117 



Botanical description (B. IT., vii, 570). — 

 Stems in the typical form, slender, tufted, 1 to 2 feet high. 

 Leaves subulate or filiform, rather short, glabrous or slightly pubescent, the upper 



sheath scarcely dilated. 

 Ligula very short, more or less ciliate. 

 Panicle very loose, 6 inches to above 1 foot long, with long capillary, slightly 



spreading branches and pedicels. 

 Outer glumes at first almost hyaline, at length, especially in western specimens, often 



purplish or rigid, tapering into long points, the longest about \ inch long. 

 Flowering glume about 2 lines long, silky-hairy, entire at the tip. 

 Awn fine, glabrous, 3 inches long or more. 

 Paha nearly as long as the glume. 



Value as a fodder. — Believed to be nutritious ; perhaps one of the 

 best of the genus from the point of view of the stockowner. 



Habitat and range. — Found in all the Colonies except Tasmania. In 

 New South Wales it is only recorded from the interior districts. 



" It is worthy of note that some species of Stipa act upon cows, and 

 more especially upon horses, as narcotics. The fact is established as 

 regards S.inebrians, Hance ; S. viridula, Trin. ; and a species growing 

 in Cashmere, probably S. sibirica, Lam." (Hackel.) The " Sleepy 

 Grass ; ' of New Mexico, U.S.A., is S. viridula, var. robusta. 



Sub-tribe ii. — Agrostidese. 

 51. Pentapogon. 54. Agrostis. 



53. Dichelachne. 55. Deyeuxia. 



51. PENTAPOGON. 



Spikelets one-flowered, numerous in rather a dense much branched 

 panicle; the rhachis of the spikelet articulate above the two outer 

 glumes, with a tuft of hairs surrounding the flowering* glume and not 

 continued above it. 



Glumes three, two outer persistent, membranous, acute or shortly 

 pointed. 



Flowering glume narrow, rolled round the flower, divided at the 

 end into five lobes or awns, the central one rigid, at length twisted, 

 continuous with the keel and sometimes slightly dorsal, the lateral 

 ones shorter and straight. 



Palea narrow, enclosed in the flowering glume. 



Lodicules two. 



Styles short, distinct. 



Grain enclosed in the glume, but free from it. 



1. Pentapogon Billardieri, R. Br. 



Botanical name. — Pentapogon — Greek, penta, five; pogon, beard 

 (awn), the flowering glume being divided at the end into five lobes 

 or awns. Billardieri in honour of Jacques Julien Houton La Billar- 

 diere, the celebrated botanist of the expedition despatched by the 

 French Government in search of traces of La Perouse. 



