Order GRAMIN EM. 
Genus Danthonia. 
Sub-Order Avenacetr. 
7—DANTHONIA PILOSA. 
PURPLE-AWIED OAT GRASS. 
[Plate XXXIII.) 
Danthonia pilosa, R. Brown. Hook, fil., FI. Tasm., II., 120; FI. N.Z., I., 303. 
Danthonia pilosa, R. Brown. Hook, fil., FI. N.Z., I., 303. 
Danthonia semi-annularis, R. Brown. Hook. fil. Var. B. pilosa, Plandb. N.Z.Flora, I., 333. 
Danthonia pilosa, R. Brown. Benth. Flora Australiensis, VII., 394 - 
A slender or rigid tufted perennial grass, found from sea-level to 6000 feet altitude. Flowers 
November—January. Culms 1 — 2-feet high, pilose. Leaves involute, filiform or flat, pilose ; sheathing 
leaves short; ligule o, or a line of short hairs round mouth of sheath, with a tuft of long hairs on each 
side. Panicle 2—3-inches long, contracted, more open when in flower, with a few erect branches, or 
simply racemose. Spihelets few, p —-^-inch long, 4—8-flowered. Empty glumes nearly equal, longer than 
the spikelet, 3— 7-nerved. Flowering glume glabrous, deeply 2-fid, 9-nerved, with a circle of long hairs 
near the base, and with distant small pencils of hairs on margins and back, lateral awns as long as the 
glume, central awn \ longer than the lateral awns, straight, slightly twisted at bottom, awns and tops of 
florets purple, pedicel with tufts of long hairs. Palea truncate, or slightly bifid. Scales linear-oblong, 
acuminate, crowned with long cilia. Distribution of Species : AUSTRALIA, TASMANIA, 
NEW ZEALAND. 
The present and the following species, with their varieties, form an important part of the pastures 
of New Zealand at the present time, and, as they were still more abundant when the land was first 
stocked, no doubt much of the well-known fattening qualities of the original pasture was indebted to 
these grasses. Although many grasses are permanently destroyed by overstocking and other causes, 
the Danthonias appear to possess an inherent recuperative power, which enable them at any time when 
the destroying agency is removed to renew their growth and spread in abundance. This may be partly 
ascribed to their capacity of ripening abundance of seed, and their ready adaptation to climatic changes 
and differences of soil. Distribution in New Zealand : FROM THE NORTH CAPE TO 
STEWART ISLAND. 
Reference to Plate XXXIII.: Fig. 1. Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret. 4, 4. Nervation of 
empty glumes. 3. Nervation of flowering glume. 6. Nervation of Palea. 7. Scale. 8. Ovary, styles, 
and stigmas. 9, 9, 9"Grain, different views. 
