1902 CLIII. &RAMINE^. [KceUria. 



the uppermost one or two usually empty. Palea very thin, acutely 2-keeledv 

 2-toothed or 2-pointed. Styles very short. Grain enclosed in the glume and 

 palea free from them. 



A small genus ranging over the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, more sparingly 

 distributed in the southern, and perhaps, most frequently introduced. The Queensland specie^ 

 is a common northern one. 



1. K. phleoides (Phleum-like)-, Pers.; Kunth, Enum. i. 383; Benth. FL 

 Austr. vii. 639. An erect tufted annual of 6in. to 1ft. usually glabrous except 

 long cilia on the margins and orifice of the leaf-sheaths. Spike-like panicle 

 f to 2|in. long, cylindrical or when large slightly branched. Spikelets about 

 2 lines long, with 5 to 7 flowers. Glumes very spreading, the larger ones 1^ lines^ 

 long with a point or awn rarely above 1 line long, the outer empty ones 

 unequal, the lowest small and acute, the 2nd shortly pointed and nearly as long 

 as the flowering ones, the terminal empty glume or glumes usually broader, 

 shorter and awnless. 



Hab. : Near Stanthorpe. 



The species extends over the whole of the Mediterranean region from the Azores to- 

 Affghanistan, and m^y be introduced only into Queensland. 



77. ERAGROSTIS, Beauv. 



(From eras, love, and agrostis, grass ; referring to the beautiful panicles.) 



Spikelets several, usually many-flowered, pedicellate or sessile in a loose aniJ 

 spreading or narrow and clustered panicle, the rhachis of the spikelet usually 

 glabrous and articulate under the flowering glumes, but often very tardily so and 

 sometimes inarticulate. Outer empty glumes unequal and rather shorter than 

 the flowering ones, keeled, without any or only faint lateral nerves. Flowering 

 glumes obtuse or acute, unawned, 3-nerved, the keel prominent, the lateral- 

 nerves in a few species very faint. Palea shorter than the glume, with 2, 

 prominent nerves or keels, often persisting after the glume and grain have fallen 

 away. Grain free, ovoid or oblong, not furrowed. 



The genus is as widely spread as Poa in warm and temperate regions, but disappears in cold 

 countries and high mountains. Most, if not all, the species of this genus are good pasture 

 grasses. 



Sect. I. — ChaunOBtacliya. — Spikelets somewhat flattened, the glumes rather distant,, 

 loosely imbricate, ooerlapping the rliachis at the base se as not to leave a longitudinal furrow,, 

 usually very thin with the lateral nerve on each side faint or marginal. 



The first three species have the few-flowered spikelets with the rhaehis very readily disarticu- 

 lating of Poa, but always only one instead of two nerves on each side of the keel of the flowering 

 glumes. 



Spikelets usually 3 or 4-flowered, pedicellate, in a spreading panicle. 

 Spikelets very numerous and minute, J to f line long. Grain ovoid, 



smooth . . 1. E. interrupts. 



Spikelets on long capillary pedicels, 1 to 2 lines long. Grain globular, 



tuberoulate . . 2. JE. nigra. 



Spikelets few, shortly pedicellate, in a loose panicle, 1 to 2 lines long. 



Grain ovoid, smooth ... . . 3. £. imbecilla. 



Spikelets linear, more than B-flowered. 

 Glumes acute or rarely almost obtuse. 



Spikelets numerous, pale-coloured, shining, shortly pedicellate and 

 crowded on the long branches of a narrow panicle. 

 Grain oblong-linear i. E. leptocarpa. 



Grain broadly obovoid 5. E. megalosperiiM^ 



Spikelets numerous, very narrow linear, shortly pedicellate and distant 



along the capillary erect branches of the panicle 6. E. pilosa. 



Spikelets not very numerous, linear-lanceolate, pedicellate, in a 



spreading panicle I.E. leptostacliya. 



