AustraMan G?^asses. 



ERAGrROSTIS, Beauv. 



(From eros, love, and agrostis, grass, alluding to the pretty panicles.) 



SPIKELETS several, usually many-flowered, pedicellate or sessile in a loose 

 and spreading or narrow and clustered panicle, the rhachis of the spikelet 

 usually glabrous and articulate under the flowering glumes, but often very 

 tardily so and sometimes inarticulate. Outer empty glumes unequal and 

 rather shorter than the flowering ones, keeled, without any or only faint 

 lateral nerves. Flowering glumes obtuse or acute, unawned, three-nerved, 

 the keel prominent, the lateral nerves in a few species very faint. Palea 

 shorter than the glume, with two prominent nerves or keels, often persisting 

 after the glume and grain have fallen away. Grain free, ovoid or oblong, 

 not furrowed. 



Eragrostis leptostachya, Sfcud. (Eeferring to the slender spikelets.) 

 " Love Grass." Stems slender, usually about 1 foot high. Leaves at the 

 base narrow, convolute, or setaceous, glabrous. Panicle loosely pyramidal, 

 3 to 5 inches long, Avith slender divided spreading branches. Spikelets on 

 capillary pedicles of 1 line to 3 lines, loosely spreading, about 2 lines long, 

 narrow, but much broader than in E.pilosa, much smaller than in~E. browim, 

 loosely six to ten flowered, usually dark- coloured. Glumes acute, more 

 spreading than in 2?. pilosa, the lateral nerves faint and almost marginal. 

 Palea nearly as long, glabrous. Grain ovoid, smooth. 



A slender, perennial species, growing about H feet high, although I have 

 occasionally seen it 2 feet high. It is found in the coastal districts of New 

 South Wales and Queensland, in the New England district, and also on the 

 Blue Mountains of the former colony. In. some situations it is fairly 

 plentiful, and on good soil it yields a rich, succulent herbage, much sought 

 after by ail pasture animals. On the Hon. Dr. Norton's estate on the Blue 

 Mountains it is growing very plentifully, and cattle eat it in preference to 

 any other kind of grass. When I was there a short time since, I saw that 

 this particular species was cropped very close down to the ground, although 

 there were several other species of grasses growing there, and some of them, 

 rather tall, and affording a bulk of herbage. The grass under notice forms 

 a large percentage in some of the pastures in the southern parts of New 

 South Wales, and will grow on land where it is partially shaded with trees, 

 and in such circumstances will afford a tender herbage during the winter and 

 early spring months. It is much improved by cultivation, and if cut when 

 the flower-stalks first appear it makes good hay. It produces an abundance 

 of seed, which usually ripens in October and November, but in good seasons 

 the seeds ripen all through the summer and autumn months. 



The Hon. Dr. Norton, M.L.C., says : "After an experience of upwards of 

 ten years at Euchora, Springwood, I feel justified instating that the above- 

 named grass is one of the most valuable of all the Australian grasses. Mixed 

 with other native grasses, it grows freely on my land, and is greedily devoured 

 by the cattle in preference to all other kinds. The milk produced by the cows 

 which feed on these grasses is particularly rich, and makes excellent 

 butter. The growth in places protected from the cattle is so great as to 

 supply me in ordinary seasons with an abundance of hay for the winter, and 

 both cows and horses seem almost more fond of this than of the grass in its 

 green state." 



Reference to plate. A, Spikelet ; B, Floret; C, Grain, back and front view. All 

 variously magnified. 



