Order GRAMINE^E. 

 Genus, Danthouia : Sub-Order, Avenacece. 



DANTHONIA THOMSONII, n.s. 



THOMPSON'S NAKED OAT GRASS, 



(Plate, XXXVL, 2.) 



A TUFTED grass, found at i 2000 feet altitude. Flowers December 

 January. Perennial. Culms 10 18 inches long, erect. Leaves 6 7 

 inches long, very narrow, involute, smooth. Sheathing leaves long ; 

 ligule o, or a line of short hairs round mouth of sheath, and long cilia 

 on both sides. Panicle 2 3 inches long, contracted, open only when 

 flowering, shortly branched. Spikelets few, \ inch long, 6 8 flowered. 

 Empty glumes large, longer than the spikelets, 5-nerved. Flowering 

 glume glabrous, shortly 2 -fid at the top, with a short central awn, 

 y-nerved, and with 2 pencils of long hairs on each margin, pedicel with 

 short tufts of hairs. Palea bifid, 2-nerved. Scales broad, 3-lobed and 

 crowned with cilia. DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES : NEW ZEALAND. 



This addition to the genus Danthonia was recently discovered by Mr. Petrie, 

 on Mount St. Bathan's, Otago. It is closely allied to Danthonia nuda, differing 

 only in greater size, and the presence of 2 pencils of hairs on each margin of the 

 flowering glume, instead of 1 pencil as in that species. These characters being 

 constant without intermediate forms, necessiates a new name for the purpose of 

 distinguishing these grasses, although if this grass had been discovered first, 

 Danthonia nuda might only have been considered as a small variety. This 

 additional species to that variable group of the genus of which Danthonia semi- 

 annularis is the type, may be considered as equally valuable in nutrient qualities 

 and bulk as any of the others, and worthy of cultivation. The whole of this 

 family of grasses possess a large butter producing capacity, the presence of which 

 is easily proved to the experienced farmer, by merely chewing the culms, the 

 flavour of the sap being as satisfactory a test to him as any analysis. DISTRIBU- 

 TION IN NEW ZEALAND : SOUTH ISLAND : MOUNT ST. BATHAN'S, OTAGO, 

 12000 FEET. 



Reference to Plate XXXVI. , 2. : Fig. 1. Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret. 4, 4'. 

 Nervation of empty glumes. 5. Nervation of flowering glume. 6. Nervation of 

 Palea. 7. Scale. 



