462 CLVi. CYPERACEiE (clarke). [Fuirena, 



in F. abnormalis), nearly always with a long terminal bristle. Hypo- 

 gynous bristles (in typical Fuirena) 6, viz. 8 (sepals) linear, small or 

 obsolete opposite the angles of the nut, 3 (petals) prominent, opposite 

 the faces of the nut, ovate, obovate, or clawed petal-shaped ; but in 

 many species (Sect. Hemiscirpus) the hypogynous bristles are setulose 

 or 0, exactly as in Scirpus (with Isolepis). Style linear, often short, with 

 ^ long branches ; style- base usually persistent on the nut, pyramidal, 

 triquetrous, or ovoid, or linear-cylindric or very minute. Nut sessile, 

 trigonous, obovoid or narrowly obovoid, falling off {^Eu-Fairena) enclosed 

 by the 3 inner hypogynous bristles (petals). — Stem triquetrous, nodose, 

 with leaves throughout its length ; sheaths cylindric ; the lowest bract 

 like the topmost sheath. Inflorescence paniculate-corymbose (not 

 umbelled) ; panicle (when fully developed) elongate, thin, with remote 

 lower branches ; but often reduced nearly to a subterminal head, not 

 rarely to few (or 3) spikelets. 

 Species 26, in all warm countries. 



Fuirena is here separated from Scirpus by its nodose stem, and inflorescence 

 not umbellate; this separates it from all the Tropical African species of Scirpus. 

 The glumes being hairy on the back afford an additional distinction between 

 Fuirena and Scirpus, except in our .b uirena ahnormalis. — It may be noticed, 

 from the synonymy cited, that authors well entitled to their opinion place in Scirpus 

 various species of our Fuirena, Sect. Hemiscirpus. 



*Hemisciepus. — Hypogynous bristles either or linear and retrorse-scabrid. 

 Hypogynous bristles 0, or quite rudimentary and 

 obscure. 

 Glumes glabrous . . . . . . . 1. F!. ahnormalis. 



Glumes hairy ; nut white. 



Leaves vei'y narrow; glumes 5-r.inked . . '6. F. Wehvitschii. 



Leaves up to ^ in. broad; glumes imbricated on 

 all sides. 

 Spikelets \-^ by i in. . . . . . 2. F. puhescens. 



Spikelets up to f by ^ in. . . . . 4. F. pachyrrhiza. 



Spikeleis \ by scarcely ^V ^^- ... 5. F. pygmcsa. 



Hypogynous bristlts 6-4-3, longer than the nut, 

 linear, rigid, brown, retroi'sely scabrous. 

 Spikelets brown ; glumes 5-ranked ; nut brown . 6. F. stricta. 

 Spikelets black-green; glumes not 5-ranked; nut 



green . . . . . . . . 7 . F. chlorocarpa. 



**Eu-FiTiRENA. — Three interior hypogynous bristles with a broad lamina. 

 Annuals. 



Spikelets ^-| by ^-^ in. . . . . . S. F. glomerata. 



Spikeleis \—^ by x^xq ^^ 9. i^. leptostachya. 



Perenni.ils with a stout, creeping rhizome. 



Inner hypogynous bristles obovate, sessile . . 10. F. umhellata. 



Inner hypogynous bristles with a ciliate claw . 11. F. cine ra.sc ens. 



1. P. abnormalis, C. B. Clarke. A glabrous annual, tlie panicle 

 branches minutely scabrous. Stems tufted, 18 in. long, with nodes 

 throughout their length. Leaves ^ by J in. Panicle 7 by 2 in., with 

 distant axillary peduncles, several from each bract ; lowest bract similar 



