238 Engelmann and Gray, 



spicis ovatis obtusis multifloris ; squamis rufescentibus mem- 

 branaceis obtusis margine scariosis ; stylo trifido ; achenio 

 obovato compresso triangulari opaco tuberculo distincto rostrato 

 acuto multum majore setas 6 tenues subexcedente. — Galves- 

 ton Island, May, creeping in the loose sand. (Also along the 

 southern coast of the United States.) 



206. Scirpus lacustris, Linn. Galveston. May. 1 



207. Spartina junciformis (n. sp.) : humilis (1—2 peda" 

 lis) ; foliis convolutis angustis, caulinis paucis brevibus, radi- 

 calibus caespitosis culmum subcequantibus ; spicis 8—10 oblongis 

 sessilibus ad rachin laeviusculam adpressis ; carina glumarum 

 longitudine subaequalium palea3que inferioris ciliato-hispida. 

 Saline prairies near the coast. May. — Plant with the foliage 

 and much the aspect of S.juncea; but with the spikes and 

 flowers different from that species, as well as from S. IcEvi- 

 gata. A few specimens of a taller variety were collected in 

 July. 



208. K(eleria trttncata, Torr. Woods, Houston. May. 



209. Uniola gracilis, Michx. Variety with broad and 

 hairy leaves, the florets undeveloped. Houston. June. 



210. Panicum (Orthopogon) hirtellum. Michx. Hous- 

 ton. June. 



211. Andropogon avenaceus, Michx. Houston. Sept. 



1 I wish to subjoin the character of a remarkable Scirpus, 'which has been discov- 

 ered this season, near Providence, Rhode Island, by Mr. Olney (the author of a Cata- 

 logue of Rhode Island Plants, 1S45,) whose name I ain desirous it should bear. 



Scirpus Olneyi (n. sp. A. Gr.) : culmis triquetro-alatis 2-7-pedalibus aphyllis 

 basi vaginatis sub apice triangulari-subulato brevi capitulam sessilem, e spicis 6-12 

 ovato-oblongis, gerentibus ; squamis orbiculatis mucronatis ; antheris apice barbula- 

 tis ; stylo bifido ; setis 6 retrorsum hispidulis achenium obovatum plano-convexum 

 gibbosum apiculatum vix asquantibus. — In a salt marsh on the Seekonk river, Rhode 

 Island, Mr. S. T. Olney. This species is most allied to S. pungens, Vahl, (S. 

 Americanus, Pers.) fr0m,which it is especially distinguished by its remarkably 3- 

 winged stem. The reentering angles are so deep that the cross section presents the 

 appearance of three rays, or plates with parallel sides, joined at a common centre. 

 This species has just been detected on the coast of New Jersey by that very assidu- 

 ous botanist, Dr. Knieskern, from whose specimens I have added the characters of 

 the achenium; as the fruit has failed to ripen this year in the Rhode Island plant. 



A. Gr. 



