5G2 CYPERACE^. (sedge FAMILY.) 



closely capitate, ovoid, obtuse, overtopjtcd by tbc short involucral leaf; scales 

 orbicular, smooth, the inconsiiicuous nuicTonatc point shorter than the scarious 

 apex; aiilheis with a crrij t,lwrt and bluut jiiiiiiitcli/ luanlHl tij) ; style i-dcjl; bristles 

 6, scarcely equalling the obovate i)lano-convcx anil nmcronate acheniuwi. — 

 Salt marshes, Martha's Vineyard (Oa/as), and llhodc Island (OIncy), to Dela- 

 ware, and common southward. — Cross-section of the stem stronyly 3-raycd, 

 with the sides parallel. — Much nearer than the last to the European S. 

 TRiQci;TER, which has similar anthers, and an abbreviated or almost abortive 

 leaf; but its culm is wingless:, and the cluster of spikes compound, some of 

 them umbellate-stalked. 



8. S. T6rreyi, Olney. Eootstocks slender if any (so tliat the jilant is 

 readily pulled up from the mud) ; culm 'S-aiu/lcd, with concave sides, rather slen- 

 der (2° -4° high), Icajjj at the base; learfs 2 or 3, more than half the leiiyth of the 

 Ci//«(, triangular-channelled, slender; spilccs 1-4, oblony or spindle-shapcil, acuip, 

 disliiid, ])ale chestnut-color, long overtopped by the slender erect involucral leaf; 

 scales ovate, smooth, entire, barely mueronatc; style 3-cli-fl ; bristles longer than 

 the unequally triaiu/ular ol>ovate very smooth and long-pointed achenium. (S. mucro- 

 natus, Pursh?, Torr. Fl. N. Y.) — Borders of ponds, both brackish and fresh, 

 New England to Penn. and Michigan. 



1- •>- Culm triangular, tall and stout, from slender running rootslocks : spil-es many- 

 flour red loo'idy umbellate or corymbed, involurellate-braded. 



9. S. Canbyi, Gray. Culm (3° -5° high) 3angled, usually sharply so 

 above, obtusely below, the sheath at the base extended into a long and slender 

 triangular and channelled leaf ; the involucral leaf similar, continuing the 

 culm; spikes oblong (4' -6' long), single or sometimes proliferously 2 or 3 

 together, nodding on the apex of the 5-9 long filiform and flattened peduncles 

 or rays of the dichotomous umbel-like corymb, or the central one nearly sessile ; 

 scales of the spike loosely imbricated, oblong-ovate, acute, pale, thin and scari- 

 ous, with a greenish nerved back ; bristles of the perianth 6, firm, furnished 

 above with spreading hairs rather than barbs, equalling the slender abrupt beak 

 of the obovate-triangular shining achenium. — In a mill-pond, near Salisbury, 

 Maryland, A. Commons, W. M. Canby. — A remarkal)le species: leaf 2° -4° 

 long: involucral leaf 4' -8' long: rays or peduncles l^'-3' long, each sub- 

 tended by a single involucellate leaf or bract, the lowest like that of the involucre 

 but short, the uppermost reduced to scale-like bracts. Achenium (Ij", and its 

 beak ^" long. 



•t- H- -1— Culm terete, very fall and stout, from a deep runninn rnntstnfl\ naked ; the 

 sheaths at the base bearing a short and imperfect leaf or none : spi/ces numerous 

 and clustered in a one-sided compound umbel-like panicle, the principal 7-ays of 

 which mostly surpass the involucral kaf: involucellate brarts small, scale-lilce and 

 rusty-scarious : scales of the spike rusty or chestnut-brown, scarious, icith a sah'ent 

 midrib extended into a mucronnte jioinf. 



10. ^. validus, Vahl. (Great Bulrush.) Culm 30-9° high, ^'-1' 

 thick at base; s])ikcs ovate-oblong (3" -4" long); scales mostly a little downy 

 on the back and ciliate ; style 2-clcft ; achenium pale and dull, obovate with a 7)ar- 

 rowed base, plano-convex, mueronate-pointed, usually overtopped by the 4 -H slender 



