ZOYSIE^. 67 



There are five species known, one of which belongs to tropical 

 America, the others to Africa. 



1. A. elegans Schreb. I.e. 



Plant diffuse, 15-45 cm. high. Leaves pubescent, the slieaths 

 longer than the internodes ; ligule 1 mm. long ; blades lanceolate, 

 the longest 5-8 cm. long. Spike 3-G cm. long, about 4 mm. 

 broad. Bracts of the involucre erect, obtuse to acuminate, 3-5 mm. 

 long. First glume 1 -nerved, second 5-nerved, 3 mm. long, floret 

 hard and shining, obcompressed, 3-5 mm. long. Grain obcom- 

 pressed, oval, 1.5 mm. long. 



Mexico, Palmer 1255, Pringle 6030; Lower Calif., Xanthus 

 114 ; Cuba, Wright 3G!)0. Lower California, Mexico, West Indies 

 to Brazil. 



16. (60). HiLARiA H. B. K. Nov. Gen. et Sp. 1 : 116, t. 37 

 (1815). PleurapMs Torr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. 1 : 148, t. 10 (1824). 

 Hexarrhena Presl. Reliq. H«nk. 1 : 326 (1830). Symhasiandra 

 Willd. Steud. Norn. ed. (2) 1 : 767 (1840). Spikelets in threes, 

 collected in a bractless, deciduous fascicle, the central with 1 pistil- 

 late or perfect flower, the lateral with 2 staminate flowers, the 

 fascicles simple, almost sessile on the rachis of the spike. Glumes 

 4, 2 outer empty, firm, delicate, or hardened, forming an involucre, 

 the first larger and variable, usually many-nerved, entire or bifid, 

 toothed or torn at the apex, with an awn on the back between the 

 lobes, or awmless ; second narrower, often keeled, entire or 2- 

 toothed, mucronate, sho^t-awned, or awnless ; third and fourth 

 membranous, hyaline, entire or toothed at the apex, the outer in the 

 staminate spikelets enclosing tlie floret and narrow palea; third in 

 the fertile spikelet empty (or sometimes wanting ?) ; the termi- 

 nal flower of the fertile spikelet sometimes linear-acuminate, 

 from a broad base, sometimes gradually narrowing or inequilateral, 

 including the perfect or pistillate flower and tlie narrow palea. 

 Stamens 3. Styles briefly joined at the base (or distinct ?), with 

 stigmas feathery. Grain ovate or broadly oblong, included by the 

 involucral glumes, but not adherent. 



Grasses with solid culms, decumbent at the base, branching or 

 in tufts, creeping, often sending out stolons ; leaf-blades narrow,. 



