298 
XI. CYPKRACEjE. 
[Schcenus. 
1. S. axillaris, Hook. f. — Chcetospora axillaris, Br. ; — FI. N. Z. i. 274. 
t. 62 A. Tufted, small, flaccid, pale green, leafy. Culms branched, often 
creeping, 1-4 in. long, very slender, compressed. Leaves spreading, alter- 
nate, in. long, g-L- broad, very narrow linear, obtuse. Spikelets 1-3 
together, axillary, shortly peduncled, -jV-i in. long, pale brown. Glumes 
4-6, lanceolate, acute, pale brown, 1 or 2 upper floriferous ; keel scabrid, 
green. Bristles 3-6, longer than the ovary. Stamens 3. Nut small, white, 
polished, broadly ovate, 3-gonous, tapering into the slender style. Stigmas 
3. — Scirpusfoliatus, Hook. f. in Journ. Bot. iii. 614. 
Northern Island : abundant in wet places. Probably overlooked in the Middle Island. 
Also found in Australia and Tasmania. 
2. S. tenax, Hook. f . — Chcetospora tenax, FI. N. Z. i. 273. Leafless. 
Culms rigid, tufted, erect, 1-2 ft. high, terete or compressed, polished; 
sheaths at the base red-brown, with subulate blades 1 in. long. Spikelets 
compressed, in. long, lanceolate, pale brown, 2- or 3-flowered, in a con- 
tracted panicle 2-5 in. long ; branches slender, longer than the sheaths. 
Glumes 6-8, distichous, ovate-lanceolate, acute, pale-brown, not shining, con- 
cave, nerveless, subciliate. Bristles 0. Nut turgid, 3-gonous; angles thick, 
transversely waved. Stigmas 2 or 3. 
Northern and Middle Islands: dry hills, abundant, Banks and Solander, etc. 
3. S. Tendo, Banks and Solander. — Chcetospora Tendo, FI. N. Z. i. 273. 
Very similar to S. tenax , but much more slender. Culms with 1 deep groove 
throughout their length. Spikelets oidy i in. long, much darker. Bristles 
present, but few and short. Nut quite smooth. 
Northern Island: Opuragi, Banks and Solander ; Clay hills. Bay of Islands, Auck- 
land, etc., Sinclair, etc., abundant. 
4. S. pauciflorus, Hook.f. FI. N. Z. i. 273. Culms tufted, very slender, 
1-3 ft. high, pale, leafy at the base, angled aud grooved. Leaves subulate, 
grooved, rigid, erect ; sheaths long, grooved, dark chestnut-brown, shining. 
Panicle lateral, solitary, short. Spikelets few, slender, pedicelled, £ in. long, 
lanceolate, dark-brown, polished, 3- or 4-flowered. Glumes distichous, acu- 
minate ; keel green. Bristles 6, capillary, as long as the very long style. Nut 
narrow-oblong, pale-brown, shiniug, striated with impressed dots. Stig- 
mas 3. 
Northern Island: marshes near Patea and base of Tongariro, Colenso. Middle 
Island : swamps, base of Mount Sinclair, alt. 2200 ft., Sinclair and Haast ; Otago, Lindis 
Pass, subalpine, alt. 2-4000 ft.. Hector and Buchanan. The true “Snow Grass,” according 
to Buchanan. Very near the South Chilian Chcetospora antarctica. Hook, f., but the 
leaves are much shorter. 
5. S. Brownii, Hook.f. — Chcetospora imberbis, Br. ; — FI. N. Z. i. 274. 
Culms densely tufted, very leafy, 4-10 in. high, grooved, slender, rather flaccid. 
Leaves alternate, very narrow linear, acuminate, channelled above, striate 
below longer than the culms ; sheaths red-brown, deeply grooved. Spike- 
lets lateral, fascicled, 3-6 together, shortly pedicelled, T V~i in. long, 1- 
or 2-flowered, lanceolate. Glumes few, lanceolate-oblong ; upper obtuse, 
almost black, margins pale ; lower with hispid points. Bristles 6, slender. 
