{,to4 CLIX. ERICAULONACEiE. Eriocaulon. 



linear-ensiform, more or less twisted, acute, rigid, erect, shorter than the scape ; 

 head oblong-globose, obtuse; scales coriaceous, imbricated, obtuse, concave, 

 scarious and }^ello\vish at edge ; lower ones empty ; sep. not exserted ; claws of 

 petals as long as the scales.— I]. Meadows, swamps and prairies, U. S. not un- 

 common. Scape firm and wiry, often twisted or flexuous, 1— 2f high, 1" diam. 

 Leaves few, flat, 6—12' by 2—3," clasping or equitant at base. Petals yellow, 

 limb spreading, retuse. July, Aug. 



a. brevifulia. Wood. (X. brevifolia. Mx.) Lvs. linear-subulate, short, much 

 twisted.— Evidently a variety of this polymorphous species. 



y. '? Ol7ieyi. Wood. Lvs. larger, nearly as long as the scape ; strongly equi- 

 tant-clasping at base ; scales rather loosely imbricated ; sep. a little exserted ; 

 filaments hairy.— Cumberland, R. I., Olney ! Scape 18—24' high. Leaves 3— 

 4" wide. — Perhaps distinct, but its claims cannot now be satisfactorily deter- 

 mined. 



2. X. FiMBRiATUS. Ell. Fringed Xyris. 



Scape tall, erect; lvs. linear-ensiform, about equaling the scape; head ob- 

 long, with the scales loosely imbricated ; sepals much exserted, fimbriate. — A 

 large species, found in N. J. (^Darlington) S. to Ga., Elliott. Scape 2 — 3f high. 

 — I have never seen this species. 



Order CLIX. ERICAULONACE^.— Pipeworts. 



Herhs perennial, aquatic, with linear, spongy, cellular leaves sheathing at base. 

 Fis monoecious or dioecious, in a dense head. Perianth 2— 6-parted, or wanting. 

 Sta 6, some of them generally abortive. Antlurs mostly l-celled. 

 Ova. 1 or more-celled, cells 1 -seeded. Seeds pendulous. 

 Genera 9, species 200, chiefly South American. They are of no known use. 



ERIOCAULON. 



Gir. epiov, wool, Kav\oi, stem; the stem being sometimes woolly or tomentose. 



Flowers S , collected into an imbricated head ; involucre many- 

 leaved, d in the disk ; perianth single, 3-cleft. the 2 inner seg- 

 ments united nearly to their summit; stamens 4 — 6. 9 in the 

 margin ; perianth single, deeply 4-parted ; style 1 ; stigmas 2 or 3 ; 

 capsule 2 — 3-celled, 2 — 3-lobed ; cells 1 -seeded. 



1. E. SEPTANGULARE. With. (E. pcUucidum. Michx.) Pipewort. 

 Smooth ; scape slender, about 7-farrowed ; lvs. linear-subulate, pellucid, 



channeled, 5- veined; hd. small, globose; scales of the involucre obtuse. — A 

 small plant of simple structure, in water, only the scape arising above the sur- 

 face. Leaves radical, submersed, in a .small tuft at the bottom, 1 — 3' by 1 — 2", 

 tapering to a point, transparent at base. Stem simple, erect, 4 — 12' high, with 

 a small, terminal, hemispherical head of close, white flowers. Jn. 



2. E. DECANGULARE. Michx. Tall Pipewort. 



Scape lO-furrowed; lvs. ensiform, glabrous; hds. large, depressed-globose; 

 invol. scales oval, acute, those of the receptacle mucronate. — Ponds, N. J. to 

 Car. Scape 2 — 3f high. Flowers very white. Aug. 



3. E. GNAPHALoiDEs. Michx. (E. decangulare. Walt.) 



Scape somewhat compressed, with 10 furrows ; lvs. short, subulate, ensi- 

 form, glabrous ; hds. hemispheric-convex ; invol. of shining, scarious, oval, 

 round-obtuse soalps. — In still waters. Scape 10—14' high. July. 



