Cyperus. ' CYPERACE.E. 341 



6. CypERus REPENs, Ell. (Plate CXXXVII.) Creeping Galingale. 



Rhizoma creeping, tuberifcrous ; umbel simple, 4 - 6-rayed ; involucre much longer than 

 the rays; spikes distichous; spikelcls 10-14, approximated, linear, compressed, obtuse, 

 somewhat spreading, 12 - 20-flowered ; scales oblong, rather acute, slightly mucronate, 

 scarious on the margin ; nut oblong, triquetrous ; style cleft about half way down. — Ell. sk. 

 1. p. 69 ; Spreng. sijst. I. p. 224 ; Torr. Cyp. p. 264 ; Hook. Jl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 232. C. 

 phymatodes, Muhl. gram. p. 23 ; Torr. ft. 1. p. 62 ; Beck, hot. p. 42 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. 

 p. 592 ; Ki/nih, enum. 2. p. 62. C. luberosus, Pursk, Jl. I. p. 52 (excl. syn.). 



Rhizoma creeping extensively ; the branches often terminating in small oval or roundish 

 tubers, about the size of a large pea. These abound in starcli, have a sweetish nut-like taste, 

 and are capable of producing new plants. Culm 12-18 inches high, acutely triangular. 

 Leaves a little recurved, broad, strongly carinate, of a yellowish green color. Umbel rather 

 erect ; the rays 2-4 inches long. Spikelets about three-fourths of an inch long, for the. 

 most part distichously arranged on the rachis ; the lowest ones on the spike often in pairs or 

 fasciculate. Scales yellowish, conspicuously striate, at length a little spreading at the lips. 

 Stamens 3. Achenium acute. 



Moist sandy places, particularly on banks of rivers and along the seashore. Fl. August. 

 Fr. September. 



tt Si>ikekts aggregated in a capitate or somewhat umbellate manner at the summit of the rays. 



7. Cyperus filiculmis, Vahl. Slender-stalked Galingale. 



Culm triangular, tuberous at the base, often inclined ; leaves linear ; umbel simple, of 

 1—2 divaricate rays, or wanting ; sheatlis of the rays pointless ; heads globose, dense, 

 composed of 15-20 spikelets, which are linear-lanceolate, rather convex, 6 - 10-flowered ; 

 rachilla naked ; scales loose, ovate, obtuse or emarginate, slightly mucronate, scarious on the 

 margin ; achenium obovate-triquetrous, with a short acuminate point. — VaJil, enum. 2. p. 328 ; 

 Pursh, Jl. I. p. 51 ; Spreng. syst. 1. p. 218 ; Torr. Cyp. p. 267 ; Kunth, enum. 2. p. 95 ; 

 not of Schrad. <^ Nees, Cyp. in Endl. <^ Mart. Jl. Bras. p. 40. C. mariscoides, Ell. sk. 1. 

 p. 67 ; Torr. Jl. \. p. 63; Bigel. Jl. Bast. p. 19 ; Beck, hot. p. 422 ; Darlingt. Jl. Cest. 

 p. 16. C. Killingoeoides, Pursh, Jl. 1. p. 50 (e.xcl. syn.). Scirpus cyperiformis, Muhl. gram, 

 p. 41. 



Rhizoma creeping. Culms cespitose, rigid and strong, about a foot high, often diverging 

 or almost prostrate, with a cluster of small globose reddish tubers at the base ; the sides striate 

 and rather convex. Leaves I - 2 lines wide, dull green. Sj)ikes very often clustered in a 

 single sessile head ; but there are usually also one, two, and sometimes three rays, each 

 bearing a loose head of spikelets ; the heads about an inch in diameter. Spikelets acute. 

 Scales rather open, somewhat coriaceous, with a broad scarious margin, strongly nerved, of a 

 dull yellowish green color. Stamens 3. Style deeply 3-clefl. Achenium two-thirds the length 

 of the scale, striate vvith dotted lines. 



Dry sterile soils : frequent. Fl. August. Fr. October. 



