mrpus.] (3LII. CYPERACE^. 1769 



Bristles or scales flattened, plumose wilh lax hairs 1'2. S.Uttoralis. 



Involuoral braots several, unequal, leaflike. Style-branches 3. 



Spikeleta few and large (6 to 7 lines). Hypogjnous bristles short . . 13. S, maritimus. 



Spikelets very numerous in, a compound inflorescence 3 to 4 lines long. 

 Hypogynoua bristles very long, capillary and flexuose ....... li- S. polystacliyus. 



:Spikelets sessile and pedicellate, Jin. long, ovoid, brown. Hypogynoufs 



bristles G or fewer, linear-brown, scabrous or setose .15. S. grossiis. 



1. S. fluitans (floating), Linn. ; Bceckel. in Limicea, xxxvi. 485 ; Benth. Fl. 

 Austr. vii. 325. Rhizomes filiform, elongated when in water and floating in 

 targe masses with tufts of 2 or 3 leaves at the nodes, when growing out of water 

 the rhizome scarcely developed. Leaves filiform, 1 to 2in. long, dilated at the 

 base into a short open sheath. Stems or peduncles about the length of the 

 leaves, one in each tuft. Spikelet solitary, terminal, pale-coloured or dark-brown, 

 ■ovate-oblong, IJ to 2 lines long with 4 to 8 flowers in the typical form. Glumes 

 obtuse or scarcely acute, finely or obscurely striate, with a dorsal keel, all 

 flowering except the lowest which is similar to the others or rather longer, very 

 rarely produced into an erect linear lamina of 2 or 8 lines. Stamens 3. Style- 

 branches 2. Nut ovate or broad, usually white, biconvex, tipped by a ver.y small 

 point or tubercle. — Reichb. Ic. Fl. Germ. t. 298 ; Isolepis fluitans, R. Br. Prod. 

 .221 ; Kunth, Enum. ii. 188 ; Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 86. 



Hab.: Border of N.S.W. towards Wallangarra. 



The species is spread over the tropical and temperate regions of the Old World. 

 ''-■•' 



2. S« setaceus (bristle-like), Linn. ; Bceckel. in hinnma, xxxvi., 500 partly j 

 Benth. Fl. Austr. vii. 327. Stems tufted, filiform or subulate, mostly 1 to 3in, 

 but sometimes 6 to Sin. long. Leaves few, short and filiform. Spikelets solitary 

 or 2 or 3 together, terminal or more frequently thrown to one side, the principal 

 and only involucral bract erect and continuing the stem, sometimes very short, 

 sometimes ^in. long. Spikelets ovate or lanceolate, 1^ or rarely 2 lines long. 

 Glumes fehv, the keel prominent and often produced into a very short point, the 

 sides nerveless or faintly-nerved, brown or more frequently pale-coloured. No 

 hypogymous bristles. Stamens 8, rarely 2. Style-branches 3. Nut small, 

 globular or obovoid, more or less distinctly 3-ribbed and marked by longitudinal 

 strise or furrows. — Reichb. Ic. Fl. Germ. t. 301 ; Isolqiis setacm, R. Br. Prod. 

 .222 ; Kunth, Enum. ii. 193 ; Hook. f. FL Tasm. ii. 88 ; /. muUicaulis, Sehlecht. 

 Linnaea, xx. 562. 



Bab.: Southern localities near border of S.S.W. 



3. S. squarrosus (squarrose), Linn.; Bmclcel. in Limma, xxxvi. 734, var. 

 Dietrichiie ; Benth. Fl. Aitstr. vii. 329. Stems slender, tufted, 3 to 6in. high or 

 rarely more. Leaves shorter, setaceous. Spikelets 3 to 6 together in a terminal 

 cluster. Involucral bracts usually 8, spreading, linear-subulate, one usually 1 to 

 2in. long, the others much shorter. Spikelets ovoid-conical, 1| "to 2 lines long or 

 at length rather elongated with the lower glumes very xleciduous so as to appear 

 pedicellate. Glumes very numerous, linear or somewhat cuueate, 3-nerved, 

 tapering into a long recurved point. No hypogynous bristles. Stamens 1 or 2. 

 .■Style short ; branches 2 or 3 ; Nut in the Australian variety very narrow, almost 

 linear, slightly compressed.— $c»pMs DietriMa, Bceckel. in Flora, 1875, 109 

 {from the char, given). 



Hab.: Koekhampton, Amalia Dletriclt. 



The species {Isolepis squarrosa, Ecem. et Sohult. ; Kunth, Enum. ii. 202), extends over 

 tropical Asia and Africa, but the nut is there usually broader and shorter than in our 

 Australian specimens. — Benth. 



i. S. inundatus (found in inundated localities), Sjirenff. SijH. i. 207 ; Benth. 

 Fl. Austr. vii."329. A very variable plant, sometimes dvi^arf and slender, some- 

 times elongated with the proliferous inflorescence of S. prolifcr. Stems slender. 



