36 



Value as a fodder. — A tufty, often rather wiry grass, but never- 

 theless palatable to stock. It grows in the poorest soils — almost pure 

 sand — as well as in good soils. In favourable situations it forms very 

 large spreading tufts, and forms really superior herbage. It is exten- 

 sively distributed in the Colony, and is worthy of every encourage- 

 ment. O'Shanesy testifies that it makes excellent hay. 



Habitat and range. — Found in all the colonies except Tasmania. It 

 extends all over this Colony. 



20. Panicum helopus, Trin. 



Botanical name. — Helopus, Greek helos a swamp, and pous a foot, 

 the grass growing in swamps. 



Vernacular name. — The " Kuri," of India. 

 Where figured. — Duthie, Trinius. 

 Botanical description (B. FL, vii, 476). — 

 Stems usually rather tall. 

 Leaves lanceolate, often rather broad and cordate at the base, with loose sheaths, 



usually more or less hirsute, especially the sheath, but sometimes nearly 



glabrous. 

 Panicle of few simple branches, sometimes three to five, almost sessile above the last 



leaf, sometimes six or seven on a rather long peduncle. 

 Spikelets irregularly alternate in two rows along the rhachis, or the lower ones 



clustered and the upper ones more distant, ovoid, acute, nearly 2 lines long, 



pubescent, villous, or glabrous. 

 Outer glume very short and broad, three-nerved, the second about seven-nerved, the 



third about the same length, but narrower, five-nerved, with a palea in its axil 



but no stamens. 

 Fruiting glume minutely rugose, obtuse, but the central nerve produced into a short, 



awn-like point, not exceeding the empty glumes. 



Botanical notes. — The short, awn-like point to the fruiting glume is 

 its best distinguishing character (Duthie) ; and Bentham points out 

 that not only does it resemble Eriochloa annulata in this respect, but 

 the two grasses are somewhat similar in aspect. The spikelet has, 

 however, the outer glume developed, and is not seated on the peculiar 

 disc-like base of Eriochloa. 



Value as a fodder. — This is a valuable, drought-resisting grass, 

 found in the drier parts of the Colony. It is a useful, nutritious grass, 

 and Duthie observes that it is an excellent fodder-grass for both horses 

 and cattle in India. 



Habitat and range. — In the interior of this Colony, and also in 

 South Australia, Queensland, and Northern Australia. Common in 

 tropical Asia and Africa. 



24. Panicum distachyum, Linn. 



Botanical name. — Distachyum, a Latinised form of two Greek words — 

 dis (twice) and stachys (an ear of corn). The spikelets are sometimes 

 approximate in two distinct rows. 



Vernacular names. — " Two-finger Grass" ; the " Rockhampton Hay 

 Grass" of Bailey. 



Where figured. — Duthie, Trinius, Agricultural Gazette. 



