THE CYPERACE.E OF TILE /iOMfJAV PRESIDENCY. 6-3 



rliau to attempt a sohition by describing new or reducing existing 

 species without seeing Clarke's other posthumous notes, as well as 

 monographs ot other cyperologists, wiiich may have been published 

 since Cooke wrote. For the same reason it has been out of the 

 «(uestion to attempt anything in the way of synonymy ; and I have, 

 therefore, given synonyms onh' incases where the Flora of B. I. and 

 ( "ooke's Bombay Flora diU'er. 



This ])aper is intended to be essentially a practical guide in field 

 work. .1 have framed my clavises as practically as possible ; and 

 in the matter of habitat and distribution I have given them as 

 broadly as is possible at the present daj^ not citing particular 

 places or names of collector except for very rare species. It is to 

 be regretted that there is practically no av^ailable material from 

 Sind. But the probability of any species occurring there or not 

 can be deduced from the distribution given for the Presidency 

 proper. 



Cyperaceae. English :— " Sedges.' 



Anmcal or perennial Jierhs with the habit of grasses or rushes. 

 Hoot system various. Stems solid, usually trigonous, sometimes terete 

 or polygonal, usually simple. Phyllotaxy ^-, constant, leaves never 

 petiolate, composed of a closed sheath and a free blade, which is 

 occasionally absent. Liqule 0. Inflorescence— (l) in Scirpoide.^^ 

 typically a simple or compound bracteate umbel of spikelets, often 

 a capitate cluster of sessile spikelets, or a single spikelet, — (2) 

 in CARiCOiDEiE typically a number of paniculatel}'- arranged 

 spikes, often a single spike. Spihelets 1-many flowered. Flowers 

 glumaceous, 1-2-sexual, typically a bisexual floret in the axil of a 

 single glume. Palea 0. Perianth 0, or of 2 or more hypogynous 

 bristles or scales, or (in Carex) of a utricle enclosing the ovary. 

 Stamens I — 3; filaments flattened ; anthers linear, basifixed, dehi- 

 scing ventrally by longitudinal slits. Pollen light, gi'anular, 

 conveyed by wind. Ovary superior, 1-celled, consisting of 3 (or, 

 by suppression, 2) wholly combined carpels, free (except in 

 Carex), compressed or trigonous. Ovule solitary, basal, erect, 

 anatropous. Style short or long, terete or flattened, 2- or 3-partite. 

 Stigmas as many as the style-branches, always exerted. Fruit a 

 Outlet, usually trigonous or compressed, free (except in Carex). 

 Seed erect, free. Embryo miniite, within the base of the usually 

 flourj' albumen. 



(Genera about G^j, species about 3,000, universally distributed). 

 It is customary to speak of the inflorescence of the Scirpoidece as an 

 umbel. The umbel is, however seldom as perfectly regular and flat- 

 topped as in such families as UinhelUfcrce, A^clepiadaceix, etc. An umbel 

 may be either monopodial or sympodial. That the scirpoid umbel is 



monopodia lean be clearly seen from such plants as Cy penis bulbosus and C. 



alternifolius ("Umbrella-grass" of Anglo-Indians), where the contraction of 



