72 Cyperacece. \Eleocharis. 



to E. gracilis, R Br. The spikelet is sometimes viviparous, with lateral 

 stems an inch long, proceeding from the axils of the lower glumes. 

 Hypogynous bristles sometimes short or o in Indian and other specimens. 



8. E. capitata, R, Br. Prod. 225 (1810). 



Scirpus capitatus, L. ; Moon, Cat. 6. Thw. Enum. 351. C. P. 3039. 

 Fl. B. Ind. vi. 627. Rottb. Descr. et Ic. t. 15, f. 3 {Scirpus caribceus'). 



Annual; stems densely tufted, 12-14 in., slender, trigonous, 

 sheaths very short, mouth oblique, acute; 1. o; spikelet 

 ■Yo~z i n -» globosely ovoid, top rounded, pale, lowest glume 

 bracteiform, orbicular, green, with a hyaline border; glumes 

 membranous, tightly imbricate, easily detached, orbicular, 

 •2V in. diam., concave, veins o, rhachilla terete, pitted ; bristles 

 as long as the nut or longer, retrorsely scabrid, pale brown; 

 anth. small, linear, obtuse ; nut -ru~wo m -> obovoid or almost 

 obcordate, biconvex, smooth, dark brown, shining, style short, 

 base pyriform, much narrower than the nut, stigmas 2 or 3. 



Low country; common, especially on the sea-coast. Fl. Oct., Dec. 

 Hot countries generally. 



9. 32. cong-esta, D. Don, Prod. Fl. Nep. 41 (1825). 

 E. ovata, Thw. Enum. 351 (non Br.). C. P. 2635. 

 Fl. B. Ind. vi. 630. 



Stems densely tufted, 8-18 in., slender, subtrigonous, 

 many-grooved, sheaths short, mouth of upper obliquely 

 truncate, with sometimes a small tooth on one side; spikelet 

 \-\ in., narrowly ovoid, obtuse, many-fid., lowest glume 

 bracteiform, orbicular; glumes -^o in. long, closely imbricate, 

 membranous, obovate-oblong, obtuse, broadly 1 -veined, red- 

 brown, with a broad hyaline green border; bristles much 

 longer than the nut, slender, pale, retrorsely scabrid; anth. 

 obtusely apiculate; nut ^ in. long, obovoid, obtusely trigo- 

 nous, smooth, pale brown, top contracted, forming a short 

 beak, which is narrower than the truncate base of the short 

 pyriform style- base, style short, stigma9 3, long. 



Montane zone ; rather common. Ambagamuwa ; Dimbula. Fl. 

 Feb.-April. 



Also in the mountains of India. 



Spikelet often viviparous, as in E. atropurpurea, the lower glumes 

 bearing peduncled imperfect spikelets. 



10. 33. tetraquetra, Nees in Wight, Contrib. 113 (1834). 

 Thw. Enum. 351. C. P. 2397. 

 Fl. B. Ind. vi. 630. 



Rootstock elongate, stoloniferous ; stems densely tufted, 

 \-2\ feet, slender, about yg- in. diam., tetraquetrous, deeply 

 grooved, sheaths long, red-brown, upper truncate, with a small 

 tooth-like limb; spikelet \-\ in., ovoid, acute, many-fid., 

 lowest glume bracteiform, orbicular-oblong, with 3 green veins 



