244 THE TASMANIA.N FLORA. 



together, in a sessile claster, rarely solitary, the subtending bracts leaf-like, the 

 outer one 2 or 3 inches long, erect, throwing the cluster to one side. Glumes 

 numerous, scarious, emarginate, the midrib prominent, and prolonged into a short 

 point. Hypogynous bristles short, normally 6, sometimes more or less deficient. 

 Nut flat, obovate, polished, about 1 line long. 



Common in brackish and fresh water swamps, |especially in the south ; also 

 throughout Southern Australia. "Widely distributed throughout tempei-ate 

 regions in both Hemispheres. 



10. S. LACUSTEis, Linn. Habit of the last, only more robust and the stems 

 cylindrical, except near the inflorescence. Leaves reduced to sheathing scales at 

 the base of the stems. Spikelets \-\ inch long, numerous, in an irregular 

 compound umbel, subtended by 2 bracts, the outer one erect and throwing the 

 umbel partly aside. Glumes numerous, scarious, emarginate, the midrib 

 prolonged into a very short point, Hypogynous bristles usually 6, about as long 

 as the nut. Nut flat, obovate, polished, about 1 line long. 



Rather common in fresh water; also throughout all but the more tropical 

 portions of Australia, and common to extra-tropical parts of both Hemispheres. 



11. S. MAEITIMUS, Linn. Similar in habit to S. pungens, but more robust, 

 with the same triangular stems and flat keeled leaves. Spikelets about | inch 

 long, sometimes few in a sessile cluster, but more frequently many and the 

 inflorescence branched. Glumes numerous, scarious, slightly or not at all 

 emarginate, the midrib prominent and prolonged into a recurved point. 

 Hypogynous bristles generally 6, and shorter than the nut. Nut flat, obovate, 

 polished, about 1^ line long. 



Common in salt marshes. Throughout extra- tropical Australia, and the 

 extra- tropical parts of both Hemispheres. 



8. CHORISANDRA. 



Spikelets^many-flowered. Glumes imbricated all round the rhachis, but the 

 outer ones distichous, all the outer glumes with a male flower of a single stamen 

 in their axils. Pistillate flower solitary and terminal. Style-branches 2. Nut 

 obovate, sometimes slightly flattened, with 8 prominent ribs. Spikelets 

 numerous, in a sessile, globular, compacted head, each subtended by a short 

 bract, and the whole by an erect stem-like bract, throwing the head aside. Stems 

 from a creeping rhizome. 



The genus is small, and confined to Australia and New Caledonia. Its 

 .inflorescence is peculiar, and is often described as a single spikelet, the 

 interspersed subtending bracts being then considered glumes, and the above 

 described glumes as very numerous and glume-like hypogynous scales. 



Stems about 1 line diameter, about 1 foot high ... 1. C. enodis. 

 Stems 2-4 lines diameter, transversely sepate inside, 



2-4 feet high 2. C. cymbarm, 



1. C. ENODIS, JVee.s. Stems erect, simple, about 1 foot high and 1-lJ line thick, 

 without transverse septa. Inner leaves stem-like, outer ones reduced to 

 sheathing scales. Head about | inch diameter, nearly black, the erect bract only 

 slightly dilated at the base. Spikelets flat ; the outer pair of glumes folded and 

 keeled, larger than the rest, acute ; inner glumes narrow and gradually smaller, 

 about lU-15. Nut slightly flattened, about 1 line long. 



Wet places near George Town (Gunn) ; also throughout Southern Australia. 



2. C. CYMBARiA, R. Br. Stems rather stout, hollow, divided by transverse 

 septa, 2-4 or more feet high, 2-6 lines diameter. Leaves usually short, flat, and 

 broad, being reduced in many instances to open sheaths, but sometimes stem- 

 like and as long as or longer than the stem. Head | to nearly I inch diameter. 



