1 June, 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 465. 
PANICUM, Linn. 
P. muticum, Jorsk. Fl. Aig. Arab. 20; Hook.in Fl. of Brit. Ind. VII. 34. Stems. 
stout, 6 to 8 ft. long, falling and rooting from the joints ; nodes softly bearded, 
rarely glabrescent. Leaves 6 to 10 in. long, from under }-in. to 3-in. broad, 
base subcordate, sheaths glabrous or hairy. Jigula short, ciliate. Panicle 
sometimes deltoid, glabrous, erect, 5 in. or more long; rhachis narrow, 
flattened, stiff, and scabrous. Spikes alternate, lower ones distant, stout, simple 
or divided below, 13 to 4 in. long. Spikelets turgid, usually crowded, sometimes 
solitary and alternate, acute, glabrous, green or purplish. Outer glume about 
quarter the length of the third, ovate, acute, l-nerved; 2nd and 8rd glumes. 
subequal 5-nerved; 8rd paleate male, 4th ellipsoid obtuse, margins narrowly 
incurved, obscurely dotted or roughened. 
Hab.: A grass of Java, Africa, America, and the East Indies. According to Hook, in Fl. 
Brit. Ind. 1.c., this species should include P. barbinode, Trin. Sp. Gram. Ic. t. 318, and several species 
of other authors. It was first introduced into Queensland by the late Dr. Joseph Bancroft. 
Specimens from these plants were submitted to me, and I considered the grass a form ot P. 
barbinode, or P. fuscum, and under the latter name it has appeared in some of my publications >. 
but from Hooker’s account of P. muticum it seems better placed under that species. The species 
is admirably adapted for damp land, and in such localities it produces a large amount of succulent 
fodder. 
CHRYSOPOGON. 
C. aciculatus, Trin. Fund. Agrost. 188; Rhaphis trivialis, Lour., Trin. sp. 
Gram, Ic. t. 8 and 9. Stems leafy, extensively creeping below, thin, erect, 1 to 
2 ft., slender. Leaves 1 to 5 in. long, 2 to 8 lines broad, flat, obtuse or acute, 
often undulate, elaucous, glabrous, margins spinulose ; sheath terete ; ligula, 
a yery narrow ciliate membrane. Panicle 1 to 8 in. long, pale or purplish ; 
branches capillary, scaberulous or villous below the spikelets, tips obliquely 
truncate. Sessile spikelets 2 lines long; callus nearly as long as the glumes, 
acicular, shortly bearded; 1st glume chartaceous, obscurely 2 or 3 nerved or 
nerveless ; 2nd lanceolate, acuminate or aristulate, 1-nerved; 3rd linear-oblong, 
2-nerved ; 4th linear, acuminate; awn 2 to 8 lines long, scabrid; palea small, 
linear, obtuse, glabrous, nerveless. Pedicellated spikelets purple, much longer 
and narrower than the {sessile; pedicels slender, scaberulous; 1st glume subu- 
late-lanceolate, aristulate, 3-nerved, ciliate; 8 and 4 shorter, ciliate; palea 
Tea cuspidate. (Andropogon aciculatus, Retz. Hook. Fl. Brit. Ind. VIL. 
188. 
Hab: Mulgrave and Johnstone Rivers. This grass produces a close turf, and is often found, 
in company with Paspalum platycaule, but is far inferior to it on account of its sharp seeds, 
PLANTS REPUTED POISONOUS TO STOCK. 
By F. MANSON BAILEY, F.L.5., 
Colonial Botanist. 
ARSENIC PLANT (Hibbertia Bennettit). 
(Prare CXIT.) 
Tuts forms a shrub from 6 to 18 in. high, with linear-lanceolate, shortly 
stem-clasping leaves very variable as to size, the largest attaining a length 
of about 3% in., the upperside green, underside more’or less pale. Flowers. 
yellow, about 2 in. in diameter. Stamens numerous, a very few of the outer 
ones without anthers. Fruitlets 3, not hairy, containing 3 round seeds each. 
For botanical description, see “ Contributions to the Flora of Queensland 
(Queensland Agricultural Journal, June, 1899). Mr. FE. Bennett, who. 
forwarded specimens of this plant from Trvinebank, Herberton, says that it is 
there considered exceptionally poisonous to stock. It may be here stated that 
another species (Hibbertia longifolia, I. v. M.) has several times been received as. 
a suspected poison plant. Several species of the order to which the present genus. 
belongs have been used medicinally and for culinary purposes, but so far none 
is recorded as possessing poisonous properties. ‘The species of the genus 
Hibbertia ave numerous in Australia, about 24 occurring in Queensland. 
