133 



Outer glumes narrow, about nine-nerved, 1| to 2 inches long. 



Flowering glume about $ inch long, the central awn 2 to 3 inches long, the lateral 



ones finer and not half so long. 

 Palea longer than the entire part of the glume. 

 Lodicules long and lanceolate. 

 Terminal barren spikelet, when present, small and silky-villous. 



It is an ornamental oat-like grass, its persistent, pale- coloured, very 

 long outer glumes making the plant very conspicuous. 



Value as a fodder. Very few observations have been made on this 

 point, so that there is some uncertainty in regard to it. I fancy it is 

 not generally known, perhaps being confused with other grasses. I 

 have been in places where cattle appeared scarcely to touch it, but it 

 must be borne in mind that it is chiefly found in poor sandstone 

 country, and that it is sparsely tussocky, so that stock could only feed 

 it down with difficulty. Against this I have the statement of a corre- 

 spondent from Cape Hawke that it is a palatable and fattening grass 

 for cows. 



Habitat and range. Principally a New South Wales species, though 

 it extends to Queensland on the north, and Victoria on the south. It 

 is confined to the coast districts and coast mountain ranges, preferring, 

 as far as I have noticed, sterile, rocky country. 



Reference to plate. 1. Spikelet opened out. 2. Flowering glume showing large central 

 awn and fine lateral awns. 



64. DANTHONIA. 



Spikelets several-flowered, pedicellate or rarely almost sessile, in a 

 panicle, either loose or reduced to a single raceme, the rhachis of the 

 spikelet articulate above the outer glumes, hairy round the flowering 

 ones. 



Outer empty glumes two, narrow, keeled, acute, unawned, usually as 

 long as the spikelet. 



Flowering glumes convex at the back, usually nine-nerved, with two 

 rigid or scarious terminal lobes more or less one- or three-nerved at 

 least at the base, and a twisted and bent awn between them (almost 

 reduced to a point in one species) . 



Palea broad, as long as, or usually longer, than the entire part of 

 the glume, obtuse or two-pointed. 



Styles distinct. 



Ovary glabrous. 



Grain free. 



[Fungi found on Danthonias. Ustilago destruens, Schlecht ; and 7. 

 segetum, Bull ; have both been recorded on Danthonia spp.~\ 



SECTION I. MICRATHEEA. 



Panicle very loose. Spikelets nearly glabrous. Awn of the flower- 

 ing glume not exceeding the very short lateral lobes. 



Dingle species 1. D. paradoxa. 



