342 North Avicrican Cyperacea. 



the point; spikes pedunculate, shorter than the involucre; 

 scales somewhat acute, very finely ciliate. 



E. strictum, R. Brou-n in Jiichardson^s app. Franldiyi's 1st. journ. 

 ed. 2. p. 3. 



Hab. Subarctic America, Dr. Richardson. 



Obs. I am unacquainted with this plant. Mr. Brown re- 

 marks that it is a doubtful species, near E. tencllwn of Nuttall. 



11. ELYTROSPERMUM, C.A.Meyer. 



Spike many-flowered. Scales imbricated on every side, 

 all of them fertile. Perigynium consisting of two lateral, ovate, 

 membranaceous scales. Style simple at the base, 2-cleft. 

 Nut plano-convex, with a conical point, surrounded with the 

 persistent filaments and perigynium. — Habit of Scirjms lacus- 

 tris. 



Elytrospermum, C. A. Meyer, in Mem. imp. acad. St. Petersb. 

 (5 sir.) 1. p. 200. (1830.) t. 2. 



Culm 3 — 4 feet high, about as thick as a goose quill, leafless, very ob- 

 tusely triangular, attenuated upward, smooth, yellowish, green and 

 somewhat glaucous. Involucre of three unequal lanceolate rigid leaves, 

 mucronate and pungent ; the largest about an inch and a half long. 

 Umhel terminal, decompound ; the rays about 20, unequal, semiterete, 

 smooth ; partial umbels consisting of 2 — 5 spikes, which are sessile or 

 pedunculate. Spike oblong, many-flowered, 2 — 3 lines long. Scales 

 ovate, obtuse, smooth, ferruginous, scarious and obscurely lacerated on 

 the margin, tipped with a scabrous green point. Perigynium com- 

 pressed, linear, somewhat dilated at the base, dark purple, fimbriately 

 ciliate, a little longer than the ovary. Stamens 2 — 3; filaments wliite, 

 linear, flat, membranaceous. Stigmas 2. Nut obovate, oblong, atten- 

 uated at the base, somewhat compressed, yellowisli, smooth, puncticu- 

 late. 



Hab. California, C. A. Meyer. 



