168 ‘BOTANICAL GAZETTE, 
seeds of this “hybrid” are fertile or whether it produces seeds at 
all was not stated. : 
This discovery of Dr. Vasey’s is an exceedingly interesting 
one, and apparently fixes the position of the genus Eatonia in the 
Avenaceous group, as indicated by Dr. V., along with Trisetum, 
to which genus it was once, and as now appears very properly, 
referred by Trinius. If we examine the synonomy of t is grass 
—Eatonia—we find that Dr. Vasey’s paper confirms the opinion 
of the older botanists as to its position: Michaux, Pursh, Spren- 
gel, Muhlenberg and Willdenow placing it in Aira, Desveau and 
Roemer and Sehultes in Airopsis. Beauvois doubtfully referred 
it to Poa, and Kunth founded upon it the genus Reboulea, plac- 
ing it in Poacee along with Glyceria, and this classification has 
been followed by Dr. Gray and by Mr. Bentham. 
Dr. Vasey alludes to the very evident Avenaceous character 
of certain species of Graphephorum, referring to G. melicoides 
and G. Wolfit (Trisetum Wolfii, Vasey in Wheeler’s Report). 
Figure 4 represents a spikelet of G. melicoides. Like Trisetwm 
palustre it is two-fluwered, with a similar prolongation of the 
rhachilla above the second floret; there is a like inequality of 
size in the empty glumes, and the hairiness of the rhachilla differs 
only in degree, and, although the flowering glume is awnless in 
the typical form, we occasionally find samples that are sbort- 
awned, as represented in Fig, 5. : 
Graphephorum Wolfii presents some specific differences 1D 
habit, and has a narrow and more densely flowered panicle, but 
the spikelets are very similar to G. melicoides in all their parts, — 
- differing chiefly in being three, or, in the more robust forms 
(Trisetum Brandegei, Seribn.), four- flowered, with the flowering 
glume constantly short-awned. Prof. Thurber, in the Botany © 
California, referred this grass to Trisetum subspicatum (F 
- 
spicatum, var. muticum), while another well-known botanist Te : 
ferred samples of it to Graphephorum melicoides. Dr. eg 
himself thought at one time that it might be only a variety © 
the last-named species, In respect to other species of the genu® 
Graphephorum, as it now stands, I would like to quote from 4 
letter from Dr. Vasey dated April, 1881, and I hope the rete 
will pardon me for taking this liberty when I say that I heartly 
second the views he expresses: ‘ 
“Graphephorum fuloum and pendulinum I would restore 
Colpodium, and place next Glyceria. Graphephorum festucaceum 
I would call Fluminia arundinacea, Fries., and think it belongs — 
to the group Festucacee, 
