560 CYPERACE^;. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 



4. Spike, more or less flattened, thicker than the slender or capillary culm, few -many- 

 flowered ; the thin membranaceous scales somewhat 2-3-ranked: style 3-clefl: 

 bristles of the perianth 3 - 6, fragile or fugacious. Small or delicate species, dif- 

 fering from the last subdivision chiefly in theflattish spikes. (Cn^TOCYpiiRUS, 

 Nees.) 



* Achenium tumid, obscurely triangular, many-ribbed on the sides. 



16. E. acicularis, R. Br. Culms finely capillary (2' -8' long), more or 

 less '4-angular ; spike 3 - 9-flowered ; scales ovate-oblong, rather obtuse (greenish 

 with purple sides); achenium obovate-oblong, with 3-ribbed angles and 2-3 

 times as many smaller intermediate ribs, also transversely striate, longer than 

 the 3-4 very fugacious bristles; tubercle conical- triangular. (S. trichodes-, 

 Muhl., &c.) Muddy shores : common. (Eu.) 



* * Achenium triangular, with smooth and even sides. 



17. E. pygmsea, Torr. Culms bristle-like, flattened and grooved (l'-2 r 

 high) ; spike ovate, 3-S-flowered; scales ovate (greenish), the upper rather acute ; 

 achenium ovoid, acutely triangular, smooth and shining, tipped with a minute 

 tubercle ; bristles mostly longer than the fruit, sometimes wanting. (S. pusillus, 

 Vahl?) Brackish marshes and brackish river-banks. 



8. SCIBPUS, L. BULRUSH or CLUB-RUSH. (PL 3. ) 



Spikes several -many-flowered, solitary or in a terminal cluster which (except 

 in No. 1) is subtended by a 1 -several-leaved involucre (this when simple often 

 appearing like a continuation of the culm), terete, the scales being regularly 

 imbricated all round in many or several ranks, or rarely somewhat compressed, 

 the fewer scales inclining to be 2-ranked. Flowers under all the scales, or all 

 but one or two of the lowest, all perfect. Perianth of 3 - 6 (straight or rarely 

 tortuous) bristles, or sometimes wanting. Stamens mostly 3. Style 2-3-cleft, 

 simple, not bulbous at the base, wholly deciduous, or sometimes leaving a tip or 

 point to the lenticular or triangular achenium. Culms sheathed at the base ; 

 the sheaths usually leaf-bearing. Perennials, except No. 8-9; flowering in, 

 summer. (The Latin name of the Bulrush.) 



1. SCIRPUS proper (including ISOLEPIS, which simply wants the bristles). 

 Bristles when present rigid, not elongated and contorted or exserted after flowering, 

 mostly barbed downwards. 



# Spite solitary, few-flowered, small, oflenflattish: achenium triangular, smooth. 

 i- No involucral leaf or bract and no leaves Mow : base of style indurated and persist- 

 ent, but continuous with the achenium. ( Transition to Eleocharis and Blysmus. ) 

 1. S. paucifldrus, Lightfoot. Culms striate-angled, very slender 

 (3' -9' high), scarcely tufted, on slender running rootstocks, at the base with a 

 short truncate sheath ; scales of the ovate spike evidently 2-ranked, chestnut- 

 brown, pointless, all flower-bearing, the two lower larger; bristles 3-6, down- 

 wardly barbed, about the length of the conspicuously beak-pointed triangular 

 achenium. (S. Bsedthryon, Ehrh. Blysmus pnuciflorus, Carurl.) Very wet 

 places, New York (Jefferson Co., Dr. Craw, & Herkimer Co., J. A Paine) to 

 N. Illinois (Dr. Vasey), Michigan, and northwestward. (Eu.) 



