114 ME. a. BENTHAM OK GEAMINEJi). 



23. Sesleeia, Scop., about eiglit European or "West-Asiatic 

 species, is an old-establisted distinct genus whicli has been but 

 little interfered witli, except that S. tenella, Host, has been pro- 

 posed as a genus by Link under the name of Fsilathera, but 

 upon characters which do not appear to be of more than specific 

 value. 



24. Elxteophghtts, Beauv. {Ilchinolysium, Trin.), is a single 

 exceptionally tropical species, widely spread, but limited to the 

 Old World. The little heads of minute spikelets forming a spike 

 longer than usual in the subtribe, and often interrupted, and the 

 wings on one or both the keels of the palea readily distinguish 

 the genus. 



25. Fingeehuthia, Nees, a single species figured in the last 

 part of Hooker's Icones, is exceptional in the whole primary 

 division Poaceae in having the very short pedicels articulate 

 below the spikelet as in Panicaces3, whilst the male flower or 

 empty glume is above the fertile flower as in Poacese. Its geo- 

 graphical range is also peculiar : rather common in South Africa, 

 it has been recently gathered by Dr. Aitchison in Afghanistan, 

 without its ever having been observed in any intermediate station. 



All the preceding genera have the long styles of the subtribe ; 

 but there remain two with the styles scarcely longer than in the 

 other Eestucete, whilst the barren spikelets at the base of the 

 dense inflorescence or of its branches are very conspicuous, and 

 show a close affinity with the Seslerie83. These are 26. La- 

 MAECKIA, Moench {Chrysurus, Pers., Pterium, Desv., Tincea, 

 Garzia), a single Mediterranean species, and 27. OxNOSTJErs, 

 Linn., three or four species with a much wider geographical 

 range over the temperate regions of the Old World, and one of 

 them at least now naturalized in several other countries within or 

 without the tropics. Both genera are remarkable for the lower 

 barren spikelets of the clusters or spikes elegantly pinnate with 

 numerous bifarious empty glumes. The two were united by the 

 older botanists, and have been again brought together by some 

 modern ones under the Linnean name Cynosurus ; but they appear 

 to be sufficiently different in habit and character to be maintained 

 as separate genera ; and Gynosurus itself has two very distinct sec- 

 tions, raised by some to the rank of genera : — Cynosurus proper 

 for the C. cristatus, Linn., and its annual Algerine variety O. 

 polyhracteatus, Poir., altered to C muliibracteatus, Eoem. & Schult. 

 (C crista-galli, Munby), in which the spike-like unilateral panicle 



