Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 351 



Panicum gracile, R Brown. 



Perennial. Proved one of the best of pasture-grasses in arid tracts 

 of sub-tropic West-Australia [Isaac Tyson]. 



Indicum, Llnn. (P. myurus, Lamarck.) 

 Tropical Asia and America, North-Eastern Australia. A per- 

 ennial aquatic grass, with broad-bladed foliage, fit for ditches and 

 swamps. Regarded by Mr. Bailey as very palatable and nutritious 

 to stock. 



Panicum Italicum, Linne.* (Setaria Italica, Beauvois. ) 



This grass, notwithstanding its name, is also of Asiatic origin, 

 ascending the Himalayas to 6,500 feet, extending to China and 

 Japan. It even ripens in cold climes, its seeds coming to perfection 

 as far north as Christiania [Schuebeler]. Reared in Switzerland 

 since pre-historic ages ; one of the five kinds of plants, sown cere- 

 moniously each year by the Emperor of China, according to an 

 Imperial custom initiated 2,700 years before the Christian era [A. 

 de Candolle] . It is annual, attaining a height of 5 feet, and is par- 

 ticularly worthy of cultivation as a tender green fodder. In warm 

 climes it can be had all through the year, according to the time of 

 sowing ; preferentially grown in many parts of East- Australia for 

 stable-animals, producing in the littoral regions there very heavy 

 crops. It keeps weeds down, and is one of the most valuable of 

 soiling plants; withstands drought well; yields early in the season a 

 heavy crop of excellent hay, which dries easily [C. Mohr]. The 

 abundantly produced grain is not only one of the best for poultry, 

 but that of some varieties can be utilised as millet ; considered by 

 many a delicious grain for cakes and porridge. The Brahmins 

 hold it in higher esteem than any other grain [Dr. Ainslie]; called 

 Mohar-Millet or Hungarian Millet. P. Germanicum (Roth) is a form 

 of this species. Allied are also the West-Indian Panicum (Setaria) 

 magnum (Grisebach), which attains a height of 10 feet on margins 

 of lagoons, and Panicum macrostachyum (Nees) of East- Australia, 

 South- Asia and tropical America, the latter species highly praised 

 by Mr. R. L. Holmes in Fiji and by Prof. Hieronymus in Argen- 

 tina. The genuine plant may yield thousandfold. 



Panicum Javanicum, Poiret. (P. Koenigii, Sprengel; P. ffelopus, Trinius.) 

 Tropical and sub-tropical Africa, Asia and Australia. A good 

 fodder-grass, broad-bladed, in N. W. India especially lauded by 

 Duthie, along with P. antidotale (Retzius). 



Panicum latissimum, Mikan. 



Brazil. A highly ornamental grass. Leaves extremely broad, but 

 hard; panicle very rich. 



