Paleas with finely ciliate or rough keels. Flowering glumes usually 5-nerved. Outer glumes 1-3-nerved. 226 226. Seed with a linear hilum. (See 113.) =Festuca= L. Seed with a punctiform hilum. 227 227. Spikelets upon stout stalks in one-sided panicles. Flowering glumes unarmed.--Species 2. North Africa, also introduced into South Africa. (Under _Festuca_ L.) =Scleropoa= Griseb. Spikelets in spike-like racemes.--Species 3. North-west Africa. (Under _Festuca_ L.) =Catapodium= Link FAMILY 17. CYPERACEAE Grass-like herbs, very rarely (_Schoenodendron_) low trees. Stems usually triangular, rarely jointed. Leaves with a closed sheath, sometimes without a blade. Flowers in genuine or spurious spikelets arranged in spikes, heads, or panicles. Perianth much reduced or wanting. Stamens 1-6. Anthers opening by 2 longitudinal slits. Ovary superior or naked, 1-celled. Ovule 1, basal, inverted. Style simple or with 2-3 branches. Fruit a nut or a drupe. Seed free. Embryo lateral, enclosed by the albumen.--Genera 40, species 880. “Sedges.” (Plate 9.) 1. Flowers unisexual, but sometimes (_Bisboeckelerieae_) apparently hermaphrodite, single female flowers being surrounded by several male ones; in this case false spikelets branched at the insertion of one of the lowest bracts. 2 Flowers hermaphrodite or polygamous. Flowers either in centripetal spikelets without a terminal flower or in centrifugal (false) spikelets branched at the insertion of the uppermost bract below the terminal flower. 13 2. Spikelets unisexual, rarely partly unisexual, partly bisexual; the female 1-flowered, the male 2-or more-flowered. Stamens 1-2, rarely 3. [Tribe SCLERIEAE.] 3 Spikelets bisexual, rarely 1-flowered and spicate. 8 3. Perianth consisting of scales or bristles. Partial inflorescences panicled. 4 Perianth none. 6 4. Perianth of numerous bristles. Spikelets in spikes.--Species 6. Central Africa to Transvaal. =Eriospora= Hochst. Perianth of 2-5 scales. 5 5. Perianth of 2-3 laciniate scales. Spikelets in head-like clusters. Herbs.--Species 1. West Africa. =Microdracoides= Hua Perianth of 3-5 ciliate scales. Spikelets in spikes. Small trees.--Species 1. West Africa (Cameroons). =Schoenodendron= Engl. 6. Female flowers in the upper portion of the partial inflorescences. Spikelets in panicles.--Species 1. Madagascar. (Under _Eriospora_ Hochst.) =Fintelmannia= Kunth Female flowers in the lower portion of the partial inflorescences or in special partial inflorescences. 7 7. Style thickened and jointed at the base, deeply 3-cleft. Fruit without a distinct disc. Spikelets in panicles. Leaves broad.--Species 3. Tropics. (Under _Scleria_ Berg) =Acriulus= Ridl. Style not thickened at the base. Fruit very hard, surrounded by a disc at the base.--Species 60. Tropical and South Africa. (Including _Diplacrum_ R. Br.) =Scleria= Berg