ERIOCAULE^ — CYPEEACE^ 429 



Eriocaulon 



E. septangulare. — A North American species which 

 is also found in lakes in one or two of the Hebrides, 

 and near Connemara in West Ireland. 



CYPEEACE^ 



Wind flowers, with a few exceptions protogynous. 

 They resemble grasses superficially, though the flowers 

 are very different, but may be at once distinguished by 

 having generally a triangular stem, sometimes with very 

 sharp edges, while that of grasses is round,i or com- 

 pressed. Perianth absent or replaced by six bristles 

 or minute scales representing the six leaves. In some 

 cases the number of bristles is indefinite. Stamens, 

 generally 3, sometimes 2. Style, with two or three 

 branches. The fruit is flat, or with two ridges, in 

 species with two styles, triangular when there are three. 

 The embryo is embedded in the endosperm, while in 

 grasses it is outside. The plants are visited, though 

 not very frequently, by pollen-eating insects, which 

 sometimes cross the species. 



Eriophortjm (Cotton-grass) 



A North Temperate and Arctic genus, represented in 

 Britain by four species. It derives its name from the 

 long cotton-like hairs which represent the perianth, and 

 reach their full development in the fruiting stage ; they 

 form a light envelope in which the nut is carried. The 

 plants grow in wet moss or in bogs. 



Carex (Sedge) 



The largest genus of the order in temperate climates. 

 It is also the largest genus, as regards number of 



^ I have suggested (Brit. Ass. Cambridge, 1904) that this is because the 

 leaves of Carex are in threes, while those of grasses are distichous. 



