31 



8. Panicuin tenuissimum, Benth. 



Botanical name. — Tenuissimum, superlative of the Latin tenuis, 

 thin or slender. The grass is a very slender one. 



Botanical description (B.FL, vii, 470). — Erect, very slender, much 

 branched at the base, often above 1 foot high. 



Leaves short and narrow, quite glabrous, the ligula short, scarious and jagged. 

 Spikes or panicle-branches few, usually three, filiform, spreading, distant, 1 to If 



inches long. 

 SpiMets in pairs, ovoid, quite glabrous, but little more than \ line long, both pedi- 

 cellate, but one pedicel twice as long as the other. 



Outer glume minute, almost microscopic, orbicular. 



Second and third nearly equal, both empty, obtuse, membranous, three to five nerved. 



Fruiting glume rather acute, usually slightly exceeding the empty ones. 



Value as a fodder. — A palatable grass, which is probably nutritious. 

 Habitat and range. — Along the Northern rivers ; also in Queens- 

 land. 



9. Panicum parviflorum, H.Br. 



Botanical name. — Parviflorum, Latin parvus, small, and flos , floris a 

 flower; small-flowered. 



Vernacular name. — Small-flowered Finger-grass. 



Where figured. — Bailey, Agricultural Gazette. 



Botanical description (B.FL, vii, 470). — A tall but slender usually 

 glabrous grass. 



Leaves long and/narrow, the ligula scarious, often long, jagged at the end. 

 Panicle-branches often numerous, spreading, simple, filiform, 2 to 4 inches or in some 



specimens 5 to 6 inches long, the lower ones distant, the upper ones often 



crowded. 



SpiTcelets ovoid, glabrous, \ to f line long, mostly in pairs along the flexuose rhachis,. 

 one on a longer pedicel than the other ; but in the lower part of the branch 

 often clustered, the longer pedicel bearing two or three spikelets. 



Outer glume very small, ovate usually one-nerved. 



Second and third glumes nearly equal, both empty, membranous, obtuse, the second 

 usually three-nerved, the third five-nerved. 



Fruiting glume as long, more acute, smooth. 



Value as a fodder. — A rather tall, slender grass, which is so eagerly 

 sought after by cattle that it does not usually mature seed, except in 

 sheltered situations. There is no doubt it is a valuable grass, and 

 attention has been drawn to it chiefly by Bailey and O'Shanesy. Mr. 

 Bailey (speaking of Queensland) observes that there are several forms 

 of it. " That on the dry ridges is somewhat wiry when in flower, but 

 makes a good tufty bottom. The tall form is usually met with near 

 watercourses and in rich scrub-land." 



Botanical notes. — Var. pilosa, more or less hairy. Common in 

 Southern Queensland, and very probably to be met with in Northern 

 New South Wales. 



Habitat and range. — Coast district to the table-land, from North 

 Illawarra to Queensland. 



