'* 



231 



latae, canaliculatae, versus ligulam pilosae, praeter apiceui 

 seaberuluni laeves, nervoso-striatae. Pan icula angustissima 

 contraeta, ad 9 crn. longa, rhachi gracili apice paulo incrassata 

 albo-ciliolata, ramis glabris laevibusque ad nodos solitariis vel 

 interdum 3-4-tini verticillatis tenuiter filiformibus 5-20 mm. 

 longis erectis; pedicelli filiformes, glaberriini, ad 4-5 mm. longi. 

 Spicula sessilis, lineari-lanceolata, acuminata, pallida, glabra, 

 8 mm. longa; callus perbrevis, obtusus, barbatus, pilis antice ad 

 2 mm. longis. Glwmae aequales, inferior versus margines a 

 medio sursum aculeolata, dorso praeter apicem scabrum laevis- 

 sima, nervis intracarinalibus circiter 5 tmuissiniis, extra- 

 carinalibus 2; superior in carina superne aspera, nervis 6-7, 

 margine ciliata. Valva anthoecii iuferioris G-7 mm, longa, 

 2-nervis, reverse ciliata, superioris explanata elliptico- lanceolata, 

 acuta, 4-5 mm. longa, mutica, ultra ni odium tenuissime 3-nervis, 

 abhinc nervo unico incrassfcto pnrcursa; valvula pliyllis 2 ad 

 basin lineari-oblongis ciliatis 2-5 mm. longis, 1-nervibus sub- 

 stitute (an normalis?). Lodicvlae late cuneatae. Antherae? 

 S/ricAilae pedicellatae pallidae, anguste lanceolatae, acutae, 

 8 mm. longae. Glumae aequales, glabrae, inferior circiter 

 11-, superior 3-nerved. Valva inferior 6 mm., superior 5 mm. 

 longa, haece tota hyalina 3-nervis. Antherae 25 mm. longae. 



^orth Australia. Port Darwin, Schultz 661. 



The replacement of the valvule bv two 1 -nerved phylla is very 

 unusual, and suggests some anomal- in the development of the 

 spikelets. These appear, however, perfectly healthy in every 

 respect and are of the usual Chrvsopogon type, except for the 

 absence of an awn in the upper floret, whose valve is moreover 

 chartaceous over a narrow portion of the back. Even if these 

 peculiarities of the sessile sqikelets should prove to be anomalous, 

 the structure of the leaf-blades alone would be sufficient to 

 distinguish this species from all the other species of the Gryllus 

 type. 



XIIL— NOTES ON THE EFFECTS OF SHELL FIRE 



ON TREES IN WOODS IN FRANCE. 



We have received from Lieut. T. H. Parsons, Curator of the 

 Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, Ceylon, who has been serv- 

 ing with H.M. Forces in France, the following account em- 

 bodying his observations on the effect of shell fire on trees. 

 Three of the photographs, taken by him, showing the destruc- 

 tion are here reproduced. 



The following are a few notes obtained on the devastating 

 effect of shrapnel on tree life, from observations made during 

 a short period spent on forestry operations at Manancourt, north 

 of Peronne, in Vaux, and in the St. Pierre Vaast Woods, 



The notes refer chiefly to the former wood. 



Owing to the poor soil, none of the trees had attained very 

 large dimensions and they consisted chiefly of Beech, Ash, Poplar, 

 Silver Birch, Oak, Cherrv and Hornbeam. 





