JUNCACEjE. 



877 



11. Sea Rush. Juncus maritimus, Lam. (Fig. 1056.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1725.) 



Stems 2 to 3 feet high, in large tufts, 

 very rigid, terminating in a prickly 

 point, the sheathing scales at their base 

 also terminating each in a stiff, cylin- 

 drical, stem-like, prickly leaf, shorter 

 than the real stems. Flowers rather 

 numerous, in little clusters, forming a 

 loose, irregularly compound panicle ; the 

 outer bract at its base erect and nearly 

 as long as or longer than the panicle, 

 but more dilated at the base and looking 

 less like a continuation of the stem than 

 in the common It. Perianth-segments 

 about 1\ lines long. Capsule rather 

 shorter, or scarcely longer. 



In maritime sands, widely spread 

 along the shores of the Atlantic, from 

 North America and Europe far into the 

 southern hemisphere, and along the Me- 

 diterranean to the Caspian Sea, but not penetrating far into the Baltic, 

 and not an Arctic plant. Occurs on many parts of the English and 

 Irish coasts, but rare in Scotland. Fl. summer, rather late. 



Fig. 1056. 



12. Sharp Rush. Juncus acutus, Linn. (Fig. 1057.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 161.4.) 



Yery near the sea JR., but more rigid 

 and prickly, the flowers rather larger, 

 not so numerous, in closer panicles, and 

 usually browner, and the stout capsule 

 is considerably longer than the perianth- 

 segments. 



In maritime sands, along the shores of 

 the Atlantic, and up the Mediterranean 

 to the Caspian Sea, bat not on those of 

 the ^orth Sea or the Baltic, nor yet re- 

 corded from the southern hemisphere. 

 Eather more frequent than the sea JR. 

 on the south-western coasts of England 

 and South Wales, rarer than that spe- 

 cies in Ireland, and does not appear to 

 extend so far to the east or the north 

 in G-reat Britain. Fl. summer, rather 

 eurly. Fig. 1057. 



