256 PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



Eriophorum. L. 3. 1. Cotton Grass. 



The name is derived from the Greek for bearing wool, as the 

 spikes of flowers and fruit produce many long, woolly hairs, which 

 make the plants conspicuous at some distance. They grow in 

 wet or marshy situations, and some of them in the deepest and 

 coldest marshes, like those in Stockbridge, Becket, Peru, Wen- 

 ham, &c. In such marshes are E. alpinwn, L., the E. Hud- 

 sonianum, Mx., and E. vaginatum, L. Besides these, are the 

 more common species, E. cespitosum, Ph., E. Virginicuni, L., 

 E. polystachyunij L., and E. angustifolium , Richard, which 

 have 40-60 long white hairs in each flower. None of these 

 plants, which are widely spread over the country, are very abun- 

 dant, or applied to any important purpose. A few more species 

 are found in Arctic America. 



RHrNCHOSPORA. Valil. 3. I. 



From the Greek for beak and seed, as the seeds are beaked. 

 Loudon. Four species occur in this State. They are nearly 

 related to the preceding, and grow about wet places, rising a 

 foot or more high, rather rare plants, of little consequence. The 

 species are R. alba, Vahl., R. glomerata, Vahl., R. macrostachya, 

 Torrey, now made the genus Ceratoschcenus by him ; and R. 

 fusca, Roem. and Schult., according to Mon. Cyp., Torrey. 

 The species are far more numerous and abundant in the Middle 

 and Southern States. 



SCHCENUS. L. 3. 1. 



From the Greek for cord, as the plants were twisted into cord- 

 age. Loudon. 



S. mariscoides. Muhl. Bog Rush. Another of the kindred 

 plants, credited to this State by Dr. Bigelow ; found in "Fresh 

 Pond," and also in " Belchertown and Leverett." 



Culm 2 feet high, smooth, or rough with dots, furrowed, leafy ; 

 umbel terminal ; leaves channeled ; seed naked, rounded ; July ; 

 in bogs. 



