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Value as a fodder.—The Mitchell grasses rank amongst the most 
nutritious and drought enduring of the grasses of the interior of New 
South Wales. They are rather coarse grasses, but after the rains 
they yield an immense quantity of succulent, nutritious fodder. 
Other uses.—The seeds of the genus are large and separate like 
wheat, free from chaff, and are in the interior largely used by the 
natives for food. (Bailey.) 
When in seed this is a very handsome grass, and quite worthy to 
rank amongst the ornamental grasses for vases and decorative work. 
Halitat and range.—Occurs in New South Wales, Queensland, and 
Northern Australia, also in Western and South Australia. In New 
South Wales more or less spread over the whole of the western country. 
Var. elymoides, Bail. (Syn. A. elymoides, F.v.M. et Bail.), is a Mitchell 
grass, hitherto supposed to be confined to Queensland. It has, how- 
ever, been sent from Collarendabri, in the north-west of this colony, 
500 miles from Sydney, and via Narrabri and Walgett towards the 
Queensland border. 
lt is figured by Bailey, who speaks of it as “a weak straggling 
grass, sprouting at the joints after every shower of rain, and affording 
a large amount of excellent fodder . . . . a great favourite with | 
stockowners.” 
2. Astrebla triticoides, F.v.M. 
Botanical name.—Triticoides, Latin, Triticwm, wheat, Greek, oidos, 
like, indicating the similarity in appearance of the ‘‘ head” to that of 
a “head” of wheat. 
Vernacular name.—‘* Mitchell-grass.” 
Where figured.— Agricultural Gazette. 
Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 602)—Very near A. pectinata, 
apparently a taller plant, the 
Leaves more or less scabrous or ciliate on the edges. 
Spikes 3 to 6 inches long. 
Spikelets alternate, not closely imbricate, and often almost erect and at some distance 
from each other. 
Outer empty glumes usually very unequal, the lowest short, the second 4 or 5 lines 
ies 
ong. 
Flowering glumes shorter, the lateral lobes shorter and more rigid than in A. pectinata, 
and the awn much exceeding them, the dorsal hairs appressed and silky. 
Var. lappacea, Benth. Spikelets usually thicker, the largest outer 
glume often $inch long. Awns of the flowering glumes usually longer 
than in the typical form, often bent about and some or nearly all with 
a rigid hook at the end, but exceedingly variable ; in some specimens 
the hook is very rare, and the length of the awns very irregular. 
Localities —Same as normal species. 
Value as a fodder——Much the same properties as the preceding 
species. It should be propagated as far as possible, for it is not as 
plentiful as could be wished. Patches of 1t should be fenced off, if 
necessary, for seed. The variety lappacea is coarser than the normal 
species, but its fodder-value is much the same. 
Habitat and range.—Found in South Australia, also in New South 
Wales, Queensland, and Northern Australia. An interior species, 
