103 
Glumes all thin, almost hyaline, rather shining; outer empty ones in the typical form 
about 3 lines long, the short lateral nerve on each side more prominent in the 
second than in the outermost one. 
Third and fourth glumes each with a male flower, nearly as long as the outer ones, 
ciliate on the margins and keels, with a short awn arising from a little below the 
tip, the rhachis of the spikelet shortly lengthened between and above the male 
glumes, 
Fifth and sixth glumes enclosing the grain obtuse and perfectly glabrous, or the fifth 
slightly hairy at the end with the keel produced into a minute point. 
Value as a fodder.—Believed to be nutritious as a fodder, but quite 
harsh when old. It is one of the few grasses which grow in cold 
moorland, and hence valuable in that respect. Its odour of Coumarin 
(pleasing to cattle when not too strong), renders it an acceptable 
ingredient of hay, and it often renders damaged hay more palatable to 
stock. 
Habitat and range.—Found in Tasmania, Victoria, and New South 
Wales. In our own Colony it is found in the southern mountain dis- 
tricts. It also occurs in New Zealand and Antarctic America. 
2. Hierochloe rariflora, Hook., f. 
Botanical names.—Rarijlora, from two Latin words, signifying thin 
or loose (inflorescence), in allusion to the panicle. The word rarus is 
the opposite of the word densus, which signifies dense. 
Vernacular names.—Usually known as ‘‘ Scented-grass”” but some- 
times as “ Wire-grass” for obvious reasons. 
Where figured.—Hooker, Fl. Tasmania ; Agricultural Gazette. 
Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 559). 
Stems slender, branching, 2 to 3 feet high. 
Leaves narrower than in H. redolens, tapering into long subulate points. 
Panicle loose and spreading, 2 to 3 inches long. 
Spikelets all on slenner pedicles, often variegated from the contrast of the purplish 
outer glumes and pale-coloured upper ones. 
Glumes.—Outer persistent glumes broad, obtuse, the lowest about 14 lines long, the 
second rather large and three-nerved ; intermediate male glumes about 2 lines 
long, rather rigid, five-nerved, obtuse, and awnless, finely and shortly ciliate 
on the margins, and sometimes on the keel. 
Fifth glume very broad, thin, obtuse, glabrous, five-nerved. 
Sixth glume much narrower, keeled, but the lateral nerves scarcely visible. 
Botanical ngte-—Dr. (now Sir Joseph) Hooker, who first described 
this grass from a Tasmanian specimen, speaks of it as “a very distinct 
species, conspicuous for its slender, branched, leafy, knotted culms, 
2 to 3 feet long, its narrow, strict rigid leaves rough to the touch, 
and small loose panicles of small spikelets on long flexuous branches.” 
This is a brief popular description which could not readily be 
improved upon. 
Value as fodder—We have practically no data as to the specific 
fodder-value of our Scented-grass, and therefore we must fall back 
upon comparisons with other grasses belonging to the same genus. 
All Hierochloes have a certain value as sweeteners of musty or other 
