28 Mr. Woods on the Genera of European Grasses. 



of the midribs, and gives to the spiciila of this genus, as I understand it, an 

 appearance very different from that which we find in Achnodon. Gaudin 

 and Kunth describe a subulate rudiment to several species, but except in 

 P. Michelii I have not been able to detect it. In Phleum Gerardi of Villars 

 I can discern no inner palea ; and I think in habit as well as in the dorsal 

 awn of the palea it agrees better with Alopecurus than with Phleum. 



Alopecurus. In some species of this genus the glumes are united at the 

 base, and in some the inner edges of the single palea are united so as to form 

 a tubular corolla, but neither of these characters runs through the genus. 

 Crypsis is placed by Kunth among the Phalaridece, and its dense panicle has 

 obliged me to place it here, but its comparatively large and firm paleae might 

 perhaps vindicate for it a station among the Agrostidece. These tribes, how- 

 ever, are so closely allied that I have more than once doubted the propriety of 

 keeping them separate. The thin palese and dense spike unite in inducing me 

 to transfer Gastridium from the Agrostidece to this tribe. Palisot de Beauvois, 

 indeed, ascribes to this genus coriaceous paleee ; and Sir J. E. Smith by his 

 remarks on Milium, with which he unites it, seems to hold the same opinion. 

 I find, however, the paleee of both species to be as described by Kunth " te- 

 nuiter membranaceae," and that in all stages. 



Some species of Polypogon might seem to belong to this tribe, but we cannot 

 divide the genus. The comparatively strong geniculate and twisted dorsal 

 awn of Lagurus, with the two lengthened points of the outer palea, show it 

 to belong to the Avenacece. 



ACROSTIDEiE. 



Spiculee one-flowered, without any exterior rudiment. Glumes nearly equal. 

 " Stigmas sessile, or nearly so," P. de B. Inflorescence panicular, equal 

 all round. 



This tribe is rather formed to contain all the single-flowered Grasses which 

 will not enter into any of the other tribes, than as uniting plants having a 

 very distinct character of their own. They are all small plants, with a panicle 

 of fine and almost capillary branches, and small flowers and seeds. The 

 glumes are too large in proportion to sufl^er the student to search for the 

 species among the Oryzece, except, indeed, in Coleanthus, where they are 



