JUNCACE^. 25 



I am strongly inclined to agree with those botanists who consider 

 (T. dilFusns a hybrid l)etwoen J. glaucus and J. etfusus ; but Mr. H. C. 

 Watson, who lias cultivated J. diffusus, considers it a " sterile variety 

 of J. effusus, and that it has no affinitj' to rl. glaucus either as a hyl)rid 

 or variety of the latter." Mr. H. C. Watson, in adverting to the 

 opinion of Dr. Bronitield that J. diffusus was a hybrid bet^veen J. 

 glaucus and J. effusus, considers that there are no sutticient grounds 

 to warrant this inference. 



Diffuse Rush. 



French, Jonc dijfus. 



SPECIES IX.— J UNCUS GLAUCUS. ^'Mh. 



Plate MDLXIII. 



r.nch. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Holv. Vol. IX. Tab. CCCCXV. 



Billot, Fl. Gall, et Gci-m. Essicc. No. 2144. 



J. glaucus, var. a, Ehrharti. Hool: & Am. Brit. Fl. ed. viii. p. 4G1. 



Ca2spitose, growing in circular tufts. Rootstock rather shortly creep- 

 ing, its branches with the stems placed close together one before the 

 other. Stems numerous, wiry, rather rigid, very tough, rather slender, 

 terete, deeply striate, especially when dry, glaucous, filled with inter- 

 rupted pith. Sheaths leafless, indistinctly striate, dark pur[)lisli-ljrown 

 towards the base, shining. Panicle pseudo-lateral, from the lowest 

 bract resembling a continuation of the stem, and being much longer 

 than the panicle. Flowers numerous, solitary, arranged in a decom- 

 pound umbellato-corymbose panicle, with the lower branches erect, 

 elongate (more rarely rather short), twice (rarely thrice or once) 

 branched. Perianth leaves equal, very narrowly lanceolate, acuminate 

 and very acute, brown, about as long as the capsule. Stamens G. 

 Capsule oval-ovoid, trigonous, rather gradually acuminated into a short 

 mucro, dark chestnut. Seeds minute, without an appendage. 



In damp places and roadsides on poor soil. Common, and geiierally 

 distributed in England. Less frequent in Scotland, and absent from 

 the north of that country. Frequent in Ireland, near the sea, but by 

 no means generally distributed in that island. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer. 



Stem 9 inches to 2 feet high, much tougher and more rigid than 

 those of J. communis and J. diffusus, and more slender in proportion 

 to their length than in the former, liranches of the panicle much more 

 erect than in J. communis, scarcely di^■erging. (Japsule sometimes a 

 little longer than the perianth leaves, sometimes a little sliorter, broadest 



VOL. X. K 



