HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 229 



Root perennial. Culm erect (decumbent, Willi), 18inchesto2feetJhigh,6lender 

 tstular, jointed, about 2-lcaved. Leaves 3 to 6 inches long, slender, compressed', 

 with knot like joints ; sheaths rather short and open, with a slightly scarious mar- 

 gin at summit. Panicle 4 to 6 or 8 inches long ; branches subverticillate, diverging, 

 very unequal in length. Hcadsof flowers somewhat hemispherical, fasciculate-ver- 

 ticillate, sessile, or terminating the peduncles, (usually a sessile head in the axil of 

 the branches), with lance-ovate acuminate bracts at base. Perianth about 1-fourth 

 shorter than the capsule, with scarious ovate mucronate bracts at base ; sepal* 

 striate, or 3 nerved, green on the back, with white scarious margins. Capsule 

 triquetrous-oblong, acuminately tapering to a sharp point. Seeds minute, oblong, 

 acute at each end, tawny yellow. 



Hob. Swamps, on the Mica-slate range; G. Meredith's: frequent. Fl. July. FY. Sept. 

 Obs. This species was first colloctcd here, in 1828. by I). TowNSBND,Esq. and 

 was supposed to be a variety of J. polyccphalus ; but it proves, on examination 

 and comparison, to be the J. subvert icillatus, of Muhlenberg. It seems to differ 

 somewhat from Willdcnow y s description ; and can hardly be reconciled with Aff- 

 thaux's J. Jlui tans,— which has been cited as a synonym. 



• • 



Leaves channelled above, or flat and gi ass-like. 



5. J. tenuis, Willd. Culm slender, nearly naked, leafy at base; leaver 

 narrow, setaceous-linear, channelled ; panicle unequal, subdichotomoua, 

 mostly shorter than the erect 2-lcaved involucre, flowers solitary, race- 

 mose, 6ubsessilc ; perianth longer than the obtuse capsules. Beck 

 Bot. p. 372. 



J. bicomis. Mx. Am. I. p. 191. Also, Pursh, Am. 1. p. 236. JYutt. 

 Gen. I. p. 227. 



Also, J. dichotomus. Ell. Sk. 1. p. 406. (Jide Selnveinitz). Florul. 

 Cestr. p. 43. 



LKxnxn Jcxcus. 



Root perennial, cespitose. Culm 6 to 12 inches, and sometimes near 2 feet, high, 

 often very slender, subtcrete, striate, smooth, generally naked, except near th* 

 root, and at the base of the panicle. Leaves subradical, 3 to 6 or nine inches long 

 very narrow, keeled, striate, channelled on the upper side, smooth. Panicle sutA 

 corymbose, mostly with 2 principal branches, and several shorter ones between* 

 with a foliaccous i?ivolucre at base, of which the 2 principal leaves arc erect, and 

 generally longer than the panicle ; branches of the panicle bract eate at base. 

 Flowers solitary, 1 or 2 subsessile in the forks of the branches, and 2 or 3 uni- 

 lateral on the branches. Perianth greenish; sepals lanceolate, acuminate, about 

 I fourth longer than the capsule, with 2 ovate rather acute bracts at base. Stigma* 

 3, linear, spreading, on a short but distinct style. Capsule subglobose, somewhat 

 trigonous. Seeds oblong, a little gibbous, striate, brown. 



Hob. Low moist grounds; and also on dry hills: common. /T*. June. Fr. July, Aug. 

 Obs. This species varies considerably in size and appearance. The involucre 

 is often 3 or 4-leaved ; and in many instances only 1 of the leaves is longer than 

 tat panicle ; sometimes all are shorter. The J. dichotomus, of my Catalogue, I am 

 now satisfied is only a variety of this* 



6\ J. bupokius, L. Culm somewhat leafy, dichotomous-paniculat* 

 at summit; leaves linear-setaceous, channelled; flowers subsolitary, 

 unilateral, nearly sessile ; perianth much longer than the elliptic-ovoid 

 capsule ; sepals conspicuously acuminate. Beck, Bot. p. 372. 

 Toad Jcfcus, 



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