Scurpus. | CYPERACER. 773 
Nortu Istanp: Hawke’s Bay — Mud-banks by the Ngaruroro River, 
Colenso! Kirk! Petrie! Sourn Is~anp: Westland —Jackson’s, Teremakau 
River, Petrie! Otago—Not uncommon in the middle portion of the Clutha 
Valley, Roxburgh, Beaumont, Spear-grass Flat, Petrie! Pomahaka, Kirk ! 
Sea-level to 2000 ft. November—March. 
A curious little plant, in its usual state easily distinguished by the very 
short stems with the spikelets concealed by the leaves. But some forms have 
the stems more developed, and are then easily taken for small varieties of S. 
aucklandicus, which, however, has a very different nut. 
3. S. aucklandicus, Boeck. in Linnea, xxxvi. (1869-70) 491.— 
Forming compact grassy patches 2-6in. diam. or more. Stems 
numerous, densely crowded, much branched at the base, stout or 
slender, striate, leafy at the base, 1-6in. high. Leaves 2-6, equal- 
ling or longer than the stems, stout or slender, usually more or less 
coriaceous and rigid but sometimes almost flaccid, semiterete, convex 
on the back, grooved in front, tips obtuse. Spikelet solitary or 
rarely 2, small, j,—4in. long, broadly ovoid, varying in colour from 
dark chestnut-brown to pale whitish-green ; bract very long, leafy, 
obtuse at the tip. Glumes few, ovate, obtuse, concave, often with 
a thick excurrent keel, very variable in colour. Stamens 3 or 2. 
Style-branches 3. Nut elliptic-ovoid, compressed, trigonous with 
the angles rounded, white or pale-yellow, smooth but not polished. 
—Isolepis aucklandica, Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 88, t. 50; Handb. 
N.Z. Fl. 302. Isolepis cartilaginea var. rigida, Berggr. on Mannesk. 
Fisiog. Sullsk. Lund. (1877) n. viii. 23. I. alpina, Hook. f. Fl. 
Tasm. ii. 86 (in part). 
Var. subcucullata, C. B. Clarke, MS.—Much more slender and diffuse. 
Stems weak, almost filiform; spikelet pale, solitary, 3-6-flowered. Glumes 
slightly hooded at the tip.—Isolepis subcucullata, Berggren l.c. 22, t. 5, £. 16-20. 
NortH Istanp: Ruahine Mountains, Colenso! Rangipo Desert, Petrie ! 
Ruapehu, Rev. . H. Spencer. Sourn Istanp: Not uncommon in mountain- 
swamps throughout. Stewart IsLAND, AUCKLAND AND CAMPBELL ISLANDS: 
Plentiful in moist places, descending to'sea-level. December—March. 
A variable plant. The typical state can be recognised without much diffi- 
culty by the dense leafy habit, the leaves frequently overtopping the stems, 
by the small usually solitary spikelets, and pale elliptic-ovoid nut. But lowland 
states, with a more slender and less leafy habit, are difficult to separate from 
S. cernwus. Other forms approach very closely to S. antarcticus. According 
to, a C. B. Clarke, the species is also found in Tasmania and Amsterdam 
sland. 
4. S. cernuus, Vahl. Enum. ii. 245.—Stems densely tufted, 
very slender, quite glabrous, 2-6 in. high, rarely more. Leaves seta- 
ceous, 1-3 near the base of the stem and shorter than it. Spikelets 
solitary or 2-3 together, ovoid or oblong-ovoid, 4-1 in. long; bract 
variable in length, usually exceeding the spikelets, continuous with 
the stem so that the spikelets appear to be lateral. Glumes 6-15, 
broadly ovate, concave or obscurely keeled, obtuse or with a short 
