In the structure of the vegetative shoot, this species is characterized by its long, very 

 fine and slender, but rigid and erect culms, slightly rough at the summit, to 40 cm. high. 

 The leaves are very narrow, filiform, only 0,5 mm. broad, infolded, or, in transverse sec- 

 tion, nearly triangular, from one half of the height of the culms to towards equalling 

 them. The flower cluster is from 10 to 20 mm. long, and from 4 to 7 mm. broad, and 

 is made up of a varying number of spikes (spiculae propriae), densely congested, and 

 appressed to the rachis, so as to look like one terminal spike at first sight. In this 

 structure of the flower cluster it resembles Cobresia caricina, and has — like the lat- 

 ter — to be referred to the sect. Eucabresia, while Cobresia filifoUa, according to the 

 structure of the flower cluster, is referred to the sect. Elyna. 



The lower spikes are the largest ones, to 13 mm. long, each containing to 10 

 spikelets (spiculae partiales). The spikelets are androgynous, each formed from one 

 pistillate flower below, and a varying number, from 1 to 5, generally 3, of staminate 

 flowers above. In the spikelet is sometimes to be found, besides a fully developed 

 pistillate flower, also another one that is more or less reduced. Towards the summits 

 of the spikes the pistillate flower is frequently reduced, so that the upper spikelets in 

 the spike are formed from staminate flowers only. The upper spikes are smaller than 

 the lower ones, and contain a smaller number of spikelets, and the uppermost ones are 

 reduced to only containing one spikelet each. These spikelets are, accordingly, — at 

 any rate the lower ones — enclosed by 2 glumes, of which the lower one must be con- 

 sidered as the bract, having also its more or less rectangular shape, and the upper 

 one as the glume. The outmost one, viz. the bract, is gradually reduced upwards, so 

 that the upper spikes are supported only by one glume, whereby the upper part of 

 the flower cluster may really be regarded as a single terminal spike. 



In less vigorous specimens the flower cluster is at times found to be formed only 

 from one terminal linear spike, with a varying number of spikelets of the common 

 androgynous structure, the lower spikes here also being reduced to a single spikelet. 

 The bracts as well as the empty glumes of the spikelets are rather uniform. The lower 

 ones are large and rather well developed, brown, scarious-margined, nearly square cut 

 above, and furnished with a distinct midrib, frequently drawn out into a shorter or 

 longer, to 10 mm. long, slightly rough awn. The upper bracts are smaller, and gene- 

 rally destitute of a protruding midrib, frequently more or less tapering upwards, but 

 are easily identified by the midrib. The glumes are from 3!4 to 4 mm. long, of a slight 

 yellowish brown, narrowly ovate, tapering upwards, and pointed, and furnished with 

 a midrib. The prophyllums of the pistillate flowers are fine, nearly membranous, of a 

 light yellowish brown, nerveless, from 3 to 4 mm. long, and 1% mm. broad, tapering 

 upwards, only slightly united at the base. The nut is oval or obovate, about 3 mm. 

 long, with a very short and broad stalk below, tapering and drawn out into a rather 

 long, conical or subcylindrical beak above, compressed, elliptic or slightly trigonous in 

 transverse section. The nut is of a pale yellow colour, smooth, or rarely furnished 

 with a number of fine prickles along the margin in its upper half. The number of 



168 



