CXLTI. CYPERACE^. 889 



biconvex below, triquetrous above ; upper sheath with a broad ovate- 

 obloDg appressed limb sometimes reaching -^ in. long. Spikelets g-l in. 

 long, thicker than the stem, cylindric, obtuse, pale ; lowest glume like 

 the others but more coriaceous ; rhachilla stout, terete, deeply regularly 

 pitted. Glumes very many, closely spirally imbricate, -^ in. long and as 

 broad as long, quadrate, rounded at the apex, with a hyaline border on 

 the sides and on the top ; back thick, pale (nearly white) outside, dotted 

 with brown spots inside ; bristles much shorter than the nut, scabrid. 

 IStamens 1 in. long ; anthers narrow. Nut -j^.- in. long (not including 

 the conical whitish style-base, which reaches to about -gL in. long and 

 which is as broad as | of the nut), ashy brown, globosely obovoid, 

 biconvex, shining, with thickened margins, faintly striate and with 

 minute transverse yellowish streaks ; style with the style-base as long 

 as the nut ; stigmas 2 or 3. Fl. B. I. v. 6, p. 627 ; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 5, 

 p. 70; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 13 (1901) p. 431 ; Prain, Beng. 

 PI. p. 1148. Scirpus spiralis, Kottb. Descrip. et Icon. (1773) p. 45, 

 t. 15, fig. 1. — Flowers : Dec. 



KoNKAN : Salsette, Jacquemont , 7'25 1 ; Goa, Lisboa, 45 ! — Distrib. India (Bengal, 

 Birma, W. Peninsula) ; Ceylon. 



4. Eleocharis atropurpurea, Kunth, Enum. v. 2 (1837) p. 151- 

 Annual ; roots fibrous ; stems slender, densely tufted, 2-7 in. long, 

 straight or curved. Leaves ; sheaths short. Spikelets \-\ in. long, 

 ovoid, obtuse or subacute, much broader than the stem, many -flowered ; 

 rhachilla pitted. Glumes j^-y^ ^'^- long, broadly ovate-oblong, obtuse, 

 concave, loosely imbricate, easily detached ; back green ; sides mem- 

 branous with a chestnut-brown band along ench ; bristles 4-7, slender, 

 scabrid, as long as the nut, white. Anthers small, apiculate. Nut 

 ^^ in. long, obovoid, biconvex, smooth, black, apiculate with the short 

 stout white style-ba«e ; stigmas 2. Fl. B.I. v. 6, p. 627; Trim. Fl. 

 Ceyl. v. 5, p. 71 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 13 (1901) p. 431 ; 

 Prain, Beng. PI. p. 1148. Ueleochnris atropurpurea, Boeck. in Linn. 

 V. 36 (1870) p. 458.— Flowers : Sept. 



Gujarat: Godra, Woodrowl Sind : PinwiMl — Distrib. India (W. Himalaya, 

 Assam, W. Peninsula) ; Ceylon, Tropics generally. 



5. Uleocharis capitata, R. Br. Prod. (1810) p. 225. Annual ; 

 root tibi-ous ; stems densely tufted, numerous, 2-10 in. long, slender, 

 trigonous. Leaves ; sheaths short, sometimes tinged with purple, the 

 mouth oblique, acute. Spikelets yo~8 i"- i^^ diam., globosely ovoid, 

 rounded at the apex, pale. Lowest glumes bractiform, ^ in. long, 

 ovate-oblong, obtuse; fertile glumes Jg- in. long, orbicular-ovate, obtuse, 

 imbricate, easily detached, concave ; rhachilla terete, pitted ; bristles 

 longer than the nut, 7 or fewer, pale rose-brown when ripe {Clarice), 

 retroi-sely scabrid. Anthers small, linear, obtuse. Nut -^ in. long, 

 globosely obovoid, brown, smooth, shining, apiculate with the broad 

 style-base ; style short ; stigmas 2, Fl, B. I. v. 6, p. 627 ; Dalz. & 

 Gibs. p. 285; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 5, p. 72; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. 

 Nat. V. 13 (1901) p. 431 ; Prain, Beng. PI. p. 1] 48. Heleocharis capitata, 

 Boeck. in Linnaea, v. 36 (1870) p. 461. — Flowers : Sept. 



Deccan : Poona, Woodrow. Kanaka: Thomson. Sind: Bahelll; Jemadar ka 

 Landa near Karachi, S^C/(•s!— Distrib. India (Behar, Bengal, W. Peninsula); 

 Ceylon, Singapore, most warm countries. 



