146 



BRITISH FLORA 



Marsh Orchis (Orchis lali/olia, L.). — The habi- 

 tat of this plant is marshy places, damp, moist 

 meadows. The plant has the orchid habit. The 

 tubers .ire p.'ilm.atc. Tiic stem is usually Iiollow 

 and leafy above. The le.aves, with rinjj-shaped 

 spots, are spreading, the lowest oblonjf, blunt, 

 from a narrow base, broadest in the middle, 

 hince-shaped, acute, not hooded, the tip flat. The 

 bracts exceed the flowers and are 3-nerved, green. 

 The flowers are in a dense spike, purple, the lip 

 slightly 3-lobed, spotted with purple, the borders 

 ultimately bent back, scalloped, the middle lobe 

 the narrowest, the 2 lateral spreading. The spur 

 is awl-like, straight or bent down, shorter than 

 the ovary. The middle sepal and petal meet to- 

 gether. The plant is 9-30 in. high, and is in 

 flower in June and July, being a herbaceous per- 

 ennial. 



Order Iridace.e 



Iris spuria, L. — The habitat of this plant is 

 marshes. The plant has the Iris habit. The 

 stem is round. The leaves are linear. The flowers 

 vary in colour. The lamina is externally yellowish, 

 white-veined, with a blue claw, furrowed, the inner 

 segments and stigma violet. The capsule is blunt- 

 pointed. The pl.ant is 2-3 ft. high, flowering in June 

 and July, and is .a herbaceous perennial. 



Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinrhium angustifolimn. 

 Mill.). — The habitat of this species is damp, grassy 

 places and bogs. The plant has the grass habit. 

 The leaves are radical, grass-like, sword-shaped. 

 The flowers are blue, in an umbel, on a 2-edged 

 scape (with a flat, narrow wing) which is more 

 or less simple .and leafless. The spathe is 1-6- 

 flowered, with equal lance-shaped valves, not so 

 long as the flowers. The perianth-segments are 

 blue inside, oblong, bluntly notched, erect, lance- 

 shaped. The capsule is rounded, 3-angled. The 

 plant is 6-12 in. high, flowering in July and 

 August, and is a herbaceous perennial. 



Yellow Sisyrinchium {Sisyrinchium californi- 

 cum, Aiton). — The habitat of this species is 

 marshes. The plant has the grass habit. The 

 leaves are radical. The flowers are borne on 

 simple, flattened scapes broadly winged and leaf- 

 less, usually 2. The spathe is erect, the outer 

 valve equalling the flower, sheathing, united at the 

 base. The perianth is yellow, turning orange, 

 with dark veins, and the segments are oval, nar- 

 row below. The capsule is ellipsoid, 3ang!ed. 

 The plant is 6-18 in. high, flowering between July 

 and September, and is a herbaceous perennial. 



Order Liliace.e 



Scottish Asphodel (Tofeldia pa/us/ris, Huds.). 

 — The habitat of this species is mountain bogs and 

 rills. The Scottish Asphodel has the grass habit. 

 The rootstock is short and creeping. The stem 

 is slender. The leaves are radical, linear, sword- 

 shaped, in 2 rows, tufted. The flowers are pale- 

 green in a short, dense raceme or spike, stalkless 

 at first, then stalked, the scape naked, or 1-2 

 leaved, slender. The ultimate flower-stalks are 



short, with membranous, 3-lobed bracteoles at the 

 base. The perianth-segments are linear to oblong, 

 blunt. The capsule is more or less round. The 

 plant is 4-8 in. high, flowering in July and August, 

 and is a herbaceous perennial. 



Order Jl'ncace.« 



Toad Rush {Juncus bu/onius, L.). — The habitat 

 of this species is moist places, marshy places. 

 The habit is the rush habit. The plant is very 

 pale in colour. The stems are erect or ascending, 

 with forked branches, leafy, slender, septate. 

 The leaves are few, bristle-like, with only one 

 leaf on the stem as a rule, and are channelled 

 above, with short sheaths. The cyme is repeatedly 

 forked, the flowers pale-green, arranged all one 

 side, solitary, or distant, or clustered, stalkless, 

 the branches short or long, and wavy. There 

 may be 2-4 lateral, open, hexandrous flowers, 

 the terminal ones cleistogamic and triandrous. 

 The blunt membranous bracts are small. The 

 perianth-segments are lance-shaped, longer than 

 the capsule, unequal. The capsule is blunt, oblong, 

 inversely ovoid, pale. The seeds are roundly 

 oval. Tlie plant is 4-8 in. in height, flowering in 

 July and August, and is a herbaceous perenni.al. 



Loose-flowered Rush {Juncus effusus, L.). — 

 The habitat of this plant is marshy ground and 

 moist places. The plant has the rush habit. It 

 forms circular, densel)'-matted tufts. The stems 

 are soft, green, with fine furrow^s. The leaves are 

 reduced to sheaths, absent, or very small, and 

 slender, at the top of the sheathing scales. The 

 pith is continuous. The sheaths are dull brown, 

 not inflated. The barren and fertile stems are 

 awl-like. The flowers are in a loose compound or 

 dense panicle. The perianth-segments are lance- 

 shaped, longer than the capsule, olive-green. The 

 anthers are oval, short, oblong, with 3 or 6 

 stamens. The capsule is inversely ovate, notched, 

 not blunt-pointed. The seeds are very small and 

 yellowish-brown. The plant is 1-3 ft. in height, 

 flowering in July and .August, and is a herbaceous 

 perennial. 



Common Rush (Juncus conglovieraius, L.). — 

 The habitat of this plant is marshy ground, wet 

 places. The plant has the rush habit. The stems 

 are softly, finely-furrowed. The pith is continuous. 

 The leaves, if any, are as in the last. The cymes 

 are dense, more or less roimd. The perianth- 

 segments are lance-shaped, tinged with brown, 

 and longer than the capsule. There are 3 stamens. 

 Tile anthers are long, linear. The capsule is mu- 

 cronate, inversely ovate, notched. The plant is 

 1-3 ft. in height, flowering in July and August, 

 and is a herbaceous perennial. 



Lesser Jointed Rush (Juncus hulhosus, L. = 

 J. supinus, Mocnch). — The habitat of this plant is 

 bogs and wet places. The Lesser Jointed Rush 

 has the rush habit. The rootstock is usually 

 tuberous {hence bulbosus). The stem is slender, 

 erect, prostrate or sometimes floating, round in 

 section, with limp, straggly branches and ob- 

 scure joints. The leaves are bristle-like, slender, 



