22 Australian Grasses. 



Dichelachne sciurea, Hook. (Squirrel-tailed) ''Short Hair Plume Grass." 

 Steins densely tufted, slender, 1 foot to If, rarely 2 feet high, quite glabrous, 

 the nodes usually dark-coloured. Leaves short, chiefly at the base of the stem, 

 scabrous-pubescent or glabrous. Panicle narrower and looser than in D. 

 crinita, 3 to 6 inches long, the rhachis and filiform branches scabrous. 

 Outer glumes very narrow, about 2| lines long, the outermost rather shorter 

 than the second. Fruiting glume rather more rigid than in D. crinita, and 

 minutely pitted-rugose. Awns 6 to 8 lines long, not nearly so crowded as 

 in that species. 



This slender- growing perennial grass is found in all the Australian colonies, 

 but principally in the coastal districts and colder parts of the continent. 

 According to Hooker it is abundant throughout the island of Tasmania. It 

 is fairly plentiful in many parts of Australia, and may be found growing on 

 both rich and poor land, but of course on the former it yields a much superior 

 herbage. It generally grows about 1% or 2 feet high, but I have often seen 

 it growing nearly 3 feet high in a good season. It is a most variable species 

 as regards the arrangement of its inflorescence ; sometimes it is dense and 

 spike-like, at other times it is very loose and somewhat spreading, and to the 

 casual observer the extreme forms would look as if they belonged to distinct 

 species ; but it can never be mistaken under close examination. It is a very 

 quick-growing succulent grass, and a valuable one to have in pastures, as it 

 makes considerable growth during the winter and early spring months, ere 

 many of the indigenous grasses show signs of growth. If cut when it first 

 shows its flower stems, it can be made into excellent hay. This grass is 

 worth conserving where it is already growing, and disseminating in the 

 coastal districts and colder parts of the continent where it does not already 

 exist. It produces a fair amount of seed, so that there would be no difficulty 

 in collecting a quantity in any reserved area. 



The seeds usually ripen in October and November, but in some of the 

 colder districts as late as January. 



Reference to plate. A, Spikelet. B, Floret, c, Grain back and front views. All variously 

 magnified. 



