62 TRIANDRIA. DIGTNIA. 



Florets without a third rudiment between 

 them. 



Flowers scariose and shining-, disposed In capillary pa- 

 nicles. In many species the valves of the calix or the 

 corolla are obtvise. From Avena the awned species are 

 clisting-uislied by prodncin.ir straight or geniculate awns, 

 arisinir from tlie base of the flower. 



Species. 1 pwnilaP 2. aqiiatica, (this -pecies is nearly 

 allied to Poa.) 3. obhisuta- 4 brevifoUa? 5 ccipillacea. 6. 

 preecox. 7 • Jlextiosa. 8. cespitosa. 9. mollis. 



'IMiis genus is almost exclusi\el\ confined to Europe 

 and North Amer ca; some specit-s, however, are common 

 to Barbary, and t!»e South of Europe. 



91. =^LRALEPSlS.t 



Calix scariose, 2-va]ved, 2 or S-flowered, 

 sojnewhat terete, much shorter than the outer 

 valve of the corolla, acute at the base. Floivers 

 alternate, distinct. Corolla 2-valved, sti[)iiate, 

 valves \ery oneqiial, the owfer tricuspidate, cen- 

 . tral cusp much 1 »nger, terminated by a straight 

 awn, nerves all pubescent; inner glume short, 

 arched inwards. Seed somewhat gibbous, en- 

 larged above, aiiliate. 



Grasses with the habit of Andropog-on, and partly the 

 structure of Aira. Culm siuiple, leaves and sheathes 

 short; racemes fe w-flower^ il, remote, nearl\ s.mple, and 

 solitary, axillary and lerniinal, sheathed; sheatiies deci- 

 duous; (flowers and culm purple ) 



S p E c I Ks 1 . U. prtrp urea . (Air a pjirpurea, Walter and 

 Elliot r.) Cuhn terete and son.ewhHt hairy below the 

 commencement of flowers, senucv lindric ahove; racenies 

 shorter than the internodes, fcw-flowered, flowers nt aily 

 sessile. Leaves flat, very narrow, above almos; filiform. 

 Calix 1 or 2-flovvereu, valves nearly equal in lengih, each 

 with a single nerve, somewhat acute, rarely lacera;e. Co- 

 rolla acutely stipitate; outer valve more thai, twice the 

 leiv;\h of the • alix, in seed dee])ly S-parted, 3-nerved, and 

 reflected, dentu- es acuminate, tlu- central one terminating 

 in itn nun as long as lite vaive, !-'erves al piitiescent; in, 



+ Fjom oupoc cuuiia, anil AfTf?, squama, pulen '>i g-li'mUf in- 

 tended to indic:;te the smguiarly caudate appearance of the 

 outer corolla valve- 



