314 CLVi. CYPERACE^ (clarke). [Cypcrus. 



b. Alat^. — RViachilla obviously winged. Each marginal base of the glume 

 is decurreiit on the rhachilla ; the glume falls ofP, leaving this ovate or lanceolate 

 marginal base on the rhachilla — the " wings of the rhachilla " — which themselves are 

 pers'stent or late deciduous or very early caducous, and are scarious, white, yellow, 

 brown or pinkish. 



§ xiii. TuNiCAT.E. — Leafy. Stolons exceedingly slender, disappearing after the 

 bulbs ore forme;! on them. Bulbs clothed (tunicate) when ripe by a tough black coat ; 

 flower-stem of the second year, springing from a bulb. 



Bulbs more than ^ in. in diam. ; umbel condensed into 



a dense head of 30 spikelets .... 77. C. grandihulhosus . 



Bulbs less thin ^ in. in diam. 



Inflorescence of 6 spikelets in one spike, nowise 



umbelled ....... 78. C. hlysmoides. 



Inflorescerce of 2-4 subumbelled spikes, or of one 

 head. 

 Head 1, dusky brown-red, of many spikelets 

 Spikes 2-4, laxly spicate, imperfectly umbelled. 

 Bulbs I'in. in diam., coat tough, seriated 

 Bulbs \ in. in diam., coat scarious shining 

 brown ....... 



Bulbs ^ in. in diam, ; plant very slender 

 Inflorescence a fully developped umbel, usually 

 compound. 

 Stem much swollen at the base ; leaves with whip- 

 like ends 



Stem scarcely swollen at the base. 



Leaves shining ; spikelets very bright shining 

 red ........ 



Spikelets not shining ; bulbs zonate 



§ xiv. Bbevifoliat.*:. — Leaves very short or 0. 



Leaves and bracts hardly any ; stem (when dry) 

 pseudo-septate ...... 



Leaves and bracts short ; stem not (or obscurely) 

 septate ........ 



§ XV. Remotiglum-s:. — Leafy. Glumes rather farther apart (remote) on the 



rhachilla, by which alone this section differs from the Rotunda. Stolons hardening 



into woody rhizomes, sometimes very short, and not seen on many examples. Large or 



medium-sized plants* In several species, the wings of the rhachilla are very narrow. 



Spikelets chestnut or bright brown. 



Leaves short ; stem at the top acutely triquetrous . 86. C. schiwperianus. 

 Le ives long. 



Umbel compound, open; stem 2-3 ft. long . 87. C aterrimus. 



Umbel contrncted almost to a head; stem 6-9 



in. long ....... 88. C. atroviridis. 



Spikelets a black lurid-green 89. C. maranguensis. 



Spikelets a bright ferruginous-red . . . . 90. C. nuhicus. 



^ Spikelets straw-coloured, or (in C. schweinfurthianus^ 

 M var.) yellow. 



Stem very scabrous at the top . . . . 92. C. schwein- 



furthianus. 

 Stem smooth at the top. 



Stem rather slender ; spikelets spreading . .. 91. C, Zollingeri. 

 Stem rather stout ; spikelets subere.t . . 93. C. elaiior. 



