AVENE^. 389 



flonil glume of lower floret about 3 cm. long, 3 cm. wide, smooth, 

 with 3 prominent and 2 obscure nerves; palea less than 1.5 cm. 

 long; floral glume of upper floret about 1 cm. long, with an awn 8 

 cm. long, the lower half of which is twisted ; palea shorter than its 

 glume, firm, 2-nerved. 



A careful comparison of the original description of both species, 

 and the cuts in Presl, shows this to be correctly identified as 

 above. 



Mexico, Palmer 304. 



81. (167). Danthonia DC. Fl. Fr. 3:32 (1805) in part. 

 Pentameris Beauv. Agrost. 92 (1812). Merathrepta Rafin. Ser. 

 Bull. Bot. 1:221 (1830). C/upfobromus Nees, Liudl., Introd. 

 Nat. Syst. ed. 2, 449 (1836). StreUochcete Hochst. PL Schimp. 

 Abyss, n. 412 (1835?). Triraphis Nees, PI. Afr. Austr. 270 

 (1841). Mouachather Steud. Syn. Gram. 247 (1855). PUnthan- 

 thesis Steud. 1. c. 14 (1855). Crinipes Hochst. Flora, 38:279 

 (1855). 



Spikelets several-flowered, pedicellate or rarely almost sessile, 

 in a panicle either loose or reduced to a single raceme, rachilla 

 articulate above the outer glume, hairy, extending above the flow- 

 ers. Empty glumes 2, narrow, keeled, acute, unawned, persistent, 

 3-7-nerved, rarely 1-nerved, usually as long as the spikelet; floral 

 glume convex on the back, 7-9-nerved, with two firm or scarious 

 terminal lobes more or less 1- or 3-nerved, at least at the base, and 

 a twisted and bent awn between them; palea broad, as long as 

 the entire part of the glume or usually longer, obtuse or 2-pointed. 

 Stamens 3. Styles distinct. Grain varying in shape, enclosed, 

 glabrous, but not adherent. 



Perennials or rarely annuals, varying in habit. 



Species about 100, widely dispersed in temperate regions of both 

 hemispheres, with a few tropical species, especially abundant in 

 south Africa. 



This large genus is polymorphous, but all species are character- 

 ized by the spikelets containing three or more perfect flowers; the 

 terminal awn of the floral glume more or less twisted, usually flat- 

 tened at the base, often 1-2 teeth each side of the awn. No good 



