44 



CYPERACEAE. 



3. Cyperus speciosus Vahl. 



MicHAux's Cyperus. (Fig. 

 63.) Annual; culms usually 

 tufted, 4'-20' tall, reddish to- 

 ward the base. Leaves rough- 

 margined, lV'-2i" wide, the 

 midvein prominent; leaves of 

 the involucre much exceeding 

 the umbel; umbel 3-7-rayed, 

 the primary rays 1'— 6' long; 

 involucels narrow ; spikelets 

 subterete, very narrowly linear, 

 4"-12" long, less than 1" thick, 

 10-30-flowered, falling away 

 from the axis at maturity; 

 scales dull brown, thin, ap- 

 pressed, ovate, obtuse, faintly 

 3-5-nerved on the back ; rachis- 

 wings broad, clasping the 

 achene, persistent; stamens 3; 

 style 3-cleft, slightly exserted; 

 achene pale, 3-angled, about 

 one half as long as the scale. 

 [C. MicJiauxianus Schultes; C. 

 flexuosus of Reade, Lefroy 

 and H. B. Small; C. odoratus 

 of Hemsley.] 



Borders of marshes. Eastern and southern United States. Cuba(?) Flowers 

 from spring to autumn. Closely related to Cyperus ferax L. C. Richard, of the 

 southern United States and tropical America. Native. 



4. Cyperus globulosus Aublet. Bald- 

 win's Cyperus. (Fig. 64.) Perennial 

 by tuber-like corms; culms slender, 

 smooth, erect or reclining, mostly longer 

 than the leaves. Leaves pale green. IV'- 

 2" wide, those of the involucre 5-10, the 

 longer usually much exceeding the umbel ; 

 umbel 6-13-rayed; the rays filiform, 

 their sheaths short, mucronate ; spikelets 

 many, 2"-12" long, i" wude, linear, flat, 

 capitate in globose heads; scales thin, 

 pale green, appressed, ovate-lanceolate, 

 acute, 9-13-nerved, with narrow scarious 

 margins; joints of the rachis broadly 

 winged; stamens 3; style 3-cleft; achene 

 oblong-obovoid, obtuse, one half as long 

 as the scale, about twice as long as thick. 

 [Cyperus ligularis of Reade; C. Bald- 

 winii Torr.] 



Sandy fields, hillsides and borders of marshes. Native. Southeastern United 

 States, West Indies and tropical continental America. Flowers in summer and 

 autumn. 



