AVKNK/K 389 



floriil ^'Inriio of lower llorct iibout '.] cm. long, '.\ cm. wide, sinootli, 

 with ;5 jn'omint'iit and 2 ol)8curo iicrvos; jmloii less tliiui l.T) cm. 

 loiifj; llonil glume of upper llorct about 1 cm. long, with an awn 8 

 cm. long, the lower half of which is twisted; puleu shorter tlmu its 

 glumo, lirm, !i-ncrved. 



A careful compari.son of the original descrijjtion of both species, 

 and the cuts in I'resl, shows this to be correctly identified us 

 above. 



Mexico, Pahtier 204. 



SI. (KiT). Danthonia DC. Fl. Fr. 3:32 (ISOn) in part. 

 Peiitdiiivris Hcauv. Agrost. 02 (1S12). Meralhirjila Halln. Ser. 

 Bull. Mot. 1:221 (1830). ('Iiu'lohromns Necs. Lindl., Introd. 

 Nat. Syst. cd. 2, 440 (lS3t)). Shrhhirliwle lIo(!hst. PI. Schim|). 

 Abyss, n. 412 (183-) ?). Triraphis Necs, PI. Afr. Austr. 2?0 

 (1841). Mniiavliather Steuil. Syn. (iram. 247 (IS,').'')). PUntlian- 

 thexis Steud. 1. c. 14 (^1855). Criuipes lloclist. Flora, 38:279 

 (18;-.5). 



Spikelets soveral-lloworcd, pedicellate or rarely almost sessile, 

 in a jjaniclc I'ither loose or reduced to a single raceme, racliilla 

 articulate above the outer glume, hairy, extending above the flow- 

 ers. Kmpty glumes 2, narrow, keeled, acute, umiwned, jjcrsistent, 

 ;}-7-nerved, rarely 1-nerved, usually as long as the spikelet; lloral 

 glume convex on the bai'k. 7-!)-nerved, with two lirm or scarious 

 terminal lobes more or less 1- or 3-nerved, at least at the base, and 

 a twisted and bent awn between them; palea broad, as long as 

 the entire part of the glume or usually longer, obtuse or 2-pointed. 

 Stamens 3. Styles distinct. Graiu varying in shape, enclosed, 

 glabrous, but not adherent. 



Perennials or rarely annuals, varying in liabit. 



Species about 100, widely dispersed in temperate regions of both 

 hemispheres, with a few tropical species, especially abundant in 

 south Africa. 



This large genus is polymorphous, but all species are character- 

 ized by the s])ikelets containing three or more perfect flowers; the 

 terminal awn of the floral glume more or less twisted, usually flat- 

 tened at the base, often 1-2 teeth each side of the awn. No good 



