Cyperus CYPERACEAE Eleocharis 



b. Spikelets in dense cylindrical clusters 3. C. glomeratus 



bb. Spikelets pinnately arranged. 



c. Spikelets small, 4-8 mm. long, and numerous. 



Scales of the spikelet obtuse, yellowish at maturity 4. C. iria 



Scales of the spikelet acute, reddish at maturity 5. C. pilosus 



cc. Spikelets large, 10-25 mm. long, and fewer. 



Spikelets green, 3.5-4 mm. broad: plants annual or biennial 6. C. compressus 

 Spikelets red, 2-2.5 mm. broad: plants perennial 7. C. rotundus 



1. Cyperus difformis Linn. &[%. (Hsien Ts'ao; Salty Grass) (M.F. 110). Stout, 1-4 

 dm. high; fr. reddish brown, IX-X. Eurasia; locally in Ki., Ku. Wet ground. 



2. Cyperus haspan Linn. (M.F. 110). Tufted, 1-6 dm. high; fls. VIII. All warm 

 countries; locally in Che. Rice-paddy weed. 



3. Cyperus glomeratus Linn. (Mak.F. 819). Stout, 3-10 dm. high; fr. brown, IX-X. 

 Eurasia; locally in An., Che., Ku. Wet ground. 



4. Cyperus iria Linn. ^EH (Ching San Leng; Three-angled Bramble) (M.F. 111). 

 Stout, 1-5 dm. high; tr. brown, VII-IX. Warm and temperate regions; locally 

 in An., Che., Ki., Ku. Wet ground. 



5. Cyperus pilosus Vahl (M.F. 111). Coarse, 4-8 dm. high; fr. brown, VIII-X. 

 Tropical and subtropical countries of the Old World; locally in Ki., Ku. Marshy 

 places. 



6. Cyperus compressus Linn. ;1 [EI4E (Sha T'ien Ts'ao; Sand Grass) (G.M. 242). 

 Tufted, 2-5 dm. high; fls. greenish, VII; fr. VIII. Tropical regions; locally in 

 Ku. Moist grassland. Fig. 460. 



7. Cyperus rotundus Linn. Nut Grass $Pj,l (So Ts'ao; Sedge) (Mak.F. 819). Erect, 

 2-5 dm. high; fls. greenish, VII; fr. VIII. Old World tropics; locally in Che., 

 Ki., Ku. Moist meadows. 



6. Mariscus Gaertn. fjg^Uil (Chuan Tzii Miao Shu) 



Tufted, usually perennial, with mostly basal leaves and leaf -like bracts: infl. of 

 heads or spikes in umbels: spikelets compressed; the rachilla deciduous above the 

 two lowest scales; the scales 2-ranked : style 3-parted : achene triangular. 160 species, 

 in all warm countries; 5 in China. 



Key to the Species 



Radii stout, not over 2 cm. long: spikes often less than 2cm. long .. 1. M. cyperinus 

 Radii slender, to 6 cm. long: spikes 2cm. or more long 2. M. sieberianus 



1. Mariscus cyperinus (Retz.) Vahl (M.F. 113). Erect, stout, 2-6dm. high; fr. brown, 

 VI-VIII; infl. crowded. Tropical and subtropical Asia, Polynesia; locally in Che., 

 Ku. Swampy ground. 



2. Mariscus sieberianus Nees HhPlf (Chuan Tzu Miao) (H.F. 6: 622). Erect, slender, 

 2-6 dm. high; fr. brown, VI-VIII; some spikes on long radii. Warm regions; 

 locally in Che., Ki., Ku. Swampy ground. Fig. 461. 



7. Eleocharis R. Br. Spike Rush H^g (Wu Yii Shu) 



Erect tufted leafless glabrous plants: culms simple, without nodes: infl. a single 

 terminal spikelet with spirally imbricated scales, distichous in E. acicidaris: perianth 



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