Bh ynch ospora . ] 
CYPERACEJS. 
425 
nous bristles about 6, persistent. Stamens usually 3. Style bifid, 
the lower part remaining as a persistent beak to the lenticular achene. 
— Perennials, with the stems mostly more or less leafy, with varied 
inflorescence. Distrib. Cosmopolitan. Species 50. 
Spikelets in a single globose terminal head 1. R. Haenkei. 
Spikelets in 2-8 globose heads 2. R. polycephala. 
Spikelets in corymbose panicles. 
Dwarf, with narrow leaves 3. R. laxa. 
Tall, with broad leaves 4. R. aurea. 
1. R. Haenkei, Brest, j Kunth , Enum. ii. 290. Perennial. Stem 
slender, terete, 1-2 ft. long, leafless. Leaves in a dense basal tuft, 
narrow linear, T V-i in. broad, rigid, much shorter than the stem. 
Spikelets under in. long, 50 or more in a single globose terminal head 
bracteated by 3-4 rigid linear leaves. Glumes rigid, glossy, pale 
brown, acute. Bristles shorter than the achene. Achene obovoid, 
glossy, brown, the beak reduced to a minute mucro. B. Walli- 
chiana, Kunth, Enum. ii. 289. Morisia Wallichii and capitata, 
Nees. 
Mauritius, teste Kunth. Spread through the tropics of the Old World. 
2. R, polycephala, JPydl. ; Kunth Enum. ii. 291. Perennial, 
tufted. Stems triquetrous upwards, 2-3 feet long, sparingly leafy. 
Leaves shorter than the stems, narrow linear, convolute. Spikelets 30-50, 
in. long, arranged in a globose head ; heads 2-8, one terminal and 
the rest peduncled, often 3-4 in an end umbel. Glumes pale brown, 
acute, the outer ovate, the inner lanceolate. Bristles longer than the 
achene. Achene pale brown, obovoid-lenticular ; beak as long as the 
achene, subulate, with a broad base. B. sparganioides, Boyer , Hort. 
Maur. 386. Schcenus triceps, Vahl, Eel. ii. 4. 
Mauritius, in marshes of Grandport, Savanne, etc. Also Cape, Madagascar, 
Bourbon, and Tropical America. 
3. R. laxa, B. Br. ; Kunth, Enum. ii. 298. A tufted perennial, with 
slender wirv subterete sparingly leafy stems 1-2 feet long. Leaves 
-JL. in. broad, firm in texture, nearly or quite as long as the stem. 
Spikelets £ in, long, congested in small heads, which are arranged in 
simple or distantly -panicled corymbs. Glumes dark brown, moderately 
firm, lanceolate, acute. Bristles longer than both achene and beak. 
Achene subglobose, brown ; beak minute. E. Brownei, gracilis, sinensis, 
and Thouarsii, Bees. B. lavarum, Gaudich. 
Mauritius, in hill swamps. Spread through the tropics of the Old 
World. 
4. R. aurea, Vahl ; Kunth, Enum. ii. 293. Badical leaves ensiform, 
acuminate, 2-3 feet long, an inch broad at the base, flat, scabrous on 
the edge and acute keel. Stem stout, triquetrous, distantly leafy, 3-4 
