Census of the Grasses of New South Wales. 37 



of soil and climate is most variable in habit, and also with regard to the 

 colour of its inflorescence. Sometimes it is perfectly black, which circum- 

 stance led to the specific name nigricans being given to it ; at other times it is 

 almost white, but the grass can never be mistaken under microscopical 

 examination. It is a capital drought-resisting species, and during the early 

 summer months yields a fair amount of good herbage, which stock are fond 

 of and fatten on. "When this grass becomes old, however, the stems get 

 rather hard and wiry, and if other grasses are plentiful, stock will seldom 

 touch it. Some of the forms of this grass are very ornamental, and are 

 worthy of the attention of horticulturists. This grass produces an abundance 

 of seed, which ripens in October, November, andDecember. 



PASPALUM BREVIFOLIUM, Fiugge. 

 " Short-leaved paspalum." 



A slender, tufted, perennial grass, with creeping underground stems from 

 which spring short broad leaves, which is widely spread in the coastal districts. 

 The short tender herbage is good forage for sheep, and it will stand close 

 feeding. It is an excellent grass for a lawn, as it takes so very little trouble 

 to keep in order. This I have had experience of ; and, besides, it will keep 

 its verdure throughout the summer, when grown on fairly good soils. Its 

 delicate flower stems generally grow from 1 foot to 2 feet high, but it does not 

 produce a great amount of seed ; what little there is, however, ripens in 

 January and February. This grass is easily propagated by division of its 

 roots. 



PASPALUM DISTICHUM, Linn. 

 " Water-couch." 



A perennial grass, with creeping, rapid-growing, succulent stems, generally 

 growing in swampy places, but sometimes in water, and always in the coastal 

 districts. It yields a great quantity of valuable herbage, of which stock of 

 all descriptions are remarkably fond. Butter made from the milk of cows 

 fed exclusively on this grass is quite white, but in no other way is it affected. 

 It is a poor grass, however, for making into hay, as it turns black in drying. 

 This grass is exceptionally well adapted for covering waste moist lands, the 

 banks of rivers, and dams, which it binds very firmly once its underground 

 stems get well established. Periodical inundations will not destroy it, but 

 it is injured by frosts. It remains beautifully green throughout the summer 

 months, and some persons have been tempted to plant it on lawns, with 

 rather serious consequences, however, for to keep it in anything like order 

 during the summer months it requires cutting two or three times a week, 

 and it is as bad as ordinary couch to get out of cultivated land. This grass 

 produces an abundance of seed, which ripens in January, February, and 

 March. There is a variety of this grass (var. littorale), which is only found 

 in or near brackish swamps, and only difters from the one described last by 

 its narrower leaves. With these exceptions, its qualities are much the same. 



PASPALUM MINUTIFLOEUM, Steud. 



" Small-flowered paspalum." 



An erect glabrous grass, growing from 1 footto2^ feet high, and only found 

 in the north-eastern part of the Colony, and generally on damp soil. During 

 the summer months this grass yields a lot of valuable herbage, which cattle 

 greedily feed upon. It will also make good hay if it is cut before the flower 

 stems become too old. This grass produces an abundance of seed, which 

 ripens in January, February, and March. 



