Graminea. | FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. 301 
an awn, which is very variable in length, inserted above or below the middle.—I had named this Grass H. Frazeri 
in the ‘Flora Antarctica,’ from Tasmanian specimens gathered by Mr. Frazer on Mount Wellington, but I quite 
agree with Major Munro in considering it identical with the H. borealis, a very common plant in the Arctic regions 
and in the mountains of Northern Asia, Middle and Southern Europe, and North America. It varies greatly in the 
position and length of the awn and size of the panicle. 
Oss. The H. Brunonis (Fl. Antarct. p. 93. t. 52) which has only been found in Lord Auckland’s Group and 
Campbell’s Island, possibly occurs on the mountains of New Zealand, and may be known by its resemblance to H. 
redolens, and by its glumes being much longer than the florets. 
Gen. XVIII. DESCHAMPSIA, Pal. Beauv. 
Spicule 2-8-flore ; floribus distichis, summo tabescente. Gluma 2, carinatee, mutice, subsequales, 
floribus breviores. Palee 2: inferior supra basin aristata, 4-dentata; arista brevi, recta, apice truncata; 
superior apice bifida, mutica. Sguamule 2, integre. Caryopsis libera.—Spicule paniculate, pedicellate. 
This genus is most frequent in the temperate and Arctic regions of the Northern hemisphere, but is also found 
in Fuegia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. —Oulms slender, often branched. Leaves flat or convolute. Spikelets 
panicled, shining, pedicellate, two- or three-flowered, the upper flower imperfect. Glumes 2, keeled, awnless, 
nearly equal, shorter than the flowers. Lower palea truncate, four-toothed, with a short straight awn from above the 
middle; upper with two nerves, bifid, awnless. Scales entire. 
1. Deschampsia cespitosa, Beauv.; glaberrima, nitida, culmis cespitosis, foliis plerumque rigidis 
involutis, panicula diffusa rachi levi ramulis verticillatis scabris, glumis glabris, floribus 2 «equilongis 
acutis, paleis glaberrimis superiore basi sericea truncata apice erosa arista sequilonga dorso ad medium 
inserta superiore bifida sequilonga, setula ad basin floris secundi pedicellati villosa.—Beauv. Agrost. Aira 
cespitosa, Linn. Sp. Pl. Engl. Bot. t. 1453. Aira Kingii, Fl. Antarct. p. 916. t. 135. Aira australis, 
Raoul, Choix de Plantes, p. 12? 
Has. Northern Island: East Coast, on low grounds, Colenso. (Common in England.) 
A very common and beautiful Grass, usually perfectly smooth, pale yellow, and shining.-—Culms tufted, 6 
inches to 24 feet high, slender, wiry. Leaves involute, sometimes setaceous. Panicle 3 inches to a foot long, loose, 
effuse; branches slender, whorled or fascicled, rough. Spikelets shining, yellow, green, or purple, + inch long, bear- 
ing two flowers, with the villous pedicel of a third. Glumes nearly equal, acute, as long as the flowers, which are 
silky at the base, the upper ona long pedicel. Lower palea truncate, toothed at the tip, with a short dorsal awn; 
upper as long, bifid. 
Gen. XIX. TRISETUM, Kunth. 
Spicule 2-4-floree ; flore summo interdum tabescente. Gluma 2, carinate, muticæ, subsequales v. 
ineequales, floribus breviores. Palee 2: inferior bifida, dorso aristata, rarius mutica, arista tortili; superior 
bicarinata. Caryopsis libera, glabra.—Gramina plerumgue monticola; foliis plants v. involutis; paniculis 
spicato-confertis, rarius diffusis. 
Culms tufted. Leaves flat or convolute, smooth or downy. Panicles generally contracted and spike-like. 
Spikelets two- to four-flowered, the upper flower often incomplete. Glumes two, unequal or nearly equal, keeled, 
awnless, shorter than the flowers. Lower palea bifid, with two subulate teeth at the top, awned at the back (rarely 
awnless), awn twisted. ^ Ovary glabrous. (Name from the lower palea being often three-awned.) 
1. Trisetum antarcticum, Trin.; ceespitosum, glaberrimum, leve v. foliis subscaberulis, culmis strictis 
erectis foliosis, foliis anguste lineari-subulatis, panicula erecta elongata subcontracta, spiculis pallidis 
nitidis subtrifloris, glumis inegualibus acuminatis flosculis brevioribus dorso scabridis, palea inferiore 
scaberula bifida arista reflexa, pedicello floris superioris longe sparse ciliato.—Zrinius, Act. Petrop. Aira, 
Forst. Prodr. Avena, Rem. et Schultes. Br. Prodr. p. 209 (in note). A. Cunn. Prodr. Torresia, Pal, 
4 F 
