46 
44, Panicum marginatum, R.Br. 
Botanical name.—Marginatum—Latin, margined, referring to the 
leaves, which are prominently margined (showing a pale edge or 
margin). 
Vernacular names.—I know of none; but, in order to distinguish it 
from the large number of other Panic-grasses, the half-botanical, half- 
vernacular name of “The Marginal-leaved Pamic-grass” is suggested. 
Where figured.—Trinius (type, also variety strictwm), Agricultural 
Gazette. 
Botanical description (B. Fl., vu, 485).—A rather slender but often 
rigid grass, decumbent, branching and often rooting at the base, 
ascending to | foot or more, glabrous except the cilia at the orifice of 
the sheaths, and the rhachis of the inflorescence often slightly 
pubescent. 
Leaves flat, usually narrow, but exceedingly variable in size. 
Panicle narrow, in the typical form 14 to 3 inches long, of few erect or scarcely 
spreading simple or slightly divided branches. : 
Spikelets irregularly crowded along the branches, or sometimes almost in a single 
row, ovoid, obtuse, or scarcely acute, about 1} lines long. 
Outer glume very thin, not one-third the length of the spikelet, one-nerved, or 
faintly three-nerved. 
Second and third glume nearly equal and similar, both empty, membranous, three or 
five nerved, glabrous. 
Fruiting glume rather short, slightly hardened, and densely silky-pubescent or 
villous, as well as the exposed part of the palea. 
Botanical notes.—There is also a variety strictwm, described by 
Bentham in the following words:— Stems slender, rigid, much 
branched, with very short narrow leaves, the panicle narrow, very 
little branched, and sometimes reduced to a simple uninterrupted 
spike.” 
Bentham states, subsequently: ‘‘Some specimens seem to show 
that the var. strictwm is rather an after-growth from plants that have 
been cut down than a distinct variety.” 
Whether extended observations should confirm that the cause is 
cutting down by man or herbivorous animals, I would add that I 
have specimens which show various stages between the normal species 
and the so-called variety. At the same time, I think it would be con- 
venient to retain the name for the variety, as extreme forms of the 
species are very dissimilar in appearance. 
As Bentham emphasises, the species is really known by the dense 
pubescence of the fruiting glume, which has not been observed in 
any other Panicum. Neglect of observation of this characteristic 
may cause the student to stumble, as some other grasses resemble this 
one a good deal in general appearance. 
Bentham describes a coarse-growing variety of this species (majus) 
which is found in Queensland, and might be looked for in the northern 
parts of this Colony :—‘“ The stems are tall, with broad leaves 6 inches 
long, the lower branches of the panicle 3 or 4 inches, and the spikelets 
above 1; line long.” 
Value as fodder—Though not a grass of the first rank as a fodder- 
plant, I believe its value has sometimes been understated. I have 
