TRIANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 37 



with a very long, dense, and woolly involucrum. 

 Seed sub-ovate without angles. 



Culm generally round and leafy; spikes terminal, soli- 

 tary or aggregate. Stamina mostly 3, rarely 2. 



Species. 1. E- cespitosum. 2. poJystachyum. 3. angtistlfo- 

 liwn. 4. virgiiiicmn. A genus equally common to the 

 sphagnous morasbcs of Europe and North America; there 

 is, as yet, but one species, the E. Tirgi7ucum, peculiar to 

 tlie United States. From Fei-soon it does not appear that 

 any other portions of the world afford a single species of 

 this curious genus. 



56. VAGINARIA. Persoon. 



Spike ovate, calyeine scales imbricated on all 

 sides, acutely acuminated. Corolla 0. Stig- 

 mata 3. Involucellum of the seed formed of 3 

 chaffy awnless scales alternating with 3 slen- 

 der setse. 



Koot creeping. Culm round, simple, without distinct 

 leaves, distantly invested with obliquely truncated ocli- 

 reae or vagina (sheathes) having small subulate points; 

 spike ovate, terminal, generally solitary, sometimes in 

 threes. In habit this plant appears distinct from tlie ge- 

 nus Fuirena^ to which, liowever, it is very closely allied. 

 But the scales of the spike are not properly awned, only 

 acutely acuminated; the scales of the perisporium are also 

 said to be furnished with alternating filaments or setse, 

 and destitute of awns. 



Species. 1. F. i?icAar<:&' (The only species known.— In 

 Florida.) 



57. FUIRENA. L, 



Spikelets composed of mucronate scales im- 

 bricated on all sides. Corolla 0. Seminal iiivo- 

 lucellum broad, chaff-like, scales cordate, (sti- 

 pitate) often awned. Stigmata 2 and 3. (Seed 

 triangular.) 



Culm round and leafy, terminating in an umbellate pa- 

 nxle, or aggregation of spikelets. Calicine scales abrupt- 

 ly awned, the awn erect or patulous. Root ini*^. sqjmrro- 

 sa resemialing a concatenation of bulbs. 



Species. 1. F. squarrosa. ((ieorgia and Carolina). Of 

 this genus there are 2 other species in America v/iihin the 



