498 CYPERACE^E. (SKDGE FAMILY.) 



* Achenium obscurely triangular, many-ribbed on ihe sides. 



14. E. aciciilffil'is, R. Brown. Culms finely capillary (2'- 3' long), 

 more or less 4-angular; spike 3-9-flowered ; scales ovate-oblong, rathe/ ->btus 

 (greenish with purple sides) ; achenium obovate-oblong, tumid, with 3 nubed 

 angles and 2 - 3 times as many smaller intermediate ribs, also transversely stri 

 ate, longer than the 3-4 very fugacious bristles; tubercle conical-triangulai 

 (S. trichodes, Muld., &c.) Muddy places, and margins of brooks; common 

 (Eu.) 



* * Achenium triangular, with smooth and even sides. 



15. E. pygm&a, Torr. Culms bristle-like, flattened and grooved (!'- 

 2 high); spike ovate, 3 - S-flowered ; scales ovate (greenish), the upper rather 

 acute ; tichenium ovoid, acutely triangular, smooth and shining, tipped with a 

 minute tubercle ; bristles mostly longer than the fruit, sometimes wanting. (S. 

 pusillus, Vahl.? Chajtocypcrus polymorphus, Nees?) Brackish marshes an<? 

 river-banks, as far as salt water reaches. 



16. E. microcarpa, var. 1 ? filiculniis, Torr. " Culms capillary or 

 thread-like, wiry, 4-angular (3'-4' high) ; spikes oblong, often proliferous, 15-25- 

 flowered; bristles nearly as long as the obovate-oblong (obtusely triangular) nut 

 without the tubercle; scales dark chestnut-color." Wet places, in the pine 

 barrens of New Jersey, Torrey. 



6. SCIKPUS, L. BULRUSH. CLUB-RUSH. 



Spikes many - several-flowered, terete, single or mostly clustered, and sub- 

 tended by one or more involucral leaves, often appearing lateral from the exten- 

 sion of an involucral leaf like a continuation of the culm. Scales regularly 

 imbricated all round in several ranks. Perianth of 3-6 bristles. Stamens 

 mostly 3. Style 2 - 3-cleft, simple, not bulbous at the base. Avholly deciduous, 

 or leaving a persistent jointless base as a tip or point to the lenticular or trian- 

 gular achenium. Culms sheathed at the base ; the sheaths usually leaf-bearing. 

 Perennials, except No. 8. (The Latin name of the Bulrush.) See Addend. 



1. SCIRPUS PROPER. Bristles rigid, not exserted, mostly barbed doicmcarck 

 # Spike single., terminal, with an empty scale or bract at its base equalling or overtop- 



ping it, fine-flowered: culms sl.endei; jointless, leaf -bearing only at the base (style 



3-i-l'jl : arhcniiim triangular, smooth). 



1. S. CUDSpitoSllS, L. Culms terete, wiry, densely sheathed at the base, 

 in compact turfy tufts (3' - 10' high) ; the upper sheath prolonged into a short 

 awkshapcd l<-af; spike ovoid, rusty-color ; the 2 lower scales bract-like, callous- 

 pointed, and as long as the spike; bristles 6, smooth, longer than the abruptly 

 short-pointed achenium. Alpine tops of the mountains of Maine, New Hamp- 

 shire, and N. New York. Also high mountains of Virginia ( (!>) 



2. S. plailifolillS, Muhl. Culms triangular, loosely tufted (5' - 10' high), 

 leafy at the base ; leaves linear, flat, as long as the culm, rough on the edges and 

 keel, as is the culm; spike ovate or oblong, rusty-color; scales ovate, with a 

 atrong green keel prolonged into an awned tip, the lowest about as long as the 

 spike ; bristles 4-6, upwardly hairy, as long as the blunt aeheuium. Dry or 

 moist woods, Delaware to New England, Jane. 



