50 Forage Plants of Australia. 



OEDER CHENOPODIACE.E. . 



KHAG-ODIA NtJTANS, E. BE. 

 " Nodding Saltbush." 



Flora Austr., Vol. F, p. 156. 



Ax herbaceous prostrate, or procumbent and slender plant, with stems 

 usually spreading from 1 foot to 2 feet, but we have occasionally seen the 

 steins nearly 3 feet long ; and whilst young the foliage is more or less mealy- 

 white. The leaves are opposite, or here and there alternate, arranged on 

 slender stalks, and somewhat variable in shape, but mostly broadly hastate 

 with prominent basal lobes, the lower ones about 1 inch long, but the upper 

 ones get gradually smaller towards the inflorescence. The flowers are very 

 small, and are arranged on terminal spikes, or slightly-branched often nodding 

 panicles. The fruits are also very small, each one being about o\ of an inch 

 in diameter, with the outer part red and succulent when fresh, and thin when 

 dry. Figure 1 is an enlarged illustration. 



This plant is found in nearly all the Australian Colonies, from the coast 

 to the arid interior, and in some places it is fairly plentiful. Where it is 

 not too closely fed down its prostrate stems often carpet the ground for 

 a considerable distance, which prevents the evaporation of moisture from the 

 soil near its roots. This of course enables the plant to withstand a great 

 amount of dry weather, and its foliage is easily recognised in dry weather 

 amongst the surrounding vegetation. It is an excellent forage plant for all 

 herbivora, sheep being particularly fond of it. This salinous plant is w T ell 

 worthy of systematic conservation, or even cultivation, 011 the central plains 

 of this continent, for it can always be depended upon in the driest of seasons 

 to supply a fair amount of valuable herbage. When left unmolested for a 

 time it produces a great amount of seed which, when ripe, germinates readily 

 under ordinary conditions ; so that there would be no difficulty in reclis- 

 seminating it in those districts w r here it may have become scarce through over- 

 stocking. It may also be struck from cuttings planted in the ordinary way, 

 and where it is intended that the plants should remain. If cuttings are used 

 as a means of propagating it, they should be put in during the early spring 

 or late autumn months. The seeds may be sown in August or March. 



