468 CLVI, CYPERACE (CLARKE). | Fuirena. 
K. Schum. in Engl. Jahrb. xxiv. 339, t. 5, fig. H-M; in Engl. Pd. 
Ost-Afr. C. 126. 
Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; damp meadows at Catumba, Weltwitseh. 
7110! 
Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, Bojer! Hildebrandt, 1057! Stuhlmann, ii. 52! 
Zanguebar, Kirk, 62! Usambara ; Kibafula swamp, Holsf, 2133! Usaramo ; Dar e+ 
Salaam, Kuntze, 283! 
Also in Madagascar. 
Imperfectly known species. 
12. F. nana, A. Rich. Tent. Fl. Abyss. ii. 497. Annual, small. 
Stem 1-3 in. long, almost capillary, smooth, glabrous. Leaves shorter 
than the stem, linear, subobtuse, scabrous on the margins. Spikes 
usually 2, small, terminal, sessile, close together ; bracts 1-2, unequal, 
overtopping the spikes. Glumes numerous, closely imbricated, oboval, 
obtuse, long acuminate. Nut ellipsoid-oblong, obtuse, terete, very 
slenderly grooved, glabrous. Scales and hypogynous bristles 0.—Engl. 
Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 147. 
Nile Land. Abyssinia: Shireh; near Kouaieta (Kuayata), Quartin-Dillon 
(ex A. Richard.) 
14. LIPOCARPHA, R. Br.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. iii, 1054. 
Glumes densely packed in the spikelet, very numerous, imbricated on 
all sides; 2 lowest empty, succeeded by many bearing 2-sexual nut- 
bearing flowers deciduous in fruit, uppermost imperfect. Within the 
glume, parallel with it, 2 elliptic or obovate hyaline scales, rather 
shorter than the glume, are invariably present and wrapped round the 
nut. Style small linear or 0, branches 3 (rarely 2) minute or short. Nut 
sessile, obovoid or linear-oblong, unequally trigonous, smooth, dark 
brown ; style deciduous, style-base 0. Glabrous. Stem without any 
nodes between the basal leaves, and the 1 head of 8—15 spikelets. 
Species 14; in the warmer portions of both hemispheres. 
There is no genus of Cyperacee concerning which more diverse views have beet 
held or more diverse explanations given of the very uniform structure. gle 
anticous and posticous hyaline scales cannot very well be prophylla (bracteoles) se 
which no trace occurs in the whole Order (unless in Ascolepis ?). 
Three explanations are in the field, viz. : 
(2) that Lipocarpha is allied to (the older botanists thought equal to) Hyp rc 
lytrum ; the 2 hyaline scales being supposed homologous with the 2 male glumes i 
Hypolytrum. Goebel, however, has shown that the female flower in Hypolytrum ™ 
terminal; and the difference in habit between Lipocarpha and Hypolytrum * 
extreme. 
(4) that Lipocarpha is allied to Scirpus ; that the 2 hyaline scales represent ie 
hypogynous bristles which have become connate in two fused bundles. a t 
Bentham’s view; and Lipocarpha is in the highest degree like Scirpus, at 
Microstyli, of which it has the nut and style, and with which it is frequen”. 
confused. 
(c) that the 2 hyaline scales represent 2 sterile lower flowers, so that 
here a flower is really a spikelet of 3 flowers, whereof the 2 lower are barren. 
what is called 
This 
