244 PLANTS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 



to several basal, sheathing, shining brown or dark brown bracts, 

 with slightl}^ membranous margins; lamina abbreviated, obtuse, 

 usually involute, with finely scabrous margins; floral bract similar. 

 Inflorescence consisting of a solitary, terminal, sessile spikelet, or 

 from 2-4: pedicellate terminal spikelets on filiform pedicels of 

 unequal length. Spikelets not very flat, lanceolate-acuminate, 9 

 lines long, containing 2 flow^ers, the lowest maturing fruit. 

 Glumes rather blunt, with a prominent black keel; margins pale, 

 membranous, minutely woolly-ciliate at the apex; five outer empty 

 ones gradually shorter. Stamens 3. Stigmas almost plumose, 

 much shorter than the hirsute style. Hypogynous bristles 6, 

 equal, shorter than the fruit, ovate, acute, not fringed. Nut 

 ovoid, smooth, obtusely 3-angled, very blunt, 1 line long, pale 

 with black blotches, on a thick stipes of J line. 



Loc. — Bayswater, in dry sandy soil; Leederville, in swampy 

 spots (\V. V. Fitzgerald; November, 1901). 



Stems 1-2 feet high; sheath-lamina not exceeding 1 line long; 

 longest pedicel about 1^ inches long. 



In the Bayswater form the spikelets are apparentl}^ all pedicel- 

 late, the inflorescence appearing more or less umbellate. In the 

 Leederville plant the inflorescence varies from the above to 

 spikelet solitary and sessile, and the stems more compressed. 

 There are no other diff'erences. 



In habit and general appearance the new plant bears a close 

 resemblance to S. pedicellaiiis, Poiret, but diff'ers in the mem- 

 branous and not bearded margins to the leaf -sheaths, the larger 

 size of the spikelets, the prominently keeled glumes, only 2 

 flowers in the spikelet, equal short hypognous bristles, and in the 

 stipitate nut. 



In the latter characteristic it bears some aflinity to S. minu- 

 tulus, F.V.M., and S. tr achy carpus, F.v.M. 



The species is named in honour of Mr. L. Rod way, the well- 

 know^n investigator of the Tasmanian flora, as a recognition of 

 much service rendered to the writer. 



