CYPEKACE^. 



897 



recorded from the Caucasus. Frequent in Britain, excepting some of 

 the southern counties of England. Fl. summer. 



6. Floating Scirpus. Seirpus fluitans, Linn. (Fig. 1080.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 216. Isolepis, Brit. Fl.) 



Easily known by its long, slender, 

 branching stems, either floating on the 

 water, or forming soft, densely matted 

 masses on its margin, with linear-subu- 

 late leaves, \ to 2 inches long. Spike- 

 lets solitary and terminal, oblong, green- 

 ish, not 2 lines long, the outer bract 

 without any leafy point. Flowers with- 

 out hypogynous bristles. Styles 2-cleft. 



In pools and still waters, generally 

 distributed over Europe, and re-appear- 

 ing in the southern hemisphere, but not 

 recorded from Asia or America. Scat- 

 tered over the whole of Britain, but not 

 very common. FL summer. ™. 10 g 



7. Bristle Scirpus. Seirpus setaceus, Linn. (Fig. 1081.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1693. Isolejpis, Brit. Fl.) 



Stems slender, 2 or 3 inches high, 

 forming little dense tufts, with 1 or 2 

 short, subulate leaves on each stem, 

 sheathing it at the base. Spikelets so- 

 litary, or 2 or 3 together in a little clus- 

 ter, appearing lateral, the subulate point 

 of the outer bract forming a continua- 

 tion of the stem. Each spikelet is ovoid, 

 seldom 2 lines long ; the glumes broad 

 and short, dark-brown, with a green 

 midrib. No hypogynous bristles. Style 

 3-cleft. Nut very small, marked with 

 about 8 longitudinal ribs and furrows, 

 only visible under a magnifying-glass. 



In muddy places, on the margins of 

 pools, etc., in Europe and Russian Asia, 

 from the Mediterranean nearly to the *' 



Arctic Circle. Generally distributed over Britain. FL summer. 



VOL. II. 2 H 



