35 



. Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 474). 



Stems erect, branching at the base, rather rigid, attaining 1 to 2 feet, or rather more. 

 Leaves acute, sometimes rather broad, but the margins involute when dry, glabrous, 



except a few short hairs at the orifice of the sheath. 

 Panicle of several often numerous, erect distant branches or sessile spikes, the 



lowest sometimes above ^ inch long, the upper one shorter. 

 Rhachis flexuose, slightly dilated. 

 Spikelets sessile in about two rows, in the typical form very oblique, ovoid, about 



1 lines long, or rather more in several Australian specimens. 

 Outer glume, very short, broad, and obtuse. 



Second glume the largest, broad, several-nerved, very concave and incurved. 

 Third smaller, flat on the back, enclosing a palea large and broad in the typical 



form, but no stamens. 

 Flowering glumes usually shortly acuminate. 



Yar. tenuior, Benth. Spikelets rather small, not quite so oblique,, 

 the palea within the third glume usually very small, the fruiting 

 glume very rugose. (Widely distributed over New South Wales; also 

 in Queensland.) 



Value as a fodder. This is undubitably a good grass, producing a 

 large quantity of nutritious, palatable feed, and yielding far more seed 

 than most species. It is not particular as to soil or situation. It is 

 especially valuable for the drier parts of the Colony. Bailey records 

 that it was stated to be the best fattening grass of the Warrego Dis- 

 trict of Queensland. Duthie states that it affords excellent fodder for 

 both bullocks and horses in India. Bailey speaks of the variety 

 tenuior as a small grass, the stems often prostrate from the weight of 

 seed. " It forms a good pasture, as besides the seed it gives a large 

 quantity of leaves." (P.M.B.) 



Other uses. Said to be the cheapest grain grown, and will keep many 

 years without being eaten by insects. For this reason it is stored up 

 as a provision against years of scarcity and famine. (Duthie.) 



Habitat and range. From the Illawarra and Camden Districts and 

 Port Jackson to the table-lands and interior ; also in Queensland. It 

 extends over tropical Asia. 



18. Panicum gracile, R.Br. 



Botanical name. Gracile, a Latin adjective denoting slender or 

 weak, in allusion to the habit of the plant. 



Where figured. Agricultural Gazette. 



Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 475). Erect, much branched 

 towards the base, quite glabrous, usually slender, from under 1 foot 

 to above 1J feet high, but exceedingly variable in stature and aspect. 



Leaves from very narrow to rather broad. 



Panicle usually long and slender, the branches or sessile spikes or clusters erect, dis- 

 tant, the lower ones 3 to 4 lines or rarely ^ to 1 inch long, the upper ones smaller, 

 often reduced to short clusters or to single spikelets towards the end of the 

 panicle. 



Rhachis of the branches often but not always produced beyond the last spikelet into 

 a point sometimes as long as the spikelet. 



Spikelets singly sessile or in pairs, one pedicellate, the other sessile along the rhachis, 

 rarely more or less distinctly in two rows almost as in P. flavidum> ovoid, 1 to 

 1 lines long, nearly straight. 



Outer glume ovate acute, rather less or more than half as long as the spikelet. 



Second and third nearly equal, both empty, membranous, and about five-nerved. 



Fruiting glume as long or rather longer, minutely transversely rugose. 



