92 CYPERACEAE. 5. Fimbristylis. 



4. H. acieularis (L.), R. Br. Stems capillary, 3-7 cm. long ; leafsheaths truncate ; 

 spikelet 2-4 mm. long, few-flowered ; hypogynous bristles small or absent : nut obovoid, 

 3 -ribbed, Jinely striate. 



River Murray. Summer. 



5. FIMBRISTYLIS, Vahl. 

 (Latin fimbriae, a fringe ; stylus, style : the whole style is often fringed or ciliate.) 

 Spikelets several-flowered, in heads or irregular umbels ; glumes imbricate all round 

 the rhachilla, the lowest 1-4 empty; no hypogynous bristles; style 2-3-cleft, thickened 

 at base, but articulate on the ovary and wholly deciduous. 

 A. Style -branches 2 ; nut compressed. 



B. Weak annual ; nut smooth F. squamosa 1. 



B. Erect perennials. 



Nut striate and wrinkled F. diphylla 2. 



Nut smooth F. ferruginea 3. 



A. Style -branches 3. 



Spikelets ovoid, umbellate F. Neilsonii 4. 



Spikelets linear, clustered F. barbata 5. 



1. F. squarrosa Vahl. A small tufted annual ; leaves filiform, pubescent on the broad 

 sheaths ; umbels simple or compound, with involucral bracts equalling or much longer 

 than the inflorescence ; spikelets straw-colored, 2-5 mm. long, the glumes pointed and 

 keeled ; base of style hairy ; nut biconvex, finely striate. — F. velata, R. Br. 



River Murray ; Warburton River (near Lake Eyre). Summer. 



2. F. diphylla, Vahl. Perennial with slender stems, 20-40 cm. high ; leaves few, narrow, 

 mostly basal ; umbels usually compound and loose with very short involucral bracts ; 

 spikelets brown, ovoid-oblong, 5-7 mm. long ; nut biconvex, whitish, longitudinally 

 striate and transversely rugose under lens ; stamens usually 3 ; style ciliate. 



Far North. Spring and summer. 



3. F. ferruginea, Vahl. Stems angular and less slender ; umbel usually simple with 

 few ovoid-oblong spikelets, 10-12 mm. long, the glumes shortly pointed and hoary- 

 pubescent ; 2 or 3 of the involucral bracts long ; stamens 3 ; nut obovoid, biconvex, 

 smooth. 



Warburton River (near Lake Eyre). Summer. 



4. F. Neilsonii, F. v. M. Spikelets 8-12 mm. long, clustered on the few short rays of a 

 simple umbel; glumes obtuse ; stamens 3 ; style glabrous, 3-branched : nut trigonous, 

 pear-shaped, tuberculate. 



Far North. 



5. F. barbata (R. Br.), Benth. Stems slender, 8-20 cm. high, with short capillary 

 leaves and sheaths bearded at summit ; spikelets linear, brown, 4-6 mm. long, 4-10 in a 

 terminal head, exceeded by one of the involucral bracts ; stamen usually 1 ; style glabrous, 

 3-branched ; nut obovoid, finely granular, the villous base of the style persistant for a 

 long time. 



Far North. 



6. SCIRPUS, L. 



(Latin for a reed or rush.) 

 Spikelets several flowered, clustered, umbellate, or rarely solitary ; glumes imbricate 

 all round the rhachilla, the lowest 1 or 2 sometimes empty ; stamens 1 -3 ; style deciduous, 

 2-3-cleft ; nut with or without hypogynous bristles. 



A. Small and slender plants (except S. nodosus) ; no hypo- 

 gynous bristles (except in S. supinus). 



B. Style-branches 2 ; spikelets solitary S. fluitanx 1. 



B. Style -branches usually 3. 



C. Stems not rigid ; spikelets usually in lateral clusters. 

 1). Spikelets small (2-4 mm.). 



E. Nut furrowed lengthwise S, setaceus 2. 



E. Nut granular. 



F. Sides of glumes thin. 



Spikelets 1-3 S. cernuus 3. 



Spikelets 4-8 S. stellatus 5. 



F. Sides of glumes stiff, shining 8. antarcticus 4. 



D. Spikelets over 4 mm. long. 



Nut, white, smooth S. inundatus 6. 



Nut black, wrinkled S. supinus 7. 



C. Stems rigid ; spikelets in a dense head S. nodosus 8. 



A. Tall stout plants ; hypogynous bristles 3-6. 



G. Spikelets in a lateral cluster 8. americanus 9. 



G. Spikelets in a terminal irregular umbel. 



