352 GLYU CYPERACE^ (clarke). [Cypei'us^ 



spikes minutely hairy ; bracts several, similar to the leaves, the lowest 

 overtopping the umbel. Spikelets spicate, divaricate at right angles, 

 l_tj. by --^rr in., pale reddish, compressed, 10-24-flowered ; rhachilla 

 scarcely winged. Glumes ovate, obtuse, rather loosely imbricated. 

 Nut ^} the length of the glunje, eUipsoid, acutely trigonous, black. — 

 Kunth, Enum.ii. 80 ; Boeck. in Linnsea, xxxv. 598, and in Flora, 1879, 

 r),')] ; C. B. Clarke in Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 609, and in Durand & 

 Scbi'nz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 571. C. marginellus, Nees in Wight, 

 Contrib. 8:> ; Kunth, Enum. ii. 75. 



WlJe X.and. British East Africa: Jur; Jur Gbattas, SchweinfurtA, 2017! 

 Abundant in India ; extending ta Japan, Malaya and Queensland. 



ScUweinfurth's plant has the rhachis of the spikes only minutely hairy, and thus- 

 agrees with the form '' marginella" (sp.) Nees. The examples are young and 

 perhaps should be sorted rather with C. procerus, Rottb. var. lasiorrhacMs 

 (Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 610) ; Boeckeler considers tliat no specific line can be 

 drawn between this land C. pilosus. 



74. C. pratensis, Boeck. in Linncea, xxxviii. 3G4. Glabrous. 

 Rhizome short, horizontal, knotty. Stems 1 ft. long, at the top 

 triquetrous and slender, at the base bulbous, approximate. Leaves J-f 

 the length of the stem, \ in. broad. Umbel of 1-4 rays, contracted^ 

 into a compound head ; bracts 3, lowest suberect, ^ in. long, similar to 

 the leaves. Spikelets in a dense oblong spike, \-\ in. long, linear- 

 lanceolate, 8-10-flowered, obliquely suberect, rigid, somewhat shining, 

 variegated with brown. Glumes ovate, very obtuse, rounded on the 

 back, strongly 5-nerved. Style short; branches 3, long, somewhat 

 exserted. Nut | the length of the glume, broadly ellipsoid. — C. B. 

 Clarke in Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. 572 ; Engl. Hochge- 

 bu-gsfl. Trop. Afr. 141. 



Ifflle Ziand. Abyssinia: Begemeder ; near Dewr (Debra) Ari, 8500 ft.^ 

 ScUmper, 1326! 



This remarkable species appears not closely allied to any other Old World species ; 

 bufmuch resembles the North American group of Cyperus, of which C. Schweinitzii, 

 Torrey, is the best-known representative. They form that section of Cyperus which.. 

 is nearest to and much confused wdth Mariscus (the C. Manimce, H. B. & K. 

 group) ; and the nodose rhizome is also very similar. 



Var. radiatus, C. B. Clarke in Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 572. 

 Kays of umbel 3-5, up to 1^ in. long. Spikes cylindric, dense f by i in. 



la-ile Iiand. Abyssinia : Begemeder ; near Gafat, 8800 ft., ScJiimper, 1330 1 



Var. laxa, C. B. Clarke. Rays of umbel 3-5, up to 1-2 in. long. Spikes of 4-7 

 spikelets placed \ in. apart, very lax. 



Ziower Guinea. Lower Congo ; Kimuenza, Qillet, 1744 ! 



This might be treated as a separate species, the general aspect of the inflor- 

 escence being very unlike that of C. pratensis. But the resemblance of the spikelets, 

 glumes, styles and nuts is so complete that it must be very closely allied. 



75. C. bulbosus, Vahl, Enum. ii. 342. Glabrous. Stolons 

 very slender, with yellow or brownish scales, disappearing as soon as the 

 bulbs are completely formed ; bulbs formed close to the end of the 

 stolon, when ripe ovoid, f by ^ in., enclosed in a hard black striate 

 coat which splits irregularly into lanceolate valves. Stems annual, 



