34 Mr. Woods on the Genera of European Grasses. 



3. Phragmites. Spiculae many-flowered, the lowermost imperfect and not 



covered with hairs. Glumes membranous, the outer much the smallest. 

 Paleae scariose, unarmed. Panicle diffuse. 



4. Ampelodesmus. Spiculae many-flowered, the lowermost perfect, unless when 



the inner glume is changed into an imperfect Jloret. Glumes not opposite, 

 the outer rather the smallest, membrano-scariose. Paleae membranous. 

 Awn subterminal. Seed crested. Panicle diffuse. 



It would appear from the above descriptions that the palese in Ammophila 

 and Ampelodesmus are firmer than the glumes. In Phragmites the glumes 

 are the firmest ; in Arundo they are about of equal consistency, or the paleae 

 are the firmest. Arundo is variously awned : the awn is said to be sometimes 

 wanting in A. tenella ; A. Donax has no awn, but a distinct seta continued 

 from the midrib between the two subulate points of the outer palea. In 

 A. Plinii and .^. mauritanica the outer palea gradually tapers into a long 

 point. Phragmites has no awn. 



Palisot de Beauvois has drawn three stigmas to Ammophila, but this must be 

 a mistake ; and he has some confusion in his account of Z>onax which I cannot 

 unravel, the plates not agreeing with the letter-press. 



Chlorides. 



The European genera of this tribe are few, and are easily known by their 

 inflorescence, the spiculse being j)laced in two rows on one side of a flattened 

 rachis, without any tendency to form an imperfect exterior floret. There is 

 sometimes only one floret, with an interior, stalk-like rudiment, and sometimes 

 more than one perfect floret. Kunth adds, that the superior is the exterior 

 glume ; but if I understand him aright, there are few Grasses in which it can 

 be determined, where this is not the case. This I have already stated in the pre- 

 liminary observations. I may add, that in the Chlorideoi the glumes and palese 

 are nearly of equal consistency, or the latter rather the thinnest, and that, in 

 the European species at least, though there is in some instances something of a 

 point formed by the continuation of the midrib, there is no awn. The genera 

 are : 



1. Cynodon. Spikes fingered. Spiculse 1 -flowered, with an interior rudiment. 



