34 



Second glume the largest, membranous, five-nerved, fringed on each side with long 



pale or dark-coloured hairs, spreading in fruit, and connected at the base on the 



intramarginal nerve. 

 Third glume more rigid, though thin, with a small palea, and sometimes three 



stamens in the axil. 

 Fruiting glume more rigid, with a rather longer point, the palea also rigid, but the 



inflexed margins thin, with a distinct lobe at the base on each side. 



Value as a fodder. A strong-growing useful grass, much, relished 

 by stock, particularly when young and tender. 



Other uses. Lumholtz found this grass, in Northern Queensland, 

 to form the principal food of white cockatoos. (Bailey.) 



Habitat and range. Extends from this Colony to Queensland and 

 Northern Australia, from the Liverpool Plains northerly and westerly 

 to the dry country. O'Shanesy says that (in Queensland) it indicates 

 a poor clay soil. It is also found, in Africa, and in tropical Asia from 

 Ceylon and the Indian Peninsula to the Malayan Archipelago and 

 South China. 



Reference to Plate. A, Portion of a panicle; B, Spikelet, showing relative size of outer 

 glume ; c, Spikelet dissected, showing outer glume, second and third glume, and fruiting 

 glume with its palea ; D, Part of fruiting glume, tipped with a minute point, and 

 minutely transversely rugose. 



SEEIES III. PASPALOIDE^:. 



Spikelets sessile or very shortly pedicellate, in one or two rows, 

 very rarely in pairs, along the short simple alternate, often distant, 

 spikes or spike-like branches of the panicle, rarely reduced to a single 

 terminal spike. 



Spikes erect, several, distant. Spikelets usually sessile, glabrous in two close rows. 

 Spikelets oblique, 1 to H lines long, in close regular rows ; second 

 glume broad, gibbous ; third glume flatter, with a palea in its 



axil ... ... ... .. ... 17. P. flavidum. 



Spikelets nearly straight, 1 to 1^ lines long, the rows not always 

 regular, and sometimes very few in the spike ; second and 

 third glumes nearly equal, both empty ... ... ... ... 18. P. gracile. 



Spikes usually approximate, erect, or at length spreading. Spikelets 

 not so closely sessile, nearly 2 lines long, in two rows, and 

 frequently subtended by hairs or bristles. A broad palea in the 

 third glume. Fruiting glumes obtuse, with an awn-like point 20. P. helopus. 

 Spikes distant, at length spreading or reflexed. Spikelets alternate 

 along the rhachis, but not close, and appearing almost uni- 

 seriate. 

 Spikelets near together on a flattened rhachis ... ... ...24. P. distachyum. 



Spikes reflexed, the rhachis flattened, ending in an awn-like point, 



and a rigid awn-like bristle under the lowest spikelet 25. P. reversum. 



17. Panicum flavidum, Retz. 



Botanical name. Flavidum, a Latin word signifying yellow, or 

 inclining to yellow, the " ear " being usually of that colour. 



Vernacular names. " Vandyke Grass." I recommend this local 

 name on account of having seen the large variety in great luxuriance 

 at Vandyke, beyond Springsure, Queensland. (Bailey.) '' Warrego 

 Summer Grass." 



Where figured. Duthie, Trinius, Agricultural Gazette. 



