1824 CLIII; GRAMINEJI. [fanicum. 



inflorescence occupying about one quarter of the stems length. The spikes 

 arranged as in P. gi-acile, but longer, and the spikelets larger. — P. distans, Trin. 

 Spec. Gram. t. Ilk 

 Hab.: Darr Eiver, C. W. de Burgh Birch; Georg'm&'Biver, J. Coffhlan. 



■ 17. P. prostratum (prostrate), Lam. lllustr. i. 171; B mthrF I. A ustr. \ii. 

 476. Stems decumbent-or creeping and rooting at the base; ascending to 1ft. or 

 more. Leaves lanceolate,' 1 to 2in. long or in luxuriant specimens twice as long, 

 glabrous except a few cilia at the-base of the lamina and orifice of the sheath; or 

 sometimes' with the sheath more hairy. Panicle of 3 to 10 simple" branches! to 

 If in. long,i usually crowded, at the- end of the peduncle, btit sometimes more 

 distant and spreading. Spikelets rather crowded along the rhaehis, but often in 

 pairs, 1 sessile the other pedicellate, or rarely, the Jower pedicels , bearing 2 

 spikelets, ovoid, rather above 1 line long and almost acute, glabrous but occasion- 

 ally with a few capillary bristles on the rhaohis and pedieelsii Outer glume very 

 short and broad, obtuse or almost acute,- the 2nd and 3rd nearly equal<i^ 3 or 

 5-nerved, the 3rd with a large palea and sometimes a male, flower in -its axil. 

 Fruiting glunie smooth, very obtuse, but occasionally tipped by a minute point. 

 Tirin. Spec. Gram. t. 181, 185. ' " = • ' 



Hab.: Gulf of Carpentaria, Landsborough. - 



Generally distributed oVer' tropical Asia, it is also in Africa and the 'West Indies. 



18. P. '''muticum (pointless), Forsk, El. Avg. Arab. 20. Stems stout, 

 elongating to 8ft. or more,- the nodes more or less softly bearded. Leaves 6 to 

 12in, long, the sheath glabrous or. hairy ; ligula. short/ oiliate. Papicle erect, 8 

 to Sin; long, rhaehis stiff, scabrous. Spikes rather distant, stout, simple or 

 divided, below, lower ones 2 to 4in. long, upper gradually' shorter, rhaehis sub- 

 hispid. Spikelets turgid; sometimes solitary and alternate, green or purpHsh, 1st 

 glume a J of the 3rd, ovate, acute, 1 -nerved, 2nd and 3rd subequal, 5-nerved, 3rd 

 paleate male-, 4th ellipsoid obtuse margins narrowly incurved. 



Hab.; Fotlnd in Java, Africa and America. Was introduced by the late Dr. Joseph Bancroft, 

 and is becoining naturalised ; yields a large quantity of fodder when growing on damp or 

 swampy land. 



19. P. helopus (growing in swamps), Trin. in Spreiig. Neue Entd. ii. 84 ; 

 Bmth. Fl. Austr. vii. 476. Stems usually rather tall. Leaves lanceolate, often 

 rather broad and cordate, at the base with loose sheaths, usually more or. less 

 hirsute especially the sheath, .hut sometimes nearly -glabrous. Panicle of few 

 simple branches,, sometimes 3 to 5 almost sessile .above the last leaf, sometimes 

 6 or 7 on a rather long peduncle. Spikelets irregularly alternate in 2 rows along 

 th« rhaehis, or the lower ones -eluateced .and;the upper ones more distant, .Dvoidi 

 acute, nearly 2 lines long, pubescent villous or glabrous. Outer gl.ume;very 

 short and broad, 3-nerved, the 2nd about 7-nerved, the 8rd about the same length 

 but narrower, 5-:nei:ved-, with a palea in its axil but no stamens. Fruiting glume 

 minutely rugose, obtuse, but./tfie central-nerve produced into, a short awn-like 

 point not exceeding the empty glumes. — Trin. Spec. Gram. t. t. ISaj.Duth. 

 lod, Gr. pi. vii. ; U.rocUoapube$cens, Beauv.; Kunth, Enum. i. 74 ; U.. panicoides, 

 .Beauv. Agrost. 52, t. 11 ; Kunth, i.e. and Revis. Gram. ,t. 14. 



Hab.: Islands of Torres Strait ; Darling Downs and other southern localities. 

 . The species is common in tropical Asia and Afrioia,. 



20. P. Gilesii (after Ernest Giles), Bmth. Fl; Austr. vii. ill. Stemis 6 to 

 lOin. high, leafy to the top, with a few' long hairs scattered on the leaf-sheaths, 

 the lanj^na fl-at. Panicle of 2 or 8 simple branches, close together and halt 

 enclosed in 'the uppermost ^ leaf-sheath, under" lin. long. ' Spikelets closely 

 resei.ilbling In 'size and shape those -.of P. fteZo^ws; ovoid, acute or acuminate, 

 1^ line long or rathsr niore, sessile rn 2'tows on ''a glabrous tliachis.." Outer 



