CXLII. GRAMINEiE. 



455 



76. POA, Linn. 



Spikelets 2-7-flowered, compressed, panicled. Outer glumes 

 keeled, herbaceous, not setigerous, mostly shorter than the 

 flowering, the lower 1-8-nerved, the upper 5-7-nerved. Flower- 

 ing glumes thinly herbaceous, keeled, persistent, 5-3-nerved, 

 the lateral nerves distant, often pubescent ; palea 2-toothed, 

 flattish, with inflexed edges, 2-nerved, the nerves hispid. 

 Ovary glabrous. — Nees, I. c. p. 377. 



A large genus, dispersed over the world.— 3 Cape species, one of which, 

 P. annua, is a garden weed. 



77. ERAGROSTIS, Beauv. 



Spikelets 2-many-flowered, more or less strongly com- 

 pressed, panicled or rarely subspicate. Outer glumes keeled, 

 distichous, pointless, deciduous, 1-nerved, lower smaller. 

 Flowering glumes keeled, 3-nerved, deciduous ; palea persis- 

 tent, reflexed, the folded margins distinctly nerved, entire, 

 more or less ciliate. — J^ees, I. c. p. 382. 



A large genus, in warm countries, chiefly differing from Poa by its flattened 

 spikelets and more regularly distichous glumes.— About 30 Cape species. 



78. BRIZA, Linn. 



Spikelets many-flowered, ovate or 4-sided, compressed, 

 panicled or racemose. Outer glumes herbaceous, unequal, 

 keeled, ventricose, shorter than the spikelet, 5-7-nerved. 

 Flowering glumes closely imbricate, cordate, keeled, com- 

 pressed, ronnd-topped, entire, pointless, 7-15-nerved ; palea 

 much smaller, entire, flat, ovate, 2-nerved. G-ram flattened. 

 — Nees, I.e. p. 415. 



Of this dispersed genus there are 1 indigenous, perennial, and 2 natural- 

 ized, annual Cape species.— -B. maxima is found everywhere. 



79. FESTUCA, Linn. 



Spikelets many-flowered, flattened, in panicles. Outer 

 glumes unequal, shorter than the spikelet. Flowering glumes 

 imbricated, keeled toward the apex, mucronate or tapering 

 into a bristle ; palea 2-dentate, with inflexed sides. Gram 

 tomentose or glabrous at the apex.— iS^'ees, /. c. p. 442, and 

 p. 440, sul) Yulpia. 



A large, widely-diffused genus, many of them pasture grasses.— 7 Cape 



species. . • ^^ l 1 



In the subgenus Vulpia, owe of the lower glumes is occasionally extremely 

 short, and the flowering glume is often very long-pointed. 



