Cyperacee. | | - FLORA OF TASMANIA. 97 
Gen. XIII. GAHNIA, Forst. 
Spicule parve, 1-flore, in paniculam terminalem ramosam sepe effusam disposite ; squamis undique 
imbricatis, intima minima florem involvente. Filamenta 9, 4 v. 6, post anthesin elongata, persistentia. 
Nux obtuse trigona; stigmatibus divisis indivisisve.— Herbs rigide, erecta ` culmis foliosis; foliis involutis, 
longe acuminatis. : 
A genus of erect, coarse, rigid, leafy Sedges, chiefly natives of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, but 
there are a few Malayan and Pacific Island species. It is very closely allied to Cladium, but differs in the elon- 
gated, persistent filaments, by which the nut is often suspended after it has fallen away from the spikelet.—Nut 
very hard, obscurely trigonous; apex thickened; inner walls in some species grooved transversely, in others very 
slightly so, or quite even. Styles three, undivided or branched. (Named in honour of Dr. Henry Gahn, a Swedish 
botanist.) 
$ 1. LAMPOCARYA.— Seed not transversely grooved. 
l. Gahnia trifida (Lab. Nov. Holl. i. 89. t. 116) ; foliis bracteisque asperis apice longe filiformibus, 
panicula coarctata interrupta, spiculis dense capitato-congestis, squamis longe acuminatis, staminibus 3, 
stigmatibus indivisis, nuce atra obtuse trigona obovoidea mucronata, semine levi.—Lampocarya hexandra, 
Br. Prodr. 238. (Gunn, 335.) 
Has. Tasmania, Labillardióre, Gunn. 
DisrRrB. South-eastern Australia. 
I have a very small Tasmanian fragment of this plant, gathered by Gunn, but excellent ones collected in Vic- 
toria (as Cladium Filum) by Mueller. The short, obovoid, black nut, and the long filaments of the stamens, which 
vary from three to four and six, distinguish it from Cladium Filum, which it most closely resembles in many respects. 
— have restored this plant to Gahnia, where Labillardiere placed it, the genus Lampocarya appearing to me to be 
untenable, some plants being quite intermediate in characters between it and Gahnia. The present species further 
unites Gahnia with Cladium, through C. Filum. None of my specimens are hexandrous, as Labillardiöre’s appear 
to have been, whence Brown gave it the specific name of hezandra. 
$ 2. GAHNIA.—JNuf osseous. Seed transversely grooved. 
2. Gahnia psittacorum (Lab. Nov. Holl. i. 89. t. 115); culmo robusto elato, foliis scabridis 
echinulatisve, panicula elongata interrupta decomposita atra, squamis plurimis obtusis, filamentis 6 corru- 
gatis, stigmatibus bifidis, nucibus obovoideis rubris nitidis apice areola sphacelata, semine transverse sulcato. 
— Br. Prodr. 238. (Gunn, 982.) 
Has. Abundant in forest land, etc., throughout the Island.—(Fl. Dec.) (v. v.) 
DrsrRiB. New South Wales and Victoria. 
A tall, very handsome Sedge, 4-8 feet high, forming large clumps, extremely dangerous from the severe 
ragged cuts its coarse, sharply scabrid foliage inflicts if drawn across the hand; easily known by its great size, 
stout, solid, cylindrical culms, as thick at the base as the middle finger, long leaves, and long black panicle of 
innumerable spikelets, which have black, blunt, closely imbricated scales, six long, crumpled, twisted filaments, and 
bright red, polished nuts. : 
3. Gahnia melanocarpa (Br. Prodr. 239); culmo gracili, foliis culmum superantibus echinulatis, 
panicula breviuscula coarctata ramosa, squamis acutis, staminibus 3, stigmatibus indivisis, nucibus atris. 
(Gunn, 1400.) 
Has. Tasmania, Brown ; near Hobarton, Gunn.—(Fl. Nov.) 
Distrıs. New South Wales and Victoria. 
VOL, II, 
