72 



Stems creeping or diffuse, shortly ascending ; leaves hairy, rhachis 

 of the spike ciliate, outer glume wrinkled on the base, 

 awn shortly exserted ... ... ... ... ... ... 6. I. ciliare. 



Sessile spikelet two-flowered, awned ; pedicellate spikelet unawned, 

 with a male or without any flower ; spike solitary. 



Pedicellate spikelet without flowers ; spike slender ; sessile spike- 

 lets flat, closely appressed, pectinate-ciliate on each side ; 

 no awn 8. I. pectinatum. 



Pedicellate spikelets lanceolate, flattened, with two male flowers 10. /. laxum. 



3. Ischsemum triticeum, R.Br. 



Botanical name. — Ischsemum, said to be from ischasmon, a plant re- 

 ferred to by Pliny : " A herb like a hyrse, having sharp leaves and 

 moss j it is good to stop blood/' It is said that the woolly seeds of 

 one of the species were used as a styptic ; triticeum, Latin, wheat-like. 



Vernacular Name. — " Wheat Grass. " 



Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 519). — Yery near/, muticum, but a 

 coarse plant, ascending to 2 or 3 feet. 



Leaves mostly long and broad, contracted at the base or scarcely cordate, glabrous 



or the lower sheaths hairy. 

 Spikes two together, 3 to 4 inches long. 



Spikelets 4 to 5 lines long, more acuminate than in /. muticum. 

 Outer glume smooth and shining at the base, several-nerved, and often ciliate, with a 



few hairs at the end, the wings of the lateral nerves often unequal. 

 Inner glumes rather rigid, the third with a rigid palea and male flower, the fourth 



under the terminal flower more hyaline, shortly two-fid, the awn usually exserted 



and sometimes ^ inch long. 

 Pedicellate spikelet nearly similar, but, as in 1. muticum rather narrower, the wings 



and nerves irregular, and the awn often shorter. 



Value as a fodder. — A coarse grass, of but little value for fodder. 

 Habitat and range. — A common coast grass in Queensland and 

 Northern New South Wales. 



4. Xschsemum australe, E.Br. 



Botanical name. — Australe, Latin, southern (Australian). 

 Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 519). — 



Stems from a shortly decumbent base or creeping rhizome erect, 2 to 3 feet high, but 



not stout. 

 Leaves rather narrow, glabrous or slightly hairy in the typical form, the nodes 



always bearded, the upper sheaths very long. 

 Spikes two together on a long peduncle, sessile and erect, 1£ to 3 inches long, the 



rhachis and pedicels slightly ciliate. 

 Spikelets 3 lines long or scarcely more, otherwise the same as in /. triticeum. 

 Awn of the sessile spikelet \ to \ inch long, of the pedicellate spikelet shorter or 



reduced to a short point. 



Value as a fodder. — A coarse, harsh grass, only nutritious when 

 young ; when old, stock never touch it except when hard pressed. 

 Bailey remarks that it has a deep-running rhizome, and is thus enabled 

 to stand a length of dry weather, and continue to afford a bite for 

 stock after others have given up. Mr. Seccombe, with admittedly 

 limited experience of it, speaks of it as a valuable acquisition, growing 



