E riophorum. L. 3. 1. C.otton Grass.
The name is derived from the Greek for bearing wool, as the
spikes of flowers and fruit produce many long, woolly hairs, which
make the plants conspicuous at some distance. They grow in
wet or marshy situations, and some of them in the deepest and
coldest marshes, like those in Stockbridge, Becket, Peru, Wen-
ham, &c. In such marshes, are E . alpinum, L., the E. Hud-
sonianum, Mx., and E. vaginatum, L. Besides these, are the
more common species, E. cespitosum, Ph., E. Virginicum, L .,
E . polystachyum, L ., and E. angustifolium, Richard, which
have 40 — 60 long white hairs in each flower. None of these
plants, which are widely spread over the country, are very abundant,
or applied to any important purpose. A few more species
are found in Arctic America. -
R hynchospora. Vahl. 3.. 1.
From the Greek for beak and seed, as the seeds are beaked.
Loudon. Four species occur in this State. They are nearly
related to the preceding, and grow about wet places, rising a
foot or more high, rather rare plants, of little consequence. The
species are R. alba, Vahl., R. glomerata, Vahl., R . macrosiachya,
Torrey, now made the genus Ceratoschoenus by him ; and R.
fusca, Roem. and Schult., according to Mon. Cyp., Torrey.
The species are far more numerous and abundant in the. Middle
and Southern States.
S chcenus, . L. 3. 1.
From the Greek for cord, as the plants were twisted into cordage.
Loudon.
S. muriscoides. Muhl. Bog Rush. Another of the kindred
plants, credited to this State by Dr. Bigelow ; found in “ Fresh
Pond*” and also in “ Belchertown and Leverett.”
Culm 2 feet high, smooth, or rough with dots, furrowed, leafy ;
umbel terminal; leaves channeled ; seed naked, rounded ; July ;
in bogs.
F uirena. Rottb. 3. 1.
Glumes awned, imbricated into a spike ; petaloid, or perianth
3-valved, cordate, awned.
<F. squarrosa, Mx., var. pumila, Torrey, “ Mon. Cyp.” p. 291.
Culm 3 — 6 inches high ; spikes or heads of flowers thick, with
long involucre leaves ; pond in Tewksbury, B. D. Greene, Esq.
A newly discovered plant, not announced till the publication of
the “ Mon. Cyp.” by Dr. Torrey.
P silocarya. Torrey. 3. 1.
A new genus, and well named.
P. suipoides, Torrey, “ Mon. Cyp.” p. 359. Culm smooth
and leafy; leaves 6 — 8 inches long, and grassy ; flowers in
cymes ; heads of flowers rather acute.
A new plant, collected by Dr. Little of Boston, the locality
not precisely known in Massachusetts. It was found also by
T. A. Greene, Esq., at New Bedford.
S cirpus. L. 3. 1. Club-rush.
From the Celtic for rush. More than 40 species of this
genus are found in the United States, and more than half are
credited to New England. In this State are 21 species, according
to the Geology. A few species are, united in the “ Mon.
Cyp.” of Torrey.
The plants, are rush-like, rather abundant in water or wet situations,
commonly without leaves, and with sheathes at the base,
varying greatly in size and appearance, not often used for fodder
for cattle in this country. In Scotland, S. cespitosus is the food
for cattle from March to May. Loudon.
Glumes imbricated into a close spike ; seed or nut naked, or
with bristles at the base.
S. acicularis, L., embraces also /S. trichodes, Muhl., and S.
capillaceus, Mx., which he credited to New England, and is a
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