68. Cynodon. GRAMINEAE. 83 



68. CYNODQN, Rich. 



(Greek kynodon, dog's-tooth : a translation of chiendent, the French name of this grass.) 

 1. C. dactylon, Rich. Couch-grass. Perennial, with creeping stems and short usually 

 flat leaves ; spikelets small, 1 -flowered, sessile in 2 rows on one side of the flattened rhachis 

 of 2-5 slender spikes, digitate at the top of the stem ; flowering glume boat-shaped, keeled, 

 awnless, longer than the outer glumes. 



Southern districts, usually in moist places. Summer. — A cosmopolitan grass. 



« 



C. ciliaris, Benth., which has 2 spikes, the flowering glume shorter than the outer ones, 

 and with a ring of spreading hairs near the top, has been found at Charlotte Waters, 

 and probably exists in our Far North. 



69. CHLORIS, Swartz. 



(Greek khloros, green : alluding to the leaves.) 

 Spikelets with 1 bisexual flower, sessile, or shortly pedicellate, alternately arranged in 

 2 rows on one side of spikes which are digitate at the top of the stem ; outer glumes 2, 

 persistant ; flowering glume with a straight terminal awn ; above the bisexual flower 

 are 1 or rarely more stalked empty terminal glumes. Perennials. 

 A. Flowering and terminal glumes acute. 



Spikelets crowded Ch. divaricata 1. 



Spikelets rather distant Ch. acicularis 2. 



A. Flowering and terminal glumes obtuse. 



Flowering glume glabrous Ch. truncata 3. 



Flowering glume bearded Ch. barbata 4. 



A. Flowering and terminal glumes broad, scarious Ch. scariosa 5. 



1. Ch. divaricata, R. Br., var. minor, J. M. Black. Short, glabrous ; spikes 4-6, 3-6 cm. 

 long, finally divaricate, spikelets close together (about 1 mm. apart) ; flowering glume 

 narrow, 5 mm. long, with an awn 10-17 mm. long between the 2 short lobes of the glume ; 

 terminal glume 2-lobed, with an awn of 5-10 mm. 



Flinders Range and Far North. Summer. 

 Plate 4. — (2) a, barren flower ; b, fertile flower. 



2. Ch. acicularis, Lindl. Spider Grass. Erect to 1 m. high ; spikes 3-12, 7-16 cm. 

 long ; spikelets less close together (2-3 mm. apart) ; flowers as in the preceding, but the 

 terminal lobes less conspicuous and often not reaching to the base of the awn, which is 

 more spreading. 



River Murray ; Flinders Range ; Far North. 



3. Ch. truncata, R. Br. Star Grass. Variable in height ; leafsheaths broad ; spikes 

 5-10, 4-15 cm. long; spikelets shortly pedicellate, 3 mm. long; both the flowering and 

 terminal empty glumes truncate and notched, with slender awns of 6-12 mm. 



From Adelaide northwards at least as far as northern end of Flinders Range. Summer. 



4. Ch. barbata, Swartz, var. decora, Benth. Near the preceding, but the spikes are 

 denser and the flowering glume has a tuft of long hairs near the summit on each side, 

 and the outer nerve is ciliate ; spikes 6-15, 3-6 cm. long. 



North of Oodnadatta. 



5. Ch. scariosa, F. v. M. Spikes 3-6, 2|-3 cm. long ; flowering glume raised on a hairy 

 stalk, broad, ciliate with long hairs near the hyaline entire summit, below which rises a 

 fine awn ; terminal empty glumes usually 4, the lowest 2 ovate, 5-nerved, spreading, 

 rigid, whitish, the upper ones smaller. 



Near Oodnadatta. 



70. ASTREBLA, F. v. M. 



(Greek a, not ; streblos, twisted : referring to the awn.) 

 Spikelets 3-6-flowered, sessile or nearly so in the alternate notches of the rhachis of 1 or 2 

 unilateral terminal spikes ; outer glumes 2, acute, many-nerved, persistant ; flowering 

 glumes silky-hairy, 3-lobed, the lateral lobes erect and rigid, the central lobe tapering 

 into an awn. 



Spikes 3-10 cm. ; awn very little longer than lateral lobes. . A. pectinata 1. 

 Spike 10-15 cm. ; awn much exceeding lateral lobes A. triticoides 2. 



1. A. pectinata, F. v. M. Mitchell Grass. Leaves flat ; spike 3-10 cm. long, rather 

 broad, the spikelets close together ; flowering glume villous except on the lanceolate 

 lateral lobes, which are slightly exceeded by the central awn. 



Far North, and westward to the Musgrave Ranges. Spring and summer. 



