A very large and natural tropical genus, of wliicli about fifty Australiau species are known, but few enter the
cool temperate regions of either hemisphere. The Tasmanian species of the genus are tall, mai-shy, sedgy plants,
with creeping rhizomes, trigonous, unjointed, erect, stout culms, leafy at the base, and bearing at the top an unequal,
maiiy-rayed umbel, surrounded by a long, leafy involucre ; each ray of the umhcl bears towards its apex numerous
divaricating, linear, red-brown, shiniug spikelets, of numerous distichous scales, all of which but the lowest
are floriferous.—Flowers of three stamens in each scale, and one pistil, without hypogynous scales. Style deciduous,
but not jointed on to the achenium. (Name of doubtful derivation.)
1. Cyperus sanguineo*fuscus (Nees, in Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. vi. 46) ; elatus, robustus, um-
bellis sub-S-radiatis simplicibus v. radiis longioribus apice compositis, spicis breviter cylindraceis, spiculis
(4 - 1 -poUicaxibus) linearibus patento-reflexis 6 - 10-floris, squamis laxis lineini-oblongis obtusis carinatis
sulcatis, nuce lineari-obovata acute trigona, involucris 6 - 8 -phyllis 1- 2 -pedalibus serratis, culmo striato
lævi. {Gunn, 557, 956.) (T a b . CXXXIX.)
Hab. Common on river-banks and in marshy places throughout tbe Island.— (Fl. Nov., Dec.) {v. t>.)
Much the largest Tasmanian species, and a very handsome plant, growing 3-5 feet high. It varies a good
deal in size and in the length of the spikelets, and immature flowers at first sight look very different from mature
ones,—Culm trigonous; angles blunt, smooth. Involucre of six to eight long, flat leaves, I - I 4 foot long, and f
inch broad at the base, their margins and keel scabrid from beyond the middle or from the base. Rays of umbels
six to eight, most of them 4-6 inches long, some very short, bearing at their apices one to three oblong spikes
about 1 inch long ; wheu more than one, the lateral spikes spread horizontally from the base of the central one.
Spikelets crowded, 4- I inch long, linear, patent or divaricating, subulate in a young state ; rachilla with two broad
membranous ivings opposite each scale, which enclose the nut. Scales alternate, distiehous, loosely imbricating
when in flower, almost distant wheu in fruit, linear-oblong, blunt or notched at the apex ; lower short aud empty ;
fraiting ones keeled, grooved, nearly 4 iuch long, sliining, bright chesuut-brown, with a green keel. Siamens 3.
Nut sharply trigonous, linear-ohovate, acute, white, smooth.—P la t e CXXXIX. Fig. 1 , spikelet ; 2, scale and
flower ; 3, pistil :—all magnified.
2. Cyperus Gunnii (Hook, fil.) ; umbellis sub-8-radiatis, spicis compositis subcapitatis, spiculis
(4- 4-pollicaribus) dense congestis linearibns 6- 1 0 -floris, squamis arete imbricatis late ovato-oblongis apice
rotundatis mucronulatis margine pallidis, nuce lanceolata obtusa trigona, involucris 3-4-phyllis angustis
1-14-pedalibus serratis, culmo lævi. {Gunn, 1403.) (T a b . CXL. A )
H a b . Also probably common : Penquite, near Launceston, Gunn.— (Fl. Dec.)
D is t r ib . New South Wales and South-east Australia.
A much smaller and more slender plant than C. sanguineo-fuscus, 2-3 feet high, with very narrow involucres
of only about three leaves, each about a inch broad at the base ; shorter rays of the umbel, which bear almost
globose, lobed, dense heads of several crowded spites ; and the spikelets also are shorter, flatter, of short, broad,
densely imbricate scales.—P la t e CXL. A. Fig. 1, spikelet ; 2, scale aud flower ; 3, pistil :—all magnified.
Gen. I I . SCHOENUS, Z.
Spiculæ solitaria? fasciculatæ v. paniculate (non capitate). ; squamis distichis, rarius undique
ijoribus. Seta hypogynæ 0. Stylus imbricatis, extimis minoribus, vacuis, florifer 2-3-fldus.— Herbæ
pleraique rigida, graminea; culmis inarticulatis, teretibus trigonisve, basi tantum v. per totam longiiudinem
fo lia tis; spiculis solitariis paniculatisve, fusco-hrunncis; squamis chartaceis.
I have not united Ckmtospora with ScJi(enus, though the presence of hypogynous bristles in the former is a
purely artificial character, separating in many instances most closely allied plants, and some few that otherwise arc
almost indistinguishable; their absence or presence is not accompanied by any characters of habit, inflorescence,
or habitat. A revision of the genera would doubtless lead to the abandoriraent of this character, and perhaps to
better ones founded ou the insertion of the style, The species witli the scales imbricated aU round the spikelet
should technically be refen'ed to Isolepis, but would be most unnaturally associated with the other species of that
geiuis.—Generally harsh, wiry plants, with creeping rhizomes (or tufted culms), and terete or trigonous, solid, inarticulate
culms, leafy at the base or all the way up. Spikelets axillaiy or terminal, fascicled, panicled, or solitary
(not densely packed in u globose terminal capitulum, as in Gymnoscitoenus). Scales distichous or rarely imbricated
all round, of few dark-brown, hard, chartaccous scales, the outer smaller and empty, the inner bearing one fiower
each. Stamens 3. Nut trigonous, without hypogynous scales or bristles. (Name from crxotvos, a Rusk.)
1. S c h æ n u s f lu i t a n s (Hook, fil.) ; culmis fiaccidis densissime cæspitosis elongatis gracillimis longe
fluitantibus foliatis, foliis anguste linearibus fiaccidis, spicula terminali solitaria lineari 2 -flora, squamis 4
lineari-lanceolatis subacutis compressis membranaceis nitidis, staminibus 3, nuce elliptica trigona angulis
costatis, stylo elongato filiformi persistente basi non incrassato, stigmatibus 3 deciduis. (Ta b . CXLI. B.)
H a b . South Esk Eiver, Gunn.— (Y\. Jan.) {Gunn, 1432.)
A very singular plant, in habit unlike its congeners, and resembling Isolepis fluitans very closely. Culms
densely tufted, rooting at the base in gravel, the main part floating, 2 feet long, very flaccid, and much branched
Leaves naiTow-liuear, with membranons sheaths and an evident ligula. Spikelets solitary, terminal, bright pale-
cliesnut, shining, linear, naraow, nearly 4 inch long, much compressed, two-flowered. Scales membranous, not
nerved ; lower shorter, all lincar-lanceolate, subacute. Nut pale-brown, small, smooth, with a very long persistent
style, ft'om which the thi-ee stigmas fall away. Filaments capillary, brown, persistent.—P la t e CXLI. li. Fig. 1,
spikelet ; 2, scale and flower ; 3, pistil :—all magnified.
Gen. I I I . CHÆTOSPOEA, Br.
Omnia Sclioeni sed setæ v. squamulæ hypogynæ 3 v. plures. (Ab Gymnoschoeno habitu tautum differt.)
Tlie presence of hypogynous bristles or scales alone distinguishes this genus from Schænus, and its habit from
Gymnoschcenus. There are very many Australian species, some of which can hardly be separated specifically from
others of Sckcemis, except by the above character. (Name from a hair, and cttto/iov, a seed.)
1. Chætospora tenu issima (Hook, fil.) ; rhizomate repente, culmis gracillimis nudis trigoiiis sul-
eatis foliis filiformibus brevioribus, spicula disticha terminal] solitaria lanceolata 1 -flora, squamis enerviis
interioribus elongatis, squamulis hypogynis 3 brevissimis obtusis, stylo basi bulboso-incrassato cum ovario
articulato.—Lepidosperma tenuissima, Muell. in Herb. ITook. {Gunn, 1416.) (Ta b . CXL. B.)
H ab . Moist sandy places near Hobarton, Gunn.— (Fl. Oct.) (z;. v.)
D is t r ib , South-eastern Australia ; ‘Wilson’s Promontory,
A glabrous, wiiy, smooth species.—Rhizome creeping, very stout. Culms much shorter than the long, flexuous,
semiterete, deeply channelled leaves, erect, trigonous, grooved, bearing one erect, compressed, lauceolate, acute
spikelet. Spikelet 4 inch long. Scales brown, smooth, nerveless, opaque, with pale membranous borders, one of
the uppermost ones alone bearing a flower. Style glabrous, bulbous at the base, and jointed on to the ovai-y ; tiic
tliree stigmas exserted.—P la t e CXL. B. Fig. 1, spikelet ; 2, scale aud flower ; 3 , pistil -.—all magnified.
2. Chætospora cap illa c ea (Hook, fil.) ; rhizomate repente, culmis nudis capillaribus, foliis capil-
laceis, spicula solitaria (v. 2 altera pedicellata) infra apicem culmi lanceolata compressa 2- 3 -fiora, squamis
enerviis interioribus elongatis extimis aristato-acuminatis, setis hypogynis 3 linearibus, stylo bifido basi
villoso. (Ta b . CXLI. A.)
I I ab . Dry sandy banks ; near Hospital Bay, South Huon Eiver, Oldfield.
Avery slender species, with capillary culms, and leaves 8 -1 0 inches \o-ag.—Rhizome tufted and creeping.
Culms thread-like, erect. Spikelets one or two towards the apes of the cnlm, minute, 4 inch long, naiTow-lanceolate
ai -brown; when there are two, one is pedicelled. Scales distichous, outer with long apices, two or tliree inner
VOL. II.