Plate 223.— DEYEUXIA BILLARDIERI. 



Family GRAMINEJ:.] [Genus DEYEUXIA, Clariox. 



Deyeuxia Billardieri, Kunth. Rev. Gram, i, 77 ; Hook. j. Fl. Nov. Zel. i, 298 ; Cheesem. Man. 

 N.Z. Fl. 869. 



Deyeuxia Billardieri was originally collected by Banks and Solander during 

 Cook's first voyage, and is recorded in Dr. Solander's manuscript Flora from every 

 locality in which Cook actually lauded. This is not altogether surprising ; for it is 

 purely a coastal plant, found on sand-dunes, in brackish-water marshes, and on 

 seacliffs, and would be certainly observed by a party of naturalists whose 

 explorations would seldom extend far from the shore, and who in landing from 

 their vessel and in rejoining their boat at night must necessarily spend a consider- 

 able time on the actual shore. And, as with many other plants, it cannot be 

 doubted that it would be more abundant before the introduction of domestic 

 animals than now. All subsequent botanists have observed it, and it can be 

 roundly stated to be generally distributed in coastal localities from the Three Kings 

 Islands and the North Cape to Stewart Island. It has also been recorded from the 

 Chatham Islands, and in Australia ranges from New South Wales to South 

 Australia. 



Deyeuxia Billardieri is a handsome plant, and is well worth cultivation in 

 gardens, from the large size of its fully developed panicle, with its spreading branches 

 and slender almost capillary pedicels. The spikelets, too, are often of a rich 

 purplish-brown. The late Mr. Buchanan considered it to be a grass of considerable 

 value for pasturage, and he also stated that some varieties are perennial. But 

 all the states that I have examined have proved to be annual ; and although early 

 in spring the plant produces a fair amount of short broad leaves which are evidently 

 relished by cattle, such are of short duration, and perish early in sumnier. 



The nearest ally of D. Billardieri is undoubtedly the mucli more widely spread 

 D. Forsteri, from which, however, it can be readily distinguished by the shorter and 

 stouter habit, broader leaves, much larger spikelets, and by the flowering-glume 

 being silky at the base only. 



Plate 223. Deyeuxia Billardieri, drawu from specimens collected ou the Little Barrier Island. 

 Fig. 1, ligule of leaf (x2i); 2, spikelet (x6); 3 and i, outer glumes (xG); 5, flower, showing 

 flowering-glume, palea, and" rhachilla (x 6) ; 6, dorsal view of flowering-glume (x 6) ; 7 and 8, palea 

 (x 6) ; 9, lodicules (x 8) ; 10, anther (x 8) ; 11, ovary, with styles (x 8) ; 12, fruit (enlarged). 



