MACLOSKIE : ARACE^E. 289 



edged, upper ones auricled but not sheathing. Spikes 10-15, the 2-4 

 uppermost male ; the lower androgynous or female except their apex ; 

 often with pairs pendulous ; the lower peduncled. Scales fuscous, white 

 dorsally, ovate-lanceolate, their point recurved, scabrid. Utricles ovate, 

 3-5-nerved ; rostrum conspicuous, 2-toothed. Low- FlG 



est spike 8-9 cm. long, becoming i cm. thick. 



(Fig- 53-) 



(Near C. darwinii Boott, but more robust and 

 rigid. Points of the scales much prolonged, and 

 utricles proportionately longer.) 



S. Patagon., Otway L., Puerto Bono, Port Eden. 



41. C. VULGARIS Fries. 



Digynous. Terminal spikelets, 1-2, male ; the 

 others, 3-4, female. Rostrum toothless. Leaves 

 slender, their sheaths not filamentous. Culm erect, 

 trigonal, obtuse-angled, 30 cm. or more high. Lower carex urohpis. Spike, 

 spike shortly stalked ; lower bract leafy, with short, male flower, and utricle, 

 round, dark auricles. Scales elliptic to ovate-obtuse. ( AfterFranchet -) 



Utricle plano-convex, elliptic, or obtuse, with filiform nerves upwards. 

 Rostrttm toothless. 



(Old World) ; Patagon., in watery places by Rio Chubut and Carren- 

 leofu. 



Family 12. ARACE.E. 



Mostly herbs, with simple or compound usually basal leaves, often veiny, 

 and monoecious, or sometimes dioecious or hermaphrodite flowers on a 

 simple spadix, usually surrounded \yy&spathe, and usually without perianth. 

 Fruit often a berry, with erect, orthotropous embryo. 



Species 900, most tropical ; some in temperate regions, (in Australia, 

 not reported from New Zeal.). 



PISTIA Linn. 



Floating, stemless, pubescent, stoloniferous, with fibrous roots. Leaves 

 rosulate, sessile, obovate-cuneate, with fan-like nerves. Spathe small, 

 white, plicate on both sides, half embracing the base of the ovary, with 

 an open cucullate limb. Spadix not appendaged, with a solitary apical, 



