113 



Value as a fodder. — Although rather a rigid grass, it is always, at 

 all events when young, cropped by cattle and horses. It is a tall 

 tufty grass, met with in various situations, on hill sides and on the 

 banks of rivers. 



Habitat and range. — Found in New Zealand, Queensland, and New 

 South Wales. In our Colony, confined to the coast district and Divid- 

 ing Range north of Port Jackson. 



3. Stipa flavescens, Labill. 



Botanical name. — Flavescens — Latin, growing yellow, in allusion to 

 the general colour of the inflorescence. 



1 Vh ere fig u red. — Labillardier e . 



Botanical description (B. FL, vii, 566). — An erect rather slender 

 grass of H to 3 feet, quite glabrous, or the lower leaves slightly 

 pubescent. 



Lower haves sometimes fiat at the base, but all otherwise convolute when dry, very 



narrow or almost subulate, often rigid. 

 Ligula very short, not ciliate. 

 Panicle narrow and dense, 6 inches to above 1 foot long, the erect branches and 



pedicels glabrous. 

 Outer glumes 4 to 6 lines long, acute. 

 Flowering glume on a rather long hairy stipes, scarcely 3 lines long, silky hairy, the 



hyaline involute margins ending in a small very thin lobe or tooth on each side 



of the awn, often difficult to distinguish from the hairs. 

 Awn usually pubescent, \\ inches long or more. 

 Paha nearly as long as the glume, hairy towards the top. 



Value as a fodder. — Only of value when young. 



Habitat and range. — Found in all the Colonies except Queensland. 

 In New South Wales it is found on the Monaro, and also on the 

 Dividing Range and spurs as far north as the Mittagong district. It 

 prefers rocky situations. 



8. Stipa setacea, B. Br. 



Botanical name. — Setacea, bristly, in allusion to the fine leaves. 8. 

 setacea is found pretty well all over Australia, and hence it is not 

 surprising that it varies a good deal. For instance, the leaves vary in 

 width, and also in length, and we have figured both narrow and broad- 

 leaved forms. 



Vernacular names. — A " Spear-grass," owing to the spear-shaped 

 ripened seed, to which is attached a long awn. Called " Corkscrew- 

 grass," owing to the twisted, corkscrew-like appearance of the lower 

 part of the awn. 



Where figured. — Agricultural Gazette, Hooker,, Fl. Tasmania. 



Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 568). — • 



Stems slender, 1 to 2 feet high, or rarely more. 



Leaves fine and short, tufted at the base of the stem ; those on the stem few, with 



long sheaths. 

 Ligula elongated, not ciliate, often broken off from dried specimens. 

 Panicle loose, 4 to 10 inches long, glabrous. 

 Outer glumes very thin, narrow, acuminate, 4 to 5 lines long. 

 Flowering glume much shorter, pubescent or villous, entire at the top. 

 Awn glabrous, very fine, 1^ to above 2 inches long. 

 Palea as long as the glume, often hardened when ripe. 



