z § . [ 2124 ]
MONOECIA Triandrid.
G en. Char. Male, Catkin imbricated. Cal. of one
scale. Cot. none. Female, Catkin imbricated.
Cal. of one scale. Cor. none. Stigmas 2 or .3.
Seed clothed with a swelling tunic.
Spec. Char. Bracteas membranous, sheathing, scarcely
leafy. Female spikes remote, of few flowers, inclosed
in the sheaths. Leaves channelled.
Syn. Carex clandestina. Gooden. Tr. o f L. Soc. V. 2. 167.
Sm. FI. Brit. 9 8 0 . With. 9 6 . Hull. 2 0 6 . WilJd.
Sp. PI. v. 4 . 2 5 4 . Schkuhr. Car. n. 6 7 . t. K. 43.
Cyperoides montanum humile angustifolium, culmo
veluti folioso spicis obsesso. Scheuchz. Agr. 4 0 7 .
1 0 . / . 1.
G a t h e r e d by Mr. E. Forster in April 1809 by the footpath
leading down from Clifton to Bristol hot-wells, in a
very sunny spot. We have often observed it in similar parts
of the neighbouring St. Vincent’s rocks, where it was first
discovered by Mr. Sole, nor do we know of its growing elsewhere
in Britain.
This has very strong deep perennial roots, and flowers early
in spring, when its little silvery bracteas are easily seen among
the humble stalks and leaves. The whole plant while flowering
is only an inch or two high, but the leaves soon grow
taller, and are channelled, erect, narrow, very rough-edged.
Spikes slender, with reddish silvery-edged glumes. Stigmas
3, very long, separate to the bottom. Fruit obovate, slightly
triangular, finely downy when young, entire at the mouth.
The male spikes are solitary; female 2 or 3 . Sometimes an
early female spike throws out a stalk bearing a later male one,
as in our specimen. As the fruit ripens, the stem and leaves
become greatly lengthened, and the bracteas disappear. A ta r i l.eio/tijfCitr/ted/a/ fid o itied t/jd i/id tu i.