SEDGE FAMILY 



527 



*** Spikelets large ; glumes many ; perianth of 1 — 6 bristles 



8. S. lacustris (Common Bulrush). — Rhizome creeping ; stems 

 sometimes as thick as a man's thumb, spongy, erect, 3 — 8 feet 

 high, cylindric at the base, gradually tapering upwards, green, 

 usually leafless, or with 1 or 2 short keeled leaves in still water, or 

 with long, nearly flat, floating leaves in running water ; spikelets 

 numerous, red - brown, 



ovoid or oblong, \ — | 

 in. long, in a compound, 

 lateral, umbellate cyme, 

 becoming terminal ; 

 outer bract continuing 

 the stem ; glumes broad, 

 brown, fringed at the 

 edge, notched at the 

 top, with a little point 

 in the notch, glabrous ; 

 perianth of 5 or 6 

 bristles ; anthers tipped 

 with hairs ; nut 3-angled, 

 smooth. Marshes and 

 rivers ; common. The 

 rhizome is astringent, 

 and the stems are largely 

 used for making the 

 bottoms of chairs, has- 

 socks, &c. — Fl. July, 

 August. Perennial. 



* The name Bulrush 

 is now most commonly 

 given to Typha (see p. 



5°3)- 



9. S. Tabernamontani 

 (Glaucous Bulrush). — 

 A closely-allied form with glaucous stems, glumes rough with raised 

 dots, and anthers not bearded, occurring mostly near the sea. 



10. S. carindtus, another closely allied form, has green stems 

 becoming obtusely triangular near the top, smooth glumes, and 

 anthers not bearded. — Tidal rivers in the south ; rare. 



11. S. triqueter (Three-edged Bulrush). — Rhizome slender ; stems 

 2 — 3 feet high,, acutely triangular throughout, leafless, except that 

 1 or 2 short sheaths at the base bear a short blade less than an 

 inch long; spikelets usually 8, 10, or more, ovoid, less than | in. 



scirpus MARfTiMUS (Sea Club-rusk). 



