Australian Grasses. 27 



ERIOCHLOA, Humb and Kuntli. 



(From two Greek words, erion, wool, and chloa, grass.) 



SPIKELETS one-flowered, without protruding awns, with a callous annular 

 or almost cuplike base ; articulate on a short pedicel, in one or two rows 

 along one side of the slender branches of a simple panicle. Glumes three, 

 two outer ones empty, usually membranous, equal or nearly so ; the third 

 or flowering glume shorter, of a firm, coriaceous texture, obtuse, but tipped 

 with a point or short awn not exceeding the outer glumes. Palea within the 

 flowering glume coriaceous and involute. Styles distinct, rather long. Grain 

 enclosed in the hardened palea and flowering glume, and free from them. 



Eriochloa punctata, JfamiU. (Dotted.) " Early Spring Grass." 

 An erect grass, attaining 2 or 3 feet; glabrous, except the inflorescence, and 

 sometimes a slight pubescence in the upper part. Leaves rather long, flat, 

 or convolute when dry. Spikes or panicle-branches about 5 to 8, distant, 

 erect, secund, the lowest often above 2 inches long, the others gradually 

 shorter; the rhachis, as well as the main axis, pubescent or hairy. Spikelets 

 all pedicellate, but often rather close ; the pedicels I line to 2 lines long, 

 usually bearing a few long hairs ; the spikelet ovoid, acute, or shortly acumi- 

 nate, rather above 1^ lines long, seated on a thick annular or almost cupular 

 disk articulate on the pedicel. Empty glumes membraneous, broad, and 

 usually five-nerved, or the inner one rather narrower and sometimes only 

 three-nerved, both more or less hairy outside, and sometimes rather densely 

 covered with long hairs. Flowering glume much shorter, coriaceous, faintly 

 three or five nerved, obtuse, but the midrib produced into a point or awn 

 as long as the outer glumes. 



This perennial grass is found in all the Australian Colonies from the 

 coastal districts to the arid interior, and in many places it is fairly plentiful. 

 It may be found growing on various soils, but the kind of land on which I 

 have seen it growing best was a good rich loam. In the coastal districts, 

 during its early growing period, it may be easily recognised amongst other 

 herbage by the glaucous appearance of its stems and leaves. I have fre- 



auently identified the grass by this means alone. In sheltered situations in 

 le coastal districts it will grow all the year round, but in the arid interior 

 it generally grows during the summer months. On good soils its tough, 

 fibrous roots penetrate the earth to a great depth, which enable the plant 

 to withstand a very long spell of dry weather. In an ordinary season, both 

 in the coastal district and in the far interior, it produces a great bulk of rich 

 succulent herbage which all herbivora are remarkably fond of, and fatten on. 

 I have seen this grass growing in cultivated places, and the he-rbage was 

 superior to that which is usually seen in pastures. This led me to believe 

 that it would well repay systematic cultivation by dairy-farmers and others. 

 Its rich, succulent herbage should make excellent hay if cut before the 

 flower-stems are too much developed. The grass is well worth disseminating 

 in those parts of the country where it does not already exist, and as it 

 produces an abundance of seed when it is allowed to grow undisturbed for a 

 time there would be no difficulty in collecting any quantity by those desirous 

 of so doing. In the interior the seeds usually ripen during November and 

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

 months later. In the interior the inflorescence of this grass is sometimes 

 affected with a parasitic fungus probably some species of Ustilago. 



Reference to plate. A, Spikelet opened out showing the three glumes and palea. 

 B, Floret. C, Grain, back and front views. All variously magnified. 



