ENGELMANN—NORTH AM. SPECIES OF JUNCUS. 467 
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40. J. brachycarpus, n. sp.: caulibus e rhizomate crasso 
horizontali paucis erectis (l-2|-pedalibus) rigidis teretibus; 
panicula. e capitulis globosis multi-(30-50-100)-floris paucis 
seu pluribus simplice seu composita conferva; sepalis lanceo- 
lato-subulatis, interioribus quam exteriora multo brevioribus 
stamina 3 capsulamque triangulato-ovatam acuminato-rostra- 
tam unilocularem aequantibus seu paulo superantibus; anthe- 
ris lineari-oblongis filamento multo brevioribus; stigmatibus 
subsessilibus ovarium ovatum acuminatum fere aequantibus 
inclusis; seminibus parvis oblanceolatis obovatisve utrumque 
acutatis areis laeviusculis reticulatis.— J. cryptocarpus , Bebb 
In the Mississippi Valley from central Ohio, Sullivant , Mich¬ 
igan, Folwell , Bigelow, Hb. n. 74, and Illinois, Bebb, Hall, Hb. 
n. 63, to Missouri! Kentucky, Short , Mississippi, Hilgard , 
Louisiana, Hale, and Texas, Berlandier 309, 313, 1569, 1573, 
and 2556 in part, Bindheimerj also, if the locality is cor¬ 
rectly reported, near Charleston, S. C., Beyrich (distributed 
as J. echinatus). -- Flowers in May and June, in Texas in 
April. — On one side this species is allied to the large-headed 
forms of J. acuminatus , and on the other much more closely 
to J. scirpoides , with both of which it has been confounded; 
it has the rhizoma and the inflorescence of the latter, but its 
very short inner sepals and short capsule at once distinguish 
it from either.—Stems from 8-10 inches (seen mostly in Texas 
specimens) to 2-2£ feet high, rather rigid; heads 4-5 lines in 
diameter, single or 2-3 together, or more commonly 5-8, or 
even 10, in a short (1-2 inches long) contracted panicle; flow¬ 
ers 1.8-2.0, and capsule 1.2, lines long, so that, as Mr. Bebb 
remarks, at maturity the arid sepals, protruding over the al¬ 
most hidden capsule, give the plant an appearance of sterili¬ 
ty. Filaments twice or three times as long as the anthers; 
seeds 0.20—0.22 line long, in shape like those of the last spe¬ 
cies, but the areae are scarcely lineolate, the ribs, however, 
are crenulate and sometimes short, transverse lines extend 
from them into the area. Among Lindheimer’s Texan speci¬ 
mens are some, the heads of which are degenerated into leafy 
excrescences. 
41. J. scirpoides, Lamarck, Enc. 3, 267 (E. Meyer in Linn. 
3, 370): caulibus (1-4-pedalibus) e rhizomate horizontali 
crasso albido rigidis strictis (seu raro decumbentibus) foliosis; 
capitulis globosis .multifloris paucis seu pluribus; sepalis 
subulatis saepius aristato-acutissimis deinum rigidis spinescen- 
tibus; staminibus 3; capsula triangulato-pyramidata subulata 
uniloculari; seminibus oblanceolatis obovatisve utrumque 
acute apiculatis areis sublaevibus reticulatis.— J. polycephalus 
Michx. FI. 1, 192 ; Pursh, FI. 1, 237 ; Mey. June. 33. 
Var. a. macrostemon: caulibus (1-2-pedalibus) foliisque 
