298 CLVI. CYPERACEE (CLARKE). | Pycreus. 
Spikelets loosely spicate, much flattened, hard, shining black-chestnut- 
coloured. Glumes rigidly imbricate; keel yellowish or nearly black; 
otherwise as P. polystachyos, Beauv., var. laxiflora, Benth.—Rendle in. 
Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 109. Cyperus dthiops, Welw. ex Ridley in 
Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot. ii. 129, 
Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; in wet pastures near Ferrao da Sola, 
5000 ft., Welwitsch, 6875! 
In the genus Pycreus it has been usual to rely much on the colour of the spike- 
lets for separating the closely-allied species. It must be recollected that in Cyperus 
globosus, Allioni, spikelets of every colour, from green to black, occur ; and the 
present species might be made a variety of P. polystachyos. 
16. P. sulcinux, C. B. Clarke in Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 593. 
Annual. Stems 3-9 in. long, tufted. Leaves basal, often as long as 
the stem, 4} in. broad, weak. Spikes in a simple umbel 3-6 in. in 
diam.; rays 3-7; bracts 3-5, lowest exceeding the umbel, similar to 
the leaves. Spikelets 4—11 in the loose spike, up to $ by } in., 8—28- 
flowered, flattened, straw-coloured to yellow. Glumes somewhat dis- 
tant, ovate, subacute. Nut 2 the length of the glume, oblong-obovoid,. 
asymmetric, the face next the rhachilla being straight or somewhat con- 
cave.—C. B, Clarke in Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 542.. 
Cyperus sulcinux, C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xxi. 56, and xxv. 
80; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 117. 
Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland ; Umbaka River, Scott 
Zomba Rock, Whyte ! 
Also in India and Malaya. 
The spikelets of the Nyasaland specimens are considerably finer and broader than’ 
anything hitherto referred to P. polystachyos ; they are larger even than in 
P. ferrugineus. 
TAG 33 pelophilus, (. B. Clarke in Durand & Schinz, Conspect. 
fl. Afr. v.540, Roots fibrous. Stems tufted, 1 ft. long, rather stout. 
Leaves basal, 8 by } in., weak. Bracts 5, spreading, lowest up to 5 in. 
long similar to the leaves: rays of umbel about 7, up to 4 in. long; 
umbellules (secondary umbels) with rays 0-1 in. long. Spikelets 1 by 
io In., yellowish, 12-30-flowered. Glumes ovate, hardly acute, rather 
distant in fruit. Stylé small, the 2 linear branches hardly exserted. 
Nut 4 the length of the glume, obovoid, very 1-sided, black, much 
compressed, the faces almost concave.—Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. 
%, - Cyperus pelophilus, Ridley in Trans. Linn, Soc. ser. 2, Bot. ii. 
Lower Guinea. Angola: Loanda, 1000 ft. ; in dried-up places near Bemposta 
and near Cnmano, Welwitsch, 7025! near Fort de Conceigao, Welwitsch, 7082 ! 
Mossamedes, 1000 ft.; marshes near Giraul, Welwitsch, 6887! German South-west 
Africa : Hereroland, Dinter, 50! aes 
oo Le P. ferrugineus, (. B. Clarke in. Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 
593. . Roots fibrous. Stems .1-2 ft, long, robust. Leaves } the length 
of the stem, up to 4 in. broad. Umbel 2-5 in. broad, simple or nearly 
