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Var. latifolia, Benth. — Very tall and luxuriant, with flat leaves, 

 often 2 to 4 lines broad. Illawarra and Australian Alps ; also in a 

 mountain range in Southern Queensland. 



" The only Queensland habitat of this variety at present known is 

 -on the rich land upon the top of Mount Mistake. There it grows 

 3 to 4 feet high, very leafy and succulent, and would probably under 

 cultivation be profitable for cutting as green food for stock." (Bailey.) 



The following grass may very probably be referred to var. latifolia: — 

 <: Poa australis. Broad-leaved meadow grass ; perennial ; flowers in 

 December; average height at time of flowering 3 feet, growing 

 sometimes to 6 feet ; leaves smooth, flat, and very long. Thrives on 

 rich soil, in high, cold, and dry situations. A nice tender grass when 

 young, but it soon grows into larger tussocks than any other grass we 

 have. The herbage is of little value when suffered to grow old. If 

 grazed or cut down close every year it would afford a good supply of 

 valuable winter food/' (Bacchus.) 



2. Var. Isevis, Benth. — Leaves, when most characteristic, rigid, 

 erect, terete, smooth and shining, and the panicle contracted ; but in 

 many specimens the leaves more slender and sometimes filiform as in 

 the var. australis, but always quite smooth, the stem then taller, and 

 the panicle more diffuse; glumes usually about 1\ lines long. From 

 all the Colonies except Queensland, and perhaps that Colony also. 



" Poa australis ; var. Isevis. — An extremely variable grass, which has 

 received different names by authors. It is not surprising, therefore, 

 under such circumstances, that various estimates have been made of 

 its value as food for stock, according to which variety prevailed in any 

 district, some of the varieties being much more valuable than others. 

 There is no doubt but that the true value of the larger tussock grasses, 

 among which the present occupies a prominent place, has been much 

 under-estimated, as they have never been treated fairly on their merits, 

 and conclusions based on the readiness with which stock eat or refuse 

 them cannot be accepted as a criterion of their value, unless they are 

 cut down when in flower and treated as fodder. It is well known that 

 even the most favourite grasses of cultivation, such as Lolium perenne, 

 the common rye grass, if left uncut till the seed is shed will be refused 

 by all kinds of stock ; and so it is with the present species, which 

 should always be treated as a fodder plant." (Buchanan.) 



3. Var. affinis, Benth. — Leaves very narrow, but often flat, as in 

 the var. plebeia, but the panicle more diffuse, with more numerous 

 smaller spikelets ; the glumes usually under 1J lines long. 



One of the commonest forms in the eastern Colonies, but passing 

 much into the smooth P. australis and into P. Isevis. 



This grass is perhaps referred to by Bacchus in his notes on Poa 

 australis. 



4. Var. australis, Benth. — Leaves mostly radical, setaceous, much 

 shorter than the stem, erect, and exceedingly scabrous. Stems under 

 1 foot high, with a very loose spreading, rather small panicle. Glumes 

 1 to 1J lines long. 



In Tasmania very abundant as above described. In Victoria and 

 New South Wales the radical leaves are generally longer, and the 



