l6. GRAMINEAE IO3 



Panicles strongly contracted, dense, more or less spike-like. Glumes 

 membranous. Spikelets 2 — 5-flowered 202 



202. Upper outer glume much broader and somewhat longer than the flowering 



glumes. Lower outer glume very short, almost bristle-like. Flowering 

 glumes awned below the tip. — Species i. North-west Africa (Algeria). 



Avellinia Pail. 

 Upper outer glume neither broader nor longer than the flowering glumes. 

 Lower outer glume almost equalling the upper one. (See 151.) 



Koeleria Pers. 



203. Branches of the panicle spike-like. Flowering glumes i — ^3-nerved, usually 



toothed 204 



Branches of the panicle raceme-like. Flowering glumes 3-nerved, not 

 distinctly toothed, unarmed or mucronate 205 



204. Panicles contracted, spike-like. Flowering glumes entire, acuminate. 



Lodicules membranous. Fr.iit terete. — Species 3. South Africa and 

 southern East Africa. [Triphlehia Stapf, under Lasiochloa Kunth). 



Stiburus Stapf 



Panicles lax. Lodicules fleshy. — • Species g. Tropical and South Africa 



and Egypt. Some are used as fodder-grasses. Diplachne Beauv. 



205. Flowering glumes rounded on the back. Spikelets conical, loosely 2 — -4- 



flowered ; axis jointed, fragile. Fruit oblong, broadly grooved. — 

 Species i. North-west Africa (Algeria). Used in plaiting-work and as 



an ornamental grass Molinia Schrank 



Flowering glumes keeled. Spikelets not conical, densely 5— many- 

 flowered 206 



206. Outer glumes unequal, the lower 3-nerved, the upper 5-nerved. Axis 



of the spikelet fragile. Fruit broadly grooved. — Species i. Coast 



of East Africa Halopyrum Stapf 



Outer glumes i-nerved, rarely the upper one 3-nerved. Axis of the spike- 

 let usually tough. Fruit usually ovate and not grooved. — Species 130. 

 Some are used as fodder- or ornamental grasses, others as sand-binaers 

 or for plaiting-work. The tef {E. abyssinica Link) is cultivated in 

 Abyssinia as a cereal Eragrostis Host 



207. (192.) Axis of the spikelet bearing above the fertile flowers two or more 



empty glumes usually forming a club-shaped body. Flowering glumes 

 keeled. Outer glumes 3 — 5-nerved. (See 152.) [Subtribe melicixae.] 



Melica L. 



Axis of the spikelet bearing above the fertile flowers a single empty glume 



or none, rarely several, but then flowering glumes rounded on the back. 



208 



208. Leaves broadly-lanceolate or ovate, with fine transverse veins between 



the nerves. [Subtribe centothecinae.] 209 



Leaves linear or Hnear-lanceolate, without distinct transverse veins 

 [Subtribes festucinae and brachypodixae.] . . . c .210 



