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widespread species forms a more succulent grass than any other of the 
prairie grasses, and is locally known as buffalo-grass, spear-oat, &c. 
The fruits ripen in July,and the awns penetrate the hides of sheep and 
dogs, causing much damage to the settlers. There are very like those 
of S. pennata, but about $-inch in length, with an awn nearly 2 inches 
long, twisted nine or ten times. Rather more than 3 inches beyond, 
it is produed into a delicate bristle, which does not twist, and many 
small teeth pointing upward; when wet, the whole awn is perfectly 
straight. The author experimented in August, November, and 
December upon S. spartea and S. pennata, and found that actual 
penetrative power was possessed by the hygrometric awned seeds. 
Butchers repeatedly find these seeds embedded about half an inch 
beneath the skin of animals slaughtered by them, and animals haye 
not infrequently to be destroyed on account of their being infested 
with these fruits.” 
This and other species have toughish stems when 
old, but none of them approach the Esparto (S. tenactssima), in this 
respect. 
Habitat and range-—Found in every one of the Colonies, from the 
coastal districts to the deserts of the centre of the Continent. 
References to plate—Stipa setacea 1. The long ligule ; 2. Spikelet (opened out a little) ; 
3. Outer or eet glumes; 4. Oneempty glume, showing venation ; 5. Flowering glume, 
with awn; 6. Flowering glume, entire at top. All variously magnified. a, filiform 
leaves itype form) ; B, an old plant from western New South Wales. 
9. Stipa semibarbata,. R.Br. 
Botanical names.—Semibarbata—Latin, semi, half; barbata, bearded, 
the awn being only partially (often for half its length) plumose. 
Where figured.—Hooker, Fil. Tamania. 
Botanical description (B. F1., vii, 568).— 
Stems 134 to near 3 feet high. 
Leaves narrow, convolute, often almost subulate, glabrous, or shortly pubescent, the 
ligula very short and ciliate. 
Panicle oblong, rather dense, 6 to 10 inches long, with erect branches. 
Outer glumes 6 to 9 lines long, tapering into very thin, long, acute points. 
Flowering glumes silky-hairy, scarcely three lines long, entire at the top. 
Awn varying from under 2 inches to near 4 inches long; shortly plumose-hairy to 
the bend, or sometimes nearly to the end. 
Var. mollis, Benth.—A coarser grass of 2 to 3 feet, the foliage 
usually softly pubescent, the other characters thesame. Coastal New 
South Wales; also, the Wimmera, Victoria. 
Value as a fodder—A bad Spear-grass, (FI., Tas.) 
Habitat and range.-—Found in all the Colonies. In New South 
Wales it is found in the coast districts and tablelands, and as far west 
as the Lachlan and Darling Rivers. 
