37 



graminejE. 573 



(■ One terminal awnless flower and a lower male flower awned .... 3. Panictim. 



38], 



39 



« C 



43 



(. Awnless flower the lowest, with a terminal awned male one 33 



('Outer glumes 3 to 3 lines, completely enclosing the flowers and their awns. 



' 20. HoLCirs. 



Outer glumes 3 to 5 lines, the flowers or at least their awns protruding. 

 (. 19. False-Oat. 



Spikelets 2- or inoj'ejlowered, awnless, panicled or in a compound spike. 



I'Spikelets 3 or 3 together to each notch of an apparently simple spike. 



25. Lymegbass. 

 Spikelets sessile, in close clusters in an apparently simple spike or spike-like panicle 40 



l^Spikelets more or less stalked, in a loose or contracted panicle 42 



r' A small bract at the base of the spikelets or clusters 41. Seslekia. 



40 < Outer spikelet of each cluster consisting of empty glumes . . . 33. Dog's-tail. 

 (. Spikeleta all containing flowers without bracts at the base of the clusters ... 41 

 rSpike cylindrical or shghtly interrupted. Flowering glumes white and membranous. 



40. KCELEKIA. 



Clusters one-sided, in an irregular spike or close panicle. Glumes herbaceous and 



[_ rigid 33. Cock's-foot. 



.0 C Outer glumes enclosing the flowers or nearly so 43 



'^ \ Outer glumes shorter than the flowers 44 



Glumes obtuse, coloured. Two flowers with a wedge-shaped rudimentary glume. 



38. Melick. 

 Outer glumes very acute. About 3 flowers in the spikelet, all perfect, with 3-toothed 



glumes 39. Teiodia. 



Glumes aU acute. Two male flowers and 1 smaller perfect one in the spikelet. 



4. Holtgeass. 

 [■ Outer glume very small. Second broadly truncate at the top, and often coloured. 



44'^ Flowers 2 in the spikelet 36. Catabeose. 



[.Outer glumes pointed or obtuse, not truncate. Flowers usually 3 or more . . 45 



( Spikelets broadly ovate or orbicular. Glumes closely packed and very spreading. 



45.? 34. Quakegkass. 



(, Spikelets oblong or linear 46 



.f, ( Flowering glumes rounded on the back, at least at the base 47 



\ Flowering glumes keeled on the back 48 



..y C Flowering glumes obtuse or rather acute 35. PoA. 



I Flowering glimies very pointed or shortly awned 31. Fescue. 



(■Flowering glumes very pointed. Flowers about 3, with a bristle-like continuation 



4Si of the axis .37. Molinia. 



(.Flowering glumes obtuse or acute. Flowers 3 or more, the last terminal . . 35. Poa. 



The limits of the numerous genera into which Grasses are divided are as 

 yet far fi'om being definitively fixed. Some are by no means natural, and 

 those wliich are so have not always any definite characters. They have also 

 been variously distributed into tribes, according to the special views of their 

 structure entertained by different botanists. Taking however those which 

 are now the most generally adopted, the eight following Tribes are repre- 

 sented in Britain. It will be observed, at the same time, that the short 

 characters here given are by no means absolute, a few species (as, for in- 

 stance, the common Leersid) being occasionally exceptional, or even in 

 apparent contradiction to the general character of the tribe in which they 

 are placed. 



* Spikelets icith one perfect terminal flower, with or without a male or imperfect flower 

 below it. (Pamicace.s.) 



1. Obyze;e. Stamens more than 3 (except in 3 or 3 Jeej'stas). Genua, — 1. Lebesia. 



2. Panice.*;. Flowering glumes of a firmer texture than the empty ones below it. 

 Genera : — 2. Milium ; 3. Panicum. 



3. Phalaride.*:. Two male or imperfect flowers or minute rudimentary glumes 

 below the perfect flower besides the outer empty glumes. Genera: — 4. Holyghassj 

 5. Anthoxanth ; 6. Phalarih ; 7. Digeaphis. 



** pikelets with one or more perfect flowers, the male or rudimentary flowers, if any, 



terminal. (PO.EACB.E.) 



4. AGEOSXiDE.a. Spikelets 1-flowered, usually pedicellate. Genera : — S. Phleum ; 



