286 North American CyperacecE. 



Hab. Wet places, particularly along rivers ; North Caro- 

 lina to Florida. Lincolnton, N. C, Mr. Curtis! ; Kentucky, 

 Dr. Short and Dr. Peter!; St. Louis and New Orleans, Drum- 

 mond ! ; South Carolina and Georgia, Elliott, Le Conte! 



Obs. Mr. Elliott states that the valves of the " calyx" 

 (minute lowest scales) are wanting, but I have generally been 

 able to see at least one of them. This little scale, however, 

 Nees ab Esenbeck (in a MS. account of some N. American 

 Cyperaceae already alluded to) is inclined to regard rather as a 

 bracteole than one of the scales of the spikelet, as it appeared 

 to stand somewhat remote from the rest ; but in the specimens 

 which I examined it was in close contact with the others. 



2. Kyllingia monocephala, Linn, 



Head simple, globose, compact; spikelets 1-flowered, mo- 

 nandrous, ovate, acuminate; the two superior scales striate, 

 nearly equal, smooth on the sides, serrulate, ciliate on the keel ; 

 the two inferior minute ; nut somewhat orbicular ; involucre 3- 

 leaved, one of the leaves erect ; the others horizontal. 



K. monocephala, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 379; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 54; Muhl.! 

 gram. p. 3 (in part) ; Torr. ! fl. 1. p. 43. 



Rhizoma creeping. Culm about a foot high, triquetrous, slender, smooth. 

 Leaves much shorter than the culm, one line wide, scabrous on the 

 margin towards the summit, abruptly pointed. Head generally inclin- 

 ing to one side, always solitary. Involucre sometimes 4-leaved, one of 

 the leaves very short. Spikelets very numerous, spreading horizontally. 

 Scales 4 ; the 2 lowest very small and difficult to find, one of them (the 

 inferior) ovate, the other lanceolate ; the 2 superior scales much larger, 

 spreading and somewhat recurved at the point, meinbranaceous, 3-nerved 

 on each side ; the keel green and ciliated with a few minute spiculae. 

 Stamen always solitary. Style as long as the nut, 2-cleft. Nut much 

 compressed, the breadth nearly equalling the length, very obtuse, 

 fulvous. 



Hab. Low moist places ; near Darien, on the Alatamaha, 

 Georgia, Br. Baldwin ! ; and Sunbury in the same state, L. Le 

 Conte, Esq.! ; Carolina and New Jersey, Muhlenlerg. 



