440 99. EauiSEiACE^. 



** Sterih and fertile stems similar, contemporaneous, branched. 



4. K sylvat'icum (L.) ; sterile and fertile st. -with about 12 

 furrows and many whorls of slender compound spreading or 

 dMexed solid branches, sheaths lax ending in 3 or 4 Munt lobes. 

 —E. B. 1874. H. F. 61. S. 4. N. 59.— St. 12—18 in. high. 

 Sheaths of the branches with 3 long acute teeth each 1-ribbed to 

 its dp. Fertile st. occasionally simple. Spiie blunt. General 

 outline of sterile st. pyramidal, of fertile abrupt. — Wet shady 

 places. P. IV. V. E. S. I, 



*•* Stems of one kind, with or Without simple hollow whorled 

 branches. 



5. JE. limdsum (L.) ; stem nearly smooth with many slight 

 furrows, teeth of sheaths short rigid acute, branches simple 

 whorled or none. — St. 2 — 4 ft, high. Sheaths rather short. 

 Spike blunt. — a. E. limosum (L.) ; st. smooth, barren st. nar- 

 rowing gradually upwards, branches short rigid slightly taper- 

 ing upright and equalling st. -joints from green sheaths often 

 wantmg. S.. F. 62. — ^. E. JlvmatUe (L.) ; st, subglabrous, 

 barren st. with a las whiplike end, branches long slender taper- 

 ing lax exceeding st. -joints from dark-brown sheaths rarely 

 wanting. — In stagnant water. P. VI. VII. E. S. I. 



6. E. pahis'tre (L.) ; st. loith 4 — 8 deep furrows branched 

 throughmd, sheaths loose pale with acute wedgeshaped teeth 

 tipped with brown and membranous at the edges, branches 

 simple.—^. B. 2021. H. F. 63. S. 6. iV. 43, 47 & 49.— St. 

 slightly rough. Barren st. whipshaped at the end. Spike 

 blunt. Sheaths coloured like the st. or paler; teeth brown 

 with nearly transparent edges, ribs furrowed on the back. 

 Branches usually barren or O. polystaehium) each ending in a 

 spike, hollow, with shallow furrows, lowest joint of branch (oftea 

 reduced to its sheath) falling short of the st.-sheath. Occasion- 

 ally (y. nudum DC.) the angles and teeth are fewer and the st. 

 nearly or quite simple and dwarf. — Spongy bogs. y. Sandy 

 places. P.VviI. ^ ^ ^E.S.I. 



7. E. hyem&le (L.) ; st. simple very rough with 14 — 20 slender 

 furrows, sheaths close whitish but the top and bottom black, teeth 

 with slender black-brown vejy deciduom tips. — E. B. 915. 

 S. F. 64 S. 8. N. 17.— St. 1—2 ft. high, simple, biennial, 

 its central hollow equalling at least J of diameter. Spike api- 

 culate. Sheaths widest at their top, at first green with a black 

 crenate rim after the teeth have fallen, then entirely Mack, and 

 ultimately pale in the middle and black above and below. — 

 (3. E. Moorei (Newm.) ; st. annual very rough with about 12 



