210 TRIANDR1A MONOGYNIA. ScirpilS. 



43. C. Haspan. Linn, sp.pl ed. Willd. 1. 287. 



Culms from four to sixteen inches high. Umbel super-de- 

 compound, involucre two-leaved. Seeds globular, white. 



Gramen cyperoides madasarpatanum, Sec. Pluck, aim. 

 1.92./. 2. 



Telincj. Poo-cushalic. 



An elegant small species, a native of cultivated moist 

 places. 



Root fibrous. Culms erect, from four to twelve inches high, 

 three-fourths naked, obsoletely three-sided, smooth. Leaves 

 sheathing", often as long* as the culm, very slender. Umbel 

 super-decompound, in small plants as long as the culm. Um~ 

 belli ts one or two sessile, and from four to six-peduncled. 

 Partial umbellets of the first and second degrees pedicelled. 

 Involucre generally two-leaved, unequal, the longest rather 

 longer than the culm ; involucel a few chaffy scales only. 

 Stamens two or three. Seed sub-globular, pure white, smooth. 



SCIRPUS. 

 Glumes chaffy, imbricated on all sides. Corol none. Seed 



one. 



SECT. I. Without Leaves. 



1 . S. tuberosus. R. * 



Root tuberous. Culms culumnar, jointed, leafless. Spikes 

 terminal, cylindric, naked. Scales oblong. Base of the style 

 cordate. Seed obcordate, beset with glochidate bristles. 



Pi tsi, Maa-tai, Pu-tsai, or Pe-tsi, or water chesnut of the 

 Chinese. 



It is mentioned by Abbe Grosier under the first name, and 

 under the other appellations was transmitted from Canton, by 

 Mr. Duncan, at the desire of the Governor General, for the 

 Company's Botanic garden, .where it blossoms about the 

 close of the rains, in September. 



Root fibrous, Avith stoloniferous shoots and round turnip- 



