66 TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. QcL. III. 



anthers linear. Style simple, deciduous ; stigmas three, downy. 

 Seed three-cornered, sometimes furnished with soft hairs at the 

 base. Name, cirs, Celtic for cord. 25. 



* Spikes solitary. 



1. 5. cctspiti'isus. Scaly-stalked Club-rush. Straw round, sheathed 

 with numerous scales at the base, some of them bearing short leaves ; 



two outer chaff-scales as long as the spike. Stems numerous, from 



four to twelve inches high, growing in dense tufts, striated, upper sheaths 

 ending in a short leaf : spike small, reddish-brown. Perennial : flowers 

 in July : grows on peat soil : abundant. This is one of the most im- 

 portant of our native plants, in respect to pasturage. Its very numerous 

 long fibrous roots form the principal part of the spongy varieties of peat. 

 In the Highlands it is often seen occupying extensive tracts, almost ex- 

 clusively, and forms excellent summer pasturage for cows, horses, and 

 sheep. Eng. Bot. vol. xv. pi. 1029. Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 17. 75. 



2. S. pauciflonts. Chocolate-headed Club-rush. Straw round, sheathed 



at the base, leafless ; two outer chaff-scales shorter than the spike. 



Spike smaller and darker than in the last : straw about six inches high : 

 it resembles the last in its mode of growth and qualities. Perennial : 

 flowers in July: grows abundantly in Scotland. Eng. Bot. vol. xvi. pi. 

 1122. Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 17. 76. 



3. S. fluitans. Floating Club-rush. Straw round, branched, leafy ; 



spikes destitute of external enlarged scales. Stem from six to ten 



inches long, slender, zig-zag, much branched : leaves linear, keeled, 

 sheathing : spikes small, few-flowered/ pale green : no bristles beneath 

 the seed. Perennial : flowers in August : grows in ditches, and in 

 shallow water on heaths. Eng. Bot. vol. iii. pi. 216. Eng. Fl. vol. i. 

 p. 57. 



** Stem round, bearing several spikes. 



4. S. lacui'tris. Bull-rush. Great Club-rush. Stem round, leaf- 

 less; panicle cymose, twice compounded ; bracteas two, shorter than 



the panicle. Stems from four to six feet high, smooth, internally 



spongy : lower sheaths dark brown : a few short leaves at the base of 

 the straw : spikes brown, forming a cyme or panicle. Perennial : flowers 

 in July : grows in pools, and the edges of rivers, with muddy bottoms. 

 It is sometimes used as thatch. Bottoms of chairs are very commonly 

 made of it, as well as mats. Eng. Bot. vol. x. pi. 666. Eng. Ft. vol. 

 i. p. 57. 78. 



5. S. Holoscliaz'nus. Round-headed Club-rush. Stem round, leafless; 

 spikes nearly globular, closely set together, stalked ; bracteas two, 

 leafy, unequal, sharp-pointed. Stems firm, about a foot high : spikes 

 brown : the globular spikes, supported on stalks of various lengths, 

 distinguish this at first sight from every other species. Perennial : 

 flowers in July : grows on the sea-coast in the south of England : 

 rare. Brounton Boroughs, Devonshire, &c. Eng. Bot. vol. xxiii. pi.. 

 1612. Eng. Fl. p. 58. 79. 



6. 5. setdceus. Bristle-stalked Club-rush. Stem bristle-like, leafy at 

 the base ; spikes few, sessile ; bractea leafy, surmounting the spikes ; 

 fruit inversely egg-shaped, ribbed, and marked with tranverse lines ; 

 stamens two. Stems numerous, very slender, from two to five inches 



