Hypoiytrum] Cyperacece. 89 



or more in an inch, sheaths up to 8 in. long, coriaceous, 

 shining, closed up to an inch or so of the obtuse apiculate tip; 

 spikelets ^~§ in. long by \-\ in. diam. ; rhachilla stout, elongate- 

 conical, covered with minute orbicular scars; glumes about 

 \ in. long, broadly obovate-oblong, all but the two lower without 

 veins or keels; scales as long as the nut, pale brown; nut 

 (with the beak) ^ in. long, sometimes hispidulous towards the 

 top, margins acute. 



Moist low country under 1000 ft., generally on the coast. About 

 Colombo, abundant; Kalutara; Negombo Canal; Hewesse. Fl. Dec- 

 Feb. 



Also in Madagascar, Malaya, Queensland, Fiji Is. 



17. KYFOLYTBUM, L. C. Rich. 

 Stout, perennial herbs, with a woody rootstock and very 

 stout root-fibres ; stem erect, trigonous, leafy; 1. long, narrow, 

 linear or ensiform, coriaceous, broadest about the middle, 

 3-veined; spikelets small, ovoid or subglobose, in broad sub- 

 umbelliform panicles, with stout, spreading, bracteolate 

 branches, or the panicle contracted into a more or less 

 compact lobed head; bracts leaf-like, bracteoles coriaceous; 

 glumes many, closely imbricate in fl., spreading in fr., per- 

 sistent, lower 2-4 empty; hypogynous scales 2 (rarely more), 

 placed right and left, narrow, keeled, bristles o; stam. 2-3, 

 fil. long ; ov. flattened, turbinate, beaked, style articulate on 

 the beak, very early deciduous, stigmas 2-3, filiform; nut 

 rounded or obtusely angled, endocarp hard, thick, beaked or 

 not. — Sp. about 25 ; 7 in Fl. B. fold. 



Glumes obtuse, nuts ^-\ in r. H. latifolium. 



Glumes acute, nuts ^ in 2. H . LONGIROSTRE. 



1. H. latifolium, Rich, in Pers. Syn. i. 70 (1805). 



Schcenus ttetnorttm, Vahl ; Moon, Cat. 6. H. giganteum, Wall ; Nees 

 in Wight, Contrib. 93. Thw. Enum. 346. C. P. 219. 



Fl. B. Ind. vi. 678. Bot. Mag. t. 6282 (grown from Ceylon seed). 



Stem 2-4 ft, stout, angles acute, smooth ; 1. much longer 

 than the stem, up to 3 ft. by \\ in. broad, narrowly lanceolate 

 or ensiform, with straight acuminate points, coriaceous, 

 3-veined above, margins and keel smooth below, scaberulous 

 above, lower sheaths short, pale; panicle depressed, 2-5 in. 

 broad, branches subwhorled, up to 2 in. long, stiff, spread- 

 ing, bracteolate at the base, sometimes very short, the infl. 

 becoming capitate; bracts 2-4 in. long; spikelets \-\ in., 

 sessile or more or less pedicelled, oblong, cylindric or 



