1904] Brainerd, — Scirpus validus and Allies 231 



the wall than was detected by the writer ; or that the species occur- 

 ring here varied from one year to another. In either case, it is 

 probable that a student spending some days here might considerably 

 extend the list. 



Malden, Massach-usetts. 



SCIRPUS VALIDUS AND ALLIES IN THE CHAMPLAIN 



VALLEY. 



Ezra Brainerd. 



The lucid account of Scirpus validus and its two allied species, 

 presented in the April number of Rhodora by Mrs. Agnes Chase, 

 has doubtless led many students of Botany to examine these plants 

 in the field during the past season. The statement that .S". hetero- 

 chaetus had been found in New England only at Milton, Vermont, and 

 the fact that S. occidentalis had not been seen from Vermont at all, 

 were additional motives for the examination of the bulrushes, that 

 were known to occur abundantly in Lake Champlain. The result of 

 observations at many stations over a stretch of fifty miles is here 

 given. 



1. S. validus is extremely rare in the waters of the Lake. Only 

 one small colony was seen in a sheltered bay, where it was growing 

 in mucky sand on the border of a marsii. It is, however, abundant 

 along sluggish streams and in small ponds back from the Lake. Its 

 weak stems ill adapt it to withstand the waves of large bodies of 

 water. 



2. S. occidentalis is the prevailing species in Lake Champlain, 

 covering hundreds of acres. Its strong, pliant stems enable it to 

 grow even in exposed situations. It is found in water, one to three 

 feet deep even in August. This and the matted interwoven condition 

 of the rootstocks make it difficult to secure proper specimens. The 

 plant begins to ripen seeds some six weeks later than does S. validus. 

 The "Eastern form," with open panicles, is the usual one in Lake 

 Champlain ; but in one colony near Pelot's Bay, North Hero, the 

 spikelets are in congested heads, as figured by Mrs. Chase in Plate 

 53» cc. 



