Sorghum.] CLilI. GRAMINEiE. 1869 



1. S. *halepense (of Aleppo), Pers. Syn. i. 101 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. vii. 540. 

 Johnson Grass. Stems erect, varying from 2 or 8 to 8 or 10ft. liigh, arising 

 from a creeping rootstock ; the nodes glabrous. Leaves long and flat, often rather 

 broad, the midrib usually white and prominent. Panicle from 3 or 4in. to above 

 1ft. long, loose and often much branched. Fertile spikelefcs lanceolate, varying 

 from 2 to above 3 lines long, pale coloured or scarcely purple, not rufous, with a 

 few hairs at the base. Outer coriaceous glume faintly many-nerved, at length 

 smooth and shining, 2nd glume rather smaller, 5-nerved, usually sprinkled with 

 a few hairs ; terminal glume hyaline, broad, ciliate, 2-lobed, the awn from the 

 notch very fine and short, rarely nearly twice as long as the spikelet. — Maid. Gr. 

 N.S.W. 87; Vasey Ag. Gr. U.S. PI. 29; Holms halepensis, hinn.; Andropogon 

 halepensis, Sibth. Fl. Gr. i. 52, t. 68 ; Kunth, Enum. i. 502. 



A Mediterranean species, much cultivated in some warm countries, introduced and a trouble- 

 ome weed in cultivated lands. 



On this grass may be seen at times the fungus Uredo sorghi, Fuckel, bearing the parasite 

 Darluoa filum, Cast. 



2. S. plumosum (plumose), Beam: Agrost. 132 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. vii. 540. 

 A tall grass closely resembling N. halepense, but with the nodes bearded with a 

 dense tuft of hairs and the leaves much narrower. Inflorescence and structure 

 of the spikelets the same, but the smaller branches, pedicels and spikelets more 

 or less villous with hairs usually rufous, besides the dense tuft at the base of the 

 sessile spikelets. Spikelets varying from 2^ to 4 lines long, lanceolate as in 

 S. halepense, but less flattened and usually narrower. Outer glume at first 

 several-nerved, at length rigid, shining and apparently nerveless except 2 ciliate 

 nerves near the top, often turning almost black when ripe. Awn often short and 

 capillary, but usually longer and stouter than in S. halepense. Ovary glabrous. — 

 Turner Ag. Gaz. N.S.W. i. ; Holcus plumosus, E. Br. Prod. 200; Andropogon 

 australis, Spreng. Syst. i. 287. 



Hab.: Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, R. Brown ; Port Curtis and PortMolle, M'GilUvray ; 

 Kockingham Bay, Dallachy ; Port Denison, Fitzalan ; Brisbane Eiver, Moreton Bay, F. v. 

 Mueller, Leichhardt and others ; Bockhampton and numerous localities in the south, Bowman, 

 Thozet and others. 



3. S> fulvum (brown), Beauv. Agrost. 164 ; Benth. Bl. Austr. vii. 541. A 

 tall not very stout grass attaining sometimes 6 to 8ft., the nodes bearded with a 

 dense tuft of hairs. Leaves narrow, with scabrous edges. Panicle loose, 4 to 

 Sin. long, the hairs of the pedicels and spikelets of a rich brown as in the darker 

 specimens of S. plumosum, but the sessile spikelets only IJ to 2 lines long, ovate 

 or shortly conical at the top, not much flattened and usually black and shining 

 when ripe. Awn ^ to fin. long. Ovary glabrous. — Holcus fulvm, R. Br. Prod. 

 199 ; Andropogon tropicus, Spreng. Syst. i. 287. 



Hab.: Keppel Bay, R. Brown; Bockhampton, O'Shanesy; Eockingbam Bay, Dallachy. 



Also in tropical Asia, from Ceylon to the Archipelago, S. China and Japan. 



4. S. laxiflorum (referring to the loose inflorescence), Bail. 3rd SuppL Syn. 

 Ql. Fl. 84. Decumbent, ascending to 2 or 3ft., glabrous except the inflorescence 

 and a slight downiness about the nodes, stems somewhat compressed. Leaves 

 narrow, tapering to filiform points ; ligula short, searious, but almost hidden in 

 the longish hairs at the top of the sheath. Panicle nodding, somewhat secund, 

 2 or Sin. long, of f^w capillary branches never verticillate, solitary or in pairs and 

 forked, each bearing usually 2 spikelets, the terminal one awned. Fertile spike- 

 let scarcely 2 lines long, between two ciliate pedicels ; outer glume densely 



