CHLORIDES 243 



33. Gracilea, Koen. 



These are small tufted grasses. The inflorescence is a spike 

 bearing unilaterally turbinate clusters ot spikelets which are 

 2-flowered. The spikelets have usually four, and rarely six glumes 

 and very often the rachilla is produced beyond the fourth glume. 

 The first and the second glumes are narrow (the first being the 

 narrowest), rigid, ciliate with long hairs and awned. The third 

 glume is bisexual, chartaceous, broadly ovate, 3-nerved, shortly 

 awned. The fourth glume is similar to the third but smaller and 

 male. The fifth and sixth glumes when present are small and 

 empty. Lodicules are two and small. Grain linear oblong. 



Key to the species. 



Stems stout; leaves not filiform; tip of 



glume III entre ... ... ••• ■•• I. G. nutans. 



Stems slender, leaves filiform ; tip of 



glume III toothed ... 2. G. Royleana, 



