524 



cyperAcejE 



high, with short sheaths at the base ; spikelet minute, oblong, red- 

 brown ; flowers 6 — 8 ; glumes blunt ; stigmas 3 ; nut minute, 

 obovoid, ribbed, and transversely striate. — Wet sandy places; 

 frequent. — Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



2. E. palustris (Marsh Spike-rush). — A creeping plant with a 

 stout, branched rhizome and many tufts of stems and leaves ; 

 stems not 6 in. high at edge of water, a foot or more high and 

 more distant when in water, nearly 

 round, with membranous, truncate 

 sheaths ; spikelets terminal, \— \ in. 

 ljng, oblong ; glumes numerous, dark 

 brown, with pale, membranous edges 

 and green keel ; outer bract similar but 

 rather larger ; perianth-bristles 4 — 6 ; 

 style 2-cleft ; nut obovate. — Edges of 

 pools ; frequent. — Fl. June, July. 

 Perennial. 



3. E. uniglumis, differing mainly in 

 having the outer bract broader, so as 

 to enclose the base of the spikelet, 

 occurs especially near the sea and is 

 much less common. 



4. E. multicaulis (Many-stemmed 

 Spike-rush). — A similar but smaller 

 plant with stems in 1 tuft with obliquely 

 truncate, acute sheaths ; rather smaller 

 spikelets ; blunter glumes ; perianth- 

 bristles usually 6 ; styles usually 3-cleft ; 

 nut obovate, 3-angled. — Bogs : fre- 

 quent. — Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



3. Scirpus (Club-rush). — Mostly 



tall, aquatic plants with creeping 



rhizomes ; solitary or clustered, terminal 



or lateral spikelets, w r ith 1 or 2 outer 



bracts broader and without flowers ; 



perianth of r — 6 included bristles, or absent ; style slender at the 



base. (Name, the old Latin name ; but said to be of Keltic origin.) 



* Spikelets small, terminal, solitary ; perianth of 3 — 8 bristles 



1. S. pauciflorus (Chocolate-headed Club-rush). — Stems tufted, 



with long runners, round, striate, seldom more than 6 in. high, 



with a few thin, narrow scales and 1 tight truncate sheath ; outer 



bracts 2, blunt, shorter than the spikelet ; flowers not more than 



5 or 6 : perianth-bristles usually 6 ; style usually 3-cleft ; nut 



ELEOCHARIS PALUSTRIS 



(Marsh Spike-rush). 



