42 



Botanical description (B. FL, vii, 480). — 



Stems decumbent at the base, ascending to 6 or 8 inches in the smaller varieties, 



above 1 foot high in the larger ones. 

 Leaves narrow. 

 Spikelike panicle cylindrical, continuous or rarely interrupted, \ to 1 inch, or in 



some varieties 2 inches long. 

 Spikelets crowded, narrow, acuminate, and more or less curved, 1 to H or rarely 



2 lines long. 

 Outer glume three-nerved, about half the length of the spikelet or rather more. 

 Second glume curved and gibbous at the base, often ciliate, seven or nine nerved. 

 Third glume the same length, but straighter and neither gibbous nor ciliate, with a 



small palea in its axil. 

 Fruiting glume considerably shorter. 



Value as a fodder. — This is a moisture-loving grass, and hence 

 valuable for cultivation or encouragement in very wet situations. We 

 do not know much about its fodder value, but it is probably nutritious, 

 like so many of its congeners. 



Habitat and range. — Usually found in swamps and moist situations. 

 Extends from the Illawarra along the Coast districts to Queensland 

 and Northern Australia. It is also widely dispersed over tropical 

 Asia and Africa. 



Series VI. — Paniculate. 



Panicle-branches usually more or less divided. Spikelets all ped 



cellate (except sometimes the first three species and a Queensland one, 



P. insequale). 



Panicle-branches scarcely divided ; spikelets few, rarely more 

 numerous, scarcely under 2 lines long ; no male flowers. 

 Spikelets nearly or sometimes quite sessile (species approaching 

 the Paspaloidea'). 

 Spikelets 2 to 1\ lines long, mostly distant along the branches 31. P. foliosum. 

 Spikelets rather under 2 lines, crowded on the lower part of 

 the branches in a compact panicle, second and third 

 glumes almost equal ... ... ... ... ... ... 32. P. adspersum. 



Spikelets few, distinctly pedicellate in a loose spreading panicle. 

 Spikelets 2h, to 3 lines long, sprinkled with hooked hairs. 



Fruiting glume close above the others ... ... ... 34. P. uncinidatum. 



Panicle narrow or spreading ; spikelets numerous, 1 to near 2 lines 

 long ; shortly pedicellate, not clustered ; glumes acute 

 or acuminate ; a male flower in the third glume. ... ... 39. P. repens. 



Spikelets | to f line long ; no male flower ; diffuse or creeping ; panicle- 

 branches few, spreading ; spikelets few and distant, f 

 line long, on short pedicels ... ... ... ... 41. P. pygm^um. 



Spikelets usually numerous, 1 to near 2 lines long, pedicellate ; no 

 male flower. 

 Panicle narrow, branches usually few ; fruiting glume densely 



pubescent ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 44. P. marginatum. 



Fruiting glume smooth and shining ; panicl3 1 to 2 inches long ; 

 spikelets about 1 line ; outer glume ovate, acute ; leaves 

 glabrous ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 46. P. obseptum. 



Panicle spreading, with numerous capillary branches. 



Panicle-branches scattered, neither clustered nor verticillate. 



Spikelets 1 line long, acute ; outer glume acute ; a palea 



in the third glume ... ... ... ... .. ... 48. P.- bicolor. 



Spikelets 1 line long, rather obtuse ; outer glume acute ; 



no palea in the third glume ... ... .. ... 49. P. melananthum. 



Lower panicle-branches clustered, but scarcely verticillate. 



Spikelets about 1 line ; outer glume acute, half as long as 

 the spikelet ; a palea in the third glume ; nodes promi- 

 nently ciliate ; ligula a ring of long cilia ... .. ... 50. P. effusum. 



