12 EN'GLISII BOTANY. 



SPECIES VII.— L U Z U L A SPICATA. D.O. 



Plate MDLIII. 



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

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2948. 

 Lnciola spicafa. Sm. Engl. Fl. Vol. II. p. 182. 

 Juncus spicatus, Linn. Sm. Engl. Bot. No. 117G. 



Cajspitose, with very short stolons. Stems few. Radical leaves 

 veiy narrowly linear, channelled, nsually recurved, rather thick and 

 firm, clothed at the margins with a few soft hairs, wliich are cadu- 

 cous, except at the base of the leaf ; stem leaves similar to the 

 radical ones, but smaller. Flowers in ovoid or cylindrical spikes, 

 numerous in each spike. Spikes all suljsessile or the lowest one 

 shortly stalked, combined into an oblong spikelike panicle frequently 

 interrupted at the base and drooping at the apex. Bracts lanceolate- 

 acuminate-aristate, sparingly ciliated. Perianth leaves strapshaped- 

 lanceolate acuminate-aristate, longer than the capsule, chestnut or 

 pale bro^vn, with very narrow pale edges. Filaments half as long as 

 the anthers. Capsule subglobular, trigonous, shortly and abruptly 

 acuminate-apiculate. Seeds oblong-obovate, with scarcely any terminal 

 crest, but with a very small white caruncule at the base. 



In damp grassy and heathy places and on ledges of rocks, in moun- 

 tainous districts. Rather common. In England it occurs on the Car- 

 narvonshire mountains and in the Lake district; in Scotland it is 

 frequent on mountains above 2,000 feet high, in their vicinity some- 

 times descending to about 1,000 feet, as between Invercauld Bridge 

 and the Castleton of Braemar, Aberdeenshire. 



England, Scotland. Perennial. Summer, early Autumn. 



Plant growing in small tufts with rarely more than 6 or 7 stems in 

 each tuft and often with only 2 or 3. Radical leaves 2 to 6 inches long, 

 resembUng those of L. arcuata, but thinner in texture and less deeply 

 channelled. Stems slender, 4 to 18 inches high. Panicle ^ to 2 inches 

 long, at first ei'ect, afterwards drooping, the longer ones especially. 

 Lowest primary bracts longer than tlie spikes at the base of "which they 

 are situated. Spikes -|- to ^ inch long. Partial bracts silvery white 

 or chestnut with long bristly points. Perianth leaves about J- inch 

 long, narrower in proportion to their length than in the other British 

 species. Capsule similar to that of L. arcuata, but the seeds are a 

 little larger and witli a more distinct basal caruncule, which however 

 is very much less developed than in L. multiflora and L. campestris. 



Sp iked 1 1 'oodnish . 



•French, Jjuzule en e^i. German, Ahri(jer Marhel. 



