Scirpus. | CYPERACEAE. 223 
S. sulcatus and S. prolifer. Leaves 1 or rarely 2 at the base of the stem, 
or reduced to a short and broad sheath. Heads solitary, terminal, of 2-15 
crowded spikelets, often proliferous and putting out 1 or several short or 
long branches ending in a smaller head of spikelets ; bract very variable in 
length. Spikelets -,-+in. long, ovate or ovate-oblong, subacute, pale or 
dark chestnut-brown, many-flowered. Glumes broadly ovate, concave or 
kceled at the back, obtuse or subacute, the sides usually more or less 
stained or striate with dark red-brown, the keel usually pale. Stamen 1. 
Style-branches 3, long, linear, Nut about 4 the length of the glume, 
oblong-obovoid, equally and conspicuously trigonous, with a small conical 
point, not longitudinally ribbed, white, smooth but not polished.—Benth. 
Fl. Austral. vii (1878) 329. S. reticularis Col. mm Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvii 
(1886) 277; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1996) 775. Isolepis inundata_R. Br. 
Prodr, (1810) 222. I. prolifer Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 301; FI. 
Tasm. ii (1860) 87, t. 144 (not of R. Br.). 1. setacea Hook. f. Fl. Nov. 
Zel. 1 (1853) 271 (in part, not of R. Br.). 
Var. major.—Stems tall and stout, 5-12 in. high, usually leafless. Spikelets more 
numerous, 6-15, densely compacted. Glumes obtuse. Approaches small forms of 
S. sulcatus, but is at once distinguished by the smaller acutely trigonous nut. 
es ed = ® ja A. 8 
Var. gracillima.——Stems slender, often filiform, 2-6in. long. Spikelets 2-6, 
792 
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tufted, 8-16 in. high, stout, grooved when dry, leafless except a large purple 
or purplish-black sheath at the base. Heads solitary, terminal, of 6-20 
densely packed spikelets, often proliferous and emitting 1 or several branches 
ending in a smaller head of spikelets ; bract variable in length. Spikelets 
rather short, }-1in. long, oblong, obtuse, many-flowered. Glumes broadly 
ovate, obtuse, concave, dark chestnut-brown with a green keel and pale mar- 
gins. Hypogynous bristles wanting. Stamens usually 1. Style-branches 
2, rarely 3, long, linear. Nut about 4 the length of the glume, obovoid, 
plano-convex, the convex side not keeled, smooth and polished, shining, 
white or pale yellowish-white—Isolepis prolifer Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. 1 
(1853) 271 (for the most part, but not of R. Br., nor of Hook. f.) ; Handb. 
NZ. Fl. (1864) 301, & sudembre Carmi. Tenn. bine See. xii 
NortH AND SoutH Istanps: Apparently common: Auckland—Hokianga, Berg- 
gren ; Whangarei, H. Carse/ vicinity of Auckland, Petrie/ 7. F. C.; Rotorua, Cart- 
wright, Petrie! TJ. F. C.; Taupo, 7. Kirk! Hawke’s Bay—Norsewood, Colenso / 
Wellington—Murimotu, Petrie! Canterbury—Styx River, Petrie! Banks Peninsula, 
R. M. Laing! near Ashburton, H. H. Allan. Sea-level to 2000 ft. November-— 
March. 
For the identification of this plant with the Tristan d’Acunha 8S. sulcatus I am 
indebted to Mr. C. B. Clarke, who, however, maintains it as a distinct variety, charac- 
terized by the usually 2-fid style and plano-convex nut not keeled on the convex face. 
Large stout forms of S. inundatus approach it very closely, but in fruit are easily 
distinguished by the 3-fid style and acutely trigonous nut. , 8S. prolifer, which has pre- 
cisely the same habit of growth, can always be separated by the long linear spikelets, 
3 stamens, and small acutely trigonous nut. 
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