33 



CYPERACEAE. 



VOL. I. 



9. Scirpus americanus Pers. Three-square. Chair-maker's Rush. Sword-grass. 



Fig. 809. 



Scirpus americanus Pers. Syn. i : 68. 1805. 

 Scirpus pungcns Vahl, Enum. 2 : 255. 1806. 

 Scirpus americanus longispicatus Britton, Trans. N. Y. 



Acad. Sci. n : 78. 1892. 

 S. Olneyi contortus Eames, Rhodora 2: 220. 1907. 



Perennial by Jong rootstocks, culms sharply trian- 

 gular with concave sides or one of the sides nearly 

 flat, erect, stiff, i-4 tall. Leaves 1-3, narrowly 

 linear, keeled, shorter than the culm ; spikelets ob- 

 long-ovoid, acute, 4"-! 2" long, capitate in clusters 

 of 1-7, appearing as if lateral; involucral leaf soli- 

 tary, slender, i -4' long ; scales broadly ovate, brown, 

 often emarginate or sharply 2-cleft at the apex, the 

 midvein extended into a subulate awn sometimes i" 

 long, the margins scarious, ciliolate or glabrous ; 

 bristles 2-6, downwardly barbed, shorter than or 

 equalling the achene; stamens 3; style usually 2-cleft; 

 achene obovate, plano-convex, smooth, dark brown, 

 mucronate. 



In fresh water and brackish swamps, temperate North America, north to Newfoundland. Also 

 in South America and Europe. June-Sept. 



Olney's Bulrush. 



10. Scirpus Olneyi A. Gray. 

 Fig. 8 10. 



Scirpus Olneyi A. Gray, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. 5 : 238. 1845. 



Similar to the preceding species, perennial by long 

 rootstocks, culms stout, sharply 3-angled with concave 

 sides, 2-7 tall. Leaves 1-3, i'-s' long, or sheaths 

 sometimes leafless; spikelets capitate in dense clusters 

 of 5-12, oblong or ovoid-oblong, obtuse, 2j"-4" long, 

 the solitary involucral leaf short, stout, erect, i'-ii' 

 long; scales oval or orbicular, dark brown with a green 

 midvein, emarginate or mucronulate, glabrous ; bristles 

 usually 6, slightly shorter than or equalling the achene, 

 downwardly barbed; stamens 2-3; style 2-cleft; achene 

 obovate, plano-convex, brown, mucronate. 



In salt marshes, New Hampshire to Florida, Texas, Mex- 

 ico and California, extending north along the Pacific Coast 

 to Oregon. Also in Michigan and Arkansas and in the 

 West Indies. June-Sept. 



ii. Scirpus Torreyi Olney. Torrey's Bul- 

 rush. Fig. 81 1. 



Scirpus Torreyi Olney, Proc. Providence Frank. Soc. i : 

 32. 1847. 



Perennial by short or slender rootstocks, culms 

 sharply 3-angled, rather slender, nodulose, 2-4 tall. 

 Leaves narrowly linear, elongated, nodulose, light 

 green, sometimes overtopping the culm ; spikelets 

 1-4, in an apparently lateral capitate cluster, oblong, 

 narrowed at each end, 5"-8" long; involucral leaf 

 2'-6' long, erect; scales ovate or lanceolate, shining, 

 chestnut-brown, glabrous, obtuse or the upper acute, 

 mucronulate ; bristles about 6, downwardly barbed, 

 longer than the achene; stamens 3; style 3-cleft; 

 achene obovoid, smooth, shining, light brown, 3- 

 angled, one of its sides broader and flatter than the 

 others. 



In swamps, Maine to Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, 

 west to Minnesota and Manitoba. July-Sept. 



