THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 245 



the erect bract slightly or not at ^,11 dilated at the base, except where the inflor- 

 escence is nnnsually small. Spikelets sub-cylindrical. Bracts about 15, the 

 outer ones largest, mostly spathulate, or the inner ones linear. Nut obovate, 

 1^ line long. 



Henty River, Apsley River. It occurs also in Queensland, New South Wales, 

 Victoria, and Western Australia. 



9. OREOBOLUS. 



Spikelet with a solitary terminal flower. Glumes 3 or 2. Hypogynous scales 

 6, exceeding and enclosing Ihe nut. Stamens 3 or fewer. Style slender, 

 deciduous, 3-branched. Nut smooth . Spikelets solitary, terminal, or rarely few 

 in a raceme. 



A ffenus of but 2 species, confined to the Southern Hemisphere. 



0. PUMiLio, M. Br. A small densely-tufted plant, the stems divided, seldom 

 1 inch long, densely covered by the leaf-sheaths. Leaves distichous or irregu- 

 larly imbricating, the sheaths broad, laminse flat, about J inch long or more, 

 about \ line broad, rigid, scabrid towards the apex. Spikelets generally solitary, 

 but sometimes 2-4, in a close spike or panicle, just emerging from the axil of a 

 leaf when in flower, the peduncle ^-i inch long when in fruit. Glumes distichous, 

 inserted close together, usually 3, but occasionally 2, the outer one leaf-like and 

 often 3 or 4 lines long, the innermost one shorter, more scarious, and enclosing 

 the flower. Stamens 3, but sometimes only one, in Tasmanian plants at least. 

 Hypogynous scales in 2 series, nearly equal, lanceolate, ciliate, rather longer than 

 the nut, erect and persistent. Nut obovoid, smooth, pale, pubescent at the top, 

 about ^ line long. 



Common on mountain summits ; also in Victoria, New South Wales, and New- 

 Zealand to South America. 



10. LEPIDOSPERMA. 



Spikelets with a single, terminal, hermaphrodite flower, and generally 

 1 or more male flowers below it. Glumes few, imbricated all round the 

 rhachis. Hypogynous scales 6, thin and often minute when in flower, thickened 

 and appressed to the base of the nut when mature. Stamens normally 

 3. Style slender and deciduous, normally 3-branched. Nut ovoid, obtusely 

 3-angled, with a pale cushion-like apex. Spikelets mostly in much-branched, 

 compound, loose or dense, panicles, each branch and flower subtended by a bract 

 that passes into the glumes. 



The genus is chiefly Australian, but extends from Eastern Asia to New 

 Zealand. Some of the species are fairly constant in structure ; others, on the 

 contrary, are most variable and ill-defined. 



i. Stems robust, 3-8 lines diameter... ... ... ii. 



Stems slender, mostly under 2 lines diameter... ^. 



ii. Inflorescence dense, in a thyrsoid panicle ... iii. 



Inflorescence linear or loose ... ... ... iv. 



iii. Stems biconvex, 2-3 feet ... ... ... ... 1. L. gladiata. 



Stem flat or concave on one side... ... ... 3. h. squamata. 



iv. Stems very biconvex, margin smooth, inflorescence 



pale ... ... •-.. ... ••• ■-. 2. L. hngitudinale. 



Stems biconvex, with acute cutting margins. 



S})ikelets brown... ... ... ... ... 4. i. elatior. 



V. Stems narrow, flat... ... ... ... ... vi. 



Stems cylindrical ... ... ... ... ... 8. L. fili forme 



vi. Margin minutely rough ... ... ... ... b. L. laterale. 



Margin smooth ... ... ... ... ... 6. L. linear e. 



Margins smooth. Flowers few, the stalks bent 



between them .... ... ... ... ... 1. L. tortuosum.. 



