1. Cyferus.] 138. CYPERACEM. 



21. C. corymbosus, Rottb. 



A robust sedge 2-3 ft. high, stems Avhen dry often more or less 

 septate, obscurely 3-gonous at the top, terete below and attaining 

 •3" diam. Leaves on the flowering stems or Avith a short blade 

 reaching 5" long terminating a loose sheath, on the young shoots 

 two to three upper sheaths sometimes bearing linear-lanceolate short 

 blades. Bracts \-^ length of the vimbel or slightly overtopping it, 

 margins often recurved Avhen dry and scabrid. Umbels with very 

 unequal erect or suberect rays, longest rarely 4" long. Spikelets 

 •25-1" long light brown or reddish 4-12 together in short often com- 

 pound spikes subtended by lanceolate and setaceous bracts. Glumes 

 erect, ovate-oblong (unfolded), •I--12" long, muticous, rounded on 

 the back with a closely 3 -nerved centre flanked by brown striae or 

 finely 10-nerved, margins scarious. Wings of rhachilla usually 

 distinct, oblong (in Wallich's no. 3351 nearly -02" broad). Nut -06" 

 long, narrowly obovoid, 3-gonous, apiculate. 



Moiighyr, JIam. ! Singbliiim ! Hazaribagh, ClarJce ! Fl., Fr. Oct.-Nov. 



I have seen no ripe nuts, and suspect that some specimens ascribed to this 

 species are young states of others and that there is no specific difference between 

 this and tegetiformis. Rhizome creeping, clothed with dark brown scales and 

 hardening into rhizomes. The new shoots are said to arise on these at some 

 distance from one another as also in the case of tegetiformis, whereas in C. tegetiim 

 there are said to be no stolons and thus the lateral shoots arise from the biise of 

 the older ones. Herbarium material is insufficient to check these characters. 

 Anthers 3, muticous and brownish yellow according to Cooke, minutely apiculate 

 in specimens (some named by Clarke) dissected by mj^self. Style *01-*07", 

 stigmas ■08--12". 



22. C. articulatus, L. 



A very stout sedge with terete septate stems 3-6 ft. high up to "8" diam. at base 

 and stout stolons clothed with ovate-lanceolate striate dark coloured scales '7" 

 long. Umbels large, with rays up to 2-6" long, grey, feathery with dense linear 

 spikelets "S-l'S" long, 5-15 together in close spikes, at first straw-coloured. Bracts; 

 very short, only "d-'l" long, ovate, concave. Glumes imbricate even in fruit,, 

 ovate, obtuse, obscurely 3-5-nerved on the back, •08-'09'' long. Rhachilla very 

 slender wavy with oblong or elliptic scarious wings in the sinuses. Nut oblong- 

 ellipsoid, 3-gonous, acute each end, black, shining, •05". 



Extending from Bengal to Ceylon, in tanks, etc. No specimens from within 

 our area, though it will probably be found in Cuttack and Puri, 



The se|)ta or articulations are well marked when dry. 



23. C. tegetum, Roxb. 



A robust rush -like sedge 1-5-4 ft. high with solid green shining 

 stems obtusely 3 -angled (trigonous or triquetrous, Clarke) above, 

 rising from a creeping woody rhizome -3" diam. New shoots ascending 

 close to base of previous ones {fide Clarke, but see below ; cp. nos. 25 

 and 26). Leaves sheathing the stem below for about one-third 

 up or less, blades narroAv short or fairly long. Spikelets •7-1-2'' 

 long, brown or red, linear in peduncled spikes which are umbelled 

 or corymbose on the branches of compound umbels 4-12" diam. 

 which are supported by long bracts. Glumes narrowly oblong 

 (oblong when unfolded), -08-- 12" long, loosely imbricate especially 

 in fruit, back rounded finely about 10-nerved coloured, margins broad 

 scarious, tip rounded quite muticous. Nut linear-oblong very slightly 

 obovoid, -06", brown or gcey embraced on each side by the prominent 



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