JuNCUs, CLVl. JUNCACEiE. 559 



/2. H. DioiCA. Ph. (Veratrum luteum. Linn.) Unicorn Root. 

 St. leafy ; Ivs. lanceolate, radical ones oblanccolate ; rac. spiked, nodding, 

 dioecious ; ped. short, without bracts ; sia. exserted ; segments linear. — In low- 

 grounds, Can. to Ga. and La. Root prcmorse. Stem or scape 12 — 30' high, 

 furrowed. Radical leaves 4 — 8' by J — 1', in a sort of whorl at the base of the 

 scape. Flowers small, very numerous, greenish-white, in long, terminal, spi- 

 cate racemes which are more slender and weak on the barren plants. Ovaries 

 as long as the linear petals, subtriangular. Capsule 3-furrowed, oblong, taper- 

 ing to the base, opening at the top. The fertile plants are taller, more erect, 

 but with fewer flowers. June. 



7. TOFIELDIA. Hudson. 



In honor of Mr. Tofield, a Scotch gentleman, residing near Doncaster. 



Flowers ? , calyculate, with 3 remotish, united bracts ; Ifts. of the 

 perianth pctaloid, spreading, sessile and without bracts ; sta. 6 ; anth. 

 roundish-cordate, iutrorse ; ovaries 3, united ; styles distinct, short ; 

 caps. 3-lobed, 3-partible ; capsule 00-seeded. — JLvs. equitant^ subradi- 

 cal. Scape not bulbous. Fls. spicate or racemose. 



T. GLUTINOSA. Nutt. 



St. leafy below, glandular-scabrous, simple : Ivs. shorter than the stem, 

 linear-ensiform, glabrous, obtuse ; rac. oblong, few-flowered, close, composed 

 of 3-flowered, alternate fascicles ; caps, longer than the perianth. — Woods, Ohio, 

 Sullivaiit ! to Wis. Lapham ! N. to Arctic Am. A plant remarkable for its 

 glutinous-glandular stem. Stem slender, scape-like, 1 — l§f high, dotted with 

 its dark-colored glands. Leaves 3 — 6' by 3 — 6", conduplicate. Spicate raceme 

 1 — IJ' long, 9 — 18-flowered. Pedicels nearly as long-as the flowers. Involucre 

 truncate, 3-toothed, a little below the perianth. Petals and sepals subequal, ob- 

 lanccolate, less than 2" long. Capsule of 3, half-united, inflated carpels, twice 

 longer than the perianth. 



Order CLYI. JUNCACEiE.— Rushes. 



Plantsherhaceous, generally grass-like, often leafless, with small, dry, green flowers. 

 Lvs. fistular, or tlat and channeled, with veins parallel. Inflorescence cymose, capitate or fascicled. 

 Perianth more or less glume-hke, regular. 6-leaved, in 2 series (sepals and petals) 

 Sta. 6, rarely 3, hypogynous. Antk. 2-celled. 



Ova. 3-carpeled, 3 (or by the dissepiments not reaching the centre l)-celled. 

 Styles united into 1. Stigmas 3. 



Pr. — Capsule 3-valved, with the dissepiments from the middle of the valves. 

 Seeds lew or many, with a fleshy aibumen. 

 Genera 13, species 200, chiefly natives of the cool parts of the earth. Properties unimportant. 

 Conspectus of the Genera, 



5 Capsule mostly 3-celled. .Seeds numerous Juncus. I 



i green, i Capsule 1-celled. Seeds 3, fixed to the bottom of cell. . . . Luzula. 2 



Perianth I colored, yellow ISarthecium. 3 



1. JUNCUS. 



Lat. jungo, to join ; because ropes were anciently made of these plants. 



Perianth persistent ; stamens 6 ; capsule mostly 3-celled ; seeds 

 numerous, attached to the inner edge of the dissepiments. 



* Leaves none. Cymes apparently lateral. 



1. J. Balticus. Wind. Baltic Rush. 



Rhizoma creeping, prostrate, rooting ; scapes numerous, sheathed at base, 

 opaque, terete, rigid, slender, pungently acute; panicle small, short, lateral; 

 perianth segments subequal, ovate-lanceolate, very acute, equaling the elliptical, 

 mucronate capsule. — Sandy shores, Milwaukie, Wis., Lapham! N. to the 

 Saskatchawan and Labrador. Scape leafless, 12 — 18' high, hard, tough, closely 

 arranged along the scaly rootstock, the sheaths 3" — 3' long. Panicle 2 — 3' be- 

 low the apex of the scape, 1' long. Flowers 20—40, reddish-brown. 



2. J. ACtJTUS. 



Ca:spitose ; scapes numerous, tall, rigid, terete, sheathed at base ; panicle 



