132 NAIDACEAE. [ Zostera. 
2. Z. tasmanica Martens ex Aschers. in Linnaea, xxxv (1867-68) 
168 (?).—Rhizomes slender, wide-creeping. Leaves 9-18 in. long, 79-4 in. 
broad, narrow-linear, rounded at the tip, not truncate, with 1-3 stout 
nerves on each side of the midrib and several finer ones between, cross- 
veinlets distant. Flowers and fruit not seen.—Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 
(1906) 754. Z. marina Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 742 (not of Lonn.). 
NortH anp Soutu Istanps: Not uncommon in sandy or muddy places along 
the coasts, often in water of considerable depth. 
_ The exact position of the New Zealand plant must remain doubtful until the 
fructification has been obtained, but it is probably the same as the Australian and 
Tasmanian Z. tasmanica, which seems hardly different from narrow-leaved forms of 
the northern Z. marina. < ® 
see Hu Rie -ol UW Peake. 1434, 
Family XIJ. GRAMINEAE. 
Annual or perennial, erect or creeping herbs, rarely (bamboos) shrubby 
or arborescent. Stem (culm) branched at the base, cylindrical or slightly 
compressed, jointed, generally hollow between the joints; joints (nodes) 
solid, swollen. Leaves alternate, distichous, usually long and_ narrow, 
entire, parallel-veined ; sheath long, split to the base on one side, at its 
junction with the blade usually furnished with an erect membranous 
appendage called the ligule. Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual, minute, 
solitary in the axils of small bracts (glumes) which are tmbricated in 2 
opposite rows, forming little spikes or spikelets. Spikelets usually many, 
arranged in spikes, panicles, or fascicles. Glumes placed alternately on 
each side of the axis (rhachilla) of the spikelet, the first or lowest 1-6 
(commonly the first 2) empty and known as empty glumes or outer glumes, 
or simply as glumes. The succeeding | or several are called flowering 
glumes, each of them having in its axil a very short branchlet bearing on 
its upper side a 2-nerved bractlet called the palea; the branchlet ending 
in a flower, which is thus enclosed by the flowering glume and _palea. 
Occasionally 1 or more glumes at the top of the spikelet are empty or 
enclose rudimentary flowers only. Perianth wanting, unless represented 
by 2 (rarely 3) minute scales (lodicvles). Stamens usually 3, rarely 1, 2, 
or 6, hypogynous; filaments capillary; anthers pendulous, versatile, fuga- 
cious. Ovary l-celled; styles 2 or rarely 3, free or connate at the base, 
feathery with simple or branched stigmatic hairs; ovule solitary, erect, 
anatropous. Fruit a seed-like utricle or grain (caryopsis) either free within 
the flowering glume and palea, or adhering to one or both. Seed erect, 
usually adherent to the membranous pericarp, rarely separable (Sporobolus) ; 
albumen copious, farinaceous ; embryo very small, roundish, on one side 
of the base of the albumen. 
One of the largest of the families of plants, found in all climates and situations, 
but most numerous in temperate regions. Genera about 325; species probably not 
less than 3500. In usefulness to man it is exceeded by no other family. The nutritious 
herbage forms the chief pasturage of our flocks and herds; the cereal grains, as wheat, 
barley, rye, oats, rice, millet, maize, &c., constitute a very large proportion of our food ; 
sugar is obtained from the sugar-cane and sorghum; while few plants are applied to 
a greater variety of uses than the various kinds of bamboos. Many species are 
cultivated for ornamental purposes, from the dwarf varieties used for edgings and 
lawns to the pampas-grass and giant-bamboo. Of the 33 indigenous genera, one only 
(Simplicia) is endemic; 4 (Microlaena, Echinopogoo, Dichelachne, and Amphibromus) 
are found elsewhere in Australia and Tasmania alone; and 2 others (Hhrharta and 
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