Class III. Order I. 



SCIRPUS MARITIMUS. L. Sea dub rush. 



Culm triangular, panicle clustered, leafy, termi- 

 nal ; glumes pointed, torn into three segments. Sm. 



Syn, SCIRPUS MACRosfAcnrus. Lam, Muhl, 



Culm erect, smooth, one or two feet high, leafy at base. 

 Leaves linear, acute, rough on the margin. Bractes or floral 

 leaves several, very unequal in length. Panicle resting on these, 

 crowded, consisting of large sessile and pedunculated spikes, 

 ovate, conspicuous by their dull chesnut colour and yellow an- 

 thers. The glumes are ovate, shining, slightly carinated, divid- 

 ed into three small segments at tip, the middle one of which is 

 prolonged into a short, setaceous awn. Salt marshes and ditch- 

 es. July. Perennial. 



SciRPUS RETROFRAOTUS. It. BuTT 



Culm triangular ; umbel simple ; spikelets di- 

 varicated. 



A conspicuous grass in meadows and low grounds. Stem 

 erect, with three acute angles. Leaves smooth, with a rough 

 edge. Floral leaves several, very long, unequal. Rays of the 

 umbel unequal, with terminal spikes. Spikelets numerous, lin- 

 ear-subulate, closely imbricate, sessile, surrounding their com-r 

 mon stalk, and inserted nearly at a right angle with it. July, 

 Avi gust. Perennial. 



SCIRPUS ACUTUS. Muhl. Pointed bullrush. 



Culm round, leafless, equal ; spikes several, be- 

 low the top, oblong, somewhat umbelled. 



This nearly resembles the large bullrush, ( Scirjius lacus- 

 tris,) but differs in its fructification, which is lateral, never ter- 

 minal. Culm erect, round, smooth, naked, filled with light, 

 spongy pith, often spotted, five or six feet high, uniform in size 

 for the greater part of its length, ending in an acute point. 



