Triodia.} LXXXIX. GRAMINE^. 545 



as long as the flowering ones or longer ; flowering glumes with 3 very 

 minute teeth at the top. 



A small genus, chiefly Australian, differing from Avena and its allies 

 chiefly in the absence of any awn, from Festuca in the outer glumes 

 usually exceeding the flowering ones. 



1. T. decumbens, Beauv. (fig. 1255). Decumbent T.A tufted 

 perennial, 6 inches to a foot high. Leaves narrow, with a few long 

 soft hairs on their sheaths and edges, and a tuft of hairs in the place 

 of their ligula. Spikelets seldom more than 5 or 6, erect, containing 

 3 or 4 flowers. Outer glumes of a firm consistence, but nearly scarious 

 towards the edges, 4 or 5 lines long, concave but keeled, very pointed 

 and glabrous ; flowering glumes deeply concave, ending in 3 minute 

 teeth, the central one more pointed, but all 3 often scarcely prominent. 

 Sieglingia decumbens, Bernh. 



On dry heaths, and hilly pastures, in central and northern Europe 

 and western Asia, extending from northern Spain and Italy far into 

 Scandinavia, but not an Arctic plant. In Britain, generally distributed 

 and rather common. Fl. summer. 



XL. KCELERIA. EXELERIA. 



Spikelets few-flowered, in nearly sessile clusters, crowded into an 

 oblong or nearly cylindrical spike-like panicle ; the glumes keeled, 

 scarious on the edges, pointed, or in some exotic species, awned. 



A small genus, chiefly European and Asiatic, with a few species from 

 the southern hemisphere, all closely allied to Poa and Festuca, from 

 which they differ chiefly in inflorescence, which is nearer to that of 

 Phleum or P/ialaris. 



1. K. cristata, Pers. (fig. 1256). Crested K.A. perennial, usually 

 about 6 inches high, with a dense tuft of short leaves, chiefly radical ; 

 but in luxuriant specimens the stems attain a foot, with leaves almost 

 as long. Spike cylindrical, 1 to 2 inches long or even more, the lower 

 clusters more or less distant. Spikelets usually 2- or 3 -flowered ; the 

 glumes 1 to 2 lines long, and very pointed ; the outer ones unequal, 

 and scarious on the edge only ; the flowering ones white and scarious, 

 except the green keel, giving the spike a variegated and shining silvery- 

 grey aspect. 



In dry pastures, in central and southern Europe, extending more 

 sparingly northwards into Scandinavia, in both north and south tem- 

 perate regions. Widely distributed over Britain, and abundant in some 

 parts, but rare or wholly wanting in others. Fl. summer. 



XLI. SESLEEIA. SESLERIA. 



Spikelets few-flowered, in nearly sessile clusters, crowded into an 

 ovoid or cylindrical spike-like panicle, as in Kceleria, but there is 

 usually a glume-like bract on the main axis, at the base of the lower 

 spikelets. Outer glumes nearly equal and pointed, the flowering ones 

 3- or 5-tooihed at the top, the central tooth lengthened into a point, 

 or (in exotic species) into a short awn. 



2 M 



