190 CYPERACEAE 



borue in spikelets or spikes -which are arranged iu clusters, racemes, panicles 

 or umbels. Perianth none or represented by usi;ally 4 to 6 bristles. Stamens 

 1 to 3. Pistil 1 ; ovary 1-eelled with 1 ovule, the single style 2 or 3-cleft. Fruit 

 a lenticular or 3-angled achene. Embryo minute in mealy endosperm. — Aliout 

 65 genera and 3000 species, widely distributed over the earth, chiefly as marsh 

 plants. 



Bibliog. — Clarke, C. B., Indian Species of Gyperus (Jour. Linn. Soc. vol. 21, pp. 1-202, — 

 18S4). Britton, N. L., Preliminary List N. Am. Species of Cyperus (Bull. Torr. Club, vol. 

 13, pp. 20.5-16,-1886) ; Genus Eleoeliaris in N. Am. (Jour. N. Y. Mie. Soc. vol. .5, pp. 9.5-111,— 

 1889) ; List of Species of Seii-pus and Hhyncospora in N. Am. (Trans. N. Y. Acad. Sci. vol. 

 11, pp. 74-93, — 1892). Bailey, L. H., Preliminary Synopsis N. Am. Carices (Proc. Am. Acad, 

 vol. 22, pp. 59-l.')7, — 1886). Parish, S. B., Preliminary Synopsis of Southern California 

 Cyperaceae (a series of papers in Bull. S. Cal. Acad. Sci. vols. 3.5. 1904-1906). Clarke, C. B.. 

 New Genera and Species of Cyperaceae (Kew. Bull. .\dd. Ser. 8, — 1908). Kiikenthal, Georg. 

 Carieoideae (Engler, Pflzr. teil 4, ant. 20,-1909). 

 Flowers all perfect ; spikelets many-tlowered, with 1 or 2 of the lower scales empty. — SciRPEAE. 



Spikelets flattened, the scales in 2 opposite ranks; inflorescence involucrate 1. Cyperus. 



Spikelets cylindrical, the scales imbricated around the axis in several rows. 

 Style enlarged or bulbous at base. 



Bulbous base of style persistent on the achene; perianth bristles generally present; 

 spikelet solitary, terminating the naked stem, the leaves at base reduced to sheaths. . 



2. Eleoch.\ris. 

 Bulbous base of style deciduous, not persistent on achene; perianth bristles none; 



spikelets umbellate or capitate, the stems leafy at base 3. Fimbristvlis. 



Style not enlarged at base; perianth bristles usually present. 

 Scales not enclosing a bractlet ; perennials. 



Perianth bristles (1 to 8) barbed or none; stamens mostly 3; spikelets solitary or 

 clustered or in a compound umbel; stem often leafy at base and infioresceuce in- 

 volucrate 4. SCIRPUS. 



Perianth bristles nmnerous, naked, long-exserted and silky in fruit; stamens 1 to 3; 



spikelets few, otherwise as in Scirpus 5. Eriophorum. 



Scales enclosing a minute bractlet; annuals 6. Hemicakpha. 



Flowers of 2 kinds, perfect and staminate; spikelets few (1 or 2, sometimes to 6) -flowered, 

 with 3 to several of the lower scales empty. — Ehyncosporkae. 



Scales 2-ranked ; style wholly deciduous 7. SCHOEXUS. 



Scales spirally imbricated. 



Style wholly deciduous; perianth bristles none 8. Gladium. 



Style or its base persistent as a tubercle or beak on the achene; perianth bristles commonly 



present 9. Rhynoospora. 



Flowers monoecious or sometimes dioecious; spikes unisexual or androgynous; achene enclosed 

 in a sac (perigynium) or spathe. — Cariceae 10. Carex. 



1. CYPERUS ]j. G.VLINGALE. 



Annuals or perennials. Stems triangular or terete, never branched, leafy 

 at base. Inflorescence subtended by a conspicuous leafy involucre, umbellate 

 with unequal rays and a sessile central spike, or capitate. Flowers in flattened 

 or subterete spikelets, the spikelets iu capitate clusters or arranged in spikes 

 borne on the rays. Scales concave, more or less carinate. 2-ranked. Perianth 

 none. — Species 544, all continents btit chiefly in the wai'uu^r parts of the earth. 

 (Greek Kupeiros, the ancient name.) 



Style 2-cleft ; achene lenticular or at least not triangular; spikelets flat; scales falling from 

 the rachis; rachis not winged. 

 Spikelets in a close terminal cluster; scales sharply carinate; achene lenticular. 



Achene oblong; stamens 2; scales obtuse, 1 line long 1. C. mclaiwstaehyus. 



Achene ovoid; stamens 3; scales acute, 2 lines long 2. C. hromoides. 



Spikelets in an apparently lateral cluster; stamens 3; scales scarcely carinate; achene plano- 

 convex 3. C. laevigatus. 



