ENGELMANN—NORTH AM. SPECIES OF JUNCUS. 427 
axis, which often almost seem to constitute an umbel, 
of this is furnished by J. seem var. secundus, which form 
also proves that this uni-lateral development of the inflores- 
cence can by no means constitute specific distinction, as a 
series of intermediate forms are not Serres e sheaetn, a 
similar condition in J. Balticus and the var. Pacificus ,; 
eastern form has the ordinary panicle, while that of a 
sist of few, or are (often in J. pelocarpus) reduced to single, 
flowers, or they bear a great many, and the different forms of 
the same species often vary immensely in this respect. 
we find from 2 or 3 to 50 flowers in each head of the different 
forms of J. pallescens, 6 or 9 to 100 in the forms of J. nodosus, 
and 2 or 8 to 80 or 90 in J. Canadensis. These heads are 
single, or composed of several heads crowded together, when 
they appear lobed. I have seen the axis of the heads abnor- 
mally elongated, thus changing them into spikes 9-12 lines 
in nese in three different species, all found in the raga 
Ss n all of them the ai flowers seem 
sterile, se only the uppermost ones bear fruit; or, ae the 
earliest flowers have performed their functions, ‘the axis, per- 
haps in a wet season, continues to grow and produces a sec- 
ond crop of flowers. -/. a Curtis, is such a spicate 
form of J. marginatus ; [ have also seen it in J. pallescens, 
var. fraternus, and most heautiflly developed i in J. Canaden- 
sis, var. longicaudatus. In this last specimen numerous rays 
form a rather compact almost level-topped umbel, and each 
ray bears a head of 3 to 5 or 6 sessile, diverging sp ikes. The 
heads are either single, terminating the stem like the head 
of an Allium, or they form a more or i compound inflores- 
cence similar to that of the single flow 
ers.—The flowers of these plants consist normally of 5 
circles, each of 3 component parts; 3 outer and 3 inner 
leaves, which we call, on account of their herbaceous 
texture, sepals ; 3 outer and ’3 inner stamens and 3 carpellary 
leaves; each of the circles alternating with the next one, so 
that the 6 stamens stand before the 6 sepals, and the 3 
carpels before the 3 outer sepals; but the 3 stigmas, as well 
as the valves of the _ fore the 3 inner sepals. The 
ird circle, consisting of the 3 inner stamens, is some- 
times st Only in one instance, in the only’ species of 
(May, 1 28 
