Gynodon.] CLIII. GRAMINE^. 1893 



Flowerinp! glume much shorter than the outer ones, and no point behind it. 



Flowering glume pubescent. Palea with 2 prominent distant nerves ...2.0. tenellns 

 Flowering glume oiliate with long hairs on the Iteel and margins. Palea 



very narrow, the 2 nerves closely contiguous, forming a oiliate keel . . 3. O. convergeiis. 



1. C. dactylon (finger-like), Pers. ; Kunth, Fnum. i. 259; Renth. Fl. Atcstr, 

 vii. 609. Couch Grass. Stems prostrate, often creeping and rooting to a great 

 extent, or forming running stems below the surface, the flowering branches 

 shortly ascending or erect. Leaves short, sometimes of a glaucous green. Spikes 

 2 to 5, often purplish, from the numerous anthers being that colour, 1 to 2in. 

 long. Spikelets sessile, outer glumes narrow, acute, persistent, keeled, under 

 1 line long. Flowering glume rather above 1 line long, broadly boat-shaped, the 

 keel usually minutely ciliate. Palea narrow. Rhachis of the spikelet produced 

 into a point or bristle shorter than the glume, and often very minute. — R. Br. 

 Prod. 187 ; F. v. M. Fragm. viii. 113 ; Reichb. lo. F. Germ. t. 26 ; Turner 

 Ag. Gaz. N.S.W. ii.; Panicum dactyhn, Linn.; Sibth. Fl. Gr. t. 60. 



Hab.: Port Curtis, M'Gillivray ; Moreton Bay, F. v. Mueller and others ; Bookhampton and 

 neighbouring districts, O'Shanesy, Thozet, Bowman. Common. 

 A very productive pasture grass ; also excellent for lawns. 



2. C. tenellus (slender), R. Br. Prod. 187 ; Benth. FL Austr. vii. 609. 

 Stems creeping and rooting at the base as in G. dactylon, but usually much 

 longer. Leaves narrow, rather long. Spikes slender, 3 to 6, digitate, a to 4in. 

 long. Outfir glumes about 1 line long, narrow, rather obtuse, witn a prominent 

 ciliate keel. Flowering glume shorter and not broader, obtuse, pubescent, the 

 rhachis of the spikelet not produced behind it. — -C. alUor, P. v. M. Fragm. viii. 

 113. 



Hab.: Gulf country. 



3. C. COnvergens (converged), F. v. M. Fragm. viii. 113 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. 

 vii. 610. A decumbent or creeping grass with the habit of G. dactylon or in many 

 specimens shortly erect, apparently without stolones, glabrous except a few hairs 

 at the orifice of the sheaths. Spikes 3 or rarely only 2, 1 to l^in. long, the 

 rhachis flat and rather broad ; spikelets normally in 2 rows but alternately curved 

 inwards so as to appear almost uniseriate. Outer glumes 1^^ to nearly 2 lines 

 long, narrow, glabrous, the green keel prominent and sometimes bearing a 

 narrow whitish wing, the glumes much less persistent than in the other species. 

 Flowering glume about half as long thin and hyaline ciliate on the keel and 

 margins with long hairs. Palea very narrow, the two nerves closely contiguous 

 and almost consolidated into a single one, ciliate with long hairs, the rhachis of 

 the spikelet not produced behind it. 



Hab.: Norman River, T. Gulliver. 

 Said to form good pasture. 



69. CHLORIS, Linn. 

 (Green, referring to the color of the herbage.) 

 Spikelets 1 -flowered, awned, singly sessile in 2 rows on one side. of simple 

 spikes, either solitary or digitate at the end of the peduncle, the rhachis of the 

 spikelet articulate immediately above the outer glumes. Outer empty glumes 2, 

 keeled, persistent, awnless. Flowering glume produced into a fine straight awn, 

 entire or with a tooth lobe or short awn on each side of the terminal awn. Palea 

 folded or with 2 prominent nerves. Rhachis of the spikelet produced behind the 

 palea and bearing 1 or more empty glumes, all awned and usually with their ends 

 on a level with that of the flowering glume. 



A rather large genus, widely spread over the warmer regions of the globe. 



Spike solitary, slender. Flowering glume narrow • ^" ^- »»ti*l>*c«''- 



Spikes digitate, slender. Spikelets acute. Flowering glume usually with 

 a tooth lobe or short awn on each side of the terminal one. 



Spikes few. about lin. long. Lobes of the flowering glume awned . . 2. 0. pumilio. 



Paet VI. 



