CYPERACEAE 113 



1. Umbels compound. 



2. Spikelets oblong, turgid, 7 mm long or less, arranged in spikes ; a 



coarse, glaucous plant 3. M. stuppeus 



2. Spikelets linear or linear-lanceolate, 8 to 15 mm long, in dense globose 



heads at the ends of the Jjranches 4. M. dilatus 



1. M. cyperlnus (Eetz.) Vahl. 



A glabrous, erect, tufted plant 20 to 60 cm high, the inflorescence um- 

 bellate. Leaves 15 to 30 cm long, 4 to 8 mm wide, the bracts subtending 

 the inflorescence, similar to the leaves. Spikes 5 to 10, cylindric,'. dense, 

 about 2 cm long. Spikelets lanceolate, 4 to 5 mm long, green or brownish- 

 green, straight, each with about 2 flowers, the nutlets oblong, 2 mm long. 



In thickets, Masambong, fl. Aug.-Oct.; throughout the Philippines. 

 . Tropical Asia through Malaya to Polynesia. 



2. M. flabelliformis HBK. 



A slender, erect, tufted plant 25 to 40 cm tall. Leaves 20 to 30 cm 

 long, 2 to 3 mm wide, the bracts similar. Inflorescence umbellate, the 

 rays usually about 5, 2 to 5 cm long. Spikes 1.5 to 2 cm long, rather lax, 

 green. Spikelets ascending, slender, about 1 cm long, the glumes about 5, 

 distant, about 3.5 mm long. Nutlets oblong, 2 mm long. 



In shady thickets, Masambong, fl. Aug.-Oct.; rather widely distributed 

 in the Philippines. Most tropical countries. 



S. M. stuppeus (Forst.) Merr. (M. albescens Gaudich.). 



A coarse, erect, tufted perennial 50 to 80 cm high, pale-green or glaucous. 

 Leaves rather thick, stiff, nearly as long as the stem, 4 to 6 mm wide, 

 often complanate, the bracts similar. Inflorescence umbellate, 6 to 15 cm 

 in diameter, the spikes dense, 1^5 to 3 cm long, about 1 cm iii diameter, 

 brown. Spikelets spreading, 5 to 7 mm long, the glumes obtuse, 5 to 9, 



2 to 3 mm long. Nutlets ovoid, dark-brown> 1 to 1.2 mm long. 



In open wet la<ids near the sea, fl. all the year; throughout the Philip- 

 pines near the seashore. Tropical Asia and Africa through Malaya to 

 Australia and Polynesia. 



4. M. dilutus (Vahl) Nees (M. microcephdlus Presl^. 



A coarse, erect, loosely tufted, glabrous plant 4 to 80 cm high. Leaves 

 and bracts somewhat spongy, the former often nearly as long as the 

 stem, 8 mm wide or less. Inflorescence 10 to 25 cm in diameter, com- 

 pound, the spikes radiately globose at the ends "f the branchlets, each 

 composed of very numerous, linear or linear-lanceolate, brown, straight 

 spikelets 0.8 to 1.5 cm long. Glumes 6 to 14, obtuse, somewhat distant, 



3 to 4 mm loiig. Nutlet oblong, beaked, 2 mm long. 



In open wet lands, fl. all the year; throughout the Philippines. India 

 to Mauritius, China, and Malaya. 



6. TORULINIUM Desvaux 



Similar to Mariscus and Cyperus, but the spikelets breaking up into 

 several joints, each containing 1 nut. 



A genus consisting of a single variable species found in all warm 

 regions. 



111555 8 



