Order GRAMINvE. 
Genus Danthonia. 
Sub-Order Avenace/E. 
11—DANTHONIA PAUCIFLORA. 
FEW-FLOWERED OAT GRASS. 
(Plate XXXVI. B.) 
Danthonia pauciflora, R. Brown. Hook, fil., FI. Tasm., II., 121, t. 162. 
Danthonia pauciflora, R. Brown. Benth. Flora Australiensis, VII., 596. 
A small alpine pasture grass, found at 2000—5000 feet altitude. Flowers December—January. 
Branches prostrate, creeping, forming dense tufts of fine rigid leaves. Culm.s 3—6-inches high. Leaves 
glabrous, 1—3-inches long, rigid, involute, filiform, setaceous; ligule o, or with a few hairs on each side 
of the sheath. Panicle ovoid, of few shortly pedicillate spikelets, sometimes reduced to 1 or 2. 
Spikelets y-inch long, 2—4-flowered. Empty glumes longer than the spikelets, 7-nerved. Flowering 
glume glabrous, shortly 2-fid at top, with a short central awn, 9-nerved, fringed on the margins with 
hairs. Palea bifid at top, pedicels with short tufts of hairs. Scales broadest at top, and crowned 
with cilia. Grain ovate. Distribution of Species : AUSTRALIA, TASMANIA, NEW 
ZEALAND. 
This very small representative of the genus was recently detected in a collection from Mount 
St. Bathans, Otago, forwarded by W. Petrie. Its small rigid leaves do not recommend it as a pasture 
grass, yet, from its evident perennial habit, it may prove valuable on those higher altitudes where 
few grasses can exist. Di stribution in New Zealand: SOUTH ISLAND; MOUNT 
St. BATHANS, OTAGO (forming a beautiful sward)—W. Petrie. 
Reference to Plate XXXVI. B: Fig. 1. Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret. 4. Nervation of empty 
glumes. 5. Nervation of flowering glume. 6. Nervation of Palea. 7. Scale. 8. Grain. 
