Paspalum.] ULIIl. GRAMINE^, 1818 



loiig; Thaehia gflalicous and -natBowly winged. Spikelets imbricate in altornate 

 paif s, the short pedicels . hairy, and one . shorter than the other. Giumea 

 numerous, margins oiliate, 3 to 5-nerved. Anthers and stigmas pu-rpte.— (?. 

 ovatum, Nees ;, Trin, Spec. Grain, ii. t. 139. 



Hab.: Brazil. This is the best o( the introduced species and takes kindly to our olimat*. 



3.. P. Polo (name of creek whex-e ioan(i),BaU. Ql. Agric. Joum. i. Pt., 1. 

 Stems fevr from each root, erect, somewhat flattened and slender, l|ft, high, 

 The sheaths of the leavej on the lower part of the stems liirsnfce with stiff spread- 

 ing hairs, the upper ones glabrous except for a few long h^ira about the orifice ; 

 ligula scarious, truncate, blades 5 to 6in. long, 3 lines broad, tapering to 

 filiform points, glabrous, with nearly smooth edges. Spikes usually 2, when 3 

 two together at the top and the third inserted Idwer down, 2in. long, slightly 

 tpipentps^ at the ba,3e. ■ Spikel^ts abqi;i,t 1 line long, oval-opbioulai', in 2 oiiflwded 

 rows, on very short pedicels,. Outer glumes with a prominent midrib and a 

 faintly marked nerve on eaph si^e near the margin. Fruiting glume hard glossy- 

 brown with no visible nerves. 



Hab.: Polo Creek, Cape York Peninsula. This may probably prove a useful pasture grass. 



4. P. scrobiculatum (furrowed), Linn.; Kunth, F.mm. i. 52 ; Benth. 14. 

 Awitr. vii. 460. Ditch Millet. Erect or ascettdingi attaining 1 to 4ft., the Australian 

 speoimepa glabrous or rarely with a few long hairs at the base of the leaf-blades. 

 Spikes varying from 2 to 5, alternate, spreafing, usually distant, 1 to 2 or rarely 

 nearly Sin. long, the rhachis usually flat and about 1 line broad, and sometimes 

 minutely pubescent at the base. Bpikelets sessile or shortly . pedicellate in 2 close 

 rows or rarely in part at least of the spike crowded into 3 or 4 rows, ovoid- 

 orbicular, obtuse, flat, about 1 line long when in fruit. Outer empty glumes 

 thinly membranous, with a prominent midrib, sometimes minutely pubescent. 

 Fruiting, glume similar in shape but soon hardened, very finely striate, the central 

 nerve visibly only in the young state. Palea hardened like the flowering glume, 

 the inflected margins dilated at the base into broad hyaline aiiricles enveloping 

 the flower. — Trin. Spec; Gram. ii. t. 148; F. v. M. Fragm. viii. 156 ; P. 

 orbicidai-e, Fprst.; R. Br. Prod. 188,- P. polystachyum, and P. imbescem, HH. Br.. 

 I.e. ; P. metabolon, Steud. Syn. Glum. i. 19 r Duthie Ind. Gr. PI. i. 



Hab.: Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, R. Brou-n ; between Norman and Gilbert Rivers, 

 GiiUiver; Sweers Islands, Henne ; Northumberland Islands. R. Brown; Boekingham Bay, 

 Dallachy; Port Denison, Fitzalan; Percy Island and Pout Curtis, iJ'Gillivray ; Brisbane River, 

 F. V. MufUer. 



Iilflore»cence sometimes infested with the fungus blights, Ustilago Cesatii, M'aldh., and 

 Cerebella paspuli, C, d- M. 



Frequent in tropical and snbtropioal Asia and Africa, All or nearly all Australian specimens 

 belong to the variety still distinguished by some as a species under Porster's name orbiculare, 

 usually a more slender plant with smaller spikelets, the rhachis olten pubescent at the base, and 

 the outer glumes scarcely or not at a,ll sorobiculate. The marginal indentures and the 

 intermediate nerves between the midrib and the marginal ones of til typical P. scroMcu/afiim 

 are chiefly prominent in cultivated varieties,— Benffc. j , 



6. P. distichum (two-rowed), Linn.; Kunth, Enum. i. 52 ; lienth. FL Austr. 

 vii. 460, Water Ooucl;. Stems often creeping and rooting in the sands to a 

 great extent, the ascending extremities' varying from short and entirely covereJ . 

 with the leaf-sheaths, to slender 1ft. long or more with the leaves distant. Leaves 

 either linear-lanceolate and flat or involute and almost subulate, glabrous, or with 

 a'few long hairs at the orifice of the sheath and base of the lamina. Spikes 2, 

 etpse together, or the lowest at a distance of ,1 to 2 lines,, quite glabrous, the 

 rliftpbis mi above | line broad. Spikelets aessilB, in 2 rows. oyftUoblpng,! acute or 

 aeumiuate, flatj 1^' to" nearly 2 rlijufs long. ~ Qufeif empty glumes equ^l and 



