5 o FLOWERS OF THE BOGS AND MARSHES 



The flowers are apetalous, without a corolla, borne in a much- 

 branched panicle, which is erect, forked, the branches long, and flowers 

 4-8, clustered, and suberect. The 6 perianth segments are not so long 

 as the shining erect capsule [hence the second (Greek) name], which is 

 beaked and dark-brown. The inner segments are blunt. There are 

 6 stamens. The capsule is 3-chambered, and opens by 3 valves, alter- 

 nate with the walls. The pericarp has woody layers which contract. 



The stem is 2 ft. high. The flowers open in June, July, and 

 August. It is a perennial plant, propagated by seeds. 



Jointed Rush is proterogynous, and pollinated by the wind, like 

 all rushes. There are 6-12 flowers, with 6 stamens. Each flower lasts 

 a day. It is female in the morning, and later hermaphrodite. 



The capsule contains many seeds, splitting by 3 valves when ripe, 

 and letting the small seeds fall around the parent plant or be dispersed 

 by the wind. 



The Jointed Rush is a peat-loving plant and grows in peaty soil, 

 being also a clay-loving plant and addicted to clay soil. 



It is attacked by a fungus, Entorrhiza cypericola\ several Homop- 

 tera, Liburnia quadrimaculata, L. reyi, L. lepida, and Cicadula fascii- 

 frons\ Lepidoptera, Bactra lanceolata, Argyrolepia baremanniana\ 

 Colcophora ctespitella. 



The older specific name refers to the jointed stem. Jointed Rush 

 is called Spart, Gloss Spart, Strit. The name Rish is an early variant, 

 and is found in Percy's Reliques: 



" All the wyves of Tottenham 



Came to see that syzt 

 With wyspes, and kexis, and ryschys there lyzt ". 



In Cornwall Rish means a list or tally. " I'll begin a new rish " is 

 the same as " I'll turn over a new leaf". 



There is a superstition that they turn into horses as soon as you 

 bestride them. The following is a cure for thrush in Devonshire. 

 Three rushes are taken from any running stream, passed separately 

 through the mouth of the infant, and then thrown back into the water. 

 As the current bears them away, so it is believed will the thrush leave 

 the child. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



306. J 'itncns articulatus, L. Stem erect, glabrous, compressed, 

 leaves jointed within, hollow, flowers in terminal clusters, 4-8, inner 

 perianth segments blunt. 



