62 GR AMINE AE. 18. Chamaeraphis, 



articulate at base, the lower ones 1-4 (or less by abortion), arranged on flat panicle- 

 branches, the lateral spikelets pedicellate, the 1 or 2 central ones on much shorter pedicels ; 

 a stalked involucre of several long bristles rising from the pedicel on one side of most of 

 the spikelets, or the pedicel bearing an involucre but no spikelet ; the panicle-branch 

 (or peduncle) finally reflexed and falling off with the spikelets and involucre ; spikelet 

 7 mm. long ; outer glumes 3, many-nerved, the first half as long as the spikelet ; fruiting 

 glume and palea of Panicum. 



Cooper's Creek to the west of Innamincka. Aug. -Dec. 



18. CHAMAERAPHIS, R. Br. 



(Greek khamai, dwarf ; rhaphis, a needle ; alluding to the terminal bristle.) 

 1. Ch. spinescens (R. Br.), Poir. Stems creeping ; upper leaves flat ; ligule of hairs ; 

 panicle short, with slender flexuose branches, which terminate in a stiff bristle or awn 

 rising below the last of the few and distant spikelets ; spikelets narrow, acuminate, about 

 6 mm. long ; lowest glume minute, truncate, the 2nd tapering into a long point, the 3rd 

 shorter and containing a male flower ; flowering glume usually holding only a female 

 flower and not hardened as in Panicum. — Panicum spinescens, R. Br. 

 In or near water, River Murray. 



Stenotaphrum dimidiatum (L.), Brongn. {Buffalo Grass), with twin spikelets on the 

 broad rhachis of a solitary spike, is a popular lawn-grass, which has escaped here and there, 

 but scarcely appears able to establish itself. — 8. americanum, Schrank. 



19. SPINIFEX, L. 



(Latin, " thorn-maker" : alluding to the pungent leaves of the Asiatic species first 



described. ) 

 Spikelets dioecious, those of the male plant with 2 male flowers and arranged in clustered 

 spikes ; those of the fertile plant with 1 female or bisexual flower and an imperfect one 

 below it, and arranged in globular heads ; outer glumes 3 (including that of the lower 

 male or imperfect flower) ; flowering glume and palea hardened round the grain ; ligule 

 a ring of hairs. 



Heads large ; silky grass S. hirsutus 1. 



Heads small ; glabrous grass S. paradoxus 2. 



1. S. hirsutus, Labill. Perennial, with stout creeping stem ; leaves long, silvery-silky ; 

 spikes of male plant in terminal or axillary clusters subtended by long leafy bracts ; 

 rhachis of each spike produced in a long awn ; spikelets of fertile plant numerous, solitary 

 at the base of an awn-like rhachis 10-15 cm. long, the whole forming a large bristly globular 

 head, which falls off the peduncle when ripe and is blown by the wind ; glumes nearly 

 equal. 



A good sandbinding grass along our coasts. Nov. -Jan. 



2. S. paradoxus (R. Br.), Benth. Cane-grass. Glabrous plant with long rigid spreading 

 branching stems, creeping at base ; heads of spikelets small (about 1£ cm. diameter) ; 

 male spikelet 6 mm. long, the 2 lowest glumes much shorter than the 3rd and 4th ; spike- 

 lets of fertile plant enclosed in irregularly winged bracteoles and surrounded by broad 

 bracts ; 3 outer glumes nearly equal, many-nerved, the 3rd with a palea. 



Also a sandbinder, Far North and North-East. June-Nov. 



2. Spikelets 1 -to-many-flowered, the rhachilla usually jointed above the 2 outer glumes, 

 but the pedicel not jointed below them so that the outer glumes persist on the pedicel 

 after the flowering glumes have fallen off. Alopecurus and Polypogon are exceptions in 

 which the 2 lowest empty glumes are supposed to be obsolete. 



Tribe 5. Phalarideae. Spikelets pedicellate, with 1 fertile flower and 4 empty outer 

 glumes ; palea with the 2 nerves placed very close together or sometimes with only 1 nerve. 



20. EHRHARTA, Thunb. 

 (After F. Ehrhart, a Swiss botanist.) 

 Spikelets 1 -flowered, paniculate ; empty glumes 4, the 2 outer ones persistant ; the 

 3rd and 4th bearded and pitted at base ; the flowering glume shorter than the others ; 

 stamens 4-6 ; the 2 nerves of the palea close together. 



Annual ; 2 outer glumes small E. longifiora 1. 



Perennial ; 2 outer glumes large E. villosa 2. 



*1. E. longifiora, Sm. Glabrous annual ; leaves flat ; panicle loose, 1 -sided, 3-10 cm. 

 long ; spikelets 10-18 mm. long on capillary pedicels ; 2 outer glumes small, acuminate, 

 turning purplish ; 3rd and 4th hard and shining, tapering into a short, stiff awn ; stamens 

 4-6. 



Settled districts. Sept. -No v. — South Africa. 



