Scirpus. | CYPERACES. 771 
A somewhat heterogeneous assemblage of about 130 species, found in all 
parts of the world, both tropical and temperate. Of the 13 species found in 
New Zealand, 4 are generally distributed in both the Northern and Southern 
Hemispheres; 6 extend to Australia, 3 of them reaching South Africa as well ; 
lis found in Tristan d’Acunha ; the remaining 2 are endemic. The student 
will find it a difficult and perplexing task to discriminate between several of the 
species of the first section. 
Section I. Isolepis. Usually small and slender plants. Spikelets in clusters 
or solitary. Hypogynous bristles wanting. 
* Spikelets solitary or 2-3 in a head. 
Stems long, slender, often much branched and floating. 
Spikelet solitary. Style-branches 2. Nut biconvex, 
white Ak ais a ay, ne. .. L. S. lenticularis. 
Stems very short, 1-3in. long, leafy. Spikelets usually 
solitary, concealed by the leaves. Style-branches 2. 
Nut biconvex, brown fs Us .. 2. 8. basilaris. 
Stems 1-6 in., branched below. Leaves several, equalling 
the stems. Spikelets 1-2. Style-branches 3. Nut 
obovoid, obtusely trigonous, white .. 3. S. aucklandicus. 
Stems 9-6in. Leaves 1- 2, shorter than the stems. 
Spikelets 1-3. Style-branches 3. Nut obovoid, obtusely 
trigonous .. 3 if bis a .. 4. S. cernwus. 
** Spikelets usually more than 3 in a cluster (sometimes reduced to 1 in 
small states of S. antarcticus and S. inundatus). 
Stems 4-6in. Leaves 1-3, often rigid and cartilaginous. 
Spikelets 1-9; glumes rigid, keeled, grooved on the sides. 
Stamens 3. Style- branches 3. Nut acutely is darn 
yellow to dark-brown 5. S. antarcticus. 
Stems 2-12 in., usually slender and flaccid. Leaves 1-2 or 
wanting. Heads often proliferous; spikelets 2-15. 
Stamen 1. fee eens 3. Nut acutely trigonous, 
white ; ne is .. 6. S. mundatus. 
Stems 8-16in., rather stout, ‘leafless. Spikelets 6-20, 
short, oblong. Stamen usually 1. Style-branches 2. 
Nut plano-convex, smooth and polished, pale .. .. 7. S. sulcatus. 
Stems 1-2ft., rather stout, flaccid, leafless. Spikelets 
10-30, long, linear. Stamens 3. Style-branches 3. 
Nut acutely trigonous ite Be ne .. 8. S. prolifer. 
Stems 1-3 ft., stout, rigid, erect, leafless. Spikelets 
numerous, short, ovoid, crowded. Stamens 3. Style- 
branches 3. Nut obtusely trigonous, brown .. .. 9. S. nodosus. 
Section II. Desmoschenus. Tail, harsh, rigid and coriaceous. Spikelets 
numerous, spirally arranged around the upper part of the stem.  Hypo- 
gynous bristles wanting. 
Rhizome long. Stems 1-3ft. Leaves numerous, sub- 
squarrose .. se oi fe te .. 10. S. frondosus. 
Section III. Hu-Scirpus. Usually large. Stem leafy at the base or leaves 
wanting. Spikelets usually panicled or umbelled, rarely in heads or 
solitary. Hypogynous bristles present. 
Stems acutely trigonous, 1-2ft. high. Leaves 1-4, tri- 
gonous, shorter than the stem. a aaa few, crowded 
intoasmall head .. ae é St .. ll. S. americanus. 
