rushes IIORTUS JAM A K3 EN SIB. 139 



The aphyllous scirpus, with a triangular stalk, is frequent in all the sending shallow 

 waters in Jamaica, especially to the east and west of" Kingston ; the stalks are almost 

 hollow, and partitioned by frequent transverse septse. Browne. It resembles the 

 following species \ery much, but the culm is three-sided, softish, and not geniculated. 



Linneus. 



2. GF.NICULATUS. KXFF.-.TOINTFD. 



Juncus aquaticus geniculates > capitulis equiseti, major. Sloanc, v. 

 1, p. 121, t. 81, f. 3, and t. 7 5, f. 2. Major rotundus, panicula 

 terminali, spicillis compressis pedv.ncidis tenuioribus et longioribus 

 incidentibus. Browne, p. 127. S. 5. 



Culm round, naked; spike oblong, terminating. 



Culms five or six, from two to three feet high, of a fine shining green colour, hollow, 

 with many transverse membranes; geniculated, with no pith. Head oblong, scalv, 

 white. It varies in size, and is found in holes of the lowlands where water has stood. 

 Sloane. Browne calls it the flat panicled bull-rush, and says it is very like the c< >i ti- 

 mon bull- rush. 



3. CAPITATTJS. HEADED. 



Culmo rotundo nudo ; spica stricla oblonga terminali. Browne, p. 

 126. S. 3. 



Culm round, naked, bristle-form ; spike sub-globular, terminating. 



Browne calls this the ap/ijjllous round-shanked scirpus, which, with the first spe; tes, 

 ii ta be found in all shallow standing waters. 



With round culms and several spikes, 



4. LACUSTRIS. LAKE. 



Juncus Iteiis. Sloane, v. 1, p. 122. Major rotundus, panicula ter- 

 minali, spicillis compressis pedunculis tenuioribus et longioribus in- 

 cidentibus. Browne, p. 127. 



Culm round, naked; panicle cymed, decompounded, terminating; spikelets 

 ovate. 



"Roots creeping under water horizontally, thick, and strong : stems straight, four or 

 five feet, or much more, in height, naked, round, smooth, dark green, verv spongy, 

 and full of watery juice within, with several alternate sheathing scales at the base. 

 Panicle decompounded, in a cyme-like form; its branches are very unequal, com- 

 pressed, and fringed towards their extremities : bractes two exterior, lanceolate, acute, 

 sheathing, commonly shorter than the pa-.ide, and many interior ones, which are 

 smaller ; spikes clustered (generally two or three together), ovate, brown, with a shin- 

 ing rusty tinge; glumes concave, keeled, pointed, fringed, sometimes cloven, but 

 with a serrated point in the cleft; stamens not very long ; stigma three-cleft ; seed flat 

 on one side, convex on the other, with five or six short rough bristles at its base. * 

 Smith. This grows commonly about the Ferry, and about the banks of rivers, as well 

 as in lagoons. It is used in England as well as in Jamaica for making bottoms to chairs, 

 2nd for thatching cottages, being of a soft pliant nature, and destitute of the roughness 

 or cutting edges of many grass-like plants. In hard seasons cattle will eat it. 



5. AUTU.MSAI.IS; 



