68 



THE FLORAL ENVELOPES IN GRAMINE.E AND CYPERACE^. 



of the stamens within the bracts is collateral in all but the terminal 

 flower ; in the terminal flower, where the filaments are free from 

 lateral pressure, they are placed in a triangular position. 



C. panicca. — The ochrea of the lowest female spike is short, 

 2-8tlis in. in length, and many times shorter than the peduncle. It 

 is sheathing, with a rounded, oblique, or truncate apex, convex 

 in front, flattened on the back, keeled on either side. 



C. 2)endula. — The ochrea here is short, 

 3-lGths in. to 2-8ths in. long, sheathing, but 

 slit on ojie side nearly to the base, mem- 

 branous, nerved, with truncate, erose, fus- 

 cous apex, those of the upper peduncles with 

 two distinct green nerves on either side. 



C. hiiwrvis.- — Here the ochrea is short (but 

 long as compared with that of C. Umujata) 

 2-8ths in. in length, tubular, membranous, 

 with slightly oblique truncate mouth. 



0. heviijata. — Here the ochrea is remark- 

 ably short, sheathing, membranous, truncate, 

 and aftbrds a good specific character by which 

 this species may be at once distinguished from 

 C. hincrvis. The lowest bract of the barren 

 spike in this species usually bears four sta- 

 mens in its axil, and these are always placed 

 collaterally. In two or three instances I have 

 found this bract bearing yii^e stamens. 



Fig. 13. — This represents the hase of a male spike 

 of C. Icevigata, the lowest bract of which bore iu its 

 axil one stamen and two styles with stigmas, the two 

 styles being approximate. 



Fig. 14. — This rejiresents an instance (recorded in 

 1872, and drawings made at time of observation) in 

 which one of the bracts, at the base of a male spike of 

 C. Icevigata, bore one central stamen, and two styles, 

 one on either side of the single stamen.* There was 

 no appearance of any ovary, and the styles ended as 

 abruptly below as the filaments of the stamens. 



In this species I have, in one instance, 

 found the lowest bract of a male spike, bearing, 

 instead of stamens, a female flower with single 

 nut and two stigmas and a bract-like, im- 

 perfect utriculus, with a lateral position. 



C. (jlauca.i 



C, jialudosa, C. Pscudo <'>//ienis, 0. limosa, 

 0. montana, C. pilnUfera. — In all these species 

 the ochrea is short. 



Fig. 15. — Axilliiry bract or ochrea at the base of the uppermost female spike 

 of C. pihilifera. a, front view; b, back view. 



* For an analogous case 'on record, see Journ. Linn. Soc. vii., p. I'-il, and 

 XX., p. 45. 



t For notices of remarkable growth of the seta in this species see Journ. 

 Bot. 1863, p. 1G3, and Journ. Linn. Soc, xx., p. 45. 



