34 



Second glume the largest, membranous, five-nerved, fringed on each side with long 



pale or dark-coloured hairs, spreading in fruit, and connected at the base on the 



intramarginal nerve. 

 Third glume more rigid, though thin, with a small palea, and sometimes three 



stamens in the axil. 

 Fruiting glume more rigid, with a rather longer point, the palea also rigid, but the 



inflexed margins thin, with a distinct lobe at the base on each side. 



Value as a fodder. — A strong-growing useful grass, much relished 

 by stock, particularly when young and tender. 



Other uses. — Lumholtz found this grass, in Northern Queensland, 

 to form the principal food of white cockatoos. (Bailey.) 



Habitat and range. — Extends from this Colony to Queensland and 

 Northern Australia, from the Liverpool Plains northerly and westerly 

 to the dry country. O'Shanesy says that (in Queensland) it indicates 

 a poor clay soil. It is also found in Africa, and in tropical Asia from 

 Ceylon and the Indian Peninsula to the Malayan Archipelago and 

 South China. 



Reference to Plate. — a, Portion of a panicle; B, Spikelet, showing relative size of outer 

 glume ; c, Spikelet dissected, showing outer glume, second and third glume, and fruiting 

 glume with its palea ; D, Part of fruiting glume, tipped with a minute point, and 

 minutely transversely rugose. 



Seeies III. — Paspaloide^. 



Spikelets sessile or very shortly pedicellate, in one or two rows, 

 very rarely in pairs, along the short simple alternate, often distant, 

 spikes or spike-like branches of the panicle, rarely reduced to a single 

 terminal spike. 



Spikes erect, several, distant. Spikelets usually sessile, glabrous in two close rows. 

 Spikelets oblique, 1 to 1^ lines long, in close regular rows ; second 

 glume broad, gibbous ; third glume flatter, with a palea in its 



axil ... 17. P. flavidum. 



Spikelets nearly straight, 1 to 1^ lines long, the rows not always 

 regular, and sometimes very few in the spike ; second and 



third glumes nearly equal, both empty 18. P. gracile. 



Spikes usually approximate, erect, or at length spreading. Spikelets 

 not so closely sessile, nearly 2 lines long, in two rows, and 

 frequently subtended by hairs or bristles. A broad palea in the 

 third glume. Fruiting glumes obtuse, with an awn-like point 20. P. helopus. 

 Spikes distant, at length spreading or reflexed. Spikelets alternate 

 along the rhachis, but not close, and appearing almost uni- 

 seriate. 

 Spikelets near together on a flattened rhachis ... ... ...24. P. distachyum. 



Spikes reflexed, the rhachis flattened, ending in an awn-like point, 



and a rigid awn-like bristle under the lowest spikelet 25. P. reversum. 



17. Panicnm flavidum, Retz. 



Botanical name. — Flavidum, a Latin word signifying yellow, or 

 inclining to yellow, the " ear " being usually of that colour. 



Vernacular names. — " Vandyke Grass." I recommend this local 

 name on account of having seen the large variety in great luxuriance 

 at Vandyke, beyond Springsure, Queensland. (Bailey.) " Warrego 

 Summer Grass." 



Where figured. — Duthie, Trinius, Agricultural Gazette. 



