Mr. Woods on the Genera of European Grasses. 43 



genus, with a tendency to become geniculate and twisted, and rises from about 

 the middle of the back of the bicuspidate palea. In this it is a seta from near 

 the extremity of the entire palea. This, in words, seems amply sufficient ; but 

 on examining the species, each of the characters is sometimes so slightly 

 marked, that the student is at a loss to know to which genus a plant may 

 belong. 



The large glumes of Schismus might induce us to put it with the Avenacece. 

 The florets, cylindrical and truncate, and bluntly ribbed towards the extremity, 

 bring it near to Sclerochloa. Linnaeus considered it as a Festuca, and De 

 CandoUe placed it with Koeleria, with which it has very little affinity. Palisot 

 de Beauvois marks a small terminal seta which I do not observe. 



Melica, like Schismus, has large glumes, and neither awn nor seta. The 

 one-sided inflorescence and linear seed favour its arrangement with the Fes- 

 tucacece, and its habit is very different from that of the Avenaceue. Yet in this 

 respect it divides itself into two parts, M. ciliata and M. Bauhini presenting a 

 very difl^erent appearance from the wide-spreading branches of M. aspera, 

 M. minuta, and M. uniflora. In Melica ciliata I usually find the second floret 

 barren, and the third so small as to be exposed with difficulty. Both unite 

 to form the club-like rudiment which characterizes the genus. Melica per- 

 sica is said to have 6 florets, of which the lower alone is perfect. Molinia 

 seems well divided from Melica. Whether Festuca serotina be rightly placed 

 with it may admit of a doubt. It must mainly depend on whether the palese 

 harden or not on the seeds. 



Catabrosa is a very distinct genus, which has nothing in common with 

 Aira, with which it was formerly united, but the number of its florets. 



In Sesleria, the large and almost scariose glumes and the three or five nerves 

 of the outer palea, each running beyond its scariose membrane into a short 

 point, clearly mark the genus. We can hardly conceive this structure united 

 to a true awn, and therefore have no hesitation in placing it among the Fes- 

 tucacece. None of the Avenacece have a clearly marked point or seta conti- 

 nuing from the inner nerve of the outer palea. The united styles and long 

 stigmas are probably important ; yet Kunth says, " styli duo, breves." Ses- 

 leria disticha, or Poa distichu, as it has sometimes been called, wants both 

 these characters, and agrees better with Poa, with which it has been united 



g2 



