Cyperacee. | - FLORA OF TASMANIA. 87 
minali) late ovata compressa, squamis 8-12 oblongo-ovatis obtusis viridibus castaneisve 3-andris, nuce 
late elliptica compresso-trigona levi, stigmatibus 8. (Gunn, 1409, 1427, 1437.) (Tas. CXLIII. B.) 
Has. Alpine bogs: Lake St. Clair, Arthur's Lakes, and Marlborough, Gunn.— (Fl. Jan., Feb.) 
In many respects similar to Z. crassiuscula, but very different in habit, and especially in the lateral spikelets 
and trigonous nut.—Culms 1-2 inches high, very robust. Leaves numerous, longer than the culms, rigid, erect. 
Spikelets large, rarely terminal, twice as large as in Z. fluitans, inserted far below the apex of the culm.—PrATE 
CXLIII. 2. Fig. 1, spikelet ; 2, scale and flower; 3, pistil and stamen ; 4, nut :—all magnified, 
5. Isolepis prolifer (Br. Prodr. 223) ; laxe ceespitosa, culmis (sepius stoloniferis) flaccidis com- 
pressis v. triquetris, capitulis polystachyis passim proliferis, spiculis oblongis pauci- v. multi-floris, squamis 
late ovatis obtusis acutisve carinatis v. dorso obtusis monandris, nuce trigona alba levi punctulata striata, 
stigmatibus 3.— Kunth, En. ii. 201; Fl. N. Zeal. i. 271. Scirpus prolifer, Rottb. Gram. 55. t. 17. f. 2. 
Var. a; rarius stolonizans, spithamea ad pedalem, capitulis non proliferis, spiculis 5-12 cylindraceo- 
ovatis, squamis sub-16. I. propinqua, Br., id. Nees in Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. vi. 46. (Gunn, 420.) 
(Tas. CXLIV. 4.) 
Var. 8; rarius stolonizans, 4-pollicaris ad spithameam, capitulis raro proliferis, spiculis 2-5 brevibus, 
squamis 6-10. (Gunn, 420.) (Tas. CXLIV. B.) 
Var. y; stolonizans, 4-pollicaris ad spithameam, capitulis proliferis, spiculis 2-5 brevibus, squamis 
6-10. (Gunn, 1418.) (Tas. CXLIV. C.) 
Var. ò; stolonizans, culmis fluitantibus pedalibus et ultra, capitulis polystachyis valde proliferis, spi- 
culis 3-8 breviusculis, squamis 6-10. (Gunn, 420.) (Tas. CXLIV. D.) 
Var. e; alpina, vix stolonizans, culmis cespitosis 1-2-pollicaribus basi foliosis erectis non proliferis, 
spiculis 5-8 breviusculis, squamis 6-10. (Gunn, 1423, 1425, 1426.) (Tas. CXLIV. xj. 
Var. €; perpusilla, culmis czespitosis 4-pollicaribus basi foliosis, capitulis 1-2 brevibus, squamis 4-8. 
(Gunn, 1425.) (Tas. CXLIV. F.) 
Has. Abundant in wet places throughout the Island. Var. e. Marlborough and Georgetown. Var. 
&. Arthur's Lakes. Vars. y and 6 often growing under water.—(Fl. all the year.) (v. v.) 
DisrRiB. Tropical and extratropical Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. 
A most variable plant, 3 inch to a foot high, growing in both wet and dry places, and assuming a different 
habit under different circumstances. The varieties enumerated above are by no means constant, except in the nut 
and one stamen ; they run into one another in all ways, and are connected with other varieties from other countries, 
some of which are very much larger than these in all their parts, and some are so slender as to have capillary culms. 
Brown describes the spikelets as terminal, but they are truly lateral in all states, though sometimes the apex of the 
culm is short; he also states the culms to be leafless : this they are in many states, but in others they bear trique- 
trous leaves at the base.—This species may be invariably recognized by its solitary stamen, white, triquetrous, 
smooth nut; also by its flaccidity, stoloniferous habit, and proliferous spikelets, which vary from two to twenty in 
a cluster, from $—$ inch long, and from having three to twenty green or brown scales. Nut white, acutely trigo- 
nous, exactly similar in all the varieties. Stamen 1.—PrLATE CXLV. 4.-F. Varieties of I. prolifer. Fig. 1, scales; 
2, pistil and stamen ; 3, nut :—all magnified. 
6. Isolepis nodosa (Br. Prodr. 221) ; elata, robusta, culmis tereti-compressis basi vaginatis aphyllis 
apice pungentibus, capitulis globosis polystachyis, spieulis ovatis densissime congestis, squamis obtusis, 
staminibus stigmatibusque 3, nuce compresso-trigona levi.—Kunth, En. i. 199; Fl. N. Zeal. i. 271. 
Scirpus nodosus, Rotts. Gram. 52. f. 8. f. 3. (Gunn, 979.) 
Has. Sand-hills on the northern shores of the Island, common.— (Fl. Nov., Dec.) 
Distris. Extratropical Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and South America. 
