2. Pycreus.] 138. CYPERACE.E. 



2. PYCREUS, Bemiv. 



Very closely allied to Cyperus and probably only artificially 



separated by the two carpels instead of three, the stigmas being two 



and the nut laterally compressed. The spikelets in all our species 



have a great superficial resemblance to those of Eragrostis among 



A. Nut with longitudinally oblonfj- epidermal cells: — 



Nut not distinctly transversely lineolate. Spkts. under 'l". 



broad. Infl. not rayed. Root aromatic . . . .1. stramineus. 

 Nut with transverse wavy lines. Spkts. "lo" broad. Inflor. 



usually rayed (sometimes reduced to a single head) . . 2. latespicatus. 



B. Epidermal cells of nut subquadi-ate hexagonal, sometimes 

 appearing dotted: — 



1. Stems clothed to far above the base with sheaths or 



leaves. Spkts. '5-1" by "l-'l?" 3. sangiiinolenfus. 



2. Stems with leaves only at the base : — 



a. Small tufted annuals. Nut ellipsoid or obovoid : — 



Gl. •04-"05" long. St. usually 1 ^. jJumilus. 



Gl. -OS-'Og" long. St. 2 5. globosus. 



h. Small tufted perennials :— 



Spkts. "b-lo" long. Nut oblong symmetric . . .6. odoratiit. 



Spkts. •(}- 8" long. Nut asymmetric . . . .7. sulcinux, 



1. P. stramineus, C. B. Clarke. Syn. CyiJerus stramineus, Nees. 



A small tufted very aromatic (at least the root) leafy sedge 6-9" 

 high with long compressed straw-coloured spikelets -3" elongating to 

 1" or 1-2", under -1" broad, about 5-12 only in a spike or head, the 

 lower glumes seriatim deciduous leaving a prominently areolate 

 rhachilla in the concavities of which the smooth 2 -convex nuts often 

 persist after the glumes fall. Glumes (lower) -08" long, mucronate. 

 Spike sometimes with one or two bracts on the rhachis overtopping it. 



Throughout the moister parts of India, Clarke. The only locality in our area 

 whence I have seen specimens is Jamalpur (Monghyr) ! Train says Orissa {Beug. 

 Fl.). Fl. Sept.-Nov. 



2. P. latespicatus, C. B. C. Syn. Cyperus latespicatus, Boeck. 



Usually larger than last 6-16" high, spikes more umbellate. Spike- 

 lets similar but much broader, •1--15" broad, often chestnut-coloured, 

 often shiny. Rhachilla deeply excavated. Lower glumes -1" long. 

 Nut black or blackish-grey, -03" long obovoid, beautifully rugulose 

 with transverse wavy lines. 



Very common, N. Bengal, Karz\ Sarguja, 2500 ft., Clarke \ Singbhum ! 

 Ranchi, Clarke ! Hazaribagb, Clarke, Anders., etc. ! Sambalpur, Qriff. ! Fl., Fr. 

 Oct.-Nov. 



Usually annual, Clarke. L. about half length of stem or 0, •l-'15"wide. Glumes 

 ovate- cymbi form, keeled, obtuse, sides scarious and nerveless. Filaments often 

 persistent after glume drops. Under the microscope the epidermis appears 

 compo.sed of longitudinally linear or oblong cells ending in raised lines. 



3. P. sanguinolentus, Nees. Syn. Cyperus sanguinolentus, Vahl. 



A tufted rather coarse very leafy sedge 7-8", or more slender and 

 up to 16" high, with creeping rhizome. Leaves rarely 0, usually 

 shorter than or as long as the stem, -1" wide. Heads or spikes in a 

 short simple umbel or only one. Spikelets linear or oblong-lanceolate 

 clustered (in a head) or shortly spicate, red or reddish, "5-1" long by 



904. 



