I06 17. CVPERACEAE 



FAMILY 17. CYPERACEAE 



Grass-like herbs, very rarely (Schoenodendrou) low trees. Stems usually 

 triangular, rarely jointed. Leaves with a closed sheath, sometimes without 

 a blade. Flowers in genuine or spurious spikelets arranged in spikes, heads, or 

 panicles. Perianth much reduced or wanting. Stamens i — 6. Anthers 

 opening by 2 longitudinal shts. Ovary superior or naked, i-celled. 

 Ovnale i, basal, inverted. Style simple or with 2 — 3 branches. Fruit 

 a nut or a drupe. Seed free. Embryo lateral, enclosed by the albumen. — 

 Genera 40, species 880. " Sedges." (Plate 9.) 



1. Flowers unisexual, but sometimes (Bisboeckelerieae) apparently hermaph- 



rodite, single female flowers being surrounded by several male ones ; 

 in this case false spikelets branched at the insertion of one of the lowest 



bracts. 2 



Flowers hermaphrodite or polygamous. Flowers either in centripetal 

 spikelets without a terminal flower or in centrifugal (false) spikelets 

 branched at the insertion of the uppermost bract below the terminal 

 flower 13 



2. Spike'ets unisexual, rarely partly unisexual, partly bisexual ; the female 



I -flowered, the male 2- or more-flowered. Stamens i — 2, rarely 3. 



[Tribe SCLERIEAE.] 3 



Spikelets bisexual, rarely i -flowered and spicate 8 



3. Perianth consisting of scales or bristles. Partial inflorescences panicled. 4 

 Perianth none 6 



4. Perianth of numerous bristles. Spikelets in spikes. — Species 6. Central 



Africa to Transvaal Eriospora Höchst. 



Perianth of 2 — 5 scales 5 



5. Perianth of 2 — 3 laciniate scales. Spikelets in head-like clusters. Herbs. — 



Species i. West Africa Microdracoides Hua 



Perianth of 3 — 5 ciliate scales. Spikelets in spikes. Small trees. — Species 

 I. West Africa (Cameroons) Schoenodendron Engl. 



6. Female flowers in the upper portion of the partial inflorescences. Spikelets 



in panicles. — Species i. Madagascar. (Under Eriospora Höchst.) 



Fintelmannia Kunth 



Female flowers in the lower portion of the partial inflorescences or in 



special partial inflorescences 7 



7. Style thickened and jointed at the base, deeply 3-cleft. Fruit without a 



distinct disc. Spikelets in panicles. Leaves broad. — Species 3. 



Tropics. (Under Scleria Berg) Acriulus Ridl. 



Style not thickened at the base. Fruit very hard, surrounded by a disc 

 at the base. — Species 60. Tropical and South Africa. (Including 



Diplacrum R. Br.) Scleria Berg 



S. (2.) Spikelets consisting of a terminal female flower surrounded by 3 or 

 more male ones. Stamen i. Female flowers not enclosed by an ut- 

 ricle-like bracteole. [Tribe BISBOECKELERIEAE, Subtribe chrysi- 



TRICHIN.'\E.l 9 



