Deschampsva. | GRAMINE:. 875 
‘ . 
almost hyaline, toothed at the apex ; dorsal awn slender, twisted at 
the base, sometimes very smail or wanting. Palea narrow, 2- 
nerved. Lodicules 2, ovate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct; stigmas 
plumose. Grain oblong, enclosed within the unaltered flowering 
glume and palea. 
Species about 25, dispersed through most cold or temperate regions. One of 
the New Zealand species extends through the whole range of the genus; the 
remaining 6 are endemic. These constitute a somewhat anomalous group, 
differing from the true Deschampsi@ in the awn being almost terminal and very 
small, or altogether absent. They may ultimately form a separate genus. 
* Awn from the middle of the back of the flowering glume or below it. 
Tall, 1-4 ft. high. Panicle long,4-12in. Spikelets 4-4in. 1. D. cespitosa. 
** Awn from immediately below the tip of the flowering glume or wanting. 
+ Rhachilia glabrous. 
Forming dense Eee 34-1din. high. Leaves short, 
curved. Panicle}—?in., dense. Spikelets straw-yellow, 
shining. Awn wanting ‘or rarely present : 2. D. pusilla. 
Slender, 3-9in. Leaves shorter than the culms, ‘involute. 
Panicle slender, lax, 1-3in. long. Spikelets pale- -green, 
apex of flowering glume irregularly denticulate. Awn 
wanting .. ne BG 54 Aa .. 3. D. nove - 2ea- 
landie. 
Slender, 6-18in. Leaves flaccid, flat or involute, often 
capillary. Panicle very slender, 3-6in. Spikelets + in., 
pale-green ; apex of flowering glume 3-toothed. Awn 
usually present be se ae .. 4, D, Chapmani. 
tt Rhachilla hairy. 
Very slender, flaccid, 6-14in. Leaves capillary. Panicle 
very slender, lax, 2-6in. Spikelets small, ;4,in.; apex 
of flowering glume 3-toothed. Awn usually present .. 5. D. tenella. 
Slender, tufted,2-S8in. Leaves short, strict. Panicle lax, 
deltoid, -2in. Spikelets few, 4- 4in.; apex of flower- 
ing glume 3-toothed. Awn eae present. Hairs of 
rhachilla long, copious 0 
Slender, 3-Gin. Leaves short, flat. Panicle ‘sparingly 
branched, lax, 1-2in.; - spikelets few. Flowering glume 
irregularly denticulate ; awn wanting. Rhachilla with 
a minute empty glume at the apex .. s¢ ae ih. Ds penrcillata. 
D. gracillima. 
ee 
1. D. cespitosa, Beauv. Agrost. 91, t. 18, f. 3.—Culms densely 
tufted, forming large tussocks, smooth, shining, rather stout or 
slender, leafy, 1-4ft. high. Leaves rather stiff, narrow, flat or 
convolute, rough on the upper surface and margins; sheaths 
shining, smooth or rough; ligules long, membranous, acute. 
Panicles 4-12in. long, usually rather narrow and dense in New 
Zealand examples, inclined or nodding above; branches in some- 
what ee fascicles, capillary, smooth or minutely scaberulous. 
Spikelets 4-4 in. long, shining, pale yellow-green or purplish. Two 
outer gluines keeled, acute or subacute, l-nerved or the upper 
) 
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