170 
Botanical description (B. F1., vii, 637).—A rigid, glabrous, much- 
branched grass, forming broad low leafy tufts, the branches sometimes 
growing out to 1 foot covered to the inflorescence with the leaf- 
sheaths. 
Leaves narrow, rigid, very acute or pungent-pointed, usually distichously spreading. 
Spikelets few, two or three in the females, rather more in the males, 6 to 9 lines long 
in the Australian specimens, rather smaller and more numerous in some American 
ones, flat but rather thick, eight- to twelve-flowered. 
Glumes closely imbricate, about 3 lines long, rather rigid and straw-coloured, 
Anthers in the males long. 
Stigmas in the females protruding from the end of the glumes. 
Value as a fodder — Although this cannot be considered a first-rate 
grass for agricultural purposes, it is freely cut with other marsh 
grasses, and on the alkaline plains of the Rocky Mountains of the 
United States it affords an inferior pasturage.” (Vasey.) 
“This dwarf creeping grass is of great value for binding: soil, 
forming rough lawns; is useful for edging garden plots in arid places, 
and covering coast sand.” (Mueller.) 
In our own colony it has no recognised pastoral value, but it is un- 
doubtedly useful as a sand-binder, consolidating land close to the edge 
of the sea, and affording a bite for stock in such localities. Of its 
comparative nutritive value we know nothing, but judging from its 
harsh nature it does not promise much. 
Habitat and range.—A sea-coast grass, found in all the Colonies 
except Western Australia and Queensland. 
‘Grows in marshes near the sea-coast on both sides of the American 
Continent, and also abundantly in alkaline soil throughout the arid 
districts of the Rocky Mountains.” (Vasey.) 
“ Prospectors and miners in California consider its presence a sure 
sign of water near the surface, and when crossing the desert select 
spots where it grows to dig for water.” (Orcutt.) 
Reference to Plate.—a. The spike-like inflorescence, showing the closely-imbricate 
glumes. 8. c. Two pairs of the lowest glumes from an immature female plant. 
87. ELYTROPHORUS. 
Spikelets small and flat, few-flowered, sessile, in dense compound 
globular clusters crowded in a cylindrical spike or the lower ones 
distant, the rhachis of the spikelet glabrous, articulate under the 
flowering glumes. 
Outer empty glumes narrow, membranous, keeled with short points. 
Flowering glumes three-nerved, tapering into long points or short 
awuns, one or two upper glumes empty or with male flowers. 
Palea folded, with two dorsal wings. 
Stamen one. 
Styles free, distinct. 
Gram smooth, free. 
