Eleocharis.'] clvi. cyperace^ (clarke), 405 



at least towards the top of the spike ; the lower glumes sometimes sub- 

 distichous. Hypogynous bristles 8-9 or 0, in many species only 

 sometimes present, in some species never seen. Stamons 8-1, anterior ; 

 anthers linear-oblong, muticous. Style 2-;->-fid, constant for each of 

 our species except in the subgenus LimMochloa, glabrous ; style-base 

 enlarged, persistent, distinct from the nut by a, constriction or a hoii- 

 zontal line. Nut trigonous or biconvex, according as the style-branches 

 are 8 or 2. — Glabrous, leafless. Stem with 1, apparently terminal, 

 spikelet (sometimes proliferous at the base with a second spikelet). 

 Spikelet bractless, i.e. the lowest empty glume hardly different from the 

 fertile glumes. 



Species 113, distributed nearly throughout the world, prev;i)ent in Aitievica. 



^-LiMNOCHLOA. — Flower-glumes hardly keeled, ^-\ in. long, Ilobus', stoloiiiferous 

 plants. 



Stem transversely septate; nut not oancellate . 1, E. plantaginea. 



Stem not transvei'sely septate; nut oancellate. 

 Stem nearly terete at the top ; hypogynous bristles 



depauperate . . . . . . 2i. E. mitrata. 



Stem acutely triquetrous; hypogynous bristles 



fully developed . . . . ,3. E.fistulosa. 



**Eleogenus. — Glumes 1-3-nerved on the keel. Style 2-fid. 

 Annuals ; plants rather slender. 



Hypogynous bristles white, sometimes small or 4. E. atroptirpurea. 



Hypogynous bristles ferruginous or brown . . 5. E. capitata. 



Stouter plant, with stolons . . . . . Q. E. palustris. 



-l-n-l-Eu-ELEOCHAEis. — Glumes l~3-nerved on the keel. Styles 3-fid. 



Nut oancellate or strongly reticulate . . . 7. E. chataria. 



Nut smooth, not cancellate. 

 Annuals ; slender plants. 



Spikelets loosely few-flowered, compressed ; 



lower glumes subdistichous . . , 8. ^. Trilophnfi. 



Spikelets very densely flowered, subterete; 

 glumes spirally muiiy-ranked. 

 Hypogynous bristles 0. 



Nut very much narrowed at the top ; style- 

 base small. 

 Stems slender, subquadrangular . 

 Stems stouter, subcompressed 

 Nut slightly narrower at the top ; style- 

 base large ..... 

 Hypogynous hristles 7, longer than the nut . 

 Hypogynous bristles 3-5, shorter than the 

 nut ,.,..., 

 Rhizome present; stouter plant often 12-18 



in, long ....... 14. E. marginulata. 



1. E, plantaginea, i?. ^r. P7'o<in 224 271 7ioj5e. Glabrous. Stolons 

 long, ^-J in. in diam. Stems 16-80 in. long, \-\ in. in diam., terete, 

 when dry transversely septate. Spikelet I, 1 by \-\ in., straw- 

 coloured. Glumes nearly ^ in. long, suberect, obovate, obtuse. 

 Hypogynous bristles 7, often as long as the nut, reftrorsely scabrous, 



VOL. VIII. O 



