108 FLORA OF TASMANIA. [ Graminee. 
A very beautiful genus of sweet-smelling Grasses, found principally in the cold climates of both hemispheres, 
and on the lofty mountains of warmer ones. One southern species is common to Tasmania, New Zealand, and 
Fuegia; another to Europe, New Zealand, and Tasmania.—Leaves soft, flat or involute. Culms tufted. Panicles 
loose or compact, of many large, pedicelled, shining, often pale-yellow spikelets. Glumes equal, keeled, with three 
almost sessile flowers, the two lower male, with three stamens, the middle or upper hermaphrodite, with two sta- * 
mens. Palee broad, blunt, often downy; lower keeled, with a short, straight or bent, terminal or dorsal awn; 
upper two-nerved; middle flower with shorter awns or none. Scales two, two-lobed. Seed free within the pales. 
(Name from tepos, sacred, and xkoy, a Grass; the H. borealis being dedicated to the Virgin Mary.) 
1. Hierochloe redolens (Br. Prodr. 209, in note); foliis planis scaberulis glabrisve, ligulis late 
ovatis obtusis, panicula effusa nutante, glumis flores sequantibus superiore nervis lateralibus ad medium 
attingentibus, fl. masc. palea inferiore 5-nervi pubescente basi subvillosa infra apicem aristata marginibus 
dorsoque ciliatis, fl. hermaph. obtuso mucronato v. subaristato.—.Nob. in Fl. Antarct. i. p. 92, et Fl. N. 
Zeal. t. 300. H. antarctica, Br. Le Jervesia redolens, Ram. et Schult. Disarrenum antarcticum, Lad. 
FI. Nov. Holl. ìi. p. 83. t. 232. (Gunn, 337.) 
Has. Common in wet places throughout the Island.—(Fl. Nov.) (v. v.) 
DisrarB. New Zealand, and the islands to the south of it; Fuegia. 
A large and handsome Grass, conspicuous for its delicious odour, like that of the common vernal Grass 
(Anthoxanthum) of England, that gives the sweet scent to new-made hay.— Culms leafy, densely tufted, 2-3 feet 
long, herbaceous. Leaves flat, smooth or minutely scabrid to the touch; ligule membranous, broad. Panicle 
nodding, 6-10 inches long, of many shining, pale spikelets; branches capillary, hairy here and there; lower 2-3 
inches long. Glumes shining, about 4 inch long, as long as the flowers; outer with sometimes two lateral, very 
short nerves at the base; upper three-nerved to the middle. Lower palea of the lateral flowers bearded below, 
downy above, the margins and back with long cilia, five-nerved ; awm short, inserted below the top. Lower palea 
of the upper flower smooth or downy above, with a short awn.—For observations on the varieties of this Grass, see 
‘Flora Antarctica.” 
2. Hierochloe borealis (Rem. et Schultes) ; ceespitosa, glaberrima, foliis culmo gracili brevioribus, 
panicula brevi ovata pauciflora, glumis coloratis 3-nerviis floribus subsequilongis, palea inferiore sericea 
mutica v. aristata.— Engl. Bot. t. 1641; Nob. Fl. N. Zeal. i. 300. H. Frazeri, Mihi in Fl. Antarct., note, 
p.98. (Gunn, 831.) | | 
Has. Top of Mount Wellington and other mountains, Frazer, Gunn, Archer.—(Fl. Jan.) 
Distris. New Zealand, Arctic and Alpine Europe, Asia, and North America, as far south as Mexico. 
A very distinct-looking Grass, much smaller than H. redolens, with shorter, more strict leaves, and a small, 
ovate panicle of fewer, smaller flowers.—Culms a foot high, tufted. Leaves 4-8 inches long, strict, quite smooth, 
flat. Panicle 2-3 inches long, ovate. Spikelets 4 inch long, broad. Glumes short, acute, as long as the flowers, 
three-nerved, the lateral nerves shorter, sometimes obscure. Flowers silky ; outer palea with ciliated margins, and 
an awn which is very variable in length, inserted above or below the middle. —I had named this Grass H. Frazeri 
in the ‘Flora Antarctica,’ from Tasmanian specimens gathered by Mr. Frazer on Mount Wellington, but I quite 
‚agree with Colonel Munro in considering it identical with the H. borealis, a very common plant in the Arctic 
regions, and in the mountains of Northern Asia, Middle and Southern Europe, and North America. It varies 
greatly in the position and length of the awn, and size of the panicle. 
3. Hierochloe rariflora (Nob. in Fl. Antarct. i. 93, in note); culmis gracilibus elongatis nodosis 
ramosis, foliis scaberulis strictis angustis subsetaceis flexuosisve, panicula ovata pauciflora, ramis flexuosis, 
glumis inzequalibus subaeutis "floribus brevioribus, flosculis muticis obtusis, palea inferiore glabrata mar- 
ginibus ciliatis pubescentibusve. -(Gunn, 1467 ) (Tas. CLVII. 4.) 
