98 FLORA OF TASMANIA. [ Cyperacee. 
I have only seen two specimens of this species, both rather immature.—It is a small plant, 2-3 feet high, with 
slender stems, very long, involute leaves, as sharply roughened on the surface as those of @. psittacorum, and a 
small, contracted, brown panicle. Seales all acute. Stamens three. 
Gen. XIV. CAUSTIS, Br. 
Spieule 1-2-fore, paniculatee ; squamis undique imbricatis, intima florem involvente. Filamenta 3-5, 
brevia. JVuz ventricosa, basi bulbosa, rostrata; stylis bi-trifidis ; semine levi.—Herbe dure, arde, rigide, 
Jaeie Restiacearum ; eulmis aphyllis, ramosis, semiteretibus, vaginatis; vaginis integris; ramis sepe spha- 
eelatis, hine in mucronem concolorem subulatum productis, ultimis foliiformibus; paniculis axillaribus termi- 
nalibusque, peduneulatis ; pedunculis vagina inclusis. 
An Australian genus of very remarkable-looking plants, resembling Restiacee from having semiterete, leafless 
stems and branches, and discoloured sheaths. About four species are known to me, all of them natives of Aus- 
tralia.—Rhizome very stout and woody. Culms much branched, rigid; branches often curved, the terminal ending 
in subulate points. Spikelets one-flowered, in branched, peduneled, axillary and terminal panicles, whose pedun- 
cles are enclosed in the sheaths. Outer scales larger than the inner, imbricated all round, acuminate; upper 
alone bearing one hermaphrodite flower. Stamens 3-5, included. Nut terminated by the bulbous base of the 
style. (Derivation of name unknown to me.) 
l. Caustis pentandra (Br. Prodr. 239) ; rhizomate crasso repente squamoso, culmis e basi ramosis, 
ramis curvis rigidis semiteretibus, squamis apice subulatis, staminibus 5. (Gunn, 1449.) 
Has. Sandy heaths: in the northern parts of the Island, Gunn.—(Fl. Dec. ?) 
DisrarB. New South Wales and Victoria. 
Gen. XV. CAREX, Z. 
(Auctore el. F. Boott, M.D.) 
Spicule amentiformes (v. flores spicati), unisexuales v. androgynee; squame 1-flores, undique imbri- 
cate. Flores unisexuales. Masc. Perianthium 0. Stamina 3. Fam. Perianthium (perigynium) utri- 
culus compressus, apice contractus, ore coarctato. Stigmata 2-8, exserta: Nux perianthio aucto inclusa.— 
Herbe pleraque foliose, gramine, perennes; culmis sepius triquetris; spicis amentisve paniculatis, rarius 
solitariis. 
One of the largest genera of flowering plants, containing upwards of six hundred species, found in all parts of 
the globe, especially abounding in temperate countries and subalpine districts; some of the species have very wide 
ranges. Nearly twenty Australian and Tasmanian species have been investigated by my friend Dr. Boott, who has 
made this fine genus his especial study, and who alone has an intimate knowledge of its species and their distri- 
bution; he has favoured me with descriptions of the Tasmanian ones, as he did with the Antarctic and New 
Zealand species.— The genus Carex may be known by its panicled, rarely solitary, amentiform spikelets of imbri- 
cating, one-flowered scales. These spikelets are unisexual, or bear both male and female flowers, but on different 
parts. Male flowers of three stamens; female of a compressed ovary, with two or three stigmas enclosed in a 
utrieular perianth, from whose contracted mouth the stigmas project. (Name of unknown derivation.) 
$ a. Spike solitary, simple. 
Le Carex Archeri (Boott) ; spica simplici triflora ! androgyna apice inconspicue mascula fusco-pur- 
purea; stigmatibus 3; perigyniis elliptico-lanceolatis obtuse triquetris sensim cylindrico-rostratis, ore inte- 
gro, nervis marginalibus superne dentatis, squama ovato-lanceolata ferruginea margine hyalina infima folii- 
formi plus minus elongata latioribus duplo vel foliis triplo brevioribus.—(Areher, n. 71.) (Tas. CLV. A.) 
