CYPERUS FUSCUS. BROWN CYPERUS.
CYPERUS umbella composita triphylla, spïculis lineari-lanceolatis, stigmatibus tribus.
CYPERUS fuscus. Linn. Sp. P l. p. 869. Oed. Fl. Dan. t. 179. Wïlld. Sp. P l. vol. 1. p . 280.
Decand. Fl. Fr. ed. 3. vol. 3. p. 145. Fl. Gall. Syn. p. 147. Hoffm. Germ. ed. 2. vol. 1.
P . l . p. 21. Host Gram. Austr. vol. 3. t. 73. Schlcuhr Bot. Hand. t. 7. Sckrader
Fl. Germ. vol. 1 . p . 118. Gaudin Agrostr. Helvet, vol. 2. p. 50. Sibth. FL Greeca,
vol. 1 .1. 48. Pers. Syn. Pl. vol. l. p . 62. Alton Hort. Kew. ed. 2. vol. 1. p. 128.
CYPERUS umbella trifolia, spicis petiolatis congestis, glumis ovato-lanceolatis. Hall. Helv. n. 1 349,
Class an d Ord e r . TRIANDRIA MONOGYNXA.
[Natural Order. CYPERACEÆ, J uss. Decand. Brown.}
Gen. Char. Glumæ univalves, unifloræ, distiche in spiculas compressas imbricatæ. Nux nuda. .
Gen. Char. Glumes one-valved, one-flowered, imbricated in a distichous manner in compressed sprikelets.
N u t naked.
Radix annua, fibrosa.
CuLMl digitales et ultra, cæspitosi, erecti, erassi, glabri,
striati, exacte triquetri, subflaccidi, superne nu-
di, inferne foliorum vaginis vestiti.
Folia culmo breviora, vix biuncialia, mollia, lineari-
acuminata, canaliculata, ad apicem marginibus
sub lente scabriusculis. Vaginæ longæ, glabræ,
striate, inferiores magis membranaceæ, infimæ
squamiformes, aphyllæ.
Involucrum triphyllum, foliis radicalibus consimilibus,
valde inæqualibus, patentibus.
Umbella terminalis, composita: Umbellulæ plerum-
que pedunculate, nunc sessiles. Pedunculi cras-
si, triquetri, basi squamulis vel bracteis membra-
naceis albidis sufiulti.
Spiculæ subsessiles, basi bracteatæ, lineari-lanceolatæ,
obtusæ, decem- ad quatuordecim-floræ.
Glumæ distiche imbricatæ, ovatæ, obtusæ, concavo-
carinatæ, flavo-fuscescentes, prope marginem intense
fusco-purpureæ, dorso nervo viridi, ad apicem
sub lente scabriusculo.
Stamina: Filamenta duo. Antheroe oblongæ, flavæ.
Germen minutum, obtuse triquetrum, acuminatum.
Stylus erectus, longiusculus. Stigma trifidum.
Semen ovato-rotundatum, flavo-fuscum, acute triquetrum,
subacuminatum.
Root annual, fibrose.
Culms a finger's length and more in height, casspitose,
erect, thick, smooth, striated, exactly triquetrous,
somewhat flaccid, above naked, below clothed
with the sheaths of the leaves.
Leaves shorter than the culm, scarcely two inches in
height, soft, linear-acuminate, channelled, with
margins at the extremity under a microscope
a little rough. Sheaths long, smooth, striated,
the lower ones more membranaceous, the lowest
squamiferous and destitute of leaves,
I nvolucrum o f three leaves, resembling those of the
root, very unequal, patent.
U mbel terminal, compound: Umbellules generally on
foot-stalks, sometimes sessile. Peduncles thick,
triquetrous, supported at the base by membranaceous
white squamules or bracteas.
Spik e l e t s subsessile, having bracteas a t the base, linear
lanceolate, obtuse, with from ten to fourteen
flowers.
G lumes distichous imbricated, ovate, obtuse, concavo-
carinate, yellowish brown, near the margin intensely
brownish purple, with the nerve on the
back green, under a microscope roughish towards
the apex.
Stamens: Filaments two. Anthers oblong, yellow.
Ge rm en minute, obtusely triquetrous, acuminate. Style
erect, rather long. Stigma trifid.
Se ed between ovate and roundish, yellow brown, acutely
triquetrous, subacuminate.
Fig. 1. Portion ofian umbel. Fig. 2. Spikelet. Fig. 3. Glume. Fig. 4. Germen and anther. Fig. 5. Seed,
A ll magnified.
•H, ■ ■ ■ 10 lhe Floraot lhe British Isles,'the botanical world is indebted to that zealous and
m B S B m Haworth, Esq., who found it in a low marshy meadow scarcely half a mile from his late
nJ.™ “ tie Chelsea. It grows in some abundance on the sides of a ditch, along with Jtmcus Bufonius,
i; '"J sceleratus, Polygonum minus, and other such semi-aquatics. The individual plants here
■ B g H f l n B H l ? tl,er£d bJ Ule Rct- Mr. Bree in company with Mr. Haworth, and were sent
Th ° t •6 f h . September. Many of the specimens were in flower, but more in seed,
as wefl SUSS’1’this P^ntI precisely similar to those spots on which I have seen it in the north of Italy: where,
Cvdp l rance’ Switzerland, and Germany, it is far from being of uncommon occurrence,
is a E l H 3 only other known British species of the genns, is very widely removed from this; but there
and which ™ q Sr°'™S »'■* it on the continent, which it greatly resembles in general appearance,
which howeTr £ 0W$ r,at so?’? future Period he detected in this countiy. This is the C^pcrus flm c em , in
havinc only t~.L’ 5 " of the umbel are wholly of a yellowish colour, shorter and broader in their figure, and
o uluj c" o stigmas to the flower.