15. Cyperus nutans Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 363. 1805; C. B. Clarke, l.c. 607; Kukkonen in Rech.f., l.c. 106.
C. jacquini Schrad. in Linnaea 11 (Litt.-Bericht): 87. 1837; Chlorocyperus jacquini (Schrad.) Rikli in Jahrb. wiss. Bot. 27: 563. 1895.
Perennial, 40-80 cm. Rhizome short, with tillers. Stem 2-6 cm diam., trigonous, smooth. Leaves shorter than stem; sheaths up to c. 15 cm, pale green or yellowish brown, soft, mouth margin straight or slightly ligulate; blades to 30 cm or more, 4-9 mm wide, grey-green, scabrous. Inflorescence an anthelodium, 8-30 cm; lowermost bracts foliose, to more than 30 cm; primary branches 5-9, to more than 20 cm, secondary anthelodia 15-75 mm; tertiary anthelodia occasional, up to 35 mm; cluster of spikes sessile or pedunculate, 15-30 mm, with 8-24 spirally arranged spikes. Spike 5-15 x c. 3 mm, with c. 10 glumes; glume-like bract c. 1.5 mm, acute, glume-like prophyll bi-nerved, c. 1 mm; rachis flat, reddish brown, internodes c. 1 mm, winged; glumes 2.2-2.5 mm, cymbiform, acute with green mid-nerve ending into mucro up to 0.3 mm, sides with 3-4 prominent, reddish-brown nerves. Nut 1.3-1.5 x c. 0.7 mm, ovoid, trigonous, brown, densely and finely papillose.
Type: "India orientali, König." (C-Vahl) microf. 22: 1-2!.
Distribution: Tropical Africa, India, Sri Lanka, NE Australia, Malaysia to S. China and Ryukyu Islands.
