420 CXLT. CYPEHACE^. 



Culms leafy or leafless, terete or triangular. Leaves grass-like. Spikes 

 rarely solitary, mostly tufted, ca)Mtate or com]iound-umbellate. — Several 

 Cape species. Those with solitary heads are only known from Eleocharis 

 by the unswoUen style-base. 



G. FUIRENA, Eottb. 



Spikelets many-flowered. Grlumes imbricated on all sides, 

 a few of the outer empty. Perianth of 3 scales alternating 

 with the angles of the ovary, mostly with as many bristles 

 interposed, in fruit enlarged, rarely wanting. Stamens 3. 

 Style 3-fid. Achene triangular, beaked or mucronate by the 

 style-base, covered by the enlarged scales and bristles. — Kunth, 

 I.e. p. ISO. 



Culms angular, leafy. Leaves grassy. Spikes either solitary or in threes 

 or several in a head, axillary or terminal. Glumes convex, mucronate or 

 awned under the blunt apex, the outer hairy. — 3 or 4 Cape species. 



7. ISOLEPIS, E. Br. 



Spikelets many-, rarely few-flowered. Grlumes imbricated 

 on all sides, similar. Perianth 0. Stamens 3, rarely fewer. 

 Style 3-fid, rarely 2-fid, equal at base, deciduous. Achene tri- 

 angular or compressed, pointless or tipped by the base of style. 

 —Kunth, I. c. p. 187. 



Culms leafy or leafless. Spikelets lateral or terminal, solitary, in pairs, 

 threes or cluster-capitate ; glomerules solitary or in simple or compound 

 umbels. — Several Cape species. 



8. FIMBRISTYLIS, Yahl. 



Spikelets many-flowered. Grlumes imbricated on all sides, 

 scarcely any empty. Perianth 0. Stamens 3, rarely fewer. 

 Style 2-fid, rarely 3-fid, A\ath a much thickened, often ciliate 

 base, articulated to the ovary and deciduous. Achene lenti- 

 cular, rarely triangular, nude and pointless at the apex, girt at 

 base with a minute, membranous ring. — Kunth, I.e. p. 220. 



Stems leafy, angular. Spikelets solitary, geminate, capitate-glomerate or 

 umbeUed ; umbel often compound. Glumes mostly keeled. — Several Cape 

 species. 



9. ABILDGAARDIA, Yahl. 



Spikelets many-flowered. Grlumes distichous, when in fruit 

 by a twist of the rachis 3-farious, keeled, deciduous, the base 

 on each side persisting. Perianth 0. Stamens 1-3. Style 

 3-fid, with a pyramidal-thickened base, articulated to the ovary 

 and deciduous. Achene subpyriform, triangular, umbonate. — 

 Kunth, I.e. p. 247. 



A. monustacliya^ our only species, is a small, tufted plant, very pale in 



