336 North American Cijjyeracca. 
E. cespitosum, Host. gram. t. 39; Pursh ! fi. 1. p. 57. 
Jxhizoma creeping. Culms densely cespitose, about a foot high, the 
lower part clothed with two or three ventricose sheaths, which are mu- 
cronate, or bear only rudimentary (and often discoloured) leaves. Radical 
leaves long, often overtopping the culm (espcciiilly when the spike 
is in fnut), very narrow and almost setaceous. SjjiJic about three- 
fourths of an inch long. Scales ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, with a 
broad white scarious margin of silver-gray in the young spike, but of a 
dark livid colour when mature ; several of the lower ones empty and at 
length reflexed. Hairs about 40 to each nut, 3 — 4 times tlie length of 
the scale, collected at the base in fascicles of 5 — 7 each, white with a 
tinge of yellow. Stamens 3; aniliers yellow. Style 3-cleft. Nut 
obovate, narrowed below, brown, dull, very obtuse, flattened on the back, 
convex in front. 
Hab. Deep .^phagnous swamps. Near Quebec, Upper 
Canada, Mrs. rercival! ; Arctic America and the Hudson's 
Bay Country, Dr. Ridiardson ; on the Rocky mountains, T. 
Drummond ! ; near Williams College, Massachusetts, Trof. 
Dewey! ; Litchfield, Connecticut, Mr. Brace! ; Watertown 
and Utica, New-York, Dr. Gray ! 
Obs. As the normal number of hypogynous processes in 
Cyperaceoe is six, the great number in most of the species of 
Eriophorum may be accounted for by supposing the spike to 
be compound, each scale covering a spikelet of several florets, 
only one of which arrives at perfection, the fascicles of hairs 
thus belonging to a number of abortive florets. 
3. Eriophorum capitatum. Host. 
Culm terete, soft; sheathes a little inflated ; spike almost 
spherical ; anthers cordate-ovate, short. 
E. capitatum. Host, gram. Avsl. 1. p. 30. t. 36; Bcem. S^' Schitlt. sys(. 
2. p. 157; SmWh Eng.fi. 1. p. m-, Eng. hot. t. 2387; HooTc.! fl. Scot. 
p. 20, and in app. to Parry'' s 2nd toy. p. 27; R. Brown, in ajp. to 
Parry^s \st voy. p. 284. 
E. Scheuchzeri, Roth, in Sims <^- Kon. ann. hot. 1. p. 119; Pers. 
srjn. 1. p. 70; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 388. 
