.^cirpHs.]. CLII. GYPERACEiE. 1778 



Var. fluviatilia. Stem 3 io Sft. high, acutely 3-angIed. Involucre and inflorescence more 

 developed than in the typical form. Nut equally triquetrous.— S. fluviatilie, A. Gray ; F. v. M. 

 Fragm. ix. 8. To this variety belong mo»t of the Queensland plants. 



The species extends over the tropical and temperate regions both of the New and the Old 

 World. 



14. S. polystachyus (many-spiked), F. i\ ^r. in Trans. Phil. Soc. Vkt. i. 

 108, and in Hook. Kew Journ. viii. 833 ; Fragm. ix 9 ; Benth: Fl. Austr. vii. 835. 

 Stems 2 to 4ft. high, more or less triquetrous. Leaves several along ithe stem 

 with long sheaths, the lamina often 8 or 4 lines broad at the base, the uppermost 

 as long as or longer than the stem. Umbel large loose and compound, of 

 numerous rather slender rays, the longest 3 or 4in. long. Spikelets clustered on 

 the partial rays or distinctly but shortly pedicellate, ovate-oblong, ,3 to 4 lines 

 long, and 1^ to near 2 lines diameter. Glumes oblong or ovate, obtuse, the keel 

 ■or sometimes 1 nerre on each side prominent. Hypo^ynous bristles about 6, 

 ■very slender and flexuose, 2 or 3 times as long as the nut. Style-branches 3. 

 Nut broad, the inner face flat, the back convex or obtusely angled. 



Hab.: Southern localities, F. v. M. 



15. S. grossus (thick), lAnn. f. Suppl. 104. Stems 3 to Oft. high, thick at 

 the base. Roots fibrous, often in water or mud, often stoliniferous. Leaves 

 ■often f length of stem, stout, broad, keeled, edges serrate. Corymbs often 8 to 

 lOin. in diameter, suprade-oompound, Involucral bracts several, divaricate, 

 lowest attaining 8ft., leaflike. Spikelets sessile and pedicellate, ^in. long, ovoid, 

 brown, dense-flowered. Glumes ovate, obtuse with a minute mucro. Bristles 6 

 ■or fewer, in type long as nut, linear, brown, scabrid or setose by short unicellular 

 hairs or depauperated very short smooth bristles. Stamens 3 ; anthers scarcely 

 •crested. Style long. Nut scarcely J the glnnie, minutely beaked, by base of 

 ;style being confluent with the nut. 



Hab. : Daintree River, Pentzcke, t. v. Mueller. 



6. FUIRENA, Linn. 



(After G. Fuiren.) 



Spikelets clustered, with several usually many hermaphrodite flowers. Glumes 

 imbricate all round the rhachis, the lowest 1 or rarely 2 empty. Hypogynous 

 .scales 3, broad, usually 8-nerved, often alternating with small bristes. Stamens 

 8 ; anthers small. Style deciduous, with 3 stigmatic branches. Nut 8-angled. 

 — Perennials or annuals with leafy stems. Leaf-sheaths crowned with an 

 annular membrane. Clusters of spikelets terminal and in the upper axils, 

 usually forming an irregular narrow terminal panicle or the clusters few and 

 ■distant. Spikelets usually pubescent or hirsute. 



The genus consists of but few species dispersed over the watmer regions of the New as well as 

 the Old World, the Australian ones having both a general distribution over nearly the ■whole 

 area. 



Leaves glabrous. Glumes shortly pointed. Hypogynous scales contracted 

 at the base but sessile or nearly to, without bristles 1. F. umhellata. 



Leaves pubescent or at least ciliate. Glume-points long, often recurved. 

 Hypogynous scales cordate at the base, stipitate, usually alternating ■with 

 bristles ... .2. F. glomerata. 



1. P. umbellata (umbellate), notth. Descr. ot. Ic. PL 70, 1. 19, /. 3; Benth. 

 .Fl. Amtr. vii. 337. Perennial. Stems 1^ to 3ft, long, 4 or 5-angled, glabrous. 

 Leaves glabrous, the larger ones 4 to 6in. long, 4 to 5 lines broad, the lowest 

 with long sheaths and 'short lamina3,'the upper ones passing into small floral 

 leaves or sheathing bracts. Spikelets brown-green, usually 8 to 4 lines long, 

 sparingly hirsute, in very dense clusters, of which 1 or 2 terminal, the others 1 

 ■ Or 2 together pedrinculatrin the upper axil?. Glumes ovat^", very prominently 



