346 ; CYPERACE4, [ Mariscus. 
Mariscus microcephalus, Presl, Rel. Henk. 4 182-3 FBS EM, 
624 ; Prain, Beng. Pl. 1147. 
An erect perennial glabrous herb. Rhizome short. Stem 1-4 ft. high, 
obscurely trigonous, smooth, longitudinally striated. Leaves variable, 
linear, tapering to an acuminate apex, generally about as long as 
the stem, 4+ to } in. broad, frequently somewhat spongy, margins 
and keels more oF less scabrid; sheaths broad, reddish-brown, not 
fibrous. Primary umbel large with numerous rays of various lengths 
up to 7 ins. ; secondary umbels similar but the rays shorter and 
ending in compact spheroidal spikes about i in. diameter and com- 
posed of numerous slender spikelets; primary bracts numerous, 
leaf-like but generally shorter and less spongy. Spikelets narrowly 
linear, } to $ in. long, terete, red-brown, bearing 2 to 10 nuts; rachilla 
slender provided with hyaline wings by the decurrent glumes, oblong 
lanceolate or elliptic, obtuse, } in. long, =, in. broad, with faint 
longitudinal striations, keel rounded. Stamens 3. Nut narrowly 
oblong in outline, trigonous, narrowed above into an acute beak, 
ys-to in. long; style with its 3 branches } in. long. 
Dehra Dun (Gamble), Moradabad (Thomson), Saharanpur, Shahjahan- 
pur (Duthie), Haldwani (Parker). Distris.: Throughout most of 
India and Tropical! Africa. 
2. M. cyperinus, Vahl. Enum. ii, 377; F. B. I. vi, 621 ; Colles. 
‘Fl. Siml. 558. 
An erect glabrous herb. Rhizome short, not dietnigey 3 stolons, covered 
with more or less fibrous sheaths. Stems about 1-2 ft. high, longi- 
tudinally striated, trigonous. Leaves linear tapering to an acute or 
acuminate apex, generally about as long as the stem, up to + in. 
broad, margins and keel smooth or slightly scabrid, sheaths reddish, 
the lowermost fibrous. Umbel terminal, simple, composed of 6-12 
rays of different lengths up to 2 ins. and terminating in dense cylindri- 
cal spikes up to 1 in. long but generally shorter and about 4 in diam. ; 
»bracts leaf-like but often broader and more scabrid. Spikelets 
numerous, } in. long, each ripening 2 nuts. The two lowest glumes 
empty, short; the third and fourth glumes nut-bearing, ovate when 
spread out, obtuse, nearly 4 in. long, keel with 3 strong nerves, sides 
with reddish brown dots, and scarcely hyaline margins; the fifth 
glume very much reduced and empty. Stamens 3. Nui oblong- 
ellipsoid, slightly curved, trigonous, ;5 in. long; style with the three 
stigmatic branches about as long as the nut. 
