138. CYPERACE^. [4. Kyllinga. 



B. Rhizome creepin.o", slender, with the stems at intervals : — 



Hds. ovoid, rarely 3-nate. Gl. iii not crested .... 3. brevifolia. 

 As in brevifolia, but gl. iii with a crest on the keel . . .4. monocephala. 



1. K. triceps, Rottb. 



A small plant 3-9" high, stems thickened at base and tufted on a 

 short thick rootstock. Leaves from one-half to as long as stems, 

 •12-- 17" wide. Heads usually 3-nate, rarely fewer or 4—5, ovoid or 

 cylindric-ovoid, pale, centre one about -25" long, lateral smaller. 

 Gl. iii ovate, •06--08" long, with smooth green slightly excurrent keel, 

 sides 3-4-striate. 



Widely distributed from Moradabad to Madras and therefore probablj' through- 

 out our area. Beliar, ifo;)e ! Hazaribagh, C.B.C ! Ganjam, l-'iscAer ! Fl. July- 

 March. 



Bracts under the heads 3-4 unequal, up to 2-3" long. Spikelets about '1'' long, 

 straw-coloured. St. usually 2. Nut two-thirds as long as glume, pale brown, 

 ellipsoid, obtuse. 



Clarke says that the fertile glume is striate, but I find specimens named by him 

 very strong! j^ nerved just as in cylindrica from which it is often scarcely separable. 



2. K. cylindrica, Nees. 



Usually nore slender than the last, stems 4-12" not much thickened 

 into the short rootstock. Well-named from the shape of the heads 

 which are •3-'6" long by about -17" broad, sometimes ternate but then 

 the lateral very small. Gl. iii ovate, -OS-'l" long, keel green scarcely 

 excurrent, sides strongly nerved. 



Parasnath, ^H(Ze>-.-i. ! Fl. Sept, 



L. as in tricep», but usually shorter than the stems. Bracts 2-several, usually 

 2-3. Spkts. -l-'l?" long, straw-colom-ed. Nut as in triceps (finally black, C.B.C). 



3. K. brevifolia, Rottb. 



Height usually 6-20", several stems erect from a slender creeping 

 rhizome clothed with large brown imbricating scales. Leaves few 

 erect 1-3" or sometimes exceeding the stem [Clarke), •07-- 17" broad, 

 glabrous or scabrid, especially at the tips. Heads usually solitary 

 •25--3" long, subtended by 3-4 foliaceous bracts 1-4" long. Glumes 

 green or brownish, lowest 2 very minute, iii 2-sexual ovate with green 

 mucronate keel and scarious sides with 4-G lateral nerves each side 

 (2 very close to midrib). Nut ellipsoid compressed yellowish or 

 yellow brown, gl. iv, -12", male or empty. 



Singbhum ! Hazariljagh, C/a;•^•e ! Throughout India, C/rtrA:e ! Fl. May. -Oct. 



Rhizome under ■l"diam. Bracts often hispid on the margins. Heads sometimes 



3. Fl, glume scabrous on lower part of keel, less so or smooth above. St. 3 or 2. 

 Nut i^ to I as long as glume, ellipsoid obtuse, style \ as long as nut. Minute 

 red glands are frequent esi^eciallj" on the sheaths, but Clarke states that the fl.- 

 glume is alwaj's eglandular. 



4. K. monocephala, Rottb. 



Very similar in appearance to brevifolia and with the same creeping 

 rhizome and scattered stems. Tips of leaves also sometimes scabrid 

 as in brevifolia and minute red glands frequent in both. It differs 

 however in the upper part of the keel of the fruiting glume being 

 furnished with a Aving or crest with scattered small red glands. 



Wide-spread from the United Provinces to Bengal and therefore almost certainly 

 within our area. Fl. July-March. 



It is often mixed on same sheets as IrevifoUa and does not appear to me to be 

 more than a variety of that species. 



907 



