534 
CYPERACEiE. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 
Stamens 2. Style 2-3-cleft, deciduous. Achenium ovoid or 
globular, somewhat corky at the summit, or pointed, without any 
proper tubercle. — Perennials, with the aspect of Rhynchospora. 
(Name from xXaSos, a twig or branch , perhaps on account of the 
branching styles of some species.) 
1. C. mariscoides, Torr. Culm obscurely triangular (2P 
high), leaves channelled; cymes small, compound; the spikes clus¬ 
tered in heads of 3-8 together on 2-4 peduncles; style 3-cleft, the 
lobes entire. (Schoenus, Muhl.) —Bogs, New England to Wisconsin, 
not rare. July. 
15. SCLERIA, L. Nut-rush. 
Flowers monoecious ; the fertile spikes 1-flowered, usually in¬ 
termixed with clusters of few-flowered staminate spikes. Scales 
loosely imbricated, the lower empty. Stamens 1-3. Style 3- 
cleft. Achenium globular, stony, bony, or enamel-like in texture, 
seated in a shallow or saucer-shaped disk. — Perennials, with tri¬ 
angular leafy culms. (Name aiehypia, hardness , from the bony or 
crustaceous fruit.) 
§ 1. Scleria proper. — Perianth lobed or a ring , often obscure. 
* Achenium smooth and polished: perianth a vesicular ring • 
1. S. triglomerata, Michx. Culm (2P-3? high) and broad¬ 
ly linear leaves roughish ; fascicles of spikes few, terminal and axilla* 
ry, in triple clusters, the lower peduncled; stamens 3; achenium 
ovoid-globular, slightly pointed (2" broad).—Low grounds, Vermont 
to Michigan, common southward. July. 
* * Achenium reticulated : perianth of 3 conspicuous and ovate-lanceo - 
late entire scale-like lobes: stamens 2. 
2. S. reticularis, Michx. Culms slender (1° high); leaves 
narrowly linear; clusters loose, axillary and terminal, sessile or short- 
peduncled ; achenium globular , deeply pitted between the regular retic¬ 
ulations , not hairy. — Sandy swamps, E. Massachusetts to New Jer¬ 
sey, rare. August. 
3. S. laxa, Torr. Culms slender and weak (1°—2? high ), 
leaves linear; clusters loose, the lower mostly long-peduncled and 
drooping; achenium globular , pitied and somewhat spirally marked 
with minutely hairy wrijikles. — Sandy swamps, Long Island and N- 
Jersey, also southward. August. 
* * * Achenium warty-wrinkled: perianth a ring supporting 6 round¬ 
ed tubercles: stamens 3. 
4. S. paucifldra, Muhl. Somewhat downy or smoothish; 
