BY W. V. FITZGERALD. 245 



SCHOENUS JaMESOXIANUS, sp.llOV. 



Csespitose; stems slender, prominently striate, simple. Leaves 

 numerous at the base of the stem, involute, linear, flexuose, blunt, 

 much dilated at the base into open brown sheaths, hyaline on the 

 margin. Sheathing bracts with closed black sheaths and hyaline 

 margins, lower one produced into a leaf-like lamina. Spikelets 

 usually 2 together, rarely solitary, on unequal pedicels within 

 the sheath, occasionally the longer pedicel bears a second pedicel- 

 late spikelet; spikelets much compressed, ovate-lanceolate, 4-5 

 lines long, containing from 3-4 flowers, apparently all fertile. 

 Glumes dull black, truncate or bifid, with a prominent keel, 

 which in the outer glumes is green; margins slightly ciliate near 

 the apex; 3-4 outer empty ones gradually shorter. Stamens 3. 

 Stigmas much shorter than the style. Hypogynous bristles 

 none. Nut obovoid, obtusely 3-angled, J line long, tubercular- 

 rugose. 



Loc. — Midland Junction, in wet spots (W. V. Fitzgerald; 

 September, 1900). 



Stems usually about 9 inches high; leaves from 4-6 inches long; 

 lamina of lower bract from li-2J inches long. 



This species is very close to S. bijidus, Bceckel., from which it 

 differs chiefly in the more numerous flowers within the spikelet, 

 and in the entire absence of h3'pogynous bristles. 



The species is dedicated to the Hon. Dr. Adam Jameson, 

 M.L C, Minister for Lands for Western Australia. 



