Cyperus.] CLlI. OlJPJEtlACE^. 1743 



8. Style usually 3-olefl. Nut narrow, S-angled, more than half the length of 

 the glume. — C. idctus, Steud, Syn. Glum, ii. 43. 



Hab.: Shoalwater Bay, ii. liroicn; Graceniero, O'Uhaiicsij ; King's Creek, Bowiimh (with 

 spikelets above llu. long aDcl ,50 to CO-flowoied). 



The species is allied to C. cariiiatus but readily known by the stature, acute-angled stem and 

 long scabrous leaves and involuoral bracts. 



'So. C. pilosus (hairy), Valil ; Kuiith, Knum. ii. 80; Bmth. Fl, Austr. vii. 

 275. Stems from a thick rhizome 1 to 2ft. high or rather more, stout and 

 acutely 3-angled. Leaves sometimes as long as the stem and rather broad. 

 Spikelets loosely spicate along the upper part of the rays of a rather compact 

 umbel of 7 to 10 or more rays, the longest 2 to Sin. long, the rhachis of the 

 spiked angular and minutely hairy, the only instance of pubescence observed in 

 the genus. Involuoral bracts 4 or 5, of which 1 often very long and the 2 outer 

 ones broad. Spikelets very spreading, of a pale-brown, flat, linear-lanceolate, 

 about 4 lines long, 10 to 16-tiowered, the rhachis not winged or the angles with 

 an exceedingly narrow border. Glumes pinnately spreading, rather acute, with a 

 green keel and usually 2 nerves on each side. Style 3-cleft. Nut broad, acutely 

 3-angltd, less than half the length of the glume. — Bceckel. in Linna;a, xxxv. 598 ; 

 1\ V. M. Fragui. viii. 260. 



Hab.: Brisbane Eiver, F. i. MueUcr. Widely spread over tropical Abia. 



36. C. ornatus (adorned), U. Br. Prod. 217 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. vii. 276. 

 Stems rather stout, 1 to 8ft. high, obtusely triquetrous. Leaves long, but 

 usually shorter than the stem. Spikelets loosely spicate or almost racemose, 

 occupying nearly the whole of the secondary rays and some of the primary ones 

 of a slightly compound umbel, the longest rays 3 to 4in. long. Livolucral bracts 

 usually 2 or 3 much longer than the inflorescence, besides 1 or 2 short ones. 

 Spikelets spreading, sessile or stipitate, of a rich brown, linear-lanceolate, 5 to 6 

 lines long, or in some Indian specimens twice that length, \^ line broad, 12 to 

 20-flowered in Brown's specimens, 30 to 40-flowered in some Indian ones, the 

 rhachis angled and notched but not winged. Glumes navicular but obscurely 

 keeled, at first imbricate at length slightly spreading, obtuse or scarcely acute, of 

 a uniform shining brown, but bordered by a white hyaline margin sometimes 

 very narrow, sometimes broad at the apex. Style 3-oIeft. Nut obovoid, 

 triquetrous, about half the length of the glume. — C procerus, Vahl according to 

 Kunth, Enum. ii. 72, but not of Rottboell ; C Hcijnei, Boeckel. in Linnsea, xxxv. 

 600. 



Hab.: Queensland, F. v. M. 



The species closely resembles a diyynous species of the sections Pycreus. Bottboell's C. 

 vrocmus is probably a mere variety of C. rotuiidns. — Benth. 



37. Ci Iria (from Ira, Eheede's name in Hort. Mai. xii. lOo, t. 56), Linn.: 

 Kunth, Enum. ii. 38; Benth. Fl. Austr. y\\. 276. Stems tufted, 6in. to IJft. 

 high or rarely more, triquetrous. Leaves flaccid, shorter than the stem or rarely 

 one longer. Spikelets loosely and irregularly spicate along the rays of a simple 

 or compound umbel, either occupying nearly the whole ray or almost crowded 

 into a terminal cluster, the longer rays from 1 to 3in. Involucral bracts 8 or 4, 

 of which 1 or 2 sometimes longer than the inflorescence. Spikelets linear- 

 oblong, obtuse, fiat, 2 to 5 lines long, 1 to 1\ line broad and 6 to 12-flowered in 

 the common form, the rhachis not winged. Glumes loosely imbricate or at 

 length distant, very obtuse, cf a pale brown or yellowish-green, the keel promin- 

 ently 3 or 6-nerved, the sides broad and nerveless. Stamens 2 or 3, the filaments 

 often united in a prominent hypogynous ring at the base. Style 3-cleft. Nut 

 obovoid, prominently 3-angled, about as long as the glume. — Boeckel. in Linntea, 

 xxxv. 595 ; F. v. M. Fragm. viii. 266. 



Hab. : Port Denison , Fitzalan ; Bowen Downs, Birch, 



The species is abundant in tropical Asia, extending northwards to China and Japan, and 

 weitwai'd to East tropical Africa, 



