Cyperus.] LXXXVIII. CYPERACEA. 479 
rays are under an inch. Spikelets much flattened, obtuse, not above 
3 lines long, with dark-brown glumes, not near so closely imbricated 
as in C. longus. 
In meadows and waste places, widely distributed over central and 
southern Europe and northern Asia, extending northward to southern 
Scandinavia. -In Britain, formerly found (naturalised) at Chelsea, now 
confined to Shalford Common in Surrey, and Jersey. Fl. late in summer. 
II. SCHGNUS. SCHAINUS. 
Herbs, usually stiff and rush-like. Glumes arranged, as in Cyperus, 
in 2 opposite rows, but not more than 4 of the uppermost have 
flowers in their axils, the 3 or 4 lower ones rather shorter and always 
empty. There are also occasionally from 3 to 6 bristles round the ovary. 
A small genus; most of the species are from the southern hemisphere. 
1. S. nigricans, Linn. (fig. 1085). Black S., Bog-rush.—A tufted 
perennial, with stiff, rush-like stems about a foot high. Leaves short 
and stiff, almost radical, their sheaths often of a dark, shining brown. 
Spikelets several, of a dark, shining brown, almost black, closely sessile 
_in compact terminal heads about half an inch in diameter, with an in- 
volucre of 2 or 3 broad, brown bracts, one of which at least has a stiff, 
erect, leaf-like point 4 to 1 inch long. Glumes nearly 8 lines long, 
pointed, with a prominent keel, and rough on the edge. [Bristles at 
the base of the nut,-minute or 0.] 
In bogs and marshes, chiefly near the sea, in central and southern 
Europe, extending northward to the Baltic and to north Asia. Spread 
over a great part of Britain, but chiefly in the west. Fl. summer. 
(2. S. ferrugineus, Linn. (fig. 1086). A widely distributed con- 
tinental species has been quite recently discovered in Perthshire. It is 
distinguished from S. mgricans by its paler colour, shorter subulate 
leaves and involucral bracts, fewer spikelets and much longer bristles 
which exceed the nut. ] 
III. CLADIUM. CLADIUM. 
Distinguished from Rhynchospora chiefly on account of the thick 
texture of the fruit. Its habit is very different from that of our 
Rhynchospora, but- comes very near to that of some exotic species of 
that genus. 
1. C. Mariscus, Br. (fig. 1087). Prickly C.—A tall, rush-like plant, 
with a creeping rootstock, and leafy stems, 3 to 6 feet high. Leaves 
nearly erect, the lowest nearly as long as the stem, smooth and sheath- 
ing at the base, then keeled, and ending in a long triangular point ; 
the keel and edges very rough and cutting, being bordered by minute, 
sharp teeth. Spikelets of a pale brown, in small but very numerous 
clusters, arranged in somewhat corymbose panicles in the upper axils, 
the whole forming a terminal, more or less leafy, oblong panicle, often 
above a foot long. Each spikelet is 2 or 8 lines long, rather pointed, 
with the glumes imbricated all round the axis, containing usually one 
perfect flower in the innermost glume, an incomplete one in the next, 
the 4 or 5 outer glumes gradually shorter and always empty. Stamens 
