182 

 5. Poa nodosa, Nees. 



Botanical name. — Nodosa — Latin, full of knots or bumps, referring 

 to the nodules at the base of the stem. 

 Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 653). — ■ 



Stems usually about 2 feet high, forming at the base one, two, or three superposed 



globular or ovoid nodules, 3 or 4 lines diameter. 

 Leaves long, narrow, flat, usually scabrous. 

 Panicle loose, narrow or spreading. 

 S2iikeleis 3 to 4 lines long, five- to eight-flowered, rather narrow at first with closely 



appressed glumes, at length broad and flat, the glumes spreading out. 

 Flowering glumes about 2 lines long, five-nerved, without the woolly hairs at the base 



of most Pope, but shortly ciliate-pubescent on the keel and margins below the 



middle. 



Palea nearly as long, the keels minutely ciliate-pubescent or glabrous. 

 Grain free. 



Value as a fodder. — " Perennial ; grows in almost pure sand, and 

 produces tuberous enlargements at the roots. It is tender and 

 nutritious, but neither tall nor bulky." (Bailey.) 



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

 New South "Wales, found in the extreme southern districts. 



8. Poa lepida, E.v.M. 



Botanical name. — Lepida — Latin, pretty or pleasant, the grass being 

 a desirable one. 



Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 654). — An erect annual, varying 

 from 2 or 3 inches to nearly 1 foot high, more slender and less spread- 

 ing than P. annua. 



Leaves flat, flaccid, the ligula rather long, jagged. 

 Panicle very narrow, almost spike-like, 1 to 2 inches long. 



Spikelets not numerous, nearly sessile, clustered on the very short branches, very 



flat, about 3 lines long, five- to seven- or more- flowered, the rhachis more or less 



silky-hairy. 



Flowering glumes narrow, obtuse, nearly 1^ lines long, seven- to eleven-nerved, the keel 



prominent, ciliate with long hairs below the middle, outer glumes three-nerved. 



Grain apparently broader than in most Pose and broadly furrowed, but not seen ripe. 



Value as a fodder. — Not known, but probably a useful grass. 

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

 Queensland. Found in the extreme southern part of New South Wales. 



93. SCHEDONORUS. 



Spikelets several-flowered, flattened in a narrow and spikelike or 

 loose and spreading panicle, the rhachis of the spikelet glabrous or 

 slightly hairy, articulate under the flowering glumes. 



Outer empty glumes narrow, acute, keeled or three-nerved. 



Flowering glumes usually five-nerved, rounded on the back at the 

 base, obtuse or shortly notched at the apex, the keel prominent, at 

 least in the upper part, and usually produced into a minute point in 

 or just below the notch. 



