121 
W “here jigured.—Hooker, Fil., Tasmania ; Buchanan, as A. parviflora 
Gray’s Manual of Botany (American) ded 7, fig. 3. 
Botanical description (B. F1., vii, 576).— 
Stems slender, tufted, 6 inches to above 1 foot high. 
Leaves very narrow, almost filiform in the typical form, chiefly at the base of the 
stem. 
Panicle compound, very loose and slender, with spreading capillary branches. 
Outer glumes narrow, keeled, rather acute, about 2 line long. 
Flowering glume shorter, hyaline, broad, and enveloping the flower, obtuse, truncate 
or slightly jagged, unawned, 
Palea none (or very minute? ). 
Stamens three. 
Var., elatior, Benth. ; taller, leaves flatter and flaccid, panicle very 
loose and spreading. 
Southern Mountain Ranges and New England; also in Victoria. 
Value as a fodder.—Pr oduces a neat turf, which has been reported 
by some writers to be valuable for fodder. The judicious Bacchus, 
whose writings on Australian grasses form the basis of much that has 
since been written on the subject, says of the normal species: 
“ Perennial, about 18 inches high, vegetates rather late, making small 
patches of close turf.” Of the variety elatior he says: “This grass is 
not so much eaten by stock as I had expected from its inviting 
appearance.” 
Buchanan also speaks of it as a valuable grass. 
In the Colorado Agricultural Bulletin, No. 12 (“Some Colorado 
Grasses’) this grass is alluded to as “ this worthless species, abundant 
in wet meadows at all elevations.” Lamson-Scribner states that ‘it 
possesses little or no agricultural value.” These statements carry the 
ereater weight, since the species is widely distributed in the United 
States. 
I do not know to what extent these conflicting opinions are capable 
of reconciliation ; certain it is that there have always been differences 
of opinion as to the fodder value of some species of Agrostis, and it 
is hoped that the matter will be inquired into in regard to plants whose 
botanical origin is open to no doubt. The matter is discussed by 
Buchanan under A, parviflora. 
Other uses.—“ Before the panicle has expanded, the grass is some- 
times gathered and sold, under the name of ‘silk-grass’, for dry 
bouquets.” (lamson-Scribner.) 
Habitat and range-—Found in all the Colonies except Western Aus- 
tralia. In New South Wales found on the southern mountain ranges 
and high tablelands south and north. We have it from Pretty Point 
(Mt. Kosciusko), 5,500 feet, also from the Guy Fawkes country, New 
England. A grass of cold localities exclusively. 
4, Agrostis venusta, Trin. 
Botanical name.—Venusta—Latin for graceful, in allusion to the 
appearance of the grass when in flower. 
Where figured.— Hooker, Fl. Tasmania. 
