1 84 



PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS '. BOTANY. 



I. A. ABERRANS Steud. 



Culms i -jointed at base, then erect, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths long, 

 striate, pubescent, with hyaline, obtuse auricles for ligules. Leaves nar- 

 row, convolute or subsetaceous, much shorter than the culms. Panicle 

 erect, spreading, the rays 4-y-whorled ; subrays few-flowered. Spikelets 



lance-linear, acute, violaceous. Floral glumes 

 subequal, acute, glabrous, mostly awnless. 

 Magellan. 



2. A. AIROIDES Franchet. 



Cespitose, with many sterile fascicles. 

 Culms sulcate, smooth. Leaves all involute, 

 2-3 on the culm, with short blades. Pan- 

 icle ovate, the branches dichotomizing; the 

 pedicels capillary, scabrid, spreading, 4-7 

 times as long as the flower. Glumes unequal, 

 the lower slightly longer, the flowering glume 

 hyaline, broad-ovate, truncate or toothed, 

 awnless. 



Magellan, Punta Arenas ; Fuegia, Eliza- 

 beth I., remarkable for rush-like, rigid, pun- 

 gent leaves. (C. Speg.) 



A. AIROIDES FLACCIDIFOLIA Speg. 



"Differing from the species by having 

 leaves convolute, flaccidulous, and smaller 

 spikelets (1.5-1.75 mm. long); from A. lept- 

 otricha Desv. by smaller spikelets, and flori- 

 glume smooth, always solitary; from A. 

 moyanoi Speg. by smooth florighime and 

 panicle rays shorter and more rigid." (Speg.) 



FIG. 34. 



Agrostis airoides. Plant, in cen- 

 ter ; natural size ; young and open 

 spikelets, and floral glume with palea. 

 (After Franchet.) 



3. A. ALBA Linn. Red-top. 



Culms to 30 cm. tall, glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the internodes ; 

 ligules to 8 mm. long ; leaf-blades 2-6 mm. broad, scabrous. Panicle at 

 first open, becoming contracted, green-purple or brown ; the palea con- 



