Mui
“ - ““ - A " P '- t ' - . y sMito to a specks Mod
2. Eleocharis gracUis, Br.; cGmis cæspitosis gracilibus striatis elongatis intus celMosis, vaginis ore
mucioua IS, spicis elongato-ovatis linearibusve subacutis, squamis ovatis obovato-oblongisve obtusis ec¡ri-
iiatis setis 4 -6 ovario parum longioribus, stylo .3-fldo, uuee obovata trigona compressa im p u n e ta ta .-
Br. Frodr. Scirpus pGustris a. Banks et Sol. MSS.
Van f t graeillima; culmis gracillimis, vagiuis ore obliquo, spicis brevibus, squamis ovato-oblongis
f ? s T m T " -P™*- ct llerh. Scirpus palustris,
Var. y. radicane; parvula, rliizomate vabdo longe repente squamis imbricatis membranaceis nervosis
subacutis tecto, cGmis ascendentibus setaceis striatis, spicis late ovatis obtusis, squamis paucis ovatis
membranaceis, setis 6. Eimbristylis, A. Cmn. Herb.
Hab. Bogs tlirougbout tbe Islands, Banks and Solander, etc.
A native of Austtalia, and probably a variety of the European B. palustris, bnt differing in the trigonous fruit
month. Spikes meh long, linear-ovate, subaeute ; seaks linear-obovate. membranous, blunt. BrUles four, rather
longe. than the broadly obovate. compressed, three-angled, shining nut. Style three-eleft. The var. R is a much
t : ‘;h g a e base, sheaths
oblique he month, with a short ereot point. Spikes pale-coloured. A inch long, ovate, acute, of ovate-ohlong,
th e-angl d, polished achenmm.-The var. y is easily recognized by the stout, woody, creeping rhizome covered
with membranous imbricating nerved sheaths. Calnu ascending, tlmead-Iike, 2-S inches high. Spikes lines
e lm : i r iH o .™ ™ " “ J : - - J s are I t s ^
Gen. IV. ISOLEPIS, Br.
h m o J j j f Y Y f l V. subdisticbe imbricatæ. Setæ
t ï i t a ü r “ "■— “ .X i .» . . - .,...11.
lateral lateral, Zrarerlyt ttetrmi ifnarl,T soh!ta ry or cflu stered sessUe spikelets. Scales nearly equal, the lower empty cBurlmistsU, sa n0d
txnhicKeZned :at: th:e ttoop.r ' (Name from wos, equal, and Aeiris, a ^cale.) “ ■ conspicuously
n o lv s ttlw :'^ '" T * ' “' tereti-compressis basi vaginatis, capitulo globoso
polystachyo, sp.cnhs congestis ovatis, squamis late ovatis obtusis, stylo 3-partito, nuce paUide castanea
for
O s i i^ c t lM r i/f 'i™ ''''" f™“ “ J New Zealand congener,
t o l . l "”“7 ’ c W e J ia globose, dense, ktcral
Ah smoo r 1 h : , ® Icagthened. Scales broad, concave, blunt. «*fc» tripartite
2. Isolepis setacea, Br. ; culmis setaceis capillaribusve striatis basi 1-phylliSj spiculis solitariis geminisve
ovatis lateralibus v. subterminalibus, squamis obtusis mucronatis subacutisve subcarinatis castaneis
1-3-andris^ stylo 2-3-partito, nuce obovata trigona v. compressa minutissime punctulato-striata.—Br. Prodr.
A. Ounn. Prodr. I. setosa, A. Uich. Flor. Scirpus setaceus, Linn.
Var. )S. monandra ; major, spiculis 3-5, squamis monandiis.
Var. 7 . lenticularis; spiculis 3-5, squamis subacutis, staminibus 1 - 2, nueibus lenticularibus, stylis 2-3.
Var. S. caffillaris ; culmis capillaribus elongatis, spiculis 1-3, squamis obtusis monandris striatis,
nueibus trigonis.
Ha b . Northern and Midclle Islands, common. Banks and Solander, etc. (A native of England.)
A small, slender, excessively variable plant, varjdng in every locality and habitat, 2-10 inches long, native ot
Europe, Austraba, and probably other parts of the world. Culms tufted, erect, fibform or capillary, striated, with
one or two leaves at the base. Spikelets solitary, sometimes two to six, small, of six to eight broad, concave, blunt
or mucronate or sharp, pale reddish or chesnut-brown scales. Stamens one to three. Nut covered with minute
impressed dots, pale, yellow or brownish, compressed, lenticular, or more or less trigonous.—None of my New Zealand
specimens quite iigi'ee with the I. acicularis or Savii of Europe, nor with any of the five or six allied species
in Mr. Brown’s ‘Prodromus;’ at the same time I find so great variation iu size and habit, the form of the scales,
number of the stamens and styles, and amount of compression of the lenticular or trigonous nut, tbat I am quite at
a loss how to divide my specimens into weU-marked varieties. Some of tliese approach I. Aucklandica of Auckland’s
Group (El. Antarct. p. 88. t. 50), but that species has longer, broader leaves, and a much larger and not punctate
nut.—In moist places the heads become proliferous, when it is chiefly distinguished by its smaber size from /.
proliféra.
3. Isolepis cartilaginea, Br. ; pusilla, rigida, culmis brevibus curvis basi 1 - 2-foliatis, foliis trigono-
setaceis basi membranaceis, spiculis 1-3 infra apicem culmi, squamis paucis cartilagineis carinatis striatis
late ovatis subacutis 2-andris (3-aiidris,/í¿. Br.), nueibus triquetris scaberulis, stylis 3.—Br. Prodr.
PIab. Northern Island. East Coast, Ahuriid, Colenso.
A small, densely tufted, stout, rigid species, I - I 4 inch high. Culms trigonous, curved. Leaves rigid, subulate,
channelled, keeled. Spikelets one or two, sessile, small, green. Scales coriaceous, rigid, rather distant, curved, much
laterally compressed, subacute, with a thick bhmt keel, deeply striate, with chesnut-brown bnes. Stamens two.
Styles three. Nut broad, triangular, rough, with pitted facets.—I am not convinced of this being Mr. Brown’s
New Holland plant, which has triandrous flowers (a character of bttle importance, however), and scaberulous nuts,
whereas these can be considered rough from the depth and number of tbe impressed dots only.
4. Isolepis proliféra, Br. ; culmo tereti striato stolonifero apliyllo basi vaginato, capitubs polystacbyis
passim proliferis lateralibus termiualibusque, spiculis oblongis, squamis ccarinatis obtusis mouaudris, stylo
trifldo, nueibus obovatis apiculatis compressis punctato-striatis paUidis.— Br. Prodr.
Hab. Northern Island ; watery places. East Coast, etc., Colenso.
Bather a large tufted species. Culms 4-10 inches long, thick but weak, striated, terete, leafless, sheathed at
the base. Spikelets short, ovate, brown, clustered at or near the end of the culm, proliferous. Scales red-brown,
blunt, herbaceous, not keeled. Stamen one. Style bifid. Nut obovate, apiculate, compressed, striated with impressed
dots, pale.—Probably a very variable plant, found iu many parts of the world.
Gen. V. DESMOSCHOENUS, Hook. fil.
Spiculæ globosæ, multifloræ, secus culmum apice folioso-bracteatum densissime confertæ, sessiles,
amentum interruptum elTormantes. Squamæ omnes fertiles. Setæ hypogynæ 0. Stamina 3, antheris