NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF RHYNCHOSPORA, 
pean and American, that I have examined ; 
a specimen from N. Carolina, collected by 
Mr. Curtis, appears to differ from this spe- 
cies only by its smaller spikelets, but is 
too imperfect to be positively determined. 
R. gracilenta ; culmis foliisque 
grecillimis, corymbis minimis subconfertis 
terminali subsessili lateralibus exserte pe- 
dunculatis, nuce levi ovata (vel orbiculari- 
ovata) lenticulari setis sursum hispidulis 
breviore, tuberculo subulato basi dilatato 
nucem sub:quante. 
R. fusca, Gray, Gram. et Cyp. v. I. n. 
93. (excl. syn.) 
Culm slender, sometimes almost capil- 
lary, one to two feet high, obscurely trian- 
gular. Leaves linear-setaceous, four to 
twelve inches long. Fascicles two to four 
(often with a solitary terminal fascicle or 
subcapitate corymb) lateral and terminal, 
small, few-flowered; the uppermost sub- 
sessile, the lower ones exsertly and often 
filiformly pedunculate. Spikelets ovate. 
Glumes ovate, acute, or mucronate, fus- 
cous. SBristles six, about half as long 
again as the nut, minutely hispid upward. 
Stamens three. Nut ovate, or round-ovate, 
smooth. Tubercle subulate, dilated at the 
base, compressed. 
AB. Pine Barrens of New Jersey. 
August to September. New York; N. 
Carolina. 
Oss. This plant is proposed as a new 
species with some hesitation. It is pos- 
sibly R. distans of Vahl, but is quite dif- 
ferent from Schenus distans, Mx. It does 
not disagree with the specific character of 
S. axillaris, Lam. Ill. Gen. v. I. p. 137; 
but the character of that species is so brief 
and general that it applies equally well to 
several other species. 
R. distans (Nutt.); corymbis fas- 
ciculatis lateralibus subdistantibus, spicu- 
lis subconfertis ovatis, nuce levi ovata 
lenticulari tuberculo brevi apiculata setas 
sursum hispidulas subequante. 
R. distans, Nutt. Gen. v. I. p. 83, non 
Vahl! nec Elliott. —Schcnus distans, Mz. 
Fi. v. I. p. 36.et Herb.! Pers. Syn. v. I. p.00. 
Culm rather slender, one to two feet 
37 
high, obtusely trigonous. Leaves narrow- 
linear, flat; the lower ones four to six 
inches long; the upper ones shorter. Co- 
rymbs fascicled; the (two or three) upper 
ones aggregated at the summit of the 
culm; the lateral ones (one or two) dis- 
tant, on short exserted peduncles. Spike- 
lets ovate. Glumes fuscous, broad-ovate, 
mucronate. Brisétles six, minutely hispid 
upward, about as long as the nut. Nut 
smooth, broad-ovate, lenticular. Tubercle 
compressed-conic, a little dilated at the 
base, one-third the length of the nut. 
Has. Carolina. 
B. fasciculis laxiusculis, setis. nucem 
excedentibus.—R. tenuis, Baldw. MSS. e£ 
erb. 
Culm somewhat acutely triangular. Co- 
rymbs rather loosely fasciculate, the lower 
ones long-pedunculate. Bristles nearly 
twice the length of the nut. Tubercle not 
dilated at the base. 
Has. Savannah, Georgia. 
Oss. The synonyms of Vahl and Pursh 
are omitted, as it is impossible to deter- 
mine the plant to which they belong. They 
may be referred with about an equal chance 
of correctness to R, glomerata, R. graci- 
lenta, and the present species. Var. B, 
although differing in the above-mentioned 
particulars, and uniformly having bristles 
longer than the nut, is not, as I think, 
specifically distinct. 
. R. glomerata (Vahl); corymbis fas- 
tistilato-giócoratis vel subspicatis axilla- 
ribus terminalibusque interdum geminatis, 
spiculis ovato-oblongis, nuce levi obovata 
lenticulari basi attenuata quasi stipitata 
tuberculum subulatum equante, setis re- 
trorsum hispidis nuce duplo longioribus. 
R. glomerata, Vahl, Enum. v. II. p. 
234. Pursh, Fl. v. L p. 48. Rem. et 
Sch. Syst. Veg. v. II. p. 86. Elliott, Bot. 
S. Car. et Georg. v. I. p. 01. Torrey, Fl. 
v. I. p. 55,—R. capitellata, Vahl, Enum 
v. II. p. 235. Rem. et Sch. Syst. Veg. v. 
IL p.87. Elliott, Bot. S. Car. et Georg. 
v. I p. 61.—Scheenus glomeratus, Linn. 
Sp. Pl. p. 65. Willd. Sp. Pl. v. £ p. 236. 
Muhl.! Gram, p. 8. Walt. FI. p. 
