44 



Outer glume one-quarter to one-third as long as the spikelet, rather acute, one or 



three-nerved. 



Second and third glumes nearly equal. 

 Second broad, usually prominently seven-nerved. 

 Third narrower, with about five nerves, and enclosing a long palea. 

 Fruiting glume tipped with a minute point and minutely transversely rugose. 



Value as a fodder. This is a leafy and free-seeding grass, and 

 doubtless produces a fairly bulky quantity of nutritious fodder. At 

 the same time the records and observations in regard to its value for 

 grazing are scanty in the extreme. 



Habitat and range. In the interior districts of this Colony and also 

 of South Australia and Queensland. Found also in the West Indies 

 (San Domingo). 



Reference to Plate. A, Part of panicle; B, Spikelet, showing the relative size of the 

 outer glume (which is three-nerved) ; c, Spikelet dissected, showing outer and second 

 (the larger) glume, the third glume ; also, the fruiting glume and palea. 



34. Panicum uncinulatum, E.Br. 



Botanical name. Uncinulatum Latin, signifying " beset with little 

 hooks," referring to the rigid hooked hairs on the glumes. 



Botanical description (B. FL, vii, 482). Glabrous erect and much 

 branched, attaining sometimes 8 feet. 

 ' Nodes often much thickened. 



Leaves flat, narrow, tapering into fine points. 



Panicle terminal, loose and slender, consisting of few distant spreading simple or 



scarcely divided branches. 

 Rhachis almost filiform. 



SpiTcelets few and distant along the branches, usually purplish, 2| to 3 lines long. 

 Outer glume lanceolate, about half the length of the spikelet. 

 Second and third nearly equal, acutely acuminate, seven or sometimes nine nerved, 



sprinkled with short, erect, rigid, hooked hairs ; a small palea in the third. 

 Fruiting glume smaller, quite smooth. 



Value as a fodder. A grass usually met with in mountain scrubs, 

 also amongst brigalow ; it forms large tufts or tussocks, and furnishes 

 in many places the principal scrub fodder both in New South Wales 

 and Queensland. (Bailey.) It delights in the seclusion of our dense 

 scrubs, iwhere its wiry, perennial stems are found scrambling to a 

 length of 9 to 10 feet, and its foliage, though scanty, is tender and 

 nutritious, making a delicate repast for the innumerable wallabies 

 and padamelons which inhabit those places. It is, perhaps, the 

 tallest of ordinary fodder grasses. (O'Shanesy). 



Habitat and range. In our Colony, in the northern Coast district, 

 extending to the interior. Found also in Queensland. 



39. Panicum repens, Linn. 



Botanical name. Repens Latin, creeping, referring to the rooting 

 stems. 



Vernacular name. " Creeping Panic-grass.'' 



