64 TRIANDRIA— MONOGYNIA. Eleocharis. 



2. E. multicaidis . Many- stalked Spike-rush. 



Stem round. Root fibrous. Stigmas three. Seed acutely 

 triangular, as well as the permanent base of the style. 



Scirpus multicaulis. Fl. Br. 48. Engl. Bot. v. 17. t. 1 187. Don 

 H. Br. 128. Fahl Enum. v. 2. 24G. Schrad. Germ. v. 1. 128. 



S. palustris /3, minor. Wahlenb . Lapp . 14. Hook. Scot. 18. Liiin. 

 FL Lapp. ed. 2.16. 



S. t. 1G7. Fl. Dan. See the remarks to t. 287 of that work. 



S. multicaulis, equiseti capitulis minoribus. Rel. Riidb. 28. f. 2. 



S. equiseti capitulis crassioribus et habitioribus, pumilus et multi- 

 caulis. Rupp. Jen. ed. Hall. 319. 



S. caule aphyllOj spica imbricata subrotunda,, glumis obtusis. Hall. 

 Enum. 249. 



On turfy bogs, and wet commons, in many parts of Scotland, as 

 well as in Cornwall, Essex, Sussex, Yorkshire and Norfolk. 

 First noticed in the isle of Skye^, by Mr, John Mackay, in 1794. 



Perennial. July. 



Root tufted, with many long fibres. Whole plant rather smaller 

 than the preceding. Stems very numerous, 8 or 10 inches high, 

 sometimes more, spreading loosely, with 1 or 2 tight purplish 

 sheaths at the base. Leaves none. Spike smaller, more acute 

 and slender, than in the last, and rather darker coloured. One 

 or two of the lower flowers are often viviparous. Glumes obtuse, 

 with a membranous edge. Stam. 3. Stigmas certainly 3, as is 

 clearly expressed in Engl. Bot., though Professor Schrader, by a 

 scarcely credible mistake in any body, but least of all in him, 

 positively asserts that the painter has faultily drawn but 2 ! I 

 presume moreover to persist in the correctness of the above sy- 

 nonyms, contrary to his opinion. There being, as Schrader al- 

 lows, 3 stigmas, the seed, has one fiat side, and 3 nearly equal an- 

 gles, and is smaller and browner than that of E. palustris, having 

 moreover a triangular beak, or point. There are 5 or 6 rough 

 bristles at the base of the germen, often more or less deciduous. 

 Dr. Wahlenberg declares that he has carefully examined these 

 two species, and found them the same, the root not being creep- 

 ing in either. Professor Hooker, following him, has accordingly 

 made them varieties, I recommend to these excellent botanists 

 to consider the above particulars, and have no doubt of their 

 coming to a better authorized conclusion. 



3. E. acicularis. Least Spike-rush. 



Stem quadrangular. Stigmas three. Seed numerously 

 furrowed, without bristles at the base. Filaments per- 

 manent. 



Scirpus acicularis. Linn. Sp. PL 71, omitting Scheuchz. syn. 

 mild. V. 1. 295. Vahl Enum. v. 2. 245. FL ^r. 51. EngL BoL 



