Eriophorum. 



CYPERACEyE. 



359 



4. Eriophorum polystachyum, Linn. Broad-leaved Cotton-grass. 



Culm nearly terete ; leaves flattish, acutely triangular at the point ; involucre about 2- 

 leaved ; peduncles rough ; spikes nodding; scales ovate, acute ; achenium obovate, obtuse. — 

 Linn. sp. 1. p. 52 ; Engl. hot. t. 563 : Pursh, fl. 1. p. 58 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 92 ; Muhl. gram, 

 p. 49 ; Torr. fl. I. p. 66, and Cyp. p. 339 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 23 ; Beck, hot. p. 427. E. 

 polystachyum, /3., Michx. fl. 1. p. 34. E. vulgare, Pers. syn. 1. p. 70. E. latifolium, 

 Hoppc ; Kunth, enum. 2. p. 178. 



Culm 1-2 feet high, somewhat compressed towards the base, leafy ; the sheaths rather 

 loose. Leaves 3-6 inches long, 2-4 lines wide, flat, except towards the point, which is 

 sharply triangular and usually discolored. Peduncle often simple, unequal, at first erect but 

 finally nodding, rough upward. Spikes 4-12, ovoid, 3-4 lines long. Scales scarious, of a 

 livid green color when young, but brown in fruit ; the midrib somewhat prominent. Hairs 

 40 - 50, about three-fourths of an inch long, flat, white with a slight reddish tinge. Stamens 

 3. Style 3- (rarely 4-) cleft ; the divisions downy. Achenium narrow downward, fiat on the 

 face, angular on the back. 



Boggy meadows ; northern and western counties : frequent. El. June. Er. July. 



5. Eriophorum angustifolium, Roth. Narrow-leaved Cotton-grass. 



Culm somewhat triangular, somewhat rough above ; leaves triquetrous, channelled ; in- 

 volucre commonly 1-leaved ; peduncles smoothish, nodding ; scales broadly ovate, somewhat 

 obtuse, with a strong midrib ; achenium elliptical, narrowed at each end, acutely triangular. 

 — " Schrad. fl. Germ. 1. p. 153 ;" Engl. hot. t. 564 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 158 ; Torr. fl. 1. 

 p. 67, and Cyp. p. 339 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 23 ; R. Broivn in app. Parry's 1st voy. p. 27 ; 

 Beck, hot. p. 427 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 24 ; Kunth, enum. 2. p. 178. E. tenellum, Nutt. 

 gen. suppl. 



var. brevifolium : culm quite smooth ; upper leaves very short, triquetrous ; involucre 

 much shorter than the spikes, lanceolate (discolored) ; hairs somewhat crisped. Torr. I. c. 



Culm about 18 inches high, smooth. Leaves scarcely a line wide,- the sides folded so as 

 to form a triangular channel, and about an inch and a half of the upper extremity sharply 

 triangular ; the lowest ones 6-12 inches long ; those of the culm 3-6 inches ( in the var. 

 scarcely an inch long). Spikes 4 - 10, ovoid, one or two of them nearly sessile, the others on 

 simple or divided peduncles (very short in brevifolium). Scales rather obtuse. Hairs 50 - 60, 

 white, nearly an inch long at maturity (6-8 lines in the var.). Stamens 3 : anthers linear, 

 elongated. Style filiform, deeply 3-cleft. Achenium linear-elliptical, scarcely half as broad as 

 in E. polystachyum. 



Sphagnous swamps, in the western and northern parts of the State ; var. brevifolium, near 

 Utica (Dr. Gray). El. June. Er. July - August. 



