on the Genus Juncus of Linnceus. 299 



serving this, and the large, shining, roundish capsule and blunt 

 calyx, the botanist will be at no loss to distinguish the species. 

 Sir James E. Smith, E?ig. Bat. I. c, conjectures that Homer, 

 in his Battle of the Frogs and Mice, had this Rush in view as 

 the weapon with which to arm his imaginary champions. It is 

 not so common in England as the next species, and is not found 

 in any country further to the North. It is one of those useful 

 plants, which Providence has ordained to bind the loose sands of 

 the shore together as a barrier to the ocean. 



2. JuNCUS MAEITIMUS. 



Juncus culmo nudo pungente, paniculi laterali subproliferd, 

 bracteA spinosd, capsula oblongd acut4 longitudine calycis. 



J. culmo nudo, panicula terminali prolifera, involucro diphyllo 

 spinoso, capsula oblonga acuta petalis aequali. Rost. Mono- 

 graph. 16. 



J. culmo nudo tereti, paniculi terminali proliferi, involucro di- 

 phyllo spinoso erecto, capsulis oblongis. Flor. Brit. 375. Eng. 

 Bat. xxiv. 1725. 



J. acutiis, culmo nudo mucronato pungente, panicula involucrata 

 laterali, capsula longitudine calycis. Lamarck Encycl. iii.2J.253. 

 Flor. Fran. iii. l63. 



J. acutus /3. Sp. PI. 464. Huds. 148. JVith. 346. Willd. Sp. PL 205. 



J. acutus maritimus Anglicus. Park. 1193. 7. Moris, s. viii. 1. 10. 

 /. 14. Raii Syn. 431. 



Angl. Sea Rush. Lesser Sharp Sea Rush, English Sea Hard 

 Rush. 



In paludibus raaritimis copiosfe, prracedentis socius. 



Pcren. August. 



Root fibrous, thick. Stem tAvo feet or more high, leafless, erect, 

 VOL. XII. S B glaucous. 



