FELICES 
BRITANNIC 
67 
BARREN LEAVES. 
The barren leaves, T^ab. 36, B. and Tab. 37, are entirely covered by 
the vaginae, till they attain the height of ten or twelve inches ; in this 
Bate they are of a mixed brown and green colour, terminating in an 
acute point at top, and, by the numerous divihons of the vaginae, feem 
as if furrounded with a rough, hairy, or briftly covering. 
From the joints, towards the top of the ftem, the fecond leaves firft 
make their appearance in clofe circles round the bafe of each vagina, as 
Fig, B. Fab. 26. Each circle is furrounded at its bafe by the brov/n 
lafcinae of the vagina next below it. 
The fecond leaves when full grown. Fab. 37, are quadrangular, five 
or fix inches long, and grow about thirty in a circle ; each confifts of 
feven or eight joints, with black vaginas, and having a proper brown va¬ 
gina, fupported by a black fcale at its bafe. b, the proper vagina, a, 
the black fcale. Fab. 37. 
The barren leaves, in a proper foil, rife to the height of five or fix 
feet, and when frefia and full grown are very elegant. The figure. Fab. 
37, reprefents four joints of the firft leaf, with three circles of fecond 
leaves, and, I think, gives a better idea of the plant, than could have 
been conveyed by giving a whole figure, fo much reduced in fize, as to 
bring it into the compafs of my plate. 
Grows in marfhy places, and about the borders of rivers. The fpe- 
cimens from which I took the figures, were fent me, in a frefh ftate, by 
my obliging friend Mr. Edward Robfon, of Darlington.^ \\\ the county 
of Durha?n. 
O 
E QJJ I S E T U M 
