60 GRAM1NEAE. 13. Panicum. 



5. P. prolutum, F. v. M. Rather rigid glabrous perennial ; leaves glaucous, with a 

 conspicuous oblong ligule jagged at summit, not ciliate ; panicle as in the preceding species, 

 the lower branches clustered ; spikelets on capillary pedicels, turning purple, acute, 

 3-4 mm. long ; lowest glume § the length of the spikelet, obtuse, 5-nerved ; 2nd and 3rd 

 equal, 7-9 nerved, no palea in the 3rd ; fruiting glume smooth and shining. 



Most parts of the State, usually growing near water. Oct.-Apl. 



6. P. eflusum, R. Br. A tussock grass 20-50 cm. high ; lower leaves hairy and sometimes 

 the upper ones also, but the latter are usually glabrous outside, although always silky- 

 bearded at base of sheath, hairs sometimes seated on tubercles ; ligule short, silky-ciliate ; 

 panicle rigid, large and spreading, the divided branches alternate or clustered ; spikelets 

 2-2^ mm. long, acuminate, purplish, distant on capillary pedicels ; lowest glume acute, 

 \ the length of the spikelet ; the 2nd and 3rd equal, 5-7 nerved, the 3rd enclosing a palea ; 

 fruiting glume smooth and shining. 



Most parts of the State, but chiefly in the dry North. Oct. -April. 



7. P. reversum, F. v. M. Rather slender glabrous perennial with flat leaves ; ligule 

 short, ciliate ; spikes (or simple panicle-branches) distant, short, erect then deflexed, 

 articulate at base, with rigid bristles sheltering the lowest and terminal spikelets ; 

 spikelets few and alternate along one side of the flattened rhachis so as to appear in 1 row, 

 4-5 mm. long, ovoid-oblong ; lowest glume f as long as the spikelet, obtuse, 3-5 nerved ; 

 2nd and 3rd glumes equal, 9-11 nerved ; fruiting glume punctulate. 



Flinders Range ; Far North and North-West. May-Jan. 



8. P, gracile, R. Br. Glabrous perennial, with long, rather narrow leaves and ciliate 

 ligule ; spikes erect, the lower ones 2-2| cm. long, the upper ones much shorter, or the 

 whole panicle reduced to short clusters ; spikelets in 2 rows, 2-3 mm. long ; lowest glume 

 acute, half as long as the spikelet, 3-nerved ; 2nd and 3rd equal, 5-nerved ; fruiting 

 glume acute, finely and transversely rugose. 



Adelaide to Far North and North- West ; Murray lands. Dec.-Apl. 



9. P. pauciflorum R. Br. Low grass with scattered hairs ; panicle scarcely exceeding 

 the floral leaves, with few branches, each bearing 1-3 pedicellate spikelets, which are 

 glabrous, acute, and 4 mm. long ; lowest glume \ as long as the spikelet, 5-nerved ; 2nd 

 and 3rd glumes equal ; fruiting glume shorter, smooth and shining, shortly stalked. 



Blood's Creek (Far North). Dec. -Aug. 



10. P. divaricatissimum, R. Br. Perennial with the leaves flat and more or less silky- 

 pubescent and the ligule membranous and not ciliate ; panicle branches spreading, simple, 

 flexuose, 10-20 cm. long, the lowest ones whorled ; spikelets 2£ mm. long, ovoid, acute, 

 silky with usually purple hairs, in pairs, one on a longer pedicel than the other ; lowest 

 glume under 1 mm. long, ovate ; the 2nd 3-nerved, the 3rd 5-nerved, equal ; fruiting 

 glume ovoid, smooth, acute. 



Augaston ; Murray and northern districts. Sept. -May. 



11. P. coenicolum, F. v. M. Only differs from the preceding in the spikelets, which 

 are oblong and larger (3^-4 mm. long), the silky hairs usually white ; lowest glume about 

 1 mm. long, rigid ; 2nd 3-5-nerved ; the 3rd 5-7-nerved ; fruiting glume ovoid-oblong, 

 acute, smooth. 



Flinders Range, usually growing near water, hence its specific name ("mud-inhabiting "). 

 Sept. -May. 



12. P. leucophaeum, H. B. et K. Near the two preceding species, with the silky, white 

 or purple spikelets in pairs on unequal pedicels, but the panicle consisting of a few erect 

 spike-like branches varying much in length ; leaves glabrous or somewhat hairy ; ligule 

 oblong, glabrous ; spikelets 2-3 mm. long ; lowest glume minute, obtuse ; the 2nd 

 3-nerved, the 3rd 5-nerved, equal ; fruiting glume smooth, acute. 



Flinders Range ; Far North and North- West. Oct. -May. 



Var. monostachytun, Benth. Panicle reduced to a simple spike. Far North. 



13. P. helopus, Trin. Stems with bearded nodes ; leaves broadly lanceolate, flat, 

 with loose sheaths, sometimes sprinkled with hairs ; ligule short, ciliate ; panicle of a 

 few short simple branches or spikes, longer or shorter than the subtending leaf ; spikelets 

 mostly in pairs, acute, 4 mm. long, glabrous or rarely hairy, on short unequal pedicels ; 

 lowest glume broad, 3-nerved, ^ the length of the spikelet ; 2nd glume 7-nerved, the 

 3rd 5-nerved, inclosing a palea and rarely a male flower also, the 2nd and 3rd equal ; 

 fruiting glume transversely rugulose, terminating in a short point. 



Far North. Nov. -May. 



14. P. Gilesii, Benth. Near the preceding, but the lowest glume is covered with long 

 hairs, and the 3rd glume is ciliate with long spreading hairs. 



The type is recorded from Charlotte Waters, in the Northern Territory, just beyond 

 our border, so that the species probably occurs in our Far North. 



P. argenteum, R. Br. With short spikes more distant than those of the last 2 species 

 and spikelets crowned with a tuft of long silvery hairs, lowest glume small and fruiting 

 glume smooth, has been found in the MacDonnell Ranges, N.T., and may also grow in 

 our adjoining districts. 



