184 



Value as a fodder. — This is a bulky grass, and is highly spoken of 

 by holders of the " snow leases," and others competent to speak in 

 regard to it. It can stand the severest cold we ever experience in 

 New South Wales, and it might be desirable to introduce it into the 

 coldest parts of New England. It might also be desirable to introduce 

 it into cold districts outside Australia. It not only yields a large amount 

 of fodder, but it is very nutritious, and it also has a handsome appear- 

 ance when in bloom. Stock are fond of it. 



Some specimens in my possession from the Bredbo River are badly 

 ergotted ; all my other specimens are free from this undesirable fungus. 

 It should be looked for now that attention has been drawn to the matter. 



Habitat and range. — Most collectors who have visited Mount Kosci- 

 usko bring specimens of it, and it is fairly abundant in the Australian 

 Alps. It extends into both New South Wales and Victoria, never 

 descending to low elevations. Its most northerly locality would appear 

 to be the Mittagong Ranges. It also occurs in a few localities in 

 Tasmania. 



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 appear- 

 ance (much magnified). 



94. GLYCERIA. 



Spikelets several-flowered, pedicellate in a narrow or spreading 

 panicle, the rhachis of the spikelet articulate under the flowering 

 glumes, glabrous or rarely hairy. 



Outer empty glumes obtuse or acute, unawned. 



Flowering glumes convex on the back, three- to nine-nerved, the 

 nerves not reaching to the hyaline, obtuse, sometimes slightly denticulate 

 apex. 



Palea nearly as long as the glume. 



Ovary glabrous. 



Styles distinct, very short, the plumose stigmas frequently more 

 branched than in other genera. 



Grain glabrous, enclosed in the glume and palea, but free from them. 



Flowering glumes with a tuft of hairs round the base or on the 



back below the middle. Panicle loose 1. G. Fordeana. 



Rhachis and base of the flowering glumes glabrous or minutely 

 pubescent. 



Stems rarely 3 feet high. Panicle narrow. Panicle long and loose. 

 Spikelets | to 1 inch. Flowering glumes distant, narrow, 

 3 lines long; outer glumes much shorter .. . ... ... ... 2. G. jluitans. 



Panicle dense. Spikelets few, broad, £ to § inch. Flowering 



glumes paleaceous, 3 to 4 lines long ; outer glumes as long ... 3. G. latispicea. 



Stems very rigid, tall, with few short leaves and often clusters of 

 short branches. Flowering glumes hyaline, three-nerved at 

 the base. Panicle very spreading. Spikelets six- to twelve- 

 flowered 6. G. ramigera. 



1. Glyceria Fordeana, E.v.M. 



Botanical name. — Glyceria — Greek, gluceros, sweet, in allusion to the 

 herbage of these grasses ; Fordeana, in honor of Mrs. Helena Forde, 

 who first sent this grass to Baron von Muller. 



