1 82 FLORA, 



5. Eriophorum polystachyon L. TALL Cotton-crass. (I. F. f. 641.) 

 Culm stiff, smooth, obtusely triangular above, 0.4 0.9 m. tall, all the sheaths blade - 

 bearing. Leaves flat, j; <S mm. wide, tapering to a channeled rigid tip, those of 

 the involucre 2-4, the longer commonly equalling or exceeding the inflorescence; 

 spikelets 3-12, drooping, in a terminal umbel ; rays filiform, smooth or rough ; 

 scales ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, purple-green or brown ; bristles numer- 

 ous bright white, about 2.5 cm. long, 4-5 times as long as the scale ; achene 

 obovoid, obtuse, light brown. In bogs, Newf. to Alaska, south to N. J., Ga. and 

 Neb. Also in Europe and Asia. June-Aug. 



6. Eriophorum paucinervium (Kngclm.) A. A. Eaton. Few-nerved Cot 

 TON-GRASS. (I. F. f. 642, as E. gracile.) Culm slender, obtusely triangular, rough 

 above on the angles, 0.4-1 m. tall, the sheaths all blade-bearing. Leaves narrowly 

 linear, 2-4 mm. wide, triangular-channeled, rough-margined ; involucral leaf 

 commonly only I, stiff, erect ; spikelets 3-8, capitate or subumbellate, the longer- 

 peduncled ones drooping ; peduncles scabrous ; scales ovate or oblong, obtuse or 

 subacute, yellowish brown, the midvein rather strong, often with a weaker nerve 

 on each side ; bristles numerous, bright white, 2-2.5 cm - l° n g> 4-6 times as long as 

 the scale ; achene linear-oblong, acute, pointed. In bogs, N. B. to N. J. and III. 

 May-Aug. 



7. Eriophorum gracile Koch. Slender Cotton-grass. Culms slender, 

 3-7 dm. tall, terete or nearly so, smooth, with 1 or 2 triquetrous leaves 1.5-2.5 

 cm. long. Involucral leaves I or 2, short ; spikelets usually 3 or 4, sessile, or on 

 smooth peduncles ; scales ovate, or the inner lanceolate, obtuse, dark lead- 

 colored ; bristles numerous, I— 1.5 cm. long. In bogs, Newf. to Wash., south to 

 S. N. Y., Pa., Neb. and Cal. July-Sept. 



8. Eriophorum Virginicum L. Virginia Cotton-grass. (I. F. f. 643.) 

 Culm stiff, obtusely triangular above, smooth, 0.4-I.1 m. tall, rather leafy. Leaves 

 narrowly linear, flat, 2-5 mm. wide, channeled toward the apex, those of the 

 involucre 2-4, spreading or deflexed, 5— 15 cm. long ; spikelets several or numer- 

 ous in a dense terminal capitate cluster, erect or the outer spreading ; scales 

 ovate, acute, brown with a green centre, about 5 -nerved ; bristles numerous, 

 dingy brown, about 3 times as long as the scale ; achene linear-oblong, acute, 

 apiculate, light brown. In bogs, Newf. to Manitoba, Fla. and Neb. June-Sept. 



Eriophorum Virgfnicum album A. Gray. Bristles white. N. N. Y. 



IX. FUIRENA Rottb. 



Perennial sedges, with leafy triangular culms (in a southern species the leaves 

 reduced to inflated sheaths), and many-flowered terete spikelets in terminal and 

 axillary clusters, or rarely solitary. Scales spirally imbricated, awned, the I or 

 2 lower commonly empty. Flowers perfect. Perianth of 3 ovate oblong or cor- 

 date-ovate, stalked, often awned sepals, usually alternating with as many down- 

 wardly barbed bristles. Stamens 3. Style 3-cleft, not swollen at the base, decid- 

 uous. Achene stalked or nearly sessile, sharply 3-angled, acute or mucronate, 

 smooth. (In honor of Georg Fuiren, 1581-1628, Danish physician.) Alxxit 20 

 species, natives of warm-temperate and tropical regions. Besides the following, 1 

 or 2 others occur in the southern United States. 



Sepals awned from the apex or awnless. 1. P. squarrosa. 



Sepals awned on the back below the apex. 2. F. simplex. 



I. Fuirena squarrosa Michx. Squarrose Fuirena. (I. F. f. 644.) Root- 

 stock short, sometimes tuber-bearing; culms tufted, glabrous or nearly so, 5 50 

 cm. tall. Leaves flat, nearly or quite glabrous or the lower sheaths pubescent; 

 spikelets sessile and i- 10 together, capitate clusters, ovoid or ovoid-oblong, 6-12 mm. 

 long, about 5 mm. in diameter; scales ovate or oblong, brown, pubescent, mostly 

 obtuse, 3-nerved, tipped with a -tout spreading or recurved awn of nearly their own 

 length; sepals oblong, long-Stalked, usually narrowed at both ends, the awn down- 

 u rdly i>. ui» ,i,,i sometimes smooth; bristles mostly longer than the achene. In wet 

 tnd marshes, Mass. to Fla. and La. near the coast. Also in Mich, and 

 Neb. July-Sept. 



