10. Gahnia. CYPERACEAE. 95 



4. C. Mariscus (L.), Pohl. Stems hollow, stout.. 1-2 in. high ; with long Hat tapering 

 leaves, scabrous on keel and margins ; panicle long, leafy, formed of distant pedunculate 

 umbels ; spikelets brown, numerous, with 2 bisexual flowers, only the lower one fertile ; 

 glumes obtuse ; stamens 2 ; nut ovoid -conical, shining. 



Mount Lofty Range ; South-East. Dec. -Jan. 



5. C. articulatum, R. Br. Stems (1-2 m.) and leaves hollow, with transverse partitions ; 

 panicle long, drooping, interrupted ; spikelets numerous, brown, 3-5-flowered, 1 flower 

 fertile, but not always the lowest ; glumes acute ; nut trigonous, whitish, with a cushion- 

 like summit. 



Mount Lofty Range ; Flinders Range ; South-East. Nov. -Jan. 



6. C. glomeratum, R. Br. Stems rigid ; leaves stem-like or short ; panicle narrow, 

 often with a flexuose rhachis ; spikelets brown, in ovoid erect clusters, with broad scarious 

 sheathing bracts at base ; flowers 3-5, 1 lower one fertile ; glumes acuminate, ciliate ; 

 nut trigonous, smooth, often reddish, crowned by the pubescent base of the style. 



Mount Lofty Range ; South-East. Oct. -Jan. 



7. C. filum (La bill.)., R. Br. Stems tall, leafy ; leaves long, tapering into long subulate 

 points, passing into the floral bracts ; panicle long, narrow, each branch and spike let 

 subtended by a bract, the outer ones leaflike, the inner ones passing into the glumes ; 

 spikelets pale-brown, numerous and crowded ; flowers 2, the lower one fertile ; glumes 

 acute ; stamens 3 ; nut narrow -oblong, trigonous. 5 mm. long ; smooth. Resembles 

 Gahnia trifida externally. 



Mount Lofty Range; Adelaide Plains near coast; South -East ; Eyre Peninsula; 

 Kangaroo Island. Jim e -Nov. 



8. C. tetragonum (Labill.). comb. nov. Stems and leaves compressed-angular or dis- 

 tinctly quadrangular ; panicle oblong, red dish -brown, 5-10 cm. long, interrupted towards 

 base; floral bracts short, the uppor ones glume -like ; spikelets numerous, 1 -flowered ; 

 glumes acute, ciliate ; nut with a cushion -like summit. — C. tetraquetrum, Hook. f. (1860) \ 

 Lepidojper?fta tetragona, Labill. (1804). 



Moimt Lofty Range. Oct. -Dec. 



9. C. acutum (Labill.), Poir. Stems (15-30 cm. high) and leaves flat with obtuse margins, 

 rigid; panicle l-J-8 cm. long, when long interrupted from near the top, the branches erect 

 and flexuose ; the lowest floral bract with a short sheath and leaflike pungent blade ; 

 spikelets 1 -flowered; glumes acute; nut dark and shining when ripe. — C. schoenohdus, 

 R. Br. (1810) ; Schoenus acutu*, Labill. (1804). 



Mount Lofty Range; South -East ; Eyre Peninsula. Nov. -Jan. 



10. GAHNIA, Forst. 

 (After Henry Gahn, a Swedish botanist.) 

 Spikelets paniculate, with 1 bisexual flower and usually 1 male flower below it ; glumes 

 imbricate all round, 3-5 outer ones empty, the flowering glumes thinner and smaller than 

 the others ; no hypogynous bristles ; stamens 3-6 ; filaments lengthened, persistant ; 

 styles usually 3 ; nut obovoid. Perennials. 

 A. Glumes acute. 

 B. Tall plants. 



Spikelets almost black, distant G. radula 1. 



Spikelets brown, clustered G. trifida 2. 



B. Plants about 30 cm. high ; leaves pungent. 



Leaves smooth G. laniqera 3. 



Leaves scabrous G. deusta 4. 



A. Glu?nes obtuse ; nuts red G. psittacoriim 5. 



1. G. radula (R. Br.), Benth. Stems 50-100 cm. high ; leaves inrolled, with long 

 subulate points, scabrous downwards ; panicle 12-35 cm. long, black, with erect or erect- 

 spreading branches, the lower floral bracts like the leaves ; spikelets numerous, not 

 clustered, 2-flowered, only the upper one fertile ; stamens 3 ; nut obovoid, trigonous, 

 dark. 



Mount Lofty Range (doubtful) ; South -East. Oct. -Jan. 



2. G. trifida, Labill. Cutting -grass. Stems rigid, usually over 1 m. high ; leaves 

 inrolled, with long subulate drooping points, very scabrous on the lower face ; panicle 

 erect, narrow, interrupted, 20-40 cm. long ; floral bracts leaflike ; spikelets brown, 

 densely clustered, usually 1 -flowered ; glumes acuminate ; stamens 4-5 ; nut ovoid, 

 black, shining, bluntly trigonous, 2 mm. long. 



Mount Lofty Range ; Kangaroo Island ; South-East. Sept. -Dec. 



3. G. lanigera (R. Br.), Benth. Stem slender, 20-30 cm. high ; leaves erect, subulate, 

 smooth, pungent-pointed, the brown sheaths woolly at the orifice ; panicle slender, 

 narrow, 4-12 cm. long, often surpassed by the lowest of the leaflike floral bracts ; spikelets 



