1772 CLII. CYPERAOE^. [Scirpns. 



11. S. lacustris (a swamp plant), Linn. ; Eimth, Enum. ii. 164 ; Benth. Fl. 

 Amti: vii. 333.- Stems stout, 2 to 5ft. high, terete ov obtusely kiauetrous at the 

 apex, leafless except a long loose sheathing scale soinetimes continued into a 

 short erect lamina. Spikelets numerous in an irregularly compound umb^l 

 appearing lateral, but the erect involucral bract continuing the stem usually 

 much shorter than the inflorescence, nearly terete, chanelled on the inner side 

 and dilated at the base. Spikelets ovoid and about 4 lines Iflnp or at length 

 oblong-cylindrical and |in. long, brown coloured. Olumes numerous, scarious,, 

 usually very broad, sca'rcely keeled except at the end, very obtuse and often 

 emarginate, with or without a. short point in the notch. Hypogynous bristles 6 

 or fewer, minutely ciliate, with reversed hairs as in the majority of tjie section, 

 mostly shorter than the nut,- Stamens 3. Style-branches 2. Nut broad,_ mucli 

 flattened, tipped with a small point or tubercle.— BcBckel. in Linnasa, xxxvi. 712; 

 E. Br. Prod. 223; Eeichb. le. Fl. Germ. x. 306; F. v. M. Fragm. ix. 7; 

 S. Mryenii, Nees in PI. Preiss. ii. 75. 



Hab,: Povt Denison, I'ttzdlan ; Bai coo Downs, Btic/j; ^oakhsm^^toa, Thozet. 

 Extends over both the New and the Old World, chieliy in exlratropioal regions. 



1(2. S. littoralis (sea-side plant), Schrad.; Kmth, Enum. ii. 166; BeiitJi. Fl. 

 Aiistr. vii. 334. "Kalpara," and"Pa-raI," Cooktown; " Pro-atha," Batavia 

 Elver; " Au-gutanara," Eed Island ; Both. A tall stout species, vyith the habit 

 and inflorescence of S. lacustris. Stems terete or 3-angled towards the apex, 2 to 

 5ft. high, leafless except the sheathing scales at the base often ending in short 

 erect laminse. Umbel looser and less compound than in S. lacustris, with fewer 

 spikelets, the erect involucral bract continuing the stem short or as long as the 

 inflorescence, channelled along the inner side or more distinctly triquetrous. 

 Spikelets oblong or cylindrical, often above ^in. long when full-grown andLSibout 

 2 lines diameter. Glumes broad, scarious, often pale-coloared, entire or slightly 

 emarginate. Hypogynous bristles or scales 4 or rarely 5 or 6, much flattened^ 

 plumose with soft rather long hairs directed upwards. Stamens usually 3. 

 Style branches 2. Kut broad, much flattened, tipped by a small point or tubercle. 

 Beichb. Ic. Fl. Germ. 809; F. v. M. Fragm. ix. 7 ; S. plumosus, E. Br. Prod. 

 223 ; S. triqiutcr, Gren. et Godr. Fl. Fr. iii. 373 ; BceckeL -in Innnaea, xxxvi. 716, 

 not of Linn.; Malacochate littoralis, Nees. 



Hab.: Gulf of Carpentaria, Ii. Brown, F. v. Uliielkr; Brcadsound, B. Broicn; Brisbane 

 Biver, Moreton Bay, C. Stuart, Henne. 

 Also in the Mediterranean region, 

 lioots eaten after roasting and hammering. — Botli. 



13. S. maritimus (a sea-side plant), Linn.; Kunth, Enum. ii. 167 ; Bcnth. 

 Fl. Aimtr. vii. 335. Ehizome creeping, often thickened into hard tubers. Stems 

 1 to 3ft. high, triquetroas, smooth or slightly scabrous. Leaves often longer. 

 Spikelets solitary or 3 together on each peduncle, forming sometimes a terminal 

 irregular umbel of few unequal rays, sometimes contracted into a sessile cluster. 

 Involucral bracts few, the lowest long leafy and erect, apparently continuing the 

 stem, the others short or one or two of them long and leaf-like. Spikelets in the 

 Australian varieties ovoid or ovoid-oblong, G to 9 lines long, 3 to 4 lines diameter. 

 Glumes broad, brown and scarious, the midrib or keel 1 or 3-nerved and pro- 

 duced into an erect or recurved point or awn, the broad scarious nerveless sides 

 jagged at the end or forming 2 lobes shorter than the awn. Hypogynous bristles 

 6 or fewer, mostly shorter than the nut. Stamens 2 or 3. Style-branches 3 or 

 rarely 2. Nut in the typical form broad, usually black when ripe, the inner face 

 flat or nearly so, the back convex or obtusely angled. — Boeckel. in Linnsea, xxxvi. 

 722 ; E. Br. Prod. 224 ; Hook, f . Fl. Tasm. ii. 89 ; F. v. M. Fragm. is. 8 ; 

 Eeichb. Ic. Fl. Germ. t. 810, 311. 



Hab.: East coast, J?. Bjoito.; Port Molle, M'GilUvray; King's Creek, Boioman; Condamine 

 Biver, Leiclihardt ; Brisbane Kiver, Moreton Bay, C. Stttarl. 



