simo foliolo terminantes, apicem inflorescentiae contingente. Squamae 2,5-3 mm. longae, 

 castaneae, 3-5 nerviae, late ovatae, apice plus minus rotundatae, nunquam mucronatae. 

 Semen squamam aequans, ellipsoideum, compressiusculum, non trigonum, flavum, 

 glabrum, in rostrum subcylindriacum productum. Setis nullis. 



This subspecies differs, above all, from the typical species in its very small, one- 

 flowered spikelets, few in number, whereby it also becomes very characteristic in point 

 of external habitus. Sometimes there is to be found in the spikelets, besides the single, 

 perfect flower, also a more or less rudimentary second one. 2 perfect flowers in one 

 spikelet occur only very rarely. The spikelets are sessile; with ripe nuts they are ovoid, 

 when flowering more oblong, from 3—4 mm. long, and are to be found in the spike in a 

 number varying between 1 and 5, the most common number being 2 to 4. The length 

 of the spike is 0,5 to 1,5 cm., and the breadth V2 to Vi of the length. The glumes are 

 broadly ovate, of a shining chestnut colour, like the bracts, 3 — 5-nerved, more or less 

 subobtuse at the top, never acuminate or aristate. The lower bracts are generally 

 nearly ovate, rarely prolonged, sometimes exceeding the spike. The nut is of the 

 same length as the glumes, elliptic, compressed, not triquetrous, as in the typical form, 

 yellowish, glabrous, lustreless when dried. It terminates above in a short, persistent 

 style, about 0,5 mm. long, equally broad, of a darker colour. This style seemed, ac- 

 cordingly, to be comparatively shorter than in the main form. The nut itself is from 

 3 to 4 mm. long, including the style. The stigmas 2, of the same length as in the typi- 

 cal species. The plant in question also differs distinctly from the typical form in the 

 external habitus of the vegetative shoot. Thus, the culms are much finer and more 

 slender, usually only 0,5, rarely coarser, towards 1 mm. in diameter. When dried the 

 culms appear to be slightly furrowed, round and slightly triangular above. Below, the 

 culms are surrounded by brownish, obtuse sheaths and some leaves, about half as long 

 as the culm, or slightly longer. The leaves are rigid, erect, of about the same breadth as 

 the culm, chanelled above, the under side rounded and keelless. The apexes of the leaves 

 are more or less obtusely rounded, where frequently of a slightly yellowish brown colour. 

 The margin is glabrous, near the summit sometimes slightly rough. The whole plant 

 is characteristic in having a pale, yellowish green colour. Bristles seemed always to be 

 wanting. 



Taken flowering and past flowering in the second half of June at Ust Kamuishto, 

 where occuring on the borders of salt marshes and in saliferous soil. It is probably more 

 widely distributed in Asia, but is supposed to have been confounded with the typical 

 form. The ordinary Scirpus rufus does not occur in the material collected by me. 



Scirpus caespitosus L. Spec. PI. ed. II (1762) p. 71; Ledeb. Fl. Ross. IV, p. 246; 

 KpBi.i. <I>.i. Ajit. VI (1912) p. 1432. 



The specimens collected are densely cespitose, with culms from 12 to 16 cm. 

 high, rather vigorous, curved, glabrous and round, of a bluish green, surrounded at the 

 base by yellowish grey sheaths, not distinctly shining. The upper sheaths obliquely cut, 



172 



