J904.] J. R. Drummond — On a new Scirpus from Beluchistan^ Sfc, 147 



-f- + Nut trigonous 



6 KysooVf Boxh, 



Hab. Ponds and marshes. S. 

 Bengal (Burkill !) Chofca 

 Nagpur (C. B. Clarke !) 

 Dist ; — (endemic). 



The above (as well as the subjoined additional species of Scirpus) 

 is altogether provisional, but put forward in the hope that it may draw 

 the attention of local botanists to the group, and lead to the collection 

 of further material. 



Descriptio sp. No. 4, antecedentis. 

 SciRPus Wardunus. 



3-5pedalis, erectus, culmis pluribus, ex rhizomate rotundo saepe 

 incrassato, radicillis fibrosis undulatis nigris circumdato, exorientibus, 

 floriferis leevibus rigidis obtuse triquetris, foliis (phyllodiis) planocon- 

 vexis spongiosis culmis floriferis elatioribus, involucro universali erecto 

 paniculam aequante vel supererainente, paniculee ramulis parum effusis, 

 spiculis oblongis uncialibus albescentibus, squamis iuferioribus acumi- 

 natis sterilibus deciduis, mediis nuciferis apice retuso subpersistentibus, 

 omnibus scariosis pellucidis margine integerrimo spinulis microscopicis 

 ornato carina flavida in brevissimuni mucronem excurrente, perigonii 

 setis anterioribus quatnor, duobus caryopsidis plano-convexse obcordatae 

 breviter stipulatae ad apice ui styli frustulo minuto armatsB duo latera 

 amplectentibus. 



A tall clubrush with several plano-convex barren shoots or leaves, 

 which are very spongy, from the same rhizome as the flowering stem, 

 which is rather slender for the group, but rigid, terete below, in the 

 upper two-thirds bluntly triangular, sides slightly convex ; — spikelets 

 fully an inch long, larger and more tapering than in 8, litoralis ; branches 

 of the panicle rather stiff ascending; glumes without rust-coloured 

 markings, those of the fertile florets very thin, wings almost transparent, 

 keel pale-golden, gibbous near the base ; the lower empty glumes 

 acuminate falling away from the rather stout notched rachis before 

 the fruit ripens, when the spikelet bleaches. Nutlet narrowed at 

 the base, — at the tip rounded, (under a high power) finely reticulated, 

 colour olive turning to a chestnut-brown. 



From S. litoralis Schrader, this should be easily distinguished by 

 the presence of distinct *' leaves "; the strong rhizome and much larger 

 silvery, not chestnut, spikelets. 



It is nearer 8. pectinatus and 8- plumosus which may not improba- 

 bly be found to form a single species, but the panicle is more effuse in 

 pectinatusy and in neither is there any rhizome j the Seistan plant 



