98 PLANTS OV BERMUDA. 



i>. IJ. pahmrls. totem cylindrical, slightly compressed, one to 

 two feet liigh, one -sixth of an inch in diameter, not jointed, pith 

 scattered, spike cylindrical, about an inch long, many-flowered ; 

 scales rustv-bro\\ai, oblong, obtuse, with a membranous margin. 

 Distribution, Xorthern United States ; habitat, marshes and ponds. 

 November. 



3. 2-:. nulamcarpm. Stem compressed, slender, not jointed, six 

 to twelve inches high, terminating in an ovoid, oblong spike oue- 

 third of an inch long ; glumes ovate, florets supported by three 

 purple bristles. Distribution, United States; habitat, marshes, 

 common. 



IV. SCIRPUS. 



Stem simple ; spikes numerous ; style not bulbous at base. 



1. S. lacustris (Bull-rush). Stem stout, leafless, cylindrical, erect, 

 four to six feet high, gradually tapering upwards, continued a little 

 above the panicle and terminatuig in a short tooth ; spikes oblong, 

 half-inch long, in clusters of two to four on the secondary divisions 

 of the panicle ; scales brown, densely imbricated, ovate, pubescent. 

 Distribution, Europe and North America ; habitat, marshes and 

 ponds. July. 



V. KHVKCHOSrOKA. 



Perennial grass-like plants ; stem leafy ; spikelets few-fowered, in ter- 

 minal heads, supported by leafy bracts ; glumes imbricated in several rows ; 

 nut beaked with the persistent base of the style. 



1. B. stellata (White-headed rush). Stem triangular, simple, 

 erect, one to two feet high ; leaves ver}^ slender, six to eight inches 

 long ; heads white, hemispherical, supported by four to six slender 

 leafy bracts, which are white at the base ; spikelets ovate-oblong, 

 one -sixth of an inch long ; nut t^nce as long as the pointed beak. 

 Distribution, West Indies : habitat, marshes, easily recognised by 

 the white heads and variegated bracts. 



VI. CLADIIJM. 



I'cjcnnial plants with erect leafy stems ; spikelets fcw-Jlowered in ter^ 

 minal ayul axillary panicles ; glumes irregularly imbricdtedy the loiver 

 ones usually empty. 



1. C. occidentale. Stem stout, six to eight feet high, bluntly tri- 

 angular below, cylindrical above ; leaves two to three feet long, 

 one-third of an inch wide, rigid and rough, finely serrated on mar- 

 gin and keel ; panicles numerous, much branched, shortly protrud- 

 ing from all the upper axils ; spikelets minute, shining brown, in 

 clusters of three to six on the final divisions of panicle, supported 

 by brown scaly bracts ; stamens two ; nut sub -globose. Distribu- 

 oion, Bahamas, &c. ; habitat, marshes, very common. 



