Hypolytrum.]} CYPERACEAE. 475 
from the extension of an involucral leaf like a continuation of the stem. 
Glumes regularly imbricate all round in several ranks. Flowers herma- 
hrodite. Perianth of 3—6 bristles. Stamens mostly 3. Style 2—3-cleft, 
not bulbous at the base, wholly deciduous, or leaving a persistent jointless 
base as a tip to the lenticular or triangular achenium. — Mostly Pace 
with stems leafy, or the leaves all radical or reduced to a sheath a 
base of the ste 
A large genus 5 bie and water plants distributed over every ap of the globe. 
Stem leafless . 8. 
Stem leafy. ; : 8. maritimus. 
1.8. iceicis; ci Ku nt B, Does PL. IL 164. Laibabobes creeping. Ste 
large, 3—6 ft. high, terete, gradually tapering upward, naked, its a 
sheath bearing a small linear awl-shaped leaf or not. Spikelets numerous, 
ovoid-oblong, acuminate, 4—5‘’ long, rust-brown, single and clustered on 
the unequal complanate rays of a compound umbel, the clusters often 
Stamens 3. 
style 3-fid, rarely 2-fid. Bristles 6, ate than the achene, retrorsely 
he 
seu ay obtusely ridged. — S. validus, Vahl, a form with bifid nih e 
referred this plant to S. riparius, Presl., from the W. coast of N, _* Ameri 
whieh "however has a triquetrous stem and only 2 or 3 bristles. — Beklr. nee ean 
WT TEE. 
common in standing waters — Kapalama near Honolulu! Nat. name: «Akaakai 
N. Pye at aati is widely spréad ie Europe, northern Asia and America, also Australia poe 
2. 8. aa L. — Kunth, 1. ¢. p. 167. — Var. digynus. — Root-stock 
creeping. Stem triquetrous, leafy, 2—4 ft. high. Leaves flat, linear, 
exceeding the stem, 2—6“ broad Hae almost smooth. Spikelets ovoid- 
oblong, 6—10", light ae 5— 10 i a terminal nest with gene 
aristate. 
the mature achene. Stamens 3. Style bifid (sometimes trifid?). Achene 
obovate , complanate, about 11/2‘, pale, smooth and shining, sometimes ~ 
the © outer face faintly ridged at the middle. — Beklr. 1. c. p. 722. 
Very common in brackish and sweet water. — Range of the first species, but extending 
also in tropical regions and into 8. America and 8. Africa 
6. HYPOLYTRUM, Rich 
Spikelets many-flowered, ovoid or cylindrical, the glumes imbricate all 
round, persisting, some of the lower small and empty. Inside and contrary 
