47 



seen cattle eat it many a time ; nevertheless, as it gets old, it becomes 

 harsh and fibrous, and less acceptable to herbivorous animals, par- 

 ticularly where occurring in dry rocky places. On the northern rivers 

 it is less succulent than further south — say from Port Jackson to 

 G-ippsland. Its decumbent joint-rooting habit renders it sometimes 

 serviceable to form a first growth of grass on newly-made ground. 



Habitat and range. — This grass is confined to the three eastern 

 Colonies, extending from Eastern Gippsland as far as the southern 

 parts of North Queensland. It is confined to the coast and coast- 

 mountain districts, not extending far inland. Baron von Mueller 

 records it from as far west as New England in this Colony. 



Reference to Plate. — a and b, Portions of a panicle variously enlarged ; c, Spikelet, 

 showing relative size and outer glume ; d, Spikelet dissected, showing outer glumes, 

 silky, pubescent fruiting glume and palea ; e, front and back views of seed (grain). All 

 variously magnified. 



46. Panicum obseptum, Trin. 



Botanical name. — Obseptum — Latin for "hedged in, or shut up 

 against/'' perhaps in allusion to the ligula, which consists of a ring of 

 cilia. 



Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 486). — A weak glabrous grass, 



decumbent at the base or creeping in the mud, and shortly ascending. 



Leaves narrow, the ligula a ring of cilia. 



Panicle narrow and loose, 1 to 2 inches long, of few simple or scarcely divided 



branches. 

 Spikelets few, pedicellate, the upper one of each primary branch solitary, the lower 



ones two or three together on short secondary branches, all narrow, ovoid, 1 to 



1£ line long, quite glabrous, rather obtuse. 

 Outer glume short, broad, nerveless, truncate or shortly acute. 

 Second and third equal or nearly so, membranous, five-nerved, both empty. 

 Fruiting glume rather acute, smooth and shining. 



Value as a fodder. — Unknown. 



Habitat and range. — 'Confined to this Colony, as far as we know at 

 present. Port Jackson to New England (coast to tableland) in muddy 

 places. 



48. Panicum tricolor, R.Br. 



Botanical name. — Bicolor — Latin for two-coloured, referring to the 

 spikelets. 



Where figured. Agricultural Gazette. ♦ 



Botanical description (B. FL, vii, 487). — Usually a small slender tufted 

 grass, with much the habit of some species of Aira or Agrostis, but 

 sometimes above 1 foot high, approaching in habit P. melananthum. 



Leaves linear, usually very narrow, more or less hairy, especially at the orifice of the 



sheath, rarely quite glabrous. 

 Ligula very short, ciliate. 

 Panicle usually only 2 or 3 inches long, loose and slender, but rather narrow, but 



sometimes larger and spreading. 

 Branches capillary and flexuose, not clustered and not much divided. 

 Spikelets all pedicellate, about 1 line long, glabrous. 

 Outer glume acute, three-nerved, fully half as long as the spikelet. 

 Second and third glume nearly equal, acute, about five-nerved. 

 Third with a palea but not stamens. 

 Fruiting glume smooth and shining. 



