1738 
resemble in a general way small watermelons; the white 
flesh is edible only after cooking and is used for 
conserves and pies." (P. G. Russell.) 
Danthonia setaeea (Poaceae), 54736. Grew. From Ho- 
bart, Tasmania. Seeds collected by Mr. Victor 0. Flet- 
cher, Newnham, near Launceston, and presented by Mr. 
L. A. Evans, acting Director of Agriculture. "A good 
native grass." (Evans.) 
A valuable perennial pasture grass frequently 
less than a foot high, common in many localities in 
Australia and New Zealand. The soft narrow leaves are 
mostly short and erect, and either smooth or somewhat 
pubescent with spreading hairs, In the spring the 
dense, narrow, branching panicles glisten with white- 
haired flowering glumes. 
The species of Danthonia are probably the most 
important economic grasses of New South Wales, In New 
Zealand they are recommended only for the poorer soils 
of the South Island; but in the North Island they are 
considered very valuable pasture grasses , and are cred- 
ited with carrying two sheep to the acre. In New South 
Wales the Danthonia grasses are commonest on the table- 
lands and slopes, where they constitute about 90 per 
cent of the dominant grasses in well-managed pasture, 
sometimes, indeed monopolizing the whole situation. 
In coastal districts they are common in newly cleared 
areas, in scrub lands, and very often in well-worked 
fallowed fields. In western districts they are just a 
little less abundant than on the slopes and tablelands. 
The Danthonia grasses can therefore be termed the com- 
monest and most widely distributed grasses of New South 
Wales, and without them our pastoral industry would 
suffer considerably. 
The Danthonias are tussocky in habit, but they 
stool considerably and will stand a great amount of 
grazing. Some of the species are rather hairy partic- 
ularly those of the western plains, but evidently this 
is no drawback as far as palatability is concerned. 
During the hot summer months the grass dies off con- 
siderably , but can be revived in a wonderful manner by 
rain. 
The value of the Danthonia grasses in respect to 
palatability, both for cattle and for sheep, has been 
well proved by every stockman. The forms that grow a- 
bundantly in the coastal districts (Danthonia longifolia 
and D. raeemosa types) fatten horses and dairy stock 
very quickly; while on the tablelands and slopes and 
