THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 



249 



6. C. PiLUM, i?. Br. Stems numerous, in dense tufts, erect, 2-4 feet high. 

 Leaves flat, rather shorter than the stem, attenuated into sjibulate points, 

 margins scabrous and involute, dispersed at the base and on the stem, passing 

 above into the floral bracts. Inflorescence a linear interrupted panicle, 4-12 

 inches long, each branch and spikelet subtended by a bract, the outer ones leaf- 

 like, the inner ones passing into the glumes, each cluster of spikelets rather dense 

 but linear, 1-2 inches long. Spikelets pale, very numerous, 2-3 lines long, with 

 a solitary flower, and sometimes a terminal empty glume or staminate flower. 

 Glumes few, very narrow, and acute. Stamens 3. Nut linear, 3-angled, 2-3 

 lines long, dark brown and smooth. 



Bellerive, Clarence Plains, Pipeclay Lagoon, Swanport, George's Bay, &xs. ; 

 also in Victoria and South Australia. 



The species has the habit of and is often confounded with Gahnia trifida, 

 from which plant it can be easily distinguished, besides in its essential 

 details, by the spikelets being formed in linear instead of sub-globose 

 clusters. 



12. GAHNIA. 



Spikelets with 1 terminal perfect flower, and generally a staminate flower 

 below it. Glumes generally many, the middle ones the largest, the outer and 

 inner ones gradually smaller. Hypogynous bristles none. Stamens generally 

 3-6. Style continuous with the ovary, the base generally persistent, branches 

 3-6. Nut obovoid or obscurely 3-angled. Inflorescence a compound interrupted 

 panicle. The filaments generally persistent, and sometimes supporting the loose 

 nut, as in Gladium schanoides. Leaves with usually involute margins. 



The genus, which is not clearly separated from CLadium, is widely dispersed 

 from the Indian Archipelago, through Australia and New Zealand, to the 

 Southern Pacific. 



Glumes acute. 



Tall with pale glumes. 



Spikelets densely clustered 

 Spikelets freely, dispersed... 

 Usually 1^ foot. Glumes black 

 About 3 inches, in a dense cushion 

 Glumes obtuse ... 



1. G. TRiriDA, Lah. Stems numerous, in 

 high. Leaves at the base and scattered 

 involute margins, narrowed above into lonfj subulate points, the sheath split, and 

 bearing a ligule at the orifice ; basal leaves about as long as the stems ; stem- 

 leaves shorter, passing above into the floral bracts. Inflorescence a .branched, 

 erect, interrupted panicle, 6-12 inches long. Spikelets collected into dense 

 oblong or globose clusters, each branch and spikelet subtended by a bract. 

 Spikelets numerous, pale brown, about 2 lines long, bearing a single terminal 

 flower. Glumes few, the middle ones with a prominent keel that is prolonged 

 into a rather long point. Stamens 4-6. Nut obovoid, dark, shining, about 1 line 

 long, supported by the persistent filaments. 



Common in brackish and fresh swampy places ; also in South and East 

 Australia. 



2. G. FiTZGEBALDi, Rod. Stems on a creeping rhizome, tufted, about 2 feet 

 high, slender. Outer leaves reduced to the sheaths ; stem-leaves about as long 

 as the stems, but passing into the floral bracts above, flat, with involute 

 scabrous margins, and with long subulate points. Panicle 8-12 inches long, 

 interrupted, the branches arising few together, unequal, usually elongated and 

 erect, bearing the spikelets freely distant from one another, the whole panicle 

 having a linear appearance, but sometimes they are shorter and contracted, the 



1. G. trifida. 



2. O . fitzgeraldi. 



3. G. radula. 

 5. G. graminifolia. 



4. G. psittdcorum. 



dense tufts, erect, mostly 2-4 feet 

 on the stems, flat, with scabrous. 



