JUNCACEJE. 29 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer, Autumn. 



Rootstock rather thick, extensively creeping, producing numerous 

 stems about their own width a]iart one before the other. Stems 1 V to 

 4 feet high, with several sheaths at the base, the uppermost of which 

 is terminated by a lamina usually about i inch long, but sometimes 



1 inch or more ; about the middle of the stem thei'e is a sheathing leaf, 

 with a lamina reaching nearly up to the panicle, and above this there is 

 usually a second much shorter leaf. Lowest branches of the panicle 



2 to G mches long, the ultimate branches at first ascending, but after- 

 wards spreading at right angles to the branch from which they spring. 

 Perianth segments about -J mch long, channelled, with pale bracts at 

 the base and broad scarious margins. Seeds yellowish. 



Blunt-flowered Rush. 



French, Jonc ajleicrs obtuses. German, Stumjifhluthic/e Binsc. 



SPECIES xni.— J UNCUS ACUTIFLORUS. Ehrh. 



Plate MDLXVII. 



Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. IX. Tab. CCCCDI. 



J. sylvaticus, Beichard. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et Helv. ed. ii. p. 842. Gren. & Godr. 



Fl. de Ft. Vol. III. p. 347. Pari. Fl. Ital. Vol. II. p. 330. (Non iffu?*-.) 

 J. articulatns, Linn. Sm. Engl. Bot. No. 238. 



Not coespitose. Rootstock rather extensively creeping, its branches 

 producing at intervals tufts of stems close together or slightly separated 

 one before the other. Stems erect, slightly compressed, nearly smooth 

 when fresh, faintly striate when dry, solid towards the base, hollow 

 with distinct dissepiments above. Radical sheaths yello-wish-bromi, 

 leafless, the upper one with a very short filiform lamina. Stem leaves 

 usually 3 or 4, sheathing, their laminai terete-compressed, hollow with 

 numerous partitions, which give the dried leaf the appearance of being 

 jointed; all of them shorter than the stem. Flowers numerous, in 

 fascicles of 4 to 12, arranged in a compound umbellato-corymbose 

 panicle, of which, the lowest branches are commonly longer than the 

 fohaceous bract, erect-ascending, once or twice (rarely thrice) branched, 

 the ultimate branches ascending or spreading-ascending. Perianth 

 leaves unequal, the inner ones longest, all narrowly lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, and very acute, slightly recurved at the tips, and subai'istate, pale 

 olive-brown or dark reddish-brown towards the apex, usually a little 

 shorter than the capsule. Stamens 6; filaments shorter than the 

 anthers. Style longer than the ovary. Capsule lanceolate-ovoid, 

 triquetrous, very gradually acuminated into a beak, pale reddish-brown, 

 shining. Seeds very mimite, with the testa not produced into an 

 appendage. 



