54 liLIOGITON. 



[CLASS in. ORDZR i. 



Botany, t. 1029. English Flora, vol. i. p. 55. Helio'charis ccetpito'ta, 

 Lindley, Synopsis, p. 261. 



A small plant, growing in dense tufts. Roots numerous, tough, and 

 wiry. Stem erect, slender, simple, striated, varying in height from -two 

 to ten inches, naked, except at the base, which is enveloped in two or 

 three sheaths bearing subulate leaves, and surrounded with numerous 

 smooth brown striated scales. Spike small, ovate, reddish-brown, two 

 outer glumes largest, longer than the spike, mostly with a foliaceous 

 apex, and generally fertile. Fruit triangular, pale yellow, terminating 

 in a fine point, and surrounded at the base by six bristles, longer than 

 itself. Dr. Hooker finds a variety upon Ben Lawers, with the two 

 outer glumes an inch long, four times the length of the spike. 



Habitat. Common on moors and moist turfy situations. 



Perennial ; flowering in June and July. 



This species grows most abundantly on moist barren moors in many 

 parts of the country, and is fed upon by sheep, and " is called ' Deer's 

 Hair' in the Highlands, and yields an abundant food to sheep on tlie 

 mountains in spring." Hook. 



5. E. acicula'ris, Roem. and Sch. (Fig. 80.) least Spike-rush. Stem 

 setaceous, grooved, compressed, sheaths at the base close, leafless, 

 spike small, ovate, acute, glumes nearly equal, acuminate, stigmas 

 three, fruit without bristles. 



English Flora, vol. i. p. 65. Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 31. 

 Scir'pus acicula'ris, English Botany, t. 749. Helio'charis acicula'ris, 

 Lindley, Synopsis, p. 280. 



A small, delicate, slender plant, growing in thick tufts. Roots long 

 and fibrous, with slender runners. Stem from two to four inches high, 

 compressed or four-sided. Sheaths at the base tight, reddish, leafless 

 barren stems more numerous and shorter than the fertile ones, appearing 

 like leaves. Spike very small, four to six flowered. Glumes nearly 

 equal, keeled, brown, with a pale membranous edge ; keel, especially 

 of the outer ones, green. Fruit oblong, " pale yellow, beautifully im- 

 pressed with dotted lines, tipped with the almost globose dark base of 

 the style" (Hook.) without bristles at the base, but the filaments are 

 generally persistent, and might be mistaken for bristles. 



Habitat. Sandy borders of lakes, pools, and in marshy places, not 

 unfrequent. 

 Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 



GENUS XI. ELIO'GITON. LINK. Water-ruth. 

 Nat. Ord. CY'PERACEJE. 



GEN. CHAR. Spike terminal- Glumes nearly equal, of one valve, 

 imbricated on all sides, all fertile. Bristles absent. Style deci- 



