Klcodiaris. CYPERACEyE. 221 



usually 3-cleft, the conical or flattened tuberculato base persistent and mostly jointed 



upon the summit of the turgid-triangular or lenticular nutlet. — Stems tufted, from 



matted or creeping rootstocks, terete or angular, tlie base covered witli closely 



appressed sheaths. Lower scale of the spikelet sometimes enlarged and bract-like. 



A genus of iioarly a huiKhcd species, distributed over tlie tropical and temperate regions of the 

 glohe, a few even arctic. Twenty species or more are lound in North America. Tiie genus is re- 

 lerred liy some autliorities to Scirpus, and on tlie other liand is divided into several by Nees and 

 others. ^ 



-•.': Spike small and fcn'-Jlouwred, the scales somewhat distichous or only ^-ranked: 

 style 'S-rleft and nutlet trianyular. Low and slender. 



H- Tubercle contracted at its junction with the nutlet. 



1. E. acicularis, R. Br. Stems tufted, with fibrous roots and very slender 

 running rootstocks, usually setaceous, 1 to 8 inches high : spike 3 - 9-flowered, 1 to 

 3 lines long ; scales ovate-oblong, acutish, ^ to 1 line long, more or less deeply 

 tinged with brown : bristles 3 or 4, often wanting : nutlet oblong-obovate, obscurely 

 triangular and faintly ribbed on tlic sides, half a line long; tubercle broad, short 

 and blunt. — Scirpus acicularis, Linn.; ]{eiclienb. Icon. Fl. Germ, viii, t. 294:, 



A common species, on sandy or mud<ly stream-banks, from Santa Harbara {Rothrock) to British 

 Columbia (A?/''//), and across the continent; also in We.Kico, and in Europe and Asia. 



2. E. pygmaea, Torr. Stems an inch or rarely 2 to 4 inches high, flattened 

 and grooved: spike 2 - 4-flowered, rarely more, greenish, the lowest scales usually 

 .soujewhat the largest : bristles often wanting : nutlet obovate, acutely triangular, 

 smooth and shining. — Cyp. 313, and Pacif. \{. Kep. iv. 152. 



Near Cocomungo (Bigclow), as referred by Dr. Torrey, tliough tlie specimens are too young for 

 positive determination. The species is found in brackish marshes in tlie Atlantic States and 

 westward to New jMexico. Boeckcler refers it to tlie Euroi)eaii Scirpn/i parvulus. 



■h- -t- Tubercle continuous with the nutlet and not contracted at base. 



3. E. pauciflora. Stems tufted, erect, from slender running rootstocks, 3 to 

 8 inches high, striate : spike ovate-oblong, 2 or 3 lines long, the dark brown oblong 

 acute scales nearly 2 lines long : bristles 3 to G, usually eipialling the nutlet : fila- 

 ments and stigmas long-exserted : nutlet oblong-ol)ovate, obtusely triangular, a line 

 long excluding the rather stout pyramidal tubercle, which is nearly a third as long 

 as the nutlet. — Scirj->us paucijlorus, Lightf ; lieichenb. 1. c, t. 299 ; Gray, jNLinual, 

 560. 



Soda Springs, head of Tuolumne Kiver {Ihrnrr) \ Klamath XwWvy {GaJih, k'ronkhitc) ; Wyo- 

 ming and ("okirado, and in the iiorfliern Atlantic States ; also in iuirope and Asia. Tlie species 

 lias usually been included under .Sfir/mt, but tliere aiipeais to be no good reas(ui tor separating it 

 from ElcocharLt, inasmuch as it lias ail of the characters Avhich distinguish that genus from Scir- 

 2ms. The tubercle is iilentical in character witli that of E. rosfrf/nfns and its allies, and such as 

 is not found in Scirpus, where the style is slender and never tubercle-like at base. 



* * Sjyike terete, many-Jloivered. 



-t- Tubercle somewhat contracted at its junction with the nutlet. 



++ Style 2-cleft and nutlet lenticular. 



4. E. palustris, Jl. Br. Stems usually shnuler, from running rootstocks, terete, 

 striate, h to 4 (usually 1 or 2) feet high : s])ike oblong-lanceolate to linear, acute, 3 

 to 12 lines long; scales ovate-oblong or the lowest ovate, obtuse or the upper 

 acutish, thin, brown with white margin and greenish keel : bristles 4, about eipial- 

 ling the obovate turgid smooth nutlet, which is a line long including the broad- 

 deltoiil acutish or acute, rarely acuminate tubercle. — Scirj)us palustris, lieichenb. 

 1. c, t. 297. 



Very common in water or wet grounds and veiy wididy distriluited, being found throughout 

 the United States and British America, and in most parts of the Old World. 



