a. Spikelet terminal. Nut much compressed. Stamens and stigmas two.
1. I so lep is fluitans (Br. Prodr. 221) ; culmis flaccidis ramosis foliatis natantibus, foliis lineari-
ieis canaliculatis, spiculis ovatis 3--7-üoris, squamis ovato-oblongis obtusis 3-andris, nuce elliptica
compressa, stigmatibus 2.— Kunth, En. ii. 188. Eleogiton fluitans. Link, Hort. i. 284. Scirpus fluitaus,
Unn. Sp. PL i. 71 ; Eng. Bot. t. 216. [Gnnn, 1430.)
Var. 0 ; spiculis folionimque vaginis atro-castaneis. [Gunn, 1429.)
Var. 7 . tenestris, P. Mueller; culmis cæspitosis abbreviatis erectis, foliis culmo æquilongis, squama
iuferiore elongata bracteam referente. {Gunn, 1413, 1420.)
H a b . Abundant in rivers and pools throughout the Island. Var. 0 . Yorktown rivulet, Gunn.
Var. 7 . Western Mountains and ArtliuPs Lakes, Giinn.
D i s t r ib . Extratropical Australia, South Africa, and temperate Europe and Asia.
In its usual state this forms dense, matteif, floating patches of almost capillary culms and Spikelets
pale, narrow-ovate, | inch long. Scales green on the back, ovate-lanceolate or ovate-oblong, blunt; tlie lower
empty, aud sometimes produced beyond the spikelet. N u t compressed, white, with two styles.—In the var. 0 the
spikelets and sheaths of the leaves are a dark chestnut-brown, dmost black. The var. 7 . terrestris so closely agrees
with Brown’s character of Isolepis inundata, that I have doubts whether it may not be a state of that plant.
2. I so lep is cra ssiu scu la (Hook, fll.) ; culmis cæspitosis fluitantibus v. emersis erectis, spiculis
ovatis castaueis, squamis 12-15 late ovato-oblongis apice rotundatis, apices versus membranaceis 3-andris,
nuce elliptica valde compressa pallida, stigmatibus 2. {Gunn, 1431.) (T a b . C X L llI. A.)
H a b . Alpine situations : Arthur’s Lakes and Mount Wellington, Gunn.—(El. Jan.)
D is t r ib . South Africa ?
Much larger and stouter than E . fluitans, and apparently not floating, some of my specimens being evidently
tei-reslrial, though gi-owing in marshes.—C'«^ws 6-10 inches long. Leaves as in E . fluitans, but coarser. Spikelets
4 inch long, ovate, acute, of twelve to fifteen blunt scales, which are cbesnut-brown above the middle. Lowei-
scale fertile, sometimes with a short mucro.—Apparently identical with a South African species, whose name I
cannot determine.—P l a t e CXLIII. A. Fig. 1, spikelet; 2, scale and flower ; 3, pistil and stamen ; 4, mit:—a«
3. I so lep is len ticu la r is (Br. Prodr. 222) ; culmis cæspitosis setaceis capillaribusve basi unifoliis,
spicula solitaria terminali ovato-lanceolata compressa, squamis 6 - 1 0 ovato-oblongis lanceolatisve superioribus
obtusis vix carinatis diaudris, nuce ovali-oblonga lenticulari valde compressa alba lævi, stigmatibus 2 .
{Gunn, 1424.) (T a b . CXLV. E .)
H a b . Moist ground near Porraosa, Gunn.— (Fl. Dec.)
D is t r ib . New South Wales.
I have several good specimens of this plant, but from one locality only, and though from tliese it certainly
appears to be a very distinct and well marked species, specimens from different situations may modify this opinion.
I t is a good deal like I . cariilaginea, and of the same size, habit, and aspect, but the solitaiy, pale-green spikelet is
move terminal, larger, more ovate-lanceolate, and apparently compressed; the scales are not so carinate and nerved,
more lanceolate, and the white, oval, oblong, very compressed nut is of a totally different form and character. All
my specimens are diandrous, and have bifid styles.— P la t e CXLV. i>. Fig. 1, spikelet; 3, scale and flower ; 3,
nut :—all magnified.
b. Spikelets lateral or terminal. Stamens one to three. N u t trigonous or triquetrous.
4. Iso lep is alpina (Hook, fil.) ; densissime cæspitosa, 2-pollicaris, robusta, culmis erectis spiculas
longe superantibus foliis numerosis lincari-subulatis obtusis brevioribus, spicula solitaria laterali (raro tcrminali)^
late ovata compressa, squamis 8 - 1 2 oblongo-ovatis obtusis viridibus castancisve 3 -andris, nuce
late elliptica compresso-trigona lævi, stigmatibus 3. {Gunn, 1409, 1427, 1437.) (T a b . CXLIII. B.)
H a b . Alpiue bogs: Lake St. Clair, Arthur’s Lakes, aud Marlborough, Gum.— {Yl. Jan., Feb.)
I n m a n y re sp e c ts sim ü a r to I . crassiuscula, b u t v e ry d ifferen t in h a b it, a n d especiaUy in th e la te ra l spike le ts
a n d trig o n o u s nut.— 1-2 in ch es liig h , v e ry ro b u s t. Leaves n um e ro u s , lo n g e r th a n th e culms, rm d e re ct
Spikelets la rg e , ra re ly te rm in a l, twice a s la rg e a s in I.fiuiians, in s e rte d fai- b e low th e ap ex o f th e c u lra .-P L A T E
C X L I IL A. F ig . 1, s p ik e le t; 2, scale a n d flower ; 3, p is til a n d s tam e n ; 4>, nat-.— all magnified.
5. I so lep is p roh fer (Br. Prodr. 223) ; laxe cæspitosa, culmis (sæpius stoloniferis) flaccidis compressis
V. triquetris, capitulis polystachyis passim proliferis, spiculis oblongis pauci- v . multi-floris, squamis
late ovatis obtusis acutisve carinatis v. dorso obtusis monandris, nuce trigona alba lævi punctulata striata,
stigmatibus 5.— Kunth, En. ii. 201 ; FL N. Zeal. i. 271. Scirpus prolifer, RoUh. Gram. 55. t. 1 7 . / 2.
Var. a ; rarius stolonizaiis, spithamæa ad pedalem, capitulis non proliferis, spiculis 5-12 cylindraceo-
ovatis, squamis sub-16. I. propinqua, B r .,fid . Nees in Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. vi. 46. (Gwm 4i>0 )
(T a b . CXLIV. A .)
Var. 0 ] rarius stolonizans, 4-pollicavis ad spitliamæam, capitulis raro proliferis, spiculis 2 -5 brevibus
squamis 6-10. {Gunn, 420.) (T a b . CXLIV. B.)
Tar. 7 ; stolonizans, 4-poIlicaris ad spitliamæam, capitulis proliferis, spiculis 2 -5 brevibus, squamis
6-10. {Gunn, 1418.) (T a b . CXLIV. C.)
^ Var. 8 ; stolonizans, culmis fluitantibus pedalibus et ultra, capitulis polystachyis valde proliferis, spi-
cubs 3 -8 breviusculk, squamis 6 -10. {Gunn, 420.) (T a b . CXLIV. E.)
Var. e; alpina, vix stolonizans, culmis cæspitosis 1-2-pollicanbus basi foliosis erectis non proliferis,
spiculis 5 -8 breviusculis, squamis 6-10. {Gunn, 1423, 1425, 1426.) (T a b . CXLIV. E.)
Var. perpusilla, culmis cæspitosis ¿-poUicaribus basi foliosis, capitulis 1-2 brevibus, squamis 4 -8
{Gunn, 1425.) (T a b . CXLIV. F.)
H a b . Abundant in wet places throughout tbe Island. Var. e. Marlborough and Georgetown. Var.
t Arthur’s Lakes. Vars. 7 and 8 often growing under water.— (Fl. all tbe year.) {v. v.)
D is t r ib . Tropical and extratropical Australia, New Zealand, South Africa.
A m o s t VQnable p la n t, 4 in c h to a foot h ig h , g i'owing in b o th wet a n d d ry pla ce s, a n d a s sum in g a d ifferen t
liabit u n d e r d ifferen t c ircumstan ce s. T h e v a rie tie s en um e ra ted ab o v e a re b y n o me an s co n s tan t, ex cep t in th e n u t
an d one stam e n ; th e y ru n in to one a n o th e r iu a ll ways, a n d a re c o n n ec ted iv ith o th e r va rie tie s from o th e r c o u n tries,
some of wh ich a re very mu c h la rg e r th a n th e se in a ll th e ir p a rts , a n d some a re so sle n d er as to have c ap illa ry c iüm s ’
Brown d e scrib e s tb e sp ik e le ts as te rm in a l, h u t th e y a re tru ly la te r a l in a ll s ta te s , tlio n g h some tim es th e ap ex o f th e
culm IS sh o r t ; h e a lso sta te s th e culms to b e leafless : th is th e y are in man y s ta te s , b u t in o th e rs th e y b e a r tr iq u e trous
leaves a t th e b a se .— T liis species may b e in v a riab ly reco gmzed b y its so litary s tam en , w h ite , triq u e tro u s ,
smooth n u t ; a lso b y i ts flaccidity, sto lo n ife ro u s h a b it, a n d p ro life ro u s sp ik e le ts, wliicli v a ry from tw o to tw e n ty in
a c luster, from 4 -4 in ch lo n g , a n d from h a v in g th r e e to tw e n ty g re e n o r bro iv n scales. N u t w h ite , a cu te ly tr ig o nous,
exactly sim ila r in all th e varie tie s. Stamen I . - P la t e CX LV . A .-F . V arie tie s o f I.prolifer. F ig . 1, scales •
3, p istil a n d stam e n ; 3 , n u t -.— all magnified.
6 . Iso lep is nodosa (Br. Prodr. 221) ; data, robusta, culmis tercti-compressis basi vaginatis aphyllis
apice puugentibus, capitulis globosis polystachyis, spiculis ovatis densissime congestis, squamis obtusis,
staminibus stigmatibusque 3, nucc compresso-trigona lævi.— ATmM, En. ii. 199; FL N. Zeal. i. 271.
Scirpus nodosus, Roilb. Gram. 52. t. 8 . / . 3. {Gunn, 979.)
H a b . Sand-hills on tbe northern shores of the Island, common.— (Fl. Nov., Dec.)
D is t r ib . Extratropical Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and South America.