Forage Plants of Australia. 73 





ORDER CHEXOPODIACE^]. 



KOCHIA TILLOSA, LINDL. 

 " Silky Saltbush." 



Flora Austr., Vol. F, p. 186. 



Atf under-shrub of erect, spreading, or decumbent habit, more or less 

 covered with a silky villous tomentum. Its leaves are alternate, linear, 

 thick, and soft in the typical form, and from to ^ an inch long. The 

 flowers are solitary in the leaf axils. There are about half-a-dozen varieties 

 differing more or less from the typical form, though not of sufficient dis- 

 tinction to warrant their being classed as distinct species, notwithstanding 

 that their geographical distribution is considerable. This species is peculiar 

 to the districts of the Darling, Murray, Lachlan, and Bogan Rivers, the 

 Liverpool Plains, and westward to the Barrier Eanges in New South Wales ; 

 Narran River in Queensland ; Murray River and the Wimmera Districts in 

 Victoria; Flinder's Range and towards Spencer's Gulf in South Australia : 

 and in North and West Australia. At one time it was quite plentiful in 

 those districts, but cattle and sheep have exterminated great quantities. 

 The fact of the plant not being allowed to seed, has, of course, destroyed its 

 natural reproducing powers. This plant is well worthy of extensive conser- 

 vation, and even cultivation, as its drought-enduring qualities are remarkable. 

 It is one of the famous salinous plants which have made our central plains 

 such valuable pasture grounds for stock of all kinds. Cattle and sheep eat 

 greedily of it, and often crop it down close to the ground, so that it has 

 little chance to recuperate. When not too closely fed down, the plant will 

 produce seed in abundance ; and the seed will germinate readily even under 

 ordinary conditions. At Figure I is illustrated the fruiting perianth, which 

 has the dorsal wings united in a single entire horizontal ring, membranous, 

 and very finely veined. The seeds of this plant should be sown either in the 

 autumn or spring months, and after rainfall if possible, as the seeds will 

 germinate more readily when the ground is moist. 



