CYPERACEtfl. 



887 



inches in height, or very rarely nearly 

 a foot. Leaves shorter than the stem, 

 those of the involucre unequal, the 

 longest from 2 to 4 inches. Clusters 

 compact, either in a small terminal head 

 or in an umbel, of which the longest 

 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 the sweet C. 



In meadows and waste places, widely 

 distributed over central and southern 

 Europe and across Russian Asia, extend- 

 ing northward to southern Scandinavia. 

 In Britain, only in two localities in Mid- 

 dlesex and Surrey. Fl. late in summer. 



Fig. 1068. 



II. SCHCE1TO. SCHGENUS. 



Herbs, usually stiff and rush-like. Glumes arranged, as in Cyperus, 

 in two 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 minute bristles round 

 the ovary. 



A small genus, of which most of the species are from the southern 

 hemisphere. 



1. Black Schcenus. Schcenus nigricans, Linn. (Fig. 1069.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1121. Bog Bush.) 



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 involucre of 2 or .3 broad, brown bracts, one of which 

 at least ha3 a stiff, erect, leaf-like point \ to 1 inch long. Glumes near 



