North American Cyperacc<B. 305 
10. Eleocharis capitata, R. Brouon. 
Culm filiform, sulcate, angular; spike globose-ovate ; scales 
somewhat coriaceous, oblong, obtuse; bristles a little longer 
than the nut; style 2-clefl; nut broadly obovate, lenticular, 
(black) sliining ; tubercle minute, with a very short abrupt 
point. 
Eleocharis capitata, R. Brotcn, j^rodr. 1, p. 225; Ram. SfSchult. syst. 
2. p. 153, (excl. syn. Pursh.) 
Scirpus capitatus, Linn. ; Willd. sp. 1. p. 294, (excl. syn. Gron.), 
Vahl, enum. 2. p. 250; Kunth, syn. 1. p. 155; Spreng. syst. 1. p. 204. 
S.Caribaeus, Rottb. gram. p. 46. t. 15, f. 3, (fide Vahl.) 
Eleogenus capitatus, N. ah E. in Wight's contrib. p. 112, Sfin Lin- 
ncea^ 9, p. 294. 
Culms cespitose 4 — 6 inches high. Spike 2 lines long, of a greenish 
white colour, 12 — 16-flowered. Scales rather loose, several of the lower 
ones empty. Bristles 6, strong, unequal, retrorsely scabrous, the longest 
projecting a little above the nut. Stamens 3. Style deeply 2-cleft. Nut 
when mature almost black, very minutely roughened, but shining, 
crowned with a very small depressed whitish tubercle. 
Hab. Wet places, in the vicinity of both salt and fresh 
water. Georgia and Florida, Dr. Baldwin ! ; near New Orleans, 
T. Drummond, (Mr. Arnott) ; 3Iiddle Florida, Dr. Chapman! 
Obs. This species inhabits many parts of the world, but has 
not hitherto been introduced into the Flora of North America, 
the Scirpus capitatus of most of our botanical writers being the 
Eleocharis ohtusa. Nees ab Esenbeck has constituted of this, 
and several other species of Eleocharis, his genus Eleogenus, 
which is chiefly characterized by the bulbous base of the style 
or tubercle being of a callous instead of a corky or soft sub- 
stance. I have not been able to detect the hypogynous bristles 
in the specimen sent to me from Middle Florida by Dr. Chap- 
man. 
/3. Spikes ovate-oblong, many-flowered; bristles rather 
shorter than the nut. 
