354 CYPERACEiE. Scirpus. 



oblong, aggregated in threes at the summit of tlie peduncles or divisions of the umbel. Scales 

 often emarginate, brown, minutely pubescent, generally marked with two or more curved 

 wrinkles. Bristles 4 - 6, stout, hispid downward. Stamens 3. A chenium dark brown when 

 mature, strongly convex in front, flat internally. 



Lakes, freshwater ponds, and swamps : frequent. Fl. July. Fr. August. A native of 

 most parts of the world. 



tt Spikes terminal. 



8. Scirpus maritimus, Linn. Sea Clubrusli. 



Culm triquetrous, leafy ; umbel simple or compound, often of few spikes and sessile, 

 shorter than the involucre ; spikes ovoid-oblong (large and thick), rather obtuse ; scales ovate, 

 lacerately 3-cleft or 3-toolhcd, the midrib produced into a short recurved bristle ; style 3-clefl; 

 achenium broadly obovate, lenticular, smooth and shining, much longer than the slender bristles. 

 — hinn. sp. I. p. 51 ; R. Br. prodr. 1. p. 224 ; Nees hi Wight's contrib. p. Ill, and Cyp. 

 in Endl. cj- Mart. fi. Bras. p. 105 ; Bigel.fl. Bost. p. 21 ; Beck, hot. p. 426 ; Gray, Gram. 

 cj- Cyp. part 1. no. 82 (in part) ; Torr. Cyp. p. 322 ; Kuntli, enum. 2. p. 167. S. macro 

 stachyos, Muhl. gram. p. 45 (in part) ; Torr. fl. I. p. 50 (in part). S. maritimus, /3. macro- 

 stachyos, Michx. Jl. \. p. 32 (in part). S. robustus, PursJi, fl. \. p. 56 (in part). 



Culm 1-4 feet high, thick, smooth, leafy below. Leaves 2-5 lines wide, carinale. 

 Involucre about 2-leaved, foliaceous. Spikes 3 - 20, nearly an inch in length and very thick, 

 sometimes aggregated and sessile, but usually forming somewhat compound corymbs. Scales 

 membranaceous, somewhat pubescent, chestnut-colored ; the summit a little cleft each side of 

 the midrib, which is produced into a recurved cusp or bristle about two lines long, giving the 

 spike a squarrose appearance. Bristles 3-4, very slender, about two-thirds the length of the 

 achenium, hispid downward. Achenium large, nearly orbicular, much compressed, dark brown 

 and polished, lipped with the minute persistent base of the style. 



var.? FLUviATiLis : umbel somewhat compound ; spikes ovoid (large and thick), acute ; nut 

 obovoid-lriangular, narrowed downward (dull), acuminate, as long as the (6) rigid l)ristles. — 

 Torr. Cyp. I. c. S. maritimus, EU. sk. 1. p. 86?; Gray, Gram, c^ Cyp. I. c. (in part). S. 

 macrostachyos, Muhl. gram.. I. c. (in part). S. badius, Prcsl? Kunth, enum. 2. p. 168? 



Culm and leaves as in the preceding. Umbel composed of 10-20 spikes ; the principal 

 rays about 5 ; the divisions bearing 2 - 3 or more clustered spikes. Involucre 3 - 5-leaved. 

 Spikes nearly an inch long ami about half an inch in diameter, rather acute, even in fruit. 

 Scales pale brown, with a recurved cusp or bristle. Bristles mostly 6, straight and stout ; the 

 longest somewhat exceeding the point of the achenium. Style unequally 3-cleft. Achenium 

 about 2 lines long, the sides flattish, gradually narrowed toward the base. 



Salt marshes and ditches : never far from salt water : common near New-York and on 

 Long Island. Var. fluviatilis in swamps on the borders of lakes and rivers, always in fresli 

 or only sliglilly brackish water ; common in the western part of the State. Fl. August. Fr. 

 September. I am still uncertain wiicther the freshwater variety of this plant should not be 



