13S. CYPEBACE^. [1. Cyperus. 



Stems thickened at the base, 1-seriate, with strongly nerved sheaths below. 

 Median glumes -IS-'IT", upper and lower somewhat shorter. Stamens 3. 



13. C. leucocephalus, Retz. 



A small sedge with the habit of the last but very much resembling 

 a Kyllinga with one dense globose white head of spikelets -2" long or 

 less (in large forms up to -5" by -2", Clarke). Glumes rather more 

 variable in size then usual -05—08" long, oblong-lanceolate, whitish 

 or cinnamomeous with hyaline margins, subobtuse. Stamen 1. 

 Nut -03" long, oblong-ellipsoid 3-gonous, apiculate (as in last), black 

 with pale reticulations. 



Monghyr, Wall. (Cat. 34450)! Manbhum, Campbell I In sandy lilaces under 

 shrubs, Manbhum (Barakar), Kin'z ! Fl., Fr. May, 



WalUch's specimen is only 3" high. Rhizome very short woody with close stems 

 thickened at the base. L shorter than the stem, filiform, OS-'OG" wide. Heads 

 with 8-50 compressed spikelets each with 12-20 glumes or sometimes only 8-10. 

 Glumes keeled, obscurely 3-nerved. Stigmas 3 about as long as style. 



On one sheet C. leucocephalus is mixed with Kyllinga 6rer?/b/ia and the similarity 

 is remarkable. 



14. C. arenarius, Retz. 



An interesting little sedge with a wiry creeping rootstock often 

 deep down in the sand, with vertical branches. Leaves wiry or terete 

 and fleshy, often recurved, 4-10" with rather inflated strongly striate 

 sheaths at base. Stems 4-12" with an erect bract looking like a 

 continuation of it except for the sheath at its dilated base. Spikelets 

 pale, finally brown, in single terminal globose heads -S-'T" diam., 

 each spkt. ovoid or elliptic -oblong •27--3" long. 9-16-fid. Glumes 

 not much compressed, elliptic-concave scarcely keeled, rounded at 

 tip but midrib sometimes ending in a mucro. Anthers 3, tip red but 

 not crested. Ovary oblong, style short, stigmas 3 longer than style. 

 Nut {fide F.B.I.) unequally trigonous concavo-convex, dusky black 

 one-third length of glume. 



On sand-dunes on the coast from Chaudpur ! to Puri ! Fl. Feb.-May-June. 



Branches with their sheaths obconic above narrowing to the rhizome. Clarice 

 describes the glumes as boat-shaped and strongly 3-nerved* and rounded. In my 

 specimens the lowest empty glumes are about 7-nerved and niuticous, the fl. 

 glumes 11-nerved and often mucronate, -18" long. Style "07". Filaments very 

 long, flattened. 



The plant acts as a sand-binder. 



15. C. diflusus, Vahl. 



Rather robust with short rhizome and with broad leaves and bracts 

 •3—6" wide, flat and green-nerved. Umbel usually decompound 

 4-12" diam. Spikelets 3-9 together digitate, •3--5" long and -OG-'OS" 

 Avide. Glumes cymbiform, broadly ovate (when unfolded) cuspidate, 

 •05" long or Avith the cusp •OG-^O?" long, rather distant in fruit. Nut 

 broadly ellipsoid and 3-quetrous, about two-thirds as long as glume. 



Clarice says throughout India except the dry west. The specimens are chiefly 

 confined to the very moist belt from the Sikkim Tai-ai to S. India and eastwards. 

 It may occur in Purneah and on our eastern fringe. 



* I have since examined Clarke's specimen (also collected at Puri), The glumes 

 are rather opaque but are many-nerved. I fail to see 3 especially strong ones. 



897 



