CXLVI. CTPERACE.B. 871 



Linngea, v. 9 (1835) p. 286 (nomen nudum) ; Kuntli, Emim. v. 2 (1837) 

 p. 56 ; Trim. Fl. Ceyl, v. 5, p. 30. Papyrus deJiiscens, JSees, in Wight, 

 Contrib. (1834) p. 89.— Flowers : Sept. 



Konkan: Cookcl Deccan : 'Ln.noW, Garadel Sind : Pi«w)i7/!— Distrib. Through- 

 out India ; Ceylon, Tropical Africa ; cultivated in Mauritius. 



Much employed in Calcutta ijy the manufacture of mats, which are sometimes 

 imported into Europe. 



35. Cyperus bulbosus, P'a/tZ, E'/mm. v. 2 (1806) p. 342. GLabrous, 

 stoIoniCerous ; stolons 4-2| in. loug, filiform, with bulbils formed close 

 to the ends of the stolons ; bulbils when ripe ovoid, | by i in., coated 

 with a thick striate black integument which ultimately splits irregularly 

 into lanceolate segments ; stem 4-12 in. long, slender, trigonous, 

 arising from a bulb, clothed at the base with black coriaceous scales. 

 Leaves coming off at some distance from the base, below the middle o£ 

 the stem and usually longer than it, reaching i in. broad, tapering to a 

 fine point at the apex, spreading and recurved ; sheaths very long, 

 membranous. Inflorescence a head of umbels formed of slender alternate 

 spikes each bearing 3-12 spikelets, the lower distant from the upper ; 

 bracts 3, very unequal, filiform, the longest 3-4 in. long. Spikelets 

 Q~H ^y tV~tV ^'^•' compres^sed, red, 8-24-flo\vered ; rhachilla with 

 persistent elliptic wings. Glumes i in. long, oblong, slightly mucronu- 

 late, cymbiform, membranous, 7-11-nerved ; the sides bright red with 

 hyaline margins in the lower part. Stamens 3 ; anthers y^^ in. long, 

 linear, subacute, vellow. Nut -^jr iu, long, obovoid, obtuse, triquetrous, 

 black. Fl. B. I.V. 6, p. 61.1; lialz. & Gibs. p. 284; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. 

 v. 5, p. 22 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 13 (1901) p. 431. Ci/perus 

 jeminicus, Eetz. Obs. fasc. 4 (1786) p. 11 ; C. B. Clarke, in Journ. Liim. 

 Sue. V. 21 (18S4) p. 175 {not of Eottb.) ; Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 2, 

 p. 685. — Flowers : Dec. 



Sandy shores near tlie sea, Dalzell ef- Gih.<oii. Sind : Ilydrabad, Woodrow ; Jemadar 

 ka Landa near Karachi, Stocks \ — Distuib. India (\V. Peninsula); Beluchistan, 

 Ceylon, Tropical Africa, and Australia. 



The bulbs are used as flour in times of scarcity and eaten roasted or boiled. When 

 roasted they have tiie flavor of potatoes and would be valuable for food, but that they 

 are so small. See Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. 1. c. 



36. Cyperus rotundus, Linn. Sp. PI. (1753) p. 45. Glabrotis ; 

 stolons elongate, slender, 4-8 in. long, bearing hard ovoid tunicate black 

 fragrant tubers ^1 in. in diam. ; root-fibres clothed with flexuous hairs ; 

 stems snbsolitary, 4-30 in. long, triquetrous at the top, sometimes 

 tuberous at the bise. Leaves shorter or longer than the stem, narrowlv 

 linear, ^-^ in. broad, finely acuminate, flat, 1-nerved. Umbel simple or 

 compound ; rays 2-8, the longest reaching 3 in. long, bearing short 

 spikes of 3-10 slender spreading red-brown spikelets [the inflorescence 

 sometimes contracted into a head, occasionally {Jide C. B. Clarke) of 

 only one spikelet] ; bracts 3, variable in length, the longest reaching 

 6 in. long, but sometimes abbreviated and much shorter tlian the head. 

 Spikelets variable in length, f-lg by -^-^ in., linear, subacute, red-brown, 

 10-50-flo\vered, compressed ; rhachilla with hyaline wings. Glumes 

 ■1 — \ in. long, oblong, obtuse or slightly apiculate ; back reddish-brown, 

 3-7-nerved ; sides, margins, and tip hyaline. Stamens 3; anthers ^^y 

 in. long. Nut -^^ in. long, broadly obovoid, trigonous, greyish-black ; 



