38 CYPERACEZ 
appear in June. It is of local occurrence from Cornwall to Surrey, thence to 
the extreme north of Scotland ; also in Ireland and the Channel Islands. 
3. TWIG-RUSH (Clédium). 
Prickly Twig-rush (C. mariscus).—The only British species. A tall 
and robust marsh-plant, 3—4 feet high, with a strong, cane-like stem and 
very long narrow leaves, which, at the edges and keel, are armed with minute 
recurved teeth, like those of a fine saw, and terminate in a tapering triangular 
point. The stem is nearly round and bears several leaves, and the numerous 
spikelets are arranged in the form of a compound leafy panicle. It inhabits 
marshes and fens throughout England, but is local, and is most abundant in 
Cambridgeshire. It is also plentiful in Galloway, Scotland. It flowers in 
July and August. There are usually about six glumes in a spikelet, of which 
only two or three bear flowers, and of these rarely more than one perfects 
fruit, which, when mature, is nearly as large as the spikelet. 
4. BEAK-RUSH (?hynchdspora). 
1. White Beak-rush (f. alba).—Stem divided, leafy, each branch 
bearing an abrupt crowded cluster of spikelets ; outer glumes scarcely over- 
topping the spikelets. A slender grass-like plant, with stems about a foot 
high, several of which proceed from one root, and are accompanied by long 
narrow leaves. The flowers are of a singularly white colour, recalling the 
hue of straw bleached by the sun. It flowers from July to August, and is 
not uncommon in peaty bogs. 
2. Brown Beak-rush (Lf. fusca).—Stem leafy, bearing several oval 
heads of spikelets, which are overtopped by the leaf-like outer glumes. A 
rare plant, inhabiting bogs in Ireland and the south-west of England. In 
habit it resembles the last, but may at once be distinguished by its rich brown 
heads of flowers, which are accompanied by one or more long bracts, and its 
extremely narrow, almost bristle-like leaves. It flowers from July to August. 
5. Biysmus (Llysmus). 
1. Broad-leaved Blysmus (B. compréssus).—Stem somewhat triangular ; 
spikelets 6—8-flowered; outer glume of the lowest spikelet with a leafy 
point ; leaves flat and rough at the edges and keel. 
2. Narrow-leaved Blysmus (B. rifus)—Stem round ; spikelets about 
4-flowered ; glumes all alike ; leaves very narrow, smooth, channelled. The 
two species of Blysmus may be at once distinguished from all other CyPEr- 
AcE& by bearing their spikelets arranged on opposite sides of the stem, after 
the habit of wheat, or rye-grass. The stem of B. compréssus is from 6—8 
inches high, and it grows in boggy pastures, often near the sea. B. rufus is 
more slender and rigid, and is found in similar situations. Both species 
flower in July, but their range in this country is not the same : B. compréssus 
extending only from Kent and Somerset as far north as the Forth and the 
Clyde; whilst B. riéifus may be found from the extreme north of Scotland, 
but only as far south as North Wales and Lincoln. The latter species also 
occurs in the north of Ireland. Both species are included by some authors 
in the genus Scirpus. 
