138. CYPERACEJE. [14. Ehynchospora. 



imbricate on all sides. Perianth or bristles represented by 2 hyaline 

 elliptic median scales (apparently connate bristles). Stamens 3-1, 

 anterior, \vith small linear-oblong muticous anthers. Style small, 

 glabrous, stigmas 2 or 3, scarcely exsert. Nut small oblong ovoid or 

 obovoid, plano-convex or 3-gonous, smooth, minutely jiunctulate, 

 closely invested by the hyaline scales. 



Scales much longer than the uut. Style |-f nut . . . .1. argentea. 

 Scales about as long as the nut. Style under -^ nut .... 2. sphacelata. 



i. L. argentea, Br. 



Rhizome hardly any. Stems usually 10-20" obscurely 3-gonous. 

 Heads of 1-8 pale shining, or sometimes fuscous, broadlj' ovoid spikelets 

 •15--25" long supported by a usually spreading or refiexed bract 

 1-5-3" long and a shorter one. Glumes -1" long, -05" broad above, 

 spathulate-oblanceolate with triangular tip, nearly flat, keel some- 

 times slightly excurrent, sides hj'^aline with about 2 delicate nerves 

 and brown marks. Scales narrowly lanceolate -08" long entirely 

 enclosing the nut, separable into longitudinal shreds. Nut •04--05" 

 long, brown, narrowly oblong obovate-oblong, plano-convex or 

 2-eonvex, very minutelj' closelj' dotted. 



Frequent along stagnant waters in the Sikkim Tarai, Knrz ! Hazaribagh, 

 Clarke ! Barkuda (Chilka Lake), at the side of a footpath, K. Jr C. Fl., Fr. Oct. 



The leaves are usuallj^ shorter than the stem, about 'OS-"!" broad, apparently 

 somewhat concave, manj^-striate. 



2. L. sphacelata, Kuyith. 



Habit and height of L. argentea. Spikelets 1-8, dark purple or 

 purple-spotted, rarely pale, ovoid, •lo--2" (before fall of the glumes) 

 attaining -4". Glumes -07" long, -04" wide at the top, cuneate- 

 obovate (shape much as in last) with broadly triangular suddenly 

 acute tip, about 2-nerved each side of slender midrib. Scales -06", 

 oblong, acute, hyaline, 6 -nerved (or striate, perhaps the boundaries 

 of the individual bristles). Nut brown, -Oo-'OG", i. e. nearly as long 

 as the scales. Style very short (only about reaching the top of scale). 



Western Bengal and Behar, Kurz ! Hazaribagh, Anders., etc. Manbhum, 

 ClaH-e ! Fl., Fr. Oct.-Dec. 



After fall of the lower glumes the stout rhachilla (as in the last) is closely 

 covered with trapezoidal areoles with a depressed button-shaped scar inside each. 



14. RHYNCHOSPORA, Vahl. 



Habit rather various. Leaves long, narrow. Spikelets often 

 clustered in heads or panicles. Glumes usually 7-8, lower more or 

 less distichous, 3 lowest or sometimes more empty, next one or 

 sometimes 2 usually longer containing a perfect nut-bearing flower, 

 uppermost male or sterile thinner in texture and rounder on the back 

 than the perfect. Bristles present or not. Stamens 3-1, anterior. Style 

 long linear glabrous, stigmas 2, style base dilated. Nut oblong or 

 ovoid, compressed, beaked by the persistent style-base. 



I. Spikelets in a single terminal head 1. Wallichiana. 



II. Spikelets panicled : — 



Spikelets discrete in panicled corymbs, •2-'3" long . . .2. aurea. 

 Spikelets •lo-*2" long mostly in clusters, clusters loosely 



corymbed 3. Hookerl. 



929 



