1904.] J. R. Drummond — On a new Scirptis from Beluchistan^ Sfc, 145 



convenient in some ways to retain it as a sub-genus, but in Scirpus Kysoor 

 of Roxburgh (placed as a variety under S. grossus Linn, in Fl. Br. 

 Ind.) the " seisQ " are minutely plumose, and this species would logi- 

 cally be included in Malacochsete, while its natural afl&nities seem to be 

 with S. grossus of Vahl, and with Mr. 0. B. Clarke's series " Sylva- 

 ticser 



The importance of the characters derived from the ''setes" can- 

 not be correctly estimated until more is known of the morphology of 

 the flower in Scirpus and its allies, and of the part played by the hypo- 

 gynous bristles in the life of the individual. Where these are " plu- 

 mose, " all the floral whorls appear to be un symmetrical, the actually 

 anterior segments of the perigonium being more in number than the 

 posterior and declinate. The flower of such a Scirpus would in fact be 

 somewhat on the plan of a minatare Gladiolus. In Scirpus pectinatus 

 and S. litoralis the anterior " setaa " seem to be pretty constantly four 

 in number, of which one pair is opposite the axis, the others being 

 pushed to the right and left of it by the ripening achene, which, as 

 noted by Roxburgh, they embrace laterally. The piano-convexity of 

 the caryopsis itself may be due to the same tendency. In the ripe 

 floret of certain MalacochdRtes, there are two flattened scarious white 

 ligules corresponding to the anterior setse, and arising in some species 

 apparently with them from a ring that surrounds the base of the cary- 

 opsis. Whether these have carried anthers, — or at all events pro- 

 duced pollen, — may be doubted, but they are, in all likelihood, modified 

 filaments, and the whole of the " setse " therefore in " Malacochsete " (also 

 in 8. Kysoor and S. eriophorum presumably) would thus be regarded 

 as belonging to the staminary whorl, while the plumose setae of the 

 litoralis group, of which the hairs are certainly gland-tipped, and have 

 been observed to be moniliform, would be comparable with the staminodes 

 of Falisota (see fig. 81 in Engler and Prantl. II. 4, p. 62). Roxburgh says 

 of S. Kysoor that it has the setae always five in number, and examina- 

 tion of fresh specimens would no doubt confirm his observation. In 

 the S» litoralis group the writer finds the plumose segments of tha peri- 

 gonium to be always four in dried specimens, but living material is want- 

 ed to clear up the variability in the development of setae in this 

 genus. 



A key is appended to those forms of Scirpus found in Europe, Asia 

 and Australia, which, on the above view, have three or more of the 

 perigonial "setae" (in the fertile florets) developed as penicillate 

 staminodes. 



J. II. 20 



