Scleria CYPERACEAE Cyperus 



Culms slender: If. blades about 5mm. broad: achenes conspicuously 



pitted 2 . S. tessellata 



1. Scleria hebecarpa Nees M^3 (Chen Chu So; Precious-pearl Sedge) (Mak.F. 800). 

 Stout, erect, to Ira.; fls. brown, IX; fr. white, X. Eastern Asia to Australia; 

 locally in Che., Ki. Moist places. 



2. Scleria tessellata Willd. (M.F. 120). Slender, to 8dm.; fls. brown, VIII-IX; fr. 

 white, IX-X. Eastern Asia to Australia. Moist ground. 



3. Kyllinga Rottb. 7KK4&M (Shui Wu Kung Shu) 



Erect, with simple stems, lfy. below, topped by 1-3 capitate ovoid spikes; each 

 subtended by 3 If. -like spreading bracts: spikelets numerous, compressed, bisexual, 

 with scales 2-ranked; the rachilla deciduous: style 2-branched: achenes compressed. 

 30 species, tropical and subtropical, 6 in China. (In honor of Peder Kylling, a Danish 

 botanist of the 17th century.) 



1. Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb. i\<MMk (Shui Wu Kung; Water Centipede) (Mak.F. 

 814). Grasslike, tufted, 1-4 dm. high; fr. green, VI-VIII: spikes capitate, ovoid. 

 Tropical and subtropical countries; locally in An., Che., Ki., Ku. Moist ground. 

 Fig. 459. 



4. Pycreus Beauv. W$t%Wk (P'i Ch'iu Ts'ao Shu) 

 Slender plants, leafless below, with leaf -like bracts subtending the infl.: spikelets 

 compressed, not in heads; the rachilla persistent; the scales 2-ranked: style 2-parted: 

 achene laterally compressed. 50 species, in warm and temperate regions; 8 in China. 



Key to the Species 



Scales of the spikelet not sulcate: If. blades 1-2 mm. broad, from the 



base of the plant 1 . P. globosus 



Scales of the spikelet deeply sulcate on the sides: If. blades 3-4 mm. 



broad; sheaths covering 1/3 of the culm 2. P. eragrostis 



1. Pycreus globosus (All.) Reichb. (Mak.F. 816). Slender, erect, 2-4 dm. tall; fr. 

 brown, IX-X. Tropical and subtropical countries of the Old World; locally in An., 

 Che., Ki. Moist ground. 



2. Pycreus eragrostis (Vahl) Merr. (M.F. 108). Erect, tufted, 2-4 dm. tall; fr. 

 brown, IX-X. Tropical and subtropical countries of the Old World; locally in 

 Ku. Wet ground. 



5. Cyperus Linn. Galingale ^^M (So Ts'ao Shu) 

 Erect, leafy at the base, with leaf -like bracts: infl. umbellate or capitate: spikelets 

 compressed; the rachilla persistent; the scales 2-ranked: style 3-parted: achene triangular 

 or plano-convex. Over 300 species, in all warm countries; 35 in China. (An old 

 Greek name of the plant.) 



Key to the Species 



a. Spikelets digitate or in umbels. 



Clusters of spikelets crowded, more or less spherical 1. C. difformis 



Clusters of spikelets loose and spreading 2. C. haspan 



aa. Spikelets in spikes or racemes. 



492 



