86 



Oryj^a and HoniaJoccuchrKS to represent the original tribe), and 

 the Panicatae are in second place, in the order : Melinideae, Pani- 

 ceae, Andropogoneae and Tripsaceae (the latter name very prop- 

 erly taken up instead of Maydeae, since the genus Alays is no 

 longer maintained) . The author is careful to point out, however, 

 that no arrangement in a purely lineal sequence can represent the 

 tribal relationships, and repeats the view set forth in his Text- 

 Book (p. 157), that the phylogenetic development has not been 

 along a single line. At least three dimensions would seem nec- 

 essary to a satisfactory schematic representation of this relation- 

 ship ! Here is foreshadowed the great future problem to be 

 solved by grass-systematists. The placing of Nazieae among the 

 Poatae seems to be justified by the articulation of the spikelet 

 above the glumes ; and the near relation of Hilaria and Aegopo- 

 gon to certain of the Chlorideae suggests to the author a dispo- 

 sition by which these two g'enera will ultimately be cut ofi' from 

 Nasia and its allies. Whether the distinction between Zizanieae 

 and. Oryzeae can be maintained for the genera not represented in 

 the United States which are usually referred to Oryzeae, notably 

 the anomalous SfreptocJiacta and Rcynaudia, the author does not 

 attempt to decide. Another noteworthy innovation is found in 

 the placing of Munroa among the Chlorideae, where it finds a 

 place next to Cathestecum, previously transferred in the same 

 way by Griffiths* from the Festuceae. The genus Triodia is 

 restored, with the comment that it does not seem practicable to 

 segregate any of the species as distinct genera. The name Aira 

 is taken up for what has been known as Deschampsm, the author 

 holding that the Linnaean type should be selected from among 

 the first four rather than the last two species {A. praccox and A. 

 caryophyllea being species from southern Europe, and not in- 

 cluded by Linnaeus either in the Flora Lapponica or Flora Sue- 

 cica). The little annuals heretofore called "Aira" are placed 

 in Adanson's genus Aspris.'f Mclica is not sulidivided, although 

 the presence of the club-shaped rudiment is maintained as a dis- 

 tinguishing character — a procedure which makes the reference of 



* Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 14: 358. 1912. 

 t Adans. Fam. PI. 2: 496, 522. 1763. 



