5o6 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
GENUS XXVI. 
COTTON GRASS. 
LIN 
G R O S r I S. 
THE flowers confifl: only of filaments, three to each, which are fcparatcd from one another in 
the cinder by fmall, oblong leaves. The feed is finglc, and is furrounded with long threads. 
LinntEus places this among the triandria, and gives it the name eriophonm. Others call it gramm 
tomentofum. 
I. Cotton Grafs. 
l.inagrojtis vidgarU. 
The root is compofed of numerous fibres. 
The leaves are gralVy, narrow, and of a deep 
green. 
The fialk is a foot and half high, of a purpliffi 
brown at the bottom, and of a fine green up- 
wards. 
The Bowers ftand at the top, and are fmall 
and inconfiderable ; but the filaments which fur- 
round the feeds are long, white, and cottony. 
It is common on bogs, and flowers in Au- 
guft. 
C. Bauhine calls it Grtimin tomentofum pmncula 
fpr.rf.,. 
We have only one other fpecies of it. 
2. Hair's-tail Rufh, Juncus Alpinus aim Cauda 
leporhm. This is a proper linagroflis ; the 
head truly woolly. 
GENUS XXVII. 
C A T ■ S - T A 1 L. 
T r P H J. 
•T^HE flowers are male and female on the fame plant. The male flowers are raneed in great num- 
bers in a catkin, which terminates the ftalk ; and the female flowers are placed in alon-^ body 
.alfo of the catkin kind, which clofely furrounds it in a compaft, firm fubftance. The male floSers ars 
compofed each of three narrow leaves, with the fame number of filaments, which are clofely arranged 
in the upper catkin. The female, which are lodged in the compaft fubBance, have for a cup nume' 
rous hairs of a pappous flirufture, and within thefe a rudiment of a fruit fixed on a filament. This ri- 
pens into a Angle feed, and there grow numerous capillary filaments from that which fupports it 
Thefe together make the thick fubftance called the tat's-tail. 
Linnfeus places this among the mnxcia triandria. 
I. Cat*s-tail. 
Typha vulgaris. 
The root creeps under the furface, and has 
many fibres. 
The leaves arc long, and of a fine green. 
The ftalk is four feet high ; and at its top 
fl:and the female flowers in a very thick fpike, ter- 
minated by the male catkin \ the whole of a fine 
velvety brown. 
It is common by waters, and flowers in Au- 
guft. 
C. Bauhine calls it Typha falujlris major. 
We have two other fpecies. 
2. The middle Cat's-tail, Typha pahflris media. 
The fpike is much llenderer than in the 
other. 
3. The leaft Cat's-tail, lypha palujlris minor. 
The fpike in this is thick and fhort, and 
blackifli. 
GENUS XXVIII. 
B U R R E E D. 
S P A R G A N I U M. 
-HE flowers are of two kinds, male and female, on the fame plant. The male flowers are col- 
lefted into a roundifh button, and confift each of a three-leaved cup, with three filaments. 
The female flowers arc numerous, and fixed to a round receptacle: thefe have no cup, but confift 
enly of a rudiment of a feed veflTcl : thefe alfo are colkaed into rbundcd heads. 
I. Bur Reed. 
Spargan'mn vidgare. 
The root is creeping, and has many fibres. 
The leaves are of a bright green. 
The ftiilk is two feet high, and divided into 
many branches. 
The flowers are whitifli ; and the fruit is 
round, green, hard, and echinated. 
It is common by waters, and flowers ia 
June. 
C. Bauhine calls it Spargamiim raaiofmh Ocherj 
Siarganium vulgan. 
S We 
