32 Cyperacecz. [Cyperus. 



generally recognisable by the tassel-like clusters of spikes, and very small 

 short few-fid. spikelets. 



28. C. pilosus, Vahl, Enam. PL ii. 354 (1806). 

 Thw. Enum. 344. C. P. 797. 



Fl. B. Ind. vi. 609. 



Perennial; rootstock small, stoloniferous, stolons slender, 

 internodes long, scaly; stem 3 ft, stout, subsolitary, tri- 

 quetrous above, angles smooth; 1. nearly as long as the stem, 

 or shorter, linear, \ in. broad, finely acuminate, margins 

 scaberulous; umbels compound, up to 16 in. diam., primary 

 rays 2-10, all short, or one or more up to 2 or 3 in., bearing 

 crowded pedicelled spikes of divaricate spikelets, rhachis of 

 spikes angular, hispidulous, not pitted; bracts 3-5, longest 

 3-5 in., margins scaberulous ; spikelets closely imbricate, 

 \-\ by yq- in., linear or linear-lanceolate, compressed, 10-20- 

 fld., reddish-brown, rhachilla naked or obscurely winged ; 

 glumes rather loosely imbricate, broadly ovate, obtuse, 

 muticous, dorsally green, hardly keeled, 3-7-veined, sides 

 red -brown, margins and tip hyaline; stam. 3, anth. small, 

 linear, muticous ; nut half as long as the glume, globosely 

 trigonous, narrowed at both ends, apiculate, black, style 

 rather shorter than the nut, stigmas 3, capillary. 



Wet places up to 5600 ft. ; common. Fl. July. 



Throughout Tropics of Old World. 



The hispidulous rhachis of the spikes, bearing the spikelets, is almost 

 peculiar to this amongst Ceylon species ; but there is an approach to it in 

 the closely allied C. procerus. 



29. C. exaltatus, Rets. Obs. Bot. v. 11 (1789). 

 Thw. Enum. 343. C. P. 3040. 



Fl. B. Ind. vi. 617. Burm. FL Ind. t. 8. f. 2 (C. odoratus). 



Perennial (?); stem 3-6 ft., stout, obtusely trigonous, sides 

 concave, base thickened, stolons o, root-fibres stout ; 1. few, 

 longer or shorter than the stem, linear, \-\ in. broad, thick, 

 tips filiform, 1 -veined, margins scaberulous; umbel compound, 

 rays 5-10, some up to 6 in., slender, spreading, bearing spikes 

 ■J-2 in. long, of 20-40 rather distant horizontally spreading 

 short spikelets, rhachis of spikes smooth, very slender; bracts 

 3 or. 4, one or two as long as the umbel or longer, margins 

 nearly smooth; spikelets linear or linear-oblong, anth. \-^ by 

 about X5- in., much compressed, chestnut-brown ; wings of 

 rhachilla very narrow; glumes closely imbricate, broadly ovate, 

 subacute or cuspidate, dorsally keeled, obscurely 3-veined, 

 margins broad, not hyaline; nut about \ as long as the glume, 

 broadly ellipsoid, narrowed at both ends, trigonous, ashy black, 

 style longer than the nut, stigmas 3, short. 



