Ifilcltcock — Tlic Grasses of Ifir:c(iii 159 



thick. ni(isil\- i)hiinl)ciiu>, int(.Tni])te(l lit-low, the Iowlt l)raiich(.'s oppressed, somewhat dis- 

 tant, I to 2 cm. long-, the upper part den.se ; lateral panicles ])roduced in the axils of the leaves ; 

 spikelets about 2 mm. long; glumes unequal, the first one-fourth as long as the floret, obtuse or 

 truncate, broad, the second about half as long as the floret, acute; lemma and palea equal, 

 nerveless; caryopsis red-brown, oblong, 1.2 mm. long (fig. 46). 



This species is allied to S. bcrtcroanus of the West IncHes. The habit is 

 somewhat different, because of the flattened falcate internodes and the narrow and 

 denser panicles. xAs in that species the reddish fruits at maturity remain attached 

 to the ]xinicle by their mucilaginous coating. Our species is rarely attacked by the 

 black fungus which gives to the allied .S". hertcroanns its name of smut grass. 



Grassy slopes and savannas; apparently introduced but abundant in places. 

 Originally described from Australia. 

 Oahu: Schofield Barracks, Hitchcock 13940, 13949- 

 Molokai: Central part, Hitchcock 15 162. 

 Maui: Olinda, East Maui, Hitchcock 14934. Haleakala above Ukulele, East Maui, 



Forbes 170. 

 Havvaii: Kukaiau Ranch, Hitchcock 14203. Kukuihaele, Rock 4508. 



3. Sporobolus diander (Retz.) Beauv. Ess. Agrost. 26, 147. 1812. 



Aiirostis diandra Rctz. Obs. Eot. 5:19. 1789. 



Plants perennial: culms tufted, erect from a geniculate base, slender, glabrous, 30 to fio 

 cm. tall ; sheaths glaljrous, sometimes sparsely pilose at the throat : blades flat, i to 2 mm. wide ; 

 panicle narrow, but loose, as much as 30 cm. long, the branches ascending or somewhat spread- 

 ing, the lower 2 to 3 cm. long, tiie "spikelets short-pediceled and clustered along these main 

 branches; spikelets 1.5 mm. long, scarcely compressed, glabrous; glumes unequal, obtuse, or the 

 second acutish, the fiVst about one-fourth as long as the floret, the second about one-half as 

 long; lemma and palea equal, obtuse or acutish : caryopsis brown, about 0.8 mm. long (fig. 47). 



Allied to S. iiidicus of South America, the panicle looser and more delicate. 

 Grassland along streets; introduced. Originally described from India. 

 Oahu: Honolulu, Hitchcock 14070; Forbes 171 5- 



Osterdamia matrcUa (L. ) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2:781. 1891. (Agrostis maireUa L. 

 Mant. PI. 2:185. 17711 lias been introduced as a lawn grass and was collected at \\'ailuku. 

 Maui, by Faurie (no. 1329). This is a creeping grass with strong rhizomes, the flowering culms 

 spreading or prostrate, 10 to 15 cm. long, with short distichous blades, and a narrow rather 

 few-flowered panicle, the subsessile spikelets about 3 mm. long, these disarticulating from the 

 pedicel, the first glume wanting, the second glume infolding the thin lemma and palea. Origi- 

 nally described from India. 



Lcptochloa virgata ( L. ) Beauv. Ess. Agrost. 166. 1812. {Cynositrus virgatus L. Syst. 

 Nat. ed. 10. 2:87. 1759.) This was growing in Mr. Von Tempsky's garden on the Haleakala 

 Ranch, Maui, under the name of Judd grass. An erect smooth perennial with several slender 

 spikes along the upper part of the culm. 



24. ELEUSINE Gaertn. 



Spikelets few to several-flowered, compressed, sessile and closely imbricate, in two rows 

 along one side of a rather broad rachis, the latter not prolonged beyond the spikelets: rachilla 

 disarticulating above the glumes and between the florets, glumes unequal, rather broad, acute, 

 i-nerved, shorter than the first lemma; lemmas acute with 3 strong green nerves close together 

 forming a keel, the uppermost somewhat reduced: seed dark brown, roughened by fine ridges, 



L61] 



