320 CYPERACE^E. [Eleocharis. 



3. SCHGENUS. Linn. Bog-rush. 



Spihelets two ranked, 1 3-flowered, outer glumes smaller, 

 empty. Bristles small or none. Style deciduous. Name 

 from KOIVOS, or GKOIVOS, a cord, because a kind of cordage 

 was anciently made from plants of this tribe. 



Triandria. Monogynia. 



1. S. nigricans, Linn. Black Bog-rush. Stem rounded ; 

 spikelets collected into a rounded head ; shorter than the outer 

 bracteas. Br. Fl. 1. p. 19. E. Fl. v. i. p. 50. E. Bot. 

 t. 1121. 



Turfy bog-s in mountainous districts, and sandy marshy places near 

 the sea. Plentiful at Portmarnock. In Cunnamara, where it is very 

 abundant, it is well known by the name of black Keib. Fl. June, 

 July. T. Well distinguished by its rigid habit, nearly setaceous 

 leaves, and the dark brown, almost black heads of flowers. 



4. ELEOCHARIS. Br. Spike-rush. 



Glumes of one valve, imbricated on all sides, uniform, scarcely 

 any empty. Bristles (4 12) toothed, rarely none. Style 

 bifid or trifid, its dilated base jointed upon the gennen. 

 Nut mostly lenticular, crowned with the broad base of the 

 indurated style. Marsh plants. Stems simple, leafless, 

 sheathed at the base. Spike solitary, terminal, erect, not leafy. 

 Br. Name from c\os, e\eos, a marsh, and %aipvo, to delight, 

 from its place of growth. This genus, if it ought to be kept 

 distinct from Scirpus, is better distinguished by the solitary 

 spike than by any character taken from the jointed or dilated 

 base of the style. It is again divided by some Botanists, 

 and the genera Isolepis Br. and Eleogiton Link, constituted. 



Triandria. Monogynia. 



1. E. palustris, Br. Creeping Spike-rusk. Stem rounded; 

 root much creeping ; stigmas two ; fruit lenticular, plano- 

 convex, shorter than the four bristles ; outer glume smaller than 

 the rest. Br. Fl. 1. p. 23. E. Fl. v. i. p. 63. (Scirpus pa- 

 lustris, Linn.) E. Bot. t. 131. 



Ditches and wet marshy places, frequent. FL June, July. It. 

 Root creeping, black and shining as well as the external sheaths of the 

 stem. Bristles in the flower longer than the ripe fruit. 



2. E. multicaulis, Sm. Many-stalked Spike-rush. Stem 

 rounded ; root scarcely creeping; stigmas three ; fruit obovate, 

 triquetrous, longer than the six bristles ; outer glumes smaller 

 than the rest. Br. Fl. 1. p. 23. E. Fl. v. i. p. 64. Scirpus 

 multicaulis, E. Bot. t. 1187. 



Turfy bogs. First observed in Ballygowan Bog 1 , County of Down, 



