elongata, culniuni superantia, superne flexuosa, basi longe vaginantia, longe et anguste linearia, involuta, glaberrima, striata, laevia, lsete viridia. Vaginæ folii longitudine, angusta?, ad margines subscariosa?, profunde striata? ; ligula elongata, lineari, acuminata, membranacea, ad apicem fimbriata. Panicula 3-5 unc. longa, erecta, gracilhina, parce raniosa, pauciflora ; rachi gracili, tereti, la?vi, flexuosa ; rarnis alternis vel plemrnque subverticillatis, filiformibus, divisis, suberectis v. modiee patentibus, pra?sertini apicem versus floriferis. Spicula parva?, lin. longa?, remotee, micautes, glaberrima?, 2-rarius 3-flores, flore terminali tabescente, pedicellata ; pedicello sub lente glaberrimo. Glunue bivalves; valvar insequales, floscidis inferioribus breviores, herbaceo-coriacea?, inferior oblongo-lanceolata, acuta, marginibus minute ciliatis, uninervis, nervo dorso scabemlo ; superior longior, oblongo-lanceolata, apice bifida truucata v. emarginata, concava, dorso carinata, trinervis, nervis prominentibus, lateralibus ad medium evanes-centibus, carina dorso ciliata, marginibus superne tenuiter ciliatis. Flosctdi remoti, superior pedicellatus ; pedicello infra florem incrassato, et pubescente. Pidea inferior late ovato-oblonga, concava, abrupte truncata, superne plus minusve distincte 4-5-deutata, dente medio interdum in aristam brevissirnam producto, membranacea, obsolete 3-5 nervis, basi pilosa : palea superior suba?quilonga, apice bifida, bicarinata, carinis ciliatis. Squamulce ovata?, acuminata?, subcaruosa?, integra?. Stamina 3, filamentis gracilibus ; antheris late oblongis, prope basin fixis, loculis apicem versus divaricatis, flavo-stramineis. Ovarium, late obovatum, basi subattenuatum ; stylis basi distinctis, latere vmico insertis ; stigmatibus valde plmnosis. Caryopsis ovato-oblonga, paleis -g-brevior.
My specimens of this grass, though not in so good a state as is desirable, are, I think, sufficient to prove it a most distinct species of an European genus, which reaches in Great Britain the parallel of 59°, the 67th degree in Lapland and Iceland, and the 57th in North America.
The present species differs considerably from the type of the genus, in its slender habit and narrow leaves, and more particularly in the larger glumes being less truncated and narrower, in the more unequal palea? and obscure nerves of the lower one, and in the very short anthers.
Plate LVI. Fig. 1, a spikelet ; fig. 2, glumes; fig. 3, a floret; fig. 4, a squamula; fig. 5, a stamen; fig. 6, ovarium, styles and stigmata ; fig. 7, caryopsis : — all magnified.
XXXII. FILICES, Willd.
1. HYMENOPHYLLUM, Sm.
1. Hyjiexophylltjm minimum, A. Rich. ; pusillum, casspitosiun, glaberrirniim, frondibus late-ovatis falcato-reeurvis pinnatifidis v. basi pinnatis, segmentis integris bifidis rariusve bipartitis linearibus obtusis rnarginibus eiliato-dentatis per totam longitudinern concavis subrigidis siccitate rufo-fuscis, involucris terminalibus o m m'no exsertis subpedicellatis obovato-cuueatis valvis dorso spinuloso-ciliatis, ore breviter bilobo argute dentato, rachi stipiteque crassiusculis rigidis. H. minimum, A. Richard, Flor. Nov. Zel. p. 93. 1. 14. f. 2. F. Cum/. Prodr. Flor. Nov. Zel. in Hook. Comp. Bot. Mag. vol. ii. p. 3(39. Presl, Hymenoplii/ll. p. 32.
Hab. Lord Auckland's group ; on trunks of trees in the woods; rare.
Caudex repens, radicans, rigidus, filifonnis, seta equina crassior, ater. Frondes plerumque plus minusve falcato-recurva? v. demissa?, rarius suberecta?, - A imc. longa?, rigida?, firmae, pinnatifida? v. segmentis inferioribus dissitis, basi pinnata? ; pinnis seu segmentis superioribus integris, inferioribus bifidis v. bipartitis, infimis interdum pinnatifidis, omnibus linearibus, obtusis, argute ciliato-dentatis, per totam longitucbnem concavis, fusco-brmmeis, siccitate riifis ; costa rachique vabdis, glaberrimis. Involucrum ad apicem frondis terminale, sobtarium, majusculum, breviter pedicellatuni, ovato-cuneatiun, basi attenuatum, durum, siccitate atiiun ; valvis dorso spinulis mollibus basi latiusculis obsitis ; ore breviter bilabiato, latiusculo, labiis rotundatis, argute spinuloso-dentatis, dentibus erectis, sinubus rotundatis ; receptaculo valido, rarius elongato, exserto.
