Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/827

Cladium.]

5. C. Huttoni, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. ix. (1877) 551.—Stems tufted, slender, terete, rather wiry, striate, 3–5 ft. high. Leaves few towards the base of the stem, long, terete, striate; tips subulate, acute. Panicle elongated, rather lax. drooping, 10–18 in. long; lower branches remote, solitary or fascicled, 3–6 in. long or more; bracts large and sheathing, membranous, acuminate. Spikelets numerous, fascicled, brown, ⅛–⅙ in. long, 2–5-flowered, rarely more than 2 of the flowers fertile. Glumes 4–7, ovate, acuminate, membranous, striated; margins ciliate. Stamens 3 or rarely 2. Style-branches 3. Nut small, oblong, obtusely trigonous, smooth when mature, pale; beak very small.

6. C. teretifolium, R. Br. Prodr. 237.—Stems densely tufted, terete or slightly compressed, rush-like, firm, striate, 1–3 ft. high. Leaves few at the base of the stem, long, terete except towards the sharp subulate tip, which is often obscurely 3–4-angled; sheaths rather loose. Panicle oblong, 2–6 in. long, much branched, dense; lower branches closely placed, not distant as in C. glomeratum; bracts short. Spikelets very numerous, fascicled, dark-brown, ⅙ in. long, 1- or rarely 2-flowered, but in the latter case the upper flower is sterile. Glumes ovate, acuminate or awned, membranous, ciliate or almost glabrous, the 2 or 3 outer empty. Stamens 3. Style-branches 3. Nut very small, oblong-orbicular, not trigonous, corky, conspicuouslv corrugated; beak very minute, smooth.—''Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 276; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 304; Benth. Fl. Austral.'' vii. 406.