1 6 SPINIFEX HIRSUTUS, 



the membranous basis of leaves, which terminate in rigid, slender spines, 

 3 8 inches long. Empty glumes : First shortly awned, Q-nerved ; 

 second shortly awned, 7 -nerved ; third 5-nerved. Flowering glume 

 7 nerved. Palea 4-nerved. Scales 2, large, fleshy, with membranous 

 borders, 2-lobed, and 2-nerved. Ovary compressed. Stamens 3 

 abortive. Styles very short, connate at the base. Stigmas very long, 

 with short simple hairs. DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES : INDIA, PACIFIC 

 ISLANDS, AUSTRALIA, TASMANIA, NEW ZEALAND. 



The present grass has no claim whatever as a food-plant for stock, and can 

 only be recommended as a sand-binder in fixing drift sands when encroaching on 

 valuable land. For this purpose it deserves more attention than has hitherto been 

 bestowed upon it. It is a plant of comparatively rapid growth, and with the aid 

 of other indigenous plants, such as Desmosclvenus spiralis, of similar habit, would 

 give effectual aid in checking the inroads of wind-driven sand, conditionally that 

 the plants be carefully conserved from fire. From the ravages of this element 

 alone, since the settlement'of New Zealand, may be ascribed the increased spread 

 of wind-driven sand, and, under such inflictions, the indigenous plants are over- 

 looked in reclothing the sand dunes with vegetation, seed of exotic plants inferior 

 for this purpose being often imported at considerable expense. 



This grass may be propagated by seed, as also by roots ; the seed may be 

 collected in February March, and April. It is probable, however, that the trouble 

 incurred in collecting native grass seed, when compared with the ease with which 

 exotic seed may be procured by purchase, will account for the neglect of such 

 valuable sand-binders as the grass under notice. DISTRIBUTION ix XFAV ZEALAND ; 

 COMMON ON THE COASTS EVERYWHERE. 



Reference to Plate VIII. : Fig. 1. Male Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Nervation 

 of first and second empty glumes. 4. Nervation of third empty glume and 

 flowering glume. 5. Nervation of Palea. 6, 6'. Scales ofl^lower Palea. 



7, 7'. Scales of upper Palea. 8. Variety of scales with stamens. 9. Diagram 

 showing the arrangement of the glumes in floret, in which the third empty glume 

 holds the position of flowering glume to the upper Palea, and may be considered 

 as a flowering glume. 



Reference to Plate IX. : Fig. 1. Female Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Nervation 

 of first empty glume. 4. Nervation of second empty glume. 5. Nervation of 

 third empty glume. 6. Nervation of flowering glume, 7. Nervation of Palea. 



8, 8'. Scales. 9, 9'. Ovary, with three abortive stamens, and long stigmas. 

 10. Grain. 



