26 



makes excellent hay. Like E. 'punctata, it has been introduced by 

 travelling stock, either from Queensland or our own open country at 

 the back. It is more plentiful probably than E. punctata, particularly 

 around Lisniore, so that any settler could secure a few plants by seeking 

 some near the stone quarry. The grass is highly recommended to dairy 

 farmers for systematic cultivation, either for permanent pasture or to 

 cut for hay. Both the Eriochloas referred to in this paper are 

 sufficiently vigorous to force a footing in old pastures, the seed 

 springing into life from August to March." 



Habitat and range. — Same as the preceding species. 



3. PANIOUM. 



Spikelets with one terminal hermaphrodite and occasionally a male 

 or rudimentary flower below it, rarely awned, variously arranged along 

 the branches of a simple or compound panicle rarely reduced to a 

 simple spike, the partial rhachis very rarely produced beyond the last 

 spikelet ; barren awnlike branches none, or very rarely a single one. 



Glumes usually four, the outer one smaller than the others, not 

 awned, often very small, deficient only in P. gibbosum, the second and 

 third very variable in relative proportions, the third occasionally with 

 a palea with or without three stamens in its axil ; fourth or fruiting 

 glume smaller, or as long as the third, of a firmer consistence, enclosing 

 a palea and hermaphrodite flower. 



Styles distinct or very shortly united at the base. 



Grain enclosed in the hardened fruiting glume and palea, but free 

 from them. 



SEEIES I. DlGITAKIEiE. 



Spikelets mostly in pairs along the outer and lower side of the 

 simple slender branches of the panicle, one of each pair always 

 pedicellate, the other sessile or on a shorter pedicel, the upper ones of 

 each branch occasionally solitary, the lower ones very rarely clustered. 

 Outer glume usually very small. 



Branches of the panicle often numerous, the lower ones long and 



verticillate, the upper ones scattered. 

 Lowest spikelet of each pair sessile. Spikelets H to 2 lines long, 



more or less silky-hairy ... ... ... ... ... ... 1. P. cmnicolum. 



Spikelets 1 to lh lines long, more or less silky-hairy ... 2. P. clivaricatissimum. 

 Spikelets 1 to 1J lines long, not silky, but the lateral nerves on 



the third glume ciliate with rigid hairs seated on tubercles 3. P. macr actinium. 

 Branches of the panicle few, three to eight, digitate or clustered at 



the end of the peduncle. 

 Spikelets of each pair similar, both fertile, glabrous, or softly 



ciliate ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5. P. sanguinale. 



Branches of the panicle scattered or the upper ones approximate, the 



lower ones rarely clustered, and not verticillate. 

 Branches, usually three, distant, 1 to 1^ inches long. Spikelets 



ovoid, about ^ line long 8. P. tenuissimum. 



Branches often numerous, 2 to 6 inches long. Spikelets glabrous, 



^ to | line long, the lower ones often clustered 9. P. parvijlorum. 



Branches often numerous, 2 to 6 inches long. Spikelets narrow, 



nearly 1 line long, silky-hairy 10. P. Baileyi. 



