S C I R P U S maritimus.
Salt-marßi Club-rußi.
T R I A N D R 1 A Monogynia.
G en. C har. Glumes chaffy, imbricated every way, all
fertile. Cor. none. Seed i , beardlefs.
Sp e c . C har. Stem triangular. Panicle cluttered,
leafy, terminal. Glumes pointed, torn into three
fegments.
Syn . Scirpus maritimus. Linn. Sp. P i. 74. Hudf. 21.
With. 77. Relb. 20. Curt. Lond.fafc. 4. t. 4.
Gramen cyperoides paluftris paniculä fparsä. Ran
Syn. 425.
I n fait martlies, and about the banks of great rivers expofed
to the tide, in many different parts of the kingdom, flowering
throughout July and Auguft. ■ .
The roots are perennial, creeping, knotty at their extremities,
fometimes more evidently and conftantly fo than they are in general
; hence the Cyperus rotundus littoreus ihodorus of Lobel,
Ray, and others, has been erroneoufly defcribed as a diftinCt fpe-
cies. The ftem or ftraw is ere&, from one to three feet high,
triangular, ftriated, leafy, the angles roughifh. Leaves linear,
carinated, long, rough at the edge, fuddenly for the moft part
contracted to a {harp point; the lower ones fheathing and alternate;
thofe under the panicle feflile, and very unequal in
length. Spikes forming a panicle among the upper leaves,
more or lefs numerous, feflile or pedunculated, ovate, chefnut-
coloured; fometimes lengthened out into a very long cylindrical
figure. Glumes finning, ovatee, keeled, ribbed, long-
pointed, tom at the fummit. Stamina long, with yellow h-
near antherae. Seeds triangular^ flatteft on one fide? furmfhed
at the bafe with one or more fhort rough briftles; fo nearly are
the genera of Scirpus and Eriophorum allied!
Mr. Curtis oblerves that the roots are very fweet, and would
probably afford good and nutritious food for hogs, being larger
than thofe of S. paluftris, which are collected for that purpofe
in Sweden.
J 4 '2 .