Ex. 
138 
spike ; sp 
empty, 
absent ; 1 
coriaceous 
but rathe 
eastimnt. tu—<ao 
within the hardened flowering glume and palea. 
Species about 200, scattered through the tropics of both hemispheres, but most 
abundant in America. The three species found in New Zealand are widely distributed. 
Rhizome not creeping. Culms usually erect, 1-3 ft. Spikelets 
orbicular-ovoid, cbtuse a is me: ; 
Rhizome long, creeping. Culms ascending, 6-24in. Leaves flat, 
4-tin. broad, Lateral spikes sessile. Spikelets oblong-ovoid, 
acute Se ae a - e 
Rhizome long, creeping. Culms ascending, 2-8in. Leaves involute, 
j; in. broad. Spikes all peduncled. Spikelets oblong, acute .. 3. P. distichum. 
1. P. scrobiculatum. 
2. P. Digitaria, 
1. P. serobiculatum Linn. Mant. i (474) 29.—Rhizome short. Culms 
tufted, erect or decumbent at the base, usually sheathed throughout by the 
leaves, glabrous, 1-3 ft. high. Leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, acute 
or acuminate, }-4in. broad, glabrous or slightly hairy towards the base, 
flat or wrinkled ; margins rough ; ligule short, broad, membranous ; sheaths 
rather lax. Spikes varying in number from 2 to 6, 1-2 in. long, alternate 
towards the top of the culm, usually rather distant, spreading or erect ; 
rhachis js in. broad, flat, margins ciliate. Spikelets in 2 or rarely 3-4 
rows, imbricate, sessile or very shortly pedicelled, sometimes geminate 
on a common pedicel, oyvoid-orbicular, obtuse, glabrous. HKmpty glumes 
subequal, thin and membranous, with a prominent midrib; the outer one 
with a single marginal vein on each side; the upper one with 2 marginal 
veins. Flowering glume similar in size and shape to the empty glumes, 
hard and coriaceous, brown, shining, minutely pitted. Palea coriaceous 
like the flowering glume, the margins produced into membranous inflected 
auricles—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. 1 ( 291; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 323 ; 
Benth. Fl. Austral. vii (1878) 460; Buch. N.Z. Grasses (1879) t. 10a; 
Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 845. PP. orbiculare Forst. f. Prodr. (1786) 
n. 35: A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. (1832) 140; A. Cunn. Precur. (1836) n. 266 ; 
Raoul Choix (1846) 39. 
Nortu Isuanp: Auckland—Lowland stations from the North Cape to the East 
Cape and Taranaki, not uncommon. 
An abundant plant in all warm countries outside America. mt ? 
0 de dichns es = Sa. is . 
2. P. Digitaria Poir. Encycl. Suppl. iv (1814) 316.—Rhizome long, 
branched, creeping and rooting. Culms erect or ascending, sheathed through- 
out by the leaves, glabrous, 6-24in. high. Leaves numerous, distichous, 
2-8 in. long, 1-4 in. broad, flat, glabrous or sparingly hairy towards the base ; 
ligules short, membranous, truncate; sheaths compressed, striate, margins 
pilose above. Spikes rather slender, 1-2 in. long, usually 2 but sometimes 
3 or even 4, the lateral ones sessile or nearly so; rhachis flat, margins 
scabrid. Spikelets in 2 rows, nearly sessile, imbricate and appressed to the 
rhachis, ovate-oblong, acute, flattened, pale-green. Empty glumes equal, 
acute, membranous, pubescent or glabrous; the lower one 3-nerved ; the 
upper 5-nerved, sometimes an additional minute empty glume is present 
at the base of the spikelet. Flowering glume coriaceous, smooth, shining, 
ae Taek Mor Edw Bsy 1757. 
Madt. Tr: Lert Zim 3 | BRN. 
Ava. “bet . t. A. 
