878 LIV. CYPEEAOE^. 



stipule axillary, membranous, joined throughout its length by its dorsal lace to the 

 leaf-sheath, not longer than the sheath, or produced into a cushion or membrane 

 {Ugule), free only at the top. Flowers 5 or monoecious or dioecious, in spikelets 

 which are rarely solitary, usually spiked panicled or glomerate, and furnished with 

 bracts or polymorphous involucres. Flowebs each with 1-2 scarious bracts (glumes), 

 solitary, or inserted in 2 or several rows on a common pedicel, and forming a 1 -few- 

 many-flowered spikelet ; Irads below the spikelet often flowerless, sometimes 

 heteromorphous, and serving as a common spathe to the spikelet. Peeianth 

 or formed of 6, sometimes 3-qo bristles, sometimes united into a ring at their 

 base; [of 6 2-seriate regular coriaceous segments in Oreobolus']. Stamens hypo- 

 gynous, usually 3, of which 1 is anterior and 2 posterior, sometimes 2-1, rarely 4 

 (Hypolytrum) or 5 {Scleria, Caustis), or 6-8 [Lepironia, Diplasia), or 12 {Evandra, 

 Ghrysithrix) ; filaments filiform or flattened, free ; anthers basilixed, 2-celled, linear, 

 introrse, dehiscence longitudinal. Ovaet free, sessile or stipitate, often surrounded 

 at its base by a cupuliform disk {Scleria, Ficinia, Melancramis, he), ,or by a mem- 

 branous adherent ring (Fimbristylis) , or by 3 spathulate staminodes (Fuirena); 

 compressed or plano-convex, or more usually with 3 angles answering to the 3 

 stamens, l-celled,.l-ovuled; styles 3, rarely 2, stigmatiferous on their inner edge, 

 more or less coherent below, base continuous with or thickened and jointed to the 

 top of the ovary ; ovule inserted at the inner base of the ovary, erect, anatropous. 

 Fkuit 1-seeded, indehiscent, lenticular, plano-convex, 3-gonous, cylindric or globose, 

 smooth, spotted, scabrid, bristly, tubercular, rugose or striate, usually terminated by 

 the base of the style, which sometimes completely caps it [Cladium, &c.); pericarp 

 membranous, crustaceous or bony, very rarely a drupe {Diplasia). Seed erect; testa 

 thin ; albumen farinaceous or sometimes fleshy. Embryo near the hilum, minute ; 

 extruded, or rarely surrounded by a thin layer of albumen, and included {Carex, &c.) ; 

 cotyledon lenticular, fleshy, undivided ; plumule inconspicuous ; radicle inferior, 

 obtuse. 



Tribe I. GYPERE^. 



Spikelets usually many-flowered. Glumes distichous, imbricate, some of the 

 lower often empty. Flowers ? . Perianth 0, or represented by hispid bristles. 

 Style very rarely swollen at the base, deciduous. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 

 * Papyrus. * Cyperus. Kylliugia. Mariscus. 



Tribe II. SGIBPEM. 



Spikelets usually many -flowered. Glumes imbricate in several rows, very rarely 

 AisiichLOViS, {Androtrichum, AMlgaardia), some of the lower often empty. Flowers g. 

 Perianth 0, or represented by scaly or hairy bristles. Achene usually pointed or 

 beaked by the persistent base of the style. 



L GENERA. 



Isolepis. 



