10 



Britain, and to be of no agricultural value. Mr. J. Burtt-Davy, 

 the Government Botanist of Transvaal, in the Transvaal Agri- 

 cultural Journal says of it : '^This grass is generally disliked 

 by stock, even when young ; when the seeds are mature the 

 barbed awns sometimes cause serious ulcerations in mouths of 

 stock; they also stick to the wool reducing its value. Tbis 

 grass makes a rank growth and is apt to choke out better 

 grasses ; in California it has done a good deal of damage to 

 open veld pasture in this way. It is an annual and does not 

 keep green throughout the year. If ' Broncho-grass ' makes its 

 appearance on Transvaal farms, farmers will be well advised 

 to root out and burn it before it becomes established." 



Bromus unioloides, H.B.K. Order GraminEjE. 



Originally a native of Central America, this grass has 

 become naturalised in many parts of the world, and is by 

 many persons thought to be a useful fodder and pasture grass. 



Carduus pycnocephalus, L. Order Composite. 



This plant belongs to a section of this Order, which 

 includes a number of plants commonly known as "Thistles ; " 

 the whole of these plants are proclaimed for the whole 

 of the Stages of Victoria, Australia; it is a native of 

 Europe and Asia. It was first found by the writer in a 

 sheltered valley at Van Reenen in December, 1904; apparently 

 horses had been kept in the valley during the war time and 

 seeds of the plant had been introduced amongst the forage. 

 As the whole plant including the flower heads are prickly it 

 would be advisable that precautions should be taken to prevent 

 its becoming a pest to farmers in the colony. 



Cassia occidentalis, L. Order Leguminos^. 



A common tropical plant which has long ago become 

 naturalised in the coast districts of Natal. It is a shrub 

 bearing yellow flowers; the pods are 2 or 3 inches long, com- 

 pressed, brown with pale margins. The seeds have been used 

 with success as a febrifuge, and also as an adulterant of Coffee, 

 but they do not contain caffeine. The roots have been used as 

 a tonic and diuretic, and the leaves are said to have purgative 

 properties. 



Centaurea melittensis, L. Order Composite. 



A tall Thistle-like weed, the seeds of which have been 

 probably introduced with agricultural seeds of some kind, 

 specimens have twice been sent to the Herbarium for identifi- 

 cation from Ixopo by Mr. J. Schofield, M.L.A., and from 

 Greytown by Mr. Thresh. If not checked it may become a 

 troublesome weed. 



