CYPERACE^. (SEDGE FAMILY.) B^ll 



l.X.miiior,All.S© Leaves ^^ ^^^- ^^l- 



rigid, recurved, spiny-dentate, their 

 sheaths ciliate-denticulate above ; 

 anther. 1-celled. Seed elliptico- 

 cylindrical — Summer — Lake Phia- 

 la (BirJoet-er-JRilm). 



2. N. graminea, Del. 



Leaves flaccid, spiny- ciliate, with a 

 lanceolate, denticulate astride on 

 either side at lase. Anther 4-celled ; 

 seed ovate-oblong — Summer — 

 Freshwater* Coast. Axil and base of leaves of Naiasgramineii, 



' * with carpels magnified^S diameters. 



Order CXX. CYPERACE^E, Juss. (Sedge Family). 



Grass-UJce or rush-like herbs, with fibrous roots, mostly 

 solid stems (culms), closed sheaths, and spiked, chiefly 3- 

 androus flowers, one in the axil of each of the glume-like, 

 imbricated bracts, destitute of any perigoni^om, or with 

 hypogynous bristles or scales or a utricle in its place ; the 1- 

 celled ovary with a single, erect, anatropous ovide, in fruit 

 forming an akene — Flowers perfect or diclinous, the glumes 

 often in two rows. Stamens hypogynous, free, anthers at- 

 tached by their base, 2-celled. Ovary free, style 1, stigmas 

 2-3. Akene triquetrous or flattened. Embryo minute in the 

 base of the mealy albumen. 



Syikcs several to many-flowered. Floioers normally perfect and alike (rarely with stamens or 



pistil abortive). 

 t Glumes 2-ranked. 



1. CYPERUS. Spikelets in heads or umbels. Flowers destitute of bristles. 



1 1 Glumes imbricated all round the rachis. 



2. HELEOCHAEIS. Spikelets solitary, at end of leafless and bractless culm. Hypogynous 



bristles included, 



3. FIMBEISTY'LIS, Spikelets solitary, umbelled. Hypogynous bristles 0. Style bulb- 



ous at base. 



4. SCIRPIT3. Spikelets solitary, or more or less capitate, umbelled, or spiked. Style not 



bulbous at base. 

 * * Spikes few- (usually 1-2- rarely 4-6-) flowered, often only one flower fertile, then perfect. 



5. SCH^^US. Rush-like plants with spikelets in terminal heads, 



6. CLADIUM. Tall, reed-like plants, with large, compound-panicled inflorescence. 



* * * Flowers monacious in the same or separate spikes on one plant, or dimcious. Pistillate fiotcers 

 enclosed in a utricle. 



7. CAEEX. Perennials, with spikelets solitary or arranged in a spike or panicle. 



1. CYPERUS, L. Galingale. 



Spikelets usually many-flowered, commonly arranged in an umbel or 

 head. Glumes in 2 rows, generally keeled, all fertile, or the lower 1-3 

 empty. Hypogynous bristles 0. Rachis angled-flattened or acute or 

 narrow-margined at angles, or furnished with membranous wings 

 decurrent from the glumes. Style 2-3-cleft. Stamens 2-3, ryely 1. 



