1832 CLIII. GEAMINEiE. [Panicunn- 



and more or less distinctly 6-nerved ; fruiting glume hard and glossy, sometimes 

 showing 1 or 3 keels. Styles shortly united. Stigmas densely plumose, of a . 

 purple colour. 



Hab.: Harvey's Creek, Eussell Eiver and Tringilburra Creek. Very abundant on the rich 

 scrub lands, attaining frequently the height o£ 15 or more feet. The same grass is met with 

 in New Guinea, as would appear from fragments I received from the late Mr. 0. H. Hartmann.. 

 Although a true Pawicum, this fine species much resembles an Isachne. 



47. P. effusum (panicle spread out), E. Br. Prod. 191 ; Benth. Fl. Amtr.\iu- 

 488. An erect perennial, sometimes short and under 1ft. but attaining the height 

 of 2 or 3ft. Leaves lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, scabrous and hairy as well as 

 the sheaths, the nodes bearded with long spreading hairs ; ligula very short and 

 eiliate. Panicle much-branched, sessile within the last leaf, 3 to 4in. long when« 

 first in flower, at length twice as long, the filiform divided branches very^ 

 spreading and flexuose, the lower ones densely clustered but not verticillate, the 

 upper ones scattered and distant. Spikelets all pedicellate, acute, about 1 line 

 long, glabrous. Outer glume acute, 1 to 3-nerved, about f the length of the 

 spikelet or rather more ; 2nd and Brd glumes nearly equal, 5 or 7-nerved, a palea. 

 within the Brd about \ its length. Fruiting glume smooth and shining. — Sieb. 

 Agrostoth. n. 67 ; Trin. Spec. Gram. t. 244 ; Turn. Ag. Gaz. N.S.W. iii. 



Hab.: Eockhampton, and many other northern localities to Cape York, Daemel ; and also- 

 common in southern localities. 



48. P. IMEitchelli (after Sir T. Mitchell), Denth. FL Austi: vii. 489. An 

 erect grass, decumbent at the base Only, 2 to 8ft. high, nearly allied to P. effusum,. 

 but larger, quite glabrous and the nodes not bearded. Leaves often long, the 

 §hort ligula rather jagged than eiliate. Panicle usually very large and spreading- 

 with very numerous divided filiform branches, the lower ones clustered and rigid, 

 the upper ones scattered. Spikelets all pedicellate, usually several along the- 

 ultimate branches, rather above 1 line long, acutely acuminate, quite glabrous. 

 Outer glume acute, nearly f the length of the spikelet, 1 to 8-nerved ; 2nd and 

 3rd glumes nearly equal, acutely acuminate, about 5-nerved, a palea in the 3rd. 

 sometimes very small, more frequently above -I the glume. Fruiting glume 

 smooth and shining. 



Hab.: North-east coast, A. Cunningham; Cape York, Daemel; Port Curtis, M'Gillivray; 

 Eookingham Bay, Dallachy ; Bockhampton, O'Slianesy ; Warwick, Beckler. 



A small glaucous plant with a smaller panicle and rather larger spikelets, from Cooper's 

 Creek, Howitt's Ei'pedition, appears to be a variety of this species. — Benth. 



49. P. decompositum (much divided), R. Br. Piod. 191 ; Benth. Fl. Austr, 

 tii. 489. Barley Grass. " Tindil," Cloncurry, Palmer. A common glabrous grass, 

 spreading, and 2 to 3ft. high. Leaves mostly long, flat and rather broaid especially 

 when growing in water, narrow in drier situations ; ligula very short and broad, 

 eiliate. Panicle Gin. to 1ft. long or even more, with numerous crowded filiform 

 divided branches, the lower ones clustered, at first erect and enclosed at the bas» 

 within the last leaf-sheath, at length sometimes very loose and spreading to the 

 breadth of 1ft. Spikelets all on slender pedicels, narrow, acute, IJ to IJ line- 

 long, usimlly of a pale straw colour. Outer glume very short, broad and 

 truncate, thin and nerveless ; 2nd and 3rd glumes nearly equal, acute, thinly 

 membranous, 5 or 7-nerved, the 8rd- with a palea of J to -J- its length but no 

 stamens. Fruiting glume very smooth and shining. — Turn. Ag. Gaz. N.S.W. 

 iii. ; P. amabile, Balansa in Bull. Soo. Bot. Fr. xix. 824, at least as to the W. 

 Australian plant referred to ; P. Immnode, Lindl. in Mitch. Three Exped. i. 238. 



Hab.: Gulf of Carpentaria, B. Brown; Port Curtis, M'Gillivray; Brisbane Eiver, Bailey; 

 Hinders Eiver, Sutherland ; King's Creek, Bowman ; Peak Downs, Burkitt ; also in Leichhardt's^ 

 ■collection ; Russell and Johnson Elvers, Hill. 



Seed ground and made into bread. — Palmer. 



