266 THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 



23. AIRA. 



Spikelets small, 2-flowered. Outer pair of glumes empty, thin, scarious, 

 persistent. Flowering glumes similar, but smaller, and witli a fine dorsal awn. 

 Panicle loose, generally spreading. 



Northern Hemisphere. 



A. CARTOPHYLLEA, Linn. A small tufted annual. Leaves short and slender. 

 Stems about 6 inches high. Panicle 1 or 2 inches long, loose and spreading. 

 Outer glumes about 1\ line long, shining, acute. Flowering glumes shorter, 

 bifid, with a fine dorsal awn. Pale about as long. 



Very common. Occurring throughout temperate regions of the globe. 



24. HOLCUS. 



Spikelets 2-flowered ; lower one perfect, upper one staminate only. Glumes 4; 

 2 outer empty ones flattened ; flowering glumes shorter, the upper one with a 

 short dorsal awn. Panicle rather loose. 



Northern Hemisphere. 



H. LANATUs, Linn. A creeping perennial, softly downy all over. Stems 1-2 

 feet high. Leaves flat, broad. Panicle rather loose, 2-4 inches long. Outer- 

 glumes pale, about 2 lines long. Flowering glumes very much shorter. 



Very common. Introduced. 



25. DBSCHAMPSIA. 



Spikelets 2-flowered, the upper one protruding from the empty glumes. Outer- 

 glumes thin, shining, flattened. Flowering glumes shorter, but the upper one 

 raised on a conspicuous stalk, each with a dorsal awn attached near the base. 

 Panicle loose. 



Common in temperate parts of both Hemispheres. 



D, c^spiTOSA, Beauv. Perennial, tufted. Stems thick, often 4 feet high. 

 Lea-ves narrow, chiefly basal. Panicle loose, 6 inches to 1 foot long. Spikelets- 

 shining. Outer glumes about 2 lines long, acute or truncate. Flowering glumes 

 shorter, 4-toothed, their stalks densely hairy. Awn about as long as the glume.. 

 Aira ccespitosa, Linn. 



Common in swamps. Found in temperate climates in most parts of the 

 world. 



26. TRISBTUM. 



Spikelets 2, rarely 3-flowered, the rhaohis elongated between each, an* 

 produced beyond them. Outer empty glumes keeled, acute, shining. Flowering 

 glumes scarious, with a fine dorsal awn. Panicle dense or loese. 



Alpine in both Hemispheres. 



T. SUBSPICATCJM, Beauv. Tufted. Stems about 1 foot high. Leaves flat,, 

 usually softly pubescent, rather broad. Panicle dense, about 2 inches long ; if 

 longer, more or less intermpted. Spikelets about 8 lines long, pale, shining. 

 Flowering glumes exceeding the outer ones. Awn short. 



On most mountains in northern and central districts. Widely spread in cold 

 climates of both Hemispheres. 



27. ARRHENATHERUM. 

 Spikelets few-flowered (1-3). Outer empty glumes long, acutely pointed. 

 Flowering glumes shorter, one or all with a fine dorsal awn. Panicle very 

 spreading to linear. 



A. AVBNACEUM, Beauv. A creeping perennial. Stems 2-3 feet high. Leaves 

 flat. Panicle loose, but generally linear, 6 inches to 1 foot long. Outer glumes 

 about 4 lines long, unequal. Flowering glumes 2, the lower one normally only 



