i868 CLiII. GEAMINE^. [Chrysopogon. 



Var. spicigera. Ultimate branches of the panicle bearing one or two sessile spikelets below 

 the terminal one, each accompanied by a pedicellate male. 



Hab.: Poxt Denison, Fitzalan ; Brisbane Kiver, Bailey, Prentice. 



The species and the varieties are easily known by the peculiar fragrance of the panicle on 

 being rubbed. 



The species appears to be generally dispersed in East India and in New Caledonia. 



8. C. aciculatus (needle-like),. Trin. Fmid. Agrost. 188 and in Mem.. Acad. 

 Petersb. ser. 6, ii. 317 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. vii. 538. Stems from a shortly creeping 

 or decumbent root, branching, erect, about 1ft. high, with few long leaf-sheaths 

 and short laminae, lower leaves rather rigid and erect. Panicle narrow, compact, 

 3 to 4in. long, with numerous unequal filiform branches, each with 2 to 4 sessile 

 hermaphrodite spikelets accompanied by pedicellate males, the pedicels not ciliate. 

 Spikelets narrow, 2\ to 3 lines long. Outer glume of the sessile spikelets with 2 

 muricate nerves, and the keel of the 2nd usually ciliate. Awn short and fine with 

 a very slight basal dilatation. 



Hab.: Mulgrave and Johnstone Eivers. 



4. C. elongatus (elongated), Benth. Fl. Auatr. vii. 588. An erect glabrous 

 grass, branching at the base and attaining H or 4ft. or even more, with long 

 narrow leaves. Panicle in the typical form erect, narrow, dense, 6 to lOin. long with 

 very numerous capillary unequal clustered branches, each bearing 3 to 5 or rarely 

 only 1 or 2 hermaphrodite spikelets sessile between 2 pedicellate male ones, the 

 triplets sessile or very shortly pedicellate with a tuft of hairs under each fertile 

 spikelet. Spikelets all narrow, acute, about 3 lines long. Outer glume of the 

 fertile spikelet rigid, with 2 prominent lateral nerves more or less muricate, the 

 intermediate nerves often very faint, 2nd glume narrow, with a muricate or 

 shortly ciliate keel produced into a fine point or short awn, 3rd lanceolatcT very 

 thin and hyaline, often ciliate ; awn very fine, ^ to ^in. long, with a narrow 

 hyaline shortly 2-lobed base. —Holcus elongatus, R. Br. Prod. 200 ; Andropogon 

 elongatus, Spreng. Syst. i. 287 ; F. v. M. Fragm. viii. 121. 



Hab.: Coen River, R. Br. ■ Sweers Island, Henne ; Cape York, Daemel. 



Var. filipes. Leaves narrower, panicle looser with longer filiform brj,nehes and the whole 

 panicle often shorter, the awns rather longer. 



Hab.: Endeavour Biver, A. Cunningham; Bockinghsim Bay, Dallachy; Balonne River, 

 Mitchell ; Eockhampton, O'Shanesy. 



46. SORGHUM, Pers. 



(From the Indian name.) 

 (Holcus, R. Br. partly.) 

 Fertile spikelet 1-flowered, sessile between 2 pedicellate male or barren ones, at 

 the end of the simple or divided branches of a terminal panicle, with 1 to 5 pairs 

 or triplets of spikelets below the terminal 3. Glumes on the fertile spikelets 4, 

 the outer one the largest, awnless, lanceolate or broad, hard and shining, 

 obscurely nerved, 2nd glume rather hard keeled and acute, 3rd glume shorter, 

 very thin and hyaline, 4th or terminal glume very thin, hyaline and 2-lobed at 

 the base, with an awn between the lobes twisted in the lower half bent above the 

 middle as in Andropogon. Palea very small or none. Styles distinct. Grain 

 enclosed in the hard and shining outer glumes, free from them. 



The genus extends over the tropical and warm temperate regions of the New and the Old 

 World. 



Nodes glabrous or scarcely pubescent. Fruiting spikelets lanceolate, nearly 



glabrous. Awn short and fine . 1. S. *halepense. 



Nodes bearded. Fruiting spikelets lanceolate, 2J to 4 lines long, villous. 



Awn usually long. Ovary glabrous ; . 2. S. 'plumostim. 



Nodes bearded. Fruiting spikelets ovoid, 2 lines long, sometimes with a 



short conical apex, villous. Awn not very long. Ovary glabrous ... 3. >S'. fnlvum. 

 Nodes nearly glabrous. Fruiting spikelets scarcely 2 lines long, villous. 



Awn over lin. long 4. S. laxifiorum 



