432 North American Cyiieracece. 
much longer than the umbel ; spikes ovate ; spikelets ap- 
proximated, spreading on all sides, subulate, somewhat quad- 
rangular, 2 — 3-floweied, only the lower floret fertile ; scales 
linear-lanceolate, slightly mucronate ; nut oblong-linear, nearly 
covered with the inner scales. 
CuLm 12 — 14 inches high, very slender, wiry. Leaves scarcely half 
a line wide, shorter than the culm. Ochreee truncate, entire. Spikes 
about three-fourths of an inch long, composed of about 25 spikelets, 
which spread irregularly in all directions. Spikelets 4 — 5 lines long, 
attenuated, curved, composed of about 5 scales, the two lowest of which 
are very short and empty ; the third linear-lanceolate, fertile ; and the 
fourth abortive, but containing stainens and ovary ; the uppermost very 
slender, empty. Rachis broad, margined with persistent inner scales. 
Stamens 4. Style 3-cleft. Nut light brown, dull, partly imbeddecf 
in the broad rachis, and covered with the inflexed margin or inner 
scales. 
Hab. Texas, T. Dnmmond! (Coll. I. no. 287.) 
Obs. In the structure of the spikelets this species strongly 
resembles Mariscus rctrofractus ; yet the plant has the habit 
of Cyperus. 
C. MiCHAUXiANus, p. 2-59. /5 .^ elongatus. Culm talf 
and slender ; rays elongated ; spikelets subulate, obtusely 
quadrangular ; scales lanceolate, acute. 
Culm 3 feet high, triquetrous. Leaves 3 — 4 lines wide, shorter tharr 
the culm. Umbel somewhat compound, 6 — 8-rayed ; the rays rather 
erect, 3 — 5 inches long. Ochrece 2-toothed. Involucre 6 — 8-leaved ; 
several of the leaves nearly as long as the umbel. Involuccls short, 
setaceous. Spikelets much crowded on the rays, forming an ovate spiUe, 
slender, somewhat curved, 6 — 8-flowered, very acute, quadrangular 
when mature ; the lower ones somevvhat fasciculate or compound. 
Scales somewhat distinct and rather loose towards the summit, striate, 
slightly mucronate. Rachis nearly as broad as the spikelet, winged 
with the ovate, firm interior scales. Stamens 3. Sti/le 3-cleft. ]\ut 
oblong, unequally triangular, rather acute, dull. 
Hab. Texas, T. Drummond! (ColL I. no. 337.) 
