79 



3. Aiidropogon affinis, R.Br. 



Botanical name. — Affinis — Latin, contiguous to, in allusion to its 

 affinity to A. sericeus. 



Vernacular name. — A "Blue-grass." 



Where figured. — A gricu It u ra I Gazette. 



Botanical description (B. FL, vii, 530). — Very near A. sericeus and 

 perhaps a variety, with the same habit; the nodes less bearded and 

 sometimes quite glabrous. 



Spikes usually three or four, not quite sessile, H to 2 inches long. 



Spikelets rather longer and narrower than in A. sericeus and not so closely imbricate, 



the long silky spreading hairs only on the pedicels and at the base of the sessile 



spikelets, not on the back of the glumes. 

 Third glume more developed in the spikelets examined, the awn f to 1^ inches long. 



Value as a fodder. — The remarks under A. sericeus will apply here- 

 very well. 



Habitat and range. — Occurs from Victoria to Queensland. In this 

 colony it extends from south to north, both in the coast districts and 

 on the tablelands and Dividing Range. 



Andropogon pertusus, Willd. 



Botanical name. — Pertusus — Latin, having holes, in allusion to the 

 little pit or depression in the outer glume. (See A. intermedins.) 



Vernacular names. — Sometimes called " Blue-grass ; " known as 

 " Sour-grass " in the West Indies. 



Where figured. — Agricultural Gazette. 



Botanical description. — (B. FL, vii, 530). — A rather tall grass, 



Stems slender, 1 to 2 feet high, the nodes glabrous. 



Leaves chiefly at the base of the stem, narrow, glabrous. 



Spikes two to five, sessile or nearly so at the end of the peduncle without sheathing- 

 bracts, 1 to 2 inches long, silky-hairy as in the preceding species, with long 

 hairs on the pedicels and at the base of the sessile spikelets. 



Spikelets fully 2 lines long, rather obtuse. 



Outer glume marked above the middle with a small pit which assumes inside the 

 appearance of a projecting gland. 



Axon slender, about f , rarely 1 inch long. 



Pedicellate spikelet usually containing a male flower. 



Value as a fodder. — An excellent grass, standing drought well, and 

 yielding abundant and palatable, nutritious feed. 



" Excellent for pastures, yielding a large quantity of forage, and it 

 stands constant grazing better than most grasses with which I am 

 acquainted." (O'Shanesy.) 



" This grass, which is met with all over the plains of Northern 

 India, is universally esteemed as a good fodder- grass, both for grazing 

 and stacking." (Duthie.) 



The following account of West Indian experience with this grass is 

 interesting : — " The ' sour-grass ? is the chief fodder-grass of Barbados, 

 where it is cultivated almost to the exclusion of all others. In the 

 driest districts and most exposed places^ this hardy and excellent 

 fodder-plant, which grows from 18 inches to 2 feet high, seems to 



