Fimbristylis quinquangularis (Vahl) Kunth

The proposal by Strong & Kral (Taxon 48: 387, 1999) to conserve the name Scirpus miliaceus with a conserved type (see previous species) is followed here. Consequently the name F. quinquangularis (Vahl) Kunth is used (cf. Kukkonen 1998).

Tufted annual, 5-15 cm. Stem c. 0.5 mm diam., glabrous, with five sharp edges and deep grooves between. Leaves when present, numerous, longer than stem; lower sheaths open, with widely scarious margins, upper closed, almost completely scarious, with distinct veins on one side, mouth wide, oblique, margins scarious; blades of basal leaves 1-1.5 mm wide, flat, barbed towards apex. Inflorescence 1-3 cm diam., of 10-50 solitary spikes; bracts 0.2-0.5 mm wide, shorter than inflorescence, involute, apex barbed; branches triangular (or compressed), scabrous. Spikes 2-4 x 1-1.5 mm, with 5-20 glumes, pedunculate, ellipsoid, angular, more or less acute, greenish to dark brown; rachis yellowish to brown, with prominent castaneous wings; glumes widely ovate, keeled, midrib green to pale green, mucronate. Stamens (1-)2, up to 1.5 mm; anthers c. 0.5 mm; style c. 0.5 mm, upper part slightly ciliate, stylopodium small; stigmas 3, longer than style. Nut 0.5-0.6 mm, globular or widely obovoid, trigonous, pale yellow to pale brown, more or less papillose and faintly trabeculate.

Widely distributed in the Old World tropics, Africa, India, east to Taiwan, south to N. Australia.

Distribution: Tropics of SE Asia from Pakistan and India to S. China, Taiwan, Australia and Malaysia; recently, probably, introduced to America, Puerto Rico.

Fl. Per.: August-October.

On wet ground; river banks; rice fields.

Scirpus quinquangularis Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 279. 1805; Clarke, Ill. Cyper., Pl. 43: figs 4-6. 1909. Haines & Lye, Sedges and Rushes E. Afr.: figs. 127-128. 1983.