98 



for domestic animals. It is treated like rice, being transplanted to 

 wet and previously ploughed meadows. Bailey found it to be one of 

 the most relished by cattle amongst the aquatic grasses of East Aus- 

 tralia. In Singapore it is regularly gathered in waste places as a 

 green fodder for cattle and horses." — (Kew Bulletin, 1894, p. 382.) 



Fungus found on this grass. — Thecaphoria inquinans, B. & Br. 



Habitat and range. — New South Wales and Queensland, from Port 

 Jackson north. It is a semi-aquatic plant. It is especially common 

 along the watercourses of Queensland, to a less extent on those of 

 the northern parts of this Colony. It is found throughout the entire 

 tropical zone. 



40. POTAMOPHILA. 



Spihelets one-flowered, polygamous, not flattened, articulate on very 

 short pedicels along the filiform branches of a terminal panicle. 



Glumes four, two outer ones very small membranous, nerveless, two 

 upper ones much larger, membranous but prominently nerved, the 

 outer one the broadest. 



No two-nerved palea. 



Stamens six. 



Styles short, distinct. 



Grain enclosed in the larger glumes, free from them. 



1. Potamophila parviflora, R.Br. 



Botanical name. — Potamophila, Greek potamos a river, philo I love, 

 in allusion to the habitat of this grass ; parviflora, parvus small, 

 flora (flos,floris) flower, small-flowered. 



Where figured. — Trinius. 



Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 550). — An aquatic glabrous 

 grass of 3 to 5 feet. 



Leaves narrow and erect, convolute when dry, scabrous ; ligula prominent, jagged. 



Panicle narrow, 1 to 1^ feet long, or even more. 



Spikelets very numerous, about 1£ lines long, pale-coloured or purplish, ovoid-oblong, 



the males and females very similar and variously intermixed, with a few barren 



ones reduced to empty glumes. 

 Larger glumes membranous, rather acute, concave, the outer one five-nerved, the 



inner one three-nerved. 



Value as a fodder. — A tall, pale-coloured, erect, cane-like grass, 

 forming large tussocks in the water several feet in diameter. It is 

 cropped by cattle wherever they can reach it, and is probably a very 

 nutritious grass. 



Habitat and range. — Confined to this Colony, and only recorded from 

 the Hastings and "Williams Bivers. I found it in my recent expedition 

 to Mount Seaview, occurring for many miles in the Lower and Upper 

 Hastings. It is found in the stony bed of the limpid stream, always 

 more or less submerged, probably because cattle have eaten it out 

 close to the bank. 



