Forage Plants of Australia. 85 



ORDER AMARANTACE.E. 



TRICHINIUM NOBILE, LINDL. 

 " Yellow Hairy Spikes." 



Flora Auslr., Vol. T,p. 224-. 



A STOUT erect glabrous perennial, the stems simple or slightly branched up- 

 wards, from 1| to 3 feet high. Leaves from broadly obovate to oblong, the 

 lower ones are arranged on long stalks, the upper ones narrower and more 

 sessile. The spikes are terminal, oblong, attaining from 3 to 6 inches in 

 length. At figure 1 is illustrated the perianth which is about 1 inch long 

 of a greenish yellow colour, the narrow segments of which are copiously 

 plumose with dorsal hairs ; the detached portions are two scarious bracts. 

 This plant is found in the interior of New South Wales, Victoria, and South 

 Australia, and is fairly plentiful in some situations. Its long thick roots 

 penetrate the soil to a great depth, and on this account the plant is not 

 easily affected by drought. It affords a rich succulent herbage, even in very 

 dry weather, of which stock of all descriptions are remarkably fond, and they 

 will often eat it off close to the root stock, from which, however, it readily 

 springs into growth again after rain. The plant seeds very freely when not 

 too closely fed down, and the seed germinates readily under ordinary 

 conditions. 



This plaut is really worthy of the attention of horticulturists, and might 

 be cultivated in gardens with good effect. When in flower it is an object of 

 great interest for its singularly hairy perianths. 



The specimen, drawing, and engraving of this plant were lost in the fire 

 mentioned in the preface. I saved a print, however, from which the present 

 photo-lithograph was taken. Of course, the plant is not so well depicted as 

 it would have been if taken from a drawing, but is sufficiently clear for a 

 growing plant to be easily recognised from it. 



