338 CYPERACEZ. [ PycrEus, 
up to 7 ins. in length. Glumes ovate, with a green keel, obtuse, 
to i. long, nearly y; in. broad. Stamens 2. Style with arms +}, in. 
long. Nut. ellipsoid when viewed laterally, strongly compressed, 
zs in. long, pale brown in colour. 
Moradabad (T. Thomson), Gonda (Harsukh), Shikohabad (Duthie), 
Pilibhit (Inayat), Dehra Dun (Duthie), Meerut (Duthie), Kheri 
(Inayat), Saharanpore. ) 
There is a considerable variety in the size, shape and colour of the 
spikelets, but I have not been able to follow C. B. Clarke in limiting 
the varieties as he does in the Flora of British India. The variety 
nilagiricus, which I have not seen from our area but which probably 
occurs there, may usually be recognised by the dark colour of the 
spikelets. The variety strictus, to which Clarke has referred the 
Moradabad plant, appears to be connected with the type by all 
grades of intermediates. It is said to be characterised by having 
narrower, straw-coloured or yellow spikelets, less compressed, fre- 
quently short, 6-12-flowered, sometimes curved or twisted and the 
glumes closely packed but loosely imbricate. 
Distris.: Throughout India, Ceylon and most of the temperate and 
tropical regions of the old_ world. 
2. P. sanguinolentus, Nees in Linnea 1X, 283; F. B. I. vi, 
590 ; Prain, Beng. Pl. 1137 ; Cooke Fl. Bomb. ii, 856; Collett, 
Fl. Siml. 553. 
An erect glabrous annual or perennial herb up to 14 ins. high. Roots 
fibrous and usually tufted. Rhizome very short or none or elongated 
and covered by brown leaf-sheaths, sometimes the stem is decum- 
bent and roots at the nodes. Leaves all arising from the lower third 
of the stems, blades linear, up to 34 ins. long, usually less, sheaths 
closed, with a truncate mouth. Spzkelets 8 to 30 in an apparently 
simple to obviously compound head, each 10 to 20 flowered, + to 2 
in. long, about 4 in. broad; bracts 3 to 4, unequal, leaf-like and up 
to 34 ins. long. Glumes light brown, broadly boat-shaped, obtuse, 
yz in. long, ys in. wide when spread out, keel rounded below, sharp 
above, with three green nerves converging to the apex. Stamens 3. 
Style including arms 7; in. long. Nut broadly obovate in outline 
when viewed laterally in whch plane it is strongly compressed, dark 
dull brown, 3, in. long and ;; in. diameter measured from front to 
back. 
Dehra Dun (Duthie), Saharanpur (Parker). DisTRIB. : Throughout 
India and the warmer parts of the Old World. 
