498 CTPERACE^E. (SKDGE FAMILY.) 



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



14. E. acicillariS, R. Brown. 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, tumid, with 3 ribbed 

 angles and 2-3 times as many smaller intermediate ribs, also transversely stri 

 ate, longer than the 3-4 very fugacious bristles ; tubercle conical-triangular 

 (S. trichodes, MuhL, &c.) Muddy places, and margins of brooks; common 

 (Eu.) 



# * Achenium triangular, with smooth and even sides. 



15. E. pygm&a, Torr. Culms bristle-like, flattened and grooved (!'- 

 2 high); spike ovate, 3 - 8-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? Chxtocyperus polymorphus, Nees?) Brackish marshes and 

 river-banks, as far as salt water reaches. 



16. E. mici'ocfsrpa, var. ? filiculmis, Torr. " Culms capillary or 

 thread-like, wiry, 4-angular (3' -4' high) ; spikes oblong, often proliferous, 15-25- 

 flowered; bristles nearly as long as the obovate-oblong (obtusely triangular) nut 

 without the tubercle; scales dark chestnut-color." Wet places, in the pine 

 barrens of New Jersey, Tarrey. 



6. SCIRPUS, L. BULRUSH. CLUB-RUSH. 



Spikes many - several-flowered, terete, single or mostly clustered, and sub- 

 tended by one or more involucral leaves, often appearing lateral from the exten- 

 sion of an involucral leaf like a continuation of the culm. Scales regularly 

 imbricated all round in several ranks. Perianth of 3-6 bristles. Stamens 

 mostly 3. Style 2-3-cleft, simple, not bulbous at the base, wholly deciduous, 

 or leaving a persistent jointless base as a tip or point to the lenticular or trian- 

 gular achenium. Culms sheathed at the base ; the sheaths usually leaf-bearing. 

 Perennials, except No. 8. (The Latin name of the Bulrush.) See Addend. 



$ 1. SCIRPUS PROPER. Bristles rigid, not exserted, mostly barbed downwards. 



* Spike single, terminal, with an empty scale or bract at its base equalling or overtop- 

 ping it, few-flowered : culms slender, jointless, leaf-bearing only at the base (style 

 3-deft: achenium triangular, smooth). 



1. S. caespitoSUS, I. Culms terete, wiry, densely sheathed fit the base, 

 incompact turfy tufts (3' -10' high) ; the upper sheath prolonged into a short 

 awl-shaped leaf; spike ovoid, rusty-color ; the 2 lower scales bract-like, callous- 

 pointed, and as long as the spike ; bristles 6, smooth, longer than the abruptly 

 short-pointed achenium. Alpine tops of the mountains of Maine, New Hamp- 

 shire, and N. New York. Also high mountains of Virginia ? (Eu.) 



2. S. planifdlillS, Muhl. Culms triangular, loosely tufted (5'- 10' high), 

 leafy at the base ; leaves linear, flat, as long as the culm, rough on the edges and 

 keel, as is the culm; spike ovate or oblong, rusty -color; scales ovate, with a 

 strong green keel prolonged into an awned tip, the lowest about as long as the 

 spike; bristles 4 -6, upwardly hairy, as long as the blunt achenium. Dry or 

 moist woods, Delaware to New England, June. 



