in Extra-Tropical Countries. 245 



Panicum barbinode, Trinius. 



Brazil. Valuable as a fodder-grass. 



Panicum brizanthum, Hochstetter. 



From Abyssinia to Nepal. A large-grained perennial Millet- 

 Grass. 



Panicum coenicolum, F. v. Mueller. 



Extra-tropic Australia. Valuable as an enduring grass for moist 

 meadows. 



Panicum compositum, Linne". (Oplismenus composite, Beauvois.) 



South-Asia, East- Australia, Polynesia, New Zealand. The growth 

 of this soft-bladed and prolific grass should be encouraged in forest- 

 ground. 



Panicum Crus Galli, Linne". 



The "Barnyard- or Cockshin-Grass." Occurring now in all warm 

 countries, but probably of Oriental origin, as it seems not recorded in 

 our ancient classic literature. Apparently spontaneous in North- 

 Western Australia. A rich but annual grass of ready spontaneous 

 dispersion, particularly along sandy river banks, also around stagnant 

 water. P. colonum, L., and P. Crus Corvi, L., are varieties of it. 

 Regarded by R. Brown as indigenous in Eastern and Northern Aus- 

 tralia, where many other excellent fodder species occur, some perennial. 

 It will succeed also on somewhat saline soil, particularly on brackish 

 water-courses, likewise on moor-land. For rural rearing the short- 

 awned variety should be chosen. On the lower Mississippi it has 

 furnished as much as four or even five tons of hay from one acre. 

 Cows and horses are very fond of this grass, whether fresh or dry 

 (Professor Phares). "'*;' . 



Panicum decompositum, R. Brown. (P. Icevinode, Lindley.) 



The Australian Millet. One of the most spacious of Australian 

 nutritious grasses. The aborigines convert the small millet-like 

 grains into cakes. It is the only grain stored by the nomads of 

 Central Australia. This grass will thrive on poor soil with Eleusine 

 cruciata (Lam.), coming after rains in one month to maturity in the 

 torrid regions of Central Australia (Rev. H. Kempe). Hardly 

 different from the North- American P. capillare, L., except in perennial 

 roots. The allied P. trachyrrhachis (Bentham) from North- and East- 

 Australia also constitutes a very good pasture-grass. Of similar value 

 the exclusively Australian P. effusum, R. Br., and P. melananthum, 

 F. v. M. 



Panicum distichum, Lamarck. (P. pilosum, Swartz.) 



Tropical Asia, Africa and America, Polynesia. This perennial 

 grass is mentioned by Kurz among those yielding grain for human 

 food in India. 



