almost hyaline, toothed at the apex; dorsal awn slender, twisted at the base, sometimes very small or wanting. Palea narrow, 2-nerved. Lodicules 2, ovate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct; stigmas plumose. Grain oblong, enclosed within the unaltered flowering glume and palea.
Species about 25, dispersed through most cold or temperate regions. One of the New Zealand species extends through the whole range of the genus; the remaining 6 are endemic. These constitute a somewhat anomalous group, differing from the true Deschampsiæ in the awn being almost terminal and very small, or altogether absent. They may ultimately form a separate genus.
| * Awn from the middle of the back of the flowering glume or below it. | |
| Tall, 1–4 ft. high. Panicle long, 4–12 in. Spikelets ⅕–¼ in. | 1. D. cæspitosa. |
| ** Awn from immediately below the tip of the flowering glume or wanting. | |
| † Rhachilla glabrous. | |
| Forming dense patches ½–1½ in. high. Leaves short, curved. Panicle ¼–¾ in., dense. Spikelets straw-yellow, shining. Awn wanting or rarely present | 2. D. pusilla. |
| Slender, 3–9 in. Leaves shorter than the culms, involute. Panicle slender, lax, 1–3 in. long. Spikelets pale-green, apex of flowering glume irregularly denticulate. Awn wanting | 3. D. novæ-zealandiæ |
| Slender, 6–18 in. Leaves flaccid, flat or involute, often capillary. Panicle very slender, 3–6 in. Spikelets 110–18 in., pale-green; apex of flowering glume 3-toothed. Awn usually present | 4. D. Chapmani. |
| †† Rhachilla hairy. | |
| Very slender, flaccid, 6–14 in. Leaves capillary. Panicle very slender, lax, 2–6 in. Spikelets small, 110 in.; apex of flowering glume 3-toothed. Awn usually present | 4. D. tenella. |
| Slender, tufted, 2–8 in. Leaves short, strict. Panicle lax, deltoid, ¾–2 in. Spikelets few, ⅛–⅙ in.; apex of flowering glume 3-toothed. Awn usually present. Hairs of rhachilla long, copious | 6. D. gracillina. |
| Slender, 3–6 in. Leaves short, flat. Panicle sparingly branched, lax, 1–2 in.; spikelets few. Flowering glume irregularly denticulate; awn wanting. Rhachilla with a minute empty glume at the apex | 7. D. venicillata. |
1. D. cæspitosa, Beauv. Agrost. 91, t. 18, f. 3.—Culms densely tufted, forming large tussocks, smooth, shining, rather stout or slender, leafy, 1–4 ft. high. Leaves rather stiff, narrow, flat or convolute, rough on the upper surface and margins; sheaths shining, smooth or rough; ligules long, membranous, acute. Panicles 4–12 in. long, usually rather narrow and dense in New Zealand examples, inclined or nodding above; branches in somewhat distant fascicles, capillary, smooth or minutely scaberulous. Spikelets ⅙–¼ in. long, shining, pale yellow-green or purplish. Two outer glumes keeled, acute or subacute, 1-nerved or the upper
