886 



THE SEDGE FAMILY. 



with an involucre of one or more leaf-like outer bracts. Glumes several 

 in each spikelet, regularly arranged in two opposite rows, all nearly- 

 equal, with one flower in each glume. Stamens and ovary under the 

 same glume, without hypogynous bristles. 



A very large tropical genus, represented by very few species in 

 temperate regions, and quite disappearing in the extreme north and 

 south. The regular arrangement of the glumes gives the spikelets a 

 flattened appearance readily recognized. 



Stem above a foot high. Spikelets numerous. Involucral 



leaves very long 1. Sweet C. 



Stems less than a foot high. Spikelets in a small cluster. In- 

 volucral leaves not above 3 inches 2. Brown C. 





1. Sweet Cyperus. Cyperus longus, Linn. (Fig. 1067.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1309. Galingale.) 



Rootstock creeping. Stem stout, 1 to 

 3 or even 4 feet high, with a few leaves 

 at the base, usually shorter than the 

 stem. Involucre of about 3 leaves, very 

 unequal in length, the longest often at- 

 taining a foot or more. Umbel simple 

 or compound, the central ray very short, 

 the others varying from 1 to 2 or even 

 3 inches, each bearing a simple or 

 branched cluster of 6 to 12 or more 

 spikelets : these are linear, pointed, flat- 

 tened, about half an inch long. Glumes 

 numerous, obtuse, of a bright chestnut- 

 colour, with a green keel. Styles 3- 

 cleft. 



In wet meadows, and pastures, com- 

 mon in southern Europe and central 

 Asia, extending more sparingly into 

 central France, and along the western 

 provinces to the Channel. In Britain, 



very local and only in some of the southern counties of England. Fl. 



summer, rather late. 



Fig. 1067. 



2. Brown Cyperus. Cyperus fuscus, Linn. (Fig. 1068.) 



(Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2626.) 

 A much smaller plant than the last, forming grass-like tufts a few 



