JuNcus. CLVl. JUNCACEiE. 559 



2. H. DIOJCA. Ph. ( Veratrum luteum. Linn.) Unicorn Root. 



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

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

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

 furrowed. Radical leaves 4—8' by i— 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 petaloid, spreading, sessile and without bracts ; sta. 6 ; anth. 

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

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

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



T. GLUTINOSA. Nutt. 



St. lealy below, glandular-scabrous, simple : h-s. 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, 

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

 glutinous-glandular stem. Stem slender, scape-like, 1—1 if high, dotted with 

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

 1 — li' 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- 

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

 longer than the perianth. 



Order CLVL JUNCACEiE.— Rushes. 



Ptanrs herbaceous, generally gra-ss-like, often leafless, with small, dry, green flowers. 

 Lvs. fistular. or flat and channeled, with veins parallel. Inflorescence cymose, capitate OTfaBcicled 

 Perianth more or less glume-like, regular, eleaved, in 2 series (sepals and petals) 

 Sm. 6, rarely 3, hypogynous. Anth. 2 celled. 



Ova. 3-carpeIed, 3 (or by the dissei)imerits not reaching the centre l)-celled. 

 Styles united into 1. Sti;^'-nia8 3. 



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

 Seeds lew or many, with a fleshy albumen. 

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

 Conspectns of the Genera. 



^ Capsule mostly 3-celled. Seeds numerous Jicncua 1 



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



Peiianth I colored, yellow Nartheciwn. 3 



1. JUNCUS. 



IjBX.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. BALTiCrs. Willd. Jinllic Rusk. 



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 eaji.siiic. — Sandy shores, Milwankie, Wis., Lnpham! N. to the 

 Saskatchawan and Labrador. Scape leafles.s, 12 — 18' high, hard, tough, clo.sely 

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

 low the apex of the scape, 1' long. Flowers 20 — 10, reddish-brown. 



2. J. ACUTU8. 



Caespilose; scapes numerous, tall, rigid, terete, sheathed at ba.se; panicle 



