17G4 CLII. CYPERACE^. [FimhrUtylis. - 



21. r. ferruginea (rusty), Ynhl ;- Kimth, Enwn. ii. 236; Bentli. Fl. Amtr. 

 vii. 812. Perenhial, glabrous and smooth. Stems rigid, striate, often sligatly 

 compressed, 1 to 2it. high. Leaves few, the narrow-linear lamina often erect, 

 and shorter than the brown membranous sheath. Umble simple or' slightlyi 

 compound. Involucral bracts- few, either all very short ^or 1 or 2 shghtly 

 exceeding the inflorescence. Spikelets few, rarely reduced to- 1 or 2 or increased 

 to about 12, dark or light brown, always rather large but varying in size from 4 

 lines long- arid 1^ line broad to above \m. loiagiand fully 2 lines broad. • Glumes 

 numerous, closely imbricate all round, broadly ovate or almosti orbicular, 

 membranous with a rather fine but prominent keel often produced into a short 

 point, the sides nerveless or faintly striate, often minutely hoary-pubescent. 

 Stamens 3. Style ciliate ; branches 2. Nut obovate, much compressed but 

 biconvex, usually with a thickened margin, quite smooth or 'iinder a strong lens 

 very minutely striate and cancellate. — Bojckel. in Linnsea, xxxvii. 16.; F- v. M. 

 Fragm. ix. 10 ; F. brevifolia, R. Br. Prod. 228. 



■ Hab : Rockingham Bay, Dallachy; Eockhampton , Thozet and ' others ; Brisbane liiver, 

 Moreton Bay, F. v. Mueller, -Leiehhardt. . - 



Var. foliata. Leaves long though few • and often . only one, the sheaths often pubespent.. 

 Spikelets large.— i'. arvevshi Vahl ; Kuntb, Enum. ii. 237; F. tristaclnja, E. Br. Erod. 226; 

 i''.'y«"fis2)ico«fl, F. V. M. Fragm. i. 197. _• ; 



' Hab.: Gulf of Carpentaria,,' ii. Bj-oicn; Bowen DoTvns.Zitrcft ; Springsure, ir»(7i. 



The speoies is diapersed over the warmer regions of the New and the Old W6rld. 



22. F. denudata (denuded), R. Br. Prod. 227; Benth. Fl. Amtr. vii. 313*. 

 Perennial and glabrous. Stems densely tufted, slender but rigid, gili. to, nearly 

 Iffc. high, leafless except short sheathing scales or very rarely intermixed with, a 

 very few long setaceous leaves. Umbels simple, of 3 to 6 spikelets Or one of the 

 lateral rays bearing 2 spikelets. distant; from each other, the branches or rays , as 

 well as the I spikelets erect. Involucral bracts short and glume-like or rarely 

 produced into a short .point. Spikelets brown, at first ovate-oblong and aboi\t,2 

 lines long, at length .nearly cylindrical and 3 to 5 lines, scarcely 1 line diameter. 

 Glumes numerous, imbricate all round, ovate or oblong, obtuse or shortly 

 mucronate, the keel very prominent, the sides membranous.. Stavnens ,.2 or 3. 

 $tyle flattened, ciliate ; branches 2. Nut minute,, obovate, biconvex^ sitfooth or 

 under a strong lens slightly rugose. — F. v. M. Fragm. ix. 9. , 



Hab.: Between Norman and Gilbert Eivers, GvUiver. 



23. r. caespitosa (tufted), R.rBr.i Prod. 227'; Benth.^Fl. Austr. vii. 318. 

 Perennial. Steins 6' to lOin. high, slender. Leaves very much shorter, ra,ther 

 numerous, setaceous. Umbel simple or slightly compound, the rays slender, 

 I to fin. long. Involucral bracts very short, and glume-like. Spikelets ovate or 

 at length ovate-qblong, 2 to 3 lines [long, nearly IJ line broad. Glumes 

 numerous, closely imbricate all round, membranous, ovate, ^obtuse or scarcely 

 mucronate,, the keel Very slighty prominent, with a lateral nerve on each side in 

 the lower glumes. Stamens 2 or 3. , Style slender, scarcely ciliate ; branches?. 

 Nut minute,: biconvex, pale, or dark-, e.oloured, smooth or under a strong lens- 

 minutely striate and cancellate. — F. brachylana, F. v. M. Fragm. i. 199. 



Hab.: Gulf of Carpentaria, R. Broicn ; Sweers Island, Henne ; Herbert Eiver, Armitages- ■ 



r , , .; , , , ; 



24. P. leptoclada (branches slender); Benth. Fl. Austr. vii. 314. Perennial' 

 and glabrous. Sten* densely tufted, filiform, 6in. to 1ft. long, leafless except the 

 slieathing scales which are mostly scarious especially in the upper part. Spikelets 

 either solitary or with 1 rarely 2 additional pedicellate ones, lanceolate; pale 

 brown, 4 to 6 lines loiig,.li to 2 lines diameter. Glumes imbricate alL round, 

 lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate-acute, about 2 lines long, very thirtly 

 membranous almost scarious and hyaline on the sides, the keel prominent tod 

 sometimes a faint nerve on each side, about 2 lower ones shorter and empty' ahdi 



