THE TASMANIAN PLOBA. 263 



Var. paryiflorm. Similar, but smaller in all details. Panicle about 1 

 inch longi Spikelets about 2 lines. Common in Southern Tasmania, 

 and occurring at all altitudes. 



18. DICHELACHNE. 



Spikelets 1-flowered. Glumes 3, outer pair persistent. Flowering glume 

 wrapped round the fruit, ending in 2 small membranous lobes, and bearing a fine 

 dorsal awn near the end. Inflorescence a dense or loose panicle. 



The genus, which conststs of the two following species, differs from Stipa 

 merely in the smaller size of the spikelets, the less indurated state of the 

 flowering glume, and the conspicuous terminal lobes. 



Panicle dense. Awns hiding the spikelets ... ... 1. D. crinita. 



Panicle loose ... ... ... ... ... ... 2. D. sciurea. 



1. D. OEINITA, Hook. Leaves flat, mostly on the stem, 2-3 lines broad. Stem 

 2-3 feet high. Panicle dense, about 6 inches long, the spikelets nearly hidden 

 by the long awns. Outer glumes very narrow, acute, about 3 lines long, 

 riowering glume about 2 lines long, the tip white, entire. Awn about I inch 

 long, inserted about | line below the tip. Stipa dichelachne, Steud. 



Very common ; also throughout Australia and New Zealand. 



2. D. SCIUREA, ^00^./. Leaves short, narrow, with involute margins. Stems 

 1-2 feet high. Panicle about 4-6 inches long, very loose and spreading in 

 Tasmanian plants. Outer glumes narrow, acute, about 3 lines long. Flowering 

 glume about 2 lines long, scabrid, the tip white, very short and bifid. Awn ^-| 

 inch long, inserted close to the tip. Stipa micrantha, Cav. 



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



19. AGROSTIS. 



Spikelets small, 1 -flowered. Glumes 3 ; 2 outer ones persistent, unawned ; 

 flowering glume loosely enveloping the flower, with or without a dorsal awn. 

 Pale rudimentary or none. Panicle loose. 



Distribution world-wide. 



Flowering glume unawned. 



Panicle not spreading ;, pale present ... ... 1. A. vulgaris. 



Panicle very spreading ; pale none... ... ... 2. A. scabra. 



Flowering glume awned; pale none, ... ... 3. A. venmta. 



1. A. vuLGAEis, With. A creeping perennial. Erect stems about 1 foot high. 

 Leaves narrow, flat. Panicle about 3 inches long, seldom spreading. Spikelets 

 under 1 line long. Flowering glume short, obtuse, unawned. Pale about half 

 as long as the glume. A alba, Linn. 



Introduced. Common. 



2. A. SCABBA, WiUd. Tufted. Stems slender, a few inches to 2 feet high. 

 Leaves filiform in the smallei-, fiat in the larger, forms. Panicle of few to very 

 numerous spreading filiform branches. Spikelets |-1 line long. Outer glumes 

 acute, scabrid on the keel. Flowering glume shorter, obtuse, unawned. Pale 

 none. A. parviflora, R. Br. 



Very common in shady places. 



Large forms, of len referred to as vai'. elatior, are indistinguishable from 



JJeyeuxia cequata except in the absence of the pale 

 This form is common in swampy places, and occurs also in New Soath 



Wales and Victoiia, Queensland, South Australia, and North America. 



