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Manual of the New Zealand Flora.
3. Mariscus, Gaertn
3. Mariscus, Gaertn.
Stems erect, simple below the inflorescence, leafy at the base. Inflorescence of the same forms as in Cyperus. Spikelets oblong or linear, compressed; rhachilla disarticulating above the two lowest empty glumes, and falling away in one piece, leaving a terminal rounded boss or knob. All other characters as in Cyperus.
Species about 180, found in all tropical and subtropical regions, but not extending into Europe. The single New Zealand species is endemic.
| 1. | M. ustulatus, C. B. Clarke, MS.—Very robust, 2–4 ft. high. Stems smooth, striate, trigonous, ¼ in. diam. Leaves crowded at the base of the stem, long, keeled, coriaceous, spongy towards the base, ⅓–1 in. broad; margins and keel sharply and minutely serrulate. Inflorescence a large terminal umbel often more than 6 in. diam.; rays 6–10, each bearing an oblong spike 1–2 in. long of very numerous red-brown spikelets; bracts numerous, forming an involucre at the base of the umbel, very long and leafy, the lowest frequently over 2 ft. Spikelets linear-lanceolate, ⅓–1 in. long, 5–20-flowered. Glumes distichous, ovate-oblong, obtuse or mucronate, smooth and shining, grooved. Stamens 3. Nut linear-oblong, trigonous; style-branches 3.—Cyperus ustulatus, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 101, t. 17; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 270; Raoul, Choix, 40; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 268; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 297.
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North Island: Abundant in lowland districts throughout. South Island: Chiefly near the coast, extending as far south as Okarito (Hamilton) and northern Otago (Buchanan). Sea-level to 1500 ft. Toetoe-upoko-tangata; Toetoe-whatu-manu. November—January. |