338 



CYPERACEiE. 



Cyperus. 



2. CYPERUS. Linn. ; Torr. Cyp. I. c. p. 249. GALINGALE. 

 [An ancient Greek name for some plant of this genus.] 

 Cyperus, Pycreus and Papyrus, LcsLib., Nees. 

 Spikelets with the scales nearly all fertile, and distichously imbricated ; the rachilla* usually 

 more or less winged on the angles by the decurrent margin of the scales. Stamens 2 or 3 

 (rarely solitary), deciduous. Style 2 - 3-cleft, deciduous. Achenium compressed or tri- 

 angular. — Culms mostly triangular (rarely terete), simple, leafy at the base. Spikelets 

 terminal, capitate or spicate ; the spikes or heads disposed in simple or compound umbels ; 

 the rays sheathed at the base. 



* Pycreus, P. de Beauv. Style 2-cleft. Achenium lenticular. 



1. Cyperus flavescens, Linn. Yellowish Dwarf Galingale. 



Umbel of 2 - 4 short rays ; spikelets linear, 14 - 20-flowered, rather obtuse, clustered at 

 the extremity of the rays ; stamens 3 ; scales obtuse, 1 -nerved ; achenium minutely wrinkled 

 transversely, nearly orbicular, shining. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 46 ; Muhl. gram. p. 16 ; Ell. sk. 1. 

 p. 67 ? ; Torr. jl. 1. p. 60, and Cyp. p. 250 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 18 ; Beck, hot. p. 421 ; 

 Kunth, enum. 2. p. 5. 



Perennial. Culm 4-10 inches high. Rays of the umbel sometimes very short, so that 

 the spikelets appear fasciculate ; the longer ones commonly from half an inch to an inch in 

 length, each bearing from 4-10 spikelets, which are crowded mostly in fascicles of 3 - 4 

 on the rachis of the ray. Spikelets 5-8 lines long, of a yellowish color, slightly tapering 

 towards the summit but not acute, sometimes as many as 30-flowered. Scales broadly ovate, 

 thin and membranaceous except on the keel. Stamens always 3, sometimes remaining 

 attached to the racliilla after the fall of the scale. 



Boggy places : most frequent in the vicinity of salt water. FL August - September. Our 

 plant agrees in all respects with the European C. flavescens. 



2. Cyperus diandrus, Torr. Diandrous Galingale. 



Umbel of 2 - 5 short rays ; spikelets lanceolate-oblong, much compressed, rather acute, 

 many- (14 - 24-) flowered, scattered or fasciculate on the rachis ; stamens 2 ; scales oblong, 

 rather obtuse, one-nerved, membranaceous ; achenium oblong-obovate, slightly scabrous, dull ; 

 style much exserted, 3-4 times the length of the achenium. — Torr. cat. pi. N. York (1819), 

 p. 90 ; Jl. 1. p. 61, and Cyp. p. 251 ; Spreng. syst. I. p. 217 ; Beck, hot. p. 421 ; Darlingt. 

 Jl. Cest. p. 15 ; Hook. Jl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 232 ; Kunth, enum. 2. p. 6. 



* This is a term applied to the axis of the spikelets. 



