CYPERACEAE. 25 



i ' 8. MAEISCUS [Hall.] Ziiiii. Caulescent, often large, herbs. Leaves 

 with rough margins. Spikelets oblong to fusiform, few-flowered, variously clus- 

 tered. Scales spiral, the lower empty, the middle ones mostly subtending im- 

 perfect flowers, the upper with fertile flowers. Perianth none. Style de- 

 ciduous. Achene ovoid or globose, smooth or longitudinally striate, without a 

 tubercle. [Cladium P. Br.] 



J^/ 1. M. jamaicense (Crantz) Britton. Stems 1.5-3 m. high: leaf-blades very gla- 

 brous, 6-20 mm. wide, the margins spinulose-serrulate : umbels several or 

 numerous, decompound, forming a large panicle: spikelets mostly 2-5 together 

 at the ends of the raylets, narrowly ovoid, acute, -^5 mm. long: achene ovoid, 

 wrinkled, 2 mm. long. — Lime-sinks, low pinelands and hammocks, L. keys. — 

 [E. K.]~(Ber., Bah., Cula, Ant.)— Saw -grass. 



9. HEMlKEA Aubl. Caulescent herbs. Leaves imbricate: blades nar- 

 row, rigid. Involucre with numerous bracts, the outer spreading. Flowers 

 perfect. Spikelets numerous, capitate, 1-flowered. Scales about 4, imbricate. 

 Perianth wanting. Style barely enlarged below, the base continuous with the 

 ovary. Achenes 3-angled, tightly enclosed in the inner scales. — Tuft-grass. 



^^^1. R. maritima Aubl. Stems 0.5-3 dm. tall, densely leafy, simple: leaves 

 numerous; blades linear or linear-lanceolate, 2-10 cm. long, attenuate, slightly 

 involute, smooth: bracts of the involucre resembling the leaves: spike 1-1.5 

 cm. long, ovoid, sometimes compound: spikelets 3-5 mm. long: achenes nar- 

 rowly oblong, 2..5-3 mm. long, often curved, apiculate, rather granular. — 

 Coastal sand-dunes and open hammocks, U. S. keys, U. keys. — (Ant.) 



. 10. RYNCHOSPORA Yahl. Caulescent herbs. Leaves not imbricate: 

 blades narrow, flat, or involute. Spikelets not capitate, ovoid, oblong, or fusi- 

 form. Scales thin, 1-nerved, imbricate, usually mucronate by the excurrent 

 midvein. Upper flowers imperfect, the lower perfect. Perianth of 1-24 

 (mostly 6) upwardly or downwardly barbed or scabrous bristles, or wanting. 

 Achene lenticular or swollen, not 3-angled, smooth, cancellate or transversely 

 wrinkled, capped with the persistent tubercle. — Beak-rush. 



Perianth-bristles wanting : actienes less than 1 mm. long : leaf-blades filiform. 



1. R. (livergcns. 

 Perianth-bristles longer than the achene : achenes over 1 mm. 



long : leaf-blades 4-10 mm. wide. 2. R. caduca. 



/^i 1. R. divergens M. A. Curtis. Stems densely tufted, filiform or wiry, 1-4 dm. 

 tall: leaf-blades very slender: spikelets elliptic to ovoid-elliptic, 3-3.5 mm. 

 long, acute, in loose or rarely somewhat contracted corymbs: perianth-bristles 

 wanting: achene-body plump-lenticular, orbicular-obovoid, pale, 0.5-0.8 mm. 

 long, reticulate, pinched at the base; tubercle depressed, sessile. — Low pine- 

 lands, Big Pine Key.— [E. K.]—{Bah., Cuba.) 



^<!(' 2. R. caduca Ell. Stems often loosely tufted, 8-15 dm. tall: leaf -blades 4-10 

 mm. wide: spikelets ovoid, about 4 mm. long, numerous in 4-6 compound 

 corymbs: achene-body lenticular, orbicular-obovoid, about 1.5 mm. long, finely 

 transversely wrinkled ; tubercle conic exceeded by the perianth-bristles. — 

 Coastal sand-dunes, U. S. keys.— [E. K.] 



Order ARECALES. 



Shi-ubs or trees, with a single terminal bud. Leaves at the end of the 

 stem: blades plaited, pinnate or flabellate. Flowers perfect, polygamous, 



