THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 239 



iv. Spikelet 2 lines long, oblong ... ... ... V. S. nitens. 



Spikelets 4-5 lines, linear... ... ... ... v. 



V. Land plant, erect ... ... ... ... ... A. S. tenuissimns. 



Water plant, diffused ... ... ... ... 3. S.fluitans. 



1. S. TUBBINATUS, Benth. Plant tufted, stems many, erect, simple terete or 

 more or less angled, 6 inches to 1 foot high. Leaves at the base of the stems 

 filiform, 2-3 inches long. Spikelets numerous, in a small, dense, oblong head, 

 about \ inch long, subtended by about 3 slender bracts often 2-3 inches long. 

 Spikelets about 3 lines long, 1-flowered, with a few empty glumes below and 

 above the flower. Hypogynous bristles 6, longer than the nut. Stamens 3. 

 Nut obovoid, prominently 3-ribbed. 



Lagoons near George's Bay Heads, Remine ; also in New South Wales. 



2. S. BBEVIFOLIUS, R. Br. Base creeping underground. Stems erect, simple, 

 terete or slightly flattened, 2-3 feet high. Leaves reduced to scales at the base- 

 of the stems. Spikelets in a long, narrow, interrupted, compound panicle, 

 narrow-lanceolate, 4-5 lines long. 3-5-flowered, with 2 or 3 empty glumes below 

 and above the flowers. Hypogynous bristles none. Stamens 3. Nut obovoid. 



Lagoons at George's Bay Heads ; also throughout extra-tropical Australia and 

 New Zealand. 



3. 8. FLTJITANS, Hook. A slender, spreading, much-branched water or mud 

 plant ; branches slender. Leaves slender, filiform, mostly 2 or 3 inches long, 

 solitary at intervals or tufted at nodes. Spikelets iisnally solitary at the ends of 

 the branches, linear, 4 or 5 lines long, contained in 2 more or less glume-like 

 bracts, 2-4 flowers, with only one or no empty glumes. Hypogynous bristles 

 none. Stamens 3. Nut ovoid, prominently 3-ribb6d. 



St. Marys, Constable's Creek, George's Bay, South Esk River, Southport, 

 Mount Field, Western Tiers, &c. i 



4. S. TENUISSIMUS, Benth. Stems numerous, from a creeping rhizome, slender, 

 simple, erect, 2-18 inches high. Leaves reduced to basal scales. Spikelet 

 solitary, terminal, narrow-lanceolate, 3-6 lines long, but variable beyond these 

 limits, subtended by a glume-like bract, 1-flowered, with a few empty glumes 

 above and below it, Hypogynous scales 6, short, broad, and rather thick. 

 Stamens 3. Nut broadly obovoid, smooth, black. Chatospora teriuiisiwa, Hook. 



Common on damp heaths, especially in the south ; also in New South Wales 

 and Victoria. 



5. S. BEOWNii, Book. Stems tufted, slender, weak, 2-18 inches high, branched. 

 Leaves few, filiform, 2-6 inches long, mostly at the base of the stems. Spikelets 

 pedicelled or nearly sessile, in few-flowered terminal and lateral clusters, each 

 cluster subtended by a leaf or bract. Spikelets about 2 lines long, usually 

 2-flowered, with about 3 empty glumes below the flowers. Hypogynous bristles 

 6, slender. Stamens 3. Nut very small, white, globose, with 3 ribs. Cheetospora 

 imberbis. R. Br ; S. apoffon, R. et S. 



Very common in damp or grassy situations. Common to Eastern and Southei'n 

 Australia, and extending to New, Zealand. 



6. S. AXILLARIS, Soak. Stems tafted, procumbent, and spreading, branched, 

 l-many inches long. Leaves distributed on the stems, |-1 inch long, filiform, 

 Spikelets solitary or few together, in the upper leaf-axils, sessile or shortly 

 stalked, about 1 line long, I -flowered, with usually 2 outer empty glumes. 

 Hypogynous bristles slender, normally 6. Stamens 3. Nut white, obovoid, 

 3-ribbed. Chestospora axillaris, R. Br. 



Common in marshy pastures, principally in the south. It occurs also 

 throughout extra-tropical Australia, and extends to New Zealand. 



