H a b . AbuBdant in salt and brackish m arsh es, e tc .— (Fl. Nov., Dec.) (v. v.)
D is t r ib . Tliroughout Australia, New Zealand, and all temperate and tropical countries o f both hemispheres.
(Native of England.)
A larger and coarser plant than S. iriqueter, with a trigonous culm, flat grassy leaves, and a corymbose, compound
panicle of large, ovate spikelets, surrounded by several involucral leaves ; this inflorescence is usually described
as terminal, but one of the so-called involucral leaves is always erect, and is manifestly as much the continuation
of the culm as is that of S. triqueter.— Spikelets p<ale-brown, 4-1 inch long. Scales veiy numerous, membranous
or scarious, oblong, entire or bifid, with an often recurved arista. Nut large, pyriform, compressed, with
a fusiform terminal mammilla, shining, punctulate. Seta unequal and variable. Anthers with a rough terminal
mucro. Stigmas two or three.
Geu. X. LEPIDOSPERMA, Labill.
Spicula parvæ, in pauiculas spicasve divisas terminales dispositæ, 1-2-floræ, monospermæ; squamis
undique imbricatis, plerisque vacuis. Squamulæ hypogynæ 6, erassæ, basi carinatæ, nucís basi adhæreiites.
Nux veutricosa, calva, obtusa; stylo deciduo, basi simpHci.—Radix perennis, sæpe lignosa; culmis nudis,
simplicibus, sapissime late ancipitibus, compressissimis, rarius teretibus angulatisve, rigidis, marginibus sca-
berulis, sectantibus, bad fo liis equitantibus cinctis; panícula bad vagina membranácea appressa cincta;
spiculis dnris, fuscis.
A veiy extensive gemís, almost confined to extratropical Australia, a few species only being found in New
Zealand and the Malay Islands. Brown describes nineteen species, and I find upwards ot fifty in the Hookenan
Herbarium, by far the greater number being natives of South-westei-n Australia. The larger species form a considerable
proportion ot the so-cafted Cutting-Grasses ot the forest and bush. Nees von Esenbeok, in ‘Plantæ
Preissianoe,’ bas refeined some Soiitli-westem Austraban species to Brown’s Tasmanian ones, trusting to the
descnptionsintlie’Prodi'omns;’ bnt as Nees bad no opportunity ot compmiig authentic specimens, and I find
great differences between all the Tasmanian and Sontb-western Ansttallan species, I have refrained from quoting
the ‘Plantæ Pteissinnæ.’ I much doubt whether I am correct as to Í . cóncava, lakralU, and cqaamata, of which
the specimens in the British Museum are scarcely authentic, and hardly agree with the descriptions in the
■ Prodromus.’—Coarse, rigid, often tall, perennial Sedges, with simple, erect, harsh culms, whiclt ate most often
flat, with two cnlling edges, but in some species square or terete, beating a tew eqnitant leaves at the base, and
terminated by a branched, compressed panicle of very insignificant spikelets. Spadeh sessile, short, enolosed in an
orislate bract, of several imbricating scales, one- ot two-ilowered, tlie lower flower alone fertfle. Seaks cliaidn-
eeous, hard. Nat ventricose, coriaceous or osseous, surrounded at the base with six connate, persistent, conaceons,
often thickened scales. Style with a simple base. (Name from X.iris, a leak, and m p p a , a m i )
a. Oulms flat or very much compressed.
1. L e p id o s p e rm a g la d ia ta (Lab. Nov. HoU. i. 15. t. 1 2 ); 2^ -p ed alis, culmo 4 - f poll, lato
complánalo, axi utrinque elevato intus solido, marginibus foliisque lævibus, pauicula coarctata, ramis compositis,
spiculis imbricatis, squamis ovatis acutis puberulis.—Rr. Prodr. 234 ; Kunilt, En. n. 31 0. L. eii-
satum, Nees, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. vi. 47. [Gunn, 984.)
H a b . Common on sand-hills near the sea, on the north coast, Gunn.— (Fl. Nov.)
D i s t r ib . Victoria, Robertson ; New South Wales, Brown.
A tall, coarse, but not cutting species. Oulm. compressed, 2-3 feet high, i - f inch broad, with smoolli margins,
and a thickened, convex axis, solid within. Panicle oblong, flattened, 3 inches long, mucli divided. Spikelets
puberulous, crowded.—I have seen no Western Australian specimens of this species.
2. L e p id o s p e rm a e l a tio r (Lab. Nov. Holl. i. 15. t. 11); 4-8-pedalis, culmo 4 poll, lato cmn-
presso utrinque convexiusculo intus solido marginibus foliisque seabris, panícula elongata elhisa, ramis
compositis, spiculis subfasciculatis, squamis ovatis ovato-lanceolatisque acuminato-aristatis puberulis.—.Rr.
Prodr. 234; Kuuth, En. ii. 317. Chætospora cóncava, Nees,in Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. vi. 47. [Gunn
575.)
IIab. Common in forests, and in damp soil, throughout the Island.— (Fl. Oct.) {v. v.)
D is t r ib . Victoria.
A tall, slender species, very dangerous to handle, from the keenly cutting edges of the culms and leaves.—
Oulm often 8 feet high, about 4 inch broad, compressed, thickened rather suddenly from the margins towards the
middle equally on both surfaces. Panicle 6-12 inches long, slender, effuse, with long, nodding lateral branches.
Spikelets in pediceUed fascicles. Scales about 4 inch long, aristate-mucronate, puberulous.
3. Lepidosperma longitu d in alis (Lab. Nov. Holl. i. 16. t. 1 3 ); 3-5-pedalis, culmo 4 poll, lato
coraplanato intus vacuo marginibus compressissimis iævibus, panicula elongata coarctata, ramis subsimpli-
cibus, spiculis dense congestis, squamis ovato-oblongis obtusis apiculatisve puberulis.—Rr. Prodr. 234;
Kuni/i, En. ii. 317. [Gunn, 1395.)
H a b . Sandy wet places near the sea : Georgetown and Hobarton, etc., common.—(FI. Sept.) (v. v.)
D is t r ib . Victoria.
The hollow culms at once distinguish this species from all its Tasmauian allies.— Culms 3-5 feet high, about
4 inch broad, with quite smooth (scarcely scabrous, as described by Brown) margins, aud a much compressed,
broad, hoUow axis, reaching nearly to the margins. Panicle erect, 4-7 inches high, sparingly branched, the
branches erect. Spikelets fascicled, pubescent. Scales ovate-oblong, blunt, apiculate.
4. Lepidosperma Oldfieldii (Hook, fil.) ; 4-6-pi :ulmo 4 poll, lato compresse utrinque convexo
intus solido marginibus foliisque scaberulis, panicula elongata contracta erecta, ramis brevibus remotis
compositis, spiculis fasciculatis, squamis ovatis aristato-acuminatis. (T a b . CXLVI. A.)
H a b . New Norfolk, Oldfield.
Similar in many respects to I. elatior, but a smaller and move slender species, with a different panicle, which
IS very long (6-18 inches), of few distant, erect branches, 1 4-2 inches long, covered witli fascicled chesnut-brown
spikelets. Spikes aristato-acumiiiate, keeled, recurved, giving the spikelets a subsqimrrose appearance. The edges
of the culms are very scabrous, and cut severely. — P late CXLVI. A. Fig. 1, spikelet; 2, scale and flower;
3, pistil and stamens 1—all magnifed.
5. L epidosperma cóncava (Br. Prodr. 234) ; 3-4-pedalis, culmo 4 poll, lato compressissimo
hmc eoncaviusculo marginibus foliisque seabris, panicula erecta elongata, ramis suberectis simpliciusculis,
spiculis alternis brevibus, squamis ovatis carinatis aristato-acuminatis.— En. ii. 316. L. lineare,
Sieb. Agrost. n. 9. L. longitudinalis, Nob. in Fl. N. Zeal. i. 279, non Lab. [Gunn, 576, in narl ) (Tab
CXLVI. R.) y ; 1 ■
H a b . Stony dry places : near Launceston, Gunn, and probably common elsewhere.— (Fl, April?)
D istr ib . New South Wales, Victoria, and New Zealand.
A rather slender species, but known by its vciy thin, flat culm, which is ratlier concave on one side, and elongate
panicle with alternate spikelets.— 3-4 feet high, about 4 - 4 inch broad, with scabi'id, cutting margins.
Panicle erect, pale, often a span long, elongated, flexuous, with rather long, erect, alteniato branches. Spikelets soiitaiy,
subaltcrnate. Scales ovatc-acumin<ate.—I have seen no good aiithcntically-namcd specimens of this. Those
so called iu the British Museum have the involucral bract as long or longer than the panicle, and best accord with
Brown’s character of L. lateralis, and belong to the species I have so called.—P la t e CXLVI. B. Fig. 1, spikelet ;
3. scale and llowcr ; 3, pistil and stamens -.—all magnified.
6 . Lepidosperma la ter a lis (Br. Prodr. 234) ; robusta, 1-2 pedalis, foliis numerosis, culmo 4 poll.