115 



widespread species forms a more succulent grass than any other of the 

 prairie grasses, and is locally known as buffalo-grass, spear-oat, &c. 

 The fruits ripen in July, and the awns penetrate the hides of sheep and 

 dogs, causing much damage to the settlers. There are very like those 

 of S. pennata, but about |-inch in length, with an awn nearly 2 inches 

 long, twisted nine or ten times. Rather more than o inches beyond, 

 it is produed into a delicate bristle, which does not twist, and many 

 small teeth pointing upward ; when wet, the whole awn is perfectly 

 straight. The author experimented in August, November, and 

 December upon S. spartea and S. pennata, and found that actual 

 penetrative power was possessed by the hygrometric awned seeds. 

 Butchers repeatedly find these seeds embedded about half an inch 

 beneath the skin of animals slaughtered by them, and animals have 

 not infrequently to be destroyed on account of their being infested 

 with these fruits." 



Other uses. — Nil. This and other species have toughish stems when 

 old, but none of them approach the Esparto (S. tenacissima) , in this 

 respect. 



Habitat and range. — Found in every one of the Colonies, from the 

 coastal districts to the deserts of the centre of the Continent. 



References to plate — Stipa setacea 1. The long ligule ; 2. Spikelet (opened out a little) ; 

 3. Outer or empty glumes ; 4. One empty glume, showing venation ; 5. Flowering glume, 

 with awn ; 6. Flowei'ing glume, entire at top. All variously magnified. A, filiform 

 leaves (type form) ; b, an old plant from western New South Wales. 



9. Stipa semibarbata, H.Br. 



Botanical names. — Semibarbata — Latin, semi, half; barbata, bearded, 

 the awn being only partially (often for half its length) plumose. 

 Where figured. — Hooker, Fl. Tamania. 

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



1| to near 3 feet high. 



Leaves narrow, convolute, often almost subulate, glabrous, or shortly pubescent, the 

 ligula very short and ciliate. 



Panicle oblong, rather dense, 6 to 10 inches long, with erect branches. 



Outer glumes 6 to 9 lines long, tapering into very thin, long, acute points. 



Flowering glumes silky-hairy, scarcely three lines long, entire at the top. 



A urn varying from under 2 inches to near 4 inches long; shortly plumose-hairy to- 

 the bend, or sometimes nearly to the end. 



Yar. mollis, Benth. — A coarser grass of 2 to 3 feet, the foliage 



usually softly pubescent, the other characters the same. Coastal New 



South Wales ; also, the Wimmera, "Victoria. 



Value as a fodder. — A bad Spear-grass. (FL, Tas.) 



Habitat and range.— -Found in all the Colonies. In New South 



Wales it is found in the coast districts and tablelands, and as far west 



as the Lachlan and Darling Rivers. 



