6. S. inundatus, Poir. Encycl. Suppl. v. 103.—Very variable in size and habit of growth. Stems 2–12 in. high, often small, slender and filiform, at other times stouter and taller, and resembhng small states of S. sulcatus and S. prolifer. Leaves 1 or rarely 2 at the base of the stem, or reduced to a short and broad sheath. Heads solitary, terminal, of 2–15 crowded spikelets, often proliferous and putting out 1 or several short or long branches ending in a smaller head of spikelets; bract very variable in length. Spikelets 110–14 in. long, ovate or ovate-oblong, subacute, pale or dark chestnut-brown, many-flowered. Glumes broadly ovate, concave or keeled at the back, obtuse or subacute, the sides usually more or less stained or striate with dark red-brown, the keel usually pale. Stamen 1. Style-branches 3, long, hnear. Nut about half the length of the glume, oblong-obovoid, equally and conspicuously trigonous, with a small conical point, not longitudinally ribbed, white, smooth but not polished.—Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 329. S. reticularis, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xviii. (1886) 277. Isolepis inundata, R. Br. Prodr. 222. I. prolifer, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 301; Fl. Tasm. ii. 87, t. 144 (not of R. Br.). I. setacea, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 271, in part (not of B. Br.).
Var. major.—Stems tall and stout, 5–12 in. high, usually leafless. Spikelets more numerous, 6–15, densely compacted. Glumes obtuse. Approaches small forms of S. sulcatus, but is at once distinguished by the smaller acutely trigonous nut.
Var. gracillima.—Stems slender, often filiform, 2–6 in. long. Spikelets 2–6, flattened. Glumes often subacute.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Chatham Islands: Abundant throughout. Sea-level to 3000 ft. November–March.
As defined above, this varies so much in habit and other respects as to give rise to the suspicion that more species than one are included in it; but I have failed to find valid distinguishing characters. It extends through Australia to the Malay Archipelago, and is also abundant in temperate South America.
7. S. sulcatus, Thouars, Esquisse Fl. Trist. 36, t. 7; var. distigmatosa, C. B. Clarke, MS.—Stems numerous, tufted, 8-16 in. high, stout, grooved when dry, leafless except a large purple or purplish-black sheath at the base. Heads solitary, terminal, of 6–20 densely packed spikelets, often proliferous and emitting 1 or several branches ending in a smaller head of spikelets; bract variable in length. Spikelets rather short, ⅛–¼ long, oblong, obtuse, many-flowered. Glumes broadly ovate, obtuse, concave, dark chestnut-brown with a green keel and pale margins. Hypogynous bristles wanting. Stamens usually 1. Style-branches 2, rarely 3, long, linear. Nut about half the length of the glume, obovoid, plano-convex, the convex side not keeled, smooth and polished, shining, white or pale yellowish-white.—Isolepis prolifer, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 271, for the most part (not of B. Br., nor of Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 301).
