186 TR1ANDRI\ MONOGYNIA. CypeTUS. 



Culms from six to eight inches high, round, incurved, half- 

 naked. Spikes lateral, sessile. Involucre one-leaved, besides 

 the continuation of the culm. Seed oval, rounded. 



A native of moist sandy places, over various parts of 

 India. 



Root creeping, invested in brown sheaths. Culms half 

 naked, issuing singly from the root at some distance from 

 each other, nearly round, ascending, from six to eight inches 

 long; the lower half is involved in the sheath of a single, 

 short leaf. Leaf sheathing, generally one to each culm, 

 which is only about half its length. Head about an inch 

 and a half below the extremity of the culm, it consists of five 

 or six small, oval, ten or twelve-flowered spikes. Involucre 

 one-leaved, about as long as the spikes; besides these there 

 are some small, chaffy, calyx-like scales. Seed naked, oval, 

 compressed, white. 



3. C. lateralis. Forst. descript. 13. N. 28. 



Culms erect, columnar, from eight to twelve inches long, 

 naked ; head of five or six sessile spikes beneath the straight 

 apex of the culm ; stigma bifid ; seed oval, compressed. 



A native of Coromandel. 



Root creeping, dark rusty brown. Culms straight and per- 

 fectly erect, from eight to twelve inches high, round and naked. 

 Leaves no other than a short sheath or two, embracing the 

 base of each culm. Spikes sessile, five or six, forming a 

 small head on one side of the culm about an inch and a half 

 below its apex. Involucre, a minute, subulate leaflet imme- 

 diately under the spikes, and of the same length with them. 

 Scales of the spikes numerous, ovate-oblong, white, smooth 

 and rather obtuse. Stamina three. Stir/ma bifid. Seed 

 oval, flat on the inside, and convex on the exterior, lead-co- 

 lour or grey, and smooth. 



Obs. This differs from the plant which I consider to be 

 Cmncronatus of Retz. fasc. 5. p. 10. in being perfectly 

 erect and destitute of foliage ; whereas that species has leaves, 



