400 CYPERACE^. 



3, rarely 2, 6 or 12. Style 2-cleft. Achenium crustaceou*, 

 crowned with the persistent base of the style. 



* Achenium smooth, mostly lenticular. 



1. R. alba Vahl : culm triangular above ; spikelets in corymbose fasciclea; 

 bristles usually 10, retrorsely hispid, longer than the ovoid-lenticular ache- 

 nium. Schcenus altnis Linn. 



Swamps and bogs. Can. to Car. W. to Ohio. July, Aug. %. — Culm 12 — 18 

 inches high, smooth. Leaves setaceous, shorter than the culm. Spikelets about 

 2-flowered. " Scales lanceolate, whitish, when old brownish. 



White Beak Rush. 



2. B. gracilenta Gray : culm and leaves very slender ; clusters of spike- 

 lets 2 — 4, small, somewhat crowded, the terminal one nearly sessile ; bristles 

 6, longer than the smooth ovoid^lenticular achenium ; tubercle long, sub- 

 ulate. 



Sandy grounds. N. Y. and N. J. to N. Car. Culm 1 — 2 feet high, almost 

 capillary. Leaves linear, setaceous. Spikelets few-flowered, ovoid. Scales 

 ovate, fuscous. Tall Slender Beak Rv^h. 



3. R. Kneiskernii Carey: culm triangular, slender; spikes numerous, in 

 4 — 6 distant clusters ; bristles 5, retrorsely hispid, about as long as the obo- 

 vate somewhat stiped achenium^ tubercle triangular, compressed, broad 

 at the base. {Carey, Sill. Jour. July, 1847.) 



Pine Barrens, N. J. D?-. Kneiskern. Culm 12 — 18 inches high, branching 

 from the base. Leaves short and narrow. Spikes small, setaceously bracteate, 

 forming small distant clusters throughout the whole length of the culm. It re- 

 sembles the preceding, but differs in its achenium and bristleg. 



Kneiskern's Beak Rush. 



4. R. glomerata Vahl : culm obtusely triangular ; spikelets ovoid-oblong, 

 in corymbose clusters, distant, mostly in pairs ; bristles 6, hispid, as long 

 as the obovoid-lenticular achenium; tubercle lanceolate. Schcenus glom- 

 eraius Linn. 



Swamps and bogs. Can. to Flor. July, Aug. %.. — Culm 12 — 18 inches 

 high, smooth. Leaves flat, shorter than the culm. Scales lanceolate, brownish. 



Clustered Beak Rush. 



5. R. capillacea Torr. : culm triangular, slender ; spikelets 3 — 6, nearly 

 terminal ; bristles 6, about twice as long as the oblong-ovate compressed 

 achenium ; tubercle lanceolate, rostrate. Schosnus setaceus Muhl. 



Swamps. Can. to Penn. July. 1\. — Culm 6 — 12 inches high. Leaves seta- 

 ceous ; radical ones short. Spikelets about 1 — 3-flowered. Scales light brown, 

 oblong, mucronate. Capillary Beak Rush. 



6. R. fusca R. <f« S. : culm obscurely triangular ; clusters of spikelets 1 — 3^ 

 somewhat capitate; bristles 6, slender, minutely hispid, about twice the 

 length of the obovate achenium ; tubercles slender, acute. Schosnus fuscus 

 Linn. 



Swamps. Mass. N. Y. and N. J. July, Aug. %..—CulmS—\'i inches high, 

 very slender. Leaven Jiimost filiform ; radical ones elongated. Scales dark- 

 brown and shining. Brown Beak Rush. 



7. /?. cephaUmtha Gray : heads somewhat globose, dense, many-flowered, 



