Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/414

378 Hab. Strait of Magalhaens ; Port Famine, Capt. King ; Hermite Island, on sandy beaches near the sea, /. D. H. Falkland Islands, most abundant, D' Urville, J. B. R.

In the first part of this work I have given the geographical range of the Trisetmn subspicatum, when noticing it as a native of Campbell's Island ; at which time I was not aware of any other South American station for it than the Andes of Peru. Since then 1 have seen several specimens collected both in the Cordillera of Columbia and in Mexico, whence it is evident that this plant, bke many common to the opposite temperate zones, has availed itself of the direct communication afforded by the Andes of the American continent for migrating from the Northern to the Southern Hemisphere. Its great abundance in the New World and especially in the extreme South of America, coupled with its rarity in the southern regions of the Old World, where it is only known on the tops of the mountains of Campbell's Island, seem to indicate its having been transmitted from east to west, or against the course of the prevailing winds in the Antarctic regions.

10. AVENA, L.

1. Avena leptodaclnjs, Hook, fil.; glaberrima, nitida, panicula gracillima flexuosa nutante ramis breviusculis subverticillatis capillaribus paucifloris, glurnis inaequalibus inferiore flosculo breviore, palea inferiore lanceolata basi barbata bicuspidata inter segmenta aristata, arista gracili reflexa locusta bis longiore, culmis gracilibus, foliis plants elongatis.

Hab. Strait of Magalhaens ; Port Famine, Capt. King.

Culmus exemplare inconrpleto pedalis, gracilis, erectus, debilis, foliis vagiuatus, nitens. Folia caulina longe vaginantia ; vagina teres, striata, 5-unc. longa ; ligula membranacea, ovata, fimbriata ; lamina 6-8-pollicaris, % unc. lata, flaccida, membranacea, striata. Panicula 6 unc. longa ; ramis capillaribus, - 1-uucialibus, glaberrimis. Locusta unc. longa?, biflores ; flosculis pedieellatis ; superiore longius pedicellato, setula ciliata aucto. Glumes ovato-lanceolatse, acuminata;, glaberrima? ; inferiore -i-miuore, 1-nervi ; superiore 3-nervi. Palea inferior lanceolata, pubenda, 1-nervis, nervo dorso scaberulo ; superior brevior, apice bicuspidata. Squamules 2, oblonga?, lacera?. Ovarium obovatum, breviter stipitatum, apice barbatum ; styhs lateralibus, basi paido discretis.

A very elegant species, of which I regret having seen but one culm, which wants the rooting portion. It is nearly allied to the United States Avena palustris, Mich. ; from which it may readily be distinguished by the smaller locusta?, more exserted florets, and unequal glumes.

11. POA, L.

1. Poa scaberula, Hook, fil.; erecta, gracilis, scabrida, panicula subsecunda coarctata densiflora, glumis 3-floris subsequalibus 1-nerviis puberulis dorso scabridis, flosculis pubescentibus basi lanatis breviter pedieellatis, palea inferiore subcarinata 3-nervi, nervis lateralibus tenuissimis inconspicuis, carina dorso superne scabrida inferne ciliato-plumosa, superiore breviore apice 2-dentata, foliis lineari-setaceis scaberulis culmo gracili erecto scabrido multoties brevioribus.

Hab. Strait of Magalhaens ; Port Famine, Cap/. King.

Radix fibrosa. Culmi erecti v. basi ascendentes, pedales et ultra, graciles, striati, scaberuli. Folia pauca, longe vaginantia; vagina scaberula, profuude striata; lamina 8-5-uncialis, setacea, involuta ; ligula ovata, obtusa, membranacea. Panicula 2-3-pollicaris, coarctata, basi interrupta, unilateraliter secunda, J— J unc. lata. Locmtee parvse, unc. longa?, pubenda?, purpureo-picta?, late ovata?, sub 3-flores. Glumes virescentes, compressa?, locusta •!• breviores, acuta?. Flosculi basi longe arachnoideo-lanati. Palea superior acuta, membranaceo-marginata. Squamules parvEe, ovata?, acuminata?.

I know of no species with which the present can be confounded. The scabridity, coarctate panicle, dense locusta?, and other characters at once distinguish it from its congeners.