10. SciRPUS.] 138. CYPERACE.E. 



4. S. articulatus, L. 



A caespitose sedge with terete fistular (appearing quite flat when 

 dried for the herbarium) stems 1-2 ft. high, septate Avhen dry and then 

 •2--4" diam., spongy, leafless (barren stems may sometimes be taken 

 for leaves). Spikelets brown •2--5" long in a single dense lateral 

 head usually within one to a few inches of the base. Glumes •15-'2" 

 long membranous not keeled or only slightly keeled, ovate, acute 

 entire. Nut obovoid 3-quetrous, -OT" long, with transverse wavy 

 strise, top pyramidal. 



Marshy ground, sides of tanks. Singbhum ! Manbhum, Clarke ! Also probably 

 Sanibalpur (I have collected it in Raipur), Fl.. Fr. Dec-Jan. 



Root fibrous. Sheaths short rather loose with very oblique tip but no blade, 

 margins of tip scarious. St. usually 3. Style with the stigmas "1'' long. The 

 «tem above the spikelets may be a bract as in many other species. 



5. S. mucronatus, L. 



General habit of *S'. articulatus but the stems 3-quetrous or 3-winged 

 and spikelets •25--5" long in a cluster near the top, the stem (or bract) 

 beyond the inflorescence -5-3" long. Bristles 5-6 unequal, retrorsely 

 hispid. Nut obovoid unequally trigonous shining black scarcely 

 transversely wavy. 



Monghyr, Ham.l Ranchi, elev. 2000 ft. Clarice \ Singbhum 2000 ft., Clarice \ 

 Fl.. Fr. Oct. -Nov. 



Usually with a short rhizome. Glumes ■l-'2" bi-oadly ovate, keeled and many- 

 nerved slightly mucrouate, margins sometimes minutely scabrous. Nut with two 

 smaller faces sometimes giving place to a single curved face, minutely apiculate, 

 •05-06" long. 



<3. S. maritimus, L. var. affinis, Roth (sp.). 



A robust or slender sedge 1-5-6 ft. high with 3-quetrous leafy stems. 

 Leaves grass-like often as long as stems •15--2" Avide (in small speci- 

 mens, doubtless much Avider in taller plants). Spikelets large, -S-S" 

 long, ovoid, in a dense terminal (the basal bract not appearing like a 

 continuation of the stem) cluster of 2-5 supported by a foliaceous 

 bract often 4-10" long. Glumes -25" long, nearly flat with strong 

 «xcurrent midrib produced into an aAvn, puberulous, margins mem- 

 branous, sometimes sub-fimbriate. Bristles 4, as long as nut. Nut 

 •09" long, compressed, sub-convex, smooth most minutely uniformly 

 dotted, finally black. Stigmas 2. 



Banks of the Ganges, Kurz. Fl., Fr. Feb. -April 



The type which occurs in the United Pi'ovinces and extends to E. Bengal may 

 «lso occur, it has a simple or compound umbel, 6-3 bristles andStid style. Clarke 

 says there are intermediate forms. 



Rhizome creeping woody with nodes dilated into tubers. 



7. S. littoralis, Schrad. 



A tall rather stout sedge 2-5 ft. high Avith stems mostly 3-gonous 

 upAvards, terete beloAv. Leaves short or 0. Spikelets large, some- 

 times almost clustered but usually distinct from one another on short 

 pedicels, sometimes inflor. compound Avith vmequal compressed 

 suberect rays 1-2" long, lateral, about 1" beloAV the 3-quetrous top 

 of the stem (or bract), A\'ith several scarious bracts at the base. Glumes 

 someAA'hat concave, -15" long, elliptic-oblong, red broAvn Avith scarious 



926 



