42 Census of the Grasses of New South Wales. 



New England. It is almost as valuable a pasture grass as the last one, but 

 unfortunately too little known to the cultivator. It is a good drought- 

 resisting grass, and during the driest of seasons will yield a great quantity 

 of valuable herbage, which is much relished by all herbivora. This grass is 

 well worthy of systematic cultivation, both in the coastal districts and colder 

 parts of the Colony, where it could not only be grown for forage and hay, 

 but from its bulky yield would make good ensilage. It is a prolific seed- 

 bearer, and the seeds ripen during the autumn months. 



SPINIEEX HIRSUTUS, Labill. 

 " Spiny rolling-grass." 



A perennial species, with stout creeping stems which root at every joint ; 

 it often forms large tufts on the littoral sands. This grass is dioecious that 

 is, the male and the female inflorescence are borne on separate plants. Its 

 very peculiar inflorescence is often gathered for ornamental purposes. At 

 one time this grass was abundant at Lady Robinson's Beach, and is still 

 growing plentifully on the sandy shores of Botany Bay and at many other 

 places on the coast of New South Wales. It is of no value as a forage 

 grass, as stock seldom or never touch it, but it is most useful for fixing drift 

 sands when encroaching on valuable land. For this purpose it deserves more 

 attention than has hitherto been paid to it. Some years ago I highly recom- 

 mended this grass to be planted on the drift sands at Wollongong and 

 Newcastle. It is of comparatively quick growth, and once it gets well 

 established on the sand scarcely anything will kill it ; even the spray from 

 the salt-water will not check its growth. This grass is very easily propagated 

 by pieces of the stems. August and September are the best months for 

 doing this. 



SPINIFEX PARADOXUS, Benth. 



" Curious spinifex." 



Another dioecious grass, but not so stout as the preceding species, and, 

 besides, it is only found in the arid interior, where it generally grows on 

 sand-ridges, which it often covers to the exclusion of other grasses. The 

 drought-enduring qualities of this grass are something remarkable, for it is 

 neither affected by the fierce heat of the summer's sun, nor by hot winds 

 that periodically blow in the summer months on our western plains. "When 

 other herbage is scarce, it affords a quantity of valuable forage for stock. 

 This grass produces a fair amount of seed, which ripens in November and 

 December. 



SPOROBOLUS ACTING CLADUS, F.v.M. 



" "Whorled sporobolus." 



A rather delicate, perennial grass, growing from 1 foot to 2 feet high, and 

 only found on the arid plains in the interior. During the spring and early 

 summer months it yields a fair amount of succulent herbage, which is much 

 relished by all herbivora. This grass produces plenty of seed, which ripens 

 in October and November. 



SPOROBOLUS DIANDER, Beauv. 



" Tussock grass." 



A glabrous perennial species, growing from 1 foot to 3 feet high, and only 

 found in the north-eastern portion of the Colony. On rich soils, and on 

 land that is liable to periodical inundations, it forms good-sized tussocks of 

 deep green herbage, and whilst it is young is much relished by stock. When 



