306 Morth American Cyperacece. 



Culm 8 inches long, sulcate, rather soft. Spike nearly one- third of an 

 inch iij length. Nut lenticular, black and polished. 



Ha:P. Texas, T. JDrunpmond! 



Obs. This variety has much the appearance of E. ohtusa, 

 but it is easily distinguished by its small black sjiining nut, and 

 minute tubercle. 



•^ 4, SjnJce ovate; glumes coriapeoiia; nut compressed, sulcate 

 and pitted ; tubercle rostrate; bristles ^, rigid ; style 3- 



cZe/J;,Tr-rBoTHR.OCARPA,, 



11. ELE0CH4mS SIMPJiEX. 



Culm terete, filiform, striate; spike ovate, somewhat acute | 

 scales ovate, obtuse, whitish, rather lopse; bristles retrorsely 

 scabrous, as long as the nut ; style Srcleft \ nut obovate, bi- 

 convex, longitudinally furrowed ; the furrows strongly pitted j 

 tubercle conical, compressed, produced into a beak nearly one- 

 third the length of the nut. 



Scirpus eijnplex, Elliott! sk. 1. p. 76; Ourt.! ft. Wilming. xio, 59; 

 Schult. mant. 2. p. 74. 



Culm erect, 12 — 18 inches high, very slender, clothed at the base with 

 one or two obliquely truncate, niucronate sheaths. Spike 3 — 4 lines 

 long, 15 — 20-flowered. Scales of a firm coriaceous texture, but sc^- 

 rious on the margin, somewhat shining, the sides of a light chestnut 

 colour. Bristles remarkably strong, a little overtopping the nut. Sta- 

 mens 3. Style deeply 3-cleft. Nut somewhat gibbous ip front, nearly 

 as long as the scale, of a light brown colour, marked on each side with 8 

 or 9 lines and deep pitted grooves, so that it exhibits a reticulated appear- 

 ance. Tubercle somewhat distinct around the base, very acute, of a firjji 

 and rather woody texture. 



Hab. Wet places. South Carolina, jB//io«.'; Wilming? 

 ton, North Carolina, Mr. Curtis ! 



Obs. a very distinct species, ^pp^rently cjQnfined to tl?e 

 Southern States. 



