Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/416

380 pedicellatus. Palea sequilongse ; inferior 3-nervis, dorso basi sericeo, acuto v. obscure et oblique truncato; superior bicarinata, apice bifida. Antlierce parvae, late oblongse. Caryopsis ovoidea, glaberrima.

I was long doubtful whether to refer this curious little species to Poa, Festuca, or Triodia, to all which genera (like some other grasses) it has nearly equal affinity; to Poa in the form of the locustse and florets, and to Festuca in the acute glumes and palea; but certainly most to Triodia, in habit, form of panicle, included florets and obscurely 3-deutate lower palea.

Plate CXXXVIII. Fig. 1, portion of culm with vagina, base of lamina of leaf, and ligula; Jig. 2, locusta; Jig. 3, glume ; fig. 4, floret ; fig. 5, do with ripe caryopsis ; fig. 6, caryopsis : — all magnified.

2. Teiodia Antarctica, Hook, fil.; parvula, dense ctespitosa, glaberrima, panicula subsimplici coaretata, locustis breviter pedunculatis, glumis subaequalibus lanceolatis 3-floris, flosculis basi nudis paleis subse-quantibus inferiore 5-nervi acuta obscure 3-dentata foliis basi longe membranaceis vaginantibus culmum fere sequantibus, lamina setacea. Festuca pusilla, Banks et Sol. in Mus. Banks.

Hab. Tierra del Fuego; C. Darwin, Esq. Rocks near the tops of the mountains of Hermite Island. J.D.E.

Culmi dense fastigiati, basi inclinati, valde foliosi, 4-pollicares. Folia, plurima, erecta, substriata sed non rigida; vagina elongata, striata ; lamina pollicaris, setacea, marginibus involutis; ligula ovata, acuminata. Panicula fere imcialis, simplex v. basi ramosa, erecta. Locustce parva;, 3-flores, glabriusculse. Ghana suba3-quales, flosculis breviores, lanceolatae, concava?, 3-nerves. Flosculi 2 superiores pedicellati, basi onmino nudi. Palea inferior late ovata, concava, apice breviter truncata et tridentata, dente intermedio paululum elongato, 5-nervis; nervis dorso obscure scaberulis; superior rcquilonga, bicarinata, apice bifida. Antlierce parvse, late oblongee.

A peculiar species, allied to the last and to no other with which I am acquainted. The obliquely truncated apex of the lower palea in the T. Kerguelensis, is here, as it were, exaggerated by that organ becoming decidedly though minutely trifid at the apex, as iu the European Triodia decumhens, a genus to which both species ought from this circumstance be referred, and from their peculiar panicle and locustse.

In habit the similarity between this plant and the former is very great, and apparent in the size, foliage, and locality they both affect, iu their respective Islands; the differences in the details of the florets, are, on the other hand, sufficiently wide.

13. FESTUCA, L.

1. Festuca Fuegiana, Hook, fil.; erecta, elata, culmis basi prtecipue foliosis scaberulis glaberrimisve, panicula effusa v. subcoarctata, glumis ovato-lanceolatis acuminatis subcarinatis, flosculis breviter pedicellatis basi araneosis, superioribus viviparis, palea inferiore acuminata puberula 5-nervi nervis dorso sericeis superiore sequilonga bifida, foliis breviusculis subacutis marginibus involutis, ligula oblonga. (Tab. CXLI.)

Var. a, panicula contracta, culmo superne praecipue scabrido. Aira csespitosa. Banks et Sol. in Mus. Batiks, (in part).

Var. 0. panicula effusa, magis vivipara, culmis glaberrimis. Poa alpina, var. vivipara, Banks et Sol. in Mus. Banks.

Hab. Strait of Magalhaens, Port Famine and Port Gregory, Capt. King. South part of Fuegia, C. Darwin, Esq.

Gramen erectum, 1- ad 2-pedale. Culmi dense fastigiati, basi valde fofiosi, superne glaberrimi v. scabridi. Folia breviuscula, 3-4-uncialia, glaberrima, substricta sed non rigida, late hnearia, acuta, marginibus involutis,