490 cvi. cyperaceae. [ Rhynchospora . 
from K\nCoc, a branch ; so called, perhaps, from the many branches 
bearing spikelets. 
1. C. Mariscus Br. ( prickly T.)\ panicle much divided 
leafy, spikelets capitato-conglomerate, stem terete leafy, margins 
of the leaves and keel rough. Schcenus L. : E. B. t. 950. 
Boggy anc|| fenny places, in several parts of England and Ireland. 
Galloway and Sutherlandshire, Scotland. It. 7, 8. — Rhizome creeping, 
3 — 5 ft. high, leafy. Leaves rough, almost prickly at the margin and 
keel. Glumes ovate, brown, 6 — 7 in an ovate spikelet ; inner ones 
the longest, generally the two or sometimes three innermost ones 
have flowers, the outer one sometimes with stamens only. Achene 
almost as large as the spikelet. Stamens 2. Stigmas generally 2, 
sometimes 3 or 4. 
4. Rhynchospoea Vahl. Beak-rush. 
Spikelets few-flowered. Glumes 6 — 7, imbricated on all sides, 
the lower ones smaller, empty. Hypogynous bristles several, 
included, toothed. Style subulate, bifid, usually deciduous ; its 
base dilated but scarcely articulated upon the germen at the 
base. Achene biconvex, crowned with the persistent base of 
the style. — Named from pvyx°c, a beak , and anopa, a seed, i 
(Very different in habit from Eleocharis, although near in 
generic character.) 
1. R. Alba Yahl ( white B.) ; spikelets in a compact corymb 1 
as long as the outer bracteas, leaves narrow-linear, base of the 
style without teeth, bristles about 10 (9 — 11) with deflexed 
teeth, stamens 2. Schcenus L. : E. B. t. 985. 
Wet pastures and turfy bogs. U . 6 — 8. — Spikelets of flowers \ 
white or whitish, collected so as to form a level surface at the top. 
Achene in this and R. fusca obovate, compressed, smooth, distinctly 
margined, tapering at the base into a short stalk. Style persistent, 
dilated at the base, which is not articulated, nor so broad as the seed, 
but easily distinguishable from the shining achene by its colour and 
texture. 
2. R. fusca Sm. (brown B.) ; spikelets in an oval head much 
shorter than the outer bracteas, leaves nearly filiform, base of 
the style with erect teeth, bristles 6 with ascending teeth, sta- 
mens 3. Schcenus L. : E. B. t. 1575. 
Bogs, principally in the south-west of England and Ireland. p. 
7, 8. — Habit of the last, though very different in specific character. 
Heads of flowers oval, rich brown ; spikelets larger, and the stigmas 
more protruded. Smith and Sturm have figured and described only 
3 bristles to each flower; we find 6 in both British and American 
specimens, but. the three alternate ones are shorter, and sometimes 
not longer than the achene. 
