good condition, we have never found any difficulty in naming
them with certainty. Our tab. 1520 tolerably well represents
the G. plicata, Fries, except that the larger leaf is far
more acute than we have ever observed it to be. Is it possible
that the top of that leaf represents a part of another
specimen which did not belong to G. plicata ? Such an error
is not unlikely to have occurred in 1805, when the existence of
two species was not even suspected. We have added, at the
right-hand upper corner of our present plate, two spikelets,
and magnified representations of the anthers and a part of a
sheath, of G. plicata, so that they may be contrasted with the
similar parts of G. fluitans, to which the principal figure and
the details at the left-hand lower corner of the plate belong.
It will be seen that the sheath of G. fluitans is compressed,
and nearly or quite smooth, that the lower palea is considerably
longer in proportion than that of G. plicata, and that
the anthers are of a purple colour before the pollen is shed,
as well as being very considerably longer in proportion to
their breadth; they become pale yellow when empty, but
those of G. plicata are fuscous when in that state. Botli
plants usually float to a considerable extent, sending out roots
from their lower nodes; but the upper part of the stem ascends
to the height of several feet, is leafy, and ends in a long
panicle. The panicle of G. fluitans is usually slightly compound,
but not unfrequently it is simple as drawn by Parnell;
that of G. plicata is always, we believe, much branched and
repeatedly subdivided. The lower palea is nearly three times
as long as broad, and the length of the anther is about five
times as great as its width. G. plicata has palese only twice
as long as broad, and the length of the anthers is thrice their
width. These distinctions are very apparent if the plants are
contrasted, and are also easily seen when only one of the species
is present. The anthers especially give a very different
look to the spikelets.
These two plants are about equally common in watery
places, commencing to flower in June, and continuing until
the autumn.
The specific character of G.plicata, tab. 1520, may be corrected
as follows:—
Spec. Char. Panicle compound ; branches nearly
smooth, erect with flowers, divaricate with fruit.
Spikelets linear, of 7-20, oval-oblong, rather
acute florets. Lower palea twice as long as broad.
Sheaths compressed.
Syn. G. plicata. Fries, Nov. Mant. 2.6. Koch, Syn.
932. Gren. et Godr. FI. Fr. v. 3. 531. Bab. Man.
ed. 5. 403. C. C. B.