542 ORDER JUNCACELE, OR RUSH TRIBE. 



but in some other species it is one-celled, from the absence of the 

 partitions; the placenta is central, and commonly bears three 

 ovules. The seed-vessel often contains but one seed, the rest of 

 the ovules being undeveloped ; the seeds are enveloped in a pale 

 soft skin. Now it will be observed that there is very little 

 essential difference between the flowers of the true Rushes, and 

 those of the Lilies and Asphodels ; the number and arrangement 

 of the sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels, being in all the same. 

 The difference chiefly consists in the degree of development of the 

 calyx and corolla, which is greatest in the Lilies, less in the 

 Asphodels, and least of all in the Rushes ; which last may be 

 regarded as the lowest of the Endogenous tribes, whose flowers 

 are constructed upon a regular plan. 



720. The Juncacese are chiefly found in the colder parts of 

 the world, and even in the coldest, two being natives of the 

 ungenial climate of Melville Island. From the absence of higher 

 orders of plants in such countries, Rushes form a large part of 

 their whole vegetation ; thus in arctic regions they are estimated 

 at l-25th, whilst in temperate latitudes they are but l-90th, and in 

 tropical countries l-400th. The uses to which they are applied by 

 Man are few. They are employed, as are also other plants 

 belonging to the Sedge tribe (. 733), for making chair-bottoms, 

 baskets, mats, &c. ; and before carpets came into general use, the 

 floors even of palaces were strewed with them. It is on record 

 that one of the charges of extravagance brought against Cardinal 

 Wolsey was, that his room was strewed with fresh rushes as 

 often as once a week. The cellular tissue filling the interior of 

 the stems of Rushes, which has very much the appearance of 

 pith, is in great request, in country places, to form the wicks of 

 candles, hence called rush-lights. The Juncaceae usually grow 

 from a rhizoma, which is often itself branching, and which sends 

 out long spreading roots. Hence they are employed, with other 

 plants of a similar character, to strengthen embankments raised 

 to keep out water from low lands, by binding together the soil 

 of which they are composed ; it is in Holland that they are of 

 the greatest service for this purpose. 



