4?8 THE) SEt)Gti FAMILY. 



Several of the lower glumes of each spikelet smaller and 



empty. Spikelete closely sessile, in compact heads . 2. SOHfENUS. 

 Glumes in each spikelet imbricated all round the- axils. 

 Spikelete' sessile, in a terminal spike, arranged in 2 opposite 



rows 6. BLYSMUS. 



Spikelete solitary, or, in heads, clusters, umbela, or 



panicles. 



Several of the lower glumes of each spikelet smaller 

 and empty. Only 2 or 3 flowers at the top of each 

 spikelet. 

 Spikelets very numerous, in a compound panicle. 



Style-branches 3 8. CLADIUM. 



Spikelete few, in 1 or 2 terminal or pedunculate 



clusters. Style-branches 2 4. KHYNCHOSPORJL 



All the glumes of the spikelet, excepting one outer 



larger one, containing flowers. 



Hypogynous bristles (within the glume round the. 

 flowers) projecting far beyond the glumes and 

 forming long cottony or silky tufts ... 7. ERIOPHORUM. 

 Hypogynous bristles shorter than the glumes or none 6. SCIKPUS. 



I. CYPERUS. CYPERUS. 



Stems triangular, leafy at the base. Spikelets in clusters or heads, 

 usually several together, one of them sessile, the others stalked, in a 

 terminal, irregular, umbel-like panicle, with an involucre of 1 or 

 more leaf-like outer bracts. Glumes several in each spikelet, regularly 

 arranged in 2 opposite rows, all nearly equal, with 1 flower in each 

 glume. Stamens and ovary under the same glume, without hypogynous 

 bristles. 



A very large tropical genus, represented by very few species in tem- 

 perate regions, and quite disappearing in the extreme north and south. 

 The regular arrangement of the glumes gives the spikelets a flattened 

 appearance readily recognised. 



Stem above a foot high. Spikelets numerous. Involucral leaves 



very long 1. C. longus. 



Stem less than a foot high. Spikelets in a small cluster. Involucral 



leaves not above 8 inches 2. C. fuscus. 



1. C. longus, Linn. (fig. 1083). Galingale. Rootstock creeping. 

 Stems stout, 1 to 3 or even 4 feet high, with a few leaves at the base, 

 usually shorter than the stem. Involucre of about 3 leaves, very un- 

 equal in length, the longest often attaining a foot or more. Umbel 

 simple or compound, the central ray very short, the others varying 

 from 1 to 2 or even 3 inches, each bearing a simple or branched cluster 

 of 6 to 12 or more spikelets : these are linear, pointed, flattened, about 

 half an inch long. Glumes numerous, obtuse, of a bright chestnut 

 colour, with a green keel. Styles 3-cleft. 



In wet meadows, and pastures, common in southern Europe and cen- 

 tral Asia, extending more sparingly into central France, and along the 

 western province? to the Channel. In Britain, very local and only 

 in South Wales and some southern counties of England. PL summer, 

 rather late. 



2. C. fuscus, Linn. (fig. 1084). Brown (7.- A much smaller, plant 

 than the last, forming grass-like tufts a few inches in height, or very 

 rarely nearly a foot. Leaves shorter than the stem, those of the in- 

 volucre unequal, the longest from 2 to 4 inches. Clusters compact, 

 either in a small .terminal head or in an umbel, of which the longest 



