91 



APPENDIX. 



Description of a New Australian Grass. 



By Fred. Turner, F.L.S, F.R.H.S., &c. 



Eragrostis cost ATA, sp.nov. 



An annual, tufted grass from six to fifteen, rarely eighteen, 

 inches high including tlie inflorescence, glabrous except for a 

 ring of spreading white hairs, varying in intensity, at the orifice 

 of the sheaths. Leaves from three to four inches long, three 

 lines wide, tapering into fine points, and prominently ribbed on 

 the underside. The sheaths also are ribbed, but not so pro- 

 minently as the undersides of the leaves. Panicle loosely 

 pyramidal, three to six inches long, with short horizontal, rather 

 rigid branches, the lower ones an inch and a half long, the upper 

 ones shorter. Spikelets cllistered, pedicellate, very flat, of a pale 

 leaden colour when young, Anally assuming a light straw colour, 

 three to seven lines long and two lines broad, with from ten to 

 thirty or more flowers, the rhachis at length articulate. The 

 outer empty glumes rather unequal and somewhat shorter than 

 the flowering ones, keeled, with faint lateral nerves. Flowering 

 glumes distichous, one line long, obtuse, the lateral nerve on each 

 side near the margin and very prominent. Palea shorter than 

 the flowering glume, incurved, thin, the keels sparsely ciliate. 

 Stamens usually three, with very small anthers. Grain free, 

 brown when ripe, and very broadly ovoid. 



Ilab. — Breeza Plains, Werris Creek, Namoi River, and near 

 Tamworth, New South Wales. (Collected by Fred. Turner). 



Erag rostis costata belongs to the Megastachya section of the 

 genus, and its aflS.nities are E. hroiunii, Nees (a species common 

 to many parts of Australia), and E. concinna, Steud. (a North 

 and Central Australian grass). It differs principall}^ from the 

 polymorphous species E. brownii, Nees, by its distinctly pedi- 

 cellate spikelets, its obtuse flowering glumes, and its very pro- 

 minent lateral nerves being nearly marginal; and from E. con- 

 cinna, Steud., principally by its leaves, the disposition of its 

 inflorescence and its flowering glumes and palea. 



