942 THE GRASS FAMILY. 



4S f Flowering glumes obtuse or rather acute 35. Poa. 



I Flowering glumes very pointed or shortly awned ... 31. Fescue. 



r Flowering glumes very pointed. Flowers about 3, with a bristle- 

 like continuation of the axis 37. Molinia. 



49 | Flowering glumes obtuse or acute. Flowers 3 or more, the last ter- 



L minal 35. Poa. 



The limits of the numerous genera into which Grasses are divided 

 are as yet far from being definitively fixed. Some are by no means 

 natural, and those which are so have not always any definite charac- 

 ters. They have also been variously distributed into tribes, according 

 to the special views of their structure entertained by different botanists. 

 Taking however those which are now the most generally adopted, the 

 eight following Tribes are represented in Britain. It will be observed, 

 at the same time, that the short characters here given are by no means 

 absolute, a few species (as, for instance, the common Leersia) being 

 occasionally exceptional, or even in apparent contradiction to the 

 general character of the tribe in which they are placed. 



* Spikelets with one perfect terminal flower, with or without a male or imper- 

 fect flower below it. (Panicace^:.) 



1. Oryze^e. Stamens more than 3 (except in 2 or 3 Leersias). Genus, — 

 1. Leersia. 



2. Paniceje. Flowering glumes of a firmer texture than the empty ones 

 below it. Genera : — 2. Milium ; 3. Panicum. 



3. Pualaride^e. Two male or imperfect flowers or minute rudimentary 

 glumes below the perfect flower besides the outer empty glumes. Genera: — 

 4. HOLYGRASS ; 5. ANTHOXANTH ; 6. PHALARIS ; 7. DlGRAPHIS. 



## SpiJcelets with one or more perfect flowers, the male or rudimentary flowers, 

 if any, terminal. (Po^EACEJi;.) 



4. AoROSTLDEiE. Spikelets 1-flowered, usually pedicellate. Genera: — 8. 

 Phleum ; 9. Foxtail ; 10. Chamagrostis ; 11. Hare's-tail ; 12. Beard- 

 grass; 13. agrostis ; 14. nltgrass ; 15. maram ; 16. smallreed. 



5. Ateisbm. Spikelets 2- or few flowered, pedicellate. Flowering glumes 

 usually shorter than the outer ones, their awns often bent or twisted. Genera : 

 —17. Aira; 18. Oat; 19. False- Oat ; 20. Holcus. 



6. Chlorides. Spikelets 1- or several flowered, sessile along one side of 

 the simple linear branches of the panicle. Genera: — 21. Cynodon; 22. 

 Spartina. 



7. Hordeineje. Spikelets 1- or several flowered, sessile in the notches of a 

 simple spike. Genera: — 23. Lepturus ; 24. Nard; 25. Lymegrass ; 26. 

 Barley; 27. Triticum; 28. Lolium ; 29. False-Brome. 



8. FESTUCEiE. Spikelets several-flowered, pedicellate. Awns, if any, straight. 

 Genera: — 30. Brome ; 31. Fescue; 32. Cock's-foot ; 33. Dog's-tail ; 34. 



QUAKEGRASS; 35. POA ; 36. CATABROSE ; 37. MOLINIA ; 38. MELICK ; 39. 

 TRIODIA; 40. IlCELERIA; 41. SESLERIA ; 42. KeED. 



