306 FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. [Graminee. 
of their synonymy, multiplication of trifling varieties, and constitution of these into species, is carried to such an 
extent that the whole genus requires revision. —(Name, roa in Greek; said to be from maw, to feed.) 
1. Poa ¿mbecilla, Forst.; tenella, debilis, glaberrima, culmis capillaribus, foliis angustissimis, ligula ' 
membranacea, panicula capillari rariflora ramis alternis binisve, spiculis minimis 3-8-floris, glumis inzequa- 
libus obtusis, flosculis glabris rachi communi distantibus, palea inferiore nuda superioris carinis pubescen- 
tibus.— Forst. Prodr. A. Cunn. Prodr. Br. Prodr.? P. Sprengelii, Kunth, Agrost. ? 
Has. Northern and Middle Islands; abundant in woods and shady places, Banks and Solander, ete. 
A very weak, generally slender, straggling, glabrous Grass, with long capillary culms, a span to a foot long, 
and narrow, flat, green leaves, 1 line broad. —Zigula membranous. Panicle capillary, few-flowered; branches 
solitary, alternate or two together, rarely whorled, with two or three sessile or pedicelled green minute spikelets. 
Glumes unequal, three- to seven-flowered. Florets glabrous, distant, seated on a slender rachis, Zower palea 
glabrous, three-nerved, green. —Also found in Australia, 
2. Poa anceps, Forst.; plerumque glaberrima, culmis vaginisque sepius compressis, foliis distichis 
laxis confertisve planis levibus subcoriaceis rarius scaberulis, ligula brevissima, panicula effusa v. contracta 
ovata v. elongato-lanceolata ramis brevibus robustis v. elongatis et capillaribus, spiculis glabriusculis, glumis 
breviusculis acutis obtusisve, flosculis 3-6 remotis vel approximatis superioribus plerumgue remotis, palea 
inferiore latiuscula basi lanata.—Forst. Prodr. P. australis, 4. Rich. Flor. A. Cunn. Herb. et Prodr. non 
Br. Prodr. 
Var. a. elata; 2-3-pedalis, foliis planis culmo longioribus coriaceis, panicula effusa v. contracta, 
spiculis majusculis 6-floris, flosculis remotis patulis, glumis subacutis. 
Var. B. foliosa ; foliis distichis confertis angustioribus planiusculis v. carinatis culmo longioribus, 
panicula contracta elongata ramis suberectis, spiculis minoribus 2-5-floris ovatis, flosculis approximatis, 
glumis latiusculis. 
Var. y. breviculmis ; culmis brevibus compressis, foliis distichis culmo brevioribus curvis coriaceis 
latiusculis acutis, panicula parva ovata ramis brevibus, spiculis brevibus ovatis 3-4-floris, flosculis confertis, 
glumis brevibus acutis, palea inferiore lata. 
Has. Abundant throughout the Islands, Banks and Solander, ete. 
I have repeatedly tried in vain to find constant characters for this and the two following species ; I believe that 
all are states of one infinitely variable plant, but being totally dissimilar in habit and general appearance, I have 
retained them as distinct species. Myr. Brown remarks the same wide variation in the P. australis of Australia and 
Tasmania, of which he makes four arbitrary species, that have no constant characters to distinguish them. Though 
the species of this genus are almost invariably glabrous and smooth in the moist climate of New Zealand, they are 
generally rigid and scabrid in the drier one of Australia, and there are often no other characters by which to discri- 
minate the similar forms of both countries: and I have examined New Zealand states of each of the following species, 
which are all but undistinguishable from Australian specimens.—A tall or short, smooth Grass, with compressed 
culms a span to 3 feet high. Leaves rather broad, flat, distichous, usually longer than the culm, thick in 
texture, with a very short coriaceous ligula. Panicle 1 inch to a foot long, ovate or lanceolate or elongate, effuse 
or contracted; branches long or short, erect or spreading and slender. Spikelets generally broad, large, smooth, 
four- to six- (rarely two-) flowered, 4-4 inch long. Gdwmes nearly glabrous, rather sharp, broad or narrow, shorter 
than the floret next them. Plorets crowded or distant, each with a woolly beard at the base.—The following 
varieties pass into one another in every possible way. Var. a is 3 feet high, with coriaceous leaves, longer than the 
culm, ž inch broad; an effuse or contracted large panicle, of broad spikelets, 3 inch long. Florets remote, spreading. 
—Var. B is a smaller and more contracted form, growing in woods, with very compressed culms and sheaths, a foot 
or more high, narrower, generally distichous and numerous leaves, and a contracted panicle, which has erect branches 
and smaller spikelets. Florets two to five (rarely solitary) placed closer together, and not spreading. Glumes and 
pelea broader and blunter.—Var. y looks a very different plant, from growing in open turfy ground; I gathered it 
