133 



Palea nearly as long', usually rather broad, prominently two-nerved. 



Styles distinct, slightly eccentrical. 



Grain very obtuse, usually broadly-furrowed, free from the palea. 



Panicle narrow, dense and spike-like, or interrupted. Leaves 



long, erect, and rigid ... .. ... ... ... ... 2. S. littoralis. 



Panicle loose and spreading 3. S. Hooherianus. 



2. Schedonorus littoralis, Beauv. 



Botanical name. — Schedonorus — from two Greek words, schedon close 

 to, and oros a mountain, in allusion to the mountainous localities fre- 

 quented by grasses of this genus; littoralis (litoralis) — Latin, belonging 

 to the sea-shore, this being a coast grass. 

 Synonym. — Festuca littoralis, Labill. 



Where figured. — Buchanan ; Labillardiere, as Festuca littoralis, and 

 by Trinius as Arundo triodoides. 



Botanical description (B. FL, vii, 655). — 

 Stems 1 to 3 feet high, forming dense hard tufts of a pale yellow colour. 

 Leaves nearly cylindrical, erect, rigid, pungent-pointed, glabrous, often as long as 



the stems. 

 Panicle narrow, dense and spike-like, 2 to 4 inches long. 

 Spilcelets few, flat, erect, 7 to 9 lines long, six- to eight-flowered. 



Glumes about 4 lines long, rigid, straw-coloured, the flowering ones with two nerves 

 on each side of the keel, acute or dilated and notched at the tip, the keel usually 

 slightly protruding, the two outer empty ones narrower, three-nerved, acute. 

 Rhachis of the spikelet shortly hairy. 



Value as a fodder. — Nil. 



Other uses. — An important grass for binding drift-sands on sea- 

 shores. It has been recommended as a paper-making material. 



Habitat and range. — Found on the coast of all the Colonies, including 

 New Zealand. 



3. Schedonorus Hookeriaxius, Bentli. 



Botanical Name. — Hooherianus , in honor of Dr. (now Sir) J. D. 

 Hooker, for many years Director of the Botanic Gardens at Kew. 



Synonym. — Festuca Hookeriana, F.v.M., the name adopted by Baron 

 von Mueller in his Census. It has also been placed under Poa. 



Vernacular names. — I know of none in common use. This is readily 

 accounted for, as this valuable grass is known to comparatively few 

 persons, because of its usual occurrence in localities so little trodden 

 by human beings. The name suggested is perhaps as good as any. 

 Bacchus calls it " Greorgie's Fescue/'' 



Where figured. — Agricultural Gazette; Hooker, Fl. Tasmania. 



Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 656). — A stout perennial of 2 to 4 



feet, glabrous or slightly scabrous-pubescent. 



Leaves flat, rather long. 



Panicle very loose, 6 inches to 1 foot long, with rather short and erect or long and 



spreading branches. 

 Spikelets numerous, 4 to 5 lines long, four- to six-flowered. 

 Flowering glumes rigidly membranous, about 3 lines long, keeled only in the upper 



part, the tip hyaline, entire or notched, the keel produced into a short point. 

 Outer glumes shorter, unequal, prominently keeled, the second often three-nerved. 



Reference to Plate : — A, spikelet ; b, outer empty glumes ; c, back and front views of 

 grain (seed) ; d, fragment of inner side of leaf, showing the ribbed and scabrous appearance 

 (much magnified.) 



