T. Kmx.—0On the Discovery of Amphibromus in New Z ealand. 875 
pedicellate 5-7 flowered, faintly pubescent; outer glumes unequal, one- 
third the length of the spikelets ; flowering glume more than twice as long 
as the outer glume, 5-nerved, bifid, awn dorsal springing from near the base 
of the glume, free at its apex, scabrid, not twisted, palea equalling the 
flowering glume, with 2 stout ciliated nerves, truncate, the apex and upper 
margins ciliated ; caryopsis free. 
Hab. North Island: in shallow waters, margins of the Waihi Lake and 
Creek. 
Stamens 8, lodicules narrow, acute; stigmas 2, minute, ovary loosely 
invested by the palea. Flowering glume with a few short hairs at the base. 
Pedicels varying from +°-13" in length : occasionally two or more pedicels 
spring from the same point, but in cases of this kind one pedicel is greatly 
abbreviated. 
Our plant is readily distinguished from all other indigenous grasses by 
its fluitant habit; although in very shallow water it is suberect, yet as a 
general rule little more than the panicle is elevated above the water. 
Owing to the rhachis of the spikelet being articulated below each flower, the 
glumes fall away almost immediately after the extrusion of the panicle from 
the sheath, leaving only the naked pedicels, so ‘that there is but little to 
attract attention to the plant, which may easily be passed unnoticed. 
Amphibromus fluitans is usually if not invariably eleistogamous, fertiliza- ` 
tion being effected before the panicle is extruded: in fact extrusion is often 
delayed until the graih is nearly matured. . I suspect that the stamens are 
not always developed in the uppermost flowers of each spikelet, but the 
flowers must be collected in an earlier state, before this point can be posi- 
tively determined. 
Our plant differs from the Australian species 4. neesii, Steudel, in the 
procumbent habit, shorter leaves, smaller panicle, and straight awn. 4. 
neesii is found in all the Australian Colonies except Queensland, and attains 
its greatest luxuriance in moist situations. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE XXVIII. 
1. Amphibromus fluitans, natural size. 
2. Flowering glume, lateral view. 
3. Palea, front view. 
4. Caryopsis, all magnified. 
