la\i'<l leaves are aboiil liall llie leiiylh of (lie eulni. of a peeuliar olive tii-ecn. al any rate 

 Avlien dried. The leaves are comparatively narrow, commonly about 1,5 to 2 mm. 

 broad, and produced at the summit in a long and fine point, slightly rough along the 

 margin. The number of the spikes is 3, of wich the upper one is wholly staminate, 

 long-stalked, and densely flowered, about 1 cm. long, 2 to 3 mm. broad, with light yel- 

 lowish brown glumes of a narrowly ovate to nearly lanceolate shape. The number 

 of the pistillate spikes is 2. on long, erect, or more or less relaxed, cappillaceous, 

 glabrous, or slightly rough peduncles. The pistillate spikes themselves are from 1 to 

 1,5 cm. long, and from 3 to 4 mm. broad, rather densely flowered. As a rule, the 

 spikes are rather distant, but I have also collected specimens in which they are more 

 approximate near the summit of the culm. In Ihc plate (Tab. lY, Fig. 2) the spikes 

 may possibly appear to be too loosely flowered, owing to the fad, however, that the ripe 

 perigynia have fallen off. The bracts have long and narrow sheaths, with a rather 

 long, but narrow lamina, overtopping the sunmiit of the spike, but shorter than the 

 culm. Each flower is characterized by its small dimensions. The glumes are from 1 

 to 1,5 mm. long, broadly ovate, rounded or slightly narrowed at the summit, of a light 

 brown, nearly completely membranous, with one dorsal nerve, and 2 slightly shorter 

 lateral nerves. The nerves are frequenlly slightly greenish, usually not reaching the 

 apex of the glume. 



The glumes are rather persistent, and remain on the spike after the ripe perigynia 

 falling off. Thus, in dried specimens all of the glumes on the spikes may frequently be 

 remaining, while the ripe perigynia have fallen off. At times it also happens that the 

 nut itself, when having burst its perigynium, falls off, so that, here and there, open, empty 

 perigj'nia may be found in the spikes. The perigynia are very small, 1,5 to towards 2 

 mm. long, with flowers about the length of the glume, later on somewhat prolonged, 

 when ripe projecting about Vs beyond the glume. The shape of the perigynium is 

 broadly fusiform, straight, never aslant, tapering upwards, and completely beakless at 

 the summit, which is obtuse, tapering into a very broad and short stalk at the base, 

 broadly egg-shaped and triquetrous from the distension of the ripening nut. The species 

 is, for the rest, very characteristic in having the perigynia too narrow for the ripe nut, 

 so as to burst its perigynia when ripening. When young the perigynia are fusiform, 

 but are gradually distended by the growing nut. taking gradually its triquetrous shape. 

 The perigynia are glabrous and nerveless, save for the summits, near which a couple 

 of small and short prickles are to be found on each side, and the empty perigynium 

 exhibiting 2 lateral, rather faint nerves, which are generally not visible as long as 

 enclosing the \n\{. The perigynium is of a light green, nearly hyaline, frequently so 

 as to make the nut shine through (Fig. 77, h— i). The nut is about 1 mm. long, broadly 

 ovate, triquetrous, with concave sides, with a short stalk below, and a persistent, cylindri- 

 cal style above. Stigmas 3, of medium length. 



In this Canw. as in many others, there sometimes occur specimens with a very 

 long-stalked pistillate spike starting from the root. /; //i;ro(/(//;a (See Tab. IV, Fig. 2). 



1.51 



