Indian Species o/" Juncus and Luzula. 325 



Herba perennis, caespitosa, multiceps. Rhizonia teres, fuscum, fibris capilla- 

 ribus infri, et rudimentis foliorum emareidorum imbricatis supr^ muni- 

 tum. Culmi ereeti, filiformes, graciles, glabri, sirnplicissimi, nudiusculi, 

 foliis 2 V. 3 sparsis tant^m muniti, 3 — 5-pollicares. Folia linearia, mu- 

 cronulata, ad apicem usque plana, subcanaliculata, recurvato-patentia, 

 prsesertim ad inarginem parcissim^ villosa, basi dilatata vaginanti-imbri- 

 cata, sesqui v. tripollicaria ; adultiora obtusiuscula, fer^ omnin6 glabra, 

 nisi ad oras vaginarum, ubi villis longis mollibus albis copios^ barbata ; 

 caulina breviora, angustiora, longe vaginantia. Panicula terminalis, spi- 

 ciforrnis, densa, ovata, nigricans, nutans, semuncialis. Bractece lanceo- 

 latee, long^ setaceo-acuminatse, ciliatse, scarioso-membranacese, subhya- 

 linse, fuseescentes, flores exeedentes. Sepala ovato-lanceolata, acuminato- 

 aristata, brunnescentia, apice reeurvata, margine scarioso, pallidiori, gla- 

 bro ; 3 interiora pariim angustiora, breviilsque mucronata ; 3 exteriora 

 firmiora, dorso carinata. Stamina 6. Antherce lineares, obtusse filamentis 

 simplicibus pari!im breviores. Ovarium subrotundum. Stylus capillaris. 

 Stigmata 3, filiformia, recurvato-patula, minutfe papillosa, stylo ter lon- 

 giora. Capsula turbinato-subrotunda, trigona, brunnea, nitida, perianthio 

 brevior, unilocularis, 3-valvis, apice truncata, vix mucronulata : valvulis 

 obovatis. Semina 3, oblonga, spadicea, opaca, hinc convexa, ind^ raphe 

 prominula albicanti, et apice chalaza dilatata convexa aucta. 



This highly interesting plant differs in some points of structure from the 

 typical form of Luzula spicata. The sepals are broader, darker-coloured, and 

 more abruptly pointed, the inner series being moreover furnished with a shorter 

 point. The capsule is rounded and somewhat turbinate, with the valves obo- 

 vate, and terminated by an extremely short, abrupt, obtuse point. The seeds 

 are not above half the size of those of the European plant, and are furnished 

 with a less prominent hilum. The European specimens have the sepals nar- 

 rower and more attenuated, the inner three with equally long points ; the 

 valves of the capsule ovate or elliptical, and terminated by a short sharp 

 point; and the seeds double the size, with a pointed hilum. 



The two forms agree so remarkably in habit, that after an attentive com- 

 parison I do not think the differences of sufficient importance to merit their 

 being regarded as distinct species. 



