contracted, 
rather dense; branches numerous. Spikelets »,-}in., 
empty glumes scabrid on the keel dc a 
Laxly tufted, 6-18in.; innovation - shoots extravaginal, 
with leafless scales at the base. Panicle 2-6in., lax ; 
branches in whorls of 3-5. Spikelets jin., empty 
glumes smooth At ys a0 ar .. 5. A. Petriet: 
Weak, very slender, 6-18in. Panicle 2-6in., lax and 
spreading; branches few, capillary, trichotomously 
divided. Spikelets minute,;.in. .. Bt .. 6. A. varvifiora. 
Laxly tufted, very slender, 6-liin. Panicle linear, 
14-4in. by j4-4in.; branches short, erect. Spikelets 
qos in., pale, shining af ae “he 
3. A. Muelleri. 
4. A. Dyert. 
7, A. tenella. 
Two common European species, A. vulgaris (Red-top) and A. alba (Fiorin), 
are copiously naturalised in most parts of the colony. They come nearer to 
A. Dyeri than to any other of the indigenous species, but differ in the creeping 
rootstocks, laxer panicles, and in the florets having a well-developed palea. 
Descriptions of them will be found in any British Flora. 
1. A. magellanica, Lam. Jil. i. 160.—Culms tufted, very vari- 
able in size, 3-18 in. high, erect or shortly decumbent at the base, 
