Scirpus maritimus. Round-rooted or sea 
Club-rush. 
SCIRPUS Lin. Gen. PI. Triandria monogynia. 
Gluma paleace*, Undique imbricatas. Cor. o. Sem. i imberbe. 
Raii Syn. Gen. 28. Herbie graminifolie flore non culmifere imperfecto seU 
STAMINEO. 
SCIRPUS maritimus culmo triquetro, panicula conglobata foliacea fpicularum fquamis trifidis : inter- 
media fubulata. Lin. Syjl. Vegetab. p. 86. Sp. Pl. p. 74. FI. Suec. n. 47. 
SCIRPUS maritimus'. Scopoli F/. Carn. ii. 57. 
GRAMEN cyperoides panicula fparfa majus. Bauh.pin.6. 
GRAMEfr cyperoides paluftre panicula fparfa. Parkins, 1266. Raii Syn. p. 425. Water or Marfli 
Cyperus Grafs, fvith a fparfed panicle. 
CYPERUS rotundus littoreus inodorus. Lob. ic. 77. rotundus inodorus Anglicus. C. B. Pin. 14. 
rotundus littoreus. Ger. em. 31. Park. 1264. Raii Syn. p. 426: Rouud-rooted Baftard 
Cyperus. Hudfon. FI. Anglic, p. 2i. Lightfoot FI. Scot. p. 89. 
RADIX perennis, repens, craffitie calami fcriptorii, pal- 
lide ftifca, ftolonibus fub finem anni apice 
bulbofis.* 
CULMUS bi feu tripedalis, ere£lus, foliofus, triqueter, 
angiilis fubafperis. 
FOLIA plurima, feptem five o£lo, pedalia aut fefqui- 
pedalia, lineas duas lata, fenlim acuminata, ad 
carinam et oras vix afpera, bafi vaginata, va- 
gina minutiffime ftriata, nitida. 
INVOLUCRUM : folia plerumque duo, rarius tria, in- 
aequalia, longa, ad oras et carinam afpera. 
VxANICULA terminalis, maxime varia, aliquando enim 
conflat fpiculis quinque vel fex conglobatis 
feflilibus, f*pius vero prater has utrinque oritur 
pedunculus, tres quatuor vel quinque gerens 
fpiculas. ; 
PEDUNCULI glabri, nudi ad fpictilas fubincrafiati. : 
SPICULvE magn*, unciales fere, ovat* ; acuta?, primo • 
atro purpurea?, demum ferrugine*, lquamis un- ■ 
dique imbricat*. ; 
CALYX : Squama fufc*, corrugat*, fcariof*, carinat*, • 
apice f*pius tridentat*, dente medio fubulato, ; 
in infimis flofculis longiore. Jig. 1.2. 
COROLLA nulla. j 
STAMINA : Filamenta tria, alba, iatiufcul?. An- < 
thEre, flav*, lineares, membrana alba mi- • 
nuta terminat*. Jig. 3. 3 
PISTILLUM : Germen obovatum, minimum, gla- 1 
brum. Stylus fubulatus, longitudine flami- j 
num. Stigmata tria, capillaria, fig. 4. 3 
VILLI quatuor aut quinque, ad bafin germinis, albi, erefli 1 
ad lentem retrorlum aculeati, germiiii lon- ] 
giores. Jig. 5. | 
SEMEN unicum, fubtriquetrum, acuminatum, fufcum, 3 
nitidum, jig. 6. 3 
ROOT perennial, creeping, the thicknefs of a goofe- 
quill, of a pale brown colour, the fhoots at the 
end of the year bulbous at their extremities. 
STALK two or three feet high, upright, leafy, three- 
cornered, the angles fomewhat rough. 
LEAVES numerous, feven or eight, a foot or a foot and 
a half in length, two lines in breadth, gra- 
dually tapering to a point, the keel and edges 
fcarcely rough, forming a fheath at bottom, 
which is Ariated and gloflyi 
INVOLUCRUM eonfifts generally of two, rarely of 
three leases, which are long, unequal and 
rough on the edges and keel- 
PANICLE terminal, and extremely various, fometimes 
it eonfifls of only five or fix cluttered fpicul*, 
but for the moft part, befides thefe, a flower- 
ftalk ariles on each fide, bearing three, four, 
or five fpicul* more. 
FLOWER-STALKS fmooth, naked, fomewhat thick- 
ened at the fpicul*. 
SPICUL^E large, almott an inch in length, ovate, pointed, 
at firtt of a blackifh purple colour, afterwards 
ferruginous, covered with fcales on every fide. 
CALYX : Scales brown, wrinkled, fonorous to the touch, 
keeled, having the tip generally furnifhed with 
three teeth, of which the middle one runs out 
.to a long point, in the lowermott flowers this 
is longeft. fig. 1.2. 
; COROLLA wanting. 
STAMINA: three Filaments, white and broadifh; 
Anther e yellow, linear, tipt with a minute 
white membrane, fg. 3. 
PISTILLUM: Germen inverfely ovate, very fmall and 
fmooth. Style tapering, the length of the 
flamina. Stigmata three, capillary, fig. 4 . 
HAIRS four or five at the bafe of the germen, white, 
upright, when magnified having prickles which 
crook backward, longer than the germen, fig. 5. 
SEED Angle* fomewhat three-cornered, pointed, brown, 
and fhining. jig. 6. 
Linneus remarks, that this fpecies cloaths the fea-fhores as the Bulrufh does the borders Of the inland lakes * 
but it is frequently found where the water is not fait, as in the river Thames , and on the edges of the creeks 
running from it. In the IJle of Shepey it fills almott every ditch, and appears to be more perfedtly at home. 
It flowers from June to Auguft. 
The older Botanifts made ieveral fpecies of this plant, which Linneus has very properly referred to varieties 
only. They did not attend to the cecoiiomy of the plant, or they would have found, that the roots, in every 
variety. Were bulbous at the extremities iii the autumn, nor to the cireumflances of fituation, &c. or they would 
have f'een this plant fometimes fhorter, fometimes taller, fometimes with a Ample, fometimes with a branched 
panicle as is reprefented on the plate. 
We know of no ufe to which this elegant fpecies of Club-rufh is applied. The roots have a remarkably fweet 
tafte, and probably are very nutritious. J 
Swine are extremely fond of the roots of the Scirpus paluftr is, which the Swedifh peafants colleft and fodder them 
with in the winter : the roots of the prefent fpecies, being much larger, would we conceive be much preferable for 
this or fimilar purpofes. r 
