THE CYPERACE^E OE THE BOMBAY PRESIDE^CY. 193 



Spikelets usually solitary, sometimes with a second above the first, 

 4 — 2^^ — i in., compressed, ovate, acute, shining, white or v. 

 pale straw-coloured, the two lowest glumes usually longer than the 

 others, cvispidate, the lowest sometimes increased to a bract. 

 Glumes loosely imbricate, distichous below, 2 — 3-stichous above, 

 acute, cuspidate. Nut large pja-iform with a stalk-like base but 

 not a true stipe, very obtuseh- trigonous, smoothly warted, pale. 



A sedge of rather dry grassy places ; throughout the Presidency. (Most 

 warm countries). 



Section II. (ELEOCHAROIDES) Stem with one spikelet. Glumes not 

 distichous. (Occasional examples with 2-o spikelets occur. See also 

 F. schoenoides) . 



Key to the section : — 



1. Nut narrowly elongate, cylindric, curved . . 2. F. tetragona. 



2. Nut obovoid, biconvex, with 6-8 very deep 



transverse corrugations . . . . . . 3. F. acuminata. 



3. Nut elegantly obovoid with almost obcor- 



date apex, biconvex, minutely sub-tuber- 



culately dotted . . . . . . . . -i. F. 2>oli/trichoides. 



2. F. tetragona, R. Br. 6-24 inches. Leafless or nearly so. 



Spikelets not subtended by bracts, or rarely with the lowest glume 



slightly enlarged, obconic, densely many-flowered, ^ — ^ in., usually 



rather dark. Glumes elongate, obtuse, incurved round the nut. 



Nut as clavis, obscurely 9-ribbed and trabeculate. 



A gregarious sedge of marshes and pools. Common throughout the 

 Presidency, except North Gujarat. (Indo-Malayan.) 



3. F. acuminata, Vahl. Tufted, 4-8 in. Leaves reduced to 

 sheaths, the uppermost of which has sometimes a slight process. 

 Stems slender with one lanceolate acute few-flowered spikelet. 

 Glumes ovate subacute with a very strong midnerve. Nut as 

 clavis, pale, margined. The nut is v. distinctive. 



Very rare. Yellapur, N. Kanara (Herb Talb.) (Indo-Malayan). 



4. F. polytrichoides, Vahl. Tufted 2-9 inches with slender 

 stems and filiform leaves. Spikelets solitary, very rarely more, 

 usually ebracteate, sometimes with a filiform erect bract ' like a 

 continuation of the stem, ellipsoid, acute (in the Bombay example). 

 Glumes many, secund, appressed, obtuse or sub-obtnse. Nut a? 

 clavis. 



Rare. Sion, Bombay ; Karwar. (Indo-Malayan. A maritime species). 



Section III. (DICHELOSTYLIS)— S^aWef.v morr than one. Style bifid. 

 Orary and fruit compressed, biconvex. 



Key to the Section : — 



A. Spikelets 1-3, rarely up to 5, large, ovate, pale, 



glistening 



B. Spikelets more than o in fully 



viduals. 

 1. Spikelets in a capitate head 

 '2. Spikelets umbelled . 



