132 TRIANDRIA— DIGYNIA. Briza. 



linear, striated, rather glaucous, smooth, except towards the 

 points, where the rib and edges are very rough. Sheaths stri- 

 ated, hairy, especially at the top. Stipula a row of hairs. Pa- 

 nicle of a few large, turgid, purplish spikelets, its branches few, 

 wavy. The corolla has 2, or more, dense tufts of shining bristles 

 at its base, with 2 intermediate depressions. The middle tooth 

 is flattened, and close-pressed, not extended into a bristly awn. 

 When able botanists have much differed about the genus of any 

 plant, it is likely to prove a new one, as is the case with this 

 grass. Several species of the same genus are found in New 

 Holland, and some on the mountains of South America. What- 

 ever the other species of the learned DeCandoUe's Danthonia 

 may be, this undoubtedly belongs to Mr. Brown's very natural 

 genus of Triodia, which is enough for our purpose. It could 

 not, when properly examined, be placed either in Festuca or Poa; 

 still less, as some have thought, in Bromus or Melica. 



47. BRIZA. Quaking-grass. 



Lmn.Gen.35. juss. 32. Fl. Br. 103. Lam. t. 45. Gcertn.t.l. 



Cal. of 2 nearly equal, awnless, obovate, or almost orbicu- 

 lar, obtuse, expanded, concave, slightly keeled valves, 

 containing a broad-ovate, or triangular, obtuse, compressed 

 spikelet of many, awnless, two-ranked, perfect Jlorets. 

 Cor. of 2 unequal, awnless, obtuse valves ; the outer or- 

 bicular, or obovate, expanded, concave, sometimes gib- 

 bous, contracted or inflexed at the edges, without rib or 

 prominent keel; inner much smaller, flatter, oval, or ob- 

 ovate, entire or notched, inflexed at the edges ; both per- 

 manent, embracing the seed. Nect. a cloven scale. Filam. 

 capillary, longer than the glumes. Anth. oblong, cloven 

 at each "end, pendulous. Germe7i ovate. Styles very short. 

 Stigmas feathery, long, cylindrical. Seed nearly orbicular, 

 flat, pressed closely between the valves of the corolla, and 

 coated with the outer one, to which it is firmly united. 



Hoot annual, or perennial. Stems erect, leafy. Leaves flat. 

 Spikelets loosely panicled, for the most part elegantly pen- 

 dulous and tremulous; membranous and shining when 

 dry. 



1. ^. minor. Small Quaking-grass. 



Spikelets triangular, seven-flowered. Calyx longer than 

 the florets. Stipula lanceolate, elongated. 



B. minor. Linn. Sp. PL 102. Willd. v. 1. 403. Fl. Br. 108. Engl. 

 Bot. V. 19. t. 1316. Fl. Grcec. v. 1. 58. t. 74. Schrud. Germ. v. 1. 

 308. Host Gram. v. 2. 22. t. 28. 



