10 



usually articulated above the empty glumes, so that 

 these remain after the fall of the fruiting glume. 1 In 

 spikelets with two or more flowers these are separated 

 by a manifest internode of the rachilla, and in such 

 cases the rachilla is usually articulated below each 

 dowering glume. 



Tribe VII. — Pkalaridece. 



Spikelets more or less laterally compressed, one- or rarely three- 

 flowered; glumes live, the first two empty and below the articu- 

 lation of the rachilla, the third and fourth above the articulation, 

 usually empty, very unlike the outer ones, rarely subtending 

 staminate flowers, sometimes reduced to mere bristles, the fifth 

 glume with a one-nerved or nerveless palea and a hermaphrodite 

 flower. 



A small tribe, comprising six genera with about sixty 

 species of comparatively little importance. Several of 

 the species, sweet vernal grass and vanilla grass, are 

 remarkable for possessing a peculiar fragrance due to 

 their containing coumarin. Canary-grass is one of the 

 best known members of this tribe. 



Phalaris Linn.' Savastana Schrank.* 



Anthoxanthum Linn.* (Hieroehloe Gmelin). 



Tkibe VIII. — Agrostidece. 



Spikelets all hermaphrodite, one-flowered with three glumes, 

 the first two empty (very rarely wanting), usually as long as or 

 exceeding the third or floral glume; rachilla sometimes pro- 

 longed behind the palea into a naked or plumose bristle. Palea 

 two-nerved (one-nerved in China), nerveless, or (in some Jgrostis 

 species) wanting. 



1 Alopecurus, China, Spartina, and Holcnx among our grasses, 

 have the rachilla articulated below the first pair of glumes, and 

 the spikelets fall off entire. 



