72 
SOCIETY ISLANDS. 
[Graminece. 
Ord. XLVIL CYPERACEiE. Juss. 
1. Fimbristylis affinis ; glabra, culmis casspitosis erectis triquetris, foliis angustissimis 
flaccidis, involucro 3-4-phyllo, spiculis ovatis terminalibus paucis umbellatis central! sessili 
lateralibus longe pedunculatis, pedunculis involucrum squantibus, squamis suborbiculatis 
acutis trinerviis scariosis glabris, stylo complanato bifido margine fimbriato, achenio obovato 
lenticulare-compresso longitudinaliter striato. 
This is very nearly allied to F. dichotoma and annua, which have equally the leaves of the involucre 
cihated; but the whole plant is larger, and diflfers from the former in its smooth culm and leaves, and 
from the latter by the two, not three, stigmas. 
1. Mariscus paniceus. Vahl. 
This, IVIr. Collie observes, is frequent in the moist meadows of Tahiti. 
2. Mariscus Icevigatus. Roem. et Schul. SysL Veget. v. 2. p. 242. — M. IfEvis. H. B. K. 
Our specimens are very imperfect. Mr. Collie states that it is used for making hats and women’s bonnets, 
and has been probably introduced. Its vernacular name is Tumarnu. 
Ord. XLVIII. GRAMINEtE. Juss. 
1. Paspalum orbiculare; spicis alternis distinctis basi setigeris, flosculis glabris ovato- 
orbiculatis valvida exteriore glumae trinervi, foliis planis Irevibus margine incrassato denti- 
culato. Br . — “ Forst. Prodr. n. 35.” Br. Prodr. p. 188. Spreng. Syst. Veget. v. \. p. 247. 
Our plant turns almost black in drying. At the base of many of the spikes, (not of all,) we observe one 
or two rather long white hairs, which we presume ai’e the setae of Mr. Brown. — Our specimens of P. pracox 
of Walt, from the late Mr, EUiott, gathered in Carolina, we cannot distinguish from the present. This is 
(tailed in Tahiti Nonwlia, and is exclusively used for carpetting the houses. 
1. Digitaria ciliaris. Willd. 
1. Pennisetum calyculatum ; flosculis alternis, setis involucri latiusculis plumosis flosculos 
superantibus, foliis lato-lanceolatis vaginarum oris pilosis. Spreng. Syst. Veget. v. 1. p. 303. 
— Cenchrus calyculatus. Cav. Ic. v. 4. t. 463. 
Common in the moist meadows of Tahiti, where it is known by the name of Pirapire, 
1. Centrotlieca lappacea, Desv. — Roem. et Schul. v. 2. p. 531. — Cenchrus lappaceus. 
Linn. 
Most authors describe, and PaL de Beauvois represents, the calycine glumes as three in munber ; whereas, 
in our plant, they are constantly two. The lower of the two flowers in the spikelet appears to be male, the 
u])per one female. 
1. Eleusine indica. Lam . — Cynosurus indicus. Linn. 
1. Saccharum Linn. var. Tahitense. Roe?n. et Schul. v. 2. p. 285. 
1. Andropogon acicularis. Retz. — Rumph. Amh. v. 6. t. 5. 
2. Andropogon Tahitensis; ubique glaber, culmo striato erecto apice paniculatim rainoso, 
foliis planis, spicis conjugatis paniculatis, rachidis articulis brevissime pilosis, spiculis binis, 
altera sessili uniflora hermaphrodita. 
Culrnus erectus, striatus, solidus, glaberrimus, inferne simplex superne paniculatim ramosus, rubescens : 
