Cyperus. triandria monogynia. 197 



Leaves ensiform, polished, shorter than the culms. Culms 

 slightly incurved, leafy round the base, triangular, with sharp 

 angles, concave sides, and from one to two feet high. Invo- 

 lucre two, or three-leaved, incurved, one of them two or three 

 times longer than the umbel. Umbel compound. Spikes nee- 

 dle-shaped, incurved. Scales oblong", obtuse, with a green 

 rib. Stamina three. Germ oblong-. Stigma three-cleft. Seed 

 linear, oblong, three-sided, smooth, brown. 



23. C. tortuosus. Kon. Mss. 



Culms obtusely three-sided, from six to eight inches high. 

 Umbel compound, length of the involucre. Spikelet linear, 

 incurved, flowers diandrous. Seed obovate, compressed, with- 

 out angles. 



A native of moist pasture ground. 



Root somewhat tuberous, with filiform fibres. Culms erect, 

 from six to eight inches high, naked, three-sided, smooth. 

 Leaves radical, shorter than the culm. Umbel compound. 

 Umbellets from four to eight, shorter and longer ped uncled, 

 composed of large, linear, many-flowered, chesnut-coloured, 

 curved spikes. Involucre three-leaved, longer than the 

 umbel. Stamina two. Style two-cleft. Seed obcordate, 

 compressed, smooth. 



24. C. rotundus. Linn. sp. pi. ed. Willd. 1. 283. Vahl. 

 enum. pi. 343. 



Root tuberous. Culms from one to two feet high, obtusely 

 three-sided. Umbel compound; spikelets alternate; involucre 

 three-leaved, length of the umbel. Seed angled. 



C. rotundus. Rumph. Arnb. 6. p. 1. t. [.Jig. 1. 2. 



C. hexastachyos. Rotib. 28. t. 14. f. 2. 



Sans. Moosta, Moostuka. 



Beng. Mootha. 



Teling. Shaka-twnga. 



This is by far the most common species we have in India; 



M 3 



