146 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. VI, April, 1952 
Fig. 1. Fimbristylis atollensis St. John, circles on known localities. 
spiculam breviore, spiculis 3-7 mm. longis 
1.3-1. 8 mm. latis ovoideis vel lanceo-ovoideis 
acutis, rhachillis cum alis transversalibus 0.5 
mm. longis brunneis ellipticibus margine 
scarioso, cicatricibus lunatis, glumis spiral- 
ibus imbricatis 1.5-1. 7 mm. longis rhom- 
boideo-suborbicularibus glabris lucidis brun- 
neis marginibus superioribus protrudentibus 
albis hyalineis, carina crassa paene ad apicem 
prominente, nervis lateralibus 2-4 uno latere 
approximatis longituditer parallis brevibus 
inconspicuis, staminibus 2, filamentis 1.2 
mm. longis ligulatis hyalineis, antheris 0.5- 
0.6 mm. longis oblongo-linearibus subacutis, 
stylo glabro 0. 5-0.8 mm. longo in basi dila- 
tato conico, stigmatibus 2 divergentibus 0.7- 
0.9 mm. longis filiformibus, achaeneis 0.5- 
0.6 mm. longis turbinatis crasse plano- 
convexis laevibus sine striatis obscure fuscis 
basi truncata apice lato subtruncato, latere 
convexo rotundato. 
DESCRIPTION OF ALL SPECIMENS: Densely 
caespitose perennial; stems 25-60 cm. tall. 
erect, angular striate, compressed and flat- 
tened throughout, the surface smooth and 
glabrous, 0.3-1. 3 mm. wide; leaves all basal, 
several, crowded, ascending or later diverg- 
ing, those of mature clumps 14-74 the length 
of the culms, 2-38 cm. long, 0.5-2. 8 mm. 
wide, pale green, coriaceous, rigid, the upper 
side wide-channeled below the middle, above 
the middle more shallowly so and towards the 
tip flat, the margin minutely and remotely 
apiculate appressed serrulate, the apex irregu- 
larly obliquely truncate and coarsely apicu- 
late serrulate; inflorescence decompound; the 
3 or 4 lower bracts glabrous blade-bearing 
5-30 mm. long, exceeding the 1-3 central 
sessile spikes; rays 3-8 in number, very un- 
equal 0. 2-4.0 cm. long, smooth, flattened 
with 4-5 strong angles on a side, ascending 
at about 45° to the axis, the shorter ones 
simple, bearing at their tips 1, 2, or 3 sessile 
spikelets; the longer rays compound, bearing 
at their apices mostly 3 spikelets, the central 
one sessile, the lateral ones sessile, subsessile. 
