322 tiuandria digynia. Ischcemum. 



pie peduncle ; united at the base, at all times continuing 

 close as if one. Rac/tis very hairy, and jointed. Flou-ersi'vom 

 lour to eight pairs on each spike, one sessile, the other sub- 

 sessile. Calyces nearly alike, two-valved, two-flowered ; the 

 exterior valves even, acute, and uncommonly woolly on the 

 back ; the inner boat-shaped, acute, and smooth. In each, one 

 of the florets is hermaphrodite, the other male. Corols all two- 

 valved, hyaline; the inner valve of the hermaphrodite floret 

 in the sessile flower bifid and awned. Stamina three. Styles 

 two. 



5. I. geniculatum. R. 



Stems geniculate, creeping, smooth. Leaves ensiform. 

 Spikes conjugate, apparently only one. Calyces two -flower- 

 ed, smooth, and crested ; with the hermaphrodite flowers awn- 

 ed. 



A small species, a native of Bengal. Flowering time the 

 cool season. 



Culms polished, from one to two feet long-, very ramous, 

 diffuse, geniculate; joi tits large, emitting smooth, very brown 

 roots. Leaves small, ensiform, smooth ; sheath smooth, and 

 shorter than the polished joints of the culm. Spikes terminal, 

 conjugate, generally so close as to seem only one, smooth, 

 about an inch long. Rachis jointed, flexuose ; angles sharp, and 

 sometimes hairy. jFlowers paired, one sessile, one ped uncled. 

 Calyces, both two-flowered ; one hermaphrodite and awn- 

 ed, the other male and awnless. Exterior valve of the sessile 

 flower enlarged with two, bard, serrulate crests, one on each 

 side of the apex; inner mucronate, with a similar crest on the 

 back, under the apex ; of the pcdicelled flower both are boat- 

 shaped, mucronate, or sub-aristate, and the exterior one crest- 

 ed on the back under the apex ; all are smooth and marked 

 with green, longitudinal veins. Corols two-valved; the exte- 

 rior valve of the hermaphrodite flowers bifid and awned. 



