BY W. V. FITZGERALD. HI 



S. melanostachyus, R.Br., but differs in the more numerous empty 

 glumes, in the lowest flower not perfecting fruit, and in the nut. 



SCHCENUS LyEVIGATUS, sp.nOV. 



Rhizome shortly creeping. Stems glabrous, erect, straight or 

 slightly flexuose, faintly striate, rigid, 1-1 J feet high, leafless 

 excepting the numerous shining dark brown sheaths at the base 

 and often one at or above the middle. Inner basal and stem- 

 sheath with a membranous margin and terminating in a subulate 

 compressed lamina of 4-6 lines long. Panicle rather loose but 

 narrow, 1^-3 inches long, with sometimes a small cluster from the 

 stem-sheath. Lower floral bracts similar to the sheaths, the 

 upper gradually smaller, Spikelets in each bract in clusters of 

 2-5 (usually 4) on very unequal slender pedicels of 1-2 inches 

 long, erect, ovate-lanceolate, brown, 4-5 lines long, compressed, 

 containing 2 flowers, both fertile. Glumes acute, 3-5 empty outer 

 ones gradually shorter, all slightly woolly- ciliate near the apex. 

 Hypogynous bristles 6 or fewer, ciliate, unequal, 3 often much 

 longer than the nut. Stamens 3. Nut dark brown, ovate, 

 •obtusely trigonous, rugose, J line long. 



Loc. — Bayswater (November, 1901; W. V. Fitzgerald). 



Approximates to *S'. hrevifolius, R.Br., differing principally in 

 the bracteate stem, smaller spikelets with fewer flowers, and in 

 the presence of hypogynous bristles. It differs already from *S'. 

 pedicellatus, Benth., and S./ascic2iIaris,NeeH, in the membranous 

 margined and not bearded sheaths. 



ScfiCENUs LAXus, sp.nov. 



Rhizome tufted. Stems glabrous, erect, terete or slightly 

 compressed, slender, faintly striate, H-2 feet high. Leaves basal, 

 few, almost subulate, with dark-coloured hooked points, 1^-3 

 inches long; sheaths pale brown, slightly a^Dpressed, the inner- 

 most 2-2 J inches long, the orifices barbellate with long hairs. 

 Panicle very loose, the spikelets on slender pedicels of 2-2 J inches, 

 forming clusters in the axils of dark brown sheathing bracts 

 which often terminate in subulate hooked lamina? of 1 inch. 



