31. Polypogon. 



GR AMINE AE. 



3. S. actinocladus, F. v. M. Stems erect ; leaves flat, glabrous or hairy, the blades 

 ciliate on the margin with short rigid hairs ; ligule very short, ciliate ; panicle pyramidal, 

 5-12 cm. long ; branches spreading, the lower ones in rather distant whorls, all naked 

 towards base ; spikelets sessile or almost so, crowded in dense unilateral partial panicles 

 on upper part of panicle -branches ; outer glumes unequal, the 1st about 1 mm. long, 

 the 2nd 1^ mm. ; flowering glume nearly 2 mm. ; pericarp loose. 



Widely "distributed over the Far North and North-West. June-Jan. 



4. S. Lindleyi, Benth. Leaves scabrous -ciliate and 

 often sprinkled with hairs seated on tubercles ; panicle 

 loose and broad, the lowest branches verticillate ; spikelets 

 distant, on capillary pedicels, H mm. long ; glumes acute, 

 the 1st small and narrow, the 2nd as long as the 

 flowering glume. 



Far North. Summer. 



31. POLYPOGON, Desf. 



(Greek polys, many ; pbgbn, a beard : alluding 

 to the bristly panicle.) 



* 1. P. monspeliensis, Desf. Beard-grass. Erect or 

 ascending annual, with flat leaves and a long, glabrous 

 ligule ; spikelets 2-2£ mm. long, 1 -flowered, the pedicel 

 articulate a little below the 2 outer glumes, which are equal, 

 keeled, pubescent, notched, and with a terminal awn 2-3 

 times their length ; flowering glume half their length, 

 4 -toothed at summit and with a short, deciduous awn ; 

 panicle spikelike, dense or somewhat lobed, bristly, varying 

 from 1 cm. long in dry situations to 12 cm. in moist places. 



Naturalised all over the State. Oct. -Jan, — Europe. 



32. AGR0ST1S, L. 



(Greek agrostis, the name of a grass.) 



Spikelets 1 -flowered, laterally compressed, pedicellate, in a loose or contracted panicle ; 

 rhachilla not produced into a bristle above the flower ; outer glumes 2, keeled, awnless, 

 persistent, nearly equal ; flowering glume membranous, with or without an awn glabrous 

 or nearly so at base. . 



Panicle loose ; palea \ as long as flowering glume A. alba 1 . 



Panicle more compact ; palea as long as flowering glume . . A . verticillata 2. 



* 1. A. alba, L. Creeping Bent-grass. Perennial with creeping rootstock and flat 

 leaves ; panicle 5-20 cm. long, oblong, lobed, loose during flowering ; spikelets 2 mm. 

 long ; flowering glume \ shorter than the outer glumes, truncate, 4-toothed, awnless ; 

 palea ^ as long. 



Near water in southern districts. Oct. -May. — Europe. 



* 2. A. verticillata, Vill. Differs from the preceding in the denser and shorter panicle 

 (4-10 cm.) ; spikelets clothing the branches almost to the base ; flowering glume ^ as 

 long as the outer glumes ; yjalea as long as flowering glume. 



Beside creeks all over the settled districts. Oct. -May. — Mediterranean region. 



Fig. 19. — Polypogon monspeliensis 



33. CALAMAGPvOSTIS, Adans. 

 (Latin calamus, a reed, prefixed to Agrostis.) 

 Differs from Agrostis in the presence of a conspicuous tuft of hairs on the short rounded 

 callus at the base of the flowering glume, associated with which is usually a bristle rising 

 from the callus and at the back of the palea. 

 A. Panicle loose. 



Awn present near middle of flowering glume C. filiformis 1. 



Awn absent ; spikelet very small C. aequata 2. 



A. Panicle spikelike or slightly lobed. 



B. Awn almost basal C. quadriseta 3. 



B. Awn attached near middle of flowering glume. 



Bristle present ; spikelet 5 mm C. densa 4, 



Bristle absent ; spikelet 4 mm C. minor 5. 



1. C. filiformis (Forst.), Pilger. Blown Grass. Glabrous grass, very variable in size, 

 with flat leaves and long, glabrous ligule ; stem brittle ; panicle very loose, usually large, 

 with whorled spreading capillary divided branches ; outer glumes acute 2£-3£ mm. long, 

 rarely 4-5 mm. long ; flowering glume much shorter, membranous, truncate, 4-toothed, 

 (the 2 outer teeth the longest), hairy on back, with a bent and twisted awn attached above 



