84 DANTHONIA SEMI-ANNULARIS. 



sheep and rabbits in some places, have destroyed this wealth of pasture. 

 The varieties of this species are early grasses, supplying nutritious food at a time 

 when most wanted, although the nutrient value will, as with other grasses, 

 prove unequal under the varied conditions of climate and soil found within the 

 extremes of New Zealand latitude. DISTRIBUTION IN NEW ZEALAND : FROM 

 THE NORTH CAPE TO STEWART ISLAND. 



Reference to Plate XXXIV. : Fig. 1. Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret. 

 4, 4'. Nervation of empty glumes. 5. Nervation of flowering glume. 6. Nerva- 

 tion of Palea. 7. Scale. 8. Ovary, styles, and stigmas. 9. Grain. 



8. DANTHONIA SEMI-ANNULARIS. VAR. ALPINA. 



ALPINE OAT GRASS. 



(Plate XXXIV. 2. A.) 



DANTHONIA SEMI-ANNULARIS, R. Brown. VAR. D. ALPINA, Trans. N.Z. 

 Inst, IV., 225. 



Culms numerous, 10 15 inches high, found at 3500 feet altitude, 

 covering large patches of land. Flowers December January. Leaves 

 nearly as long as the culms, very narrow and involute, pilose ; ligule as 

 in the species. Panicle ij-inches long, contracted, shortly branched. 

 Spikelets 12 15, J-inch long, 5 y-flowered. Empty glumes nearly 

 equal, 3-nerved. Flowering glumes same as the species, with 2 circles 

 of hairs ; pedicels tufted with hairs. DISTRIBUTION OF VAR. ALPINA : 

 SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND. 



This variety of D. semi-annularis, is an abundant grass on the bald-headed 

 mountains near Dusky Bay, forming a close, fine leaved pasture, above the limits 

 of the bush. The mountains being covered by snow during winter, and its weight 

 bearing so long on the grass, it becomes flattened and appressed to Jbhe ground, 

 so as to render it very slippery work walking on the slopes. DISTRI- 

 BUTION IN NEW ZEALAND : SOUTH ISLAND : DUSKY BAY Buchanan. 

 NELSON MOUNTAINS McKay. 



Reference to Plate XXXIV. 2. A. : Fig. 1. Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret. 

 4. Nervation of empty glume. 5. Nervation of flowering glume. 6. Nerva- 

 tion of Palea. 7. Scale. 8. Ovary, styles, and stigmas. 



