230 PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS : BOTANY. 



(Eurasia and N. Amer., also cult.) 



Patagon., Chubut, and by Rio Sta. Cruz; Magellan, Falklands ; E. and 

 S. Fuegia. 



P. PRATENSIS OLIGERIA (Steud.) in Magellan and Fuegia, having con- 

 volute rough leaves. 



24. P. PUGIONIFOLIA Speg. 



Hermaphrodite or polygamous, densely cespitose ; sterile and fertile 

 fascicles often densely and monostichously crowded on the stolons ; all 

 similar. Leaves generally distichous, glabrous ; the sheaths very broad 

 and close, apically subauriculate ; the limbs spreading, very conduplicate, 

 short and rigid, ending in a very acute pungent mucro. Ciilms smooth, 

 erect, slender, simple, naked, or i -leaved below. Spike strict, erect, 

 secund, with 2-3-pedicilliferous nodes, the pedicels scabrid, short with 

 lanceolate, compressed, mostly 2-flowered s-pikelets, the flowers glabrous, 

 hermaphrodite, often a third flower being added at the top of the rachilla 

 with a rudimentary floriglume. 



S. Patagon., in rocks along Rio Chico, at Parr-aike ; and Boron-aike by 

 Rio Sehuen. 



25. P. PUMILA Phil. 



Cespitose. Culms 5-7 cm. high ; leaves rigid, convolute when dry, the 

 sheaths enclosing nearly the whole culm ; ligules long. Panicle spreading, 

 its branches paired, few-spiculate. Spikelets oblong, 3-flowered. Glumes 

 and joints of rachis glabrous; floral glume acute. 



Turf with culms enclosed by red-brown sheaths of old leaves ; like P. 

 annua, excepting the leaves. 



Colorados, N. Patagon. 



2.6. P. ROBUSTA Steud. 



> 



Glaucescent, rigid, erect, 15-30 cm. tall ; sheathed by old leaves at base, 

 rather distichously leaf-bearing, the sheaths dilated, ligules short, obtuse, 

 blades channeled, convolute, pungent, much shorter than the culm. Pan- 

 icle spike-like ; its rays unequal, naked at their base, crowded spiculiferous 

 upwards. Spikelets 2-4-flowered. Glumes subequal, ovate-lanceolate, 

 shorter than the flowers ; floral glume similar ; palea narrower, ciliolate. 

 Spikelets pale-amethyst. 



S. Patagon., Punta Arenas; Coy Inlet. (Hatcher, Nov. 23, 1896.) 



