is very closely allied to F. ovina, differing mainly in the innovation-shoots being frequently stoloniferous, and usually both extravaginal and intravaginal, and in their sheaths being closed almost to the mouths; also in the ligules not being auricled, and in the stem-leaves being usually broader and flatter than those on the innovation-shoots. It has considerable value as a sheep-grass, and is often sown on sheep-runs. Outside New Zealand it has a wide range in Europe and northern Asia.
4. F. contracta, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvii. (1895) 353.—Culms densely tufted, smooth, strict, erect, leafy, 6–9 in. high. Leaves longer or shorter than the culms, narrow, strict, erect, complicate or almost terete, pungent at the tip, smooth or faintly striate on the back, the midrib and, nerves prominent on the inner face; sheaths rather lax, thin, pale, grooved; ligules very short, truncate. Panicle 2–3 in. long, strict, narrow, erect, spike-like, simple or with a few short branches in the lower half; rliachis angled, scaberulous; branches or pedicels short, stout, erect. Spikelets pale, about ½ in, long including the awns, 2–3-flowered. Two outer glumes unequal, from ¾ to ⅘ the length of the entire spikelet, narrow-lanceolate, smooth, membranous, acuminate but not awned; lower 1- or faintly 3-nerved, upper distinctly 3-nerved. Flowering glumes lanceolate, rounded on the back, rather thin, 5-nerved, narrowed into a short stiff awn, surfaces minutely scaberulous, callus glabrous. Palea shorter than the glume, faintly ciliolate along the keels. Grain oblong-obovoid, grooved; hilum linear, about ½ its length.
Macquarie Island: Professor Scott! A. Hamilton!
I have only seen two very indifferent specimens of this plant, and some allowance must consequently be made for the description.
5. F. Coxii, Hack. MSS.—Rhizome stout, creeping. Culms densely tufted, branched at the base, erect or slightly geniculate, slender, smooth, leafy, 6–18 in. high. Leaves numerous, longer than the culms, slender, soft, pliant, the margins so much involute that the leaf is terete, smooth on the back, midrib prominent on the inner face; sheaths rather lax, thin, smooth, striate, open to the base; ligules very short, truncate, ciliolate at the tip. Panicle 2–3 in. long, narrow, rather dense, often reduced to a simple raceme or spike, or with 2–3-spiculate branches in the lower part; rhachis stout, angled, scabrid; branches or pedicels very short, stout, scabrid, the upper spikelets nearly sessile. Spikelets about ¾ in. long with the awns, laxly 3-5-flowered. Two outer glumes unequal, from ½ to ¾ the length of the whole spikelet, narrowed into long acuminate scabrid points; lower linear, 1-nerved; upper longer, narrow-lanceolate, 3-nerved. Flowering glumes oblong-lanceolate, firm, rounded on the back, concave, faintly 5-nerved, gradually narrowed into a terete scabrid awn as long or longer than the glume, surface densely minutely scabrid, callus glabrous. Palea
