North American Cyperacea, 319 



tanists even consider a variety of E. palustris notwithstanding 

 it is a genuine Scirpus, the tubercle being entirely wanting. 

 Moreover the S. multicaulis has a 3-cleft style and a triangular 

 nut with a long cuspidate point ; which characters do not belong 

 to Eleocharis palustris. 



4. Scirpus c^spitosus, Linn. 



Culms cespitose, filiform, terete ; sheaths furnished with ru- 

 diments of leaves ; spike ovate, few-flowered ; the two lowest 

 scales bracteiform, as long as the spike ; bristles smooth; style 

 3-cleft ; nut triquetrous. 



S. cffispitosus, Linn. sp. pi. 71; WilLd. sp. 1. p. 292; Vahl, enum, 

 2. p. 243; Eng. hot. t. 1029; Rmn. S^ Schult. syst. 2. p. 122; Spreng. 

 syst. 1. p. 205 ; Torr..' fl. 1. p. 47; Big. fi. Bost. ed. 2. p. 20; Beck ! 

 hot. p. 424. 



Eleocharis caespitosa, N. ah Esenh. in Linncea, 9. p. 294. 



Culms 2 — 10 inches high, rather rigid, finely striate, towards the base 

 densely clothed with imbricated sheaths, of which the upper ones bear 

 rudimentary leaves. Spikes 2 lines long, 4 — 5-flowered, somewhat 

 compressed. Scales of a yellowish brown colour ; the lowest one narrow 

 and generally overtopping the spike ; the next a little shorter ; the others 

 ovate, obtuse. Bristles 6, longer than the nut, quite smooth. Nut acute, 



Hab. Sphagnous and boggy places. Canada ! and through- 

 out British America to the Arctic regions. Dr. Richardson ; 

 Labrador, v. s. in herh. Le Conte ! ; Sault Ste. Marie, Dr. 

 Pitcher! ; Rocky Mountains, T. Drummond! ; Sitcha, Russian 

 America, Mortens; White Hills of New Hampshire, Dr, 

 Bigelow and Dr. Boott! — ^July, 



Vol, III. 41 



