194 Monograph of North American Rhynchosporce. 
ratio Plantarum, which was pubhshed in the year 1S06. His 
specific characters are drawn ahnost exclusively from the culm, 
leaves, and inflorescence — characters of minor consequence — 
to the exclusion of the much more eligible and important 
ones which are furnished by the spikelets, bristles, and fruit. 
Consequently, there remain some doubts as to the synonymy 
of Vahl, wliich can only be removed by the examination of his 
original specimens. 
Pursh appeal's not to have studied this genus with care. In 
the Flora America Septentrionalis ten species are enumerated, 
and the specific characters of Vahl are quoted without altera- 
tion. 
The late Mr. Elliott, in the Botany of South Carolina and 
Georgia, has described thirteen species of Rhynchospora. Al- 
though the synonymy is often inaccurate, yet his detailed de- 
scriptions are so far correct, that we have little difficulty in de- 
termining the plants to which they are intended to apply. In 
a few cases, moreover, I have had the opportunity of examin- 
ing authentic specimens, labelled by Mr. Elliott, and by him 
communicated to Dr. Torrey. 
RHYNCHOSPORA. Vahl. 
Spicule pauciflorae ; glumis undique imbricatis, inferlorlbus 
vacuis. Set^ hypogynae plerumque sex. Nux indurata, basi 
styli persistente subarticulata. 
Vahl, Enum. II. p. 229. R. Brown, Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl. 
I. p. 229. Fursh, Fl. Am. Sept. I. p. 24. Nuttall, Gen. N, 
Am. pi. I. p. 33. Rcemer et Schultes, Syst. Veg. II. p. 2. — 
Elliott, Bot. S. Car. et Georg. I. p. 57. Torrey, Fl. N. et M. 
Un. St. Am. I. p. 54. Sprcngel, Syst. Veg. I. p. 129. Nees 
von Ese7ibcc7c, Cyp. Lid. in Wight. Contrih. Bot. India. 
ScHoeNi species, Einn. Gen. PI. 92. Willd. Sp. PI. I. p. 
259. LamarcJc, 111. Gen. I. p. 135. Miclmux, Fl. Bor. Am. 
I. p. 34. Persoon, Syn. PL I. p. 58. Muhlenberg, Gram. p. 4 
