167 



Outer empty glumes unawned, tlie second rarely with a short point; 

 glume of the perfect flower wi^h a prominent point or short awn, the 

 upper glumes tapering into fine straight awns. 



Styles distinct. 



Grain enclosed in the thin or scarcely hardened glume and palea. 



2. Ectrosia leporina, R.Br. 



Botanical name. Ectrosia Greek, ectrope, a turning off or aside ; 

 leporina Latin, pertaining to a hare, referring to the softness of the 

 panicle. 



Vernacular name. " Hare's-tail Grass. " 



Botanical description (B. FL, vii, 633). A glabrous, slender grass, 

 attaining 2 feet or more, but sometimes smaller. 



Leaves very narrow, ending in subulate points. 



Panicle narrow, dense, 3 to 6 inches long, the fine awns giving it much of the aspect 



of Triraphis mollis. 

 Spikelets crowded along the short erect branches, often purplish, the very short 



pedicels often bearing a few long hairs. 

 Outer glumes narrow, very acute, about 1 line long. 

 Flowering glume nearly as long, narrow, hyaline, one-nerved, slightly notched, with 



a fine awn nearly as long as the glume. 

 Terminal empty glumes, usually two or three, smaller than the flowering one, but 



with longer fine awns. 



Value as a fodder. c( A rather slender, dry, tufty grass ; often attains 

 a height of 2 feet." (Bailey.) It is ornamental, and is reputed to be a 

 useful fodder grass. 



Habitat and range. Found in New South Wales and throughout 

 Queensland and North Australia. An interior species in New South 

 Wales. 



85. PHRAGMITES. 



Spikelets three- or more-flowered, flat when open, all pedicellate in a 

 large, much-branched panicle, the rhachis of the spikelet elongated 

 between the flowering glumes, and covered with very long silky hairs, 

 enveloping the flowers. 



G-lumes thin, keeled, the two outer ones empty, acute, or shortly 

 pointed; the third like them, but with a longer point, and enclosing a 

 male or rudimentary flower ; the others more distant, with long, almost 

 awnlike points, the rhachis terminating in a rudimentary glume or 

 bristle-like point. 



Palea two-ribbed. 

 Stigmas nearly sessile. 



Fungi found on this genus. Coniosporium inquinas } Dk. and Mont., 

 W.A., has been recorded on a species of Arundo (Phragmites). 

 Puccinia phragmites, Schum., has been recorded from Phragmites sp. 



