unequal primary peduncles the shorter of which bear very dense strongly 3- to 

 8-lobed glomerules of 25 to 50 spikelets, the longer ones (more than 15 mm. long) 

 with dense strongly 15- to 30-lobed compound glomerules of up to 100 spikelets; 

 bracts 3 to 5, the longer ones far-surpassing the inflorescence; spikelets 3-5 mm. 

 long, 1.5-2.2 mm. broad, nearly linear in the lower part, distally tapered and 

 apically crowded, with 8 to 12 flowers, red and green, laterally compressed, the 

 axis flat, wingless and persistent as a unit after the scales and achenes have 

 fallen; scales laterally red, membranous, inconspicuously cellular, medially firm- 

 membranous, 1.5-2 mm. long, in the proximal fourth the length with a narrow 

 flat area about 0.2 mm. broad dorsally (abaxially), the 2 lateral parts red, 0.5- 

 0.6 mm. broad (therefore the scale spread out is about 1.1 mm. broad, narrowly 

 ovate), tapering distally to the slightly acute tip, with 5 inconspicuous nerves in 

 the median portion, the median portion of the scale (as folded in position in the 

 spikelet) with a distinct curve in the proximal part but distally nearly straight; 

 stamen 1; achene oblong or elliptic-oblong, 0.9-1 (-1.2) mm. long, 0.3-0.4 mm. 

 thick, sharply trigonous, basally short-stipitate, apically shortly acuminate or pyra- 

 midal, pale-brown (finally dark-fuscous beneath the outer cellular layer). C 

 rufescens Torr. 



Rare in e. and s e. Tex., inland to Houston, Bastrop and DeWitt cos., in moist 

 or wet sand, spring-summer; otherwise scattered in S.A.,'Mex., La. and Okla. 

 Only mature material can be determined with confidence. 



22. Cyperus phaeolepis Cherm. 



Densely tufted perennial; culm 3-5 (-9) dm. long, erect, basally 2-3 mm. 

 thick, just beneath the inflorescence 1.7-2 mm. thick, irregularly striate; leaves 

 few, basal, reduced to usually reddish-brown sheaths with diagonal orifices, the 

 "blades" only a few mm. long; inflorescences (excluding bracts) 1-2 cm. long, 

 of 8 to 12 unequal peduncles each bearing a headlike (occasionally compound) 

 glomerule of 8 to 15 spikelets; bracts 9 to 13, spreading, 3-10 cm. long, (1-) 

 3-5 mm. broad, abruptly acute; spikelets 3-6 mm. long, 1.5-2 mm. broad, with 

 12 to 18 flowers, compressed slightly, the axis flat, wingless and remaining intact 

 as a unit after the scales have fallen (achenes sometimes more persistent); scales 

 1.3-1.5 mm. long, about as broad, broadly ovate when unfolded, obtuse, laterally 

 membranous, whitish or with a chestnut-tawny splotch, dorsally-proximally flat, 

 the midnerve obscure and the 2 other nerves forming keels on each side of the 

 flat area for about three eighths the total length; stamens 3; achenes 0.7-0.8 mm. 

 long, ellipsoid, obscurely trigonous, pallid-brown turning brown. C. albiflorus 

 Cherm. 



Rare in moist or wet places, s.e. (Galveston Co.) and Trans-Pecos (Pecos Co.) 

 Tex., escaped, Apr.-June; Madag.; Tex. 



23. Cyperus Haspan L. Fig. 228. 



Short-lived tufted perennial, flowering the first year; culms 1-7 dm. long, 

 erect, basally 2-5 mm. thick, just beneath the inflorescence 1.5-3 mm. thick, 

 sharply trigonous but soft and easily pressed flat; leaves basal, the lowest ones 

 bladeless, some of the upper ones consisting of sheaths with oblique orifices or 

 even with soft blades 1-10 cm. long; inflorescence (excluding bracts) 4-12 cm. 

 long, of 10 to 15 extremely unequal primary peduncles the shorter of which each 

 bears a lax glomerule of 3 to 12 spikelets and the longer with several secondary 

 peduncles each with a lax glomerule (or occasionally bearing unequal tertiary 

 peduncles with glomerules); bracts usually 2, one of them 0.3 to 1 (to 2) times 

 as long as the inflorescence, the other much shorter and inconspicuous; spikelets 

 4-10 mm. long, about 1 mm. broad, linear, compressed, brown, with 8 to 30 

 flowers, the axis persistent as a unit after the scales have fallen (the achenes and 



445 



