354 



CYPERACE^E. 



SclRPUS. 



oblong, aggregated in threes at the summit of the peduncles or divisions of the umbel. Scales 

 often emarginate, brown, minutely pubescent, generally marked with two or more curved 

 wrinkles. Bristles 4 - 6, stout, hispid downward. Stamens 3. A chenium dark brown when 

 mature, strongly convex in front, flat internally. 



Lakes, freshwater ponds, and swamps : frequent. Fl. July. Fr. August. A native of 

 most parts of the world. 



tf Spikes terminal. 



8. Scirpus maritimus, Linn. Sea Clubrush. 



Culm triquetrous, leafy ; umbel simple or compound, often of few spikes and sessile, 

 shorter than the involucre ; spikes ovoid-oblong (large and thick), rather obtuse ; scales ovate, 

 lacerately 3-cleft or 3-toothed, the midrib produced into a short recurved bristle ; style 3-cleft; 

 achenium broadly obovate, lenticular, smooth and shining, much longer than the slender bristles. 

 — Linn. sp. 1. p. 51 ; R. Br. prodr. 1. p. 224 ; Nees in Wight's contrib. p. Ill, and Cyp. 

 in Endl. cj- Mart. fl. Bras. p. 105 ; Bigel.fl. Bast. p. 21 ; Beck, hot. p. 426 ; Gray, Gram. 

 <§• Cyp. part, 1. no. 82 (in part) ; Torr. Cyp. p. 322 ; Kunth, enum. 2. p. 167. S. macro 

 stachyos, Muhl. gram. p. 45 (in part) ; Torr. fl. 1. p. 50 (in part). S. maritimus, (3. macro- 

 stachyos, Michx. Jl. 1. p. 32 (in part). S. robustus, Pursh, fl. I. p. 56 (in part). 



Culm 1-4 feet high, thick, smooth, leafy below. Leaves 2-5 lines wide, carinate. 

 Involucre about 2-leaved, foliaceous. Spikes 3 - 20, nearly an inch in length and very thick, 

 sometimes aggregated and sessile, but usually forming somewhat compound corymbs. Scales 

 membranaceous, somewhat pubescent, chestnut-colored ; the summit a little cleft each side of 

 the midrib, which is produced into a recurved cusp or bristle about two lines long, giving the 

 spike a squarrose appearance. Bristles 3-4, very slender, about two-thirds the length of the 

 achenium, hispid downward. Achenium large, nearly orbicular, much compressed, dark brown 

 and polished, tipped with the minute persistent base of the style. 



var.? fluviatilis : umbel somewhat compound ; spikes ovoid (large and thick), acute ; nut 

 obovoid-triangular, narrowed downward (dull), acuminate, as long as the (6) rigid bristles. — 

 Torr. Cyp. 1. c. S. maritimus, Ell. sk. 1. p. 86 ? ; Gray, Gram. <j- Cyp. I. c. (in part). S. 

 macrostachyos, Muhl. gram. I. c. (in part). S. badius, Presl ? Kunth, enum. 2. p. 168? 



Culm and leaves as in the preceding. Umbel composed of 10-20 spikes ; the principal 

 rays about 5 ; the divisions bearing 2 - 3 or more clustered spikes. Involucre 3 - 5-leaved. 

 Spikes nearly an inch long and about half an inch in diameter, rather acute, even in fruit. 

 Scales pale brown, with a recurved cusp or bristle. Bristles mostly 6, straight and stout ; the 

 longest somewhat exceeding the point of the achenium. Style unequally 3-cleft. Achenium 

 about 2 lines long, the sides flatlish, gradually narrowed toward the base. 



Salt marshes and ditches : never far from salt water : common near New-York and on 

 Long Island. Var. fluviatilis in swamps on the borders of lakes and rivers, always in fresh 

 or only slightly brackish water ; common in the western part of the State. Fl. August. Fr. 

 September. I am still uncertain whether the freshwater variety of this plant should not be 



