Graminee. | FLORA OF TASMANIA. 127 
2. Festuca (Vulpia) bromoides (Linn. Sp. Pl. 109); annua, glaberrima, culmis plurimis dense 
ceespitosis foliosis, foliis filiformibus involutis, vaginis elongatis, ligula membranacea, panicula contracta 
unilaterali racemosa, ramis brevibus erectis, spiculis sessilibus 8—10-floris levibus scaberulisve, glumis uni- 
lateralibus valde ineequalibus subulato-acuminatis, floribus approximatis anguste lanceolatis, palea inferiore 
longe aristata, arista scaberula.— Engl. Bot. t. 1411. F. plebeia, Br. Prodr. 183; Fl. Antarct. ìi. 384. 
Fl. N. Zeal. i. 309. F. Stuartiana, Steud. Syn. Glum. 304. Vulpia rectiseta, F. Muell. in Herb. Hook. 
Var. 8. tenella ; culmis brevibus capillaribus 1—3-floris. 
Has. Abundant in dry pastures, etc.—(Fl. Oct.-Jan.) (v.v.) (A native of England.) 
DrsrRiB. Throughout the northern temperate hemisphere; common also in the south, but generally 
introduced ; Australia and New Zealand. 
A very common Grass, native of Europe and (generally naturalized) of other parts of the world. It has pos- 
sibly been introduced into Tasmania, though found by Mr. Brown there upwards of half a century ago.—An annual 
Grass, very variable in size, from 2 inches to 2 feet, always perfectly smooth. Culms densely tufted, simple, more 
or less leafy upwards, slender; in var. D as slender as a thread. Leaves narrow, involute, filiform; sheaths long. 
Panicle generally 1-3 inches long, erect, contracted, rather dense, sometimes reduced in var. ß to one spikelet; 
branches short, erect, appressed. Spikelets rather crowded, shortly pedicelled, three- to ten-flowered, 3 inch long 
with the awns. Glumes narrow, subulate, the upper much the longest, strongly nerved, placed at one side of the 
base of the spikelet. Flowers close together on a slender rachis. Lower palea scabrous or smooth, concave, narrow, 
lanceolate, tapering into a long, scabrid, hair-like awn. 
3. Festuca distichophylla (Hook. fil.); culmis brevibus ramosis rigidis glaberrimis levibus folio- 
sis, vaginis imbricatis, foliis distichis involutis setaceis strictis, ligula brevissima, panicula racemosa termi- 
nali pauciflora, spiculis sessilibus levibus compressis 8-10-floris, floribus arcte imbricatis, glumis ovatis 
acuminatis floribus brevioribus, palea inferiore late ovata acuminata striato-nervosa.— Poa distichophylla, 
Br. Prodr. 182. Uniola distichophylla, Lab. Fl. Nov. Holl. i. p. 21. t. 24. (Gunn, 414.) 
Has. Northern coast, growing on the shore, often within high-water mark.—(Fl. Nov.) 
DisrRrB. Extratropical coasts of Australia. 
A rigid, harsh, perfectly smooth and polished Grass, forming large dense tufts near the sea.—Cuims a span to 
12 foot long, much branched, leafless below. Leaves spreading or erect, on opposite sides of the culm; sheaths 
round; blade involute, setaceous, 1-3 inches long, stiff; ligula very short. Panicle an erect, short, ovate, com- 
pressed raceme of about five large, shortly pedicelled, compressed spikelets, each 4-4 inch long, and eight- to ten- - 
flowered. Glumes ovate, acuminate, concave. Flowers closely imbricate, striated, broadly ovate, acuminate. Stigmas 
purple.—I regret being obliged to place this plant in Festuca in opposition to Mr. Brown’s authority, who refers 
it to Poa: but I know of no natural limits between these two genera, and the only artificial one that appears useful 
or tenable lies in the comparative sharpness or bluntness of the lower palea, which in this plant is decidedly acu- 
minate. The flowers are sometimes infested with the Ergot, which is a black cylindrical body, the diseased growth 
of the ovary after being attacked by a species of Fungus. 
b. Lower palea sometimes minutely toothed at the apex. 
4. Festuca Hookeriana (F. Muell. MSS.) ; elata, erecta, culmis vaginisque levibus scaberulisve, 
foliis breviusculis planis coriaceis utrinque scaberulis, ligula brevi coriacea, panicula effusa nutante, ramis 
elongatis, spiculis majusculis 6—8-floris, glumis carina marginibusque ciliatis, inferiore 3-nervi superiore 
5-nervi, rachilla pilosa v. barbata, palea inferiore 7 -nervi apice aristata v. sub apice bifida breviter aristata 
carina scaberula, superiore apice bidentata carinis pectinatis. (TB. CLXV.) 
Has. Cheshunt, 4reAer.—(Fl. Nov.) 
Distris. Alps of Victoria, Mueller. 
