158 HEXANDRIA—MONOGYNIA. Juncus. 



quite so tall. Spadix about a foot above the root, a little spread- 

 ing, 2 or 3 inches long, tapering, covered with a mass of very 

 numerous, thick-set, pale green /lowers, which have no scent, 

 except ^en bruised. A very narrow wavy membrane may be 

 observed at the base of the spadix, which perhaps ought to be 

 taken into the generic character as a spatha. 

 Thejlowers are rare. The dried root powdered is used, by the 

 country people in Norfolk, for curing the ague. On the Mayor's 

 day, in June, the cathedral of Norwich, and some of the streets, 

 have from time immemorial been strewed, or decorated, with 

 this plant, which, when trodden upon, smells somewhat like 

 myrtle j but having become less plentiful, its place is now 

 partly supplied by Iris Pseud-acorus, or the larger kinds of Carex. 



198. JUNCUS. Rush. 



Linn. Gen. 1/3. Juss. 44. Fl. Br. 374. Mich. Gen. 37. t.3\. Br. 

 Prodr. 258. Bicheno Tr. of L, Soc. v. 12. 297. Lam. t. 250. 

 Gcertn. t.\o. 



Nat. Ord. Trijpetaloidecc. Linn. 5. Ju?ici. Juss. 13. N. 199. 

 the same. 



Cal. inferior, of six oblong, acute, permanent leaves ; 3 of 

 them internal and rather the smallest. Cor. none. Fi- 

 lam. capillary, short, attached to the base of the calyx- 

 leaves; 3 of them sometimes wanting. A?it/i. oblong, 

 erect, of 2 cells, bursting lengthwise. Germ, superior, 

 triangular. Sfi/le simple, cylindrical, short, deciduous. 

 Stigmas 3, elongated, tapering, downy. Caps, triangular, 

 smooth, invested with the permanent calyx, of 3 cells, 

 and 3 firm valves with central partitions. Seeds very nu- 

 merous, minute, roundish, inserted all along the inner 

 edge of each partition, often furnished with a partial 

 tunic. 



Moots fibrous, or creeping, mostly perennial. Herbage 

 smooth. Stem simple, naked, or more or less leafy; 

 spongy within, rigid, sometimes spinous at the summit. 

 Leaves alternate, channelled or flat, undivided, and for 

 the most part, if not invariably, entu-e ; sqmetimes inter- 

 nally cellular. Fl. lateral or terminal, panicled, or some- 

 what capitate, greenish, with a pair of close bracteas to 

 each. Caps, often dark-coloured, and highly polished. 



* Leaves none. 



1. J. acutus. Great Sharp Sea Rush. 



Stem naked, sharp-pointed. Panicle aggregate, near the 



