68 

 1. Perotis rara, R.Br. 



Botanical name. — Perotis, from tlie Greek peros, wanting or deficient, 

 though the author of the genus gives no indication of what part he 

 desires to indicate as deficient (supposing such to have been his idea) ; 

 or, perhaps, from the Greek otites, eared, with long ears, and peri, 

 around, referring to the long awns ; rara, Latin, signifying seldom 

 seen, or unusual. It is not a very common grass. 



Vernacular name. — " Comet-grass," so called by Mr. Bailey because 

 he noticed this grass to be very abundant in the pasture of the Comet 

 River district, Queensland. 



Where figured. — Agricultural Gazette. 

 Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 509). — 

 Stems from a decumbent or branching base, slender, ascending to 1 foot or rather 



more. 

 Leaves linear, with subulate points, glabrous exeejtt a few marginal cilia especially 



at the orifice of the sheaths. 

 Ligula ciliate. 



Spike or raceme in some specimens 3 to 4 inches, in others at least twice as long. 



Spikelefs always numerous, at first erect, at length reflexed, in some specimens almost 



sessile, in others on pedicels of J to above £ line long, often ciliate with a few 



hairs, the spikelets very narrow, 2 to 3 lines long without the fine awns, which 



are ^ to 1 inch long. 



Outer glume with a prominent keel, sometimes glabrous, in a few specimens ciliate 



with rather long hairs. 

 Second glume similar, but rather shorter and narrower. 



Value as a fodder. — This is a quick grower. Some observers say it is 

 succulent, and stock are stated to be fond of it ; but Mr. P. A. 

 O'Shanesy, speaking of the dry summer of 1881, states that he has 

 observed the goats will no^ eat it, even in places where there are no 

 other grasses. 



Bailey alludes to it as u a small decumbent grass, affording excellent 

 sheep-pasture in open country, growing quickly after showers. The 

 seeds, though sharp, are not very troublesome." He found it in much 

 favour with the pastoralists of the Comet River, but in other places it 

 was not so highly thought of. 



Some of our stock-inspectors do not apppear to be able to appraise 

 the value of this grass, and their attention might be drawn to it. 



We know so little about the fodder value of Perotis that it may be 

 interesting to note that, speaking of P. latifolia, Roxburgh says that 

 cattle are not fond of this grass ; Mr. Lowrie, however, states that at 

 Ajmere it is considered to be a good fodder grass." (Duthie.) 



Other uses. — Its inflorescence is ornamental, and may be used for 

 decorative purposes. 



Habitat and range. — Found in South Australia, New South Wales, 

 Queensland, and Northern Australia. It also occurs in Asia and the 

 Pacific Islands. In New South Wales it is always an interior species. 

 The Stock Inspector of the Bourke district says that it grows prolificacy 

 on sandy and red ground, and is not to be found on black soil 

 anywhere. 



Reference to Plate — a, Part of the spike, enlarged, to show the attachment of the 

 spikelets ; b, A spikelet showing the two very long awns at the extremity of the glumes ; 

 C, Unripe grain, very much enlarged. 



