Danthonia. | GRAMINEAE. 175 
Norra AND Sout Isnanps, Stewart Istanp: From Mount Hikurangi and Mount 
Egmont southwards, abundant in hilly and mountain districts. Sea-level to 5500 it. 
“ Snow-grass.” Var. Cheesemanii: Open forests near the source of the Takaka River, 
Nelson, altitude 3000 ft., 7. F. C.; Endeavour Inlet, Queen Charlotte Sound, ‘ese 
Macmahon ! 
A most abundant plant in the elevated hilly districts of the South Island, often 
forming the major portion of the vegetation over large areas. I agree with Professor 
Hackel in considering D. flavescens to be simply a broad-leaved state of D. Raouli ; in 
‘point of fact the two forms graduate into one another so insensibly that it is impossible 
to draw a strict line of demarcation between them. 
Var. Cheesemanii is well distinguished by its scabrid leaves, which are compressed 
and plicate, and prominently nerved. It may prove to be a separate species. 
5. D. erassiuscula 7. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvii (1885) 224.— 
Culms tufted, forming lax tussocks, stout, strict, erect, leafy, 6-18 in. high. 
Leaves shorter or rarely longer than the culms, distichous, rigid and coria- 
ceous, curved, gradually narrowed to the tips but not drawn out into 
filiform points, strongly involute, compressed, smooth and polished on the 
back, with numerous thick veins in front; margins smooth; sheaths stout, 
much broader than the blade, smooth, grooved; margins thinner and 
scarious ; ligules reduced to an obscure band of short stiff hairs. Panicle 
short, lax, broadly ovate, 14-3in. long; branches few, spreading, 2—3- 
spiculate, and with the rhachis more or less silky-pubescent. Spikelets 
about 4 in. long without the awns, 4-7-flowered. Two outer glumes unequal, 
lanceolate, 3-5-nerved, the longer frequently + the length of the entire 
spikelet. Flowering glumes densely silky at the base, and with long silky 
hairs on the margins and back for about } their length, 7—9-nerved, the 
nerves connected by transverse veins at about the level of the awn, tip 
deeply bifid, the lobes pointed but not awned ; central awn 4-9in. long, 
flat at the base and often twisted. Palea slightly shorter than the glume.— 
Cheesem. Man, N.Z. Fl. (1906) 887. 
South Istanp: Probably abundant in high mountain districts throughout. 
Canterbury—Mountains above the Broken River, 7. F. C.; Upper Waimakariri, 
Cockayne! Westland—Kelly’s Hill, Petrie! Otago—Mount Arnould, Hector Moun- 
tains, Petrie! mountains above Lake Harris, Longwood Range, 7. Kirk! STEWART 
IstanD: Mount Anglem, 7. Kirk! 3500-6000 ft. 
Closely allied to D. Raoulii, but a smaller and proportionately stouter plant, with 
shorter compressed leaves not drawn out into filiform points, much smaller panicles 
with silky-pubescent branches, smaller spikelets with longer outer glumes, and with the 
nerves of the flowering glumes connected by transverse veinlets. 
6. D. pungens Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 887.— Culms densely 
tufted, branched at the base, forming irregular patches about | ft. across, 
smooth, slender, rigid, 2-6in. high. Leaves mostly at the base of the 
culms and much shorter than them, distichous, 14-3in. long, about jin. 
broad at the base, gradually tapering upwards into a pungent point, strict, 
erect, rigid and coriaceous, involute, almost equitant at the base, finely 
striate, glaucous ; margins thickened, smooth ; sheaths compressed, grooved - 
ligules reduced to a narrow band of short white hairs. Panicle small, 
lax, ovate, 1-14 in. long, of 3-8 spikelets; branches few, slender, silky. 
Spikelets about din. long without the awns, 3-5-flowered. Two outer 
glumes slightly unequal, almost as long as the spikelet, lanceolate, mem- 
branous, 3-5-nerved. Flowering glumes silky at the base, and equally 
clothed with silky hairs for 4 their length, 7-9-nerved, deeply 2-fid at 
the apex, the lobes lanceolate, acute but not awned ; central awn flattencd 
