} 
192 TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Cyperus. 
tudinally striated sheaths, which burst and fall off in succes- 
sion, There are many capillary fibres issuing from the base — 
of the culm, The stolones. generally push their way up 
through the sheaths, and out at their mouths, ran horizontal- _ 
ly, producing from their extremities the new plant. On re- 
moving the sheath a small truncated, pointed ball is observed, 
resting inthe upper side of the base of the culm, which (onion- 
like) is formed by the united sheaths of the leaves... This lit- 
tle bulb, which is slightly connected to the base of the culm 
on which it rests, is the eatable part; it is composed of two or 
three coats, and about the size of a pea; when its proper exte- 
rior brown membranous sheath is removed, it is very white, 
inviting to the eye, and pleasant to the taste. Culm erect, 
two-thirds naked, between round, and three-sided, two, three, — : 
or four inches long. Leaves a few, filiform on the upperside, 
grooved, four or five inches long, below the surface of the 
earth, their sheaths form the little firm culm above-mention- 
ed ; from its head the capillary roots and stolones issue. Um- 
tel simple, composed of from six to ten sessile, linear, diverg- 
ing spikes, Involucre generally three-leaved, unequal, the 
largest twice as long as the spikes; they issue not as usual 
from the same point, but alternately one above another. 
Scales oblong, striated, ae pole: Chall Seed es 
_ three-sided, grey. 
© Obs. The little bulbs are gendli;-Ncastedaatolied, then © 
rubbed between the hands or the folds of a cloth, totake off the 
sheaths, which is all the preparation thenatives give them, to 
_ make them a pleasant wholesome part of theirdiet, which they 
have frequent resource to, particularly in times of scarcity. 
Some dry them in the sun, grind them into meal, and make 
bread of them, while others stew them in their curries and other 
dishes; they are palatable, tasting like a roasted potatoe, I 
wish they could be enlarged by culture, when they might soon 
prove a valuable acquisition, for on account of their small-_ ; 
ess, it is troublesome mandi miphernn ality = 
