282 



3. ALOPECUROIDES, Rottb. Gram. 38, t. 8, /. 2. Culm trian- 

 gular, glabrous ; leaves flat, scabrous on the margins ; umbel 

 decompound, with about 9 rays; rays very unequal; umbellets 

 3 to 7-rayed ; partial rays densely covered with spikes on every 

 side, forming elongated cylindrical compound spikes ; involucre 

 3 to 5-leaved (6 to 7, ex Nees) longer than the umbel ; partial 

 involucres 3 to 4-leaved, short; spikes oblong acute compressed, 

 about 1 8-flowered ; scales broad elliptic, mucronate, obsoletely 7- 

 nerved. Nees C alopecuroides (?), Roxb. PL Ind. i, 211; Cum 

 exaltato, Vahl. Enum. ii, 366 ; Subnomine alti distinguit. 



4. COMPRESSUS, Linn. sp. 68. Roxb. Fl. Ind. i, 194. Leaves 

 glabrous, flat, longer than the triangular culm, younger ones serru- 

 lated on the margin ; umbel with 1 to 6 rays ; rays 3 to 6-spiked 

 at the top, very unequal, 1 almost undeveloped ; involucre 3 to 6- 

 leaved, very long; spikes lanceolate and linear, compressed, 24 to 36- 

 flowered ; scales keeled, acute and mucronate, many-nerved, green ; 

 achenium obovate, triquetrous, one-third the length of the scale. 

 Syn. C pectinatus, Roxb. Fl. Ind. i, 190; C coromandelianus, Spr. 

 syst. i, 217 ; C pectiniformis, Schult. Mant. ii, 128. The Deccan. 



5. HASPAN, Linn. sp. 66 ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. i, 210. Culm trique- 

 trous at the base, sometimes sheathed and leafless, sometimes 

 leafy ; leaves linear, flat, glabrous ; umbel decompound, lax ; invo- 

 lucre 2-leaved, generally shorter than the umbel ; spikes in threes, 

 or fascicled and clustered, linear compressed, 18 to 30-flowered, 

 scales somewhat keeled, navicular, 3-nerved ; achenium obovate, 

 rounded-pointed, rough with minute tubercles. Syn. C autum- 

 nalis, Vahl. Enum. ii, 318 ; Scirpus autumnalis, Linn. Mant. 150; 

 C gracilis, Muelenb. Gram. 18; C leptos, Schult. Mant. ii, 105; 

 C camplanatus, Willd. sp. i, 270. 



6. DIFFORMIS, Linn. sp. 67; Roxb. Fl. Ind. i, 195. Culm tri- 

 quetrous; leaves flat, glabrous ; umbels simple or compound, with 

 3 to 11 rays; involucre 2 to 3-leaved, very long; spikes densely 

 clustered into globular heads, linear compressed, 8 to 25-flowered ; 

 scales orbicular reniform, retuse, blunt, 3-nerved as the back; ache- 

 nium obovate elliptic triangular, as long as the scale. 



7. IRIA, Linn. sp. 67; Roxb. Fl. Ind. i, 201. Culm trique- 

 trous, glabrous; leaves flat, flaccid, rough on the margins; umbel 

 with 6 to 8 rays ; involucre very long, 3 to 4-leaved ; rays very 

 unequal, branched and fascicled at the apex ; spikes linear com- 

 pressed, 8 to 20-flowered, flowers distant; scales rounded, obovate 

 emarginate, very shortly mucronate, 5-nerved ; achenium elliptic 

 triangular mucronate, as long as the scale. Syn. C santonici, 

 Rottb. Gram. 41, t. 9,/i ; C panicoides, Lam. Illustr. i, 145. This 

 is the only species in our list with rounded obovate distant scales. 

 The Deccan. 



