Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 349 



Panicum compositum, Linn<$. (Oplismenus compositus, 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 G-alli, Linne.* 



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

 countries, but probably of far oriental origin, as it seems not recorded 

 in our ancient classic literature. A rich grass of ready spontaneous 

 dispersion, particularly along sandy river-banks, also around stagnant 

 water. Annual in cool climes and nowhere of long duration. P. 

 Crus Corvi, L. is a variety of it. Regarded by R. Brown as indige- 

 nous in Eastern and Northern Australia, where many other excellent 

 fodder-species occur, some perennial. It will succeed also on some- 

 what 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. Noticed in Japan already by 

 the early European travellers. Had the Alexandrian Library not 

 been burnt, some clue as to the real place of the origination of this 

 grass and many other plants might have been obtained. Cows and 

 horses are very fond of this grass whether fresh or dry [Professor 

 Phares]. Mr. J. R. Walpole writes : It is a prolific seed-bearer, 

 throwing up a number of thick and succulent stems, up to 4 feet length. 

 On gravelly river-flats it particularly luxuriates ; even when placed 

 on dry banks it will resist heat well. Very little moisture causes the 

 seed to germinate and to start the plant into growth rapidly. It will 

 stand close feeding. The grains serve well for feeding small cage- 

 birds. P. hispidulum, Retzius, which accords with the Cockshin- 

 Grass in prolific growth and nutritiveness, prefers moist situations, 

 but will also stand considerable dryness. 



Panicum decompositum, R. Brown. (P. loevinode, 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 to maturity after rains in one month in the 

 torrid regions of Central Australia [Rev. H. Kempe]. Hardly dif- 

 ferent 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. They 

 are among the few nutritious grasses fit for hot and arid desert- 

 tracts. Known to have grown after summer rains, within 5 weeks, to 

 3 feet and to flower, 



