cypERACE^. 545 



Scandinavia. In Britain, only in two localities in Middlesex and Surrey. 

 Fl. late in summer. 



II. SCHOiNUS. SCHCENUS. 



Herbs, nsually stiff and rusli-like. Glumes arranged, as in Cyperns, in 

 two opposite rows, but not more than 4 of the vippermost have flowers in 

 their axils, the 3 or 4 lower ones rather shorter and always empty. There 

 are also occasionally from 3 to 6 minute bristles round the ovary. 



A small genus, of which most of the species are from the southern hemi- 

 sphere. 



1. Black Schoenus. Schoenus nigpricans, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1121. Bog-ntsli.) 



A tufted perennial, with stiff, rush-like stems, about a foot high. Leaves 

 short and stiff, almost radical, their sheaths often of a dark, shining brown. 

 Spikelets several, of a dark, shining brown, almost black, closely sessile, in 

 compact terminal heads, about-half an inch in diameter, with an involucre 

 of 2 or 3 broad, brown bracts, one of which at least has a stiff, erect, leaf- 

 like point 5 to 1 inch long. Glumes near 3 lines long, pointed, with a pro- 

 minent keel, and rough on the edge. 



In bogs and marshes, chiefly near the sea, in central and southern Eu- 

 rope, extending eastward to the Caucasus, and northward to the Baltic. 

 Spread over a great part of Britain, but cliiefly in the west. Fl. summer. 



III. CI.ADIUM. CLADIUM. 



A single species, distinguished from Beaksedge chiefly on account of the 

 thick texture of the fruit. Its habit is very different fi-om that of our 

 Beaksedges, but comes very near to that of some exotic species of that 

 genus. 



1. Prickly Cladium. Cladium Mariscus, Br. 

 (Schcenus, Eng. Bot, t. 950.) 



A tall, rush-like plant, vrith a creepina; rootstock, and leafy stems, 3 to 6 

 feet high. Leaves nearly erect, the lowest nearly as long as tlie stem, 

 smooth and sheathing at the base, then keeled, and ending in a long, trian- 

 gular point ; the keel and edges very rough and cutting, being bordered by 

 minute, sharp teeth. Spikelets of a pale brown, in small but very numerous 

 clusters, arranged in somewhat corymbose panicles in the upper axils, the 

 whole forming a terminal, more or less leafy, oblong panicle, often above a 

 foot long. Each spikelet is 2 or 3 lines long, rather pointed, witli the 

 glumes imbricated all round the axis, containing usually one perfect flower 

 in tlie iimermost glume, an incomplete one in the next, the 4 or 5 outer 

 glumes gradually shorter and always empty. Stamens usually 2. Nut 

 tapering at the top, the outer coating tliick and fleshy when fresh, brittle 

 when dry. 



In deep bogs and mai-shy places, in most temperate and some tropical 

 regions of the globe, extending nortliward in Europe to southern Scandi- 

 navia. In Britain, thinly scattered over England and Ireland, and very 

 local in Scotland. FL late in summer. 



3a2 



