152 CLXII. CYPERACE^. [Eleocharis. 
sheaths red at base. Spikelet -12 in. long with very few flowers. 
Glumes lanceolate acute sub-distichous, usually dark red, edge 
and central bar pale. Bristles little longer than the nut. Nut 
large obovoid, plano-convex trigonous, with a broad 3-lobed apex. 
Hah. Damp spots by ditches and in shallow water, common, Singa¬ 
pore, Selitar. Malacca, Tanjong Kling (Griffith). Selangor, Kwala 
Lumpur. Kelantan, Kota Bharu (Ridley). Distrib. Tropics. 
Often bulbiliferous and propagated by bulbils in the axils of the spikelet 
when in shallow water. 
6. FIMBRISTYLIS, Vahl. 
Tufted or rhizomatous herbs. Culms sub-terete. Leaves at 
base only. Inflorescence of i to many terminal spikelets in umbels 
or corymbs. Spikelets solitary or clustered, many-flowered. 
Glumes imbricate all round, or (section Abilgaardia) distichous at 
base of spikelet, basal and terminal ones empty. Bristles o. Style 
long terete or flattened bi- or tri-fid, base dilated and constricted 
below the dilatation, but deciduous. Nut obovoid trigonous, 
usually stalked, no knob at apex. Species 25, all warm regions. 
§ I. Eleocharoides. Culms with i or 2, rarely 3, spikelets, all glumes 
spiral. 
Style bifid, nut biconvex or plano-convex. 
Nut cylindric oblong reticulate 
Niat obovoid transversely wrinkled. 
Spikelet erect narrow. 
Stems 6 to 12 in. long; nut 5-ridged 
Stems 2 to 6 in. long; nut y-ridged 
Spikelet oblong at an angle with stem 
Nut obovoid smooth. 
Spikelets oblong, obtuse, i to 3 
Spikelets i or 2 ovoid, *5 in. long . 
Style bifid; nut tubercled very small . 
(i) F, tetragona 
(2) F. acuminata 
(3) F. setacea 
(4) F. nutans 
(5) F. polytrieboides 
(6) F. schoenoides 
{7) F. pauciflora 
§ 2. Dichelostylis. Spikelets many umbeiled or congested. All glumes 
spiral. Style bifid flat. Nut biconvex. 
Spikelets solitary on the branches. 
Nut white, obovoid, longwise striate with trans¬ 
verse bars; leaves linear; style villous . (8) F. diphylla 
Nut narrow, obovoid, black, striate; style 
flabrous; leaves filiform . . .(g) p, trichophylla 
Nut orbicular-ovoid smooth, on a short red stalk (lo) F. podocarpa 
Nut ovoid reticulate. 
Dwarf tufted leafy annual; glumes mucronate 
Tall plant nearly leafless .... 
Tall plant; leaves long; spikelets -5 in. long 
or more ...... 
Spikelets clustered capitate. 
Umbels compound large; plant rigid; maritime . 
Umbel capitate, dwarf plant .... 
Umbel simple or compound; leaves broad stiff 
silvery 
(11) F. aestivalis 
(12) F. ferruginea 
(13) F. longispica 
(14) F. spathaeea 
(15) F. argentea 
(16) F. sericea 
