564 CLIX. ERICAULONACE^:. ERIOCAULON. 



linear-ensiform, more or less twisted, acute, rigid, erect, shorter than the scape ; 

 head oblong-globose, obtuse; scales coriaceous, imbricated, obtuse, concave, 

 scarious and yellowish at edge ; lower ones empty ; sep. not exserted ; claws of 

 petals as long as the scales. 7J. Meadows, swamps and prairies, U. S. not un- 

 common. Scape firm and wiry, often twisted or flexuous, 1 2f high, 1" diam. 

 Leaves few, flat, 6 12' by 2 3/' clasping or equitant at base. Petals yellow, 

 limb spreading, retuse. July, Aug. 



0. brevifolia. Wood. (X. brevifolia. MX.) bus. linear-subulate, short, much 

 twisted. Evidently a variety of this polymorphous species. 



y. 1 Olneyi. Wood. L/vs. larger, nearly as long as the scape ; strongly equi- 

 tant-clasping at base ; scales rather loosely imbricated ; sep. a little exserted ; 

 filaments hairy. Cumberland, R. I., Olney ! Scape 18 24' high. Leaves 3 

 4" wide. Perhaps distinct, but its claims cannot now be satisfactorily deter- 

 mined. 



2. X. FIMBRIATUS. Ell. Fringed Xyris. 



Scape tall, erect ; Ivs. linear-ensiform, about equaling the scape ; head ob- 

 long, with the scales loosely imbricated ; sepals much exserted, fimbriate. A 

 large species, found in N. J. (Darlington) S. to Ga., Elliott. Scape 2 3f high. 

 I have never seen this species. 



ORDER CLIX. ERICAULONACEJE. PIPEWORTS. 



Herbs perennial, aquatic, with linear, spongy, cellular leaves sheathing at base. 

 Fls. monoecious or dioecious, in a dense head. Perianth 2 6-parted, or wanting. 

 Sta. 6, some of them generally abortive. Anthers mostly 1-celled. 

 Ova. 1 or more-celled, cells 1 -seeded. Seeds pendulous. 

 Genera 9, species 200, chiefly South American. They are of no known use. 



ERIOCAULON. 



Gr. spiov, wool, KO.V\OS, stem; the stem being sometimes woolly or tomentose. 



Flowers <? , collected into an imbricated head ; involucre many- 

 leaved. cT in the disk ; perianth single, 3-cleft, the 2 inner seg- 

 ments united nearly to their summit ; stamens 4 6. 9 in the 

 margin ; perianth single, deeply 4-parted ; style 1 ; stigmas 2 or 3 ; 

 capsule 2 3-celled, 2 3-lobed ; cells 1 -seeded. 



1. E. SEPTANGULARE. With. (E. pellucidum. Michx.) Pipewort. 

 Smooth ; scape slender, about 7-furrowed ; Ivs. linear-subulate, pellucid, 



channeled, 5- veined ; hd. small, globose ; scales of the involucre obtuse. A 

 small plant of simple structure, in water, only the scape arising above the sur- 

 face. Leaves radical, submersed, in a small tuft at the bottom, 1 3' by 1 2", 

 tapering to a point, transparent at base. Stem simple, erect, 412' high, with 

 a small, terminal, hemispherical head of close, white flowers. Jn. 



2. E. DECANGULARE. Michx. Tall Pipewort. 



Scape 10-furrowed ; Ivs. ensiform, glabrous ; hds. large, depressed-globose ; 

 invol. scales oval, acute, those of the receptacle mucronate. Ponds, N. J. to 

 Car. Scape 2 3f high. Flowers very white. Aug. 



3. E. GNAPHALOIDES. Michx. (E. decangulare. Walt.) 



Scape somewhat compressed, with 10 furrows ; Ivs. short, subulate, ensi- 

 form, glabrous ; hds. hemispheric-convex ; invol. of shining, scarious, ova], 

 round-obtuse scales. In still waters. Scape 10 14' high. July. 



