1840 CLIII. GEAMINEJ;. [Setaria. 



S. glauca. — Bail. 111. Mono. Gr. Q. i. ; , Panicuminacrostaehijum, Nees ; Pennisetum 

 italicum, R. Br. Prod. 195 ; F. v. M. Fragm. viii, 110, but not the Panicum 

 italicum, Linn. 



Hab.: Endeavour Eiver, Banlcs and Solander ; Port Denison, Fitzalan; Herbert's Creek, 

 Botomnn; Rookhampton, O'Shanety; Brisbane and Gilbert Rivers, i''. v. MueUer, and other 

 localities in south Queensland from various coUeetors. 



This species is common in many parts of tropical America. 



This grass has a much broader leaf than S. glauca, and more spreading panicles. Naturally 

 it is met with in rich scrubs from whence it has been brought and sown on open lands with 

 good results, proving itself worthy of field culture either for cutting for green fodder or for 

 grazing. Of this species there are also two forms. The one most usually met with in the 

 tropical parts of Queensland has purplish coloured a^vus, and a more interrupted inflorescence, 

 ' and is of weaker habit. 



4. S. viridis (green), Beauv.; Kunth, Enum. i. .151 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. \\v 



494. An annual with the habit of the S. glama, but the spikelike panicle looser' 

 1 to 2in. long in the typical form, but occasionally nearly twice that, the lower 

 spikelets in distinct clusters or on short branches, the awnlike branches more 

 irregular and often shorter, the asperities directed upwards as in S. glauca. 



■Outer glume acute, about i the length of the spikelet; 2nd and 8rd glumes 

 nearly equal, broad, concave, 5 or 7-nerved. Fruiting glumes smooth and 

 shining, the minute transverse wrinkles visible only under a lens. — Reichb. Ic. 

 Fl. Germ. t. 47; Panicum viride, Linn.; Trin, Spec. Gram. t. 203; Pennisetum 

 riiidc, R. Br. Prod. 195. 



Hab.: Manfred Downs, Mrs. J, H. Moore. 



■Widely spread as a weed in many parts of the Old World, but not so common as S. glauca.- 



18. PENNISETUM, Rich. 

 (Referring to the bristles being feathery.) 



(Gymnothrix, Beauv). -..'.. 



Spikelets 1 -flowered, solitary or 2 or 3 together, sessile or nearly so, each one 



•enclosed in an involucre of several usually numerous simple or plumose bristles 



(probably awnlike branches of the panicle), the involucres crowded in a spike or 



spikelike simple panicle, falling off from the main rhachis with the spikelet and 



short peduncle. Glumes 4, the outer one shorter or sometimes minute, the 2nd 



and 3rd both empty. Fruiting glume usually smaller. Palea perfect. Styles 



■distinct or united almost to the plumose stigmas. Nut enclosed in the more or 



less hardened glume and palea, free from' it. 



The genus is spread over the tropical regions of the Old World with a few American species. 



Ipvolucral bristles numerous, all simple, surrounding the spikelet in several 



rows 1. P. cqmpressum. 



/Involucral bristles 6 to 10, all plumose at the base, closely surrounding 



the spikelet 2. P. arnhemicion. 



1. P. compressum (flattened), R. Br. Prod. 195 ; Benth. FL Austr. vii. 



495. Swamp Fox-tail grass. Stems 2 to 3ft. high, erect, usually very scabrous 

 and more or less hirsute under the panicle, glabrous and smooth lower down. 

 Leaves long and narrow, glabrous, the ligula prominent. Involucres nearly 

 sessile in a simple cylindrical dense spike of 3 to 6in., consisting of numerous 

 very unequal bristles, the inner more rigid ones varying from ^ to lin., the 



•outer ones much shorter and finer, mostly minutely scabrous-.Qiliate but none 

 of them plumose. Spikelets solitary within the involucre, narrow, terete, 

 rather acute, about 3 lines long. Outer glume Under | line long, orbicular, 

 2nd glume from ^ to ^ the length of the spikelet, the 3rd many-nerved, 

 •empty. Fruiting glume scarcely more rigid than the 3rd. Styles united up to 



