SEDGE FAMILY. 



281 



15. CLADIUM P. Br. Civ. & Nat. Hist. Jam. 114. , 7S 6 



Perennial leafy sedges, similar to the Kynchosfiortu, the .pikelet* oblong * fusifarsA. 

 few-flowered, variously clustered. Scales imbricated all around, the lower empty thi 

 die ones mostly subtending imperfect flowers, the upper usual* 



Stamens 2 or sometimes 3. Style 2-3-cleft, deciduous from the summit of the srhss* to 

 branches sometimes 2- 3 -parted. Achene ovoid or globose, smooth or longitudinally strfate. 

 Tubercle none. [Greek, referring to the branched inflorescence of some specie*, 1 



About 30 species natives of tropical and U-m,,, n,t, ,. . 

 curs in the southern L nited States and one in California. 



i. Cladium mariscoides (Muhl.) Torr. 

 Twig-rush. (Fig. 66 1.) 



>nts mariscoidcs Muhl. drain. 4. 1*17. 

 Cladium mariscoides Torr. Ann. Lye. N. V. 3: 372. 1836. 

 Culm slender, erect, rather stiff, obscurely 3-anglc(!, 

 smooth, i>^ -3 tall. Leaves about i" wide, concave, 

 with a long compressed tip, nearly smooth; umbels 

 2 or 3, compound, the i or 2 axillary, slender stalked; 

 spikelets oblong, narrowed at both ends, acute, 3%" 

 long, capitate in 3's-io's on the raj-lets; scales chest- 

 nut-brown, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acute, the mid- 

 vein slightly excurrent; upper scale subtending a 

 perfect flower with 2 stamens and a filiform 3-cleft 

 style, the next lower one with 2 stamens and an ab- 

 ortive ovary; achene ovoid, acute, finely longitudi- 

 nally striate, about \" long. 



In marshes, Xova Scotia to Ontario and Minnesota, 

 south to Florida and Iowa. July-Sept. 



16. SCLERIA Berg, Kongl. Acad. Sv. Handl. 26: 142. />/. /,.,-. 1765. 



Leafy sedges, mostly perennial by rootstocks, the spikelets small, clustered in terminal, 

 or terminal and axillary fascicles, or sometimes interruptedly spicatc. Flowers inoDOCCJQM. 

 the staminate and pistillate spikelets separated or borne in the same cluster*. Fertile spike- 

 lets i-flowered. Stamiuate spikelets many-flowered. Scales imbricated all around, the 

 1-3 lower and sometimes also the upper ones of the fertile spikelets empty. I'erianth none. 

 Style 3-cleft, slenderer sometimes swollen at the base, deciduous. < vary supported on a 

 disk (hypogynium), or this wanting. Stamens 1-3. Achene globose orovoid, obtus 

 taceous or bony, white in our species. [Greek, in allusion to the bard frnit. ] 



About TOO species, natives of tropical and temperate regions. Besidi wing. 



others occur in the southern United States. 



Spikelets in terminal, or terminal and lateral clusters; achene supported on a hypoffynium 

 Achene smooth. 



Hypogynium supporting 8 or 9 small tubercles under the achrne. 

 Hypogynium covered with a rough white crust. 

 Achene reticulated or irregularly rugose. 



Culms erect or ascending; achene reticulated; K 

 Culms spreading; achene irregularly rugose; leaves a"-4" wide. 

 Achene papillose. 

 Spikelets interruptedly glomerate-spicate; no hypogynium. 



i. Scleria oligantha Mkh\ 



Xut-ru>h. l ; iv;. '' 



Scleria oliganllia M:. - "** 



Rootstocks thick, hard, clustered. Culms lender. 

 erect, sharply 3-angled, nearly smooth 

 tall, the angles somewhat v I .e*v smooth or 



slightly rough at the apo wide, the kmr 



short, acute, the upper elongated; clusters terminal. 

 usually also i or 2 anillary, and filiform-*' 

 bracts slightly ciliate or glabrous; acbeoe ovoid, ob- 

 tuse but sometimes pointed, bright white, rmlh. 

 shining; hypogynium a narrow obtusely triangular 

 border supporting 8 or 9 small tubercle* aider the 

 achene. 



In moist soil. Virginia to Florida and Texa*. ea tfce 

 coast. June-Aujf. 



JM. 



..'.'*. 



