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Value as a fodder.—A widely diffused, ornamental grass, affording 
a laree bulk of fodder readily eaten by stock. “Itis a valuable grass, 
and forms, when in flower, a prominent feature in pasture. As a 
pasture grass, when grown under favourable circumstances on rich 
valley bottoms with perennial moisture, it is very succulent, but when 
on dry clay hills, it is harsh and scanty ; its nutrient qualities may be 
admitted, forming, as it does, a large constituent of pastures famous 
for fattening stock. As a fodder grass it possesses considerable bulk, 
and would add much value to a mixed crop of hay.’ (Buchanan.) 
“ In favyourable—that is, rather dry—situations, this grass grows over 
3 feet high, standing the heat well. It is an excellent pasture grass, 
thrives well with Kangaroo-grass, and flowers about the same time. 
The two make excellent hay, or if grazed, a very fattening mixture.” 
(Bacchus.) 
Other uses.—Dodge quotes Mueller as stating that this species 
yields a tenacious paper, especially fit for thin wrapping or packing 
paper. He adds that it is not unhkely to make fair printing paper 
and the less costly kinds of writing and tissue paper. 
Habitat and range.—Found in all the Colonies, including New 
Zealand. In New South Wales it occurs from the coast to the table- 
land. 
2. Dichelachne sciurea, Hook., f. 
Botanical name.—Sciurea—Latin, sciurus, a squirrel, the panicle, 
with its long hair-lke awns, bemg thought to resemble the tail of a 
squirrel in appearance. 
Synonym.—Stipa micrantha, Cay., in the opinion of Mueller (Census), 
but not of Bentham. 
Vernacular name.—* Short-hair Plume-grass.”’ 
Where figured—Hooker, Fl. Tasmania; Buchanan; Agricultural 
razette. 
Botanical description (B. FL, vu, 574).— 
Stems densely tufted, slender, 1 to 14, rarely 2 feet, high, quite glabrous, the nodes 
usually dark- coloured. 
Leaves short, chiefly at the base of the stem, scabrous-pubescent, or glabrous. 
Panicle narrower and looser than in D. crinita, 3 to 6 inches long. 
Rhachis and filiform branches scabrous. 
Outer glumes very narrow, about 24 lines long, the outermost rather shorter than 
the second. 
Fruiting glume rather more rigid than in D, erinita, and minutely pitted-rugose. 
Awns 6 to 8 lines long, not nearly so crowded as in that species. 
Botanical notes.—Var. setifolia, Benth. Very slender, with almost 
filiform leaves, the sheaths scabrous. Parramatta. 
Value as a fodder.—A useful grass, readily eaten by stock, though 
not of the highest merit. 
Habitat and range.—Same range as the preceding species. Recorded 
from Norfolk Island. 
