GENUS 3. 



SEDGE FAMILY. 



7. Eleocharis capitata (L.) R. Br. Capitate Spike-rush. Fig. 764. 



Scirpus capitatus L. Sp. PI. 48. 1753- 



Eleocharis capitata R.Br. Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl. i : 225. 1810. 



Eleocharis dispar E. J. Hill, Bot. Gaz. 7: 3. 1882. 



E. capitata dispar Fernald, Rhodora 8 : 129. 1906. 



Annual, roots fibrous, culms densely tufted, nearly 

 terete, almost filiform, rather stiff, 2'-io' tall. Upper 

 sheath i-toothed; spikelet ovoid, obtuse, much thicker 

 than the culm, \\"-2\" long, i"-ii" thick, many- 

 flowered ; scales broadly ovate, obtuse, firm, pale or 

 dark brown with a greenish midvein, narrowly scari- 

 ous-margined, persistent ; stamens mostly 2 ; style 

 2-clef t ; bristles 5-8, slender, downwardly hispid, as 

 long as the achene; achene obovate, jet black, smooth, 

 shining, nearly i" long; tubercle depressed, apiculate, 

 constricted at the base, very much shorter than the 

 achene. 



In moist soil, Maryland to Florida, west to Indiana and 

 Texas. Widely distributed in tropical regions. July-Sept. 



8. Eleocharis ovata (Roth) R. & S. Ovoid Spike-rush. Fig. 765. 



Scirpus ovatus Roth, Catal. Bot. i : 5. 1797. 

 Eleocharis ovata R. & S. Syst. 2: 152. 1817. 

 Eleocharis diandra Wright, Bull. Torr. Club 10 : 101. 1883. 



Annual, roots fibrous, culms tufted, slender or fili- 

 form, rather deep green, nearly terete, mostly erect, 

 2'-i6' tall. Upper sheath i-toothed; spikelet ovoid or 

 oblong, obtuse, many-flowered, 2"-$" long, i"-ii" in 

 diameter; scales thin, oblong-orbicular, very obtuse, 

 brown with a green midvein and scarious margins; 

 bristles 6-8, sometimes fewer or wanting, deciduous, 

 usually longer than the achene ; stamens 2 or 3 ; style 

 2-3-cleft ; achene pale brown, shining, lenticular, obo- 

 vate-oblong, smooth, i" long or more; tubercle del- 

 toid or depressed, acute, about one-forth as long as 

 the achene and narrower. 



In wet soil, New Brunswick to Ontario, Michigan and 

 Connecticut. Also in Europe. July-Sept. 



9. Eleocharis obtusa (Willd.) Schultes. 

 Blunt Spike-rush. Fig. 766. 



Scirpus obtusus Willd. Enum. 76. 1809. 

 Eleocharis obtusa Schultes, Mant. 2 : 89. 1824. 



E. obtusa jejuna Fernald, Proc. Am. Acad. 34 : 492. 

 1899. 



Annual, with fibrous roots ; culms tufted, 

 slender to filiform, i'-i8' long. Upper sheath 

 i-toothed; spikelet ovoid to ovoid-oblong, i"-6i" 

 long, i "-2\" thick, densely many-flowered; scales 

 broadly obovate, obtuse, brown with pale mar- 

 gins ; achene pale brown, obovate, smooth, len- 

 ticular, about I" long; tubercle deltoid or de- 

 pressed, nearly or quite as wide as the top of 

 the achene ; bristles mostly longer than the achene. 



In wet soil, Cape Breton Island to Minnesota, 

 British Columbia, Florida, Texas and Oregon. July- 

 Sept. 



