22 
fills the gutters, as Sydney suburban, and other municipalities know 
to their cost. It turns blackish on drying, which is a drawback to its 
use for hay. Mr. Seccombe, who made many experiments with native 
grasses on the Richmond River, does not look with favour on this 
grass ; in fact, he advises discontinuance of its cultivation. He remarks 
that its growth starts late in the spring and ceases early in the autumn. 
Other wses.—The rhizome is used in India as a medicine for inflam- 
mation of the gums and against conjunctivis, and in the Argentine 
Republic for liver complaint (Hackel) ; also for kidney troubles and 
gonorrhoea (Some New Mexican Forage Plants). 
It has considerable value as a soil or river-bank binder, and, as 
regards the coast form, as a sand-binder in addition. Some refer- 
ences to its merits for binding soil have already been made. Kearney 
says that on’ the beach (U.S.A.) he found sterile shoots 6 feet or more 
in length, making excellent sand-binders. Lamson-Scribner says it 
often does good service in binding soils subject to wash, and that it 
can well be recommended for this use. Mueller recommends it for 
fern-tree tubs to produce a green sward and some over-dropping 
foliage. 
Habitat and range.—Port Jackson to the Tweed, extending west to 
the table-land. The var. littorale is found on littoral swamp-land and 
wet bottoms among sandhills on the coast-line, and the species 
generally in damp or swampy land. It also occurs in Queensland and 
Western Australia. It is also widely distributed over the tropical 
regions of both the New and Old World. 
3. Paspalum brevifolium, Fliigge. 
Botanical name.—Brevifoliwm, from two Latin words signifying 
“short-leaved” (brevis, foliwm). 
Synonym.—Panicum tenwiflorum, R.Br. 
Vernacular names.—“ The short-leaved Paspalum” is a name that 
may be coined. 
Botanical description (B. F1., vii., 461).—Stems from a creeping or 
much-branched base, erect, slender, 1 foot high, or rather more. 
Leaves short, narrow, flat, the sheaths usually villous or pubescent, the ligula 
scarious, jagged. 
Spikes or panicle branches two or rarely three, digitate at the end of the peduncle, 
filiform, 1 to 2 inches long. 
Spikelets scattered along one side ofthe rhachis, on short curved pedicels, ovate, 
rather obtuse, or almost acute, about # line long, sprinkled with short, fine, 
appressed, silky hairs. 
Empty glumes two, rather obtuse, nearly equal, thin, finely five-nerved. 
Value as a fodder.—A small grass, having a creeping underground 
stem, from which leafy tufts are sent up, the broad, tender foliage 
affording good but short early summer feed, the flowerimg stems very 
slender, and from 1 to 2 feet high. (Bailey.) 
Habitat and range.—Ilt extends from Port Jackson to Queensland 
and Northern Australia, mostly in the coast districts. It is widely 
spread over tropical Asia. 
