THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 259 



Inflorescence very dense. Awns much exceeding 



glume in length ... . . ... ... ... 1. P. monspelienm. 



Inflorescence loose. Awns about as long as or shorter 



than glumes ... ... ... ... ... .. 2. P. littoralis. 



1. P. MONSPBLIENSIS, De»f. A Small erect or sub-erect annual, seldom 1 foot 

 high. Leaves flat. Inflorescence very dense, 1-3 inches long, awns very 

 conspicuous. Spikelets about 1 line long, awns about 3 or 4 times as long. 



Very common in damp places near the sea. Possibly introduced. Found in 

 most temperate parts of the globe. 



2. P. LITTORALIS, Sm. Perennial and creeping. Leaves rather short, flat, 

 pointed. Stems mostly 6 inches to 1 foot high. Inflorescence loose, about 

 2 inches long. Spikelets about f line long, awns of the outer glumes 

 generally shorter than themselves. Flowering glume thin, and with a short or 

 no awn. 



Introduced. Bank of Derwent below Bridgewater. Widely distributed in 

 the Northern Hemisphere. 



9. MICROLJENA. 



Spikelets l-flowered. Glumes 6, unequal, 2 outer very short, 3rd and 4th 

 long, narrow, and awned, 5th and 6th shorter, all keeled. Stamens 2 or 4. 

 Flowers normally in a loose panicle. 



A small genus, closely allied to the common South African genus Ehrharta. 

 •Confined to Australia and New Zealand. 



Outer glumes minute, with a tuft of hairs between 



them &,nd the 3rd glume ... .. ... ... 1. M. stipoides. 



Outer glumes close to the 3rd glume .. . ... ... 2. M. tasmanica. 



1. M. STIPOIDES,' M. Br. A tufted perennial. Leaves short, flat, acute. 

 Stem usually about 2 feet, bearing a long, linear, mostly nodding, panicle. 

 Spikelets about \ inch long, awns slender and twice as long. Outer persistent 

 glumes minute, distant from, the 3rd glume, with a tuft of hairs above them. 

 M. gunnii, H., included. Ehrharta stipoides, Lab. 



Very common ; also throughout extra-tropical Australia and New Zealand. 



2. M. TASMANICA, H. A tufted perennial. Leaves pale, flat, acute. Stems 

 6 inches to 2 feet, bearing a loose panicle 2-4 inches long. Spikelets 4-5 lines 

 long, the awn 1-2 lines. Outer pair 'of glumes short, close to and overlapping 

 the 3rd glume. Stamens 2. Diplax tasmanica, H. ; Ehrharta diarrhena, P. v. M. 



Common on mountains and many lowland situations in Western and South- 

 western Tasmania. 



Var. suh-alpina. Similar, but smaller. Panicle close, linear. Spikelets 

 about 3 lines long. In some forms with but 1 stamen. Common on 

 the mountains within the range of the type. 



10. TBTRARRHENA. 



Spikelets l-flowered. Glumes 6, the two outer ones small and persistent, 3rd 

 and 4th nearly equal, the 4th usually the larger; 5th and 6th smaller, all 

 rigid, but unawned. Stamens 4. Inflorescence a simple spike. 



Limited to Australia. Veiy close to and often included in Ehrharta. 



Glumes obtuse. 



Leaves short, broad 1. 2\ distichophylla. 



Leaves narrow ... ... •.- ... ..2. T.juncea. 



Some glumes acute 3. T . acuminata. 



1. T. DiSTiCHOPHYLLA, R. Bv. A Creeping perennial. Leaves mostly 1 inch 

 long, flat, acute, distichous. Stems 6 inches to 1 foot, leafy in tbp lower part, 



