308 
XI. CYPEEACEjE. 
12. OREQBOLUS, Br. 
A low. rigid, densely tufted plant, forming large cushion-like patches ou 
the mountains. Culms short, densely compacted, leafy throughout, divided. 
Leaves subulate, distichous or imbricated all round. — Scape axillary, short, 
compressed, 1-flowered, strict, rigid, lengthening after flowering. Glumes 2, 
deciduous. Hypogynous scales 6, in 2 series, perianth-like, persistent. Sta- 
mens 3. Style deciduous, bulbous at the base; stigmas 3. Nut enveloped 
above the middle in the oppressed scales, crustaceous, obovoid, 3-gouous, with 
a broad, terminal, depressed area. 
A remarkable genus, confined to the alps of Tasmania, Australia, New Zealaud, and 
Fuegia. 
1. O. Pumilio, Br. — 0. pectinatus, Hook. f. FI. N. Z. i. 275. Culms 
1-3 in. long, usually flattened. Leaves closely densely imbricated, distichous 
and -spreading, or suberect and imbricating all round, curved, linear subulate, 
|—1 in. long, pungent ; sheaths hard, striated. Spikelets minute. Scape an 
inch long after flowering. Glumes lanceolate, ^ in. long. Scales lanceolate 
subulate. — 0. pectinatus, FI. Antarct. i. 87. t. 49. 
Northern Island : mountainous regions, Taupo plains, and tops of the Ruahine range, 
Colenso. Middle Island: Morses mountain, alt. 6000 ft., Bid will ; Southern Alps, 
llaast. Lord Auckland’s group and Campbell’s Island, abundant, J. I). II. Found 
also in the Tasmanian and Victorian Alps. 
13. UNCmiA, Persoon. 
Tufted, usually grass-like sedges, with fibrous roots. Culms stout or stem 
der, more or less 3-gonous. Leaves long, narrow, flat, involute or keeled. — 
Spikelet solitary at the end of the culm, linear-elongate, terete, many-flowered, 
upper part contracted, male. Glumes imbricated all round the rachis, all 
floriferous ; upper male with 3 stamens, and no rudiment of scales or ovary ; 
lower female ; ovary contained in a compressed urceolate utricle ( perigynium 
of authors) ; its style and 3 stigmas exserted ; a long rigid exserted bristle, 
hooked at the tip, arises from the base of the ovary, also within the utricle. 
Nut 3-gonous, flattened, included in the utricle. 
A considerable genus, native of Tasmania, Australia, New Zealand, Tristan d’Acunha, 
Abyssinia, Fuegia, and the Andes of S. America. The species have been elaborated by the 
late Dr. Boott for the ‘ New Zealand Flora,’ which descriptions have in great part been em- 
bodied in the following pages. The New Zealand forms are most puzzling, U. leptostacluja, 
Banksii, Sinclairii, rubra, and ferruginea, seem all very distinct, the rest are very difficult 
of discrimination. 
Utricle scabrous towards the top. 
Culms slender. Bract subulate or 0. Spikelet very slender . . . 1 . V. leptostacluja. 
Cuims short, stout. Bract subulate. Spikelet short, stout . . . 2. U. Sinclairii. 
Utricle perfectly smooth. Glumes closely imbricate. 
Culms short. Spikelet i~i in. Bract 0 3. U. compacta. 
Culms long. Spikelet 3-6 in. Bract leafy. Glumes in. . . 4. U. australis. 
Culms long. Spikelet 3-6 in. Bract leafy. Glumes in. . . 5. U. ferruginea. 
Utricle perfectly smooth. Glumes lax, all or the lower distant. 
Leaves longer than culm, green when dry. 
Leaves in. broad. Spikelets 2-4 in. Bract leafy . . . 6. U. caspilosa. 
