332 SUMMER FLOWERS. 



B. rufus : stems |-1 foot high, stiff, slender,, with few very 

 narrow leaves near the basej spike terminal, consisting of 

 about six sessile 2-4 flowered spikelets, dark, shining brown, 

 almost black, nearly concealed by the outer bract, which is 

 dark brown, and shining.— -Marshy places. Fl. July. 



(301) Eleocharis. 



E, acieularis : plant small, slender, tufted, the fine subulate 

 stems scarcely two inches high, with short sheaths at their 

 base, most of them bearing a single terminal oblong spikelet, 

 of a dark brown colour, the outer bract similar to the glumes ; 

 flowers usually 6-8 in the spikelet. — Wet sandy places. Fl. 

 July, August. 



E. palustris : stems numerous, erect, densely tufted, ^-1 

 foot high, leafless ; spikelets solitary and terminal, oblong ; 

 glumes numerous, closely imbricated, brown, with scarious 

 edges, green on the midrib, the outer bract only differing from 

 the glumes in being rather larger. — Edges of pools and watery 

 ditches. Fl. June. 



E. multicaulis is very much like this, but smaller, the 

 stems more slender, many of them barren and leaf-like, and 

 the spikelets rather smaller. — Marshy places. 



(302) Scirpus. Club-rush. 

 * Hypogynous bristles none. 

 S. fluitans : aquatic ; stems long, slender, branching, either 

 floating in water, or forming soft densely matted masses (m its 

 margin ; leaves linear-subulate ; spikelets solitary, terminal, 

 oblong, greenish, the outer bract without any leafy point. — 

 Pools and still waters. Fl. June, July. 



S. setaceus ; stems slender, 2-3 inches high, forming dense 



