110 AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS. 
150. Stipa spp. 
‘“Spear Grasses.” 
These grasses are excellent feeding before the appearance of 
the inflorescence ; afterwards they are known as ‘‘ Spear Grasses.” 
Throughout the colonies. 
151. Stipa aristiglumis, Fa. I, Mi, 376, 
Graziers consider this perennial grass to be very fattening, 
and to yield a large quantity of feed. Its celerity of growth is 
such that when ‘t springs up it will grow at the rate of six inches 
in a fortnight. Horses, cattle and sheep are extremely fond of it. 
It ripens seed in little more than two months in favourable 
seasons. It is a somewhat coarse species, growing plentifully on 
rich soil in the back country. The seeds of this grass are very 
injurious to sheep and wool, often in good seasons causing the 
death of numbers, by first becoming attached to the wool and 
working through the skin, causing intense fever, and often pene- 
trating into the vitals. Perennial; seeds from September to 
November. 
South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. 
152. Stipa elegantissima, Zadz//., B.F1., vii. 565. 
A climbing species. It is usually found growing beneath the 
shelter of some thick bush, three or four feet high; at the flowering 
season the seed heads force their way through the bush and cover 
the whole with a mass of beautiful silver plumes, forming a 
conspicuous object. It is much relished by stock. It seeds in 
September and October, and is perennial. 
All the colonies except Tasmania. 
153. Stipa micrantha, Cav. (?) §. verticillata, WVees., (Syn. S. 
ramosissima, Nees; Streptachne verticillata, Trin. ; S. ramo- 
sessima, Trin. ; Urachne ramostssima, Trin.); B.FI., vii., 566. 
Noted in Muell. Cens., p. 132, as Sfcpa vertictllata. 
‘‘ Bamboo Grass.” 
Though apparently a hard grass, it is highly spoken of as 
horse-feed, and produces a very large quantity of fodder. 
New South Wales and Queensland. 
