330 OLXXIII. GRAMINE^E. (J. D. Hooker.) [Melica. 



micrantha, Bolus. & Heldr. var. insequalis, Ghnsel. in Goett. Nachr. (1868) 

 76. M. persica, Kunth Revis. Gram. i. 351, t. 89, Enum. PL i. 375, Suppl. 

 311 ; Ledeb. Fl. Ross. iv. 398 ; Duthie 1. c. ; Griseb. 1. c. 76, 77. M. trachy- 

 antha, Boiss. Diagn. Ser. I. vii. 124. 



WESTERN HIMALAYA; in the drier regions from Kumaon westwards, alt. 

 7-11,000 ft. WESTERN TIBET, alt. 8-11,000 ft. DISTRIB. Westwards to Spain and 

 N. Africa. 



Stems 8-18 in., densely tufted, creeping below, very slender. Leaves 2-8 in., 

 very narrow, Hat or convolute, and as well as the sheaths glabrous puberulous or 

 tomeutose with spreading or reflexed hairs; ligule oblong, short, or 0. Panicle 

 2-4 in. ; rachis filiform, smooth ; branches very short and pedicels scaberulous. 

 Spikelets more or less secund, J ^ in. long, suberect or spreading, pale straw-colrd. 

 or dark purple ; rachilla glabrous, very short slender and geniculate below the fig. 

 gl., stouter and strict beyond it, articulate beneath the neuter gls. Glumes all 

 scaberulous, I \-^ shorter than II, ovate, subacute, 1-3- rarely 5-nerved ; II lanceo- 

 late, acute, 5-nerved ; flg. gl. about as long as II, clothed with straight hairs nearly 

 as long as itself that spread when dry, 7-nerved ; palea oblong, 2-toothed, scaberulous, 

 keels ciliolate ; lower neuter gls. coriaceous, glabrous scabrid hispidulous or rarely 

 sparsely hairy, usually obliquely clavate and truncate, rarely oblong, strongly nerved. 

 Lodicules or most minute. Grain fusiform. A most variable plant, presenting, 

 according to Boissier, eight varieties, and under which are ranged fourteen species of 

 his own and other authors. The Indian specimens may be roughly classed under two 

 very distinct-looking forms, which, but for Boissier's wider experience and authority, 

 I should have been disposed to regard as species ; though I find specimens which 

 seem to be intermediate between them. These are, M. Cupani, Guss. (which includes 

 trachyantha, Boiss.) with steins 12-18 in. high, pale straw-colrd. spikelets -5 in. 

 long, with gl. II usually only about ^ longer than I ; and M. persica, Kuuth (including 

 Jacquemontii, Decne.), with stems 6-12 in. hij,.h, purple (rarely pale yellowish) 

 spikelets -% in. long, and gl. II almost twice as long as I. In both the leaves or 

 their sheaths or both, are glabrous or tomentose, and the club-shaped neuter gls. 

 from nearly smooth to scabrid. 



2. IMC. nutans, Linn. Sp. PI. 66 ; panicle racemiform very lax, spike- 

 lets 2-fld., gls. I and II cymbiform very obtuse, III quite glabrous. Fl. 

 Dan. t. 962 ; Host Gram. Austr. ii. 9, t. 10 ; Gsertn. Fruct. ii. 5, t. 80, f. 4; 

 Schreb. Gram. ii. 62, t. 6, f . 2 ; Engl. Bot. t. 1059 ; Knapp Gram. Britt. 

 t. 42 ; Kunfh Enum. PL i. 376; Gav. Ic. t. 175 ; ReicM. Ic. Fl. Germ. t. 72 ; 

 Steud. Syn. Gram. 291; T.Nees Gen. FL Germ. Monocot. i. n. 60; Ledeb. 

 Fl. Jtoss. iv. 399 ; Boiss. FL Orient, v. 568. 



KASHMIR, Falconer; at Hirpoor, alt. 8000 ft., Clarke. DISTRIB. Europe, N. 

 Asia. 



Stem 10-18 in., very slender, inclined, from a long stoloniferous rootstock. 

 Leaves 6-10 in., very narrow, acuminate, sparsely hairy; ligule very short or 0. 

 Panicle long, nodding or drooping, rachis and few branches secund, capillary. 

 Spikelets % in. long, few, distant, very shortly pedicelled, pendulous, broadly oblong ; 

 gls. I and II subequal, scarious, green or purplish ; III oblong, strongly many-nerved, 

 scaberulous. Lodicules minute, connate. Grain fusiform. 



** Panicle with spreading branches ; spikelets not jointed on their 

 pedicels; gl. land II persistent ; neuter gls. forming a small oblong body; 

 lodicules 2, connate. 



3. M. scaberrima, Hook.f. ; branches of panicle elongate opposite 

 alternate or 3-nate, spikelets 3-5-fld., gls. I and II ovate-lanceolate, flg. 



fls. narrowly lanceolate. Festuca scaberrima, Nees ex Steud. Syn. Gram. 

 16. Glyceria scaberrima, Steud. I.e.; Duthie Grass. N.W. Ind. 41. 

 Poa Zizania, Jacguem. mss. 



