ymvacJive.] CLIII. -GRAMlNEJ:. Ig47 



narrow-oylindrioal, 1 to near 2in. long. Spikelets about 2 lines long, with a tuft 

 of hairs at their base. Outer glume as long as the others, many-nerved, ciliate, 

 marked in the centre on the back with a transverse, callosity bearing long rigid- 

 horizontally spreading hairs, with a broad cavity underneath it, very thin and 

 almost hyaline, bordered by a promitient nervfe on each side ; 2nd glixme broad 

 to above the middle, pubescent on the back and densely fringed on each side by 

 long spreading hairs, the upper part narrow and glabrous or nearly so ; 3rd 

 glume shorter, thin, faintly nerved and not ciliate, either empty or>,enclosing a 

 small palea. Fruiting glume and palea thin and almost hyaline. — F. v. M. 

 Fragm. viii. 200; Hook. Ic. PI. t. 1240; Bail. 111. Mono. Gr. Q. i.; Turner 

 Ag. Gaz. N.S.W. ii. PI. 

 Hab.: Motven. 



24. PEROTIS, Ait. 



(Said to be given on account of some part of the flower being wanting.) 



Spikelets 1 -flowered, sessile or shortly pedicellate along the continuous rhachis 

 of a loose simple spike or raceme. Glumes 3, 2 outer empty ones linear, rigid, 

 tapering into long 'terminal straight awns, the lowest the longest. Terminal 

 flowering glume much smaller, thin and hyaline, the palea still smaller. SJ;yles 

 very shortly united at the base, the plumose stigmas short. Grain narrow, free, 

 longer than the terminal glume, enclosed in the 2 rigid outer ones. 



The genus extends over tropical and subtropical Asia and Africa. 



1. P. rara (rare), R. Br. Prod. 172 ; Beyith. Fl. Ausir. vii. 509. Comet 

 Grass. Stems from a decumbent or branching base, slender, ascending to 1ft. or 

 rather more. Leaves linear, with subulate points, glabrous except a few 

 marginal cilia especially at the orifice of the sheaths ; ligula ciliate. Spike Or 

 raceme in some specimens 3 to 4in., in others at least twice as long. Spikelets 

 always numerous, at first erect at length reflexed, in some specimens almost 

 sessile, in others on pedicels of J to above ^ line long, often ciliate with a few 

 hairs; the spikelets very narrow, 2 to 3 lines long without, the fine awns which 

 are J to lin. long. Outer glume with a prominent keel, sometimes glabrous, 

 in a few specimens ciliate with rather long hairs, 2nd glume similar but rather 

 shorter and narrower. — F. v. M. Fragm. viii. 115 ; Maid. Ag. Gaz. N.S.W. viii. PI. 



Hab.: Between Norman and Gilbert Rivers, GtilHver ; Cape York Peninsula ; Port Curtis and 

 Cape Upstart, Jf'GiHtvro!/; Port Denison, Fitzalan; Rookhampton and numerous stations in 

 the south, Bowman, O'Shanesy and many others ; Balonne Eiver, Mitchell ; towards 

 Cooper's Creek, Neilson. 



25. ZOYSIA, Willd. 



(After Baron Charles de Zoys.) 



Spikelets 1 -flowered, not awned, nearly sessile in a close spike, not distichous, 

 the rhachis continuous. Glumes 2, the outer one broad, complicate, keeled, the 

 inner flowering one much smaller, thin and hyaline. Palea still smaller. Styles 

 distinct. Grain free, enclosed in the somewhat hardened outer glume. 



Besides the Australian species, which is common in maritime sands of tropical and eastern 

 Asia and New Zealand, there appear to be one or two natives of Japan or China. 



1. Z. pungens (pungent), Willd. ; Kunth, Eniim. i. 471 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. 

 vii. 506. Rhizome creeping in the sands to a great extent, with erect stems 

 rarely above 6in. high. Leaves flat or convolute, with rigid subulate often 

 pungent points, glabrous except a few cilia at the orifice of the rather loose 

 sheaths. Spike terminal, 1 to l^in. long. Spikelets erect, closely appressed in 

 the notches of the rhachis, 1^ to 2 lines long. Outer glume rather acute, broad, 

 smooth and shining, the sides nerveless.' Flowering glume completely enclosed, 

 usually much smaller thin and hyaline,- but sometimes more than half the outer 



