538 Cyperacce. 
of this order inhabit marshy places, and their herbage being 
coarse and rough is little sought after by cattle. There are 
upwards of 100 genera, including about 2,000 species, occurring 
in all parts of the world. Ten genera are represented in 
Britain by about 100 species. Some of the larger-growing 
species are stately or elegant, and may be introduced with effect 
in marshy spots of the wildermess or on the margins of streams 
and lakes. The genus Carex, distinguished by its utriculate 
fruit, includes about one half of the species, some of which are 
amongst the most conspicuous and graceful of the hardy 
_members of this order. They have commonly dense cylindrical 
eventually drooping spikes of flowers on slender stalks. C. 
paludosa, C. pseudo-Cyperus, and C. ripariu are river-side 
species frequent in Svuth Britain, the latter growing to a 
height of 5 or 6 feet in sume localities. C. péndula is a 
common woodland species growing in dense tufts with large 
broad foliage and floweriny stems, 5 to 7 feet, readily dis- 
tinguished from all other native species by the very long (often 
6 inches) and slender pendulous spikelets on long slender 
peduncles. C. sylvdticu is very abundant in woods and copses, 
and remarkable for its slender habit and pale yellowish-green 
herbage. A variegated variety of C. Jupénicu is cultivated. 
The genus Scirpus has a cymose or fascicled inflorescence. 
S. lacustris, the Bulrush, is a conspicuous semi-aquatie species 
with terete spongy nearly leafless stems 8 to 10 feet high, in 
rich swamps. S. sylvdticus is frequently met with in damp 
shady situations, and is remarkable for its leafy stems and very 
large bracteate cymes. Aridphorwin, Cutton-grass, is readily 
known by the oval or oblong spikes, in which the bristles are 
exceedingly slender and silvery. Cladium Mariscus and 
Cyperus léngus are tall-growing rather rare indigenous plants 
of this order. 
Onprr XVUL—GRAMINEA. 
Usually tufted herbs with slender terete or compressed 
jointed stems, hollow between the joints. Leaves linear, 
sheathing at the base; sheath split, and generally furnished 
with a small scarious seale (ligule) or tuft of hairs at its 
junction with the blade. Inflorescence spicate, racemose or 
paniculate. Antlers versatile. This is one of the most 
important assemblages of plauts in the Vegetable Kingdom, 
