1738 Ctill: CYi*EJlACtl-^. [Gyperui. 



23; Bceckel. in Liaiifca, xxxv. 500; 0. Injlexm, Muehl. ; Kunth. l.c._ 22; 

 F. V. M. Fragm. viii. 262 ; C. uncinatus, K. Br. Prod. 215 ; C. Bruwiui, Steud. 

 cjyn. Glum. ii. 58. 



Hab.: Gulf of Carpentaria, i. v. llueller; Endeavour River, 'Banks and Solaiuler ; various 

 localities in North Queensland, Armitagc, Wuth; beyond Mount JIurchison, Bonney. 



Var. eonr/est.im. Spikeleta tew-llowered, very densely crowded in nearly globular heads.— Dry 

 Beef Creek, Leichhardt, 



Var. cylindracevs. Spikelets 3 to 6-flowered, in dense oblong-cylindrical heads under Jin. 

 long.— C. amtefJis, F. V. M. Fragm. viii. 261.— Port Denison, 7ierb. F. UiiHler; Kookharnpton 

 and Herbert's Creek, Bowman. 



The species is widely spread over East India, tropical Afiiea, North America and Mexico, 

 extending down the Pacific side of the Andes to Chili, but not in South America east of the 

 Andes. 



20. C. difformis (2-foriued), Linn. ; Kunth. Enmn. ii. 38; Benth. hi. Austr. 

 vii. 268. Stems tufted, 6in. to l^ft. high, rather sleiuier. Leaves sometitiiea as 

 long as the stem but usually shorter, and sometimes all reduced to loose sheaths. 

 Spikelets yery numerous, in dense globular heads of | to \m. diameter, the heads 

 in a loose umbel of few rays, rarely contracted into a compound duster, the rays 

 usually slender. Involucral bracts 1, 2 or 3, very variable in breadth. Spikelets 

 narrow-linear, flat, 1| to 2 lines long, remarkable for the numerous very small 

 almost orbicular and very obtuse glumes, at first of a rich brown, but becoming 

 very variegated by their pale or almost white margins, the rhachis not winged. 

 Stamens 1 or 2. Style 3-cleft. Nut obovoid, acutely 3-angled, as long as the 

 glume or nearly so,— Rottb. Descr. et Ic. PI. t. 9, f. 2 ; Sibth. Fl. Gr. t. 46 ; 

 Keichb. Ic. FI. Germ. t. 284 ; Bojckel. in Linnrea, xxxv. 586 ; E. Br, Prod. 215; 

 F. V. M. Fragm. viii. 262. 



Hab.: Keppel Bay, R. Brown ; Kockinghani Bay, Dallachy ; llockhampton, Bowmuii, Tlwset, 

 O'Shaneiy and others ; Moreton Bay, F. v. Mueller and others ; Stanthorpe. 



Widely spread over the tropical and subtropical regions of tlie Old World, extending novlh- 

 wards to the Mediterranean region. 



21. C. tetraphyllus (4-leaved), Ii. Ur. Prod. 211; Benth. Fl. Austr. vii. 

 269. Stems tufted or from a creepjag rhizome, rather slender but usually rigid, 

 triquetrous, 1 to l^ft. high. Leaves shorter or longer, flat, obtuse or acute, but 

 less contracted into a point than in most species. Spikelets in clusters of 3 to 6, 

 in an umbel of few or rarely rather numerous rays, the longest 2 to Sin. rarely 

 reduced to a single cluster, Involucral bracts narrow and tapering into long 

 points, 1, 2 or 3 much longer than the inflorescence. Spikelets almost black but 

 variegated with white when the nuts show beyond the glumes, linear-lanceolate, 

 more or less flattened, 3 to 6 lines long, about 1 line broad, 6 to 20-flowered, the 

 rhachis not winged. Glumes rather broad, concave, faintly several-nerved, obtuse 

 or the keel prominent in the upper part only and produced into a very short 

 point. Stamens usually 3. Style 3-cleft. Nut broadly triangular, more or less 

 dorsally compressed, as long as the glume and at length protruding ou each 

 side. — Kunth, Enum. ii. 27 ; Sieb. Agrostoth. n. 22; F. v. M. Fragm. viii. 261. 



Hab.; Brisbane Eiver, Moreton Bay, F. v, Mueller, Leichhardt, C. Stuart and many others. 

 A scrub species. 



32. C. trinervis (S-nerved), Ii. Br. Prod. 213 ; Benth. hi. Austr. vii. 269. 

 A perennial or sometimes annual. Stems weak and slender, from under 6in. to 

 1ft. long below the inflorescence. Leaves flat but not above 1 line broad, the 

 longest often nearly as long as the stem, but sometimes all reduced to sheathing 

 scales with or without a very short lamina. Spikelets in clusters of 3 or 4 or 

 rarely more, in a simple or irregularly compound umbel of a few slender rays, 

 the longest sometimes 4 to 6in. long, sometimes all under lih. or the inflore- 

 scence reduced to a sessile compound cluster. Involucral bracts usually 8, of 

 which 1 or 2 longer than the inflorescence, but sometimes all short, Spikelets 



