ZOYSIE.E. 67 



There are five species known, one ol" wliich belongs to tropical 

 America, the others to Africa. 



1. A. elegans Schreb. I.e. 



Plant diffuse, 15-45 cm. high. Leaves pubescent, the slieaths 

 longer than the intcriioiles ; ligule 1 mm. long ; blades lanceolate, 

 the longest 5-8 cm. long. Spike 3-f; cm. long, about 4 mm. 

 broad. Bracts of the involucre erect, obtuse to acuminate, 3-5 mm. 

 long. First glume 1 -nerved, second 5-nerved, 3 mm. long, floret 

 hard and shining, obcompressed, 3-5 mm. long. Grain obcom- 

 pressed, oval, 1.5 mm. long. 



Mexico, Pahncr 1255, Prinfjlc (5030; Lower Calif,, XantJnis 

 114 ; Cuba, Wright 30!)0. Lower California, Mexico, West Indies 

 to Brazil. 



16. (GO). HiLARIA H. B. K. Nov. Gen. et Sp. 1 : IIG. t. 37 

 (1815). Pleumphis Torr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. 1 : 148, /. 10(1824). 

 llexarrhena Presl. Keliq. IIa}nk. 1 : 326 (1830). Si/iiifmsiandra 

 Willd. Steud. Norn. ed. (3) 1 : 767 (1840). Spikelcts in threes, 

 collected in a bractless, deciduous fascicle, the central with 1 pistil- 

 late or perfect flower, the lateral with 2 staminate flowers, the 

 fascicles simple, almost sessile on the rachis of the spike. Glumes 

 4, 3 outer em])ty, firm, delicate, or hardened, forming an involucre, 

 the first larger and variable, usually many-nerved, entire or bifid, 

 toothed or torn .it the apex, with an awn on the back between the 

 lobes, or awnless ; second narrower, ofteii keeled, entire or 3- 

 toothed, mucronate, short-awned, or awnless ; third and fourth 

 mend)ranous, hyaline, entire or toothed at the apex, the outer in the 

 staminate spikelcts enclosing the floret and narrow palea; third in 

 the fertile spikclct empty (or sometimes wanting?); the termi- 

 nal flower of tlu^ fertile spikelet sometimes linear-acuminate, 

 from abroad base, sometimes gradually narrowing or inequilateral, 

 including the perfect or pistillate flower and the narrow palea. 

 Stamens 3. Styles briefly joined at the base (or disthict ?), with 

 stigmas fcithery. Grain ovate or broadly oblong, included by the 

 involucral glumes, but not adherent. 



Grasses with solid culms, decumbent at the base, branching or 

 in tufts, creeping, often sending out stolons : leaf-blades narrow. 



