1794 CLII. CYPERACE^. ICladium. 



8. C. junceum (Rush-like), E. Br. Prod. 237; lienth. Fl. Austr. vii, i08. 

 Stems slender but rigid and rush-like, from under 1 to above 2ft. high, leafl^s* 

 -except a few distant closed sheaths with a very small erect or spreading lamina, 

 or sometimes only 2 or 3 sheaths at the base. Spike-like panicle short,: terminal, 

 f to a little more than lin. long; the subtending sheathing bract very small. 

 Spikelets few, somewhat flattened, of a rich brown, about 2 lines long, sessile 

 along the short branches, each within a broad prominently 5 or 7-nerved glume- 

 like bract, and containing a single hermaphrodite flower. Glumes almost 

 •distichous, acute with prominent ciliate keels, the sides membranous, 2 or 3 

 outer empty ones shorter, the flowering glume erect, and above it and enclosed 

 within it a small thin terminal glume, with usually a male flower. Stamens 3. 

 Nut obovoid, nearly as long as the glume, very obtuse. — Boeckel. in Linnsea, 

 xxxviii. 237 ; Hook. f. FI. Tasm. ii. 95 ; F. v. M. Fragm. ix. 16. 



Hab.: Burnett River, F. v. Mueller, and about Wallangarra. Also in New Zealand. 



23. GAHNIA, Forst. 



(After H. Gahn.) 



(Morelotia, Gaudich; Lampooarya, R. Br.) 



Spikelets variously paniculate, with 1 hermaphrodite flower and usually 1 male 

 •flower beloAV it. Glumes several, imbricate all round, 4 or more outer ones empty 

 the flowering glumes shorter, broad, obtuse and closely enveloping the flowers 

 and nut, without any empty glume above the flower. No hypogynous bristles. 

 Stamens 3 or more frequently from 4 to 6. Style deciduous, continuous with 

 "the ovary ; sttgmatiii branches in the perfect flower 3 to 5 (or 3 with 1 or 2 bifld), 

 filiform. Nut obovoid ovoid or almost fusiform, obscurely or not all 3-angled, 

 usually smooth and shining when fully ripe, the endoearp hard, smooth or 

 iransversely rugose inside, the exocarp but little thickened. — Perennials with a 

 'hard or creeping rhizome. Stems sometimes very tall,- in a few species shorter 

 :and slender. Leaves terete and furrowed along the inside or witif involute 

 margins so as to appear terete, always ending in long subulate points. Panicles 

 'iiither large loose and drooping, or long and erect or spike-like. Spikelets black 

 or in a very few species brown. Filaments in some species becoming very much 

 lengthened. Nuts in several species of a bright brown-red, in others black, grey, 

 -or almost white, and frequently after having been cut remaining hanging to the 

 spikelet by the filaments, persistent at their base, and retained at the other end 

 iby the closely involute margins of the inner empty glumes. 



The genus extends to New Zealand, the Malayan Archipelago and the Pacific Islands. 



Seoc. I. Iiampocarya. — Spikelets with a single terminal hermaphrodite flower or very 

 1-arelii loith a second mal& or imperfeet one. — Panicle long and narrow, the spikelets in coiii- 

 pouiul clusters or short spilcelike brandies, sessile or sliortly pedunculate along the tnain 

 rhachis. 

 Spikelets 3 to -t lines long. Flowering glumes broad and very obtuse. Nuts 



about 3 lines long. Stamens usually 6 1. G. aspera. 



Spikelets under 2 lines. Nuts 1 to IJ line long. 



Clusters of spikelets at first oblong. Glumes broad, shortly acuminate-. 



Stamens 3, rarely 4 2. Cf. melanocarpa. 



Sect. II Bugfahnla. — Spikelets with u terminal hermaphrodite flower and a precocious 

 male or barren one below it. — Panicles loose, narrow, thyrsoid or spreading. 



'Outer glumes numerous, short, obtuse or slightly acuminate 3. G. psittacorum. 



1. G. aspera (rough), Spreng. Syst. ii. Hi; Beiith. Fl. Austr. vii, 412. 

 Stems rigid, 2 to 8ft. high. Leaves very long, with involute scabrous margins, 

 becoming almost terete, with long subulate points. Clusters of spikelets very 

 • dense, in short compound sessile spikes in the axils of the upper or floral leaves, 

 forming a dense spikelike slightly interrupted leafy panicle. Lower leafy bracts 

 very long, with short sheaths, the upper gradually shorter with broad lanceolate 



