Order GRAMINE^. 

 Genus, Poa ; Sub-Order, Festucacece. 



4. POA AUSTRALTS, VAR. LTEVIS. 



TUSSAC POA. 

 (Plate XL VII.) 



POA C/ESPITOSA, Forster, Benth., Flora Austral. VIL, 651. POA AUS- 

 TRALIS, R. Brown, var. lavis, Hook. fil. Fl. N.Z. I., 307. POA AUSTRALIS, 

 R. Brown, var. laevis, Hook. fil. Handb. Fl. N.Z. L, 339. 



A LARGE tussac grass, from sea level to 3000 feet altitude. Perennial. 

 Culms densely tufted, i 3 feet high, slender, smooth. Leaves longer 

 or shorter than the culms, filiform, involute, rigid ; sheaths narrow, 

 smooth ; ligule o. Panicle erect, 2 8 inches long, branches few, cap- 

 illary, whorled. Spikelets few, scabridus, i J inch long, 4 6 flowered, 

 Empty glumes 3-nerved. Flowering glume 5-nerved. Palea bluntly 

 bifid, 2-nerved. Scale oblique, acute. Grain stout. DISTRIBUTION OF 

 SPECIES : AUSTRALIA, TASMANIA, NEW ZEALAND. 



An extremely variable grass which has received different names by authors. 

 It is not surprising, therefore, under such circumstances, that various estimates 

 have been made of its value as food for stock, according to which variety prevailed 

 in any district, some of the varieties being much more valuable than others. There 

 is no doubt but that the true value of the larger tussac grasses, among which the 

 present occupies a prominent place, has been much under estimated, as they have 

 never been treated fairly on their merits, and conclusions based on the readiness 

 with which stock eat or refuse them, cannot be accepted as a criterion of their 

 value, unless they are cut down when in flower, and treated as fodder. It is well 

 known, that even the most favourite grasses of cultivation such as Lolium pererwe, 

 the common Eay grass, if left uncut till the seed is shed, will be refused by all 

 kinds of stock, and so it is with the present species, which should always be 

 treated as a fodder plant. DISTRIBUTION IN NEW ZEALAND : Common in both 

 ISLANDS, except in AUCKLAND NORTH. 



Reference to Plate XL VII : Fig. I. Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret. 4, 4'. 

 Nervation of empty glumes. 5. Nervation of flowering glume. 6. Nervation of 



Palea. 7. Scale. 8, 8'. Grain, front and side view. 



S 



