698 PANICACEJK. 



England, part of Scotland and Germany, Hungary, the Crimea and 

 Caucasus, as also the lands of middle Asia, where agriculture is follow- 

 ed. The next tract, where wheat still abounds, but no longer ex- 

 clusively furnishes bread, maize and rice becoming frequent, includes 

 Portugal, Spain, part of Mediterranean, France, Italy, Greece, the Canaries, 

 Barbary, Egypt, Nubia, Arabia, Persia and N, India. In China and Japan 

 rice is found to predominate. The cause of this difference between the 

 east and the west of the old continent appears to be in the manners and 

 peculiarities of the people. In N. America, wheat and rye grow as in 

 Europe, but more sparingly. Maize is more reared in the new than in the 

 old continent, and rice predominates in the southern provinces of the 

 United States. In the torrid zone, Maize predominates in America, Rice 

 in Asia, and both these grains in nearly the same ratio in Africa. The cause 

 of this distribution is, without doubt, historical; for Asia is the native 

 country of rice, and America of maize. In some situations, especially in 

 the neighbourhood of the tropics, wheat is also met with, but always sub- 

 ordinate to maize and rice. In the high lands of S. America, maize grows 

 to the height of 7200 feet above the level of the sea, but only predominates 

 between 3000 and 6000 f. of elevation. Below 3000 it is associated with 

 yams, manihot, batatas and plantains ; while, from 6000 to 9260, the 

 European grains abound, wheat in the lower regions, and rye and barley 

 in the higher, along with which Chenopodium Quino, Willd, as a nutri- 

 tious plant must also be mentioned. Potatoes alone are cultivated from 

 9260 to 12300 feet. In the torrid zone in Africa, plantains, manihot, 

 yams, Arachis hypogea, L. and Sorghum vulgare, Pers. are added to the 

 maize and rice. To the south of the Capricorn, f. ex. in S. Brazil, Buenos 

 Ayres, Chili, C. G. H., and the temperate zone of New Holland, wheat 

 predominates ; barley, however, and rye, make their appearance in the 

 southernmost parts of these countries, and in Van Dieman's Land, and in 

 New Zealand, the European grains are now cultivated with success. In the 

 Islands of the South Sea, grain of every kind disappears, its place being 

 supplied by the Bread-fruit-tree, the Plantain and Tacca pinnatifida, Forst. 

 Tropical New Holland exhibits no agriculture, the inhabitants living on the 

 produce (Sago) of various palms, and some species of Arum. {Schouiv. I. c.) 

 The Cerealia of India will be mentioned under the several species. 



A. PiialarejE. 

 (Phalaridese, Nees. ; — Lindl. Nat. Sijst, p. 378.) 

 PiiALAius, L. (Endl. gen.pl. I, p. 81.) 



l.uquatica, Ait. {Spreng. sijst. 1, p. 272.) © S.Europe. Fl. Feb. and 

 March. 



2. canariensis, L. {Spreng. syst. 1, p. 272 ; — E. B. 19, 1. 1310.) Canary- 

 grass. © Canaries. Seeds food for birds. 

 Hoi-cus, L. {Endl. I. c.) 



1. mollis, li. {Spreng. syst. I, p. 292 ;—E. B. 17, /. 1170.) % Mea- 

 dows of England and S. Europe. Fl, C. S. 



