Scirpus. |] CYPERACES. 775 
6. S. inundatus, Poir. Encycl. Suppl. v. 103.—Very variable 
in size and habit of growth. Stems 2-12in. high, often small, 
slender and filiform, at other times stouter and taller, and resem- 
bling small states of S. sulcatus and S. prolifer. Leaves 1 or rarely 
2 at the base of the stem, or reduced to a short and broad sheath. 
Heads solitary, terminal, of 2-15 crowded spikelets, often pro- 
liferous and putting out 1 or several short or long branches ending in 
a smaller head of spikelets; bract very variable in length. Spike- 
lets in. long, ovate or ovate-oblong, subacute, pale or dark 
chestnut-brown, many-flowered. Glumes broadly ovate, concave 
or keeled at the back, obtuse or subacute, the sides usually more or 
less stained or striate with dark red-brown, the keel usually pale. 
Stamen 1. Style-branches 3, long, linear. Nut about half the length 
of the glume, oblong-obovoid, equally and conspicuously trigonous, 
with a small conical point, not longitudinally ribbed, white, smooth 
but not polished.—Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 329. S. reticularis, Col. 
in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xviii. (1886) 277. Isolepis inundata, BR. Br. 
Prodr. 222. I. prolifer, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 301; Fl. Tasm. 
ii. 87, t. 144 (not of R. Br.). I. setacea, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 271, 
in part (not of R. Br.). 
Var. major.—Stems tall and stout, 5-12in. high, usually leafless. Spike- 
lets more numerous, 6-15, densely compacted. Glumes obtuse. Approaches 
small forms of S. sulcatus, but is at once distinguished by the smaller acutely 
trigonous nut. 
Var. gracillima.—Stems slender, often filiform, 2-6in. long. Spikelets 
9-6, flattened. Glumes often subacute. 
NortH anp Sourm IsnANps, SreEwartT IsnAND, CHaTHAM ISLANDS: 
Abundant throughout. Sea-level to 3000 ft. November—March. 
As defined above, this varies so much in habit and other respects as to give 
rise to the suspicion that more species than one are included in it; but I have 
failed to find valid distinguishing characters. It extends through Australia to 
the Malay Archipelago, and is also abundant in temperate South America. 
7. S. sulcatus, Thouars, Hsquisse Fl. Trist. 36, t.7; var. distig- 
matosa, C. B. Clarke, MS.—Stems numerous, tufted, 8-16 in. high, 
stout, grooved when dry, leafless except a large purple or purplish- 
black sheath at the base. Heads solitary, terminal, of 6-20 densely 
packed spikelets, often proliferous and emitting 1 or several branches 
ending in a smaller head of spikelets; bract variable in length. 
Spikelets rather short, 4+in. long, oblong, obtuse, many-flowered. 
Glumes broadly ovate, obtuse, concave, dark chestnut-brown with 
a green keel and pale margins. Hypogynous bristles wanting. 
Stamens usually 1. Style-branches 2, rarely 3, long, linear. Nut 
about half the length of the glume, obovoid, plano-convex, the 
convex side not keeled, smooth and polished, shining, white or 
pale yellowish-white.—lIsolepis prolifer, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. 1. 
971, for the most part (not of BR. Br., nor of Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fi. 
301). 
