JUNCACE.T. 19 



a rigid point like the barren stems and leaves. Flowers in fascicles of 

 2 to 4, arranged in a decompound nmbellato-corymbose panicle with 

 the lower branches erect. Perianth leaves lanceolate, acute, olive- 

 green, sometimes dull brown on the midrib, as long as the capsule, 

 the inner ones without any scarious wing. Capsule elliptical-ovoid, 

 trigonous, and gradually acuminated into a short beak, yellowish- 

 brown, shining. Seeds with a short appendage at each end. 



In salt marshes. Rather rare, but widely distributed, reaching from 

 Cornwall, Isle of Wight, and Kent, north to Argyle, Moray, aiid 

 Kincardine; but a scarce plant in Scotland. Frequent and generally 

 distributed round the coast of Ireland. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer, 

 Autunni. 



Stems 18 inches to 3 feet high, much more slender and less rigid 

 than those of J. acutus, and the stems do not grow in great round 

 tufts, as in that plant, by reason of the much more extensively creep- 

 ing rootstock of J. maritimus. Lowest branches of the panicle often 

 4 to 6 inches long, rarely as short as 2 inches, much more erect than 

 in J. acutus, and being of unequal length, the panicle is slender, and 

 appears interrupted from the bare shaft of the loAvest panicle branches 

 commonly extending beyond the flowers of the upper ones. Perianth 

 leaves about ^ inch long, decidedly acute, the inner ones destitute of 

 the white scarious wing which margins those of J. acutus. Capsule 

 about I inch long by yV inch broad, much narrower than that of J. 

 acutus. Seeds similar to those of J. acutus, but rather smaller. 



Lesser Sea Rush. 



BVench, Jonc maritime. German, Meerstrands Binse. 



TLis Rush is useful on the sandy shores of our sea coasts, where it is found, in 

 binding the loose and shifting sands with its roots. The white bases of the stems are 

 clammy, and exhale the odour of red cedar wood. 



Section III.—LATERIFLOPtl. Fries. 



Perennial. Stems fiUed -nith separable spongy white pith, not arti- 

 culated. Leaves reduced to radical sheaths, which are either destitute 

 of lamina? or with rudimentary ones. Flowers few or numerous, mostly 

 solitary, collected into an umbellato-corymbose panicle or head, which 

 is from first to last pseudo-lateral, from the lowest bract forming an 

 apparent continuation of the stem. Seeds with the testa not produced 

 into a tail-like appendage. 



