North American Cyperacece. 377 
3. SCLERIA OLIGANTHA. 
Culm erect, smooth, the angles somewhat winged ; leaves 
flat, smooth ; fascicles 2, one lateral on a long exserted peduncle, 
the other terminal ; sterile spikelets elongated, sessile ; bracts 
somewhat ciliate ; nut ovate, smooth and polished ; perigy- 
nium a narrow ring, bearing 8 minute tubercles. 
S. oligantha, Michx.fl. 2. p. 167 ? ; Elliott, sk. p. 557. 
Culm about 2 feet high, slender, triquetrous. Leaves 2 lines wide, 
smooth, except on the margin near the summit. Fascicles of spikes 
scarcely an inch long ; the lateral one often barren, remote, supported 
on a slender peduncle about 6 inches in length. Spikelets in 3 — 4 
pairs ; the sterile one-third of an inch long ; scales lanceolate, some- 
what rigid, dark purple. Stamens 3. Style deeply 3-parted. Nut a 
line and a half in length, exactly ovate, obtuse, white. Perigynium 
consisting of 8 small white cellular processes, approximated in pairs, 
aed forming a circle under the base of the nut. 
Hab. Wet pastures and pine barrens. South Carolina, 
Elliott ; Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman ! 
Oes. I am not quite satisfied respecting the synonyms 
quoted under this species. The specimens in Michaux's 
herbarium are without fruit, and Elliott, who quotes Michaux 
with a mark of doubt, describes the leaves as narrow; whereas 
in our plant, they are broader than in many other species. 
Willdenow (and Pursh copying him) referred *S'. oligantha to the 
succeeding species, which is, however, a totally distinct plant. 
4. ScLERIA PAUCIFLORA, Mulll. 
Culm slender, smoothish ; leaves narrow, with pubescent 
sheaths ; fascicles lateral and terminal, few-flowered ; the 
lateral ones remote, on long peduncles ; bracts ciliate ; nut 
globose-ovate, verrucose ; the warts at the base stipitate ; peri- 
gynium a narrow ring supporting 6 minute tubercles. 
S. pauciflora, MuU ! gram. p. 267, (in part) ; Willd. sp. 4. p. 318, 
