ausmace.t;. 67 



GENUS //.— SCHEUCHZERIA. Lmn. 



Perianth persistent, of 6 reflexed subpetaloid segments slightly 

 connected at the base ; the inner ones narrower than the outer. 

 Stiiraens 6, hypogynous ; filaments short. Ovary of 3 carjiels, co- 

 hering at the base; ovules 2 in each cell; stigmas sessile, papilose. 

 Fruit of 3 inflated diverging follicles; each follicle 1- or 2-seeded, 

 opening by the ventral sutures. 



A marsh herb with an erect leafy stem and grasslike leaves sheath- 

 ing at the base. Flowers few, minute, yellowish-green, in a termmal 

 raceme, "\vith leaflike bracts. 



This genus of plants is named after Sclaeuchzcr, a celebrated Swiss botanist. 



SPECIES I.— SCHEUCHZERIA PALUSTRIS. Linn. 



Plate MCCCCXXXV. 



Bekh. Ic. ri. Germ, et Helv. Vol. X. Tab. CCCCXIX. Figs. 927 to 929. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Essicc. No. 649. 



The only kno^vn species. 



In spongy bogs. Rare. J3omere Pool, near Shrewsbury, Salop ; 

 Wybunbury Bog, Cheshire; Leckby carr, between Thirsk and Don- 

 caster, Yorkshire ; near Methven, Perth. 



England, Scotland. Perennial. Early Summer. 



Rootstock tough, rather slender, extensively creeping, clothed with 

 the decayed bases of the leaves. Leaves narrowly linear, semi- 

 cylindrical, with a pore at the apex on the upper side, and with 

 dilated sheathing bases, a very small portion of the adnate stipules 

 1)L'ing free at the top of the sheaths. The length of the leaves on the 

 barren tufts is 8 inches to 1 foot; those on the flowering stem few, 

 alternate, shorter than those of the barren tufts, but the middle ones 

 overtopping the raceme. Raceme lax, 4- to 8-flowered. Pedicels at 

 first very short, but lengthening in fruit until they are ^ to 1 inch 

 long, each pedicel in the axil of a bract resemblmg the leaves, but 

 with a much shorter point. Perianth segments yellowish-green, 

 lanceolate-strapshaped, recurved, at length shrivelling up until they 

 are inconspicuous. Filaments rather short ; anthers long and slender, 

 jellow. Fruit formed of 3 (or by abortion of 2) divaricate inflated 

 olive-brown broadly ovoid compressed follicles, about the size of sweet- 

 pea seeds or a little larger. Seeds 1 (or rarely 2) in each follicle, 

 ovoid, pale ohve, smooth, about the size of a seed of wliite mustard. 



Marsh Scheuclizeria. 



French, Scheuchzerie des marais. German, Sumpfscheuclizeri. 



