Scirpus. | CYPERACEAE, : 225 
Glumes broadly ovate, obtuse, concave, shining, striate. Hypogynous 
bristles wanting. Stamens 3; anthers with a long awn. Style-branches 3. 
Nut broadly obovoid, compressed, quite smooth.—Cheesem. Man. N.Z. 
Fl. (1906) 777; C. B. Clarke Ill. Cyp. (1909) t. lili, f. 1-8. Isolepis 
spiralis A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. (1832) 105, t. 19; A. Cunn. Precur. (1836) 
n. 274; Raoul Choixz (1846) 40. Desmoschoenus spiralis Hook. f. Fl. 
Nov. Zel. 1 (1853) 272 ; Handb. N.Z. FT (1864) 303, ~Anthophyllum Urvillei 
Steud. Syn. Pl. Cyp. (1855) 160. > © » CM Ete) Orv 
NortH AND Sovuta Isianps, CHatHam Istanps: Abundant on sand-dunes from 
the North Cape to Otago. STEWART ISLAND: Abundant, Cockayne. Pingao. 
November- February. 
The leaves were formerly used by the Maoris for making kits, and occasionally 
for cloaks, which were said to be very durable. 
Il. §. americanus Pers. Syn. i (1805) 68.—Rhizome creeping. Stems 
rather slender, 1-2 ft. high, acutely trigonous. Leaves 1-4, always shorter 
than the stem; sheaths long. Head small, of 1-4 closely compacted 
sessile spikelets; bract 1-2 in. long, erect, angular, continuous with the 
stem so that the head appears lateral. Spikelets broadly ovoid, 1-4 in. 
long, dark-brown, many-flowered. Glumes broadly ovate, membranous, 
concave, tip emarginate with usually a short awn in the notch, margins 
scarious above. Hypogynous bristles 4-6, shorter than the nut. Stamens 3. 
Style-branches 2-3. Nut rather large, 2 the length of the glume, obovoid, 
plano-convex, pale-brown, smooth.—Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 777. 
S. pungens Vahl. Enum. ii (1806) 255; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii (1878) 333. 
S. triqueter &. Br. Prodr. (1810) 223; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i (1853) 269 ; 
Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 300 (not of Linn.). 8. novae-zealandiae Col. in 
Trans. N.Z. Inst. xviii (1886) 277. 
NortH aND SoutH Istanps, CuatHam Isnanps: Brackish-water swamps from 
Hokianga to Foveaux Strait, but often local. Inland at Roxburgh, Otago, Petrie / 
November-February. 
Not uncommon in temperate Australia and Tasmania, North and South America, 
and southern Europe. , | | Q “)\) 
12. S. laeustris Linn. Sp. Plant. (1753) 48—Rhizome stout, creeping, 
with numerous perpendicular rootlets. Stems 2-6 ft. high, sometimes 
almost as thick as the finger, terete, spongy, glaucous. Leaves wanting, 
or the uppermost sheath with a very short flat lamina. - Inflorescence a 
terminal simple or compound cymose umbel 2-4 in. across; rays few, 
stout, irregular; bract shorter than the umbel, continuous with the stem. 
Spikelets numerous, ovoid or oblong, 4in. long, brownish, many-flowered. 
Glumes broadly ovate, membranous, concave, notched at the tip with a 
small point in the notch, margins fringed. Hypogynous bristles 5-6, 
linear, retrorsely scabrid, usually equalling the nut. Stamens 3. Style- 
branches 3 or 2. Nut more than $ as long as the glume, obovoid, 
compressed, plano-convex, pale-brown, smooth.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 
(1832) 103; A. Cunn. Precur. (1836) n. 275; Raoul Choix (1846) 40; 
Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i (1853) 269; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 300; Benth. 
Fl. Austral. vii (1878) 333; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 778. 
Nort AND SoutTs Jstanps: Margins of lakes and ponds from the North Cape 
southwards to the north of Otago and Okarito, common. Sea-leve! to 1500 ft. 
November-February. 
Generally distributed in all temperate and warm countries, except South America. 
8—FI. 
