878 LIT. CYPEBACE^E. 



stipule axillary, membranous, joined throughout its length by its dorsal lace to the 

 leaf-sheath, not longer than the sheath, or produced into a cushion or membrane 

 (ligule), free only at the top. FLOWERS 2 or monoecious or dioecious, in spikelets 

 which are rarely solitary, usually spiked panicled or glomerate, and furnished with 

 bracts or polymorphous involucres. FLO WEES each with 1-2 scarious bracts (glumes), 

 solitary, or inserted in 2 or several rows on a common pedicel, and forming a 1 -few 

 many-flowered spikelet ; brads below the spikelet often flowerless, sometimes 

 heteromorphous, and serving as a common spathe to the spikelet. PEEIANTH 

 or formed of 6, sometimes 3-oo bristles, sometimes united into a ring at their 

 base; [of 6 2-seriate regular coriaceous segments in Oreobolus], STAMENS hypo- 

 gynous, usually 3, of which 1 is anterior and 2 posterior, sometimes 2-1, rarely 4 

 (Hypolytrum) or 5 (Scleria, Caustis], or 6-8 (Lepironia, Diplasia), or 12 (Evandra, 

 Chrysithrix) ; filaments filiform or flattened, free ; anthers basitixed, 2-celled, linear, 

 introrse, dehiscence longitudinal. OVAET free, sessile or stipitate, often surrounded 

 at its base by a cupuliforni disk (Scleria, Ficinia, Melancranis, &c.), or by a mem- 

 branous adherent ring (Fimbristylis}, or by 3 spathulate staminodes (Fuirena); 

 compressed or plano-convex, or more usually with 3 angles answering to the 3 

 stamens, 1-celled, 1-ovuled ; styles 3, rarely 2, stigmatiferous on their inner edge, 

 more or less coherent below, base continuous with or thickened and jointed to the 

 top of the ovary ; ovule inserted at the inner base of the ovary, erect, anatropous. 

 FEUIT 1-seeded, indehiscent, lenticulai-, plano-convex, 3-gonous, cylindric or globose, 

 smooth, spotted, scabrid, bristly, tubercular, rugose or striate, usually terminated by 

 the base of the style, which sometimes completely caps it (Cladium, &c.) ; pericarp 

 membranous, crustaceous or bony, very rarely a drupe (Diplasia). SEED erect; testa 

 thin ; albumen farinaceous or sometimes fleshy. EMBRYO near the hilum, minute ; 

 extruded, or rarely surrounded by a thin layer of albumen, and included (Carex, &c.) ; 

 cotyledon lenticular, fleshy, undivided ; plumule inconspicuous ; radicle inferior, 

 obtuse. 



TRIBE I. CYPEREJE. 



Spikelets usually many-flowered. Glumes distichous, imbricate, some of the 

 lower often empty. Flowers $ Perianth 0, or represented by hispid bristles. 

 Style very rarely swollen at the base, deciduous. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 

 * Papyrus. * Cyperus. Kyllingia. Mariscus. 



TRIBE II. 8CIRPEJS. 



Spikelets usually many-flowered. Glumes imbricate in several rows, very rarely 

 distichous (Androtrichum, Abilgaardia), some of the lower often empty. Flowers $ . 

 Perianth 0, or represented by scaly or hairy bristles. Achene usually pointed or 

 beaked by the persistent base of the style. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 



Eleocharis. Fuirena. Androtrichum. Scirpus. Isolepia. 



Ficinia. Eriophormn. Fimbristylis. Melancrania. 



