296 Mr. J. E. BiciiENo's Observations 



botanists. That which they have denominated the leaves of the 

 true Junci, beginning with glaucus and ending with Jtliformis, 1 

 have regarded as barren stems, and for these reasons : — the spe- 

 cies wliich arc most nearly allied to them, having leaves, produce 

 them from a membranous intesument sheathing the base of the 

 stem, as in J, actitus and maritimiis. They are generally indeed seta- 

 ceous, channelled, and of a totally different appearance from the 

 culm which they accompany. Examples may be found in their 

 congeners J. hulhosus of Linnaeus, squarrosus, and bufonius ; and iu 

 many plants more remotely allied, such as many of the Eriophora, 

 Schmni and Scirpi. Of the last genus, some of the species pro- 

 duce leaves constantly, as Scirpus Jluitans, acicuhiris, sctaceus, &c. : 

 others sparingly, as ccespitosus ; and others none at all, as palus' 

 tris and multicaulis. But the manner in which the leaves are de- 

 veloped in Juncus trifidus and Jiliformis, shows in a satisfactory 

 manner that the scales and the awns at the bottom of the stem 

 of /. glaucus, and the other leafless species, are of the same na- 

 ture as those in the plants just named. The scales, which are 

 first produced at the base of the stem of J. trifidus, are awnless. 

 As the plant advances the new scales become awned, and after- 

 ■\vards the awns of the following scales are successively enlarged, 

 until at last a complete leaf is developed. The J. Jiliformis pro- 

 duces awns of the same peculiar nature; but they are seldom 

 elongated into leaves. A similar structure is present in some of 

 the Scirpi. The Nardus strict a, and many others of the Grasses, 

 show at first, in the development of their leaves, the same unsuc- 

 cessful attempts. 



Linnajus and his successors have described the panicle of 

 J. acutiis and inaritimus as terminal, accompanied by a two-leaved, 

 spinous, involucre; while they have called the panicle of J. glaucus, 

 effusus, conglomeratus, and Jiliformis, lateral. This involves their 



descrip- 



