North American Cyperacece. 31i> 
tanists even consider a variety of E. palustris notwithstanding 
it is a genuine Scirpus, the tubercle being entirely wanting. 
Moreover the S. multicaulis has a 3-cleft style and a triangular 
nut with a long cuspidate point ; which characters do not belong 
to Eleocharis ■palustris. 
4. Scirpus c^spitosus, Linn. 
Culms cespitose, filiform, terete ; sheaths furnished with ru- 
diments of leaves ; spike ovate, few-flowered ; the two lowest 
scales bracteiform, as long as the spike ; bristles smooth; style 
3-cleft ; nut triquetrous. 
S. caespitosus, Linn. sp. pi. 71; Willi, sp. 1. p. 292; Vahl, enum. 
2. p. 243; Eng. hot. t. 1029; Rce}n. Sf Schult. syst. 2. p. 122; Spreng. 
syst. 1. p. 205 ; Torr.I fl. 1. p. 47; Big. fl. Bost. ed. 2. p. 20; Beck! 
lot. p. 424. 
Eleocharis caespitosa, N. ah Esenh. in Linnaa, 9. p. 294. 
Culms 2 — 10 inches high, rather rigid, finely striate, towards the base 
densely clothed with imbricated sheaths, of which the upper ones bear 
rudimentary leaves. Spikes 2 lines long, 4 — 5-flowered, somewhat 
compressed. Scales of a yellowish brown colour; the lowest one narrow 
and generally overtopping the spike ; the next a little shorter ; the others 
ovate, obtuse. Bristles 6, longer than the nut, quite smooth. Nut acute. 
Hab. Sphagnous and boggy place;?. Canada ! and through- 
out British America to the Arctic regions, Dr. Richardson ; 
Labrador, i\ s. in herb. Le Conte ! ; Sault Ste. Marie, Dr. 
Pitcher! ; Rocky Mountains, T. Drummond! ; Sitcha, Russian 
America, Mortens ; White Hills of New Hampshire, Dr, 
Bigelow and Dr. Boott! — ^July. 
Vol. m. 41 
