238 THE TASMANIAN FLOBA. 



xi. Spikelets 1-2, about 2 lines long, on the ends of 



slender filiform scapes ... ... ... ... 3. Elynanthus. 



Spikelets 3-many, sessile, at the end of a stiff 



erect scape ... ... ... ... ... 11< Cladium. 



xii. Scape branched. Spikelets vaguely distributed 13. Caustis. 

 Scape simple. Spikelets single or more, often in 

 a terminal dense or loose much-branched 

 panicle ... ... ... ... ... ... 10. Lepidosperma. 



Spikelet single. Glumes in opposite rows ... 2. Schosnus. 

 xiii. Small, alpine, 1-3 inches. Leaves fiat, stiff, erect... 9. Oreobolus. 

 Leaves long, or, if small, not stiff-erect .. ... xiv. 



xiv. Inner flowering glume the largest ... ... 11. Claudium. 



Flowering glume smaller than the intermediate 



glumes ... ... ... ... ... ... 12. Qahnia. 



1. CTPERUS. 



Spikelets usually many-flowered. Glumes distichous. Rhachis regularly 

 flexuose. No hypogynous scales. Stamens .3 or fewer. Style continuous with 

 the ovary, but not thickened at the base, deciduous. Spikelets in clusters, in 

 compound umbels, surrounded by an involucre of leafy bracts. 



A very large genus, found almost throughout the world, but most abundant in 

 warm climates. 



Spikelets in rather loose spreading spikes ... ... 1. C.luciduD. 



Spikelets in rather dense globular leads ... ... 2. C. gunnii. 



1. C. LUCIDUS, R. Br. Stems erect, tufted from a persistent base, stouti 

 prominently 3-angled, 1-4 feet high. Leaves flat, shorter or longer than the 

 stem, about | inch broad. Leafy bracts usually 4 or more, unequal, 6 inches to 

 2 feet long, similar to the basal leaves. Spikelets in linear spikes, the spikes 

 clustered at the ends of terete branches, unequal, and often 4-6 inches long, the 

 whole appearing as an irregular compound umbel. Spikelets linear, flattened, 

 about \ inch long, usually 5 or 6-flowered. Glumes slightly keeled, rather acute 

 in most Tasmanian forms. C. sanguineo-fuscus, H. 



Common in marshy places ; also in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, 

 and South Australia. 



2. 0. GUNNir, Hook. A smaller plant than the last, and doubtfully distinct. 

 Stems, leaves, and bracts more slender, and generally shorter. Spikelets about 

 J inch long, and condensed into globose heads on rather short branches. 



Near Launceston, Glenora, &o. ; also Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, 

 and South Australia. 



2. SCHCENUS. 



Spikelets few-flowered, generally 2 or 3. Glumes distichous, generally a few 

 empty ones at the base of the spikelet. Rhachis short and straight between the 

 empty glames, longer and flexuose where bearing flowers. Hypogynus bristles 

 generally slender and 6, rarely absent. Stamens from 1-6. Style slender, 

 rarely thickened just above the ovary, deciduous. Spikelets variously arranged, 

 often solitary, sometimes in heads, but never in compound umbels, as in Cyperus. 



A widely-distributed genus, but chiefly Australian 



i. Spikelets in a long loose panicle 



Spikelets many, in a small terminal head 

 Spikelets solitary or few ... 

 ii. Head dense ... 

 Head loose ... 

 iii Spikelets solitary, axillary 

 Spikelets terminal... 



