320 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



perennial and well suited for naturalisation on moist soil, river- 

 banks and swamps. P. coloratura, L., seems a variety of purplish 

 color, and is therefore used ornamentally in vases. 



Panicum roseum, Steudel.* (Tricholoena rosea, Nees). 



South- Africa. This perennial pretty grass promises to become 

 with others of the section Tricholeena valuable for meadows in mild 

 climes. It gets about 2 feet high. Mr. Danger counted nearly 300 

 stems on one plant in Gippsland ; grows there most vigorously, 

 densely covering meadow-ground, much relished by stock. Well 

 calculated to increase the natural provender on runs. In Fiji it 

 reaches a height of 4 feet; it rises most readily from seed, even if 

 the latter is merely blown about (B. L. Holmes]. It will not bear 

 frost ; the stems take root where they touch the ground ; an acre 

 has been calculated to yield 30 tons green feed in the rich valleys 

 of the Macleay-Biver. Quite suitable for bouquets [A. R. 

 Crawford.] 



Panicum sang-uinale, Linne.* 



From Middle and South-Europe, Northern Africa and Southern 

 Asia, spread through all countries with a warm climate, and 

 apparently also indigenous in North- and East- Australia. The 

 "Finger-grass," called "Crab-grass" in the United States, where 

 according to Mr. Hagenauer it is recognised as one of the most 

 useful of all pasture-grasses ; in Fiji it is also considered the best 

 grass for pastures according to Mr. Holmes. It accommodates 

 itself to swampy and shady places, readily gets disseminated on 

 barren ground, and it is likely to add to the value of desert- 

 pastures at least in oases, although it is in cold countries 

 annual. P. ciliare (Linne) and P. glabrum (Gaudin) are allied. 

 Colonel Howard of Georgia says of the Crab-grass and Bermuda - 

 grass, that they will live in spite of neglect, but when petted will 

 make such grateful returns as to astonish their benefactor. The 

 Finger-grass spreads readily from seeds as well as joints. Valuable 

 also for binding coast-sand and fixing soil along watercourses ; but 

 in warm regions it may become intrusive on agricultural land. 

 Shy to frost. It will spread out to 4 feet width in a year, emitting 

 hundreds of fascicles of florets [W. Bead], Growth after summer- 

 rains very quick. Thrives splendidly on the sandhills of the 

 hot Australian interior also ; grows there most vigorously. In the 

 southern states of North- America much valued for midsummer- 

 pasture, though for hay the yield also there proved but light 

 [Sereno Watson]. 



Panicum semialatum, R. Brown. 



Warmer regions of Asia, Africa and Australia. A superior tall 

 pasture-grass, of easy dispersion in warm humid localities. 



