1734 



OLII. OtPERACEyB. ICyperua^ 



closely distichous, rather narrow, obtuse or with the keel produced into a short, 

 point, the sides indistinctly nerved. Stamens usually 2. Style 2-cleft or very 

 rarely here and there 8-cleft. Nut narrow, biconvex, not half so long as the 

 glume.— R. Br. Prod. 214 ; Kunth, Enum. ii. 13 ; Boeckel. in Linnsea, xxxv. 477 ; 

 F. V. M. Fragm. viii. 265. 



Hab.: Northumberland Islands, B. Brown; Sir C. Hardy Island, Henne ; Cape York, 

 Daemel; Eookingham Bay, Dallachy; Port Curtis, M'Gillivray; Brisbane Eiver, Moreton Bay, 



F. V. Mueller ; Eookhampton. A very common plant in all parts. 



Var. laxinora. Spikelets loosely clustered, often atipitate and almost racemose or corymbose 

 in an umbel of 6 to 10 slender raya, the longest often 2 to Sin, long. Nut rather broader.— 



G. aquatilis, F. v. M. Fragm. viii. 270, not ot E. Br. 



Hab.: Daintree Eiver, J'toaiaw; Eockingham Bay. DaHac/i?/. 



This variety has much resemblance with some of the looser flowered forms of C. rotundui, 

 with small pale spikelets, but is readily distinguished by the style and nut. It may be a distinct 

 species but is connected with the typical form by several Indian specimens. The species is 

 common in the warmer regions of both the New and the Old World, extending northward to the 

 Mediterranean and S. China in the Old World and to the Southern United States in America.— 

 Benth. 



7. C. flavicomus (head yellowish), Mich.; Kunth, Enum. ii. 15; Benth. Fl. 

 Austr. vii. 261. A tall elegant perennial. Stems prominently 3-angled, 2 to 8ft. 

 high. Leaves much shorter, rather narrow. Umbel large and loose, often 

 compound, the longer rays often 4 to Bin. long, with numerous spikelets 

 distichously spicate along the partial rays. Involucral bracts 3 or more, of which 

 1 or 2 much longer than the inflorescence, and the lowest sometimes 4 or 5 lines 

 broad. Spikelets spreading, lanceolate, fla.t, ^ to lin. long, and at length 2 lines 

 broad, 12 to 20-flowered, the angles of the rhachis bordered by a narrow hyaline 

 wing. Glumes spreading and quite distinct, giving the spikelet a pinnate 

 appearance, broad, obtuse, the keel green, the sides smooth or pale and always 

 bordered by a white hyaline margin. Stamens 3. Style 2-cleft. Nut broad, 

 fiat with 1 edge next the rhachis, nearly as long as the glume. — Boockel. in 

 Linnfea, xxxv. 470; C. tremulus, Poir.; Kunth, Enum. ii. 16; G. Hochstetteri, 

 Nees ; Boeckel. I.e. 471 ; C. patuUflorus, BcDckel. I.e. 473 ; ■(''. ornatissimiis, 

 F. V. M. Fragm. viii. 265, ix. 54. 



Hab.: Eoxburgb Downs, Georgina River. 



The species is also in the Indian Peninsula, in tropical Africa and the Mascarene Islands, and 

 in Mexico and the southern United States of North America. 



This section is fairly marked in character, but not very natural, the globose ' capitate 

 inflorescence of the first two species is repeated in G. pulchelluf: and in 0. dubius and some other 

 Indian ones, the lateral inflorescence of G. Icevigatus is exceptional in the genus, C. alofemroides 

 has the habit nearly of G. exaltatiis. 



8. C pygmaeus (dwarfish), Bottb. Descr. et Ic. PL 20, t. 14, /. 4, 5 ; Benth. 

 Fl. Austr. vii. 262. A densely tufted low annual, the stem usually under Gin. 

 high. Leaves mostly shorter and very narrow. Spikelets small and exceedingly 

 numerous, densely crowded into a globular compound head not exceeding ^iii. 

 diameter. Involucral bracts 2 or 8, embracing the head by a broad base, with 

 leafy points of 1 to 3in., and often a few of the inner bracts leafy and protruding 

 more or less from the head. Spikelets flat, ovate or oblong, about 2 lines or in 

 luxuriant specimens nearly 3 lines long and 1 to 1^ line broad, 12 to 20 or even 

 more-flowered without any empty glumes at the base, but subtended by a glume- 

 like bract, the rhachis not winged. Glumes pale green, shortly acuminate, 

 prominently keeled, the sides more or less hyaline. Stamens usually 1 only. 

 Style 2-cleft or rarely 8-cleft. Nut ovate, shorter than the glume, the broad flat 

 inner face next the rhachis, the back convex or, when the style is 3-cleft, with a 

 dorsal raised angle.— Kunth, Enum. ii. 18; Boeckel. in Linnsea, xxxv. 493: 

 F. V. M. Fragm. viii. 268. 



Hab.. Flinders Biver, I<\ D. Jl/weaer ; Mitchell. 



The species is abundant in tropical and subtropical Asia and in the Mediterranean region 

 extending here and therp into more temperate regions both in Europe and Asia, and reappearing 

 in Mexico anjj Cuba. r . , ♦c^jjpon.w.e 



