138. CYPERACE^. [7. Eleocharis. 



long unequal rays 1-4-5" long, and a central sessile head, the longer 

 rays often compound, ultimately bearing many globose or sub-globose 

 heads -3—5" diam. consisting of numerous short congested spikes 

 bearing many scarious bracts and few-fid. spikelets. Spikelets mostly 

 with a lower empty cymbiform bract -12" long and a narrower muticous 

 bract -06" long at their base, often resembling glumes but in other 

 cases in a different plane and bearing rudimentary spkts. in their 

 axils. FloAvering glumes 2, rarely more, usually only 1 nut-bearing 

 boat-shaped with prominently winged keels and broad sides, -IS-- 18" 

 long, subequal or one rather longer and with a more prominent cusp. 

 Nut narrowly fusiform beaked, 3-quetrous, -12" long, embraced by 

 the glumes. 



N. Bengal (Purneah?), Kurz\ Ranchi, Gumblel Hazaribagh, T. Anders. \ 

 Singbhum, chiefly in rice-fields, frequent ! Fl., Fr. Oct. -Feb. Annual. 



7. ELEOCHARIS, R. Br. 



Stems simple erect, non-flowering stems sometimes leaf -like, but of 

 same form as the flowering. Leaves reduced to a few cylindric usually 

 membranous sheaths at the base of the stems, usually truncate, 

 sometimes with a small tooth or minute blade. Inflorescence a single 

 (rarely more) terminal spikelet supported by a short bract which 

 occasionally bears a flower and never exceeds the spikelet. Glumes 

 several to many, imbricate on all sides, obtuse. LoAvest flower 

 perfect nut-bearing, several succeeding glumes usually nut-bearing, 

 upper tabescent. Bristles 8-5, rarely fewer (often small or in 

 atropurpurea). Stamens 3-1, anterior ; anthers linear-oblong, not 

 crested. Style-base dilated and apparently articulate (usually 

 sharply constricted between nut and the style base), but persistent. 

 Nut more or less obovoid plano-convex when stigmas are 2, or 3-gonous 

 when stigmas are 3 on the linear style. 



I. Stems 1-3 ft. high, •lo--25' diam. Spkts. scarcely wider 

 than the stem. Gl. •2--3'' long. Stigmas 2 or 3 :— 

 Stems septate. Nut not distinctly striate .... \. plnniaginea. 



Stems not septate. Nut cancellate* 2. fistulosa. 



II. Stems slender, mostly under 12" high under "l" diam. 

 Spkts. wider than stem. Gl. under -2" (rarely more in 

 3):- 



A. Stigmas 2. Nut biconvex :— 



1. Nut (with style base) •06--08", style base large 



conical : — 

 Stems 4-20". Gl. •18-2" 3. palustris. 



2. Nut -03", style-base very small depressed or disci- 



form : — 

 Stems 2-14". Spkts. •12--5", Bristles brown . . 4. capifata. 

 Stems 2-7". Spkt. •l-"25". Bristles shining white . 5. atropurpurea. 



B, Stigmas 3. Nut 3-quetrous or 3-gonous :— 



Stems 1-2", angled. Spkt. •05--15" G. chafaria. 



Stems 8-12", fluted. Spkts. •2--3" 7. coyige^^ta. 



1. E. plantaginea, R. Br. 



A rush-like csespitose sedge 1-3 ft. high with terete tough stems 

 •17--2" diam. distantly obscurely septate when dry terminated by 



* Outer cells subquadrate in vertical series, their walls causing the nut to be 

 vertically and horizontally striate. 



911 



