852 CXLTI. CTPERACE^. 



sheath opposite to the blade. Inflorescence of solitary, fasciculate, 

 paniculate or spicate spikelets, composed of small distichously or spirally 

 imbricate scales (glumes) ; flowers minute, 1-2-sexual, in the axils of the 

 glumes. Perianth 0, or of 2 or more hypogynous bristles or scales 

 (ovary enclosed in a utricle in Carex). Stamens 1-3; filaments flattened ; 

 anthers basifixed, linear. Ovary 1-celled ; ovule solitary, basal, erect, 

 anatropous ; style short or long ; stigmas 2-3. Pruit a compressed 

 or trigonous nut. Seed erect, free ; embryo minute, within the base of 

 the floury albumen. — Distrib. Genera about Qb ; species about 3000, 

 universally distributed. 



Nut not enclosed in a utricle. 



Flowers 2-sexual, solitary in the glumes of a simple spikelet. 

 Flowering glumes all distichous. 



Fruit-bearing glumes not winged on the keel. 



Spikelets many-flowered 1. Cvperus. 



Spikelets 1-2-flowered 2. Kyllinha. 



Fruit-bearing glumes with winged keels 3. Courtoisia. 



Flowering glumes all spirally imbricate or the lower 

 only distichous. 



Spikelets many-flowered. 



Hypogynous bristles or scales 0. 



Style-base swollen, disarticulating from 



the nut 4. Fimbuistylis. 



Style-base persistent, leaving a tumour 



on the nut , 5. Stenophyllus. 



Hypogynous bristles or scales present. 

 Nut with hy|iogynous bristles. 



Style-base swollen fi. Eleocharis. 



Style-base not swollen 7. Scirpus. 



Nut with hypogynous scales. 



Hypogynous scales 6, divided Lo 

 the base into linear segments ; 



stigmas 3 8. Eriophorum. 



Hypogynous scales not divided into 

 segments. 

 Hypogynous scales 6 or 3 or 0, 



petal-like; stigmas 3 9. Fuirena. 



Hypogynous scales 2, lateral, 

 bracteole-like; stigmas 2 ... 10. Hypolytrum, 

 Spikelets few-flowered. 



Stigmas 2 11. Rhynciiospora. 



Stigmas 3 12. Ee.>iirea. 



Flowers 1-sexual ; nut stipitate, bony ; scales or bristles . 13. Scleria. 

 Nut enclosed iu a bottle-shaped utricle with an entire or 



notched or shortly slit mouth 14. Carex. 



1. CYPERUS, Linn. 



Perennial (rarely annual) glabrous herbs ; rhizome creeping, short or 

 long or 0. Leaves mostly towards tlie base of the stem, occasionally 

 reduced to sheaths. Spikelets in solitary globose or umbellate heads or 

 spikes ; involucral bracts 1 or more, foliaceous ; bracteoles under the 

 secondary divisions of the inflorescence ; rhachilla usually persistent, 

 not or in a few species disarticulating towards the base, sometimes with 

 membranous wings derived from the persistent glume-bases. Glumes 

 distichous, the 2 lowest empty, those above 2-sexual, all nearly equal, 

 d'l-ciduous from below upwards, the uppermost 1-3 sterile or empty ; 

 hypogynous scales or bristles 0. Stamens 1-3 ; anthers linear or oblong. 



