Cyperus.} LXXXVIII. CYVERACEM. 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. SCHGSNUS. SCHGENUS. 



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 \ 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. nigricans 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. Mariscns, 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 3 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 



