THE CrrERACEJ-: OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. mi 



41. C. exaltatUS, Jiet::. Stems up to G ft., Umbel large. 

 Spikes (at ail} rate some) pedunclecl, not so dense as the last and 

 following spp. Spikelets very flattened, chestnut, ^ x -^ inches ; 

 secund. 



A gregarious setlge of marshes. Throughout the Presidency. (Tropical 

 ami sub-tropical countries.) 



(It) Var dives, Clie. Spikelets more tnrgid, divaricate, golden. 

 (Distribution uncertain.) 



(c) Spikelets longer up to § inch or more, red gold, sinuately 

 curved. 



A very common form in the Presidency, especially the Mallad tract of 

 the Carnatic. 



45. C. digitatUS, i^oxb. As the last, but spikelets narrower, 

 more attenuate and acute, not secund, less brightly coloured. 



Not so common as the last (Tropics generally, but not specially Indo- 

 Malayan). 



2. Mariscus, ^'M. 



Spikelets few^ — sometimes only one-flowered. Rhachilla disarticu- 

 lating when mature above the 2 lowest (empty) glumes, leaving a 

 knob or scar, on the rhachis. Nut trigonous. Styles 3. Habitat 

 various. (Species 160, warm regions). 



For remarks as to this genus, see the notes to the last genus. 

 Key to the szenus :-- 



A. — Stem short, stout, thickened at the base tcith 



coloured sheaths .. .. .. .. 1. M. bulbosus. 



B. — Stem tall, or when short, then slender ; spikelets v. 

 narroit, not turffid, ])ale, bearing one, rarely 

 tuo nuts. 



(Note. — The species of this section are very imperfectly charaeterizecT. 

 They are mostly considered by some authors to be varieties of the origi- 

 nal C. umbellatus, Benth. They are as yet imperfectly known and studied 

 in this Presidency and the account of them now given is merely tentative) 



1. Stolons slender, creeping, stem slender, 



10 inches Spikes few, short, sessile or 

 V. shortly peduncled, in a simple con- 

 tracted umbel or head. Spikelets some- 

 what curved.. .. .. .. .. '2, M. paniceus. 



2. The same but taller and with spikes rather 



longer and borne on short rays up to 2 



inches . . . . . . . . . . M. paniceus. var. 



lloxburt/hiana. 



3. Rhizome rather short. Stem about 1 foot, 



fairly firm. Umbel simple of several 

 spreading rays terminated by cylindric 

 narrow spikes of crowded, straight, diva- 

 ricate spikelets . . . . . . , . 3. .V. sieberianus. 



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