48(1 CLVi. CYPERACE/E (clarke). [Eemirea. 



terminal in the top glume. Hypogynous bristles 0. Stamens o, 

 unilateral ; anthers crested. Style linear ; branches ;>, long ; base 

 gradually continuous into the top of the ovary. Nut ellipsoid or linear- 

 oblong, trigonous, sessile, smooth, often curved. 



Species 1, widely distributed. 



The position of the stamens, the curvature of the nut, as well ;is tlie fiue drawing 

 prepared for Sir William Hooker, show that the flower is here really lateral; the 

 infloresceuce may be compared witli that of Gahnia. 



1. R. maritima, Aubl. PL Guian. i. 45, t. IG. Glabrous. Rhizome 

 _i__l in. in diam., creeping, seen 20 in. long. Stems distant, or tufted 

 near the tip of the rhizome, ^-4 in. long, without nodes between the 

 basal leaves and the inflorescence, but usually clothed with leaf-sheaths 

 nearly their whole length, or the inflorescence in the short-stemmed 

 examples seems sunk among the leaves. Leaves 1-3 J in. long, dense, 

 rigid, tapering from a base often i in. wnde or more. Bracts 2-(>, up 

 to 1-2 in. long, similar to the leaves. Spikes 0-7 to the head, sessile, 

 }j-^ in. long, with about ?>() spikelets, ovoid, dense, straw-coloured or 

 dusky. Spikelets -J-i in. long, ellipsoid. Glumes ovate, triangular at 

 the tip, the :> lower empty and much inrolled. Nut § the length of 

 the glume, chestnut- coloured. — Beauv. Fl. Owar. ii. 23, t. 73 ; Schumach. 

 Beskr. Guin. PI. 43; Kunth, Enum. ii. 139; Benth. in Hook. Niger 

 Fl. 552 ; Boeck. in Linnsea, xxxv. 435 ; Ridley in Trans. Linn. Soc. 

 ser. 2, Bot. ii. 1G5 ; C. B. Clarke in Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 077, and 

 in Durand k Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 605 ; Urban, Symb. Antill. ii. 

 136; Rendle in Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. ii. 132. R.pedunculata, R. Br. 

 Prod. 230; Kunth. Enum. ii. 139. 



Xfpper IvUinea. Guinea, Thonning, 377 ! Smeafhmann ! Jardin I Sierra 

 Leone, Don ! Niger Delta : River Nun, Mann, 534 ! 



XiO^er duinea. Angola : Congo ; on the sea-shore notfnr from the mouth of 

 the Eiver Onco or Onzo, Wehvitfich, 6990 ! 



Widely distributed in the tropics. 



22. HYPOLYTRUM, L. C. Rich. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. iii. 



1054. 



Spikelets numerous, in dense oblong or globose spikes, small, of 2 or 

 3 glumes and 3 flowers. Two lowest glumes opposite (or nearly so), 

 not rarely more or less connate at the base, boat-shaped or keeled , 

 usually hairy on the keel, oblong or elliptic, each containing one stamen 

 and regarded here as a male flower ; third glume lateral or oblique, 

 smaller, empty, or in the African species usually ; female flower ter- 

 minal on the axis of the spikelet without any glume. Style much 

 enlarged at the base ; branches 2, long. Nut small, obovoid, flattened ; 

 the large style-base usually neatly fused with it. — Spikes corymbose. 

 Species 39, in the Tropical regions of both hemispheres. 

 *FoLiiGERiF:. Stem with 1 or 2 nodes far above the base that bear long leaves 

 Lowest bract overtoi)ping the inflorescence. 



Leaves linear, caudate ; stems 15-30 in. long, with 



50-150 spikes 1. H. nemorum. 



