160 



Where figured. — Labillardiere, as Agrostis virginica, Trinius as Vilfa 

 virginica. 



Botanical description (B. FL, vii, 621). — 



Stems much branched and leafy at the base, erect or decumbent, 6 to 10 inches, or 



rarely 1 foot high. 

 Leaves short and narrow, often very spreading, convolute when dry, rather rigid, 



glabrous or ciliate at the base. 

 Panicle rather dense, narrow and spikelike or rather more branched at the base, 



1 to 1 \ inches long, often rather dark-coloured. 

 Glumes keeled, rather acute, about 1 line long, the two outer and flowering one 



similar, or the lowest rather smaller. 

 Palea rather longer, the two nerves close together so as to represent a broad keel, 



but very readily splitting, showing an inflexed margin between the nerves. 

 Grain broadly obovoid, the very thin pericarp separable when soaked, but undis- 



tinguishable in the dried state. 



Var., (?) pallida, Bentli. Taller, often above 1 foot high ; leaves 

 narrower, and often more erect ; spike looser, 2 to 4 inches long, the 

 spikelets often small and pale-coloured. Found on the Eichmond and 

 Darling Rivers in this Colony ; also in Queensland and Northern 

 Australia. 



Value as a fodder. — This grass has something of the habit of 

 Couch grass (Cynodon) , and is particularly valuable for saline situations. 

 Cattle become readily accustomed to it, and it is a nutritious grass. 



In Jamaica horses become rapidly and astonishingly fat while 

 feeding upon this grass. (Jenman.) 



Habitat and range. — Found in all the colonies, usually in saline 

 country near tidal rivers, or near the sea-shore. Occurs also in Asia, 

 Africa, and America. 



2. Sporobolus indicus, R.Br. 



Botanical name. — Indicus, Latin, Indian. 



Vernacular names. — " Parramatta Grass," u Rat-tail Grass/' " Chi- 

 lian Grass/' " Jil-crow-a-berry " of the aborigines of the Cloncurry 

 River, Northern Australia. " Smut Grass," " Carpet Grass," and 

 " Drop-seed Grass " are American names. The Brazilian name is 

 Capim maurao. 



Where figured. — Trinius as Vilfa tenacissima, Vasey, Buchanan (as 

 8. elongatus), Agricultural Gazette. 



Botanical description (B.F1., vii, 622). — An erect tufted grass of 1 

 to 2 feet, glabrous except a few cilia at the base of the leaves. 



Leaves chiefly at the base of the stem, narrow, ending in fine points, the upper ones 



few with long sheaths. 

 Spikelike panicle very narrow, 3 to 8 inches or even longer, continuous throughout 



or when long often much interrupted. 

 Spikelets very numerous, crowded along the very short erect almost imbricate or 



distant branches. 

 Outer glumes almost hyaline, obtuse, one-nerved, the lowest about \ line, the second 



f line long, flowering glume about 1 line, of a firmer consistence, broad but 



almost tapering to a point, one-nerved (the whole spikelet rather smaller in 



some specimens). 





