Order GRAMINEAE. 
Genus Dichelachne, Endl. 
Sub-Order Agrostide/e. 
2 .—dichelachne crinita. 
LONG HAIR PLUME GRASS. 
{Plate XV.) 
Dichelachne vulgaris, Trinius. 
Dichelachne Forsteriana, Trinius. 
Muhlenbergia mollicoma, Nees. 
Agrostis crinita, Brown. 
Apera crinita, Palisot. 
Anthoxanthum crinitum, Labill. FI. Nov. Holl., II., 115, t. 263. 
Dichelachne crinita, Hook, fil. FI. N.Z. I. 293 ; Handb. N.Z. Flora, I., 326. 
A glabrous, downy, or scabrid grass, growing in small tufts, ascending to 3000 feet altitude. Floivers 
November—April. Root fibrous. Perennial. Stems 1—3 feet high, slender or stout, leafy. Leaves 
flat or involute; ligule short, obtuse, entire, or lacerate. Panicle elongate, contracted, spike-like, 3—6 
inches long, branches nearly hidden by the long awns. Spikelets J-inch long. Empty glumes long- 
acuminate, 3-nerved. Flowering glume 2-fid at top, 5-nerved; awn capillary, inserted at the back above 
the middle, flexuose, not twisted, nearly four times as long as the glume. Paleci 2-fid, with a short awn, 
2-nerved. Scales large, oblong, long-acuminate. Anthers long. Ovary glabrous. Styles short, wide 
apart. Stigmas long, plumose. Grain long, linear. Distribution of Species: AUSTRALIA, 
TASMANIA, NEW ZEALAND. 
A valuable grass, abundantly distributed throughout the islands, and forming, when in flower, a 
prominent feature in pasture. As a pasture grass when grown under favourable circumstances, on 
rich valley bottoms with perennial moisture, it is very succulent, but when on dry clay hills it is 
harsh and scanty; its nutrient qualities may be admitted, forming as it does a large constituent of 
pastures famous for fattening stock. As a fodder grass it possesses considerable bulk, and would add 
much value to a mixed crop of hay. In sheltered situations near Wellington, this species has a very 
extended period of flowering, as a succession of scattered panicles may generally be found during eight 
months of the year. This is not, however, a singular circumstance, as some native and introduced 
species, such as Poa annua and Danthonia semi-annular is, may be found flowering during the whole year. 
A variety of D. crinita, figured on Plate XV., Fig. 1, was collected in the Domain, Wellington, the 
spike-like panicle of which is more open and the awns purple. It is a very graceful grass when in flower, 
and a very different looking plant from the species, but by the details of its inflorescence cannot be 
distinguished. Distribution in New Zealand : Everywhere from the North Cape to Stewart 
Island, from sea-level to 3000 feet altitude. 
Reference to Plate XV.: Figs. 1, 1. Plants. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret. 4, 4. Nervation of 
empty glumes. 5. Nervation of flowering glume. 6. Nervation of Palea. 7. Scales. 8. Ovary, 
g. Grain. 
