1 Ava., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. i 161 
The above are a few notes made when the specimen was gathered. This 
New Guinea plant is, in my opinion, the true 7. pungens, Migq., and the Queens- 
land plant recorded under this name a distinct species. The description in 
FL. Austr. VI., 267, was taken (Mr. Bentham says) “from Miquel’s elaborate 
description and figure, and froma fruiting specimen received from the Botanic 
Gardens, Calcutta. The distinction between these two plants is principally in 
the inflorescence ; in the one it is terminal, while in the other it is borne upon 
a separate stem or scape. In both, the branches are much curved, and the 
leaves are placed upon them ina spiral manner. The cone or spike which I 
examined at Mambare was an old elongated one, from which, probabiy, much 
of the brightness of colouring and pungency of the bracts had been lost, and 
it had no fresh flowers suitable for obtaining a good description. 
Order FLAGELLARIEA. 
FLAGELLARIA, Linn. 
F, indica, Zinn. The fruiting specimens which we met with in New Guinea 
of this common tropical climber differed from the Queensland plant in that the 
fruits were pear-shaped, not round. 
Order PANDANACEA, 
PANDANUS, Linn. 
P. dubius, Spreng. (Hombronia edulis, Gaudich; P. triodon, Bail.) Tree with 
a stout stem 20 or more feet high, emitting aerial roots, branching, and very 
leafy. Leaves a deep glossy-green, coriaceous, 7 or more feet long, and often 
exceeding 6 in. broad, somewhat abruptly tapering to a sharp long tail-like 
point, serrated along the margins, also bearing on the underside of the midrib 
rather distant prickles. Male inflorescence not seen. Fruit-heads borne upon 
the lateral branches chalky-white or glaucous, large, containing ahout 80 
drupes or -synearps about 4 in. long, 2 in. broad, 6-angular, the upper free 
portion tapering to a flat apex bearing usnally 3 hard somewhat spathulate 
prominent stigmas, which resemble the teeth of some animal. (The drupes in 
an unripe state are very juicy.) The bony 3-celled endocarp of the ripe fruits 
examined was flat, about 1din. long and as broad at the upper end, situated in the 
lower half of the drupe; mesocarp a soft spongy fibrous matter. Seeds 9 lines 
long, 2 lines diameter, integument grey; kernel white, sweet, resembling 
cocoanut in flavour. 
Hab. : Douglas Harbour. We saw this plant at other places along the coast. The natives 
often plant it near their huts on account of the leaves being used by them for mat-making and 
the petticoats worn by the women. It is the leaf of this plant which is used by the men for their 
loin-band, usually their only article of dress. 
Order GRAMINEZ, 
PANICUM, Linn. 
P. sanguinale, Linn., var. A prostrate creeping low grass, the ascending 
extremities 6 to 12 in. high and leafy; internodes close, nodes glabrous. 
Leaves lanceolate, 1 to 2 in. long, margins broken, almost crenulate, undulate; 
sheaths loose, glabrous, except for a number of rather long weak hairs near 
the base. Spikes 2 or 3, about 2 in. long; rhachis flexuose, glabrous with 
green margins. Spikelets 2 at each notch, one sessile, the other pedicellate, 
the notches rather distant. Outer glumes very minute, second and third silvery 
and margined by long spreading silvery hair-like scales. Fruiting glume 
glabrous, pale or hyaline. 
Hab. : On the sandy beach, Mambare, New Guinea, May, 1898 ‘This grass is nearly allied 
-to the Brazilian species, Digitaria marginata, Link. 
