Australian Grasses. 9 



It is fairly plentiful in many parts of Australia, especially iu the interior* 

 The reason of this, however, is easily explained. Under ordinary conditions 

 it produces a great amount of seed, which, when ripe, germinates readily, if 

 the ground is anyway moist, during the spring of the year. I can highly 

 recommend the grass for systematic cultivation, either in the coastal districts 

 or in the interior. Its rich, succulent herbage, if cut before the flower 

 stems are developed, should make capital hay. I think, if the grass were 

 cultivated for a few consecutive years, it would yield a grain large enough 

 to be classed amongst the cereals we at present cultivate. The seeds are large, 

 and in appearance somewhat resemble oats ; and, as they separate easily from 

 the chaff, I think I am justified in classing it amongst those Australian 

 grasses which I have already suggested might be cultivated for the grain they 

 yield. The seeds of this grass are well worth disseminating in those parts 

 of the country where it may not already be growing, and, as before explained, 

 as it produces an abundance of seed, if allowed to grow undisturbed for a 

 time, there would be no difficulty in bringing it under systematic cultivation. 

 The most likely places at the present time to collect the seeds of this grass 

 would be within the railway enclosures in different parts of the country. In 

 the interior the seeds usually ripen during October, November, and Decem- 

 ber. In the coastal districts they are generally one month or two months 

 later in ripening. 



Reference to plate . A, Cluster of male or barren spikelets, and the fertile one, opened out 

 to show how they are arranged ; B, Fertile spikelet opened out, showing the three glumes 

 and terminal awn ; c, Male spikelet ; D, Grain, back and front views. All the details 

 natural size, with the exception of the cluster of spikelets, which is reduced. 



Anthistiria ciliata, Linn. (Referring to the hairs bordering the sheaths.) 

 " Kangaroo Grass. " Stems 1^ to 4 feet high. Leaves narrow, glabrous or 

 the sheaths hairy ; ligula very short, sometimes ciliate. Spikes or clusters 

 of spikelets not numerous, sessile, or the lower ones pedunculate in a short 

 terminal leafy panicle ; the leafy bracts subtending each spike, sheathing at 

 the base, and tapering into points longer than the cluster ; the short rhachi* 

 bearded with long brown hairs. Spikelets narrow, 4 to 5 lines long; four 

 male or barren sessile at the base of the bearded rhachis ; two or one pedi- 

 cellate at the top, glabrous or sprinkled with a few long hairs ; outer glume 

 the largest, acute, many-nerved ; second shorter, thin and three or fire- 

 nerved ; third thin and hyaline. Fertile terminal spikelet glabrous or 

 shortly pubescent at the end ; outer glume broad, obtuse, rather thick, about 

 seven-nerved ; second rigid, rather shorter and narrower, with two prominent 

 lateral nerves and a faint central one ; third narrow-oblong, very thin and 

 hyaline ; awn or fourth glume very long and rigid, the attenuate base not 

 dilated. Grain free, enclosed in the hardened outer glumes. 



This is one of the most widely distributed grasses oil the Australian 

 Continent, and, at one time, was supposed to be exclusively Australian. It 

 is, however, not only to be found in New Guinea, but Mr. Bentham says it 

 is spread over tropical Asia and Africa. It is very plentiful in many places 

 in the coastal districts of this continent, but it is more sparingly distributed 

 in the interior. It might be supposed that a grass growing under such varied 

 conditions of soil and climate would develop many forms. This is not the 



