Blymut.] LXXXVIII. CYPERACE^J. 481 



Spikeleta chestnut-brown, 6- tc 8-flowered, and longer than the 



glume-like bract at their base 1. B compresrus. 



Spikelets dark-brown, 2- to 4-flowered, almost enclosed in the long 



glume-like bract at their base 2. B. rvfua. 



1. B. coxnpressus, Panz. (fig. 1090). Broad B. Stems 6 to 8 inches 

 high, with a creeping rootstock. Leaves much like those of the common 

 Carex panicea, shorter than the stem, 1 to 1 lines broad, flat or keeled. 

 Spike terminal, about an inch long, consisting of about 10 or 12 oblong 

 spikelets, closely sessile on opposite sides of the axis, each one about 3 

 lines long; the broad, brown, glume-like outer bract shorter than the 

 mature spikelet. Glumes about 8, imbricated all round the axis of the 

 spikelet, the lowest one of all ofteu empty. Stamens usually 3, with 

 3 to 6 small hypogynous bristles. Nuts somewhat flattened, tapering 

 into the two-cleft style. Scirpus Caricis, Retz. 



In bogs and marshes, in Europe and Russian Asia, not extending to 

 the extreme north, and yet a mountain plant in southern Europe and 

 the Caucasus. Occurs in many parts of England, and southern Scotland. 

 FL summer. 



2. B. rufus, Link. (fig. 1091). Narrow B. Stems 6 inches to near 

 a foot high, rather stiff but slender, with a few very narrow leaves near 

 the base, shorter than the stem, erect and channelled or nearly cylin- 

 drical. Spike terminal, 6 to 9 lines long, consisting of about 6 sessile 

 spikelets, of a dark, shining brown, almost black, each containing only 

 2 to 4 flowers, and almost concealed by the outer bracts, which are dark 

 brown, thin, and shining, about 3 lines long. Glumes of the spikelet 

 imbricated all round the axis, the lowest one often empty. Stamens 3 ; 

 the hypogynous bristles minute or wanting. Nut rather larger than in 

 B. compressus. Scirpus rufus, Wahlb. 



In marshy places, especially near the sea, in northern Europe and all 

 across temperate Asia, extending from northern Germany nearly to the 

 Arctic circle. In Britain, particularly abundant in Scotland and northern 

 England, descending to North Wales and Lincolnshire ; not uncommon 

 in northern Ireland. Fl. summer. 



VI. SCIRPUS. SCIRPUS. 



Spikelets either solitary and terminal or several together, forming one 

 or more heads or clusters, or an irregular panicle, either terminal or 

 apparently below the top of the stem. Glumes several in each spikelet, 

 imbricated all round the axis, all containing a perfect flower in their 

 axil except sometimes the lowest one. Hypogynous bristles either 6, or 

 fewer and shorter than the glume, or altogether wanting. 



A large genus, widely distributed over the whole world, and, like other 

 large genera of Cyperacece, containing species very unlike each other in 

 general habit. It has been repeatedly endeavoured to divide it into 

 several, with characters derived from the hypogynous bristles, the shape 

 of the base of the style, the number of its parts, &c., but the smaller 

 groups so formed still include species as unlike each other as those of 

 the original genus, whilst species closely resembling each other in every 

 other respect have become widely separated. The genus is therefore 

 here retained in its integrity, distinguished from Rhynchospora by the 

 glumes all bearing flowers except the lowest, from Cyperut by the 



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