Australian Grasses. 19 



Danthonia semiannularis, E. Br. (Keferring to the half -ring of hairs 

 oil the floret.) " Wallaby-grass." A variable plant, the stems usually 2 to 3 

 feet high, but sometimes much lower. Leaves very narrow, flat or convolute, 

 never so fine as in D. setacea ; the sheaths glabrous or hairy, more or less 

 ciliate at the orifice. Panicle sometimes loose and spreading, more frequently 

 narrow and compact. Outer glumes acute, above half an inch, and some- 

 times nearly 1 inch long. Flowering glumes usually 4 to 8, not exceeding 

 the outer ones ; the lobes lanceolate, with a broad or narrow hyaline margin, 

 acute or tapering into a point, or rather short fine awn ; the long hairs or 

 cilia copious at the base and margins and forming a ring round the back 

 immediately under the lobes, the twisted awn varying from i to 1 inch. 

 Palea longer than the entire base of the glume, often two-pointed. Styles 

 distinct. Ovary glabrous. Grain free. 



This perennial grass is found over nearly the whole of Australia, and in 

 some situations it is fairly plentiful. It grows both in the coastal districts 

 and in the arid interior ; I have also seen it growing plentifully on some of 

 the high mountain ranges where snow falls occasionally. As might be 

 supposed, a grass growing under such varied conditions of soil and climate 

 is very variable as regards stature. In all its varied forms, however, it is 

 one of the most nutritious grasses of Australia, and, unlike most other 

 species of this genus, it will grow more or less all the year round. Stock of 

 all descriptions are remarkably fond of it, and sheep often crop it so close 

 down in the colder parts of Australia that it gets little chance to perfect any 

 seed. In the warmer parts, however, and under ordinary circumstances, it 

 produces an abundance of seed, which germinates readily after showery 

 weather in the autumn or spring months. I have had this grass under 

 experimental cultivation, and the rich succulent herbage it produced was 

 much superior to that generally seen in pastures. If cut immediately the 

 flower-stems appear it makes capital hay. I can highly recommend the 

 " wallaby grass " for systematic cultivation, either for permanent pasture 

 or for making into hay. On good soils the roots of this grass penetrate to a 

 great depth, which enable the plant, when growing in the arid interior, to 

 withstand long spells of dry weather. Although it is not particular as to 

 soil or situation, for it may as frequently be seen growing on dry ridges as 

 on the better classes of soils, still it produces a superior herbage when grown 

 on moderately rich, strong loams of gcod depth. As has already been 

 indicated, this grass produces a great amount of seed when allowed to grow 

 undisturbed for a time, and within the railway enclosures, or in any reserved 

 area, enough seed could be collected in a short time to sow large areas. 

 There would, therefore, be no difficulty in bringing it under systematic 

 cultivation in those parts of the country where it may not already be 

 growing, or where it may have been eaten out through over-stocking. In 

 the interior this grass usually ripens its seeds in October, but in the coastal 

 districts and in the colder parts of the country generally one month or two 

 months later. 



Reference to plate, A, Spikelet. B, Closed floret, showing the three semi-annular rings 

 of hairs on the back of gluuie. c, Open floret. D, Grain, back and front views. All 

 variously magnified. 



