186 ■siiiANBRiA MO«uGi'siA. Cypcrus: 



three, or four black and brown, longitadiually striated sheaths, 

 which burst and fall off in succession. There are many capillary 

 fibres issuing from the base of the culm. The stolones generally push 

 their way up through the sheaths, and out ai their mouths, run ho- 

 rizontally, producing from their extremities the new plant. On remov- 

 ing the sheath a small truncated, pointed ball is observed, resting in 

 the upper side of the base of the culm, wliith (onion^{i.;e) is form- 

 ed by the united sheaths of the leaves. This little bulb, which is 

 slightly connected to the base of the culm on which ii lests, is the 

 eatable part; it is composed of two or three couts, a..d about the size 

 of a pea; when its proper exterior brown membranous sheath is 

 removed, it is very white, inviting to the eye, and pleasant to the 

 taste.— Cw^m erect, two-thirds naked, between round, andthree-sid- 

 ed, two, three, or four inches long.— Leares a few, filiform on the 

 upper side, grooved, four or five inches long, below the surface of 

 the earth, their sheaths form the little firm culm above-mentioned ; 

 from its head the capillary roots and stolones issue. — Umbel simple, 

 composed of from six to ten sessile, linear, diverging spikes. — Invo- 

 lucre generally three-leaved, unequal, the largest twice as long as the 

 spikes ; they issue not as usual from the same point, but alternately 

 one above another.— ScaZes oblong, sivl■^i\.ed.-~ Stigma two-c!eft.— • 

 Seed roundish, three-sided, grey. 



Obs. The little bulbs are gently roasted or boiled, then rubbed be- 

 tween the hands or the folds of a cloth, to take off the sheaths, which 

 is all the preparation the natives give them, to make them a pleasant 

 wholesome part of their diet, which they have frequent resource to, 

 particularly in times of scarcity. Some dry them in the sun, grind 

 them into meal, and make bread of them, while others slew theiu 

 in their curries and other dishes ; they are palatable, tasting like a roast- 

 ed potatoe. I wish they could be enlarged by culture, when they 

 might soon prove a valuable acquisition, for on account of their 

 smallness, it is troublesome and tedious gathering and cleaning any 

 quantity of them. 



