North American Cyperaceft. 839 



6. Eriophorum polystachyum, Linn. 



Culm nearly terete; leaves flat, acutely triangular at the 

 point; involucre about 2-leaved; peduncles scabrous ; spikea 

 nodding ; scales ovate, acute ; nut obovate, obtuse. 



E. polystachyum, Linn. ; Willd. sp. 1. p. 312 ; Vahl, enmn. 2. p. 390, 

 Walt.fl. Car. p. 71; Pursh,Jl. 1. p. 58; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 92 ; Muhl. ! 

 gram. 1. p. 49; Torr.! fl. 1. p. 6Q; Big. ft. Bost. ed. 2. p. 23; BecTc, 

 hot. p. 427; Gray J Gram. Sf Cyp. part J. no. 90; Hook, in app. Parry's 

 2nd voy. p. 27; Smith, Eng.Ji. 1. p, 67, and Eng. hot. t. 563. 



£. polystachyum, /3. Michx. ! fl. 1. p. 34. 



E. latifolium, Hoppe; Ram. S^'SchuU. syst. 2. 149. 



E. vulgare, Pcrs. syn. 1. p. 70. 



Root fibrous. Culm 1 — 2 feet high, somewhat compressed towards the 

 base, leafy ; sheaths rather loose. Leaves 3 — 6 inches long, 2 — 4 lines 

 wide, pale green, flat except towards the point, which is sharply triangular 

 and generally of a dark brown colour. Involucre mostly 2-leaved, rathef 

 shorter than the umbel ; the leaves channelled, and triangular at the 

 point. Peduncles often simple, unequal, at first erect, but at length 

 nodding, scabrous upward. Spikes 4 — 12, ovate, 3 — 4 lines long. 

 Scales ovate, acute, scarious, of a livid green colour, at length becoming 

 dark brown ; the midrib somewhat prominent. Hairs 40 — 50 in each 

 flower, three-tburths of an inch long, flat, white, with a slight reddish 

 tinge. Stamens 3 ? Style 3-(rarely 4-) cleft ; the divisions downy. Nut 

 narrowed downward, obtuse, flat on the back, angular in front. 



Hab. Boggy meadows; Canada! to Georgia! and west 

 to the Rocky Mountains ! 



7. Eriophorum angustifolium, Reichard. 



Culm somewhat triangular ; leaves triquetrous, channelled ; 

 involucre mostly 1-leaved ; peduncles mostly smoothish, nod- 

 ding ; scales broadly ovate, somewhat obtuse, with a strong 

 midrib ; nut elliptical, narrowed at each end, acutely trian- 

 iTular. 



