Cyperus. triandria monogynia. ]89 



Beng. Gothoob/. 



A native of low wet places over Bengal. 



Root fibrous. Culms straight, three-sided, smooth, general 

 height from twelve to eighteen inches. Leaves three, four, 

 or five, investing with their sheaths, the lower parts of the 

 culms straight and smooth, length various, the longest about 

 as long as the culm. Involucre, leaves several, diverging, of 

 very unequal lengths, the longest as long as the culm, and 

 the shortest about an inch. Heads terminal, composed of a 

 larger one in the centre, and four or five smaller ones in the 

 circumference, all rigidly sessile. Spikelets ovate, incurved, 

 ten or twelve scaled, each spikelet embraced on the under 

 side by an ovate-cordate, smooth, dark brown, bracte. Scales 

 boat shaped, pointed ; heel greenish ; sides deep, polished, 

 chesnut colour. Stamens three. Style simple and undivided 

 to the extremity. Seed three-sided, elevated on a spongy 

 whitish receptacle. 



Obs. The undivided style and spongy receptacle of the 

 seed distinguish this from all the other species I have yet 

 found in India. 



8. C. diffusus. R. 



Diffuse, from two to four inches high. Heads terminal, 

 glomerate, sessile; spikelets incurved. Scales daggered. 

 Involucre many-leaved. 



Mulen pullu. Rheed. Hort. Mai 12. p. 101. t. 54. 



A native of moist pasture ground. 



Root fibrous. Culms three-sided, several, diffuse, from two 

 to four inches long, smooth, towards the base leafy, and of 

 a dark chesnut colour. Leaves sheathing, two or three em- 

 bracing the base of each culm and about the same length. 

 Head terminal, sessile, composed generally of one large ca- 

 pitulum in the centre, and four or five in the circumference ; 

 these are again composed of small, incurved, from eight to 

 twelve-flowered spikes. Involucre many-leaved ; the exte- 



