GardneriancB. N. O. Gramineie 



TAB. CCLXXIII. CCLXXIV. 



1 



Merostachys? capitata. 



Ramis verticillatis inferne aphyllis, foliis distichis lato-lanceolatis 

 nervosis, vaginis superne utrinque setis longissimis fasciculatis 

 barbatis, spiculis in capitulum globosum sessile terminale con- 



gests 



Mr 



South Brazil. Tweedie. («, 1324,) 



That so large and so remarkable a grass as the present should 

 be found common in low woods about Rio, and also in South 

 Brazil (thus indicating a very extensive range), and not have 

 found a place in any botanical work, especially in the volume of 

 Martius' Brazilian Grasses by Nees von Esenbech, seems scarcely 

 credible. Yet after a considerable search, I am obliged to come 

 to this conclusion, and to describe it as a new species^ Even 

 with the regard to the Genus I am doubtful, and have only placed 

 it provisionally in Merostachys^ which ought to have a secund 

 spike for its inflorescence* Mr Gardner in his notes says, ** This 

 grass attains to a considerable height, climbing among, and sup- 

 porting itself on, the branches of the shrubs among which it 

 grows. The stem is a slender cane, from the nodi of which 

 whorls of small branches (such as the specimen here figured ex- 

 hibits) arise." Each spikelet of the capitulum is about |ths of 

 an inch long, rigid. The calycine glumes are 2, ovato-subulate, 

 nearly equal. Valves of the corolla 2, unequal, exterior ovato- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, very concave, hispid at the margin : inner 

 lanceolate, acuminate, obtuse, and bidentate at the point, the back 

 with a deep furrow forming 2 keels which are hispid, and between 

 which lies an abortive pedicellated floret. Of the perfect floret 

 the hypogynous scale is large, bipartite, cilia te. Stamens 3. 

 Pistil (sometimes wanting) small. Style filiform. Stigmas 2, 

 plumose. 



jFig. L Spikelet. /. 2..Flower expanded. /. 3. Outer corolline 

 valve. /. 4. Abortive floret from the same. / 5. Scale and 

 stamens and pistil from a perfect floret. /. 6* Pistil. /. 7. Scale 

 and stamens from a baren floret. /. 8. Stamen :—7mgniJied. 



