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ANNALS
OF THE
LYCEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.
TCA: WO HTS
~ v Fol,
ANNALS Division
OF
THE LYCEUM
OF
NATURAL HISTORY
OF
NEW-YORK.
VOL. Iii.
NEW-YORK :
PRINTED FOR THE LYCEUM BY G. P. SCOTT & CO.
1828—1836.
aounante cavitation: becerticsssmnenansirnaahs
oS ce ) mag ay
; aa a) ih OE
SI AD Ati Cnc ema Sete tb
oq .
HOLM AY
MUA Pub as LONE Gy CPV
@fficers of the Wwyreum,
For 1836-37.
President.
JOSEPH DELAFIELD.
Vice Presidents.
JOHN TORREY; WILLIAM COOPER.
Corresponding Secretary.
JEREMIAH VAN RENSSELAER.
Recording Secretary.
SAMUEL T. CAREY.
Treasurer.
JOHN C. JAY.
Librarian and Superintendent.
ASA GRAY.
Curators.
J. DELAFIELD, O. BROOKS, R. H. BROWNNE,
CHAS. CRAMER, E. L. BEADLE.
COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION.
WM. COOPER,
JOS. DELAFIELD,
JNO. TORREY,
JAS. E. DEKAY,
JNO. C. JAY.
CONTENTS
V-0.L, U; MLE. oie LsR-D:
By Wiuxram Cooper.
PAGE
A Report on some Fossil Bones of the MegaLonyx from Vir-
ginia; &c. - - : e : : 2 L - 166
By Wituram DarLineTon.
Remarks on the Prunus Americana of Marshall -°— - - 87
By James E. Dexay.
On the Remains of extinct Reprites from New Jersey; and on
the occurrence of Coprouire in the same locality — - - 134
OBsERVATIONS on a Fossil Jaw of a species of Gavian from
West Jersey - - - - - - : - - 158
By Asa Gray.
A Monoerapu of the North American species of Ruyncnos-
PORA - . - - - - - - - i LO
A Norice of some new or rare Plants of the interior of the State
of New-York - - - - - - . - - 221
By Joun Lr Conte.
Descriptions of the Species of North American Torroises. - 91
Description of a new Species of the Order RopENTIA - = 132
OBSERVATIONS on the United States species of Pancratium 142
vu CONTENTS.
By Lewis D. Von ScuweEinitTz.
Remarks on the Plants of Europe which have become naturalized
in the United States = 2 = = = £ e
By Tuomas Tuomson, (of Glasgow.)
Cuemicat Examination of some Minerals, chiefly from Ame-
rica. — With Norrs by Joun Torrey - = 2 =
By Jounn Torrey.
Monocraru of North American CYPERACER - -
By G. Troost.
On anew genus of SERPENTS, and two new species of HETERO-
poN inhabiting Tennessee - - = 2 = f
148
239
174
ANNALS
OF THF
LYCEKUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.
CHEMICAL EXAMINATION of some Minerals, chiefly from
America.* By Tuomas Tuomson, M.D. F.R.S.
L. & E. &c. Professor of Chemistry, Glasgow. With Notes
by Joun Torrey, M. D. Professor of Chem. and Bot.
an the University of the State of New-York.
Read November 5, 1827.
Tue following analyses were made in my laboratory during
the course of the years 1826 and 1827. A considerable
number of them were conducted by myself; but a still
greater number were entrusted to my practical pupils. Their
analyses may be considered as precisely the same with my
own, because the methods employed are mine, the reagents
and apparatus are mine, and because I carefully superintend
every step of the process, till the pupil has acquired sufficient
practical skill to conduct an analysis with accuracy.
The number of analyses was so great, that if I were to
give a detailed account of each, If should have to write a
treatise instead of a paper. It will shorten this essay very
materially, if | premise a few observations on my methods of
* A large proportion of these minerals was sent to Dr. Thomson by Mr.
Nuttall and myself. At the request of Dr. Thomson, I have added a few
notes of explanation respecting the localities, history, &c. of some of the
specimens. Dayle
Vor. III. 9
10 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
analysis in the first place, and then satisfy myself with stating
the general results of each particular analysis, without enter-
ing into any details.
My methods were originally founded on a careful study of
the analytical papers of Klaproth and Vauquelin. Their
methods were a good deal improved, by repeating many of
the excellent analyses given more lately to the public by
Stromeyer and Berzelius. A careful examination of the pro-
perties of the various hodies usually found in minerals, natu-
rally suggested new, or at least improved processes. But it
is the perfection to which the atomic theory has been lately
brought, which has conduced more than any thing else, to the
accuracy introduced into the modern analyses of minerals.
In choosing a specimen for analysis great attention is re-
quisite ; for unless the mineral be pure, or nearly so, the
labour is thrown away. If possible, it should be in crystals,
and every portion exhibiting the least trace of foreign matter
should be rigidly excluded. Even with every attention to
the purity of the specimen selected, the results obtained are
frequently such, as to lead to the suspicion that foreign matter
had existed in our mineral. In such cases it is of great im-
portance to repeat the analysis upon a specimen from a dif-
ferent locality, and, if possible, from a different species of
rock ; for it is not likely that the same kind of foreign mat-
ter should exist in two minerals extracted from rocks of dif-
ferent species. ‘Thus, if we were to analyse two amphiboles,
the one from a calcareous rock, the other from a greenstone
rock, though both might be impure, yet the particular impu-
rity would probably be different in each. We might expect
a contamination of calcareous matter in the former, and of
silica and alumina in the latter case.
Stony minerals, as far as their chemical analysis is concern-
ed, may be divided into three sets.
1. Those which are soluble in nitric or muriatic acid.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 11
2. Those which, in order to dissolve in muriatic acid,
must be heated to redness, with a mixture of thrice their
weight of dry carbonate of soda.
$. Those which require to be heated with caustic potash,
in order to render them soluble in muriatic acid.
1. The greater number of the minerals formerly con-
founded under the general name of zeolites, are readily solu-
ble (if in sufficiently fine powder) in muriatic acid. These
consist of various hydrous silicates, united together in very
different proportions. Silicates of alumina, of lime, of iron,
of potash, or of soda, are the most common of these bodies.
a. I usually operate on 25 ers. or 30 grs. when the mineral
contains much water. The mineral, previously reduced to a
fine powder, is put into a flask, and digested on the sand bath
with diluted muriatic acid till a solution is obtained. Great
care must be taken to prevent any of the silica contained in
the mineral from adhering to the inside of the flask. This is
best done by agitation, which sheuld be almost constant.
And as soon as the mineral is dissolved, the whole contents of
the flask should be poured into an open evaporating dish,
before the silica begins to gelatinize. Should the silica from
inadvertence be allowed to adhere to the inside of the flask,
it cannot be washed out by water or acids. A little potash-
ley, assisted by a gentle heat, will readily dissolve it. But
great care must be taken not to act upon the glass flask.
The acid solution is evaporated to dryness, and water aci-
dulated with muriatic acid, is digested on the dry residue,
till every thing is taken up except the silica ; the whole is then
carefully washed into a filter.
The filtering paper which I use, is unsized printing paper,
procured from the papermaker. Our paper, from the great
diversity of materials employed in its manufacture, and from
the process of bleaching the rags by means of chloride of
Sai
12 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
lime, differs so much in the quantity of earthy matter which
it contains, that no two filters, though made of the same
weight, would be found corresponding in this respect. By
digesting the filtering paper in diluted nitric acid, and then
washing and drying it, I easily get rid of the lime, which has
probably been introduced during the bleaching of the rags.
The inequality of the earthy matter contained in the washed
paper, makes it impossible to estimate the weight of the
powders collected on the filter, by burning it and weighing
the ashes, as is done by the chemists on the continent of
Europe. I have been obliged to have recourse to the fol-
lowing method, which however is sufliciently accurate. Two
filtering papers are made of exactly the same weight, by
balancing them against each other ina pair of scales, and cut-
ting off pieces with a pair of scissors from the heaviest filter,
till it is brought precisely to the same weight as the other.
These two filters are placed one within the other, and the
matter whose weight I wish to ascertain, is collected on the
innermost one, by pouring the liquid in which it is contained
into the filter. When the liquid has run off and left the silica,
distilled water is to be poured over it, and this must be re-
peated till the silica be quite clear.
This process of washing deposits upon filters, is one of the
most important parts of a chemical analysis. It is requisite
that not merely the matter collected at the bottom of the filter
should be clear, but that every thing soluble should be washed
out of the filter itself. This is best done by means of the
little instrument represented in the margin, which I
call a sucker. It consists of a glass tube about a foot
long, terminating below in an opening almost capil-
lary, and having a portion about three or four inches
from the top, blown into a globular cavity. This
sucker is dipt into distilled water, and by the action of
the mouth, water is drawn in till the globular cavity
i is filled. This water is then forced by the pressure
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 13
of the cheeks in a small stream, upon the upper margin of
the filter all round. And this process is continued till the
filter is quite clear, and till the water, which passes through
when evaporated from a silver spoon over a spirit lamp,
leaves no sensible residue.
The filter and silica thus washed clear, is left on the glass
funnel till it can bear handling without risk of being torn. It
is then taken off, put between two folds of brown paper, and
placed on the sand bath, in a place cold enough not to char
the paper, nor injure the filter, but hot enough to dissipate
the moisture and dry the silica. As soon as it has become
quite dry, and has fallen into the+state of a fine powder, its
weight is determined by placing the two filters in the scales
in the same manner as at first, and then finding what weight
is requisite to equipoise the silica. Let this weight bea. It
gives us the weight of hydrous silica extracted from our mine-
ral. The weight of this silica in an anhydrous state, is de-
termined in the following way.
A small platinum crucible about an inch in height, is equi-
poised in the scales, and as much of the silica as can be con-
veniently taken off the filter, is put into it, and its weight de-
termined. Expose the crucible to the flame of a spirit lamp
till it becomes red hot, and keep it in that state for about ten
minutes. As soon as it is cold, replace it in the scales, and
determine the loss which it has sustained. From this it is
easy to determine the loss of weight which the whole silica
would have sustained, had it been subjected to ignition.
Thus the weight of the whole anhydrous silica becomes
known.
b. The liquid which has passed through the filter may con-
tain alumina, lime, oxide of iron, and a fixed alkali. Let it
be reduced by evaporation to so small a quantity that it can
be conveniently operated upon ; then add caustic ammonia in
slight excess. The alumina and iron will be thrown down,
but the lime and the fixed alkali will remain in solution.
14 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
ce. Collect the precipitate on a filter as before, wash it, dry
it, and expose it to a red heat, and then determine its weight.
Let it be a.
Put it into a flask, and digest it in muriatic acid till a solu-
tion is obtained. A few white flocks of silica commonly re-
main. ‘They are to be collected, edulcorated, ignited, and
weighed. This weight is to be added to that of the silica
already found, and deducted from the weight of a, which in-
dicates the alumina and oxide of iron inthe mineral. ‘To the
muriatic solution previously made nearly neutral by evapo-
ration, add a considerable excess of potash-ley, which need
not be very concentrated.» Heat this mixture in a flask, boil
it for some time, and the alumina will dissolve; but the per-
oxide of iron will remain behind in the state of red flocks.
Collect the iron on a filter, wash it, dry it, and expose it to a
red heat, then weigh it; let its weight be 0. It is obvious
that the weight of the alumina is a—é.
d. Sometimes manganese is also present in the liquid as
well as iron. In such cases, the precipitated peroxide of iron
(if we proceed in the way above directed) will contain the
manganese. ‘The presence of manganese is easily detected
by a solution of chloride of lime. A drop of it let fall into a
liquid containing manganese, will immediately produce a red
precipitate in flocks. ‘To separate the manganese from the
iron, the easiest way is to dissolve the mixture in muriatic
acid, and to pour into the solution, rendered as neutral as
possible by concentration, a solution of chloride of lime ; the
manganese falls in the state of a red powder. After edulco-
ration and ignition, 6 of this matter is equivalent to 4°5 pro-
toxide, or to 5 deutoxide of manganese. ‘This amount being
subtracted from the original weight of the mixture of iron and
manganese, will leave the weight of the peroxide of iron con-
tained in the mineral under analysis.
e. The liquid thus freed from alumina, iron, and manga-
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 15
nese, still contains lime and a fixed alkali. Itis to be heated,
and oxalate of ammonia added to it as long as any precipi-
tate falls. Let this precipitate, which is oxalate of lime, col-
lect at the bottom of the vessel ; decant off the pure liquid,
and throw the oxalate of lime upon a double filter, wash it
completely, then dry it, and determine the weight on the filter.
As much of it as is convenient, is to be put into a balanced
platinum crucible, and heated over the spirit-lamp till the
oxalic acid is destroyed, and the charcoal at first evolved
burnt away. Then mix the residual matter with a little car-
bonate of ammonia, and expose the mixture to the heat of
the lamp, till the ammoniacal fumes are dissipated. It is
now carbonate of lime containing +:ths of its weight of lime.
It is easy from the weight of carbonate thus obtained, to de-
duce that of the whole lime contained in the mineral.
f. The liquid thus freed from lime, still retains the fixed
alkali. Evaporate it to dryness, and heat the residual salt in
a platinum crucible (taking care not to fuse it) till all ammo-
niacal fumes are dissipated; what remains is an alkaline
chloride. ‘To determine its nature dissolve it in a little water,
and add to the solution some muriate of platinum. If the
alkali be potash, a yellow precipitate will fall; but none will
appear if the alkali be soda; =, or }2ths of the weight, indi-
cates the quantity of potash, if the salt was a chloride of po-
tassium ; =., or ;';ths of the weight, is the quantity of soda
contained in chloride of sodium. Chloride of potassium, and
chloride of sodium, are permanent in the air; but chloride of
lithium deliquesces.
2. When the mineral requires heating with an alkaline
carbonate, an additional step in the analysis is requisite.
Either carbonate of potash, or carbonate of soda, may be used
at pleasure. I always make use of carbonate of soda, merely
because I can easily procure it sufficiently ptre for the pur-
pose ; whereas the carbonate of potash in this country would
16 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
require to be purified, and the bicarbonate, though pure, is
much more expensive than carbonate of soda.
The mineral previously reduced to an impalpable powder,
is weighed out in a platinum crucible, and then mixed with
about thrice its weight of dry carbonate of soda in powder. ‘The
two materials are mixed as intimately as possible, by means
of a platinum spatula, and then exposed to ared heat for about
half an hour. It is not necessary to fuse the mixture, though
Ioftendoso. Agood spirit-lamp answers well enough to heat
the crucible, though I find it more convenient to apply the heat
of my common furnace, which is always at hand, and almost
always fit for the purpose. If the mixture has not been fused,
it may be easily taken out of the crucible by inverting it over
an evaporating dish, and tapping it on the bottom. After
fusion it adheres too strongly to the crucible to be so re-
moved. In either case it is to be dissolved in diluted muri-
atic acid. I: is easy to judge by the eye whether the mineral
has been sufliciently acted upon by the alkali. ‘The muriatic
acid solution in that case is complete, or only a few light white
flocks remain undissolved ; whereas, when the powder has
not been sufliciently acted on, it remains in the state of a dense
mass at the bottom of the dish. When this happens, we may
in general conclude that the mineral has not been sufficiently
pulverized. We must reduce the undissolved portion to a
finer powder, and heat it again with a new portion of carbo-
nate of soda.
The muriatic solution must be treated precisely as describ-
ed in a former part of this paper. But in minerals which
require the assistance of an alkaline carbonate to make them
soluble in muriatic acid, magnesia is a frequent constituent.
Now minerals which contain magnesia require a peculiar
treatment. It is difficult to separate magnesia completely
from alumina. When we precipitate the alumina in the way
formerly directed, it carries down with it a portion of mag-
nesia. Such alumina is distinguished by a peculiar property
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. U7
well known to analytical chemists. If it be heated to red-
ness, and then moistened with water, it becomes very hot.
This may be repeated as often as you please: pure alumina
has no such property.
Let us suppose a mineral to be composed of silica, alumina,
lime, magnesia, and oxide of iron; that it has been heated
with carbonate of soda, dissolved in muriatic acid, the acid
solution evaporated to dryness, and the residue digested in
water acidulated with muriatic acid, by which means every
thing is dissolved except the silica. The liquid containing
the lime, magnesia, alumina, and oxide of iron, dissolved in
an excess of muriatic acid, is put into a cylindrical glass jar,
furnished with a square of window glass large enough to
cover its mouth. Into this'is poured (by small portions ata
time) a solution of bicarbonate of potash, or bicarbonate of
ammonia. After every addition a violent effervescence takes
place; the glass plate must be put over the mouth of the
_ vessel, to prevent the loss which might be occasioned by the
little drops of liquid thrown out of the glass during efferves-
cence. ‘This addition is to be continued till the liquid is su-
persaturated with the bicarbonate. The alumina and oxide
of iron are precipitated ; but the lime and magnesia remain
in solution, in the state of compound salts or bicarbonates.
The precipitated alumina and oxide of iron, are to be treated
and analyzed in the way already described.
Let the liquid containing the lime and magnesia be satura-
ted with muriatic acid; add a little caustic ammonia, and
then precipitate the lime by oxalate of ammonia. Treat the
oxalate of lime as before directed, in order to obtain the lime
in a separate state.
The liquid thus freed from lime is to be made boiling hot,
and while in that state, mixed with an excess of carbonate of
soda. Boil it for two hours on the sand, and then separate
the precipitated carbonate of magnesia by the filter. Evapo-
Vou. II]. 3
18 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
rate the liquid which has passed through the filter to dryness,
and re-dissolve the residual salt inwater. A little carbonate
of magnesia will remain: the whole of the magnesia thus ob-
tained, is to be put into a platinum crucible, and exposed to
a strong red heat. It is now pure magnesia.
When a mineral which contains a fixed alkali requires to.
be heated with carbonate of soda, in order to render it solu-
ble in muriatic acid, the best way of proceeding, is to deter-
mine all the other constituents (except the alkali) by the
methods just described. To obtain the alkali proceed in
this manner. Twenty-five or thirty grains of the mineral are
reduced to an impalpable powder, and mixed intimately in a
platinum crucible, with a quantity of pounded fluor-spar, equal
in weight to 23 times the weight of the silica contained in the
mineral: this mixture is drenched with sulphuric acid, and
exposed for several hours to the heat of the sand bath. After
all evolution of fluosilicie acid is at an end, the crucible is
exposed for half an hour to a red heat, to drive off the excess
of sulphuric acid, and to ensure a total decomposition of the
fluor spar.
The dry matter is now digested in distilled water, till every
thing soluble is taken up. The solution after being mixed
with a solution of carbonate of ammonia, to throw down any
lime that may be taken up in the state of sulphate, and filter-
ed, is evaporated to dryness and heated to redness. What
remains is the alkali of the mineral united to sulphuric acid.
It is easy from the properties of the salt, to decide whether it
be sulphate of soda, or sulphate of potash. And the known
constitution of these salts, enables us at once to decide the
weight of alkali which the mineral contains.
If the mineral contain magnesia, a portion of that earth in
the state of sulphate, may be mixed with the alkaline sulphate.
A good red heat will decompose this salt, and the magnesia
will remain when the alkaline sulphate is dissolved in water.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 19
In some cases it is convenient to throw down the iron by
benzoate of ammonia. For this purpose the iron must be in
the state of peroxide. ‘To this state it is easily hrought by
adding nitric acid to the liquid containing it, and digesting
it for some time on the sand bath. The liquid must be free
from all excess of acid, otherwise the benzoate of iron will be
again partly re-dissolved during the washing. ‘To this state
it may be brought, by adding caustic ammonia to it till the
iron has begun to precipitate. Eixpose it to a moderate heat
for an hour ; if the iron be all taken up again, add a little
more ammonia and heat it again. Continue these alternate
additions of ammonia and heatings, till (the liquid still retain-
ing a red color) a minute quantity of the iron refuses to re-
dissolve. Benzoate of ammonia will now throw down the
whole of the iron, and the benzoate may be collected upon a
filter without loss. When dry let it be weighed by means of
a double filter. Then put a determinate portion of it into a
platinum crucible, and heat it till the benzoic acid is destroy-
ed. Let the remaining matter be drenched in nitric acid,
and heated slowly to redness. It will now be pure peroxide
of iron, and from the portion thus got, the weight of the whole
iron in the mineral may be easily deduced.
3. As no mineral requiring caustic potash to render it so-
luble in muriatic acid is treated of in this paper, it is needless
in this place to make any remarks on the methods of ana-
lyzing such bodies.
1. NATIVE SODA-ALUM.
The possibility of forming an alum by means of sulphate
of soda, has not been known for more than twenty years ; nor
is an account of it as a peculiar salt to be found in all, even
of the most recent works on chemistry. It is so soluble in
water, and the crystalization of it so troublesome, that du-
20 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
ring hot weather, I have frequently failed altogether in my
attempts to obtain it in regular crystals. Chemists will pro-
bably be surprised to learn that it exists native in South
America, and probably in considerable quantity.
The specimens which I examined were sent to Dr. Hooker,
Professor of Botany in Glasgow, by Dr. Gillies, who is
settled at Mendoza, a city near the foot of the Andes, and
about 1200 miles to the west of Buenos Ayres. It was tick-
eted, Native alum from the province of St. Juan.
The specimens are in irregular nodules, rather smaller than
ahen’s egg. From the rocky fragments occasionally attach-
ed to them, they seem to have been imbedded in a slate,
which has a blackish-blue color, is very soft, and has a con-
siderable resemblance to the slate-clay, which usually accom-
panies coal beds in this country. But these stony fragments
are too minute to enable us to determine with certainty. the
true position of the rock to which they belong.
The alum is white, and composed of fibres adhering lon-
gitudinally, and having a certain breadth, but very thin. It
bears some resemblance to fibrous gypsum; but is much
harder, not being scratched by the nail of the finger, though
very easily by the knife. It is sectile; the outer fibres are
white and nearly opaque, obviously from the loss of a por-
tion of their water. But internally the fibres are transpa-
rent, and have a glassy, or rather a silky aspect, showing that
they contain a good deal of water of crystalization. The
specific gravity of the transparent fibres is 1°88.
It tastes exactly like common alum. But is much more
soluble in water. For at the temperature of 62°, 100 parts
of water dissolve 377°3 parts of it. And boiling water dis-
solves any quantity of it whatever. When exposed to heat, it
exhibits the same phenomena as common alum. When 53°25
grains of the transparent fibres were exposed to a red heat,
the loss of weight was 24°79 grains. But it will be seen im-
mediately, that the whole quantity of water in 53°25 grains
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 21
of this salt, amounts to only 22°5 grains; the 2:29 grains of
excess, were owing to the escape of a portion of the sulphuric
acid.
The analysis of this salt was conducted in the following
manner.
1. By a few trials, it was ascertained that when 53°25 grs.
of the alum previously dissolved in water, are mixed with a
solution of 54 grains of anhydrous chloride of barium, sul-
phate of barytes falls down, and the supernatant liquid is
neither affected by muriate of barytes, nor sulphate of soda.
Hence 53°25 grains of this alum contain just 20 grains of
sulphuric acid.
2. 53°25 grains of the alum were dissolved in water, and
mixed with a solution of 26-25 grains (=&-75 X3) of recently
ignited and pure carbonate of potash. An effervescence took
place, and a white precipitate fell, which being collected and
dried on the filter, weighed 14°15 grains. But by ignition
was reduced to 7:05 grains. The liquid after the separation
of the white precipitate, was heated to the boiling tempera-
ture, butno additional precipitate fell. Being tested by litmus
paper, and by cudbear paper, it was found perfectly neutral,
showing that 15 grains of the sulphuric acid had been in com-
bination with the precipitate thrown down ; and that the re-
maining 5 grains of the acid, had been in combination with
an alkali. Carbonate of ammonia was now added to the
liquid, but no more precipitate fell.
The precipitate which was white, and obviously consisted
chiefly of alumina, was re- -dissolved in muriatic acid, evapo-
rated nearly to dryness, diluted with water, and mixed and
boiled with a quantity of caustic potash-ley. The precipi-
tate, which had at first fallen, was gradually re-dissolved,
with the exception of a dark colored reddish matter, which
22 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
swam in flocks through the liquid; and which when collect-
ed, dried and ignited, weighed 0:67 grains. Hence the
weight of the alumina dissolved should have been 6°38 grains.
Being precipitated from the potash solution, by neutralizing
the potash with muriatic acid, and then adding carbonate of
ammonia in slight excess, it weighed after edulcoration and
ignition 6°36 grains. ‘The 0:02 grain of loss, (if no error
was committed in the analysis) might be owing to some sul-
phuric acid having adhered to the precipitated alumina.
3. The 0°67 grains of dark reddish matter, which had
refused to dissolve in the caustic potash, was treated with
muriatic acid. A slight effervescence took place, and the
whole dissolved except 0:012 grains, which was whitish, with
a shade of red. This residue was too smail to admit of ex-
amination. I consider it as silica not quite free from oxide
of iron.
4. The muriatic solution was made as neutral as possible,
and oxalate of ammonia being dropt into it, a white precipi-
tate fell, which when well washed and dried weighed 0°31 grs.
It was oxalate of lime, and equivalent to 0°136 grains of lime.
5. Benzoate of ammonia now threw down a white precipi-
tate, which after edulcoration, drying, drenching in nitric
acid, and ignition, weighed 0-11 grain. It was peroxide of
iron.
6. ‘The liquid thus freed from lime and iron was put into a
flask, mixed with carbonate of soda, and boiled for some
time. A precipitate fell in white flocks, which gradually be-
came yellow. It was, therefore, carbonate of manganese. It
is obvious that the whole protoxide of manganese in the matter
subjected to analysis, was 0°67—0-247=0°423 grains. A
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 23
minute examination of this manganese, detected in it a por-
tion of magnesia. I did not attempt to determine the quan-
tity, as it would have been very difficult to have separated so
small a mixture of magnesia and oxide of manganese into
their several parts without error.
7. 53°25 grains of the transparent fibres of the alam were
dissolved in water; the alumina was thrown down by ear-
bonate of ammonia, the residual liquid was evaporated to
dryness, and the salt remaining, exposed to a red heat till it
ceased to give out ammoniacal fumes. The remaining salt
weighed 6°23 grains. Being dissolved in water, and left to
pontaneous evaporation, it shot into well defined crystais
of glauber salt. 6°23 grains of anhydrous sulphate of soda
contain 2°77 grains of soda.
The alumina which had been precipitated by carbonate of
ammonia after edulcoration and drying on the filter, dissolv-
ed with effervescence in muriatic acid, indicating the presence
of something besides alumina. ‘The alumina was separated
by caustic ammonia, the liquid freed from alumina was evapo-
rated to dryness, and the residual salt exposed to a heat gra-
dually raised to redness to drive off the ammoniacal fumes.
There remained two grains of common salt, equivalent to
1:06 grains of soda ; thus the whole soda extracted amounted
to 3°83 grains. A loss amounting to 0°17 grain of soda
was obviously sustained. Some of this was probably owing
to the mode of driving off the ammoniacal salts, which was
too rapid ; and some was still in all probability adhering to
the alumina. ButI did not think it worth while to prosecute
the investigation farther, the observations in paragraph 2,
leaving no doubt that the whole soda, had it been collected,
would have saturated 5 grains of sulphuric acid, and there-
fore, would have amounted to 4 grains.
Thus the constituents of 53-25 grains of the soda-alum
were found to be,—
24 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
Sulphuric acid, - - - - - - 20°000
Alumina, - - - - - - - 6:360
Silica, - - - - - - - 0-012
Lime, - - - . - - - 0°136
Peroxide of iron, - - - - - 0°110
Magnesia, d z AC
Protoxide of manganese, ‘ ome
Soda, - - - - - - - 4-000
Wer Gia - 13°50
Water, - - - - - - - 8:00
Carbonic acid - - - - - - 3°23
9923
[ did not weigh the carbonic acid ; but it is easy to deduce
its quantity from the composition of the mineral. If it bea
Vou. IIl. 4
26 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
bisilicate, as is obvious from previous analyses, the protoxide
of manganese will be combined with 34°59 grains of silica.
The remaining 6 grains of silica will saturate 6°75 grains of
protoxide of iron; there remain 5°75 grains of protoxide of
iron for the carbonate ; this will require for saturation 3°23
grains of carbonic acid. The mineral then consists of about,
7 atoms bisilicate of manganese.
1 atom carbonate of iron.
There is a remarkable peculiarity in this specimen of bisili-
cate of manganese. A portion of the protoxide of manganese
is replaced by an equal quantity of protoxide of iron.
Note. This mineral has been announced as a carbonate of
manganese: but its property of effervescing with acids, is now
ascertained to depend on the presence of a small quantity of
the carbonate of iron.
By long exposure to the air its surface becomes of a black
color. Sometimes it is covered with a dark crust an inch or
more in thickness. This is owing to the protoxide of manga-
nese absorbing more oxygen from the atmosphere ; so that a
persilicate of that metal is formed.
3. SILICATE OF MANGANESE.
This mineral, so far as my reading extends, has not been
hitherto noticed, though it constitutes a well marked species.
I got it about two years ago from Dr. Torrey, under the
name of rhomboidal silicate of zinc. It was found at Franklin,
in New-Jersey.
The color of this mineral is light brownish-red. The frac-
ture is foliated. 'T'wo distinct cleavages are perceptible, con-
stituting a prism slightly oblique. But I am not certain as
to the exact measurement. My first ineasurements gave me
S0°, and 100° for the angles of the prism. But the mea-
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 27
surement of a more perfect specimen, which I have just re-
ceived from Dr. Torrey, gives about 86° & 94°. These
measurements were with the common goniometer. There is
a third cleavage much less distinct, but seemingly rectangular
to the edges of the prism. Hence the primary form may be
aright oblique prism, with angles deviating 3° or 4° from
right angles.
Lustre shining and vitreous.
Hardness nearly the same as that of felspar. It cannot be
scratched by the knife.
Specific gravity 4:078.
Powder light red. Becomes brown by ignition, and loses
2:7 per cent. of its weight.
When digested in diluted muriatic acid, it gradually dis-
solves without any eflervescence. Its constituents were found
to be,
Silica, - - - - - . - 29°64
Protoxide of manganese, - - - - 66°60
Peroxide of iron, - - - - - 0-92
Moisture, - - - - . - - 2:70
99-86
If the iron and moisture be accidental ingredients, the
mineral is a simple silicate of manganese, composed of,
1 atom of silica, - - - : ss 2
1 atom protoxide of manganese, - - - 4°5
6°5
I think it not impossible, that this mineral may have been
previously observed by mineralogists, but confounded with
carbonate of manganese. Never having seen a specimen of
native carbonate of manganese, I am ignorant of its charac-
ters; nor have I seen any description of it that seems entitled
to confidence.
28 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
Note. This mineral is not scarce at Franklin. | It is gene-
rally associated with the red zinc ore and massive Franklinite,
Having recently examined its crystallographical characters in
some perfect specimens, I think its primitive form is a rec+
tangular prism, with slightly oblique bases.
4, FERRO-SILICATE OF MANGANESE.
I received the mineral, which from its constituents, I have
distinguished by the name of Ferro-silicate of manganese,
from Dr. Torrey, under the name of Manganesian feldspar.
It comes also from Franklin, in New-Jersey. Dr. Torrey
informed me that it had been distinguished in a recent cata-
logue of North American minerals,* as Crystallized siliceous
oxide of manganese. He stated, that “if small fragments of
the mineral be boiled in muriatic acid, much chlorine is
evolved, and the fragments become light colored, but retain
their form. They then resemble felspar, though the angles
are different, and approach those of albite ; but it is not that
mineral. There appears to be much peroxide of manganese
diffused through it, though it contains also a pretty large
proportion in combination.”
The color of this mineral is brown, with a shade of red.
Externally it is dull, and has an earthy aspect, and may be
scratched by the nail. But internally it is foliated and splen-
dent, and of a gray color, with a shade of red, and is too
hard to be scratched by the knife. Its hardness when fresh,
is nearly the same as that of felspar.
A threefold cleavage may be perceived in it, indicating a
doubly oblique prism for its primary form. P
makes on M an angle of 108°; Pon T an
angle of 86° 30'; M on T an angle of 86° 30.
But these measurements are only approxima-
tions. The faces were not sufficiently flat nor
* Robinson’s Catalogue, p. 298.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 29
smooth for accurate measurements. Judging from a small
fragment which I lately received from Dr. Torrey, the figure
may be a right oblique prism.
The specific gravity of the mineral in its natural state is
3°44. When it had been digested in muriatic acid till it be-
came white, its specific gravity was 8:483.
A portion of the mineral was treated with muriatic acid,
till it assumed a white color. Much chlorine was evolved,
and nearly one fourth of the mineral was dissolved. From
the solution I obtained,
Deutoxide of manganese, - - . - 17°716
Peroxide of iron, - - - - = 6-480
The white residue was composed of,
Silica, - - - - - - - 29°48
Protoxide of manganese, —- - - - 34°64
Peroxide of iron, - - - - - 6°74
Moisture, - - - - - - 3°17
98-226
‘There can be no doubt that the mineral has undergone a
species of decomposition externally from the action of the air ;
the protoxide of manganese having been converted into deut-
oxide. Originally its constituents seem to have been,
Silica, - - - - - - - 29-48
Protoxide of manganese, - - - - 50°584
Peroxide of iron, - + - - - 13-22
Water, - - - - - - - 3°17
So that originally, it must have been a compound of 4
atoms silicate of manganese, and | atom persilicate of iron.
The white residue, were we to consider the peroxide of iron
as foreign, would be a bisilicate of manganese. But this
supposition is not likely to be the true one.
30 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
Note. This is the substance mentioned by Dr. Fowler, in
the ninth volume of Silliman’s Journal, p. 245 as crystallized
siliceous oxide of manganese. The crystals are six or eight-
sided prisms, with plane terminations, which are inclined to
the axis at an angle of about 108°. They are sometimes two
inches or more in length, and an inch in diameter.
5. FERRUGINOUS SILICATE OF MANGANESE.
I received this mineral about four years ago from Dr.
Torrey, under the name of silicate of zine. The locality is
Franklin, in New-Jersey.
Its external color was brown, with a slight shade of red.
The external lustre glimmering, the internal shining and semi-
metallic.
The specimen consisted of a group of crystals very im-
perfect, their faces being dull and far from flat, and their
edges so much rounded, that it was very difficult to obtain
a correct notion of their form. ‘They had the aspect of dode-
cahedrons, with rhomboidal faces; if any conclusion could
be drawn from the two or three faces of each, which were
tolerably distinct. Iwas tempted to conjecture from a few
imperfect measurements, that the primary form might be a
rhombohedron, with angles of about 124°; but this point can
only be decided, when we shall have an opportunity of ex-
amining more complete crystals.
Fracture foliated, but rather imperfect, and no distinct
cleavages could be made out.
Easily scratched by calcareous spar, but not by the nail.
Specific gravity 3-014 to 3-034 in different trials.*
Powder flea-brown. It dissolved with effervesence in mu-
riatic acid, giving out some chlorine, and leaving silica. On
* Professor Vanuxem and Dr. Troost state it to be about 4.
- Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 31
analyzing the solution, the following constituents were ob-
tained.
Silica, - - = S = - - 30°650
Protoxide of manganese, = - - - - 46°215
Peroxide of iron, - - - * - 15-450
Loss by heat, - - - - - - 7°300
99-615
The matter driven off by heat was chiefly water. But 100
grains of the mineral gave out when heated, 0-1 cubic inch of
carbonic acid gas, 0°16 cubic inch of oxygen gas, and 0°74
cubic inch of azotic gas.
These constituents approach very nearly to,
3 atoms silicate of manganese,
1 atom sesqui-persilicate of iron.
From the phenomena which took place during the analysis,
there could be no doubt that either the iron, or a corres-
ponding portion of the manganese, was in a state of deutoxide.
We have no means of determining which of the two.
Note. This mineral was announced about five years ago,
by Professors Vanuxem, and Keating, as a silicate of zinc.*
Some time after, they published its analysis,+ and stated its
composition to be,
Silica, - - - - - 25°44
Oxide of zinc, - ~ - - 68-06
Deutoxides of iron and manganese, - - 6-50
100-00
* See an account of the Geology and Mineralogy of Sparta in New-
Jersey, in Vol. II. of the Journal of the Philadelphia Academy.
} Ibid. Vol. [V. p. 10.
32 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
By another analysis they obtained,
Silica, - - - - + - 25:00
Oxide of zinc, - - - - - 71°33
Oxide of manganese, - - > : 2°66
Oxide of iron, - - ~ ~ - 0°67
Loss, "i s = : = i 0:34
100-00
These gentlemen supposed its primitive form to be a rhom-
bic dodecahedron, while that of the ordinary electric calamine,
is a hexahedral prism,
Dr. Troost, so justly distinguished for his attainments in
crystallography, states that the nucleus of this mineral is a
cube. He proposed to consider it as a distinct species.*
It occurs crystalized in regular six-sided prisms, termina-
ted by low three-sided pyramids. ‘The faces and edges of
the pyramids are imperfect, as if they had undergone partial
fusion or solution, so that their angles cannot be determined
with accuracy. The faces, however, appear to be inclined
to each other at an angle of 120°, indicating the primitive
form to be a cube, and the secondary a rhombic dodecahe-
dron.
Sometimes the crystals occur six or eight inches in length,
and two or three inches in diameter, but occasionally they
are found very slender. ‘They yield with considerable diffi-
culty to cleavage.
6. SESQUISILICATE OF MANGANESE.
The mineral, to which from its composition I give this
name, was contained in a specimen sent me about two years
* Journal of the Philadelphia Academy, Vol. IV. p. 220.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 33
ago by Dr. Torrey, and labelled Granular dysluite, massive
garnet, and franklinite. The locality is Franklin, in New-
Jersey. The specimen appeared to the eye, a mixture of two
different substances. One of them yellow-colored, semi-
transparent and granular, had the appearance of garnet
or chondrodite: the other in scales or small plates, had much
the aspect of franklinite. It was this last substance which I
subjected to analysis, and found to be a sesquisilicate of
. Manganese.
The color was iron-black, and the lustre metallic. Powder
brown, like that of franklinite.
It was composed of scales or plates laid upon each other,
or interspersed through the other constituents of the specimen.
It was not scratched by the knife, but easily by quartz, and
with some difficulty by felspar. ‘The hardness seemed about
that of hypersthene.
Did not act upon the magnetic needle. In this respect it
differs from franklinite.
Brittle and easily reduced to a coarse powder.
Specific gravity 3:67. But the specimen employed was
not quite free from the garnet-looking mineral.
Its constituents were found to be,
Silica, - - - - - - - 38°388
Protoxide of manganese, - - - - 51-666
Peroxide of iron, - - - - - 9-444
Lime, atrace, - - - - - -
99-498
If we suppose that the iron replaces a small portion of the
manganese, it is obvious that the mineral is a sesquisilicate of
manganese, or a compound of,
13 atom silica,
1 atom protoxide of manganese.
Vou. IIL. 5
34 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
It is certainly specifically different from franklinite, to which
in composition it bears no resemblance whatever.
Note. The mineral, called by Dr. Thomson sesquisilicate
of manganese, is associated with the dysluite, (a mineral an-
nounced about five years ago by Professors Keating and
Vanuxem, in a paper which they published in the Journal of
the Philadelphia Academy,*) and a variety of manganesian
garnet. It has generally been considered as a modification of
franklinite, but Dr. Thomson’s analysis determines it to be
a distinct species.
7. DIPHOSPHATE OF IRON.
This mineral was sent me from North America by Mr.
Nuttall. Itis found at Mullica Hills, Gloucester county, New-
Jersey. The mineral consists of cylinders about two inches
long, and half an inch in diameter, incrusted with a yellowish-
red sand, which also occurs interspersed through the cylin-
ders ; so that they look as if they had been formed in loose
sand. ‘The sand consists of grains of quartz, deeply tinged
on the surface with oxide of iron.
The color of the cylinders is bluish-black; the lustre ‘
splendent and glassy. Each cylinder is a congeries of needle-
form crystals, radiating from the axis of the cylinder.
These crystals are easily cut with a knife, and are sectile.
The specific gravity of a cylinder was found only 1-787.
But it was not free from cavities. It contained also several
grains of, sand.
The constituents of this mineral were found to be,
* Vol. II. p. 287.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 35
Phosphoric acid - - - - - 24
Protoxide of iron, - - - - - 42°65
Water, - - - - - - - 25-00
Mixed grains of sand, - - - - 7:90
99-55
It seems to be a hydrous diphosphate of iron, composed of,
1 atom phosphoric acid, - - - - 4°5
2 atoms protoxide of iron, - - - - 9
44 atoms water, - - - - - 5:0625
18:5625
Or, if we suppose the half atom of water only mechanically
lodged in the interstices of the mineral, the atomic weight
will be 18.
This mineral is obviously the same with the phosphated
iron from the Isle of France, and from Brazil, analyzed many
years ago by Laugier and Cadet. Nor is there reason to
believe that the transparent crystals found in Cornwall, and
known by the name of Vivianite, constitute a distinct species.
They are all hydrous diphosphates of iron, having a right
oblique prism, with angles of 125° 15’ and 54° 45’ for the
primary form.
Note. This mineral is found in various parts of the tertiary
formation of New-Jersey. It frequently occurs in the form of
belemnites and bivalve shells.
An account of it by Dr. J. Cutbush, appeared in the Ameri-
can Mineralogical Journal, Vol I. p. 86. Dr. Cutbush could
not detect any phosphoric acid in it; but he states in a note,
that Mr. Godon found this ingredient in a specimen of the
ore which he examined.
Professor Cooper afterwards gave a description and analy-
sis of the mineral in the first volume (new series) of the Ame-
36 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
rican Philosophical Transactions, and endeavoured to prove
that it contained no phosphoric acid, but was merely a
hydrous protoxide of iron. The analysis of Godon, how-
ever, was fully confirmed by Vanuxem, in his subsequent ex-
amination of the mineral, as may be seen in his memoir,
published in the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences
of Philadelphia, Vol. II. p. 82.
8. ARFVEDSONITE.
The name rfvedsonite, has lately been given by Mr.
Brooke to a mineral brought by Sir Charles Gieseckeé,
from Kargardluarduk, in Greenland, which had been usually
considered as a ferruginous hornblende. For the specimen
subjected to chemical analysis, | am indebted to the kindness
of Sir Charles Giesecké.
It had the form of a large oblique four-sided prism, with-
out any distinct terminations. ‘The angles of the prism, as
determined by Mr. Brooke, are 123° 55’, and 56° 5’; while
in amphibole, the angles of the prism are 124° 30’, and
55° 30’; constituting a difference of 35’.
The color is pure black, or in some parts of the edge,
having a slight tinge of blue, but none of green. The prism
easily splits longitudinally into folia, some of which may be
obtained pretty thin; but I could not procure a cleavage
parallel to the summit of the prism.
Specific gravity of my specimen 3°369. Mr. Brooke makes
it as high as 3.44.
It is softer than the mere perfect crystals of amphibole. A
fine black crystal from Finland, which I got from Mr. Nor-
denskisld, scratched it distinctly; but this was not the case
with a specimen of common hornblende from Arendal, having
ablackish-green color. Its hardness is very nearly the same
as that of hypersthene ; but this last mineral has more lustre.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 37
The constituents were found as follows.
Silica, - - - - - - ~ 50:508
Peroxide of iron, - - - - - 35°144
Deutoxide of manganese, - - - - 8920
Alumina, - - - - - - - 2°488
Lime, - - . - - - ~ 1°560
Moisture, - - - - = - 0:960
99-580
These constituents (omitting the alumina, lime, and mois-
ture, as accidental) approach very nearly to,
15 atoms silica, - - - ~ - - 30
4 atoms peroxide of iron, - - - - - 20
1 atom deutoxide of manganese, - - - 5
55
So that Arfvedsonite is a compound of,
4 atoms pertersilicate of iron,
1 atom pertersilicate of manganese.
Thus its constitution is quite different from that of amphi-
bole, showing that it is a peculiar species.
9. FRANKLINITE.
This mineral exists abundantly at Franklin, in Sussex
County, New-Jersey. An analysis of it was published in 1819,
by M. Berthier,* who found its constituents,
Peroxide of iron, - : - > ~ - 66
Red oxide of manganese, ~ - . - 16
Oxide of zinc, - - ~ - ~ - - 17
99
* Annales des Mines, 4:483. [See also a notice of it in the Jour. Acad.
Nat. Sciences, Phil. Vol. IV. p.5. J. T.)
38 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
But the specimens employed by him for analysis, were
picked from an aggregate of franklinite, and red oxide of zine,
and might, therefore, have been contaminated with a little of
the latter mineral. This led Dr. Torrey to wish for a new
analysis of it. He sent me for that purpose, specimens of
granular franklinite unmixed with any other mineral ; and
likewise an imperfect octahedral crystal, free from all foreign
matter, requesting me to subject them to a chemical exami-
nation.
The color of the mineral is iron-gray; but that of the
powder brown. ‘The lustre is metallic.
The crystals are imperfect octahedrons, quite incapable of
measurement. Dr. Torrey informs me that they have been
found three inches in diameter.*
They are not scratched by the knife, nor by felspar ; but
quartz crystal scratches them without difficulty.
Specific gravity of the pure crystals 5:069. That of
pieces picked out of a mixture of franklinite and red zinc, was
only 4:257. The specific gravity of the specimen analyzed
by Berthier, was 4:87.
It acts sensibly on the magnetic needle. But it does not
adhere to the magnet, even when reduced to powder. Nor
could I detect any polarity in the crystals.
It was easy to discover in franklinite, the three constituents
found by Berthier. On attempting a rigid analysis of the
mineral, I tried the most promising of the six methods pointed
out by Berthier ; but I did not succeed by any of them, in
separating the manganese and zinc from each other. This
induced me to have recourse to chloride of lime, which I
found to answer perfectly. ‘The mineral was dissolved in
* The primitive form is the regular octahedron. Sometimes the crystals
are extremely perfect and brilliant. They are often truncated on all the
edges; more rarely they assume the form of the rhombic dodecahedron. J.T.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 39
muriatic acid; the iron was thrown down by benzoate of
ammonia, and the manganese by chloride of lime. The pre-
cipitate is red, and after ignition, six of it is equivalent to
five deutoxide of manganese. ‘The zinc was finally thrown
down by means of hydrosulphuret of ammonia.
The constituents of the mineral were found to be,
Peroxide of iron, - - - - - 66°10
Deutoxide of manganese, - - - - 14-96
Oxide of zinc, - - - - - - 17°425
Silica, - ~ - - “ - - 0°204
Water, - - - - - - - 0°560
99-249
Thus my analysis agrees very nearly with that of Berthier,
and serves to confirm it.
Whether franklinite constitute a peculiar ool or is to be
considered as merely a variety of magnetic iron ore, is a ques-
tion of some difficulty. ‘The hardness, specific gravity, and
even the crystaline form, agree nearly with those of magnetic
iron ore. But the composition of the two minerals is quite
different. Magnetic iron ore, by the analysis of Berzelius, is
a compound of,
2 atoms peroxide of iron, . - - 10
1 atom protoxide of iron, *« = - - - 4°5
14°5
And this analysis has been repeatedly confirmed in my
Jaboratory ; while franklinite contains either no protoxide of
iron, or certainly very little: for the whole ferruginous con-
stituent of the mineral, is thrown down from the neutral muri-
atic acid solution, by benzoate of ammonia, which would not
be the case if protoxide of iron were present. Franklinite
seems to be a compound of,
40 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
4 atoms peroxide of iron, - - - 20
1 atom deutoxide of manganese, - - 5
1 atom oxide of zinc, - - - 5°26
30°25
We may consider it as a compound of,
1 atom deutoferrate of manganese, - - 15
1 atom deutoferrate of zinc, - - - 15:25
30°25
supposing the peroxide of iron to act the part of an acid.
Few chemists would hesitate to consider franklinite as a
peculiar species. To what conclusion a crystalographer
would come is not so clear.
10. MANGANESIAN IRON ORE.
This mineral was sent me by Mr. Nuttall, from Sterling, in
Massachusetts. ‘The color is black ; the lustre splendent and
metallic.
It exhibits on some parts of the surface splendent facets,
indicating a crystalized state. If any conclusion can be
drawn from the position of these facets, the primary form isa
regular octahedron.
So hard as not to be scratched by the knife. Scratched
with difficulty by quartz. Streak red.
Acts feebly on the magnetic needle, but has no polarity.
Texture foliated ; but cleaves only in one direction.
Very easily frangible.
Fracture small, conchoidal. ‘This, together with the color
and lustre, gives the mineral something of the aspect of
cherry-coal.
Specific gravity 5:079.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 4i
The constituents of this mineral were found to be,
Peroxide of iron, - ~ - - - - 7
Deutoxide of manganese, - - - . 22°65
Titanic acid, and peroxide of iron, - - 1°15
Moisture, - “ : - - - - 0:40
99-70
These constituents are not in atomic proportions. ‘hey
approach,
3 atoms peroxide of iron,
1 atom deutoxide of manganese.
But there is an excess of peroxide of iron, amounting to
rather more than one third of an atom.
This ore differs much in its appearance from oligist iron
ore. It certainly constitutes a new species of iron ore.
11. BUCHOLZITE.
The first account of this mineral appeared in the 25th vol-
ume of the first series of Schweigger’s Journal for the year
1819, written by Dr. Brandes. He had obtained the spe-
cimen which he examined, from Professor Weiss; and its lo-
cality was the T'yrolese Alps. Brandes gives a chemical
analysis of this mineral, together with a very imperfect de-
scription of it; and I have seen no farther account of it in
any subsequent publication. About two years ago, Mr. Nuttall
sent me some specimens of American minerals, among which
was one from Chester, on the Delaware, south-west from Phi-
ladelphia, which, on the authority of Mr. Heuland, he called
Bucholzite. Being small and not very pure, I did not think
it worth while to analyze it. But about a year ago he sent
me some other specimens, which were larger, and one of
them appeared sufliciently pure for examination,
Vou. JIT. 6
42 Chemeal Examination of American Minerals.
The color of the mineral is grayish-white, with a very
slight tint of yellow, not recognizable in the purest portions of
the mineral.
It is composed of fibres, which in some places appear
curved, and when viewed by a microscope, assume the ap-
pearance of plates, or imperfect crystals.
Lustre silky.
Not scratched by quartz, and with difficulty by topaz;
but easily by sapphire.
Brittle. Easily frangible. Fragments sharp-edged.
Specific gravity 3-193.
The constituents of this mineral were found to be,
Silica, - - - - - 46-40
Alumina, - . - - - 52°92
99-32
It is, therefore, a silicate of alumina, composed of,
1 atom silica, - - - - ~ 2
1 atom alumina. - - - - 2°25
4°25
Brandes’ analysis gave,
Silica, - - ~ - - - 46
Alumina, - - - - - - 50
Protoxide of iron, - - ~ ~ - 2°5
Potash, - - - - - - 1°5
100
it is obvious that the American specimen which I analyzed,
was purer than Brandes’s. My loss being only 0-(8 per cent,
1 did not search for potash. If any is present, which I be-
lieve there is not, it must be a mere trace.
Note. Although the American variety of this mineral is
now described for the first time, it has been well known to all
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 43
our collectors for more than five years, and has a place in
most of our cabinets. It has generally been regarded as the
fibrolite of Bournon, or a variety of cyanite. Its true na-
ture is at length determined.
12. NACRITE.
I received this mineral from Dr. Torrey. It was ticketed,
Green Mica in Mica-slate, Brunswick, Maine. It consisted
of beautiful light-green colored scales, scattered through a
mica-slate, composed chiefly of quartz, with abundance of
iron pyrites interspersed.
The color of the scales was partly silvery white, partly a
fine white light-green.
Lustre splendent and silky.
Very soft. The plates were flexible, but not elastic, and
had a goed deal of the appearance of talc.
After ignition they still retained their splendor and silky
lustre ; but had lost their green color, and become silvery
white.
The specific gravity was 2-788.
The constituents were found to be,
Silica, - - - - - - 64°440
Alumina, - - - - - 28-844
Peroxide of iron, - ~ - - 4428
Water, - - - - - - 1-000
98-712
It is obvious, both from the description and the constituents
of this mineral, that it is the ¢alcite of Kirwan, or nacrite of
Brongniart.
There is, doubtless, an excess of silica, owing to the im-
possibility of excluding all the quartz grains. Though the
seales were picked out one by one, with as much care as pos-
44 Chemical Examination of American Minerais.
sible, still very small fragments of quartz would occasionally
adhere to them. If we make allowance for this excess, we
may consider nacrite as a bistlicate of alumina. It obviously
constitutes a peculiar species.
Vauquelin, in an analysis of nacrite, detected in it 17°5 per
cent. of potash. But the American variety contains no
potash, or only a minute quantity, since I did not succeed in.
detecting any in it.
Note. There appears to be some confusion in the books re-
specting nacrite. The green mineral of Maine, differs in some
of its characters, from the description of nacrite in Phillips, and
Cleaveland, for it fuses with difficulty, and possesses scarce-
ly any unctuous feel. The European mineral appears to
have been twice analyzed by Vauquelin, for its composition,
as stated by Cleaveland, differs very materially from the
analysis quoted by Dr. Thomson. In the former case, the
quantity of potassa is said to be 17:5, in the latter 8. Dr.
Thomson found no alkali.
13. XANTHITE.
[ have given this name to a mineral which I got about a
year ago from Mr. Nuttall: it was found at Amity, Orange
County, New-York. The specimen in which the xanthite
occurs, is a rock composed of three distinct substances in
grains.
1. Calcareous spar.
2. Xanthite.
3. Dark-green opaque grains.
The xanthite constitutes by far the greater part of the
stone. It has a light grayish-yellow color, and consists of a
congeries of very small rounded grains, easily separable from
each other, and not larger than small grains of sand.
Chemical Examination of American Minerais. 45
These grains are translucent: some of them indeed are
transparent. The lustre of the transparent grains is splen-
dent; that of the translucent grains shining. The lustre is
inclining to resinous.
The grains are rounded, but when examined by the mi-
croscope, they seem to consist of imperfect crystals.
The texture before a powerful magnifier seems foliated ;
but the grains are so small, that it is not easy to make outits
true texture with accuracy.
Specific gravity 3:201.
Easily crushed to powder by the nail of the finger. It is,
therefore, soft. It does not scratch calcareous spar.
Infusible before the blow-pipe per se. Nor did it fuse
along with carbonate of soda. The constituents were found
to be,
Silica, . - . - - 32°708
Lime, - - - - - 36°308
Alumina, - - - - - 12-280
Peroxide of iron, = - - - - 12-000
Protoxide of manganese, - - - 3°680
Water, - - fs - - 0-600
97°576
If we were allowed to consider the iron and manganese as
accidental substances, the xanthite would be a compound of,
2 atoms silicate of lime, - - - - 11°0
1 atom silicate of alumina, = - - - - 4:25
15°25
If the iron and manganese are considered as essential, then
a portion of the lime, or alumina, must be accidental ; other-
wise the mineral could not be considered as a chemical com-
pound.
46 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
The dark-green opaque grains in the rock, which accom-
panied the xanthite, were mostly rounded ; though some had
the appearance of crystalization, and seemed to approach to
a four-sided flat prism, more closely than to any other shape.
Very easily trangible.
The hardness could not be determined, as the grains broke
in pieces before the point of the knife, when an attempt was
made to scratch them. Opaque.
Specific gravity 3-223.
The constituents were,
Silica, - : M ‘ : 24°72
Magnesia, - - - - - 26°60
Peroxide of iron, - - - - 22°26
Lime, - - - - - 21:60
Alumina, - - - - - 3°60
98-78
This approaches,
5 atoms disilicate of magnesia,
3 atoms disilicate of lime,
2 atoms disilicate of iron,
3 atom disilicate of alumina.
It is obvious from this analysis that the mineral is not am-
phibole. It is probably also new. But the small quantity
in my possession did not admit of an accurate description.
Note. By some of our mineralogists, the xanthite of Dr.
Thomson has been considered as the pyrallolite of Nor-
denskidld, a mineral which is very indifferently described in
the books.
The small dark-green substance associated with it has been
called pargasite, which is a mere variety of amphibole ; but
Dr. Thomson’s analysis would seem to establish the Amity
inineral as a peculiar species. It should, however, be re-ex~-
amined, as Dr. Thomson operated on imperfect specimens.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 47
14. PHYLLITE.
I have given this name to a mineral which I received about
a year ago from Mr. Nuttall, from Sterling, in Massachusetts.
The color of one portion composed of flat micaceous scales,
is brownish-black ; but the greatest part consists of thin bent
plates, having a bluish-gray color, and no bad resemblance
to plumbago in its appearance.
The lustre is shining and resinous, or rather semi-metallic.
Feel greasy.
The flat brown plates are so hard as not to be scratched by
the knife, and not easily by quartz. But the plumbago-look-
ing portion (which constitutes almost the whole specimen)
is so soft, that it may be scratched by the nail of the finger.
Sectile.
Specific gravity 2-889.
The constituents of the plumbago-looking portion of this
mineral, were found to be,
Silica, - - - - - 38°40
Alumina, - - - - - 23°68
Peroxide of iron, - - - - 17°52
Magnesia, - - - - - 8:96
Potash, - - - - - 6°80
Water, - - - 2 - 4°80
100-16
It seems to consist of,
1 atom silicate of potash,
2 atoms bisilicate of magnesia,
34 atoms silicate of iron,
11 atoms silicate of alumina.
Were we to suppose the silicates of potash and magnesia
to be extraneous, the mineral would be a compound of,
48 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
3 atoms silicate of alumina,
1 atom silicate of peroxide of iron.
But as it is not crystalized, we have no means at present
of determining what are its essential constituents. It will pro-
bably constitute a new species, being very different in its ap-
pearance from any mineral which I have hitherto had an op-
portunity of seeing. The brownish-black plates in some of
their characters, approach pinite; but the composition and
characters of the plumbago-looking portion, are very differ-
ent from all the other species of stony minerals that I have
seen.
Note. Mr. Nuttall, with whom | have conferred respecting
the minerals which he sent to Dr. Thomson, is not altogether
certain that he recognises the substance called ‘ phyllite.”
The specimen examined in this analysis, was labelled in his
catalogue ‘‘titaniferous iron;” and he informs me, that
the ore was imbedded in what he considered as a singular
ferruginous mica-slate. [t is the latter substance which was
analyzed. ‘The brownish-black micaceous scales noticed by
Dr. Thomson, are what Mr. Nuttall supposed to be an ore of
iron.
15. HYDROUS SILICATE OF MAGNESIA.
‘There seems no reason to doubt that the Swedish minerai
described in 1813, by Haussmann, under the name of picro-
lute, is the same with the precious serpentine of Werner. The
external characters, as far as they have been given, are very
nearly the same; and if we compare the analyses of these
minerals by Hisinger, Stromeyer and Almroth, we shall find
that they agree very closely, as may be seen by the following
table.
Chemical Examination of American Minerais. 4
Precicus Serpentine. Picrolite.
Silica, 43°07 41-660 40:04
Magnesia, 40°37 37:159 38-80
Lime, 0:50
Alumina, 0°25
Protoxide of iron, 1:47 4046 8°28
Deutoxide of manganese atrace, 2°247
Water, 12°45" 14-723 9-08
Carbonic acid, 4:70
97-81* 99-835+ 100-9}
The mineral which I am going to describe, is obviously a
specimen of precious serpentine. I got it from Mr. Nuttall,
among a collection of North American minerals. It was
found at Easton, in Pennsylvania.
The color was yellow, with a slight shade of green. It
appeared when examined by a microscope, to be composed
of a congeries of semi-transparent grains.
It was easily scratched by a knife, but not by fluor-spar.
Its specific gravity was at first 2°53 ; but after digestion in
muriatic acid, to remove some calcareous spar with which it
was contaminated, the specific gravity was reduced to 3°39.
The constituents were found to be,
Silica, - - - - - 41°55
Magnesia, - - - : - 40°15
Peroxide of iron, - - - - 3°90
Water, - = e is 3 13°70
99°30
* Hisinger, Afhandlingar, iv. 341.
;~ Stromeyer, Unlersuch, p. 370.
¢ Almroth, Afhandlingar, vi. 260.
Vor... LL. q
50 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
It, therefore, is a compound of,
5 atoms silica, - - - - 10
4 atoms magnesia, - - - - 10
3 atoms of water, = - . - - 3°375
B 23.375
Perhaps it may be considered as a compound of 5 atoms
bisilicate of magnesia, and 3 atoms bihydrate cf magnesia.
The symbol would be 5 MnS*+ 8 MnAg’. This view would
accord with the constituents found, were we to consider the
iron as an accidental ingredient.
16. BISILICATE OF MAGNESIA.
The mineral, which from its composition I distinguish by
the name of bisilicate of magnesia, was sent me from Bolton,
Massachusetts, by Mr. Nuttall. It bears so much resemblance
to the pitrosmine of Haidinger, both in its character and
composition, that I strongly suspect the two minerals will
turn out mere varieties.
The bisilicate of magnesia has a white colour, with a
slight shade of green. Its powder is white,
It consists of a congeries of prismatic crystals very irregu-
larly disposed, and so involved in each other, that the shape
cannot be distinctly made out. The few faces which were
tolerably distinct, lead to the notion that the crystals are
four-sided oblique prisms.
Lustre glassy. ‘Translucent on the edges.
The crystals cleave longitudinally, but in no other direc-
tion.
Scratched by the knife, but not easily.
Specific gravity 2°976.
The constituents of this mineral are,
Chemical Examination of American Minerais. 5}
Silica, - - - - - 56°64
Magnesia, - . - - - 36°52
Alumina, - - - - - 6°07
Protoxide of iron, - - - - 2°46
101°69
If the alumina and protoxide of iron be only accidental
substances, then the constituents of the mineral are,
2 atoms silica, - - - - - 4
1 atom magnesia, - - - - - 2°5
6°5
The constituents of picrosmine, as determined by Mr.
Magnus, are,
Silica, - - - - - - 54°886
Magnesia, - - - - - 33°348
Alumina, - - - - - 0°792
Protoxide of iron, - - - - 1:399
Protoxide of manganese, - - - 0-420
Water, - - - - - - 7°301
98°146
The chief difference between the mineral described by
Haidinger from Bohemia, and the American mineral, consists
in the former containing 7:301 of water, while the latter is
anhydrous. The specific gravity of Haidinger’s mineral
(owing to the water) is only 2°66, while that of the American
mineral is 2:976. I have little doubt that they will be found
ultimately, to be only varieties of the same species.
17. HYPERSTHENE.
The three mineral species, pyroxene, amphibole, and hyper-
sthene, have considerable analogy both in their situation and
composition. They all occur as constituents of trap rocks,
52 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
and may, therefore, perhaps be admitted to have once been
in a state of fusion. They consist essentially of silica and
magnesia. In pyroxene and amphibole, lime likewise enters
as a constituent, and not unfrequently oxide of iron. The
same thing happens with respect to hypersthene.
Hypersthene constitutes an abundant ingredient in a beauti-
ful trap rock, to which the name of hypersthene rock has been
given. It occurs in the north of England, and constitutes
whole mountains of the most savage appearance, in that part
of the Isle of Skye known by the name of Cuchullin. It is
found also in large isolated crystals in the island of St. Paul,
on the coast of Labrador, on which account it was distin-
guished by Werner, by the name of Paulite.
I thought it worth while to subject paulite and Isle of Skye
hypersthene, to a chemical analysis. Paulite had indeed
been already analyzed by Klaproth; but I am not aware that
hypersthene, from Isle of Skye, has been hitherto examined
by any chemist.
Paulite is black without any shade of green. Hypersthene
is also black ; but the surface of the crystal is splendent, and
exhibits a false metallic lustre, somewhat similar to bronze.
All the specimens of paulite which I have seen, are crystal-
ized so irregularly that the shape cannot be made out. But
the Isle of Skye hypersthene, is frequently in pretty regular
crystals. “They are four-sided prisms, wth angles of 87° and
93°, which are very nearly the angles of pyroxene. I have
never met with a crystal in which the summit of the prism is
well defined. I do not, therefore, know whether the prism be
right or not.
The specific gravity of paulite I found, 3°385.
The specific gravity of hypersthene, 3°338.
Klaproth gives the specific gravity of Paulite 3-390.
The hardness of both varieties, as far as I can make out,
is precisely the same ; and very nearly, if not exactly, equal
to that of arfvedsonite.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 53
The constituents of paulite are,
Silica, - - : - - 46:112
Magnesia, - - - - - 25°872
Peroxide of iron, ~ - - - 14-112
Protoxide of manganese, - - - 5°292
Lime, - - - - - 5°380
Alumina, - - - - - 4-068
Water, - - - - - 0-450
101-316
The constituents of Isle of Skye hypersthene, were found
to be,
Silica, - : : : : - 51:348
Magnesia, - - - - : 11-092
Peroxide of iron, - - - - 33-924
Lime, - - - - - - 1°836
Water, - - . - - - 0-500
98°700
Notwithstanding the difference between these two analyses,
there seems no reason to doubt the two minerals belonging to
the same species. The hardness of both is the same; their
specific gravities very nearly agree ; and so do their crystal
line forms, as far as they have been determined. It is obvious
that the constituents of hyperstene, like those of pyroxene
and amphibole, are not constantly the same. The manga-
nese and alumina being wanting altogether, and the lime
very nearly, in the Isle of Skye hypersthene ; perhaps we may
be permitted to consider them as only accidental ingredients.
In that case the essential constituents wil! be silica, magnesia,
and peroxide of iron. The number of atoms of silica in the
mineral, is twice as great as that of the magnesia and per-
oxide of iron taken together. Hence, it is clear that hyper-
sthene consists of bisilicate of magnesia and peroxide of iron
54 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
united together. But it is impossible to say how much of
each is necessary to constitute the mineral, as the proportions
of magnesia and peroxide of iron vary in the two varieties
analyzed. Paulite consists of about 3 atoms bisilicate of
magnesia, and 1 atom of iron; while Isle of Skye hypersthene
contains 2 atoms bisilicate of magnesia, and 3 atoms bisilicate
of iron. It is obvious that the magnesia and peroxide of
iron are capable of replacing each other in this mineral.
We may exhibit the composition of hypersthene in general,
by the formula xMnS’?+yFS*. X and y denoting the un-
known number of atoms of the two bisilicates.
18. CHONDRODITE.
This mineral was first described, analyzed and named by
Count D’Ohsson, in the Kong]. Vetenskaps Acad. Handlingar,
for 1817, p. 206. The specimen was from Pargas, in Fin-
Jand, and the name chondrodite, (from xovdgwdns. granular)
was given to the mineral because it occurred in the specimen
in the state of grains. The same mineral had been previously
observed by Dr. Bruce, at Newton, Sussex County, New-
Jersey, in small rhomboidal prisms imbedded in calcareous
spar, but mistaken by him for an ore of titanium. In 1823,
an analysis of it by Mr. Seybert, was read before the Ameri-
can Philosophical Society, and published in the 5th volume
of Silliman’s Journal. Seybert discovered in it the presence
of fluoric acid, which had escaped Berzelius in two separate
analyses which he made of this mineral. This led him to
consider it as a new mineral, and to distinguish it by the
name of Maclurite, as a tribute of respect to Mr. Maclure,
the celebrated American geologist. Some of the American
mineralogists had given it the name of Brucite.
About two years ago, I received from Dr. Torrey some
very fine specimens of what he called massive chondrodite
from a new locality ; namely, Eden, Orange County, New-
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 55
York, with a request that I would subject it to anew analysis,
assigning as a reason, that though Seybert’s analysis was
excellent, he had perhaps operated upon poor specimens.
The specimens were pure, with the exception of a few
crystals of albite on one corner, and small irregular veins of
a gray colored mineral, seemingly quartz, visible in one of
the pieces.
The color was reddish-yellow ; the lustre considerable,
and inclining to resinous. Indeed chondrodite has a con-
siderable resemblance to garnet.
Fracture foliated, with a cleavage which seemed to indi-
cate for the primary form, a doubly oblique
prism. The incidence of M on T about 75°,
and that of P on T about 65°. But as these
measurements. which were made with the com-
mon goniometer, do not agree with those of
Ha y, they are probably inaccurate.
Tie cross-fra ture is granular.
Translucent on the edges. _—_ Iu thin fragments semi-trans-
parent.
Kasily scratched by the knife, but not by calcareous spar.
Seems about the same hardness as fluor spar.
Brittle.
Specific gravity of my specimens 3:118. D’Ohsson found
it 3°18; and Seybert, from 3°157 to 3°225.
Does not fuse per se before the b'ow pipe.
It dissolves without difficulty in nitric acid. Its constituents
were found to be,
Silica, - - - - - - 36°00
Magnesia, - - - - - - 54°64
Peroxide of iron, - - - - . 3°97
Fluoric acid, - ye See ee - - 3°75
Water, - - - - - - 1°62
Se
99-98
56 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
Seybert’s analysis approaches very closely to mine. He
obtained,
Silica, ~ - - - -— - - 32'666
Magnesia, - - - - - - 54-000
Peroxide of iron, - - - - - 2°333
Fleoric acid, = - - - - - ~ 4-086
Potash, - - - - ~ - 2-108
Water, - - - - - - - 1-000
96:193
D’Ohsson likewise found 0°86 per cent. of potash. This
induced me to search for it three several times, but without
success. Hence I am satisfied that if any exist in the pure
mineral, the quantity must be very minute.
It is obvious that chondrodite is a compound of,
1 atom fluate of magnesia,
6 atoms silicate of magnesia.
The iron and the water are probably accidental constitu-
ents. The potash was probably derived from some inter-
spersed foreign mineral, which did not exist in my specimens.
Note. This mineral, which occurs abundantly in New-
* Jersey, New-York, and Massachusetts, was first noticed by
the late Dr. Bruce in the year 1511. He observed it in a
crystalized carbonate of lime, brought from Sussex County,
New Jersey, and supposed it to be an ore of titanium. A
notice of it appeared in the American Mineralogical) Journal,
p- 239. Some specimens were sent by Dr. Bruce to Haiiy,
who placed it in his cabinet, where it remained for many years
unexamined, till Berzelius, in a visit to Paris, recognized it
to be the Chondrodite.
Soon after the mineral was sent over to Europe, Dr. Lang-
staff, then a pupil of Dr. Bruce, undertook its analysis, and
ascertained its ingredients to be silica, magnesia, and fluoric
acid. He repeatedly analyzed the mineral as early as the year
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 57
1811, as is well known to many of his friends, but without
being satisfied with the results, when circumstances obliged
him to relinquish in great measure his scientific pursuits, so
that he never published ay account of his discovery. The
notes of his experiments were exhibited to me in the year
1820, and extracts from them were communicated to Mr.
Nuttall, as may be seen in Silliman’s Journal, vol. vi. p. 171.
Dr. Langstaff obtained as the mean of several trials,
Silica, - - - - - - 32
Magnesia, - - - - ~ 51
Oxide of iron, = - - - - - 6
Fluoric acid, = - ~ - - - 9
Water, - - - - - - 2
The quantity of fluoric acid was determined by the differ-
ence between the sum of the other constituents, and the amount
of mineral subjected to experiment : a very imperfect method
it must be conjessed, but almost the only one that could at
that time be employed.
The mineral soon became known to all our collectors, and
as it appeared to be new, Colonel Gibbs, with the consent of
Dr. Langstaff, proposed for it the name of Brucite. Under
this appellation a large quantity of it was sent to Europe.
From some misunderstanding, it was supposed by several
mineralogists to be a fluate of magnesia, by which name it
was introduced in the Tabular View of the first edition of
Cleaveland’s Mineralogy, published in 1816. The author of
that excellent treatise states, that he expected to have receiv-
ed an account of the mineral in time to insert it in the body or
his work, but was disappointed.
In Silliman’s Journal for 1819, it was announced that an
analysis of Brucite, a new miveral, would appear in the fol-
lowing number. But the analysis was not, however, pub-
lished.
Just before this notice appeared, and without being aware.
Vor. TI. 8
58 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
of Dr. Langstaff’s prior experiments, I examined the mineral
called Brucite by Colonel Gibbs, having been informed that it
was the fluate of magnesia alluded to by Professor Cleaveland.
My analysis was read before the Lyceum of Natural History.
I obtained about 4 per cent of fluoric acid, and 50 per cent
of silica, an ingredient which I did not expeet to find, at least
in such large proportion, so that it proved to be a fluo-sili-
cate, analogous, as I stated in my memoir, to the topaz.
While I was repeating my analysis, with a view to its publi-
cation, I was informed that Dr. Langstaff had already exam-
ined the mineral, and had anticipated my results. 1 therefore
prosecuted the subject no farther, and solicited the discoverer
of the mineral himself to give the public an account of his
experiments. As no account of the Sparta mineral had been
published in 1821, when Professor Cleaveland was preparing
a new edition of his work, | sent him a short description of
it, under the name of Brucite, together with a history of its
discovery. By that time some of our mineralogists learned
from their Swedish correspondents, that the Brucite and
chondrodite were supposed to be identical, but as D’Ohsson
and Berzelius found no fluoric acid in the latter mineral, the
Brucite was regarded by Colonel Gibbs and others, as a dis-
tinct species. .
In May 1822, and before Cleaveland’s second edition ap-
peared, Mr. H. Seybert, of Philadelphia, read before the
American Philosophical Society, an account of the New-
Jersey mineral, to which he gave the name of Maclurite.
He appears to have been unacquainted with the experiments
made on this substance in New-York, and also with the fact,
which was already well known to the mineralogists of this
city, that Berzelius had pronounced the chondrodite and
Brucite to be the same species, but without (it would appear)
having detected any fluoric acid in either mineral. The
analysis of Mr. Seybert displays great ingenuity and science.
He obtained the fluoric acid, and determined with great ac-
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 59
curacy the proportion in which it exists. As this ingredient
was not detected in the Finland chondrodite, analyzed by
the Swedish chemists, Mr. Seybert considered the American
mineral to be a peculiar species. His analysis was published
in the American Philosophical Transactions, and in Silliman’s
Journal.*
. Before the analysis appeared, though after it was read to
the Society above mentioned, Mr. Nuttall published in the
first number of the New-York Medical and Physical Journal,
an account of the Geology and Mineralogy of Sparta in New-
Jersey, in which he introduced a description of the Bruacite,
and stated that it contains an accidental and variable propor-
tion of fluoric acid, so that he considered it as probably not
distinct from chondrodite. The experiments of Mr. Seybert,
however, proved that the fluoric acid is an essential ingredient
of the mineral, and in his subsequent researches, he found it in
the European variety, though Berzelius had failed in detecting
it. Mr. S. was, therefore, convinced, that his Maclurite and
the chondrodite were identical.| The remarks of Mr Nuttall
on the Sparta mineral, (in the paper just quoted) were the
occasion of some unpleasant controversy between this gentle-
man and Mr. Seybert, which I should willingly have passed
over, had not the latter gentleman insinuated that Dr. Lang-
staff and myself had combined to defraud him of the honour
of having first discovered the fluoric acid in chondrodite or
Brucite. It was so well known to all the New-York mine-
ralogists, and also to Colonel Gibbs and others, that this
acid exists in the mineral, that it was a matter of surprise
that Mr. Seybert was ignorant of the circumstance. If any
proof were necessary on this point, I might refer to the
minutes of the New-York Lyceum, or to the second edition
* Vol. V. p. 336. et seq.
+ Silliman’s Journal, Vol. V. p. 366. et seq.
60 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
of Cieaveland’s Mineralogy, the first part of which was print-
ed before Mr. Seybert read his paper in Philadelphia. Indeed
the fluoric acid is detected with the greatest ease in the variety
of Brucite, which is so abundant at Sparta. Sulphuric acid
immediately decomposes the mineral, while fumes are libera-
ted which distinctly corrode glass.
The chondrodite of D’Ohsson, which has already received
so many appellations, has recently been found identical with
the Humite of Count Bournen, a mineral which occurs among
the products of Vesuvius. As early as the year 1823, Mr.
Nuttall communicated to me his opinion, that the Humite
was not a distinct mineral from the Brucite. At his request,
Mr. Bowen, now Professor of Chemistry in the University of
Nashville, submitted to experiment the granular variety of
the Humite, which accompanies the idocrase of Vesuvius,
and detected in it fluoric acid.* A full account of this mine-
ral, under the name of chondrodite, is given in the ‘ Pro-
dromo della Mineralogia Vesuviana, par T. Monticellr et
N. Covelli, Napoli, 1825.” The Brucite and Humite are
quoted as synonyms. Its primitive form is exactly that of
the chondrodite, as given by Haiiy, Traité de Min. ii.
p- 476-7, second edition.| Two secondary forms are de-
scribed, one of which had been already noticed by Haiy.
They are represented in Tab. III. f. 41 and 42. The first
is a rectangular prism, terminated by two quadrangular pyra-
mids ; the second is a new variety, termed octuvigesimal, or
* See a note to Mr. Nuttall’s memoir, in Silliman’s Journal, V. p. 240.
j The primitive form of Brucite, given by Mr. Nuttall and Prof. Cleave-
land from my notes, is incorrect. I mistook for that mineral, some small
erystals of amphibole, which are generally associated with the Brucite.
The Brucite itself is scarcely ever seen crystalized in the United States.
Occasionally it exhibits the form of short rhombic prisms, differently modi-
fied, but so imperfect that their precise shape cannot be determined.
\
Chemical Examination of Gokumite. 6]
an eight-sided prism, terminated by eight-sided pyramids, of
which the summits are truncated.
It appears that the Humite was first noticed by Bournon,
in a publication entitled, “ Catalogue de la Collection mine-
ralogtque particuliére du Roi de France. Paris 1817.” Count
D’Ohisson’s analysis of the chondrodite was published the
same year, so that it is difficult to say which name of the
mineral should take the precedence.
19. GOKUMITE.
In the year 1814, I received a collection of Swedish mine-
rals from Mr. Swedenstjerna, among which was one of a
yellowish-green color, labelled Mineral from Gokum quarry.
In its general aspect it bore a close resemblance to a mineral
from the same quarry, called Loboite by Berzelius, and first
described and analyzed in 1807, by Mr. C. A. Murray, under
the name of a green colored mineral from the lime quarry of
Gokum.* In 1810 a new description of it was published by
Chevalier Lobo du Silviera, together with an analysis of it
by Berzelius.¢ Lobo called it Gahnite; but as this name
had been already applied to the autoimalite, Berzelius gave
it the name of Loboite. This mineral has been generally
considered as a variety of idocrase. My specimen resem-
bling Loboite in its external characters, I did not pay particu-
lar attention to it, till | happened to give a piece of it for
analysis to two of my pupils, Messrs. Hilton and Mitchill.
The result of the analysis was so different from that of Ber-
zelius, that [ suspected a mistake to have been committed,
and therefore, repeated the analysis myself. But my re-ults
were very nearly the same as those already obtained by the
previous analysis. It was obvious, therefore, that my mine-
* Afhandlingar, ii. 173. + Ibid. iii, 276.
62 Chemical Examination of Gokumite.
ral was not Loboite. Ihave called it gokumite from the name
of the place where it was found.
The color is light yellowish-green. When examined with
a glass, it appears to be composed of a congeries of irregular
crystals, which bear a nearer resemblance to octahedrons,
than to any other figure. The pyramids of the octahedrons
are very low, and the faces are frequently striated parallel to
the base.
Tlie crystals are foliated.
Exceedingly frangible. Very small crystals, apparently of
‘topaz, sparingly scattered through the mineral.
Opaque, or only slightly translucent on the edges.
Scratched by the knife.
Specific gravity 3°744.
Its constituents were.
Silica, - - - - - - - 35°680
Lime, - - - - - - - 25:748
Protoxide of iron, - - - + - 84°460
Alumina, - - - - - - - 1-400
Water, - - - - - - - 0-600
97°S88
It is, therefore, composed of,
1 atom silicate of lime, - - - - ono
1 atom silicate of iron, - - - - 6.5
10
My specific gravity of Loboite is only 3°543. Itis harder
than gokumite, and has a darker color. Its crystaline form is
a four-sided prism, seemingly the same as that of idocrase.
Its constituents, according to the analysis of Berzelius, are
as follows,
a Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 63
See a ne 164 86-00
Alumina, - - - - - - ~ 17.5
Magnesia, - - - - - - - 252
Lime, = = 2 = a - - 37°65
Peroxide of iron, - é - - - - 5°25
Lime, atrace, - - - - - - 0:36
99°25 .
This analysis shows clearly, that gokumite and Loboite are
two different minerals.
20. IDOCRASE.
This mineral was sent me by Dr. Torrey, with the label,
anew variety of garnet (idocrase of some) from Salisbury,
Connecticut. I have given it the name of idocrase, from the
result of its chemical analysis.
The color is brownish-red, very similar to that of some
garnets.
The fracture is granular, and when the specimen is exam-
ined by a microscope, it appears to consist of a congeries of
prismatic crystals, some of which exlnbit a brilliant facet or
two; but the shape cannot be made out. [n another speci-
men the extremities of four-sided prisms, apparently square,
are distinctly visible, though the faces are too rough and
uneven to admit of measurement, even with the common go-
niometer.
Scratched with difficulty by the knife, but easily by quartz.
Lustre shining, glassy.
Brittle. Easily frangible in the great ; but the individual
crystals are rather tough.
Specific gravity 3°503.
The constituents were found to be,
64 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
Silica, - - - : = - - 40°89
Lime, - - - 3 = ~ - 35°56
Protoxide of iron, - - - - - 18°33
Alumina, ~ - - - - - 5'67
Water, - - . - - - - 0:60
101°05
it would seem from this analysis, to be a compound of,
5 atoms silicate of lime, - ~ ~ - Q27°5
2 atoms bisilicate of iron, - - - - 17°60
1 atom silicate of alumina, - - - - 4°25
48°75
The difference between this mineral and common idocrase,
consists chiefly in a portion of the alumina being replaced by
protoxide of iron.
Note. Specimens of this mineral, which I received from
Dr. C. A Lee, (who first discovered it at Salisbury) were
erystalized in rhomboidal dodecahedrons, truncated upon all
the edges. So that, notwithstanding the habitudes of the
mineral before the blow-pipe, | concluded it to be a variety
of garnet. It bas a strong resemblance to the amber-colored
garnet, lately found by Dr. Webster in Carlisle, Massachu-
setts, and like that mineral fuses easily into a transparent
glass. Dr. Thomson’s analysis, however, would seem to
make the Salisbury mineral idocrase, if the composition alone
be regarded.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 65
21. BROWN MANGANESIAN GARNET.
This mineral was sent me by Dr. Torrey, under the name
of brown manganesian garnet. Its locality is Franklin, Sussex
County, New-Jersey.
Color tombac-brown.
Texture granular, because the specimen consists of a con-
geries of imperfect crystals. Some of these crystals appear
to be octahedrons, either complete, or wanting their apexes.
Some are four-sided oblique prisms, terminated by four-sided
pyramids. One of these prisms was measured. Its angles
were about 111° and 69°.
Scratched with difficulty by quartz.
Brittle and very easily frangible.
Lustre glistening, except some crystaline faces, which are
splendent. Resinous.
Nearly opaque, or only translucent on the edges. *
Specific gravity 3°829.
The constituents of this mineral were found to be,
Silica, - - - = - - 3a°7 16
Lime, — - 4 s : . - 25-884
Alumina, = ~ - = < as 7:972
Protoxide of iron, «— - - - - 15°840
Protoxide of manganese, - - - 16°704
Water, - - - ~ : 3 0:080
100-196
This corresponds, with,
5 atoms silica,
2 atoms lime,
1 atom protoxide of iron,
1 atom protoxide of manganese.
So that the mineral would appear to be a compound of,
Vor. TE. 9
66 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
2 atoms sesquisilicate of lime, - - 13
1 atom silicate of iron, - . - 6°5
1 atom silicate of manganese, - - 6:5
26°00
From the analyses and calculations of Count Trolle Wacht-
meister,* it follows that the garnet varies a good deal in its
composition. It is usually a compound of two different sili-
cates, which may be any two of the following.
Silicate of lime,
Silicate of alumina,
Silicate of iron,
Silicate of manganese.
Silicate of magnesia.
The variety just described, contains an atom more silica
than usually exists in garnet. It contains three bases, and no
variety of garnet hitherto analyzed, has been found to contain
so much manganese.
22, PIPE-STONE.
i give this name to a curious stone from North America,
which the Indians make use of for constructing tobacco-pipes.
For the specimen which I analyzed, [ am indebted to Dr.
Scouler, who, some years ago, went out as a surgeon in one
of the vessels sent to the west coast of North America by the
North-west Company. He spent a summer between Nootka
Sound and the Columbia river. Among other natural pro-
ductions of the country, he brought home a specimen of this
pipe-stone. He got it from the Indians, and was not posses-
sed of any information respecting the part of the country, or
the nature of the rocks where it is found.
* Kongl. Vetensk. Acad. Handl. 1823. p. 120.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 67
It constitutes a compact stone, through which a few scales
of mica are interspersed, and having somewhat the appear-
ance of clay-stone, though less compact and much softer.
Color light erayish-blue. Powder light blue.
It is harder than gypsum, but soft enough to be scratched
by the nail. Sectile.
The particles when scraped off with a knife, feel gritty be-
tween the teeth.
Specific gravity 2°606.
It does not fuse per se before the blow-pipe.
The constituents obtained by analyzing it were as follows,
Silica, - . : ‘ s s 55°620
Alumina, - - - - - 17°208
Soda, - = - - - “ 12-160
Peroxide of iron, - - - - 7612
Lime, - = - - - - 2-256
Magnesia, - - - - - O-112
Water, - - - - - - 4:600
99°568
It consists of four bisilicates, namely,
Bisilicate of alumina,
Bisilicate of soda,
Bisilicate of iron,
Bisilicate of lime.
Were we to consider the bisilicates of iron and lime as only
accidentally present, pipe-stone would be a compound of,
1 atom bisilicate of soda,
2 atoms bisilicate of alumina.
Differing from analcime and chabasie, by the absence of
water, and by an atom less of bisilicate of alumina. But
whether this stone be a chemical compound, or only a mixture,
must remain doubtful at present.
HS Chemical Examination of Ekebergite.
23. EKEBERGITE.
This name has been given to a mineral first described and
analyzed by Ekeberg in 1807.* It has been usually considered
asa variety of scapolite; and its mineralogical character,
seems to leave no doubt that this is its true mineralogical
place ; though its constituents differ a little from those of
pure scapolite. The specimen which I subjected to analysis,
was sent me about fourteen years ago, by Mr. Swedenstjerna.
Its color is light greenish-gray.
Lustre glistening and waxy.
Structure imperfectly foliated. Translucent.
Easily scratched by quartz, and sensibly by the knife.
Yet it strikes fire with steel.
Fragments. sharp-edged.
Tough.
Specific gravity 2°723.
Before the blow-pipe it melts per se into a transparent
olive-green glass.
An analysis of this mineral gave the following constituents,
Silica, - - - - - 43°572
Alumina, - . ~ - - 24-480
Lime, - - - - - 15-460
Peroxide of iron, - - - - 5540
Soda, - - - - . 9°148
Water, - - - ~ ~ 1-800
- 100-000
These constituents indicate,
* Afhandlingar, in. 144.
Chemical Examination of Fahlunite. 69
11 atoms silicate of alumina, - - - 46°75
5 atoms silicate of lime, = ae - - 275
2 atoms bisilicate of soda, = - - - - 16-0
1 atom silicate of iron, - - - - - 6°5
96:75
Were we to consider the bisilicate of soda, and silicate of
iron to be accidental ingredients, the constitution of the mine-
ral would approach very nearly to that of common scapolite.
24. FAHLUNITE, OR TRICLASITE.
Two different substances have been distinguished by the
name fahlunite, or triclasite. One analyzed by Hisinger,*
which seems to be the same with the Gieseckite of Stromeyer.
It has a blackish-green color, and nearly the same specific
gravity as the hard fahlunite. But it contains 13°5 per cent
of water. The other substance has been usually called hard
fahlunite, from its greater hardness. It was analyzed in 1815
by Hisinger, and 182t by Stromeyer. The following table
exhibits the constituents of this mineral, according to the
analyses of these chemists.
Silica, - - += (45:9 ©50-247
Alumina, - - - 31-1 32°422
M:gnesia,- —- - 13°5 10°847 firon.
Peroxide of iron, - 3:0 4:004 protoxide of
Deutoxide of manganese, 0°5 0:682
Lime, zinc, - - 0°2
Moisture, - - - 3°0 1°664
97-2 99-866t
* Afhandlingar, vi. 210.
7 Hisinger, Afhandlingar, iv. 342.
t Stromeyer, Unlersuchungen, p. 553.
70 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
I got a specimen of this mineral about fourteen years ago,
from Mr. Swedenstjerna. It occurs in Eric Matt’s mine at
Fablun, mixed with the dark-green fahlunite, and is always
amorphous.
The color is yellowish-brown.
The justre is waxy.
Principal fracture foliated; cross fracture granular.
Translucent when in ihm pieces.
Scratched by quartz, but not by the knife.
Specific gravity 2°632.
Brittle. Tough.
When analyzed its constituents were found to be,
Silica, - » - - - - 51°840
Alumina, - - - - - - 24-780
Magnesia, - - - - - 7°704
'Protoxide of iron, - ~ - - 10°296
Protoxide of manganese, - - - 2°248
Lime, - - - - - - 2-684
Water, = - - - - - - 0:576
100°128
This analysis differs considerably from those of Hisinger
and Stromeyer, showing clearly that fahlunite, if it be a pe-
culiar species, does not occur at Fahlun in a state of purity.
Stromeyer considers hard fablunite as a variety of dichroitte.
This conclusion is deduced from the analysis; the minera-
logical characters are too imperfectly marked to warrant any
conclusion.
25. SPINELL AND CEYLANITE.
Though the nature of the rock in which the spinell occurs,
has not been made out in a satisfactory manner, yet there
seems no reason to doubt that it belongs to the primary
rocks. [have specimens of primitive limestone from Sweden,
Chemical Examination of American Minerais. 71
in which abundance of blue-colored spinel] occurs. About a
year ago Mr. Nuttall sent me some specimens from the United
States of America. Among others there were three or four
specimens of a rock composed of feldspar, quartz, and a green-
colored substance, partly in grains, and partly in regular
octahedrons, which it was easy to recognize as spinell. On
one of these specimens there was also a portion of calcareous
spar. No information was given me respecting the locality
of this rock ; though there could be no doubt from its con-
stituents that it was a primitive rock. The number of grains
of spinell in it was exceedingly great. Most of them were
very small round grains. But some of them constituted very
beautiful and regular octahedrons, though small. The color
was a lovely green, and the crystals were all translucent, and
some of them transparent.
Lustre vitreous, and from splendent to shining.
From the small size of the grains, the fracture could not
be easily recognized. It was probably foliated.
Not scratched by quartz, but easily by sapphire.
Specific gravity 4465. This is much higher than that of
spinell commonly observed. I do not know to what to as-
cribe the difference. The specific gravity was carefully taken,
and any foreign matter that might have been accidentally
present, would rather tend to diminish, than increase the spe-
cific gravity.
The constituents, from a careful analysis, were found to be,
Silica, - - - 2 - 5°620
Alumina, - - - - = 73°308
Magnesia, - - - - - 13:632
Protoxide of iron, = - ~ - - 7°420
Lime, a trace, - “ - -
99-980
72 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
This approaches the constituents of the spinell, as deter-
mined long ago by Berzelius. He obtained,
Silica, - - - - + 5:48
Alumina, - - - - - 2°25
Magnesia, - ~ - - - 14°63
Oxide of iron, - - - - 4°26
Undetermined matter, ~ - - 1°83
98-45
The American spinell contains a good deal more oxide of
iron than the Swedish. This was to be looked for, as its
color was much darker.
I have got specimens of ceylanite both from Dr. Torrey
and Mr. Nuttall. They are all crystalized in regular octa-
hedrons. They are opaque, and the color is so dark a green,
that the crystal appears to the eye black. The rock in which
these crystals occur is calcareous spar. They are as hard
as the spinell, but very easily frangible. The crystals in
some of Mr. Nuttall’s specimens, are above an inch in length.
Dr. Torrey’s are smaller, but exceedingly perfect. The spe-
cific gravity of one of the large crystals was 3°575. The
locality of these ceylanites is Amity, Orange County, in the
State of New-York.
A careful analysis of one of the purest looking crystals
gave the following constituents,
Silica, - ~ - - - 5-596
Alumina, - - - - 7 61-788
Magnesia, - - - - - 17-868
Protoxide of iron, - - * - 10:564
Lime, - - - - - 2°504
Water, - * - - - 0:980
99-600
Chemical Examinanon of American Minerals. 73
It would appear from the analyses of the ceylanite from
Ceylon, by MM. Collet Descotils and Laugier, that its con-
stituents differ a good deal from those of the American miner-
al. This may be seen from the following table,
Silica, - - 2 2
Alumina, - - 68 65
Magnesia, - 12 13
Oxide of iron, 16 16:5 with a trace of manganese.
98* 965+
The lime in the American ceylanites is probably derived
from the calcareous spar in which the mineral was crystal-
ized. There is a smaller quantity of alumina, and a greater
of magnesia in the American, than in that of Ceylon. There
is also a considerable difference in the proportion of oxide
of iron, which each specimen contains.
The spinell (if we consider the silica and iron as acciden-
tal) is obviously a compound of,
1 atom magnesia, - - - - - 2°5
6 atoms alumina, - ~ - - yale re ts,
16:0
This is also the proportion of the magnesia to the alumina,
in the Ceylon variety. But the American ceylanite con-
tains only,
1 atom magnesia, - - : 4 2°5
4 atoms alumina, - - : w 9
11°5
* Collet Descotils, Ann. de Chim. xxxiii. 11.
{ Laugier, Ann. de Chim. et de Phys. xxvii. 313.
Von. UU. 10
74 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
We must, therefore, admit that in the American variety,
there is a quantity of magnesia accidentally present, amount-
ing to 6°42 per cent.
It has been long known to chemists, that there is a strong
affinity between magnesia and alumina. Now it is curious,
that when these bodies do combine, it is usually in the pro-
portions which constitute spinell. If into a solution of a
mineral in muriatic acid, which contains alumina and magne-
sia, you pour caustic ammonia to precipitate the alumina,
the precipitate will be found to contain a certain quantity of
magnesia. If this precipitate be thoroughly washed and igni-
ted, and then digested in muriatic acid, a white insoluble mat-
ter will remain, which proves when it is analyzed, to be a
compound of,
1 atom magnesia,
6 atoms alumina.
It is, therefore, essentially the same with spinell. The
silica and protoxide of iron found in spinell, are doubtless
foreign bodies.
Note. The first variety of spinell alluded to by Dr. Thom-
son in this article, was from Franklin, in New-Jersey. It ap-
pears to be a green pleonaste, or ceylanite, but it may pos-
sibly constitute a new sub-species. The rock in which the
mineral is imbedded is not primitive, as it is supposed to be
by Dr. Thomson, but transition, as may be seen by referring
to Mr. Nuttall’s memoir on the geology and mineralogy
of the valley of Sparta, first published in the New-York Med,
and Phys. Jour. vol. i. No. 1. and afterwards reprinted in
Silliman’s Journal, vol. v. Also, a memoir on the same sub-
ject, by Professors Keating and Vanuxem, published in the
journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences, vol. ii.
Chemical Examination of Stilbite. 15
26. STILBITE AND HEULANDITE.
The stilbite of Ha‘iy has of late years been subdivided into
two species; viz. stilbite and Heulandite. They had been
already subdivided into foliated and radiated zeolite by Wer-
ner, who recognized the distinction. Mr. Brooke first showed,
that the angles of the two minerals are different. M Walm-
stedt, Professor of Chemistry at Upsal, first showed that the
chemical composition of the two is different.
A pure crystalized specimen of red stilbite, from the rocks
near Dumbarton, analyzed in my laboratory, was found com-
posed of,
Silica, - - - = - - 52-500
Alumina, - - - - ~ 17°368
Lime, - - - - - - 11-520
Water, - - - - - - 18:450
99-838
This mineral has been often analyzed in my laboratory,
for it is generally one of the first minerals, (from its easy
management) that I put into the hands of young analysts.
In some other varieties, the quantity of alumina was rather
greater than in the red stilbite. Probably its constituents are,
1 atom bisilicate of lime, - - - 7:5
3 atoms bilicate of alumina, - - - 18°75
5 atoms water, - - - . 9°625
31-875
Very fine specimens of Heulandite have lately been brought
to Edinburgh from the Faroe islands. They are all crystal-
ized, and the only shape which | have noticed, is that figured
76 Chemical Examination of Heulandite.
by Mr. Brooke, in the Edinburgh Philoso- 7 id
phical Journal, vol. vi. p. 112. The summit of
the crystal constituting the face P, has a fine i g
pearly lustre, while that of the other faces is
glassy. The lustre is splendent.
Color snow white.
Structure foliated. Cleaves easily parallel to the summit.
Scratched by the knife; the pearly face easily ; the other
with more difficulty.
Specific gravity 2°195.
Its constituents were found to be,
Silica, - - ~ - ~ 59:144
Alumina, - - - - - 17-920
Lime, - - - = - 7-652
Water, - - ~ - - 15°400
100-116
By Walmstedt’s analysis, as given by Berzelius,* the con-
stituents are,
Silica, - - - = = : 59-99
Alumina, - - ~ - - 16°87
Lime, - - > - - - 7:19
Water, - - ~ ~ ~ 13°43
97°39
So that its constitution is,
1 atom tersilicate of lime, - - - 9°5
4 atoms tersilicate of alumina, - - | 833°0
7 atoms water, - - - - 7°875
50°375
* FEidin. Phil, Jour. vii. 11.
Chemical Examination of Steinherlite. 77
Another variety of this mineral from the neighborhood of
Dumbarton, in very fine needles, was lately analyzed in my
laboratory. Its constituents were,
Silica, - - . - - - 34°63
Alumina, - - - - - - 32°35
Lime, - - - - - ~ 18:65
Soda, - - - - - - 1:25
Water, - - - - - - 14:00
100°88
It is evident from these different results, that this mineral
is apt to be contaminated by some of the kindred species
with which it is usually associated.
27. STEINHEILITE.
_ This mineral, which occurs in considerable quantity in Fin-
land, was at one time distinguished by the name of blue
quartz ; and possesses the characters of quartz so completely,
that it would be impossible to know where to place it, without
a chemical analysis. It got the name of Steinheilite, from
Count Steinheil, who first pointed out the difference between
it and quartz. {t occurs in a copper mine at Orrijerfwi, in
the government of Tawestihus. Professor Gadolin analyzed
it, and announced the existence of a new mineral substance in
it. Stromeyer repeated this analysis, and published the re-
sults in the first volume of his Unlersuchungen. He found
it composed of,
Silica! 08 i : 4 - 49-2487
Alumina, - - - ~ - 32°0742
Magnesia, - - - - - 11:5192
Protoxide of iron, - - ~ - 5:9682
Deutoxide of manganese, - - - 0°6385
99:4488
78 Chemical Examination of Harmotome.
These constituents induced Stromeyer to infer that Stein-
heilite and dichroite, belong to one and the same species ;
and in this conclusion mineralogists have generally coincided.
I got specimens of Sieinheilite about fourteen years ago
fiom Mr. Swedenstjerna, and analyzed it at that time, though
1 have not hitherto laid the results before the public.
The color is vlue ; the fracture splintery, and very much
like that of quartz.
It is translucent.
It is scratched by the knife, and also by quartz.
Its specific gravity is 2°6032.
Its constituents were found to be,
Silica, - - - - - - - 52°352
Alumina, - ~ - ~ - - - 33°488
Magnesia, : - > - ~ - 4-000
Protoxide of iron, - - - - - 8°556
Water, ~ - - - - - - 1-000
99-396
Were we to consider both these analyses as rigidly exact,
they would go far to prove that Steinheilite is not a chemical
compound. Would it be too much to consider it as a mix-
ture of quartz and dichroite ?
28. HARMOTOME.
Chemists are aware that there are two varieties of har-
motome, one composed of si.ica, alumina, barytes, and water ;
and the other of silica, alumina, lime, and water. Crystalo-
graphers have not hitherto attended to this diversity. It is
likely that a difference will be found in the form of the crys-
tals of each, and that they will be found to constitute two
distinct species. The first of these varieties is found at An-
dreasberg, in the Hartz,and in many other places. ‘The lime-
Chemical Examination of Harmotome. 79
harmotome occurs at Annerode, and was analyzed by Werne-
kink.
I thought it worth while to make a chemical analysis of the
harmotome crystals, which occur in considerable quantity in
the lead mine of Strontian, in Argyleshire. These crystals are
white, and translucent, and are all crystalized like the dode-
cahedral variety, figured by Ha’y in his plate 85. fig. 271.
The fracture is foliated, the lustre glassy, the specific
gravity 2°4.
Its constituents were found to be,
e
Silica, - ‘- - - it ee 48-735
Alumina, - - - - . - 15-100
Barytes, - - - - - - 14-275
Lime, - - - - - - 3°150
Potash, - “ - - - - 2°550
Water, - - - - - . 14-000
97°840*
Thus it contains both barytes and lime, and likewise potash,
a constituent not yet observed in harmotome from other lo-
calities.
The following tableexhibits the constituents of the differ-
ent varieties of harmotome hitherto analyzed.
* Another specimen analyzed in my laboratory by Mr. Thomas Muir,
gave,
Silica, a = - = = ~ - - - = 52:652
Alumina, - = ihe - - - = y 2 9-900
Barytes, Se ee mace es Le ras pati ie aT AO
Lime, - - - = = = a = = J 1-732
Peroxide ofiron, - - - - - - : 2 1-560
Potash, - - - - 2 S - = a, e 5-040
Water, - - - - - 5 = 14-800
98.824
$0 Chemical Examination of Harmotome.
Silica, - - - 49 47:5 44:79 53°07
Alumina, - - 16, 1955 49°28. | (2a
Barytes, - - 18 16 17°59 0:39
Lime, - - - 1°08 6:67
Oxides of iron & mang. | 0:85 0-56
Water, - = - 15 13°56 = 15°32 17:09
98* 96:5¢ 98-91F 99-099
It is probable that the barytes-harmotome, is a compound
of,
1 atom bisilicate of barytes,
4 atoms bisilicate of alumina,
3 atoms water.
If the constitution of the lime-harmotome be similar, there
is a deficiency of lime in the specimen analyzed by Werne-
kink. In the Strontian harmotome, the barytes, lime, and
potash, seem altogether to make up the quantity of one
atom.
29. THOMSONITE.
This mineral was constituted jntale peculiar species by
Mr. Brooke ; and I published a chemical analysis of it in 1820,
in the 16th volume of the first series of the Anuals of Philoso-
phy, from which [ deduced its composition to be,
* Klaproth, Beitrage, ii. 83. From Andreasberg.
+ Tassaert, Hauy’s Tableau compar. p. 201.
{t Wernekink ; Gilbert’s Annalen, Ixxvi. 175. From Schiffenberg.
8 Ibid. From Annerode.
Chemical Examination of Thomsonite. 81
1 atom silicate of lime, - = z 2 faty
3 atoms silicate of alumina, - - =) S75
24 atoms water, - - - - - 2°8125
21:0625
But I inadvertently gave Kilpatrick as the locality of the
specimen which [ employed. It was in reality from Loch-
winnoch, a few miles west from Paisley. In the 7th volume
of the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, an analysis of Thom-
sonite from Kilpatrick, by Berzelius, is given as follows,
Silica, - - - - - - - 38°30
Alumina, - - - - - - - 30.20
Lime, - - - ~ - ~ - 13°54
Soda, - - - - - - + 4°53
Magnesia, - - - - - - - 0:40
Waters. 0) z - - - - - - 13°10
100:07
I was rather surprised at this analysis, because I had search-
ed for soda in my specimen without finding any. A repeti-
tion of the analysis, after reading Berzelius’s paper, was
attended with no better success. This induced me to make
some inquiry of Dr. William Couper, from whom I received
the specimen, respecting its true locality. He assured me
that it had come from Lochwinnoch, and not from Kilpatrick.
This induced me to examine a specimen which I had myself
procured at Kilpatrick, and concerning the locality of which,
therefore, there could be no doubt. The result of this new
analysis was as follows,
Silica, z s b : = hus S708
Alumina, - - - - - 33°02
Lime, - - - - - 10°75
Soda, = e : : 3-70
Water, - ~ - ~ ~ 13-00
97°55
Vou. II. 11
~
%
82 Chemical Examination of American Minerals.
Thus the existence of soda in the Kilpatrick variety was
confirmed. It is obvious, however, that the Lochwinnoch
specimens are purer than those of Kilpatrick, and that soda
does not exist inthem. Of course, the true type of this mine-
ral must be, 3 AIS +CS+.24 Aq.
30. NUTTALLITE.
I got a specimen of this mineral (constituted into a new
species by Mr. Brooke) about two years ago from Mr. Nut-
tall. But it was so small, and apparently so impure, that I
did not think it worth while to examine it. Since that time,
I have got specimens of it both from Mr. Nuttall and Dr.
Torrey, some of which being much purer, I took the oppor-
tunity of analyzing it, as hitherto nobody has made us ac-
quainted with its chemical constitution. The locality is Bol-
ton, Massachusetts. Dr. 'Torrey informs me that he has seen
perfect crystals of it.
It occurs in crystals, in a rock consisting partly of calca-
reous spar, and partly of a green colored mineral in grains,
having the aspect of amphibole. Small brown-colored specks
were interspersed, which might be sphene.
The crystals were eight-sided prisms, without any terminal
planes. ‘These crystals (as Mr. Brooke first observed) cleave
in the direction of a right square prism, which seems to be its
primary form.
Color white, in some parts of the crystal yellowish, in
others bluish or greenish. The yellowish-white portions are
translucent, or almost transparent ; the bluish nearly opaque.
Is not this owing to the presence of a foreign substance ?
Lustre glassy, or very slightly inclining to resinous.
Easily scratched by the knife.
Specific gravity varied in different trials, from 2°748 to
2°758.
Chemical Examination of American Minerals. 83
The constituents of the purest looking part of the speci-
men were found to be,
Silica, - - - - - - - 37°808
Alumina, - - - - - - 25°104
Lime, - - - - - - =|.) 16°336
Protoxide of iron, - - - - - 7-892
Potash, - - - - - - - 7°305
Water, - - ~ - - - - 1-500
97°945
Were we to consider these constituents as all belonging to
the chemical constitution of the mineral, it would be a com-
pound of,
9 atoms silicate of alumina,
34 atoms silicate of lime,
14 atoms silicate of iron,
1 atom silicate of potash.
Which of these constituents are only accidental, and which
are essential to the constitution of the mineral, can only be-
come known, when Nuttallite from different localities shall
have been subjected to examination.
Note. This mineral was noticed by Dr. Wm. Meade about
four years ago, in Silliman’s Journal, vol. vii. p. 52, under
the name of eladlite. |The specimens examined by Mr.
Brooke, it appears, were imperfectly crystalized, so that the
structure of the mineral could not be determined with great
accuracy. I have seen it in very perfect, though minute, rec-
tangular prisms, terminated by four-sided pyramids, which
afforded measurements by the reflecting goniometer very simi-
lar to those of scapolite.
ah.
84 Chemical Examination of Arseniet of Antimony.
31. ARSENIET OF ANTIMONY.
Although this species has not yet found its way into
mineralogical treatises, it is by no means uncommon. The
specimen in my collection, comes from Allemont, in the
department of Isere, in France. I got it from Mr. Heuland.
It is not crystalized; but has a bluish-gray color, and the
metallic lustre. ‘Texture fine, granular. Sectile, but not
malleable. Soft.
Specific gravity 6:130. Not altered by exposure to the air.
Before the blow-pipe it fuses and sublimes in a white smoke,
having a strong arsenial smell, leaving scarcely any visible
residue.
va
Its constituents were found to be,
Antimony, - - - - - - 46°612
Arsenic, - - - - - - - 38°508
Loss; - - - - - - 14:880
>. ene
100-000
This indicates a compound of,
1 atom antimony, - - Saal Pye a fe BAR
1 atom arsenic, - - - - - - 4°75
10.25
a
The specific gravity is considerably above the mean, which
is 6-056, showing that the two metals have contracted in the
act of union. This probably implies a considerable affinity
to exist between them.
Chemical Examination of Arsenical Pyrites. — 85
31. ARSENICAL PYRITES.
_ I examined this mineral many years ago, and showed that
it contained iron, arsenic, and sulphur. But the art of analy-
sis was not at that time far enough advanced, or my skill in |
it not sufficient to enable me to determine with accuracy, the ~
proportion of the constituents. It will be worth while, there-
fore, to state here the result of an analysis of i it lately made
in my laboratory.
The specimen examined was from Sweden, in pretty regu-
lar detached crystals, consisting of SEG EOL octahedrons..
Fracture foliated. .
Color white. Lustre metallic and splendent. Some of
the crystals had a yellowish tarnish on the surface.
Not scratched by the knife, but by quartz.
Easily frangible.
Specific gravity 6-920.
Before the blow-pipe it emits a white smoke, having the
the smell of garlic, and leaves an iron-colored residue,
strongly attracted by the magnet.
It was analyzed by acidifying the arsenic and sulphur, and
separating the iron in the state of peroxide. The arsenic and
sulphuric acids were both thrown down by barytes, and the
arseniate of barytes was separated from the sulphate, by means
of nitric acid. Its constituents determined in this way were,
‘Iron, - - - - - - . - 33:98
Arsenic, - - - - - - - 45°74
Sulphur, = - - - - - - = 19-60
99°32
This is obviously equivalent to,
1 atom iron, - - - - - - 3:5
1 atom arsenic, - - = - - 4°75
Lt atom sulphur, = - - - = - 2
: 10°25
*
‘ , _ —
oe
',
86 ‘Chemical Examination of Arsenical Pyrites.
Perhaps we may view it as a compound of,
, i atom disulphuret of iron, - x . rs 9
Z et atom disulphuret of arsenic, - BN ole Leihei tg Tala
20°5
This at least accords with the analysis. The specific
gravity of this mineral indicates a considerable condensation
in the constituents. ‘The mean specific gravity of 3-5 iron,
4°75 arsenic, and 2 sulphur, is only 5-681. The condensa-
tion, therefore, amounts to about two-ninths of the whole spe-
cific gravity.
bide?
fee
Remarks on the Prunus americana of Marshall. By Wm.
Darutneton, M.D. Witha plate.
Read May 18, 1829.
Norwitustanpine the progress which has been made in
American Botany, our native species of Prunus continue to be
involved in much obscurity and confusion. The descriptions
are, for the most part, so vague and imperfect, as to leave the
student in doubt respecting the species intended ; and in some
instances, it would seem that the same specific names had been
applied to entirely distinct plants. This confusion has arisen
from_a neglect to notice the proper discriminating characters ;
and especially that important one, which, in this family, is
afforded by the fruit. The earlier botanists who explored our
country, being mostly foreigners, and transient visitors, appear
to have had a very imperfect knowledge of several of the
species; and succeeding authors have too often contented
themselves with copying the descriptions of their predecessors,
and coupling names with those descriptions at random, in-
stead of examining the plants for themselves. These observa-
tions are strikingly applicable to the Prunus americana of the
late Humphrey Marshall. This species, commonly called
red plum, or yellow plum, is well known throughout Pennsyl-
vania, and probably in several other states. When I pub-
lished my “Catalogue of Westchester Plants,” not finding a
satisfactory description of this plum in any work, except that
of Marshall, (who was a resident of this vicinity,) I concluded
it must be very limited in its range ; but I have since had oc-
casion to observe that it is quite common from the Delaware
to Lake Erie. I also saw it in the western parts of New-
York ; and, in one instance, on the shore of the Hudson, near
West Point. I have little doubt that it may likewise be found
Vor. II. 12
88 On the Prunus americana of Marshall.
in Canada.* Being surprised to find the species so extensively
distributed and yet so imperfectly and obscurely described, ! was
induced to procure the accompanying plate, for the purpose of
aiding to determine its character. It is a curious fact,that although
Marshall, in his Arbustwm americanum, gave a pretty good de-
scription of this plum so long ago as 1785, yet no subsequent
botanist, that I know of, has noticed that description, nor given
any clear and satisfactory account of the plant itself. On the
contrary, the modern books have only increased the uncertainty,
and rendered “ confusion worse confounded.”
There can be no doubt that Muhlenberg was well acquainted
with this species; and it is probable that the absurd name,
nigra, 1s intended for it in his Catalogue, as it stands thus—<* P.
nigra (Americana,) Yellow Plum!’ What the P. nigra of
Aiton, Willdenow, Persoon, Pursh, &c. really is, I have not the
means of ascertaming; but a part of the description, at least,
(viz. “ petiolis biglandulosis,”) is not applicable to the one in
question.
Although Muhlenberg gives the P. hzemalis, as a distinct
species from the foregoing, yet Michaux’s description of the
P. hiemalis seems to be intended for our plum, except where
he says, “ fructus nigricans ....... hieme edulis,” which, I appre-
hend must be a mistake. I doubt, indeed, whether any plum in
ihe United States, can with propriety be called a winter plum.
Mr. Elliott, in the description of his P. hiemalis, comes still
nearer to our plum that Michaux has done: and he remarks,
further, that what is commonly called the winter plum in the
low country, really ripens in July and August. The Prunus
americana also matures its fruit in August; and I strongly in-
cline to the belief that they are identical, though Mr. Elliott
has unfortunately omitted to mention the color of the ripe
fruit of his P. hiemalis. As to Pursh’s plant of this name, if
* Tt grows abundantly in several parts of Massachusetts, particularly
in the neighbourhood of Amherst.—Puvus. Comm.
On the Prunus americana of Marsiait. 3Y
his “uv. v.” is correctly appended, it is very clear that he refers
io a totally distinct species, the fruit being “small, black, ex-
tremely astringent, but eatable in winter ; called Black choke-
cherry.” Mr. Nuttall, in his Travels in Arkansas, speaks of
the Prunus hyemalis as being a “gray plum.” Such are the
contradictory notices which the books afford of this plum:
and I am not aware of any authorities which throw additional
ight on the subject. It is rather surprising that Marshall’s
account of it should have been so uniformly overlooked, as his
descriptions were generally, and in this instance undoubtedly,
made from personal observation ; and, although couched in a
familiar style, they are for the most part very accurate. I will
transcribe his notice of this species. .
“Prunus americana.—Large yellow sweet plumb.—* This
generally rises to the height of twelve or fifteen feet, spreading
into many stiff branches. The leaves are oblong, oval, acute
pointed, sharply sawed on their edges, and much vemed. The
flowers generally come out very thick round the branches.
often upon thick short spurs, and are succeeded by large oval
fruit, with a sweet, succulent pulp. We have a great variety
of these, growing naturally in a good moist soil, with reddish
and yellowish fruit, but differmg much in size, taste and con-
sistence.”
The description of the leaves, stipules, &c. of P. hiemalis, by
Michaux, and especially by Mr. Elliott, applies very well to
our plant, as faras it goes. The leaves vary somewhat in form,
being oval, oblong-ovate, and sometimes obovate ; and in this
last case, particularly, ending with an abrupt and strong acu-
mination. They are for the most part acutely and doubly ser-
rate. The stipules are compound, mostly three-parted, the
segment setaceous or lance-linear, and fringed with short seta-
ceous teeth, bearing small glands on the points. The pedicels
are glabrous, aggregate 2 to 5 (usually 3 or 4,) but the fruit
is mostly solitary. The calyx-segments are pubescent, lance-
linear, rather obtuse, and generally with two or three minute,
setaceous teeth at the apex. The petals are oval, or obovate.
90 Onthe Prunus americana of Marshall.
very obtuse, or rounded, and frequently with small crenatures
at the end. The young branches are slender and virgate ;.
the older ones rugged, with short spine-like processes, or spurs,
which bear leaves and flowers, and afford a good illustra-
tion of the fact, that spines are merely abortive branches.—
The fruit, when mature, is of a reddish yellow, or a blend-
ing of both colors, the red sometimes predominating, and
it varies, also, considerably in size. When it has been long
and carefully cultivated, Ihave seen the fruit as large as a
common apricot; but in its wild state it is generally not more
than half, and sometimes scarcely one third that size. ‘The
quality is equally affected by culture. When fully ripe, the
pulp is sweet and luscious ; but the skin is thick, coriaceous,
and acerb, and always rejected in eating the fruit.
The plate which accompanies these remarks, was engraved
from a drawing made by an ingenious and accomplished
young lady of this borough. It is an accurate representation
of the specimen from which the drawing was taken, though I
think the fruit, in this instance, was rather more globose than
it usually is: when of a larger growth, especially, it inclines
more to an oval form. W. D.
West-Chester, Pennsvlvania, May 9, 1829.
DescripTion of the Species of North American Tortovses.
By Major J. Lz Conve of the U.S. Army, F. LS. &.
Read December 7, 1829.
Norwirustanpiné all that has been written on the subject
of American Tortoises, they appear to be as yet but imperfectly
known. It is therefore hoped that this endeavour to reduce
our knowledge of these animals to some degree of ceriainty,
will be favorably received. It is not offered as any thing per-
fect, but merely contains descriptions of such species as have
fallen under my own observation. Many more undoubtedly
yet remain to be described and named, and there is reason,
to believe, from certain scarcely reconcileable differences ob-
served in one or two species, that some confusion yet exists
in the determination of their true characters.
1 have enumerated and described in this paper, exclusive of
two that I do not consider well established, seventeen species ;
two more than have been attributed to this country; and, at
the same time, have shown as having no existence, ten thai
had been received by the highest authority in Europe. It
is to be hoped that the most scrupulous caution, as well as
the long time, and the minute attention devoted to a favorite
subject, have made me avoid many errors which others have
fallen into.
In Daudin’s Natural History of Reptiles, which contains the
descriptions of fifty species of this genus, collected from all
parts of the world, fifteen at least are non- entities, being either
extremely young, and therefore having no character, or else
mere varieties. Fourteen of his species are inhabitants of this
country, but two of these are duplicates of others. Schoepfl
has done better, but of the twenty-four species which he
describes, three should be stricken out. More detailed oh:-
OY Species of North American Tortoises.
servations on these errors, will be affixed to those species to
which they apply.
With the exception of Trionyx, the name of the old Lin-
nean genus Testudo has been retamed, because I could not con-
scientiously adopt any of the modern divisions which have been
proposed. The monstrous absurdity which runs through
these is as shocking to all natural method, as it is insulting to
common sense. ‘Taking Merrem’s division as the newest and
most approved, what can we think of the Testudo Muhlen-
bergii being separated from the genus Emys, and placed in
what he calls Chersine; again, who would have dreamed of
uniting the Testudo clausa with the T. pensylvanica and T.
odorata ; and what is still worse, making an accidental variety
of the last species, which belongs to his Terrapene, a different
genus, Emys? Can a system which admits of such absurdities,
be conformable to nature or to sense ?
Were I to propose a division of these animals into different
genera, it strikes me that the following would be the most
natural :
First.—Such as have the sternum furnished in a greater
or less degree with wings which are a prolongation of the
pectoral and abdominal sections, and joined to the chest by
bony commissures: these wings are generally supported on
each side by a smaller bony process, furnished with a plate,
which may be termed the supplementary plate of the wings.
The marginal plates are twenty-five, and the sternal twelve.
This would include the Chersine of Merrem, (Testudo of
others,) and the Emys ; but if all the species of the former
have the two caudal marginal plates united into one, as is the
case in the only species which we have, this character, joined
with the indistinct toes and the terrestrial habit, would separate
it from the other.
Second.—Such as have the sternum joined to the shell by
bony commissures, but the supplementary plates interposed be-
tween the shell and the wings, the sternum generally (in
Species of North American Tortoises. 93
young ones always,) more or less jointed: marginal plates
twenty-three, sternal eleven.
Third.—Such as have the sternum joined to the shell by a
membrane, as in the T. clausa: in this the sternum is bivalve,
but whether this should be taken as a generic mark, remains yet
to be determined. Some European species, I believe, have the
sternum joined to the shell in the same manner: marginal
plates twenty-five, sternal twelve.
Fourth.—Such as have the sternum joined to the shell by
wings, which are a prolongation of the pectoral sections alone,
the abdominal being wanting,) and the supplementary plates
interposed between the shell and the wings: marginal plates
twenty-five, sternal ten. This is our T. serpentina.
These observations relate only to the Tortoises which are
natives of our country ; how far they may be applicable to
those which inhabit Europe and Asia it is impossible to say, as
there is no possibility of inspecting a numerous collection
of the species of this genus.
1. TRIONYX.
1. TrIonyx FEROX.
Testa cartilaginea, ovalis, integerrima, antice ad margimeni
tuberculata, disco lineis brevibus, longitudinalibus, tuberculatis :
os labiatum, antice nudum, labiis revolutis oppositis: pedes an-
tic squamis tribus latis et acutis supra et antice, et duobus
tuberculis oblongis postice instructi; pedes postici squama
unica infra et postice : cauda brevis.
Testudo ferox, Gmel. &c. TT. cartilaginea, ejusd. T. Bod-
daerti, Schneider. Leipz. Mag. zur. Natur. und C&con. 1706.
Ou Species of North American Tortoises.
IH. p. 263. & Il. Trionyx spiniferus, (spinifer) Le Sueur,
Mémoires du Museum dhistoire naturelle, ann. 8. fascic. 4, p.
267. Soft-shelled turtle, vulg.
Shell oval, entire, very much depressed, bony in the mid-
dle, cartilaginous on the sides, dusky, irregularly mixed with
brown, furnished on the fore part of the margin with thickly
set round and pointed tubercles, and on the disc with short
longitudial raised and tuberculated lines, which in young
ones are only perceptible on the hind part; sternum white,
entire, oval and ample on the fore part and extending beyond
the shell, bony only in the middle, hind part oval, suddenly
contracting from the wings, reaching but half way to the
end of the shell and bony to the edge. Skin above cinereous
brown or brownish, dusky, in some spotted with darker, beneath
white. Head large, tapering very much to the nose, which is
extended, cylindric, and flexile: eyes contiguous; irids yel-
tow, witha longitudinal black stripe through the middle ; mouth
naked before, (that is to say, the lips not reaching to the front
of the mouth) furnished with broad, revolute opposite lips ;
neck very long; legs large ; feet five-toed, palmate, the web
extending along the hinder side of each leg as far as the first
joint, that on the fore legs furnished with two processes like
false toes, on the hind legs with one; fore legs with three broad
and sharp scales on the upper and anterior, and two oblong
tubercles on the posterior edge. Tail thick, short, not extend-
ing beyond the shell; vent on the tail, not more than half an
inch from its point.
Length of the shell two feet ; breadth one foot and a half;
length of the head and neck, seventeen inches.
The young ones are nearly round, paler coloured, and
generally marked on the back with subocellate spots of dusky.
Inhabit in the rivers of Georgia and Florida, and although
not found in any of the streams which empty immediately into
the Atlantic ocean to the northward of Savannah, they abound
in all those which run into the Mississippi. The fact of two
Species of North American Tortoises. 95
young individuals having been taken in the Hudson, does not au-
thorise us in saying that they inhabit there, although they are nu-
merous in the Mohawk, and in all the lakes both above and be-
low the cataract of Niagara. I know not from what circum-
tance the name of ferox has been taken, as they are not more
inclined to bite than most other species of tortoise. Of all
animals of the family of Chelonides, they furnish the most
delicious and nourishing food. They are sometimes caught
with the hook, but more frequently are speared or shot.
2. Trionyx MUTICUS.
Testa cartilaginea, ovalis, integerrima, interdum ad medium
dorsi depressa ; glaberrima, antice nuda, sive ad marginem non
tuberculata: os labiatum, antice nudum, labiis revolutis oppositis:
pedes antici squamis tribus latis et acutis supra et antice, et
duobus tuberculis oblongis postice instructi: pedes postici
squama unica infra et postice : cauda brevis.
Le Sueur, Mémoires du Museum dvhistoire Naturelle ann. 8.
fasicul. 4, p. 267
This species, which was first noticed by M. Le Sueur, inha-
bits the north-western lakes and the western rivers along with
the preceding: I cannot, however, as yet consider it per-
fectly distinct. The only real difference between the two
consists in the perfectly smooth shell of this; I have examined
eight different individuals of various sizes, which all agreed in
this respect. I cannot, however, admit of two other charac-
teristics pointed out by M. Le Sueur—first, that the margin of
the shell is confounded with the neck when this is extended ;
the same is the case with regard to the T. ferox, the only dis-
tinction being the projecting tubercles in front; secondly, he
Vox. IIT. 13
96 Species of North American Tortoises.
states that there is a longitudinal depression along the back.—
This I could perceive in but one specimen, which indeed was the
largest of all that fell under my inspection, being ten inches in
length, and in this the depression was not more than three
inches long, and might not have been visible had the animal
been alive. The shell appears to be less varied and mixed
with dusky than in the T. ferox, but this may be the result of
youth. Upon the whole, I think it better to be cautious in
admitting unrestrictedly this species, until future researches
shall have shown to us one which has reached what may be
considered the full size. All animals vary with age, and no
description can be considered as correct unless taken from a
perfect and full formed animal. The young of the other
species differ almost as much from the old ones as this
does.
3. TRIONYX BARTRAMI.
Caput collumque appendiculis tuberculiformibus, retractilibus,
instructa.
In Bartram’s Travels is the figure and description of another
species of this genus, which he found in St. John’s River of
East Florida : the preceding specific character has been selected
from them. ‘The peculiar appendages on the head and neck
render it perfectly distinct from every other species. He,
however, represents his animal, with five claws on each foot.
Now, although it is not impossible that this may be the case, for
it does not follow that every species of this genus must have
but. three claws on each, any more than that the hard-shelled
tortoises should have five before and four behind, (which, by
the by, is not always the case,) yet, as the, circumstance has
been called in question by writers, this characteristic has been
omitted in the description. Mr. Bartram was but little of a
Species of North American Tortoises. 97
naturalist, and very frequently incorrect in his observations.
He may be erroneous here, and I think his figure evidently
shows that the specimen from which it was taken was not in a
very recent state ; the feet, therefore, may have been shrunk -
and drawn up, and some of their parts portrayed from me-
mory, which in this case may have been treacherous. In the
meantime it becomes our duty to search diligently for this
animal, and to remove the obscurity which hangs over it.
iI. TESTUDO.
1. TEsTUDO CAROLINA.
Testa valde convexa, dorso plana, fuscescenti-flavida, satu-
ratiore nebulata, scutis marginalibus posterioribus depresso-
incurvis, duobus postremis coadunatis ; sternum anterius por-
rectum, posterius profunde emarginatum : caput genzeque squa-
mis obtecta: cauda brevissima.
Testudo Polyphemus, Daudin. T. Tabulata, Schoepff. 56,
t. xiii.a young one. * Mungofa, vulg.
Shell very convex, flat on the top, bent inwards behind, and
entire, brownish yellow, somewhat clouded with darker; the
plates, particularly the lateral and marginal ones, marked with
* The letter 5in this word has the sound of the French ou, or the En-
glish oo,
98 Species of North American Tortoises.
concentric striz ; first vertebral plate pentagonal, the acute
angle anterior, the rest hexagonal; first lateral plate triangu-
larly four-sided, the rest oblong, nearly rectangular ; the supe-
rior faces more or less angled ; intermediate marginal plate
small, oblong, the first unequally five-sided, the second oblong,
the rest oblong or square, more or less angled on the superior
face, the last on each side, that is to say, the two which are
situated over the tail united intoone. Sternum yellow, deeply
emarginate behind, almost bifurcate; scapular plates four-
sided, projecting forwards so as to form a spade-shaped pro-
cess, which is rectangular in front, but oblique behind ; bra-
chial plates nearly square, oblique in front, so as to receive the
angle formed by the posterior faces of the scapular plates ;
pectoral plates oblong, narrow, five-sided ; abdominal plates
four-sided, with a projection on the lower side near the outer
face, the rest four-sided: sides of the shell rounded in such a
manner as to render the marginal plates beneath scarcely dis-
tinct ; the wings, likewise, are not distinguishable from the
pectoral and abdominal plates; their anterior supplemental
plate is oblong, and very narrow; the posterior triangular.
Skin dusky cimereous ; top of the head and cheeks scaly, the
scales darker coloured; neck granulate, speckled with dusky ;
chin with a round wart on each side; jaws finely serrate, the
lower yellowish, the upper one the colour of the, skin; legs
and tail scaly, fore legs very large, clavate, spotted beneath
and behind with yellow, and furnished behind with a spur point-
ing backwards ; hind legs of one colour, furnished with a spur
like the fore’ legs, above which are two large, horny, contigu-
ous scales; feet five-toed; toes very short, indistinct, claws
5-4: tail very short and thick.
Plates of the margin twenty-three ; of the sternum twelve.
Length thirteen inches and a half; height five inches and
three-quarters ; length of the spade-form process in front of
the sternum two inches.
Inhabit the pine forests of Georgia and Florida, and are
never found north of Savannah river. Dig large and deep
Species of North American Tortoises. 99
holes in the earth, with a considerable hillock at the mouth.—
They rarely venture out, except at night; their food is chiefly
vegetable, and they commit great depredations in the fields of
sweet potatoes, and in gardens when they can effect an en-
trance. Their strength is prodigious; one will easily walk
with a man upon his back, and it has been said that they can
support a weight of six hundred pounds. It is not difficult to
tame them, and children will sometimes after rendering them
docile, harness them to small wagons, and make them draw
them about. The flesh is eatable, and they are often sold in
the markets.
I have little doubt that this is the original Testudo Carolina
of Linneus. His description is—*pedibus digitatis, testa
gibba, cauda nulla,” (Linn. Sys. Nat. Edit. xi. p. 361.) From
so short and imperfect a notice, it is difficult to draw any cer-
tain conclusion, and his quotation from Gronovius of “ testudo
pedibus digitatis, calloso-squamosis, testa ovali subconvexa,
scutellis planis striatis, medio punctatis,” is as inapplicable to
this species as to the Emys clausa, which by most authors
* is considered as synonymous with Linnzeus’s 'T. Carolina, and
seems to me rather to suit the 7. Muhlenbergii of Schoepff.—
But he likewise quotes Seba’s ‘Thesaurus, I. tab. LXX. fig. 1.
for a representation of his animal, where is found a very large
species, said to come from Curassoa, which, as far as a judg-
ment can be formed from the extremely ill executed plates of
that heavy work, very much resembles the Mungdfa. As for
the country it is said to come from, nothing can be drawn from
this against our position, for Seba is very inaccurate in noting
the native countries of the animals which he possessed. But
Gmelin, in his detailed description, certainly had before him
this tortoise, for he says, “ caput subobtusum squamis callosis
obtectum, scuti incisura anterior lunata, margo acutus, scutella
lata, plana, margine striata, medio excavato-punctata ; sternum
anterius truncatnm, posterius bifidum :” the scaly head, which
is peculiar to this species, and the shape of the sternum, for-
100 Species of North American Tortoises.
bid its being considered as any other. I have, therefore, re-
stored to it what I consider the original Linnzean denomination.
Although the name is not unobjectionable, yet any thing is
preferable to the ridiculous appellation of Polyphemus.
The young ones have a prominent boss in the centre of
each of the plates, which are also deeply marked with con-
centric strie: from one of these Schoepff has made his T.
tabulata.
2. TEsTUDO FLORIDANA, L. C.
Testa ovalis, ecarmata, longitudinaliter rugosa, fusco-nigra
lmeis irregularibus flavis notata, lateralibus plus minus radian--
tibus; scutellum intermedium marginale triangulare, integer-
rimum ; maxilla inferior edentula.
Shell gibbous, oval, slightly emarginate behind, ecarinate, lon-
gitudinally rugous, dark brown, with numerous irregular lines
of yellow, those on the lateral plates more or less radiating.
First vertebral plate seven-sided, urceolate, the smallest side
anterior, the posterior angle a little re-entering; the second
and third oblong, four-sided, angled on the sides; fourth five-
sided ; fifth triangularly seven-sided : lateral plates large, the
first triangular, the rest oblong; intermediate marginal plate
triangular, wider behind, the first five-sided, the rest oblong or
square. Sternum yellow, emarginate behind, scapular plates
triangular, a little projecting at the exterior and anterior angle ;
brachial plates triangular, with the apicés truncate ; pectoral,
abdominal, femoral, and caudal, oblong, four-sided ; marginal
plates beneath yellow, with each a large black spot, including
a yellow one. Skin dusky, head and neck striped with yel-
low, chin and throat paler, nearly cinereous ; a broad yellow
stripe commences at the point of the former and bifurcates a
L
Species of North American Tortoises. 101
short distance from its origin, including in the bifurcation a
narrower one of the same colour; aside of this bifurcated line
is another narrow one, and outside of that another, which bi-
furcates forwards at the angle of the mouth, one branch run-
ning along the lower jaw, and the other upwards towards the
eye. Eyes yellow, with a broad, black stripe through the
middle. Legs and tail scaly, striped with yellow; tail very
short. Feet palmate, five-toed; claws, 5-4.
Plates of the margin twenty-five ; of the sternum twelve.
Length, one foot three inches; height, seven inches and a
half.
Inhabits in St. John’s river of East Florida, and has been
confounded by Mr. Say with the next.
3. TESTUDO RUBRIVENTRIS, L. C.
Testa ovalis, posterius dilatata, ecarmata, longitudinaliter ru-
gosa, fusco-nigra, linei§ irregularibus, latis, perpendicularibus,
maculisque confluentibus rubris notata: scutellum intermedium
marginale, lineare, serratum, dentibus parvis quinque vel sex ;
maxilla inferior dentata.
Emys serrata, Say, Journ. of the Acad. Nat. Scien. Phil.
Vol. IV. part. 2. Red-bellied Tarapin, vulg.
Shell moderately gibbous, oval, wider and emarginate be-
hind, ecarinate, longitudinally rugous, dusky, varied with con-
fluent spots, and broad irregular lines of red, or red varied in
the same manner with dusky. First vertebral plate narrower
than the rest, urceolate, six-sided ; the three next six-sided ; the
fifth seven-sided : lateral plates large, the first nearly triangular,
the rest subrhomboidal, with their inferior sides a little angled :
102 Species of North American Tortovses.
intermediate marginal plate narrow, linear, finely serrate be-
fore, with five or six small teeth, the rest all entire, oblong or
square, the ninth, tenth, and eleventh each projecting on its
posterior exterior angle beyond the succeeding one; those
above the hind legs larger than the rest, and spreading. Ster-
num emarginate behind, and with the marginal plates beneath
red, varied, and spotted with dusky, the colors on the latter
more distinct: scapular plates triangular, projecting a little be-
yond the others at the exterior and anterior angle: brachial
plates triangular, with the apices truncate ; caudal plates tri-
angular, with the posterior angles rounded, the rest quadran-
gular ; the femoral projecting at their posterior and exterior
angle beyond the caudal. Skin black; head and sides of the
neck with some obscure lines of yellow ; throat with four lines of
red or yellow, one on each side lateral, the next commencing
at the chin and bifurcating a short distance from its origin, the
fourth commencing in the middle of the bifurcation and run-
ning along the middle of the throat. Lower jaw toothed, the
middle tooth the longest and largest, upper jaw hooked at the tip
and emarginate, as if to receive the middle tooth of the lower
jaw. Eyes yellow, with a broad, black*stripe through the mid-
dle. Legs and tail scaly, striped and spotted with red: feet
palmate, five-toed ; claws 5-4.
Plates of the margin, twenty-five ; of the sternum, twelve.
Length eleven inches, height four inches.
Inhabit in rivers from New-Jersey to Virginia, chiefly, I
believe, in such as are rocky ; in the Delaware, near Trenton,
they are very numerous. This species has been described by
Mr. Say as the Emys serrata, to which it has no resemblance, —
none of the marginal plates being serrate, and the back
being destitute of a keel. Is eaten, and considered as tolerably
good. f
Species of North American Tortoises. 103
4. TEsTUDO RETICULATA.
Testa ovalis, posterius dilatata, ecarinata, longitudinaliter ru-
gosa, fusco-nigra, lineis brevibus flavis reticulata, collum pre-
longum caputque flavo-lineata.
Emys reticulata, Merrem. Yellow-bellied Tarapin, vulg.
Shell moderately gibbous, oval, wider and subemarginate
behind, ecarinate, longitudinally rugous, dusky or dark brown
reticulate with short yellow lines, which form spaces in some
degree shaped like the plates ; a line of the same colour ex-
tends along the middle of the back. First vertebral plate
almost pentagonal, broader on the forepart; the second hex-
agonal, with sometimes a double sinus on its anterior face, but
oftener without ; the third hexagonal, a little re-entering on its
posterior side; the fourth hexagonal, broader, and rounded on
its anterior face, so as to enter the sinus of the third, narrower
and sometimes emarginate behind ; the fifth heptagonal, round-
ed on its two posterior sides : lateral plates large,subrhomboidal,
the first with the sides antiparallel, the two next a little angled
on their superior faces: intermediate marginal plate narrow,
oblong, entire, the rest nearly square ; those above the hind
legs broader, and spreading, all of them with a yellow perpendi-
cular line through the middle. Sternum emarginate behind,
very smooth, and with the marginal plates beneath yellow, the
latter (except those anterior to the brachial plates) sometimes
with each a large black spot placed at the junction; a broad
black bar also sometimes extends along the wings (frequently
two only of the marginal plates on each side have a black spot
and the hinder part of the wings another—sometimes again the
wings are marked with a broad black bar, and there are no
Vol. TIL. 14
104 Species of North American Tortoises.
spots,) scapular plates triangular, extending beyond the others,
with a small projection at the exterior angle directed forwards ;
caudal plates triangular, with the posterior side rounded, the
rest quadrangular. Skin dark brown or dusky, neck very
long ; head and neck above, with numerous longitudinal stripes
of yellow, four of them extending the whole length of the
neck, and very distinct ; the rest, except a very short one in
the middle between the eyes, rather indistinct ; cheeks striped
in the same manner with a bright yellow line reaching from
the top of the eye to the tympanum, and another broader one
from the bottom of the eye dilated at its extremity, and turn-
ing towards the throat; jaws, chin, and throat yellow; jaws
striped with dusky, chin with transverse waving lines of the
same, throat striped with brighter yellow; eyes yellow, with a
broad black stripe through the middle. Legs and tail scaly ;
fore legs dusky, yellow on the inner half, and sometimes striped
with yellow; hind legs and tail, beneath yellow, the latter
striped above with the same. Feet palmate, five-toed;
claws 5-4.
Plates of the margin twenty-five ; of the sternum twelve.
Length of the shell eight inches, height three inches and a
half: length of the head and neck, four inches.
Inhabits in ponds of the southern states, whence it was first
brought to the notice of naturalists by the late Mr. Bosc. It
has not been observed further north than Fayetteville, in North
Carolina. It is most remarkable for the extraordinary length
of its neck, which when protruded from the water, exactly
resembles the upper extremity of a serpent. Flesh very
good.
Species of North American Tortoises. 105
5. Testupo sERRATA.
Testa gibba, subrotunda, carinata, longitudinaliter rugosa,
fusco-nigra, lineis irregularibus subradiatis flavis; scutellum
mtermedium marginale angustum, lineare, subsemicylindricum,
porrectum, genee macula magna flava ; scutella marginalia pos-
teriora serrata.
Emys serrata, Merrem. Yellow-bellied Tarapin, vulg.
Shell gibbous, oval, almost round, scarcely wider behind
than before, emarginate behind, carinate, longitudinally rugous,
brownish-dusky marked with irregular lines of yellowish, those
on the lateral plates subradiating. First vertebral plate urceolate,
much wider behind than before, the second, third and fourth
six-sided, the fifth seven-sided, resembling a triangle with its
apex truncate, and its base cut into four sides; lateral plates
(except the last, which is small and square) large, subrhom-
boidal, with their superior side a little angled ; intermediate
marginal plate, narrow, linear, subsemicylindrical, subacumi-
nate and projecting ; the rest either square or oblong, the first
and second projecting beyond the others, and generally two-
toothed, the first very deeply, the second slightly, the five pos-
terior plates on each side two-toothed, so that the shell is
deeply serrate behind, two marginal plates over the tail rather
bent down. Sternum emarginate behind, and with the mar-
ginal plates beneath yellow ; the scapular, and brachial, and
generally all the marginal plates with each a large, round, or
oblong black spot; scapular plates triangular, extending be-
yond the others, with a small projection at the outer angle of
each directed forwards; brachial plates triangular, with the
apices truncate, the rest quadrangular ; the femoral projecting
at the exterior and posterior angle beyond the caudal. Skin
106 Species of North American Tortoises.
black; top of the head and sides of the neck striped with
yellow, the stripes on the former narrow, faint, and curved at
their origin, except one extending from the nose to the middle
of the cranium, which is straight, broader, and more distinct,
and generally connected with another transverse one, which
runs across the top of the nose between the eyes; upper jaw
a little emarginate, the lower half yellow, the remainder black,
with a few faint, indistinct yellow lines; lower jaw and throat,
black, the latter with three yellow stripes, the intermediate one
bifurcating a little from its origin, the others lateral, nearly
parallel, each bifurcating upwards to the eye near the joint of
the jaw, and joining a large yellow spot on the cheek. Eyes
yellow, with a broad black stripe through the middle. Legs
and tail scaly ; fore legs with three or four yellow stripes on
the upper side, and sometimes as many beneath; hind legs
beneath yellow, sometimes varied with black, with an abbrevi-
ated yellow line on the upper side near the edge ; soles of the
feet generally black. Tail short, yellow underneath, with a
line of the same color on the top, which towards the base is
bifurcate. Feet palmate, five-toed; claws 5-4.
Plates of the margin twenty-five ; of the sternum twelve.
Length one foot, height six inches.
Inhabits the southern states in rivers aud swamps; its most
northern range appears to be the southern part of Virginia.—
It is more numerous than the T. reticulata, but is not so good
for food, its flesh being drier and lesssapid. We are indebted
for the first description of this animal likewise to M. Bosc.
6. TESTUDO CONCINNA, L. C.
Testa levissima, glabra, ovalis, ecarinata, fusco-nigra, lineis
maculisque flavis plus minus confluentibus, et subreticulatis:
collum flavo lineatum, linea laterali anterius bifurcata.
Species of North American Tortoises. 10%
Emys reticulata, Say, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sciences, Philad.
Vol. IV. Part 2. ;
Shell oval, smooth, ecarinate, emarginate behind, brownish
dusky, varied with differently formed and placed lines of yel-
low, those on the lateral plates somewhat reticulate, the spaces
formed by them frequently filled with short lines of yellow,
all of them more or less confluent. First vertebral plate hex-
agonal, the second, third and fourth likewise hexagonal, the
lateral angles projecting out very far; the fourth less oblong
than the rest, the fifth heptagonal, much broader behind; the
first, second, and third lateral plates five-sided, the fourth quad-
rangular: marginal plates all marked either with a straight line,
or a subquadrangle of yellow; the intermediate one small, ob-
long, the first projecting a little beyond the second and some-
what pentagonal, the rest more or less square or oblong, the
ninth, tenth, and eleventh each projecting on its posterior face
beyond the succeeding one. Sternum emarginate behind, and
with the marginal plates beneath yellow, each of the latter
with a large black spot at the junction ; wings with a black lon-
gitudinal line confluent with the spots on the marginal plates
opposite to them, scapular plates triangular; brachial plates
triangular with the apices truncate; the rest more or less oblong
or square. Skin black, head and neck striped with orange,
the stripe on the side of the neck bifurcate on the fore part,
one branch running to the eye the other to the chin, so that
the jaw is embraced between them; stripe on the chin bifur-
cating posteriorly a short distance from its origin, and running
along the throat, including a shorter one between its branches ;
jaws striped with yellow, the upper one slightly emarginate.
Eyes yellow, with a broad black stripe through the middle.—
Legs and tail scaly ; fore legs above striped with yellow, be-
neath with three transverse and two longitudinal lines of the
same; hind legs above obscurely striped with red, beneath ir-
regularly marked with orange or yellow. Tail above striped
108 Species of North American Tortoises.
with red, beneath with yellow. Feet palmate, five-toed ;
claws 5-4,
Plates of the margin twenty-five ; of, the sternum twelve.
Length eight inches and a half, height three inches and three
quarters.
Inhabits in the rivers of Georgia and Carolina, where the
beds are rocky. I have never seen them below Augusta on
the Savannah, or Columbia on the Congaree. This species
has been confounded by Mr. Say with another to which it bears
no resemblance. The T. reticulata is rough, while this is
smooth; but were any thing wanting to make it absolutely
certain that this author is wrong in his T. serrata and TT. reti-
culata, it is this—that I have examined the identical specimens
which were carried by M. Bosc from this country to France,
and from which Daudin drew up his descriptions, and have
found them to agree, even in the most minute particulars,
with the two species which I have described under those
names.
7. TESTUDO GEOGRAPHICA.
Testa ovalis, (disco obovato) emarginata, carinata, levis,
postice serrata, dentibus octo vel decem, olivacea, aut fusces-
centi-cinerea, lineis brevibus, pallidioribus, irregularibus, sub-
reticulatis notata.
Emys geographica, Say, loco citato.
Shell oval, (the disc more or less obovate,) emarginate both
before and behind; more or less carinate, smooth, except a
few horizontal striz on the lateral plates, olive brown indis-
tinctly marked with short, irregularly placed lines of paler
brown or yellowish, some of them reticulate; keel black at the
Species of North American Tortovses. 109
posterior side of each plate. First vertebral plate hexagonal,
slightly and sharply pointed in front, the posterior face curved
in form of a prolate cycloid, the second, third and fourth hex-
agonal, the lateral angles acuminate, the anterior face of the
second with a deep sinus receiving the projecting curve of
the first plate, the fourth witha deep sinus on its posterior face,
the fifth hexagonal, its anterior face curved like the posterior
face of the first plate, and entering the sinus of the preceding
one : first lateral plate six-sided, second and third pentagonal,
the lower faces slightly divided into three, the fourth quadran-
gular, its lower face divided into two: marginal plates edged
outwardly with yellow, the intermediate one triangular, its
apex pointing forward, truncate and three-toothed, the first
pentagonal, projecting at its posterior aad exterior angle be-
yond the next, the rest square or oblong, the second projecting
like the first, the eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh wider and
spreading, each projecting beyond the preceding one, the
ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth two-toothed, so that the pos-
terior edge of the shell is serrate, with eight teeth. Sternum
deeply emarginate behind, and with the lateral plates beneath
yellow : scapular plates small, triangular with a small projection
at the outer angle directed forwards ; brachial plates triangular
with the “apices truncate ; pectoral plates narrow, oblong ; ab-
dominal plates large, square ; femoral and caudal plates four-
sided, the posterior face of the former and the anterior face of
the latter oblique, the former also extends beyond the latter at
the inferior and exterior angle; marginal plates beneath
marked with concentric lines of dusky ; wings striped with
the same. Skin black: head and neck striped with yellow,
the stripes frequently red towards their base, stripe on the top
of the head reaching from the point of the nose, abbreviated
and more distinct than the others, a large triangular yellow spot
behind each eye, chin and throat striped with black and yel-
lowish, the black stripes conduplicate. Legs and tail scaly ;
legs striped and varied with yellow, particularly on the fore
part; claws yellow, with a black spot at the base of each:
110 Species of North American Tortoises.
tail short, striped with yellow. Eyes yellow, with a broad
black stripe through the middle. Feet palmate, five-toed :
claws 5-4.
Plates of the margin twenty-five ; of the sternum twelve.
Length ten inches; height three inches.
a. Shell more gibbous, more distinctly carmate, with two re-
markable prominent tubercles, on the second and third verte-
bral plates, smooth, except a few concentric striz on the
lateral plates, and some diverging ruge on the others: colour
cinereous brown with a few irregular marks of paler, the keel
and fore-part of the vertebral tubercles more or less black ;
lateral plates with a dusky spot more or less distinct on the hind
part of each; marginal plates outwardly edged with yellow, and
with each a dusky spot on the hinder part, where it joms the
next. First vertebral plate the smallest and narrowest, much
elevated in the middle, somewhat urceolate, pentagonal, the
acute angle in front, and very sharp, the second, third and fourth
hexagonal, the fifth three-sided, the anterior face curved, the
two others posterior and straight ; first lateral plate six-sided,
second and third five-sided, the fourth quadrangular ; interme-
diate lateral plate small, oblong, wider and deeply emarginate
behind, so as to receive ihe acute and projecting angle of the
first vertebral plate, all the rest quadrangular ; the exterior and
posterior angle of the two first projecting beyond the rest, and
each other, the eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth wider
and spreading, projecting like the two first, the eighth, ninth
and tenth slightly toothed, the eleventh and twelfth very much
so, so that the posterior margin of the shell is deeply serrate
with eight or ten teeth on each side. Sternum deeply emar-
ginate behind, and with the lateral plates beneath yellow;
scapular plates rather small, triangular, with a small projection
at the exterior angle directed forwards; brachial plates trian-
gular, with the apices truncate ; pectoral plates oblong ; abdo-
minal and femoral nearly square, the anterior sides of the latter
oblique ; caudal plates nearly square ; marginal plates beneath
Species of North American Tortoises. Ill
marked with concentric lines of dusky, wings striped with the
same. Skin black, top of the head with a straight yellow
line reaching from the top of the nose to the middle of the
cranium, a parallel shorter one on each side, and another
shorter and oblique one, reaching from about the middle of the
orbit of each eye to the one on the middle of the head; be-
hind each eye is a curved yellow spot, which becomes a line
towards the back part of the head, and joins a straight red
line which runs down the back of the neck ; upper jaw, cheeks,
and neck, striped with yellow, the stripes on the last becoming
red as they approach the head ; above the hinder part of the
upper jaw is a conspicuous yellow spot: lower jaw, chin and
throat yellow, all of them striped with black, the stripes on the
last in pairs and conduplicate. Legs and tail scaly, striped
with yellow: claws yellow, with a black spot at the base of
each.
Length six inches, height two inches.
A younger one was more gibbous; the first vertebral plate
simply pentagonal ; shell without any paler marks, except on
the marginal plates; lateral plates with concentric striz.
Inhabits Lake Erie and the western rivers ; was first described
by M. Le Sueur in the Mémoires du Museum d'Histoire
naturelle Ann. 8 fasc. iv. p. 267—268. He seems to con-
sider the variety « as his T. geographica, and the other variety
as a distinct species; yet the figure in the Journal of the Aca-
demy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, agrees better with
this latter; neither of them, however, has the tail annulate
with yellow. ‘There are not sufficient differences between the
tw6 to constitute them separate species: I have examined a
considerable number of both, but never found one that was
ecarinate.
Vor. III. 15
112 Species of North American Tortoises.
1. Tesrupo INSCULPTA, L. €.
Testa ovalis carinata, fusca, lmeis flavis striisque radian-
tibus, que striis concentricis intersecantur. »
Emys scabra, Say, loco citato.
Shell oval, carinate, emarginate behind, all the plates with
radiating lines of yellow and deeply radiating striz, which are
cut by other concentric striz. First vertebral plate pen-
tagonal, the second and third subhexagonal, the fourth heptago-
nal, very narrow behind, the fifth hexagonal, four of its faces
anterior: first lateral plate heptagonal, the second and third
quadrangular, the superior faces rather angled, the latter some-
what three-sided on the lower face, the fourth hexagonal: in-
termediate marginal plate small, oblong linear, the first pen-
tagonal, projecting a little beyond the next, the rest more or
less square or oblong, the ninth, tenth and eleventh each pro-
jecting beyond the preceding one, and sometimes revolute.—
Sternum emarginate behind, and with the marginal plates be-
neath yellow, all the plates marked with a large black spot and
with concentric striz ; scapular plates triangular, projecting
beyond the brachial at the exterior angle ; the rest quadran-
gular; the femoral projecting beyond the caudal at the exte-
rior and posterior angle. Skin black: fore part of the throat
speckled with red, hind part red speckled with black, a line
which is yellow on the fore part and red on the hind, or altoge-
ther red or yellow, commences at the point of the chin, and
runs along each side of the throat: jaws horn colour, the up-
per one emarginate, the lower with a few brownish spots :
irids dark brown, pupil black, surrounded by a yellow rng.—
Legs and tail scaly; feet palmate, five-toed ; claws 5-4.
Plates of the margin twenty-five ; of the sternum twelve.
Species of North American Tortorses. 113
Length eight inches, height two inches and three-quarters.
Inhabits the northern states in rivers and ponds: is fonder
of leaving the water than any other aquatic species, and will
remain uninjured in a dry place for some months.
Mr. Say has erroneously supposed that this is the Testudo
scabra of Linnzeus: without entering into the consideration of
a question which has been so often discussed, and which has
long ago been determined by M. Latreille, I shall merely ob-
serve, that every thing combines to prove Mr. Say mis-
taken. The reader is referred to what has been written on
this subject by MM. Latreille and Daudin in their respective
works.
9. Testupo PALUSTRIS.
7
Testa ovalis, depressa, carinata, nigra vel fusca, pallidiore
indistincte variata, striisque numerosis concentricis impressa :
vel levis, grisea, lineis concentricis nigris in utroque scuto.
Testudo centrata, Daudin. 'T. Terrapin, Schepft. Emys
centrata, Merrem. Salt-water Tarapin of the southern
states.
Shell depressed, oval, carinate, emarginate behind, above
dusky or brown, indistinctly varied with paler, all the plates
marked with concentric strie. First vertebral plate four-
sided, the anterior face a little curved ; or pentagonal, the second,
third, fourth and fifth hexagonal, the three posterior faces of
the last much smaller than the others; lateral plates large,
more or less hexagonal, the second and third pentagonal, the
fourth tetragonal, the sides antiparallel ; or sometimes pentago-
nal; intermediate marginal plate oblong, rectangular, or trian-
gular, with the apex truncate, the rest nearly quadrangular,
114 Species of North American Tortorses.
some of them rather inclining to the pentagonal form, those
near the tail sometimes a little revolute. Chest emarginate
behind, yellow, the plates marked with concentric striz, and
slightly varied with concentric lines of dusky, seldom more
than two on each plate ; scapular plates triangular; brachial
plates obliquely four-sided, the exterior lateral face rounded ;
the rest quadrangular ; marginal plates beneath yellow with a
duskyish irregularly shaped ring, and frequently a black spot
in the centre of each; wings marked in the same manner ;
supplementary plates frequently wanting. Skin cinereous,
spotted with dusky. JIrids the color of the skin; pupils
black. Legs and tail scaly ; feet palmate, five-toed ; claws
5-4.
Plates of the margin twenty-five ; of the sternum twelve.
Length seven inches, height two inches and three-quarters.
a. Smooth, with very few ‘concentric striz. Shell above
gray, with concentric marks of black on each plate. Sternum
yellow, spots on the skin larger.
8. Dark brown somewhat varied with black; lateral and
marginal plates more or less marked with concentric strie ;
vertebral plates smooth.
y. With concentric striz on all the plates, and black concen-
tric marks on some of them.
It is unaccountable how this species has lost the very appro-
priate name given to it by Linneus, when there could have
been no doubt respecting it. It is found from New-York to
Florida, and even in the West Indies, in salt water and always
in the neighbourhood of marshes. As an article of food it is
much preferred to every other species, particularly when dug
out of the marshes in a torpid state ; immense numbers of
them are annually brought to market. The males are smaller,
and have the concentric striz more deeply impressed than the
Species of North American Tortoises. 115
females. The trivial name terrapin, which Scheepff has
affixed to this species, is by no means appropriate, as the word
is a generic term among us, and signifies land or fresh water
tortoises as distinguished from marine, which it is well known
are ridiculously enough called turtles.
10. Tesrupo preva.
Testa oblongo-ovalis, levissima, scutis antice fuscescenti-
flavo marginatis; scutellis marginalibus flavo vel rubro
pictis.
Testudo cinerea, Scheepff, tab. ni. fig. 3, is a young one.—
Testudo nove hispanie lusitanis ragado @aqua appellata, Seba
1. tab. Ixxx. fig. 5. mys picta, Merrem.
Shell oblong-oval, rather depressed, smooth, with a very
small emargination behind, dusky brown, all the dorsal plates
bordered with yellowish, or very pale brown, or more gene-
rally only the second and third row of dorsal plates edged on
the fore part with yellowish ; a longitudinal line of the same
colour frequently runs along the middle of the back. First
vertebral plate nearly quadrangular, wider on the fore part
and elongated behind in the middle, so as to enter a sinus in
the next ; the second hexagonal, the third quadrangular ; the
fourth hexagonal, narrowed behind ; the fifth heptagonal : first
lateral plate triangularly-foursided, the superior face the smallest,
and with the inferior face generally rounded ; the second and
third five-sided, the latter sometimes square ; intermediate
marginal plate emarginate, linear, narrowed before, so as to
leave an open space resembling an emargination on each side ;
the rest oblong or square ; the first finely serrate on the ante-
rior face, all of them with a large red or yellow spot in the
116 Species of North American Tortorses.
middle, surrounded by concentric lines of the same. Sternum
yellow, finely serrate before, and with a very small emargina-
tion both before and behind ; scapular plates triangular, pro-
jecting a little beyond the rest ; brachial plates triangular, with
the apices truncate; caudal plates triangular, the posterior
face rounded ; the rest quadrangular; pectoral plates narrow.
Skin black, an oblong yellow spot behind each eye, and another
on the top of the back part of the head; upper jaw, chin and
cheeks striped with yellow, throat and sides of the neck with
red, being continuations of the yellow stripes on the chin and
cheeks. Legs and tail scaly; fore legs with two red stripes
on the upper side, and a few irregular spots of the same on
the toes and beneath; hind legs with two red stripes on the
under side, and some spots of the same above : tail with two
yellow stripes above, and two red ones on the sides which
unite beneath into one, Eyes yellow, with a broad black
stripe through the middle; upper jaw slightly emarginate.
Feet palmate five-toed ; claws 5-4.
In some individuals the lateral plates are marked with a per-
pendicular curved yellowish line and sometimes are reticulate
with yellow near the inferior face.
Plates of the margin twenty-five, of the sternum twelve.
Length nine inches, height four.
Inhabit only in the northern states from Canada to Virginia
in ponds, never in streams of running water. Here they may
be seen in great numbers, basking in the sun on rocks or logs,
and plunging instantaneously into the water on the approach
of any one. They vary much in the intensity of their color,
and in the liveliness of the mazkings on the plates: the young
ones, however, are always more brilliant than those which are
more advanced. They die in a very few days after being taken
from the water.
Species of North American Tortoises. 117
11. Tesrupo puNCTATA.
Testa ovata, levis, nigra, flavo punctata.
Testudo guttata and T. anonyma, Schneider. T. terrestris
amboinensis, Seba I. tab. Ixxx. fig. 7.
Shell ovate, smooth, generaily emarginate behind, ecarinate,
black spotted with yellow, the vertebral plates with scarcely
ever more than one spot, the lateral with from one to nine, the
marginal with always one on each. First vertebral plate sub-
quadrangular, rather wider before than behind ; the three next
hexagonal, the fifth heptagonal; all of them nearly equal
in size: lateral plates larger, the first nearly triangular, the rest
quadrangular: intermediate marginal plate linear, narrow, the
rest all oblong or square, the first one projecting beyond the
rest at its outer angle. Sternum emarginate behind, yellow,
with large dusky blotches on the fore part and sides ; or black,
with a little red on the sides and middle, the plates marked with
concentric striz ; marginal plates beneath yellow, those near
the wings generally varied with dusky ; scapular plates trian-
gular, extending a little beyond the rest, with a small projection
at the exterior angle directed forwards; brachial plates trian-
gular, likewise extending beyond the next at the exterior and
posterior angle ; pectoral and abdominal plates oblong ; femo-
ral plates oblong with their lower faces oblique, projecting be-
yond the caudal at their exterior and posterior angle ; caudal
plates triangularly-quadrangular ; supplementary plates of the
wings unconnected with the wings, and placed on the under
side of the fourth and seventh marginal plates. Skin black :
head smooth; neck granulate, more or less spotted with yel-
low ; jaws yellow, or dark horn color, or reddish brown, the
upper one emarginate. Legs and tail scaly, the fore legs be-
118 Species of North American Tortoises.
fore red varied with black, behind black spotted with red or
yellow ; hind legs before black spotted with red and yellow,
behind red a little varied with black; tail with a few yellow
spots, region of the anus red. Eyes black, irids surrounded
by a red circle. Feet palmate, five-toed ; claws 5-4.
a. Depressed; very little convex, wider behind, marginal
plates above the hind legs very spreading: head with a few
yellow spots, neck with many, particularly on the under side.
Length four inches and a half, height one inch and three-
eighths.
£8. More convex; spots on the shell large, marginal plates
beneath sometimes reddish, those over the hind legs not spread-
ing. Sternum black, a little red on the middle and edges;
sometimes the jaws, fore part of the throat, and a line running
from the lower jaw along the side of the neck, orange.
Length four inches and one eighth, height one inch and
three quarters.
y. Convex like the last ; shell not emarginate behind, with
fewer spots, rarely any on the lateral plates ; plates of the dise
with concentric striz ; marginal plates over the hind legs not
spreading, the first one not projecting beyond the rest, all of
them beneath very dark brown, varied with yellow. Sternum
very dark brown, yellow on the middle and on the sutures of
the plates.
Length three inches and three quarters, height one inch and
a half.
6. Convex like the last ; plates marked with concentric strie ;
and with generally but one spot on each: head with four yel-
low spots on the top, another at the corner of each eye, and a
large one on the side of the hind part of the head extending
and growing narrower to the neck.
Length four inches ; height one inch and three quarters.
Species of North American Tortoises. 119
Inhabits from one end of the United States to the other, in
small clear streams, never in ponds or muddy water. The
variety «. differs very much in its appearance from the rest.
12. Testupo MUHLENBERGII.
Testa oblongo-ovalis, gibbosa, carinata, postice subdilatata
lateribus medio contractis, nigrescenti-fusca areolis lineisque
subradiantibus, flavis, striisque concentricis in utroque scuto ;
capitis latera macula magna aurantiaca.
Schepff. 132, tab. xxxi. Emys biguttata, Say, loco citato.
Chersine muhlenbergi, Merrem.
Shell gibbous, oblong-oval, carinate, a little wider and emar-
ginate behind, rather contracted on the sides near the middle,
dusky-brown with yellowish or reddish areolz and subradiating
lines (sometimes very indistinct,) and concentric striz on each
plate, which last in aged ones are only perceptible on the lateral
plates. First vertebral plate pentagonal, the second hexagonal
the lateral angles rounded, the third and fourth hexagonal,
the fifth heptagonal, the upper face rounded ; lateral plates, ex-
cept the last, which is generally smaller, subequal, the first four-
sided, the lower face rounded, the second and third pentagonal,
the fourth square; intermediate marginal plate linear, very
small, the three next large, the four next small, the remainder
large and spreading, all of them oblong or square, with one or
more reddish spots on each. Sternum deeply emarginate be-
hind, very dark brown, varied with yellow or red, particularly
towards the middle; scapular plates triangular, projecting at
the exterior angle, the rest quadrangular, the femoral pro-
jecting beyond the caudal at the inferior and exterior angle, all
of them marked with concentric striaz: supplementary plates
Vol. UI. 16
120 Species of North American Tortoises.
of the wings very small, the posterior one scarcely perceptible.
Skin black, cheeks and sides of the back part of the head
with a large irregular orange spot extending to the neck: jaws
with a few spots of red, the upper one emarginate. Legs and
tail scaly, the former varied on the inner side with red ; toes
and tail varied on the top with the same; irids brown. Feet
palmate, five-toed ; claws 5-4.
Plates of the margin twenty-five, of the sternum twelve.
Length three inches and-a half, height one inch and a
quarter.
Inhabits New-Jersey and Pennsylvania in clear streams ; is
not very common: the old ones are frequently almost entirely
smooth. This species was sent to Schoepff by the Rev. H.-
Muhlenberg, so deservedly celebrated for his botanical know-
ledge ; Schoepff, however, very strangely considered it as a
variety of the 'T. punctata.
13. Trestupo PENSYLVANICA.
Testa ovalis, levis, dorso plana, ecarmata, nigra vel fusca,
scutis vertebralibus imbricatis. | Sternum utplurimum antice
et postice mobile. Caput magnum, obtusum, maxilla superiore
hamata : brachia duabus plicis¥vel squamis magnis posterioribus ;
cauda apice ungulata.
Testudo lutaria pensylvanica, Edward’s Gleanings, Part II. p.
77. tab. cclxxxvil. TT. tricarinata, Scheepff, is probably a
young one. Kinosternon pensylvanicum, Bell, Zool. Journal,
No. VII. Cistudo pensylvanica, Say, loco citato. Terrapene
pensylvanica, Merrem. Mud tortoise, Pennant Arctic
Zoology, Supplem. p. 80. Mud tarapin of the southern
states.
Species of North American Tortoises. 121
Shell gibbous, flattened on the back, ecarinate, oval, very
slightly emarginate behind, dusky or brown of different de-
grees of intensity. Vertebral plates more or less imbricate
behind ; the first long, narrower than the rest, resembling a
triangle with its apex pointing backwards and truncate, a little
elevated along the middle ; second, third and fourth hexagonal,
the anterior angles rounded, the lateral acuminate, the fifth
triangularly-pentagonal ; lateral plates large, pentagonal, ex-
cept the first which is quadrangular; marginal plates small,
forniing a narrow border around the shell, which is separated
from the lateral plates by a deep groove as far as the tenth, the
tenth and eleventh wider than the rest, continuous with the
last lateral and vertebral plates, being only distinguished from
them by the sutures; intermediate marginal plate square, the
rest oblong. Sternum emarginate behind, jointed at the pec-
toral plates, and sometimes also imperfectly at the posterior
face of the abdominal, yellow (of which colour likewise is the
under side of the marginal plates), each plate with a dark
brown border where it joins the next; scapular plate single,
triangular; abdominal plates foursided, the rest triangular ;
supplementary plates of the wings triangular, interposed be-
tween the wings and the marginal plates, the posterior one very
large. Skin dusky cinereous, inclining to brown, head blunt, large,
and with the upper side of the neck, spotted with pale brown ;
jaws, sides of the neck, throat and chin more inclining to cine-
reous ; upper jaw with a hooked tooth; chin with two warts.
Legs naked, fore legs with two folds or large scales on the
hinder side, and a few small scales beneath at the insertion of
the feet ; hind legs with eight or ten scales beneath. Irids
dark brown: tail naked, short, furnished at the tip with a
blunt nail. Feet palmate, five-toed ; claws 5-4.
Plates of the margin twenty-three, of the sternum eleven.
Length four inches, height one inch and three quarters.
Inhabits from New-Jersey to Florida in ditches and muddy
streams: has a strong and not disagreeable odour of musk.
Preys upon small fish and other aquatic animals, bites readily
122 Species of North American Tortoises.
at the hook, and is therefore very troublesome to anglers; it
‘takes hold of the bait very gently and draws it slowly to the
bottom of the water, and is frequently several minutes before
it seizes it in such a mamner as to allow of its being taken.
14, Testrupo opoRaTa.
Testa levis, gibba, plus minus carinata, seepe dorso plana,
nigra, scutis vertebralibus imbricatis. Sternum seepius antice
mobile; postice profundissime emarginatum ; scuto scapulare
parvo. Caput subacuminatum : brachia tribus plicis vel squa-
mis magnis anterioribus ; cauda simplici.
Testudo glutinata, Daudin, and T. pensylvanica sterno im-
mobili, Schoepff. 110. tab. xxiv. fig. B. are the same. Cistudo
odorata, Say, loco citato. Sternotherus odoratus and Bosciu
Bell, Zool. Journ. No. VII. Kinosternon shavianum, ejusd.
ibid. Terrapene odorata and Boscii, Merrem. Mud tarapin of
the southern states.
Shell gibbous, more or less carinate, oblong-oval, generally
not emarginate behind, black or dusky, mixed and clouded
with brown, sometimes with a few radiating lines of the latter
colour on the lateral plates. Vertebral plates imbricate be-
hind, the first long, narrow, and triangular, with the apex point-
ing backwards, and truncate, the second, third, and fourth hex-
agonal, the anterior angles rounded, the lateral acuminate, the
fifth triangularly-pentagonal; lateral plates large, pentagonal,
except the first which is four-sided, with the lower face round-
ed ; intermediate marginal plate small, subtriangular, the rest
oblong, forming a narrow border which is separated from the
lateral plates by a deep groove as far as the tenth; the tenth
and eleventh wider than the rest, continuous with the last late-
Species of North American Tortoises. 123
ral and vertebral plates, being only distinguished from them by
the sutures. Sternum small, narrow, very deeply emarginate
behind, sometimes imperfectly jointed at the pectoral plates,
dirty yellowish, each plate often bordered with dusky ; scapu-
lar plate single, very small, subtriangular, irregular in shape ;
brachial plates projecting beyond the pectoral at the exterior
and posterior angle, small, irregular, sometimes triangular,
sometimes four-sided, frequently one of them triangular, the
other four-sided ; the abdominal the largest, the femoral ap-
proaching to a triangular form; supplementary plates of the
wings irregular, interposed between the wings and the margi-
nal plates, the posterior the largest. Skin dusky, head rather
pointed, jaws inclining to yellow, an interrupted yellow line
proceeds. from the nose above the eye along the side of the
neck, and another similar one from the bottom of the eye to-
wards the throat; throat and sides of the neck granulate or
papillous; chin furnished with several small warts. Legs
naked; forelegs with three folds or large scales on the fore
part, and somewhat granulate, sometimes with a few small
scales beneath at the insertion of the feet; hind legs granulate
beneath and with a few small scales at the base of the feet.
Eyes black, pupil surrounded by a yellow ring. ‘Tail naked,
simple, furnished above with numerous pointed warts, which
are somewhat disposed in rows. Feet palmate, five-toed ;
claws 5-4.
Plates of the margin, twenty-three ; of the sternum, eleven.
Length three inches and a half, height one inch and a
half.
«, Shell dark brown, very convex and sharp on the back,
with a conspicuous keel; plates marked with radiating lines of
dusky, and with concentric striz.
8. Shell flattened along the middle of the back, so as to re-
semble the T. pensylvanica.
124 Species of North American Tortoises.
In old individuals the joint in the sternum becomes obso-
lete.
Inhabits with the last, which it entirely resembles in habits
and odour. ‘The synonyms quoted to this species show more
plainly the absurdity of the proposed divisions of the tortoise
family than any thing which I can say. I therefore omit the
considerations which would obviously present themselves to
the mind, and leave every one to draw his own conclusions.
15. Testrupo cLAusa.
Rotunda, gibbosissima : testa carinata, utplurimum, nigra, vel
fusca, flavo-variegata. Sternum ad testam membrana junc-
tum, bivalve, valvis antice et postice singulatim claudentibus,
et testam arcte obserantibus.
Testudo carolinana, Schneider 33. No. 7. TT. virginea,
Grew Mus. tab. ii. fig. 2. T. Carolina of most authors. T.
virgulata, Daudin, is the same. Cistude clausa, Say, loco ci-
tato. Terrapene clausa,Merrem. Terrapene carolina, T. ma-
culata, T. bicolor, T. subulosa, Bell Zool. Journ. No. VII. are
the same. Chequered tortoise, Pennant Arctic Zool. Sup. 79.
Land turtle of the northern states; Pine-barren tarapin of the
southern.
Shell round or oval, very gibbous, almost hemispherical, ca-
rinate, entire, dusky or brownish yellow, with spots or stripes
of yellow or greenish, the stripes disposed in radii; and con-
versely ; most generally also with concentric striz.', First ver-
tebral plate pentagonal, urceolate, second, third and fourth
hexagonal, all of them more or less angled on their anterior
Species of North American Tortoises. 125
faces, fifth pentagonal ; first lateral plate four-sided, narrower
on the upper face, and curved on the lower, second oblong-
pentagonal, third and fourth four-sided, the latter narrower
above, the two superior angles nearly obliterated ; interme-
diate marginal plate very small, linear or oblong, generally
projecting beyond the others, the rest quadrangular, some of
them approaching to the pentagonal form, the ninth, tenth and
eleventh frequently revolute. Sternum entire, joined to the
shell by a membrane, bivalve, both the valves moving on the
same axis, smooth, yellow, dusky, or dark brown, or mixed
yellow and dusky, or dark brown spotted with yellow; scapu-
lar and brachial plates triangular, the latter with their apices
truncate ; pectoral and abdominal oblong, rectangular ; femo-
ral and caudal triangular, the former with the apices truncate.
Head and neck varied, or striped, or spotted with black, or
dusky, or brown, and yellow or red ; throat black, or yellowish
cinereous, or dusky, with a few red or yellow spots, or striped
with yellow. Legs and tail scaly, dusky or cinereous, fore legs
spotted with yellow, particularly above, hind legs with a few
spots of red or yellow on the hind part and beneath, or en-
-tirely yellow beneath; tail short, with a few yellow spots on
the top. Upper jaw generally emarginate ; irids red or yellow.
Feet palmate, five-toed ;, claws, 5-4.
Plates of the margin twenty-five ; of the sternum twelve.
Length, six inches ; height, two inches and a half.
a. Wery dark brown, obscurely spotted with yellow, with a
few radiating lines of the same: sternum very dark brown
with a few blotches of yellow: top of the head yellow ; jaws
varied with yellow and black ; neck yellowish-cinereous spotted
with yellow.
8. With larger and more distinct spots of yellow, some of
them confluent and subradiating. Sternum yellow: jaws
yellow striped with black, top of the head mostly yellow ;
126 Species of North American Tortoises.
sides of the neck black, striped with yellow; throat yellow,
varied with black.
y- Shell brown, the plates marked with concentric striz,
and with numerous round and oblong spots of yellow; keel
yellow : sternum yellow unspotted: head and neck black, spotted
above, and varied on the sides with orange ; chin and throat
yellow ; jaws yellow, the upper one slightly marked with brown.
This is the Testudo virgulata of Daudin, and the description
was made from the very specimen he possessed, compared
with three others.
6. Smooth, yellowish brown, with a few indistinct spots of
dark brown: sternum yellow, unspotted: skin cinereous
brown, fore legs darker, top of the head yellowish; jaws
orange, the lower one marked with one or two dusky spots,
sometimes unspotted; chin and throat yeliowish, rarely
marked with a few spots of dusky; hind legs and tail un-
spotted.
s. Shell and sternum entirely very dark brown, without
spots: plates deeply marked with concentric striz.
Inhabits from Hudson’s Bay to Florida, always in dry situ-
ations ; in the northern states in hilly woods, and in the southern
in pine forests. Naturalists who wish to bound and circum-
scribe nature within the narrow limits of their own systems
and hypotheses, have striven hard to make this species not an
exclusive inhabitant of the land; but it is as decidedly a land
tortoise as any that exists: indeed the shape of its shell would
render the water a very improper place for its habitation,
nor would it probably feel much at home were it forced to
seek its food along with its numerous congeners in ponds or
rivers. :
The shell is so hard and the animal so strong that it can
Species of North American Tortoises. 32
easily walk with a weight of sixty pounds on its back. Its
food consists of fruit, insects, and the edible fungi, particularly
the different species of clavaria. Many persons are in tho
habit of keeping them in their cellars, where they destroy
snails, crickets, and other noxious insects; it may however be
questioned whether they ever attempt, as has been said, to
devour rats and mice; they are not well formed for the pur-
suit of such active animals, who have too much sense to suffer
themselves to be caught by so sluggish a hunter. The same
may be said of the ridiculous stories of their catching and de-
stroying snakes. This species has been cited as an example
of longevity among animals of the lower classes: all tortoises
are long-lived ; but the finding of an individual with a name
and date engraven on its sternum proves nothing: the idle and
the foolish are fond of inscribing their names every where,
and may as well antedate the time by half a century, as state
the true year of their attempts at immortality.
16. Trestupo SERPENTINA.
Testa ovalis, plus minus carinata, postice utrinque tridentata :
sternum parvum, angustum, rhombiforme: caput magnum,
mandibula superiore hamata ; cauda magna, longa, cristata.
Chelonura serpentina, Say, loco cit. Emmys serpentina,
Merrem. Serrated tortoise, Pennant Arct. Zool. Supp. No. 6.
Alligator tarapin of the southern states; loggerhead or snap-
ping turtle of the northern.
Shell oval, rather depressed, more or less carinate, emargi-
nate behind, above dusky or dark cinereous. First vertebral
plate pentagonal, wider in front, the lateral faces rounded, the
Vor. TIL 17
128 Species of North American Tortoises.
second, third and fourth quadrangular, or slightly hexagonal, the
fifth pentagonal: lateral plates marked near the base with
concentric strize, the first triangular with its apex truncate, and
lower face rounded, the rest quadrangular with their lower
faces slightly curved, the upper faces not angled; marginal
plates oblong, the posterior ones widened, the intermediate
very narrow, the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth projecting beyond
each other so as to form three obtuse teeth on each side. Ster-
num small, narrow, lozenge-shaped, pointed and entire at both
ends, and with the marginal plates beneath yellowish, wings
narrow, five or six-sided, supplementary plates triangular,
interposed between the wings and the marginal plates of the
shell ; scapular plates small, triangular; brachial plates trian-
gular, their apices rounded ; pectoral five-sided, the exterior
posterior side small; abdominal plates wanting; femoral sub-
quadrangular ; caudal narrow, triangular. Head, neck, and
limbs very large: skin above granulate, dusky, beneath warty,
cinereous, or dirty white, or yellowish. Eyes brown, with a
black line through the middle ; jaws hooked, varied with yel-
lowish brown and dusky, top of the head scaly ; chin with two
prominent warts: fore legs with five rows of sharp and broad
scales, those on the hinder edge the largest ; hind legs with
six or seven large and broad scales beneath; tail scaly, very
long, crested with six or seven prominences ; claws 5-4.
Plates of the margin twenty-five ; of the sternum ten.
Length of the shell twelve inches, height four inches and a
half.
Length of the tail eight inches and four-fifths.
The young ones have the concentric lines on the plates more
distinct: the vertebral and lateral plates are each furnished
with an obtuse projection, so that the shell is tricarinate, these
projeetions are marked with raised lines which radiate for-
wards, and on the lateral plates are wider and more pro-
muinent.
Species of North American Tortoises. 129
Inhabits from New-England to Florida in rivers, and seems
to prefer muddy and impure water to that which is clear. It
has also been sent to the Lyceum from Lake Superior by Mr.
Schoolcraft. This species is very voracious in its habits and
destroys great quantities of fish; it is also more ferocious than
any other, and will seize with violence any thing presented to
it, nor let go its hold even when the head is separated from the
body: the wound inflicted by its bite is very severe. It is
much sought after as an article of food, but when old the flesh ©
is apt to be rank and disagreeable, at all times it possesses a
strong musky odour; from which circumstance, as well as
from its long and crested tail, it has received in the southern
parts of our country the name of alligator tarapin.
The French naturalists appear to have described two species
resembling this, the one, T. lacertina, answers exactly to our
serpentina, and the other, which they term T. serpentina, seems
to be the same animal in a less advanced stage, the chief dif-
ference between the two, consisting in three rows of promi-
nences on the shell.
With respect to the Testudo denticulata, said to be an
inhabitant of this country, if the figure published by Shaw is a
correct representation of it, no one I think can hesitate to
pronounce it an imposition. Nature is consistent with herself;
and whatever supposed aberrations may be observed in any
of her works, we never see such an outrageous monstrosity as
is exhibited in this suppositious species.
Thus it is to be hoped that I have reduced to some certainty
all the species of land and fresh water tortoises that have fallen
under my observation. Many remain to be discovered by
some more fortunate naturalist. The extensive regions of the
west have yet to be explored, and even the rivers of the
130 Species of North American Tortoises.
northern states have not been sufficiently examined. What
are the large tortoises to be seen at all times in the Mohawk
river, and what were those observed by Major Long’s party in
the tributary streams of the Missouri, and which at hazard are
stated to have been the geographica? Time will undoubtedly
add to the number already known; I have only offered my
humble contribution towards the increase of our knowledge ;
others may perfect what I have begun.
* Alius alia potest invenire; nemo omnia.—Avs.
NOTE.
Since writing the foregomg observations, the author has
seen the second volume of the new edition of Baron Cuvier’s
““Reene Animal.” He wishes it to be distinctly understood,
that he is not answerable for the errors and mistatements there
introduced, into the account of the tortoises of this country ;
and he appeals to the names which he gives to the species, and
the synonyms which he quotes, as a direct proof that so many
contradictions could not have originated with him. Whether
he has been misunderstood by M. Cuvier, or whether the
names which he furnished have since been accidentally or wil-
fully changed, it is needless to conjecture. It will be conceived
that the author does not wish to enter into a more detailed ex-
position of the matter, suffice it then to point out what these
errors are.*
* See Cuvier, Reg. An., n. ed. Vol, II. p. 11, note (2.)
Species of North American Tortoises. 131
The Emys reticulata of Daudin is given to him, when it had
appeared under that name many years ago, in the works both
of Latreille and Daudin.
Emys concinna, . c. is quoted as synonymous with E. zeo-
metrica of Le Sueur. It is not easy to discover what is meant
by this: if the E. geographica was intended, there is very little
resemblance between the two species, and M. Le Sueur pro-
bably never saw the concinna.
FE. concentrica, is some other person’s name for the palustris.
E. pulchella of Scheepff is totally distinct from the znsculpta
of x.c. In the Museum of the king’s garden at Paris is a decapi-
tated specimen of the cnsculpta which is labelled pulchella, but
it differs entirely from Scheepff’s animal, and must have been
named by some person but little conversant with this family of
reptiles. The Emys odorata is likewise attributed to the author,
although he never has adopted Emys as a genus, and even if
he had, would not have placed this animal in it.
Great names frequently give a currency to matters of little
importance which otherwise might have passed unnoticed. An
individual but little known, and living in a country remote from
the scientific capital of the world, might have felt flattered at
being noticed by one who is considered as the oracle of natural
science, but he would, at the same time, wish not to be misre-
presented.
Description of a new genus of the order Rodentia.
By Major Joun Le Conve, U.S. Army, F. L. 8. &.
Read December 21, 1829.
In the pine forests of Georgia, is found a small subterrane-
ous animal which is commonly known by the name of Ground
Mouse: upon an attentive comparison of it with the known
genera of the order Rodentia, I do not hesitate to pro-
nounce it different from them all, and constituting a new genus.
I propose to call it Psammomys, from the nature of the soil it
inhabits. The teeth somewhat resemble those of the Hypu-
dzeus of Illiger (Arvicola of others) but the first of the lower
jaw has one more triangle, in which it resembles the Fiber
(Mus Zibethicus, Linn.) Although externally the animal bears
so strong a rememblance to Spalax and Georychus, yet its
system of dentition is entirely dissimilar to that of both; a de-
tailed decription of this is omitted, as the plate, which has been
drawn and engraved with great care, will give a better idea of
it than words can do.
This animal, like some of its congeners, and like the Sorex
and Scalops, forms long galleries under ground: its chief
food is roots, and it proves very destructive in fields of the
sweet potatoe (Convolvulus batatas.) Being difficult to find,
and living almost entirely concealed from view, but little can
be known of its habits ; this much however has been learnt,
that it never makes its appearance in the day time, and anx-
iously avoids every situation where it may be exposed to water.
PSAMMOMYS.
Dentes primores subexserti, superiores scalpro lato, zequall,
ceestriformi. Molares abrupti, lamellosi, tritori, contigut.
New genus of the order Rodentia. 133
xgre distinguendi, utrinque tres, superiores subzequales, inferi-
ores inequales, posteriores minores. Rostrum breve, obtusius-
culum ; rhinarium latiusculum cartilagineum ; nares lateraliter
pandentes. Oculi parvi. Auriculz parva, sub vellere latentes.
Cauda _ brevis, teres, pilosa. Mamme aperte, ventrales.
Pedes distincti ambulatorii, pentadactyli ; digitis externis bre-
vioribus ; hallux brevissimus ; ungues quinque (excepta hallu-
cari) falculares.
PSAMMOMYS PINETORUM 7 L. C.
Hair short, shining dark cinereous, above tipt with brown,
beneath with very pale ash. Head rather large and blunt:
eyes very small; whiskers short ; ears very short, naked, almost
entirely concealed in the fur ; neck thick and short; legs very
short ; feet hairy, ash-coloured, with a tinge of flesh colour ;
thumb very short, furnished with a rather obtuse and straight
nail; the rest of the nails long, sharp, and hooked. Tail short.
round, hairy.
Length three inches and seven-tenths ; tail three-quarters of
an inch.
‘
Plate II. (a) upper jaw, (b) lower.
On the Remains of Extinct Reptiles of the genera Mosasaurus
and Geosaurus found in the secondary formation of New-
Jersey ; and on the occurrence of the substance recently named
Coprolite by Dr. Buckland, in the same locality. By
J. E. De Kay.
Read January 11 and 25, 1830.
‘ue mvestigation of the structure of those animals whose
existence dates beyond history or tradition, is among the most
interesting inquiries of the naturalist. From an isolated frag-
ment of bone, found buried deep in the earth, to be enabled
to verify to what animal it belonged, to trace its relations
with other animals who have likewise perished, and to deter-
mine with tolerable precision the nature of the catastrophe
which had thus concealed it from view, all these have
exercised the learning and labor and ingenuity of modern na-
turalists. The connexion between zoology and the history
of our globe thus becomes evident, and those who undervalue
the one must have but limited views of the importance of the
other. The illustrious Cuvier, alluding to one of the animals
upon which we are about to treat, says, “la determination pré-
cise du fameux animal de Maestricht, nous paroit surtout aussi
remarquable pour la théorie des lois zoologiques que pour
histoire du globe.”
It is proposed in the present paper to examine the remains
of several animals from New-Jersey, which are now in the
Cabinet of the Lyceum, and to determine to what genera they
belong, leaving to other and abler hands those geological de-
ductions which naturally arise from the subject.
Fossil Reptiles of New-Jersey. 130
1. Of the Mosasaurus. PI. III. figs. 1 and 2.
I was led to the investigation of this fossil relic, consisting
of a single tooth and fragment of a jaw, from a remark made
by Cuvier respecting it, which seemed to leave it uncertain
whether the specimen in our cabinet really belonged to the
genus Mosasaurus.*
Another foreign naturalist, who could only have seen a
drawing of this fossil, declares unreservedly that it belongs to
the [chthyosaurus.
We shall first give the history of this fossil, and as the
work in which it was noticed and figured is now out of print,
we have deemed it useful to reproduce the figure from a new
drawing.
In Professor Mitchill’s “Observations on the Geology of
North America,” appended to the New-York edition of Cu-
vier’s Essay on the Theory of the earth (1818) there is a figure
of the relic in question. It is briefly noticed as “a tooth and
part of the jaw of a lizard monster or saurian animal resem-
bling the famous fossil reptile of Maestricht.” On the plate it
is stated to be the “tooth and part of the jaw of an animal
resembling the saurian reptile of Maestricht. Foot of the
Neversink hills, Sandy Hook.” The label which accompanies
it in the Cabinet, states, that it was obtained from a marle-pit
in Monmouth county, New-Jersey.
*< Je vois dans une note adress¢ée par le Docteur Mitchill de New- York
a l’administration du Museum, que ce savant a des dents fossiles, tirées
des marniéres du comté de Monmouth dans |’Etat de New-Jersey qu’il
considére comme de la meme espéce que |’animal de Maestricht.—
L’auteur n’en donne point de description détaillee.”” Ossemens Fossiles
Tome v. 2me. partie 310.
I perceive also that Dr. Morton, in his valuable Synopsis of the or-
ganic remains of the ferruginous sand formation in the 17th vol. of the
American Journal of Science partakes of the same doubt in referring ©
the remains of this animal to the Mosasaurus.
Vol. TID. 1s
136 ossil Reptiles of New-Jersey.
To supply the brevity of these notices we shall here add
a few observations which we trust will be found to confirm the
sound and accurate views respecting this fossil long since en-
tertained by our respected associate.
The upper part of the tooth is irregularly fractured—see PI.III.
fig. 1—but enough remains to enable us to describe its general
form, which is pyramidal, slightly curved backwards, and divided
into two distinct surfaces by an anterior and posterior edge,
destitute of serratures. The outer surface represents at the
base the segment of a large circle, while the inner surface de-
scribes the segment of a smaller one, giving a section of the
base of the enamelled part of the tooth the appearance repre-
sented at figure 2. The tooth is covered with a smooth,
brownish black shining enamel, without striz, which des-
cends somewhat lower on the external than the internal side.
The osseous support is of a dingy white color, entirely resem-
bling in structure that of the Maestricht animal. The cavity
which held the vicarious tooth (dent de remplacement) is
smoother towards the apex, where it was in contact with the
enamel of that tooth, than elsewhere. The fragment of jaw
exhibits none of the external surfaces of that bone except be-
neath, and even there its existence is somewhat problematical.
The following are the principal dimensions in English inches
and tenths.
Height of tooth, - . - - 1-06
Diameter at base, from outside to outside, - 1:02
Do. in the direction of the length of the jaw, 1:33
Height of osseous support from upper side of jaw, 1-00
Length of cavity which contained the vicarious tooth, 2°05
Depth of jaw, - - - - - 2:04
We will now examine what differences exist between the
Maestricht animal and that which has been described. The
external surface of the former is described as being “ plane.”
If by this word it is meant that the surface is flat, which is the
Fossil Reptiles of New-Jersey. 137
presumed meaning, as the other surface is in contradistinction
called round and demi-conical, it differssomewhat from our fossil,
and this may hereafter serve for one of its specific distinctions.
We imagine however that it is only meant that one surface
forms a segment of a larger circle than the other, as in the
Monmouth fossil. In this supposition we are supported by all
the figures given of the teeth of Mosasaurus.
There are no measurements of the teeth given either in the
work of Cuvier, nor in that of Faujas St. Fond,* by which a
comparison may be formed in regard to the relative size of
these animals. Our recollections of the Maestricht animal are
too vague to assist us in the determination of this point. Cuvier,
however, gives the depth of the lower maxillary at various
places, from which we should judge (assuming that the frag-
ment of jaw in our specimen is nearly complete) the Mon-
mouth animal to have been considerably larger than that of
Maestricht.+ It only remains to state what must be evident
after perusing these observations, that the fossil tooth of Mon-
mouth agrees in no one particular with the characters assigned
to the Ichthyosaurus. It will, we trust, be equally evident that
the tooth in our Cabinet, noticed and figured by Mitchill, and
which has formed the subject of the preceding remarks, be-
iongs to the genus Mosasaurus, hitherto the largest fossil rep-
tile discovered on this continent.
* Essai de Geologie ou Memoires pour servir a l’Histoire Naturelle
du Globe. Paris 1803. His large work entitled Histoire Naturelle de
la Montagne de St. Pierre de Maestricht is not in this city.
+ Dr. Harlan has noticed (Jour. Acad. IV. 235. pl. xiv.) a fossil mine-
ralized tooth from marle pits near Woodbury, New-Jersey. From its
serrated edges, and concave internal surface, we are disposed to consider
if a8 sut generis, although allied in all probability to Mosasaurus.
138 Fossil Reptiles of New-Jersey.
2. Of the Geosaurus. PI. III. figs. 3 and 4.
This subgenus appears to us well established upon another
ossil tooth with a small fragment of attached jaw, from the
same locality withthe preceding. As far as we are acquainted
it has hitherto been unnoticed, and the following description 1s,
offered in confirmation of our opinion.
The tooth is compressed, pyramidal, curved backwards, with
sharp edges dividing it anteriorly and posteriorly into two sur-
faces. The posterior edge is the most acute. Both of these
surfaces are subdivided into four or five facets, which are
however, so indistinct as to be visible only when held in a cer-
tain position. The sharp edges are not manifestly serrated,
but by the aid of a lens, there are indications of a serrature
towards the base. The whole tooth is covered with a smooth
jet black shining enamel, except at the apex, where it has been
worn by use. ‘The osseous support presents nothing peculiar,
being similar in shape, color, and structure to the preceding.
The following are the principal dimensions.
Length of tooth, - - - : 0:09
Width at base, - - - - 0:07
Do. transversely, = - 5 : 0:45
Distance of base of tooth from upper end of jaw, 0:06
From various considerations we should be disposed to place
this tooth among the most anterior of the lower jaw, but
postponing the consideration of this matter until more perfect
specimens shall be found, let us examine what relation the ani-
mal to which this tooth belonged bears to other fossil marine
reptiles. The elevated position of this tooth on its osseous
support places it in the groupe composed of Mosaurus and
Geosaurus, while its compressed shape removes it from the
former, and its indistinctly serrated edges might cause some
hesitation in arranging it with the latter. In describing the
subgenus Geosaurus, Cuvier appears to attach much import-
fossil Reptiles of New-Jersey. 139
ance to the presence of these serratures, although he does not
rely upon them alone in establishing his subgeneric division.
Sémmerring, in his Memoir Ueber die Lacerta gigantea der
Vorwelt, describes the edges as sharply toothed.* In the
large plate which illustrates the memoir of Simmerring, this
serrated appearance is more distinct than in the reduced figures
given by Cuvier, but in order to make them evident to the eye»
the German Professor has been obliged to represent them mag-
nified. Another peculiarity in which the form of the teeth of
the Geosaurus, as described by Sémmerring and Cuvier, dif-
fers slightly from our fossil. A section of the base of the tooth
of the Geosaurus shows that the external face is bluntly facetted
or divided into three planes—see fig. 5.| The same planesmay
be seen in the teeth of the recent Tupinambis. In our speci-
men both surfaces are alike divided into four or five small planes
—see fig. 4. These differences may serve as one of the specific
distinctions, but it is proper to add that Cuvier, in his descrip-
tion of the Monheim fossil and with the memoir of Sémmer-
ring before him, passes over in silence the figure of a section
of the base of the tooth as if it was unimportant, or not always
a constant character. A comparison of the dimensions of the
tooth belonging to the Cabinet of the Lyceum as given above,
with those of the Monheim fossil, shows that the former must
have been more than twice the size of the latter, and ap-
proaching nearer in this particular to the Mosasaurus.
It will appear, from what has been said, that the tooth now
described agrees with those of the Geosaurus in the important
particulars of shape, attachment, and manner of dentition. It
*« Die auswendige Flache der Krone wird von der inwendigen durch
eine scharfe schwartze gezahnelte kante abgegrinzt.”
+ “ Die auswendige Fliche ist nicht nur weniger convex als die innere
Flache, sondern die ueberdies noch der Lange nach stumpfeckig gieich-
sam facetirt.” p. 8.
140 Fossil Reptiles of New-Jersey.
differs from it specifically in size, in not having distinctly ser-
rated edges, and instead of being facetted on one side only, it
is facetted equally on both. Assigning then to the Monheim
fossil the name of G. Soemmerringi, we would propose to de-
signate our New-Jersey animal, (in compliment to the generous
donor, and as a mark of respect due to one of our most active
and zealous naturalists) by the name of G. Mitchill.
3. Of the Coprolite.
The learned and indefatigable Professor Buckland, in a Me-
moir recently read before the Geological Society of London,
has communicated several curious facts in relation to the faeces
of terrestrial and aquatic carnivorous animals, which he has
found ina fossil state. They occur in formations of all ages from
the carboniferous limestone to the diluvium. The names Ichthyo-
copros, Sauro-copros, Hyaino-copros, have been assigned to
the excrements of fish, saurians, and the hyena. To other
fossils long supposed to be petrified, and called cones of fir,
Professor Buckland assigns the name of Copros iuloides, and
from analogy supposes them to be derived from the ray
and shark. All these fossil faeces are to be distinguished by
the name of Coprolite. In the Cabinet of the Lyceum a spe-
cimen of Coprolite from Monmouth county is preserved,
which has long attracted our attention, and we are indebted
to one of our associates, Mr. I. Cozzens, for a suggestion which
enabled us to ascertain its real nature. It is figured plate III.
fig. 6, of the natural size.
It is composed of the same convoluted spiral structure at-
tributed to the Sauro-copros, and the marks of pressure on the
superior part show it to have been the nucleus of a much
larger substance. On the external surface the impressions left
by the membranous coat of the intestines are clearly discern-
ible. The length of this specimen is nearly one inch, its sub-
Fossil Reptiles of New-Jersey. 14]
stance is homogeneous, black, and it effervesces freely with
acids. A small cavity on one side, where was probably undi-
gested matter, is now by a few experiments ascertained to con-
tain carbonate and phosphate of lime, with minute siliceous
pebbles. Professor Torrey proposes to furnish the Lyceum
with a complete analysis of this very remarkable substance.
Osservarions on the United States Species of the Genus
Pancratium. By Major Joun Lu Conte, U.S. Army.
F. LS. &€.
Read January 25, 1830.
Tue following remarks on the species of Pancratium pe-
culiar to the United States, are the result of observations made
upon them both when cultivated and in a state of nature. It
has been confidently asserted that two species only were to be
found in our country ; but it is presumed that the characteristic
differences, which several years close examination of these
beautiful plants has enabled me to discover, will show this as-
sertion to be groundless.*
Although the family resemblance be very strong, few plants
are more distinctly marked, particularly in habit, than all these
species. They amount in number to four, two of which are’
found more or less in the interior of the country, and two
near the borders of the Atlantic Ocean. What other species
may be hereafter discovered, depends upon the approach which
the plants of our remote southern frontier make to those of the
adjacent provinces of Mexico and New Spain. It is highly
probable that at some future day our Flora will be enriched by
the discovery of some more.
* Vide Elliott’s “ Sketch of the Botany of the Southern States.”
Vol, I. page 383,
United States species of Pancratium. 143
1. PANCRATIUM MEXICANUM.
Bulbus stolonifer ; /olia 6—8, lineari-lorata, obtusa, conca-
viuscula, medio aliquanto latiora, striata, dorso convexa, ecari-
nata, apice plana: scapus anceps, striatus, subglaucescens,
2—6 florus : germen ovato-trigonum, pyramidale ; twbus sub-
trigonus, angulis rotundatis, virescens, striatus; petala alba,
linearia, recta, concava, tubo longiora, exteriora canaliculata,
subtus virescentia; corona alba, fundo subvirescente, plus minus
stellata, margine irregulariter eroso, utplurimum mucronibus
paucis acuminatis instructo; /ilamenta e sinubus corone, in-
curva, alba; anthere verticales flave; pistellum declinatum,
incurvum, filamentis longius, apice viride ; capsula dirumpens
et marcescens ante seminum maturationem: semina post cap-
sulee destructionem crescentia.
a. Bulbus unum solum scapum edens : folza octo, sesquipe-
dalia: scapus 19—uncialis: petala subhorizontalia: corona
primo expansa infundibuliformis, postea exacte rotata vel dis-
ciformis petalis triplo brevior.
8. Altior. Bulbus unum solum scapum edens: folza sex,
bipedalia, scapus 2 pedes et demi altitudine : petala horizon-
talia, aut etiam subdeflexa: corona infundibuliformis, interdum
exacte rotata aut disciformis, vix stellata, petalis plus triplo
brevior margine uno alterove mucrone acuminato instructo.
y. Precox. Bulbus scapos duos semper proferens: fola
sex, pedalia: scapus pedalis: petala expansa non rotata: co-
rona infundibuliformis, nunquam rotata, petalis semi brevior.
6. Bulbus unum solum scapum edens, /folia sex, pedalia ;
scapus pedalis : petala expansa, subhorizontalia ; corona exacte
rotata, stellata dentibus erosis, petalis triplo brevior.
This species is found on the banks of the rivers of Georgia
and Carolina, in places overflowed by the tide, but grows ex-
Vou. III. 19
144 United States species of Pancratium.
tremely well in the dry soil of a garden. Variety « I have
never seen but on the Ogeechee river: 6 is found near the
mouth of Savannah river, and y in some of the streams of
South Carolina, rather farther from the sea than the other two ;
might almost form a distinct species : it flowers at least a month
earlier than the two first: 6 is found along with o.
2, PaNCRATIUM ROTATUM.
Bulbus stolonifer, scapum unum edens: folia octo, lineari-
lorata obtusa sesquipedalia, medio latiora, striata, concavius-
cula, dorso conyexa, ecarinata, apice plana: scapus sesquipe-
dalis 4-florus, anceps, glaucus, striatus: germen oblongo-
ovatum, subtrigonum: tubus subtrigonus, angulis rotundatis,
pallide virescens: petula ochroleucoidea, striata, linearia, recta,
horizontalia, aut etiam subrecurva, concava, subcanaliculata ;
corona duplo longiora marginibus involuta, exteriora subtus
viridescentia: corona alba fundo viridescente, infundibuliformis,
interdum exacte rotata, nunquam disciformis, smubus subpro-
fundis, margine irregulariter eroso, dentibus staminiferis, utplu-
rimum truncatis: /ilamenta e dentibus corone, incurva, alba ;
anthere verticales flavee : postillum viride declinatum, incurvum,
filamentis longius ; capsula integra persistens ad seminum ma-
turationem.
8. Omnibus partibus minor.
This species I have observed only on the river St. John’s,
of East Florida; the smaller variety is found near the sea, the
larger higher up the river, in swamps which are always under
water: at the head of Lake George it is peculiarly large, grow-
ing in a soil composed entirely of coarse sand and shells of
Helices.
It seems to thrive better in a garden than in its native situ-
ation.
United States species of Pancratium. 145
3. PANCRATIUM CORONARIUM.
Bulbus non stolonifer, scapum unum edens : folza octo, line-
ari-lorata, obtusa, bipedalia, medio latiora, striata dorso con-
vexa, ecarinata, versus basin canaliculata, ita ut semicylindrum
concavum referre, apice plana ; scapus bipedalis, 4-florus, stri-
atus, anceps, non glaucus: germen parvum, ovato-trigonum:
tubus subtrigonus, angulis rotundatis, virescens: petala alba
(non ochroleucoidea) lineari, recta, striata, concava, corona
longiora, canaliculata, exteriora, subtus viridescentia ; corona
ampla, infundibuliformis, (non rotata) alba, stellata, dentibus
staminiferis latis, integris, utrinque dente acuminato instructis
sinubus profundis, irregulariter eroso-dentatis ; fundus viridi
stellatus demum ochroleucus: /i/amenta corona triplo breviora
e dentibus corone, incurva, alba: anthere verticales, flave :
pistillum versus apicem viride declinatum, incurvum filamentis
vix longius: capsula dirumpens et marcescens ante seminum
maturationem, semina post destructionem capsule crescentia.
Inhabits in Savannah river, at the rapids, a few miles above
Augusta, where in covers the rocky islets. I have also seen it
in the Congaree river, at Columbia, in South Carolina, occupy-
ing similar situations. It is undoubtedly the species observed
by Bartram, and mentioned in his Travels as the Pancratium
fluitans ; but as, although it almost always grows under the water,
it never can be said to float, I have thought proper to change
the name given to it by him, particularly as it has never been
before described or admitted into any system.
However this species may resemble the preceding, the cir-
cumstance of its producing young bulbs joined to the old root,
and not at the end of long runners, sufficiently distinguishes it.
In P. mexicanum and P. rotatum, the stolones frequently run
to the distance of two feet ; but in the present species the bul+
billi are always attached to the parent, as in different Narcissi:
146 United States species of Paneratvum.
4. PaANCRATIUM OCCIDENTALE.
Bulbus non stolonifer, scapum unum solum edens : folva plu-
rima, lineari-lorata, obtusa bipedalia, striata, dorso convexa,
ecarinata profunde et obtuse canaliculata, pallide viridia, glauca :
scapus bipedalis, 6-florus, striatus, anceps, glaucus: germen
subtrigonum, subglaucum: tubus subtrigonus, glaucus: petala
utrinque alba, unguiculata, linearia, striata, expansa, recta
(non rotata) apice subrecurva corona longiora: corona infun-
dibuliformis, alba stellata, sex lobata, lobis diverse dentatis,
dentibus 2—4, fundus viridescens : jilamenta coronam equan-
tia, e sinubus corone, subincurvee: anthere verticales, flave :
pistillum versus apicem viride, declinatum, incurvum filamentis
longius: capsula magna, polysperma integra persistens ad
seminum maturationem.
This species is found in the western parts of the state of
Georgia and in Tennessee and Kentucky : it differs from all the
others, in not growing in the water, but in upland meadows.
It very rarely increases by bulbs, and is therefore generally
found growing single; it is, however, very readily propagated
by seeds. Although all the plants of this genus produce very
fragrant flowers, yet this species surpasses them all in this re-
spect; its odour is exactly that of the early flowering hyacinth.
It may be expected that something should here be said of
the P. carolinianum of Walter; which, although hitherto not
detected in our country, still holds a place in all botanical
works. If this P. occidentale be not it, | am inclined to think
that it may as well be given up as a nonentity. I regret much
that it is not in my power to furnish a figure of this as well as
of the other species. As for the plant referred to in Catesby,
as Walter’s, it is decidedly the P. maritimum ; and the figure
given in the third volume of the Journal of Science and Arts,
by Mr. Ker, is a distorted delineation of the same. Although
said to be drawn “‘certissima manu Dryandri,’’ it represents.
an absurdity and an impossibility.
PLATE IV.
PANCRATIUM MEXICANUM.
PANCRATIUM ROTATUM.
PANCRATIUM CORONARIUM.
REMARKS on the Plants of Europe which have become natu-
ralized in a more or less degree, in the United States. By
the late Lewis D. DE ScHWEINITz.
Read January, 1832.
Tue fact, that a number of European plants have become
naturalized in the United States since the original forests have
yielded to cultivation, is generally known and perfectly natural.
Their number, however, especially of those which are so gene-
rally introduced that they would be considered indigenous, if
their foreign origin was unknown, is comparatively much
smaller than it would appear ona superficial view. With very
few exceptions they are, moreover, exclusively derived from
Great Britain and the north of Europe; bearing testimony to
the fact, that this country received its culture of every descrip-
tion from thence ; notwithstanding the climate of a great por-
tion thereof would have favoured a similar vegetable coloniza-
tion from the southern parts of Europe as readily.
The subject has, for some considerable time, attracted my
attention; and presents some observations which, I think, are
not without interest to the naturalist. In every instance known
to me, it is very easy to account for the fact, that these plants
have been introduced. A respectable number have been pur-
posely brought hither to be cultivated, for the purposes of
agriculture, or for some real or fancied value they possess ; and
in consequence of their natural habit so to do, have more or less
spread in the country. Others have been evidently involuntarily
introduced with the imported seeds of agricultural plants, and
have arrogated to themselves the same place they occupy in
Europe, as weeds in fields and meadows, unwelcome as some
of them necessarily were. Others again have only straggled
from the gardens, and are met with exclusively in the vicinity
in which they are, or formerly were cultivated. But it is not
Plants of Europe naturalized in the United States. 149
equally easy to account for the circumstance, that other Euro-
pean plants, which, from a parity of circumstances in their
native country, should have likewise been introduced by the
same means, are not at all to be met with; or at least so rarely,
and in such confined localities, that they are readily recognised
as strangers by the most inexperienced. Not one of the
common grain kinds, wheat, rye, barley, oats, buckwheat, &c.
has spread through the country, so as to deserve to be consi-
dered as naturalized in the sense here intended. Of the nume-
rous segetal plants which are met with in every field of Europe,
and of the flowers and herbs which grow intermingled with the
cultivated grasses of pastures and meadow grounds there, but
a very small proportion seem to participate in that facility of
emigration, and that readiness to usurp the soil of a new country
which signalizes a few equally with the human inhabitants. To
judge by the effects produced by these few, it is well that it is
so; otherwise our native vegetation would have been swept
from the scene, as has been the human race of aborigines, toge-
ther with no small portion of the quadrupeds; especially as it is
a well known fact, that the number of our native herbaceous
plants of a decidedly gregarious growth, 2. ¢. exclusively occu-
pying larger tracts, is but inconsiderable ; in consequence of
which our native plants would have stood as little chance of
maintaining their ground against a phalanx of vegetable colonists
from Europe, as our straggling aborigines did against the
columns of emigrants from that part of the world, were these
vegetable colonists as prone to establish themselves. In the
mean time, it is not without interest to note those few which
form an exception, and which have followed the steps of culti-
vated man, nay, in some cases, have even preceded him into
the wilderness.
I propose to communicate a list of all those which have any
just claim to be considered as naturalized, 7. e. which are
regularly reproduced, and gradually extending themselves,
without present cultivation, under certain general heads, and to
subjoin such remarks as [ have had an opportunity to make.
150 Plants of Europe naturalized in the United States.
1. Plants which have become more or less generally natural-
ized in the United States.
1. Introduced by cultivation, for agricultural or other purposes.
Not in the southern states. ica spread
1* Veronica officinalis. in advance of cultivation, in soils pecu-
liarly adapted. Very common in the
m :
2 Lileum pravense western country, and common every-
where.
3 Anthoranthum odoratum. Common every where.
4 Agrostis alba. Common.
5 Agrostis vulgaris. Common in the northern states.
6 Poa pratensis. . Common every where.
7 Holcus lanatus. Do.
8* Plantago major. No part known to me where it is not.
9* Cynoglossum officinale. Spread so generally in the western coun-
try that it seems native.
10* Verbascum Thapsus. Much more frequent every where than in
Europe.
11* Verbascum blattaria. Do. do. perhaps native.
12* Datura Stramonium. Generally disseminated, even in forests, but
purposely planted about camping places in the first instance.
13 Daucus Carota. Both southwardly and northwardly.
14 Pastinaca sativa. Far the most generally spread umbelliferous
plant ; more so than any native.
Li Apu CESS, g Every where, in advance of cultivation.
16 Rumer obtusifolius, §
17* Scleranthus annuus. Not in the southern states.
18* Stellaria (Alsine) media. This, at least in Carolina, was inten-
tionally introduced, as food for Canary birds; and spread, in
ten years, upwards of fifty miles.
19* Rosa rubiginosa. Every where about cultivated farms.
20* Chelidonium majus. Every where in immense plenty.
21* Nepeta cataria. Every where do.
22* Marrubium vulgare. Do. In some localities this is not seen.
23* Barbarea vulgaris. Very general, but not in quantities.
24* Sinapis nigra. Every where, especially westward.
25* Trifolium repens. Do. do.
26 Trifolium pratense Do. do.
27* Leontodon tararacum. Spread to an incredible extent, and preced-
ing cultivation.
Plants of Europe naturalized in the United States. 151
28* Salix vitellina. ¢ Very generally met with, but I doubt if they
29* Salix alba. propagate naturally.
30 Cannabis sativa. Very common, but not in quantities.
31 Leonurus cardiaca. Very generally diffused.
The asterisk marks such as have been originally introduced for some
medical or other special use. No other intentionally introduced plants
have taken root extensively in the country, unless some under the next
subdivision ought to be arranged here. 'Those which are naturalized in
confined localities are mentioned in the last rubric but one.
2. Introduced fortuitously with agricultural seeds.
N. B. Most of these (often noxious) have a still more decided claim to
be called naturalized, than the preceding ones, on account of their pre-
valence.
32 Veronica arvensis. Every where.
33 Veronica agrestis. Somewhat less frequent.
34 Poaannua. Very general.
35 Bromus secalinus. Every where.
36 Setaria glauca. In the remotest regions.
37 Triticum repens. Rare southwardly.
38 Lolium perenne. Every where.
39 Plantago lanceolata. Do.
40 Chenopodium album. Do.
41 Allium vineale. More or less prevalent, but met with almost every
where.
42 Polygonum aviculare. Absolutely every where.
43 Cerastium vulgatum,
44 Cerastium viscosum, Do
45 Cerastium semidecandrum,
46 Agrostemma githago. Do.
47 Hypericum perforatum. Southwardly and westward of the moun-
tains this noxious weed is beginning to show itself.
48 Lamium amplericaule. The same remark holds good of this. In
Carolina I traced its spread onward for more than fifty miles in
ten years.
49 Antirrhinum linaria. Not yet beyond Pittsburg, nor southwardly
frequent.
50 Thlaspi bursa pastoris. Every where.
51 Commelina sativa. Do.
52 Raphanus raphanistrum. Every where.
Vor. III. 20
152 Plants of Europe naturalized in the United States.
53
o4
ia)
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
88
79
80
$1
82
83
84
85
86
Erysimum officinale. Westward, preceding cultivation, in great
quantities.
Sonchus oleraceus. Every where.
Cnicus lanceolatus. Far surpassing in quantity and dissemination
any native species of Cnicus.
Carduus arvensis. Not farther south than New Jersey.
Arctium Lappa. Every where.
Chrysanthemum leucanthenum. Rapidly advancing westward,
where eight years ago it had not made its appearance.
Anthemis cotula. Decidedly the most universal of our gregarious
plants. In the west and south it precedes cultivation.
Achillea millefolium. Every where.
Urtica wrens. Very generally spread.
Urtica dioica. Doi,” “do;
Lithospermum arvense. Very generally.
If. Plants but parteally spread.
Fedia olitoria. "Tennessee and Carolina, in some localities.
Agrostis spicaventi. New England and Carolina, in some locali-
ties.
Arrhenatherum avenaceum. 'Tennessee and Carolina, do.
Dactylis glomerata. New Eng. Tennes. Carol. do.
Alopecurus pratensis. New England—not widely spread.
Bromus mollis. Do. in northern localities.
Lolium temulentum. New England and Tennessee.
Setaria viridis. Here and there northwardly.
verticillata. Do.
italica. Do.
Briza media. New England.
Blitum capitatum,
fy eames f New England and New York.
fo)
Galium verum. New England.
Echium vulgare. Spread beyond the Susquehannah.
Anagallis arvensis. Northwardly.
Verbascum Liychnitis. About Philadelphia.
Hyoscyamus mger. In the eastern states.
Solanum dulcamara. Sparingly in the northern states.
Bupleurum rotundifolium. Here and there in Carolina, occupying
whole fields.
Chenopodium urbicum. Northern states.
rubrum. New England and New York.
glaucum. Do.
Plants of Europe naturalized in the United States. 158
87 Conium maculatum. Here and there in the northern states.
88 Ornithogalum umbellatum. Spreading greatly in the northern
states.
89 Polygonum orientale. Southward and westward.
90 Saponaria officinalis. Here and there—common.
91 Spergula arvensis. Northern states.
92 Ranunculus arvensis. Do.
93 repens. Do.
94 Mentha viridis. In many localities.
95 piperita. In Carolina, here and there.
96 Thymus serpyllum. In Pennsylvania, common.
97 Melissa officinalis. Here and there.
98 Lepidium officinale. Pennsylvania.
99 Thlaspi arvense. In many localities.
100 campestre. Do.
101 Sitsymbrium officinale. Do.
102 Malva rotundifolia. Very rarely southward—common northward.
103 Fumaria officinalis. Very confined localities—Carolina.
104 Genista tinctoria. New England.
105 Vicia sativa. Here and there.
106 Melilotus officinalis. Do.
107 Trifolium procumbens. Very common southward, and beginning
to become universal.
108 ————-agrarium. Confined to localities northward.
109 Medicago lupulina. Near Carlisle and other localities.
110 ————-interterta. Southwardly only. (S. Carol.)
111 Cichoriwm intybus. Northwardly, in some localities.
112 Apargia autumnalis. New England.
113 Sonchus arvensis. Do.
114 Cynara scolymus. Virginia. (Nuttall.)
115 Inula helenium. Along the Ohio hills in great quantities, and
elsewhere, here and there.
116 Senecio vulgaris. New York and New England.
117 Euphorbia helioscopica. Shores of Lake Erie and elsewhere.
118 Amaranthus Blitum. Northwardly.
119 Xanthium spinosum. Southwardly, as far as Washington.
III. Introduced only in the vicinity in which they are or
were cultivated.
120 Ligustrum vulgare.
121 Syringa vulgaris.
122 Phalaris canariensis.
123 Nicotiana rustica.
154 Plants of Europe naturalized in the United States.
124 Periploca greca. New York.
125 Chenopodium bonus henricus.
126 Hemerocallis fulva.
127 Tanacetum vulgare.
128 Achillea ageratum. North Carolina, in some localities.
129 Tussilago farfara. Pennsylvania.
130 Helianthus tuberosus. Pennsylvania and Carolina.
131 Centaurea cyanea.
132 —— nigra.
133. ———— jacea.
134 ———— benedicta.
135 calcitrapa.
136 Prunus spinosa. New England.
137 Dipsacus sylvestris. Pennsylvania.
No Scabiosa, no Viola, no Papaver, and no other segetal plants
occur at all naturalized. The Bellis perennis, so universally
disseminated in Europe, is never seen. None of the shrubs
usual in hedge-rows, have become naturalized. It is particu-
larly remarkable, that the Centaurea cyanea, though very fre-
quently cultivated for ornament, in the gardens of the German
farmers in Pennsylvania, has never spread into grain fields, in
which it is so prevalent in Europe. ‘This is likewise the case
with Delphinium consolida and many others; while the intro-
duction into a garden in North Carolina of Anterrhinum linania,
and of Stellarva media, in a very few years contaminated the
whole vicinity for many miles. ‘The readiness with which
plants like Leontodon taraxacum, Cnicus lanceolatus, &c.
with feathered seeds spread, is easily conceived. Not so
readily explained is the cause which renders Anthemis cotula
so wonderfully prevalent. In the mean time it is observable
that a large river is apt, as well as a tract of land intervening
entirely unsuited to the growth of some of these emigrants, to
stop their progress for a time. But when once the passage is
forced at any point, the dissemination appears to proceed the
more rapidly.
In 1823, the Anthemis arvensis, or cotula, in Tuscarawas
county, Ohio, had widely spread up to the eastern bank of the
Plants of Europe naturalized in the United States. 155
Muskingum or Tuscarawas river, but had not crossed to the
western bank. In 1831 I met with it, in incredible quantities,
every where. The circumstances which prevent some plants,
that are naturalized to a great extent in certain localities, from
extending generally, are often not to be discovered. Thus, for
fifty years at least, Cochoriwm wtybus is as much spread in the
vicinity of Bethlehem as any native plant; while I never saw
it westward of the Susquehannah, nor in this neighbourhood at
any considerable distance from the town. ‘The worst enemies
of the farmers, at least in the northern states, are all foreigners 5
on which account we have reason to congratulate ourselves,
that no greater number of these foreign weeds are prone to
usurp the soil; for it is certainly worthy of remark, that among
upwards of four thousand species of plants in the United States,
not more than from 120 to 130 foreigners should have obtained
any thing like a permanent and extensive footing.
The following few plants, in some degree naturalized in the
southern states, are not derived from Europe :—
Polycarpum tetraphyllum.
Cardiospermum halicacabum.
Melia azedarach.
Leucas martinicensis.
Cucurbita lagenaria.
OBSERVATIONS on a Fossil Jaw of a species of Gavial,
from West Jersey. By J. HE. DexKay.
Read January, 1833.
In a paper which I had the honour to lay before the society
some time since, the attention of the members was called to
some fossil remains from the southern parts of New Jersey.
The interest which has been excited, both here and in Europe,
on this subject, induces me to submit a few additional observa-
tions On some organic remains from the same locality. For the
opportunity thus afforded me I have to express my obligations
to Lieut. Mather, of the army, who has kindly placed the spe-
cimens in my hands for examination.
A few brief remarks upon the region from whence these and
other remains are found in such abundance, may be necessary
previous to describing the fossils themselves.
West Jersey, or that part of the state of New Jersey which
lies south of a line drawn from ‘Trenton to Amboy, is composed
entirely of sand, passing at some places into gravel. At the
Highlands of Navesink, which rise into hills 300 feet high, a
rock formation appears, containing fossil shells and crustacea.
This same rock appears on the borders of a stream at Tinton
Falls, and from its composition is called ferruginous sandstone.
It consists of iron and silex with potash and alumine ; and the
same materials, in various proportions, compose those numer-
ous local deposits which are found extensively scattered over
this whole region. To some of these are applied the name of
marle pits, on account of their fertilizing properties; although
totally dissimilar to the marle of Europe; and, in fact, only
acting mechanically, like any other clay, when mixed with a.
sandy soil. In these various deposits are found animals of
fresh and salt water, of such as were formed to encounter the
Fossil Gavial from New Jersey. 157
billows of the ocean, to float on the placid bosom of a fresh
water stream; and of others, like the mastodon, living exclu-
sively on dry land.
The remains of the mastodon, an animal which lived, in all
probability, on the surface of the earth as it appears at this day,
are strongly contrasted, is some of these deposits, with others
which must have existed at a period antecedent to the present
condition of the globe. In Europe the remains of reptiles are
found far beneath those formations which contain the oldest
known quadrupeds. ‘Thus, for example, the region about
Honfleur, in France, is particularly rich in the remains of rep-
tiles: now, the oldest known vertebral animals are found in the
gypsum of Montmartre ; but beneath this gypsum are extensive
formations of shell lime, (calcaire coquillier) reposing upon beds
of chalk of immense thickness, and underneath these beds
occur the remains of reptiles. In New Jersey these reptiles
are found a few feet beneath the surface, without any superin-
cumbent bed whatever. It has been questioned whether such
beds ever existed in this place in this region; or whether, at
some former period in the history of the world, these upper
beds have not been carried off and destroyed by the action of
deluges or torrents of greater or less extent. But if such a
catastrophe occurred, we should find traces of the existence of
still more recent formations; and this, upon examination, ap-
pears to be the case. We have, for instance, the plastic clay
formation, as characterized by amber, beds of blue clay sur-
charged with mica, beds of a recent calcareous origin, deposits
of coarse and fine gravel, from the decomposition of amygdaloid,
and other remnants of strata long since broken up and depo-
‘sited elsewhere. We may therefore conclude, that although
fossils in general characterize formations, and determine their
respective epochs, yet that we can draw no safe conclusions
respecting the age of these deposits in New Jersey, when we
find, in the same locality, remains of antediluvian animals and
the workmanship of human hands. They may be considered
as the result of a catastrophe, or a series of events which have
158 Fossil Gavial from New Jersey.
destroyed all the superincumbent strata, excepting the more
compact iron sand-stone of the Navesink, and thrown them into
irretrievable confusion.
For further details respecting this interesting region, the
reader may consult Mitchill’s edition of Cuvier, the papers of
Pierce and Morton in the 16th and 18th vols. of the American
Journal, and of Harlan, in the 4th vol. of the Journal of the
Academy of Nat. Sc. Phila.
The entire collection consists of fragments of the jaw of a
saurian reptile; a portion of a curious small jaw, upon which
Tam unable to form a decided opinion ; and several vertebre
of fish and reptiles.
Dimensions of Fragment, fig.'7, plate LIT. or left Dental Bone.
Length 4:1. Extreme breadth 1-5 nearly.
Distance between sockets °8.
Depth of sockets 1°5.
Projection of tooth above the alveole 1-1.
Transverse diam. of tooth above the socket °5.
Longitud. diam. °6.
Diameter within the socket °65.
In order to understand the structure and arrangement of
these teeth, it may be necessary to recur to the process of den-
tition, as it exists among these animals. Their number never
varies with age; and although they are formed by superim-
posed coats, yet their interior is always hollow. At the bottom
of the socket is to be found the replacing tooth, which gradu-
ally increasing, ascends into the hollow of the old tooth, presses
upon, and of course destroys, the pulpy nucleus within, which
has furnished nutriment to the old tooth. This latter tooth, of
course, easily falls out, is replaced by the new one, which, in
its turn, makes way for another; and this is often repeated
during the whole life-time of the animal. Hence, at any period,
if we examine the teeth of these animals we shall find always
Fossil Gavial from New Jersey. 159
the replacing tooth either within the old one or in a rudimen-
tary form, or at the bottom of the socket. Among the loose
fragments, to which I regret being unable to assign its proper
place, but which is near the bottom of a socket, is a small
replacing tooth, :25 in length. It is of a conical form, and
blunt at its summit. See fig. 8. It is worthy of remark, that
this tooth, instead of originating from the centre of the bottom
of the socket, lies near the inferior and anterior side. Are we
authorized to infer, that the individual species under exami-
nation belonged not to an adult animal, but to one which had
not yet attained its full growth, and that the position of this re-
placing tooth indicates that the outer edge of the alveole would
be advanced farther with the growth of the animal? According
to Cuvier, the replacing tooth generally commences near the
inner surface; and hence it is on this side, by its compression,
that the old tooth frequently exhibits, near the upper edge of
the alveole, a notch or indentation on its inner side, proving
that absorption has taken place.
The sockets and parts of sockets are ‘8 apart on the supe-
rior surface of this dental bone, and approach nearer at their
bases. ‘The central socket contains the most perfect tooth in
all the fragments. Fig. 7 represents its appearance, describing
a segment of a circle whose diameter is four inches. The
whole length of the tooth is 2°6. The direction of this curve
is forward and outwardly; or, in other words, its lower extre-
mity is near the internal plane of the dental bone, while the
external portion of the tooth is not far from the outer edge
of the same bone. Within the socket the tooth is cylindrical,
and, as is common among animals of this class, it is larger than
the exposed portion. It is hollow, and filled with the soil in
which it was found. The upper part of the tooth is much in-
jured, but enough remains to enable us to describe its general
form, which is conical, recurved, and rather broader in the
transverse axis of its base than in the longitudinal direction of
the dental bone. A very minute portion is all that is left of its
external coat; but from this we may state, that it is of a brown
Vou. II. 21 :
160 Fossil Gavial from New Jersey.
colour, very minutely striated, and, in a proper light, appears
divided into a number of minute facets. We cannot, however,
from this small fragment, aver that the same appearance per-
vades the whole crown of the tooth; nor can we pronounce
with certainty that the teeth were furnished with edges.
Pl. FHI. fig. 9, or right Dental Bone.
This fragment, in fact, consists of portions of three bones;
but in the figure, the right dental bone only is shown, in order
to exhibit the figure and direction of the sockets. Its principal
dimensions are as follow :—
Total length 5°7.
Breadth undetermined, on account of the imperfection of
the fragment.
Depth at symphysis 2°1.
Depth, just anterior to the second tooth, 1-7.
Depth of socket behind, 1-6.
Depth of jaw at anterior portion 1-6.
Distance between Ist and second alveole °9.
between 2d and 3d °7.
between 3d and 4th °4.
Of the fourth, or posterior socket, only a portion remains.—
The third is filled up with the body of a tooth, which is visible
in its whole length, and exhibits its base compressed in the
direction of the vertical plane of the jaw. The second and first
alveoles are likewise filled with the body of teeth, but are con-
cealed in consequence of the perfect state of the bone in these
places. At the anterior part of this bone is a portion of ano-
ther socket, which cannot be exhibited in the figure. Con-
nected with the dental bone are two others, which will be better
understood when we connect these fragments in their original
position. We shall then have fig. 10,—a large and important
portion of the lower jaw of a fossil reptile.
In this figure @ represents the fragments of the left, and 6 of
the right dental bones already described, as seen from above.
Fossil Gavial from New Jersey. 161
At cc are seen portions of two bones which are peculiar to
animals of this family, and were termed, by Adrian Camper,
epercular bones: they form the symphysis of the lower jaw,
and the dental bones repose against them, and go off posteri-
orly to form the branches of the lower maxillary.
The total length of the fragment of the opercular bone of the
right side is 7°8.
From the symphysis to the anterior termination of the same
bone is 6°2.
Breadth of both operculars, just before the symphysis, is 2°4.
Presumed breadth at symphysis 4.
Breadth of jaw, at outer extremity 2°7.
Thickness at same place 1°7.
The upper surface of the opercular bones is smooth, and its
substance is very compact. The surface of the right dental
bone is likewise tolerably even; but its side, and particularly
its inferior surface, has the same corroded and worm-eaten
appearance noticed in its companion on the left side.
We are now furnished with sufficient data to pronounce that
the fragments under consideration are a portion of the lower
jaw of some species of animal belonging to a family of reptiles
which includes the crocodiles.
In the last edition of that work which is destined to confer
‘immortality upon the name and labours of Cuvier, he has indi-
cated three groups, into which may be classed all the living
and fossil reptiles hitherto loosely designated under the name
of crocodile. It is not intended to give an analysis of his la-
bours, but it is necessary for our purposes to notice that he di-
vides them into three subdivisions, viz. Alligators, Crocodiles,
and Longirostres, or Gavials. The first includes the crocodiles
of America with semipalmate feet, and the fourth tooth on
each side of the lower maxillary received into a depression of
the upper jaw. Four living species are enumerated. The
second subgenus, or crocodiles proper, distinguished by pal-
mate feet, and the fourth of the lower jaw passing by the upper,
162 Fossil Gavial from New Jersey.
includes seven living species, from Asia, Africa, and the island
of St. Domingo. The third subgenus, which so far contains
only two species, inhabiting the Ganges, is distinguished by a
very elongated cylindrical beak or snout and palmated feet.
Here are at least twelve well determined living species, di-
vided into three distinct groups, which not many years ago
contained but one species. Cuvier himself, in making this
division, seems to have acted with that laudable reserve which
characterizes all his researches; for while he clearly pointed
out the distinction, he seems to have only indicated them,
without seizing the occasion to designate them by distinct
appropriate names.
Of the fossil species of this family he has indicated eleven
species of the division Crocodile, chiefly from France and
England; and three species of the third division, Longirostres,
from France and Germany. In our own country but one fos-
sil species, and that belonging to the crocodiles proper, has as
yet been discovered. For our acquaintance with this species
we are indebted to Dr. Harlan, of Philadelphia ; a gentleman
whose researches have ably illustrated, in almost every depart-
ment, the natural history of his country.
To those who are in the slightest degree acquainted with the
osteology of the order of reptiles, the position, arrangement,
and structure of the teeth, in the specimen under consideration,
and the cylindrical, attenuated lower maxillary, will be suffi-
cient to show that it cannot be referred to either the subgenus
alligator or crocodile. On the other hand, the position and
configuration of the opercular bones as clearly indicate that our
specimen belongs to this subgenus, or subdivision, the longi-
rostres, or gavials.
We may now inquire how far this American Gavial resem-
bles any known living or fossil species. In this investigation
we have, it is true, but scanty data to enable us to arrive at a
satisfactory conclusion.
There are but two living species of Gavial, both fram the
Fossil Gavial from New Jersey. 163
Ganges. The first, C. gangeticus, has from 25 to 26 teeth on
each side of the lower jaw, and the length of the jaw is to that
of the body,as one to seven and a half. ‘The second, C. ten-
urrostris, has the same number of teeth, and is chiefly distin-
guished by a longer cranium. It appears to be doubted whe-
ther itis specifically distinct from the preceding. Upona com-
parison of our fragment with these, the following differences
were noted. The opercular bones, forming the symphysis of
the lower jaw, occupy, in the living gavials, (p. 107) nearly one
third of the whole length of the medial suture of the jaw, which,
if applied to our specimen, would give it a length of 18 inches.
And as the teeth in the living species are nearly regular and
equidistant, if we assume the same thing with regard to our
specimen, we shall be led to attribute to it, when perfect, but
15, or, at the farthest, 18 teeth on each side, which would con-
tradistinguish it sufficiently from the living species.
The head of the Gavial of the Ganges is about 2°6, and the
whole animal 16 feet long. Upon the supposition that our
specimen has the same proportions, and that we have one third
of the total length of the head and beak, we may reasonably
conclude, that ourspecimen belonged to an individual between
9 and 10 feet long.
It may be alleged, that this length, being merely conjectural,
is not sufficiently accurate to form a just comparison. Weare
ready to admit the force of this allegation; the more readily,
because, from the sudden tapering of the beak, as shown by the
measurements above, and the position of the anterior socket in
the right dental bone, the jaw could scarcely have been more
than twice its present length, which would give only 12 or 14
teeth on each side. This, it will be perceived, would separate
it still farther from the living species.
Among the fossil crocodiles, it has been remarked, that
although more species have been discovered in Europe belong-
ing to the second subdivision, yet that more remains have been
found which clearly belonged to the division of gavials.
164 Fossil Gavial from New Jersey.
The proportions between the length of the symphysis and
the branches of the lower jaw, in the Gavial of Monheu, C.
priscus of Sommering, (p. 129) we are unable to compare with
our fragment; but the regularly alternating long and short teeth
mark sufficiently strong specific differences. In the Gavial of
Honfleur the angle of the symphysis is very acute, which sepa-
rates it broadly from that of New Jersey; for this circumstance
alone would produce strong difficulties in the shape and confi-
guration of the head, and, by consequence, in other parts of the
animal. From the Gavial of Caen we can only distinguish our
specimen by the relative proportion between the depth and
width of the lower jaw. In the Caen Gavial the proportion
between the depth and width of the lower jaw, near the sym-
physis, appears to be as 1 to 3.
In the New Jersey Gavial, as 1 to 2.
In the living Gavial, as 1 to 5.
In the Honfleur Gavial, as 1 to 4.
Our specimen is, however, too imperfect to determine this
question, which must be left to time and to future observers.
Enough, however, has been advanced to establish the existence
of remains of gavials in the United States, apparently differing
from any others hitherto found in Europe.
It may not be unworthy of remark, that although Cuvier has
only indicated the subdivisions of the group of crocodiles, yet
that our fossil clearly indicates a species differing so materially,
especially from the alligators and crocodiles proper, as to show
the propriety of considering them an independent genus. In
effect, the long curved bodies of the teeth, hollow through so
great a part of their extent, and terminating at their base in a
thin shell of bone, remind one much more of the incisores of
the Rodentia, among the mammalia, than of the teeth of a rep-
tile. In other respects their similarity to the teeth of saurians
is complete; but, at the same time, sufficiently distinct to war-
rant the formation of a well-defined and characterized genus.
This portion of a jaw is accompanied with several vertebra, .
Fossil Garvial from New Jersey. 165
one of which belonged to some cartilaginous fish. Another,
labelled ‘ from Schenk’s, Freehold,” I take to be the caudal
vertebra of a crocodile or gavial, with the following dimen-
sions:
Length 2:9.
Diameter of concave extremity 1°8.
of convex extremity 1°7.
The processes are more or less injured, but the foramen, for
the reception of the spinal marrow, is complete.
Another vertebra, from a marle pit, is labelled ‘from James’
pit, two and a half miles south of Bassett’s,” has the following
dimensions :
Length 2.
Diameter of concave extremity 1°9.
of convex extremity 1°7.
From its compressed body, and the appearance of the por-
tions of the branches of the spinous processes, we may infer,
that this is also the caudal vertebra of a fossil crocodile. |
There is also a vertebra, or rather, a portion of one, (fig.
11) which has been supposed to have belonged to some of the
cetaceous mammalia. Its ends are nearly plane, and slightly
elevated in the centre; but its size, the proportions between
its length and breadth, and the existence of two small oval fosse
on the under side of the body, would seem to disprove this idea
(p. 447.) It is, in fact, more nearly allied to the gigantic genus
Plesiosaurus. The following are its principal dimensions:
Length of the body 2°6.
Depth 3.
Antero-posterior diam. of the articulating surface
forprib. 11.
Transverse do. do. 15.
Nearly one third of the body as broken off; but by measur-
ing one half of the entire part, we can determine the horizontal
thickness of this dorsal vertebra, which is 3°8.
A Report on some Fossil Bones af the Megalonyx, from
Virgima ; with a notice of such parts of the skeleton of this
animal as have been hitherto discovered, and remarks on the
affinities which they mdicate. By Win Liam CooPeERr.
Read January, 1833.
THESE bones were presented to the Lyceum about a year
ago, by Mr. G. 8. Bibby, of this city. Two of them are evi-
dently ungueal phalanges : and the third, which fits well upon
the upper extremity of the larger of them, and probably belongs
to it, is a middle phalanx. By comparing them with the casts
of those originally discovered in Virginia, their place in the
skeleton may be determined with much exactness. The larger
corresponds to that which Cuvier, having the metacarpal bones
and first phalanges, and numerous objects of comparison among
the kindred animals, pronounces the last phalanx of the left
middle finger, or fore toe. A slight difference, however, in
the convexity of the two sides, which in ours is greater on the
left, while in the Jefferson bone itis greater on the right, shows
that it is from the opposite side of the animal. It is therefore
the last phalanx of the right middle finger, to which also the
middle phalangial bone must have belonged.
The other ungueal phalanx corresponds to that which Cuvier
judges to have been the last of the annular or third finger of the
left side ; except being also, for the same reason, evidently
from the opposite side. It is, however, in better preservation
than the analogous one now in Philadelphia, as it retains all of
one side of the great bony sheath, of which Cuvier, from an
examination of the casts, supposed the Megalonyx to have
merely the vestiges:* but, as Dr. Harlan has already remark-
* Ossem. Foss. V. pt. 1. p. 190.
Fossil Bones of the Megalonyx. 167
ed, all the ungueal phalanges were furnished with very large
ones, though they are generally found broken off. In these
remarkable sheaths the foot resembles that of the Megathervum,
which had them so large as to encase the phalanx for more
than half its length. In the Megalonyx the sheath was not
complete, as it appears to have been open above, along the
back of the bone ; a circumstance which is also observed in
the Myrmecophaga jubata. The use of these sheaths was to
strengthen and support the great claws, the base of which they
firmly embraced.
The extreme rarity of these remains, and the unusual kind
of animal which they bespeak, confer an interest upon every
additional discovery. ‘I'he bones now presented to the Lyceum
had been preserved, for several years, as curiosities, at the
mansion of the late President Monroe, and were thought to be
‘¢ petrified lobster’s claws.’ Their origin is no Jonger known,
but to judge from their colour and appearance, they have been
preserved from decay in the same manner as those first described
by Mr. Jefferson, and very probably belonged to the same
skeleton; of which many bones were carried off and dispersed
before the discovery became known to him. It is a circum-
stance in favour of this conjecture, that they now prove to have
belonged to the corresponding limb of the opposite side. Not-
withstanding an appearance of antiquity, they are hard and
sound, and their composition is.apparently unchanged.
The following is a general view of the parts belonging to
the skeleton of the Megalonyx that have been hitherto disco-
vered, and of the affinities which they indicate with the other
animals of the order Edentata.*
* It will be observed that I speak of these bones as all belonging to
one species of animal. Dr. Harlan and Mr. Rafinesque, on the contrary,
are of opinion that those found in Kentucky belonged to a different spe-
cies from the Megalonyx of Jefferson. Dr. H. founds his opinion,
1. Upon the different proportions, and the longitudinal grooves or
flutings observable in the teeth from Kentucky.
2. The different form and proportions, and greater strength of the un-
gueal phalanges, and their having a notch instead of a vascular foramen.
Vou. UI. 99
168 Fossil Bones of the Megalonyz.
§. Of the Head.
The only portions of the head yet known to have been dis-
covered in the United States are two or three teeth, presumed
to be from the upper jaw, and a very much mutilated right
lower jaw and teeth. ‘This was found at Big-Bone Lick. A
tooth was found in a cave in Virginia, and another in a cave in
Kentucky; which, with Big-Bone Cave, in Tennessee, are the
only known localities of these remains in this country.
This jaw is too imperfect to show whether, like all others
of this family, the animal was deprived of incisor teeth. As
well as can be judged, it resembles that of the Az, or Three-
toed Sloth, more than any other; having, like it, a sort of doubt-
ful canine tooth, but compressed laterally, instead of trans-
3. The great difference between a supposed metacarpal bone from
Kentucky and those found in Virginia.
These distinctions do not seem to me such as can be safely depended
on. In the first place, it appears from Cuvier’s figure of the only tooth
known of the Virginian Megalonyx, that it possessed the same charac-
teristic fluting, though in a slighter degree ; and secondly, all the five
teeth from Big Bone Lick are different from each other in this respect,
four being very deeply and variously grooved, and the fifth, though im-
perfect, having very evidently been but slightly so; like, in this, to the
tooth from Virginia. In proportions, those in the jaw from Kentucky
are totally unlike each other.
The differences observed in the phalanges I would account for, partly
by supposing that those from Kentucky have belonged to the hind foot.
Those from Virginia are, no doubt, from the fore feet. Along with those
from Kentucky were found an os calcis, tibia, and other portions of the
hinder extremity. Their having a notch in place of a foramen, may be
fairly attributed to imperfect ossification, as it appears, from the condition
of the other bones, that the individual was not adult.
The last point of difference is indeed important, and would be decisive
of the difference of species, if the bone hitherto called, even by myself,
metacarpal, were well determined to be in fact such. ‘I'he metacarpals
of the Virginian Megalonyx are sufficiently known to prove that it can-
not be any of them. But is it not metatarsal? I see no difficulty in
considering it such; and in size and strength it corresponds with the large
ungueal phalanges from Kentucky, which, as I have observed, there is
reason to think belonged to the hind foot.
Fossil Bones of the Megalonyx. 169
versely to the jaw, and three molars, different from any before
known, and of which an idea may be best formed by referring
to the figure given by Dr. Harlan in the American Journal of
Geology. The structure of these teeth is the same in all;
consisting of a bony substance, encased in enamel, which
merely forms a border round the crown. ‘This jaw-bone is
now preserved in the collection of the Lyceum.
§§. Of the Trunk.
But few portions of the trunk have been found: they include
seven vertebre, three entire ribs, with fragments of others, and
the chief portion of anosilium. Part of these were discovered
in the White Cave, in Kentucky, and the rest in Big-Bone
Cave, in Tennessee. For a knowledge of the latter locality
we are indebted to Dr. G. Troost, who has recently published
an account of it in the Transactions of the Geological Society
of Pennsylvania. The remains from White Cave are described
and figured by Dr. Harlan, in the Journal of the Academy of
Natural Sciences.*
§$§. Anterror Extremity.
This is better known than any other part of the skeleton.—
The scapula is among those found in the White Cave, and the
clavicle at Big-Bone Lick. A humerus, young and imperfect,
accompanied the scapula; but one more complete has been
dug up at Big-Bone Lick. The bones of the fore-arm were
amongst those originally discovered in Virginia, and a young
radius was found in White Cave.t
* At a recent meeting of the Lyceum, Dr. Harlan informed the
Society, that the bones which he had described as from White Cave, he
had since ascertained to have been found in Big-Bone Cave, Tennessee.
This would reduce the known localities to three, unless we include the
Mummy Cave, mentioned by Mr. Rafinesque.
+ Or, according to Mr. Rafinesque, in the Mummy Cave near it. Atl.
Jour. vol. I. p. 28.
170 Fossil Bones of the Megalonyx.
The carpus is yet unknown. Of the metacarpus there are
three bones from Virginia, supposed to be of the fore, middle,
and third toes of the left fore-foot. ‘The same locality furnished
the three bones of the middle toe of the same foot; with the
middle and last phalanges of the third, and the last of the
second, with a rudimentary bone representing the fourth. The
three phalanges just received by the Lyceum belong, as we
have seen, to the right fore-foot.
Of the animals belonging to the same order, whose osteo-
logy is best known, the scapula of the Megalonyx most resem-
bles, as Dr. Harlan has pointed out, that of the Great Ant-
eater, which is itself very different from most of its kindred in
the form of this bone. ‘That of the Megalonyx wants the
ridge, so like a second spine, which distinguishes the scapula
of this Ant-eater. It has also the same foramen, in place of a
notch, near the anterior border, which is observed in several
others besides these, especially the Sloth and Megatherium.
In having perfect clavicles the Megalonyx resembled the
Megatherium, one species of Sloth, and one Myrmecophaga ;
but differs from others of the same families, the Ai having
merely imperfect clavicles; while the two species of Mawas,
the Orycteropus, and two Myrmecophage, have none at all.
The humerus of the Megalonyx is materially dissimilar from
the same bone in both the Sloths and the Megatherium, with
which genera it has been usual to confound this animal. It has
neither the excessive length and slenderness of that of the for-
mer, nor the short and massive form peculiar to this bone in
the latter, which it approaches in the great breadth and flatness
of the lower portion. It is much more like the humerus of the
Ant-eaters, and especially the Orycteropus, an animal from
which, in other particulars, it differs more perhaps than from
any other of this order. It is, as in this and other Edentata,
but excepting the Sloth and Megatherium, perforated below on
the side next the body.
In the bones of the fore-arm the Megalonyx partakes of the
characters of the Sloths and Ant-eaters: but shorter and stouter
Fossil Bones of the Megalonyz. 171
than the former, and with proportions more like the latter of
these animals.
The osteology of the fore-foot presents a combination of
characters drawn from the sloths, ant-eaters, and some species
of Armadillo, particularly the twelve-banded and the giant Ar-
madillo ; though Cuvier considers it to have resembled one of
these last more than any other. ‘The ungueal phalanges re-
semble those of the Sloths, but with a bony sheath, like that of
the Ant-eaters, open above on the back of the phalanx. In the
inequality of the fingers, and particularly the great relative size of
the medius, it is like the Armadilloes and Ant-eaters. Similar
affinities to all these animals may be traced in the other bones
composing the metacarpus and phalanges.
§$§§. Posterior Extremity.
Of this very little is known. Dr. Harlan describes* the
lower extremity of a femur, which, with a young tibia and a
calcaneum, were found in the White Cave. ‘There is likewise
a tibia of an adult individual, found at Big-Bone Lick. If my
conjecture is right, we have also a metatarsal from the same
place; and two phalanges of the hind foot, from White Cave.
But what is most extraordinary, and a fact of high interest to
the geologist especially, one of the claws, in excellent preser-
vation, was procured from the same cave.
From these portions it is, however, easy to detect no less dif-
ference between the hinder, than we have found to exist be-
tween the anterior extremities of the Sloth and the Megalonyx.
The tibia, in its average dimensions, is not much more than
twice as long as broad; and though it does not much resemble
any of the co-ordinate animals in this part, it comes nearest to
the Megatherium. The union of the tibia and fibula into one,
which takes place in the Megatherium and the Armadilloes, is
not found in the Megalonyx; or if they were slightly joined at
the upper extremities, the anchylosis was not so complete as
* Journal Acad. Nat. Sc. Phila. vol. VI.
172 Fossil Bones of the Megalonyz.
to prevent the two bones from being essentially distinct. In
the Megatherium found in Georgia they form but one, without
a trace of suture or any other indication of having been ever
separated at either extremity.
So little is known with certainty of the hind-foot, that we
cannot safely hazard any remarks upon it. On the whole, it
appears probable to me, that in the posterior extremity the
Megalonyx most resembled the Megatherium; except, perhaps,
in the foot. In the latter this member was furnished with only
one apparent toe, armed with an enormous claw. ‘The rudi-
ments of others were concealed beneath the skin.
In short, we find united in the Megalonyx, a head like that
of the Sloth, (az) a scapula like the Great Anit-cater’s, the hume-
rus of the Orycteropus, the fore-arm of the Ant-eaters, the feet
of an Armadillo, with a resemblance also to those of the Mega-
thervwm; while, in the hinder extremities, it presented a struc-
ture peculiar to itself. In size it far exceeded any species of
the same order now existing. ‘The humerus found at Big-
Bone Lick, when compared with the largest Bison’s, which
are common at that spot, indicated a much larger animal. It
must have been equal to the largest ox, though greatly inferior
to the ponderous bulk of the Megatherium.
It is evident, therefore, from this comparison, that the Mega-
lonyx formed one of a tribe of animals, in which are comprised
several distinct genera, with all of which it had many important
characteristics in common, but differed from each and all in so
many particulars, as to deserve, on every account, to consti-
tute an independent genus. ‘This was foreseen by Jefferson
when he proposed for it the name it still bears: and though
some naturalists have been disposed to consider it a species of
Bradypus, and others have declared it the same with the Mega-
thertum,* yet it can no longer, in the present state of zoology,
be included even in the same genus, without giving an unphi-
* Pander et d’Alton. Das Riese Faulthier.
Fossil Bones of the Megalonyz. 173
losophical latitude to the term. Even Cuvier, however, in the
latest edition of his great work,* speaks of these two animals as
belonging to one genus. But, though they seem to have had
a somewhat similar form of the head, and the same number of
teeth, yet the great differences which are obvious in these, at
the first view, in their kind, their form, and their structure,t
render such an union forced and incongruous.
The Megatherium and the Megalonyx have been found in
both North and South America. 'The former having been first
discovered in the southern continent, and the latter in the
northern, have become in a manner identified with these re-
spective localities, as peculiar to each of them; but they
appear, from what is now known, to have inhabited a region
extending for many degrees on each side of the equator.
* Ossem. Foss. v. p. 67.
+ See Ann. Lye. vol. I. p. 121. pl. viii.
On a new genus of Serpents, and two new species of the
genus Heterodon, nhabiting Tennessee. By Dr.G. Troost,
Professor of Chemastry and Natural History in the univer-
sity of Nashville, Tennessee.
Read April, 1833.
THE cultivator of Natural History, residing in large and
populous cities, surrounded by every thing that is artificial, if
not unnatural, and admiring nature in the contemplation merely
of a few stuffed skins of animals; or occupied in calculating,
from the inclination of the faces of small crystals, the height
and breadth of imperceptible, perhaps imaginary, molecules,
may easily conceive the delight he would enjoy, if placed, like
myself, amid the rich and varied stores of nature, in the luxu-
riant far west. Let it not therefore, surprise those, to whom I
am only known as a mineralogist, to see, from my pen, the
description of other productions of nature.
As yet but little is known of the natural history of this beau-
tiful and happy country; this is particularly the case with its
herpetology. I heard, during my rambles through Tennessee,
dreadful tales of various reptiles; of the dangerous bite of the
cotton-mouth, the moccason, the spreading adder, and many
other snakes.
The cotton-mouth snake, which, it seems, inhabits principally
in the western district, or that part of Tennessee which is situ-
ated between the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers, was_parti-
cularly dreaded. As these reptiles are known only by trivial
names, and as the same animal is known under various names
in different parts of the state, [ was always uncertain what
snake was spoken of, and endeavoured, therefore, to collect all
those that came in my way. My friends throughout the state
have also lent me their assistance. Iam indebted to the po-
liteness of Mr. Ruffin, one of the students of our university,
A new genus of Serpents, Sc: 175
and at present resident at La Grange, near Memphis, Tenn.
for the specimen of the cotton-mouth, from which this descrip-
tion is drawn up, and which was figured by Mr. Petit-colas
immediately after it was killed by spirit of wine; in which
delineation the colour and distinctive characters are perfectly
represented.
If we may consider the arrangement of the subcaudal plates
in connexion with other distinctive marks, as the generic cha-
racter, then the reptile under consideration, forms the type of
a new genus, and this idea is sanctioned by other naturalists.—
‘* La presence,”’ says Daudin, (tom. V. p. 23,) “ ou absence des
ecailles, des plaques et des double plaques sur la peau du corps
et de la queue doivent invariablement servir a l’etablissement
des genres, et leur nombres approximatives peut offrir quelque-
fois un moyen auxiliaire de distinguer les especes, etc.” Ne-
vertheless, although this arrangement of the subcaudal plates
be considered as the generic character, I have hesitated to
consider the animal under examination as belonging to a non-
descript genus, till I obtained another specimen, possessing all
the generic characters. This, by its habits, colours, and
arrangement of its colours, convinced me that it must form
another species of the same genus.
The general appearance of this genus is as follows:—A
strong, rather short, thick body, with a short cylindrical tail,
which terminates in a small horny point. The large size of
its head, and the smal] diameter of its neck, at the first glance
warn you of its dangerous character. In figure it resembles
much the crotalus; but its tail is not furnished with rattles, and
its head is covered with large plates as far as behind the eyes,
the back part being covered with small scales; and we have for
djagnosis, on which this genus is established—
Caput ovatum u corpore distinctum:
Apertura inier nares et oculos.
Tela venenifera.
Scuta ad basem caude.
Scutella sub apicem caude.
Vor. III. 23
176 A new genus of Serpents, ec.
I have named this genus AconTIAs.*
Sp. 1. Acontias LEUCOSTOMA.
White-mouthed Acontias, generally known by the name of
Cotton-mouthed Snake.
Caput erectum depressum. Apertura inter oculos et nares
in utroque latere. Scuta in vertice prolongata novem. Pos-
terlor pars capitis squamis ovatis sub-carinatis tecta. Supra
fuscus cum maculis irregulariter rhomboidalibus, colore nigro
fuscoque variegato, abdomine maculato griseo et fusco.
Scutis abdominalibus 135.
Scutis subcaudalibus ad basem 21.
Scutellis sub apicem caudee 21, quarum 4to, dto, et 6to,
sunt integra.
Squamis dorsalibus ovatis subcarinatis cum duobus punctis
flavis pseudo-metallicis ad basem.
Telis perforatis veneniferis duobus in maxilla superiore.
The total length is - - - - 26 inches.
Tail - “ - = 2 = 3%
Head 13%, of which the larger plates cover
Breadth of the head . - -
Diameter of the neck - - -
Tail a little more than 4 of its whole length.
The head is of an oval form, the upper lip forming an angle
of about 85 deg. with the upper part of the head, which is flat,
and separated from the lip by a distinct edge. The fore part
of the head, as is seen in the engraving, (plate V.) is covered
iH
aie colo ae
with nine large plates; the two foremost are quadrants of a
circle, the two next being irregular pentagons; the three suc-
ceeding, the middle one of which is a hexagon, having one
* Acontias, from oxovriag, a word used by Nicander and other ancients
for Snakes, is an unmeaning denomination, but is better than names de-
signating characters not applicable to the whole genus.
‘ A new genus of Serpents, §. 177
acute angle towards the back part of the head: and the two
side ones being irregular and more or less rounded, forming
the uppermost of the orbits, are followed by two larger plates,
which complete the number; having an irregular hexaedral
form, and reach a little farther than the middle of the head.—
The hind part is covered with carinated scales, similar to those
that cover the back. The upper lip is composed of twice
eight polygon plates, which are joined by a large irregular hex-
agonal plate with curvated edges: the second plate from the -
large hexagonal one forms one of the sides of the aperture
mentioned. The lower lip is composed of twice eleven plates,
which are joined in the front by a triangular one.
The upper part of the body and tail is covered with oval
scales, slightly carinated; having at the base, on each side of
the keel, a small point, which is hardly perceptible by the naked
eye; but when magnified, and kept in a certain position in.
regard to the light, reflects a yellow pseudo-metallic lustre,
while, in other directions, these points have the same colour that
the scales have.
In the individual from which this description is drawn up,
the poisonous perforated fangs were not visible, they being
entirely hidden by a muscular cover. When this cover was
removed with the scalpel, I found one curvated, perforated
fang on each side. The other teeth are small, and are pointed
backwards.
The colour of the upper part of the body is rather of an
umber or bistre brown, variegated with lighter shades; but of
which a better idea may be formed by examining the drawing.
The colour of the upper part of the head is mostly uniform
brown; not quite as dark as the body, but rather intermediate
between the darkest and the lightest part of the back.
A dark longitudinal spot runs from the eyes, and terminates
at the extremity of the os articulare of the lower jaw, running
side by side with the white border which surrounds the mouth.
The body is very irregularly marked—dark brown spots
running from one side to the other across the back; from the
178 A new genus of Serpents, Xe.
left side, for instance, in an oblique direction downwards, tll it
reaches the upper part of the back; from thence forwards, ou
the right side, also in an oblique direction, forming a kind of
chevron: the succeedinz spots are placed in a reversed posi-
tion, so that the legs of the two chevrons nearly meet, and the
light-coloured spot, which is inclosed in these two chevrons,
forms an irregular rhombus, the smaller diagonal running in
the direction of the spine, and having in the middle a dark spot.
There is also a dark spot in the triangular spots, which is form-
ed by the external sides of two rhombi and the abdominal
plates. The sides of these rhombi are not rectilinear, but run
in an irregular zigzag manner.
This arrangement of colour does not extend over the whole
body; the blackish or dark colour forming here and there
merely stripes, though, throughout the whole, the rhomboidal
tendency prevails. The upper surface of the tail is uniformly
black.
The colour of the lower part of the body is of a dirty white,
or gray, variegated with brownish black. ‘T'wo elongated
brown spots run from the sides of the lower lip over about one
fourth part of the head, while the middle of the head is of the
white colour before mentioned. About half way up the mouth
begins another brown spot, which runs somewhat in a curve ;
and becoming more and more light, is lost under the neck: by
which arrangement the borders of the upper and under lip
continue in a white elongated spot, which runs as far as the
extremity of the vs arteculare of the lower jaw; the middle of
the head being entirely white, while the triangular plate on the
tip of the lip is dark gray.
The distribution of the spots over the abdominal plates is
very irregular. The upper part of these plates, where they are
in contact with the scales, may be considered as blackish brown
with white spots, which originate at the scales and seldom reach
the middle of the belly—sometimes two plates being white,
sometimes three. In the middle of the body the white, or ra-
ther the gray, predominates: the dark spots are very large or
A new genus of Serpents, §e. 179
very small, but are separated in the middle by the gray colour,
which is irregularly punctuated with blackish brown points;
while the lower part of the abdomen, for about 3% inches, is
almost entirely black, having only here and there small white
spots in an irregular order: but every plate has two of them
running transversely across it. ‘The lower plate, which covers
the anus, and which is semi-circular, is more white, having a
triangular black spot towards the centre, and black points to-
wards the circumference. ‘The subcaudal plates are all black,
while the scutella are white; some entirely, others having black
spots at their base. ‘The abdominal plates are more or less
iridescent, reflecting, when seen in a certain position in regard
to the light, a sky-blue coleur.
From this description, it 1s evident that the Acontzas cannot
belong to any of the established genera. From the Cenchris,
Daud. it is distinguished by the arrangement of the subcaudal
plates, and the aperture between the nostrils and the eye—
According to Daudin the double subcaudal plates in the Cen-
chris are at the base of the tail; the reverse is found in our
reptile. Also the arrangement of the plates at the head is dif-
ferent in the Cenchris. The figure given by the author, men-
tioned above, and concerning which he says, ‘‘ que j’av fart
peundre avec une grande exactitude, et sous mes yeux,” (tom. v.
p- 31) does not resemble the Acontias. In the Cenchris the
large plates of the head terminate in two large plates. I wish
to make the difference between the Cenchris mokeson of Daud.
and our new genus evident, because the following species is
known in the west by the name of highland moccason.
The aperture between the nostrils and eyes assimilate the
Acontias to the genus Crotalus; but the arrangement of the
subcaudal plates and the rattles at the tail are sufficient to dis-
tinguish them from each other.
The arrangement of the subcaudal plates seems to be the
same in the Hurria; but that genus has no venomous fangs,
and differs in several other respects.
180 A new genus of Serpents, §e.
The aperture already mentioned between the eyes and nos-
trils would assimilate it to the genus T'rigonocephalus of Oppel,
but in that case we should disregard the arrangement of the
plates altogether. His Tr:gonocephalus ammodytes has, accord-
ing to Daudin, only subcaudal scuta. I have never seen the
T. lanceolatus nor T’. tigrinus of Oppel; but I am very fami-
liar with one which, Oppel says, must belong to his genus Tri-
conocephalus. Speaking of the Heterodon of Palisot de Beau-
yois, which has no venomous fangs, and has the subcaudal
plates exactly as the genus Coluber, he says, “‘ce genre paroit,
de preference sur tout les autres, etre essentiellement caracterisé ;
jene hasardirar cependant point d’en decider absolument, n’ayant
jamais pu parvenir a en vorr un indwidu; mai jar trouvé
dans la collection de Paris une espece qui repondoit entiere-
ment, tant a la description, qua la figure, mais ce seroit pour
lors un trigonocephalus mihi, et on aurait mal defini les deux
dents venimeuses tres avancées.”’
270.) If the description of the Heterodon can be made appli-
cable to an individual which is a Trigonocephalus, then cer-
(Annal. du Mus. tom. xvi. p.
tainly the Acontias mzhz cannot be a Trigonocephalus.
The AconTIAs LEUCosToMA is always found near, or in
water, and in swampy places. I do not know whether it occurs
in any other part than the western district of Tennessee. It is
not as peaceable as the rattlesnake, whieh does not bite except
when irritated, and in self-defence, or to procure food; but the
A. leucostoma attacks every thing that comes within its reach,
putting itself in an erect posture, with its mouth wide open;
which being white, and the outside of the head brown, looks
like a pod of cotton newly opened; from which circumstance
it has obtained the name of cotton-mouth snake. Its bite is
considered dangerous, nevertheless it is often cured. The
Indian, when bitten by a cotton-mouth, abandons all hope of
recovering—rolls himself up in his blanket, and lies down and
dies.
A new genus of Serpents, §e. 18
Sp. Il. AconTras ATRO-FUSCUS:
Blackish brown Acontias.
Vulgarly called Highland Moccason. As I have already
mentioned, different names are given to the same animal, so
the, present species is also called copper-head and pilot—while
these names are given also to other poisonous snakes.
Caput ovatum depressum. Apertura inter oculos et nares
in utroque latere. Scuta in vertice prolongata novem ; poste-
rior pars capitis squamis hexagonis non carinatis tecta. Supra,
colore nigro tum maculis atrofuscis variegato. Abdomine albo:
cum nigris maculis. Cauda nigra.
Telis veneniferis perforatis conspicuis quatuor.
Scutis abdominalibus 133.
Scutis subcaudalibus ad basem 25.
Scutellis sub apicem caude 18.
Squamis dorsalibus ovatis carinatis cum duobus punctis ad.
basem.
Total length = viet santé - 25 inches.-
Tail - . - - - - 34
Head 13, of which the large plates cover
Breadth of the head - - - - 13.
Diameter of the neck - - 4
Anus transversal simple.
Tongue long, slender, and forked.
Circumference of the thickest part of the body 43 inch.
The thickness-of the body diminishes abruptly at the tail,
which is short, cylindrical, slender, and terminates in a small,
horny point:
The form of the head is pretty much the same as that of the
preceding species: it is also covered with the same number
of plates, and, in figure and arrangement, similar to those that
cover the head of the Leucostoma; but the small scales, which
cover the back part of the head, are of an irregular hexagonal
182 A new genus of Serpents, §.
form, not carinated; whereas the small scales, which cover the
back part of the head of the preceding species, are of the same
form as those that cover the body.
The mouth is furnished with four strong poisonous fangs,
two on each upper jaw, which are very conspicuous. In this
respect it differs also from the Leucostoma; in which the poi-
sonous fangs were only two, and these were small.
In this species also the apertures between the eyes and nos-
trils are found; which, in fact, forms one of the generic cha-
racters.
The scales on the body are elongated, oval, and more deeply
carinated than in the preceding, and have similar small points
at their base; which are here merely round cicatrices, and have
not the pseudo-metallic luster of the Leucostema.
The colour of the upper part of the body must be considered
as black, variegated with brown spots, which are not of an
uniform shade, but pass from dark into a lighter colour: they
are irregularly scattered over the body; nevertheless, they
exhibit a tendency to run from one side towards the other, wi-
dening towards the back. The light spots are composed of
smoky gray, passing into blackish brown, exhibiting all the inter-
mediate shades between these two colours: they are rather
small stripes, of the breadth of from two to four scales, and dis-
appear near the tail altogether, which is entirely black, having
only four small white points, which are probably accidental.
The upper part of the head is black, bordered with gray,
which becomes white behind the eyes. A dark longitudinal
spot runs from the eyes, and terminates near the tympan bones.
The upper lip is white, terminating near the tip in gray.
The lower part of the body is also irregularly spotted with
black and a dirty white. The white colour predominates, from
the head backwards, beyond the middle of the body, where
the black gradually increases as far as the tail, which, as hes
been mentioned, is entirely black. The white is punctuated
with black over the whole of the lower part of the body. The
under nart of the heed is also irregularly marked with black
A new genus of Serpents, §es 183
and white, the white predominating; but the lower lip has
three white spots, the tip being gray.
The habits of this reptile differ much from those of the pre-
ceding species. It is always found on dry high land, in the
pine barrens and similar places, never in water or swamps 3
and is therefore known, amongst the inhabitants, by the name
of Highland Moccason, It is a very vicious animal, and its
bite is very dangerous. General Robertson, one of the first
settlers and founders of Nashville, was bitten both by a rattle-
snake and a highland moccason; and, according to the state-
ment of his son, Dr. F. Robertson, the pain or wound of the
latter was more excruciating than that of the former.
The name of Moccason is applied to several snakes. The
one described by Daudin, under the name of Cenchris Moke
son, must be a different animal. The one known by the name
of Water Moccason is a harmless reptile, and belongs to the
genus Coluber. ‘The same name is sometimes given to the
Heterodon.
There is another reptile, also called Water Moccason, which
I have often seen, but have never been able to obtain, as it
lives mostly in water, and is visible only when it suns itself,
and retires immediately into the water when approached.—
From the shape of this snake, it being short and thick, with a
large head, and having a rusty black colour, I believe it to be
poisonous.
The A. atro-fuscus occurs in several places in 'Tennessee«
For the one from which this description is drawn up, J am in-
debted to the politeness of Mr. Skipwith, who found it in
Maury county, Tenn.
ma
Heteropon, Palisot de Beauvois.
Tt seems as yet undecided whether Heterodon should be con=
sidered as a genus, or merely a species of Coluber. 'The diag-
nosis given by Daudin is only partly correct.—‘‘ Naso sub-
Vou. III. 24
184 A new genus of Serpents, ¥c-
erecto, elato, antice acuto supra carinato ; dentibus duabus lon=
gioribus et simplicibus in utroque latere mazxilleé swperioris :
Cauda #7.” said that this diagnosis is only partly correct.
The long teeth mentioned here are not two, but four in num-
ber: and besides the teeth, the skeleton of the head differs in
several particulars from that of the Coluber. And these cha-
racters are permanent in three different species, in case we
consider Heterodon asa genus; if it form a species of Colu-
ber, they must be considered as varieties.
Desirous to see what occasioned this singular shape of head,
and also to convince myself of the absence of the venomous
fangs, I dissected several heads; and not only found that the
above-mentioned teeth amounted to four, but that the whole
bony structure differed from that of the Coluber.
The dimensions of the different bones which compose the
head of the Heterodon differ much from those of the other ge-
nera of this order of animals. The following are the compa-
rative dimensions of the corresponding parts of the head of @
Heterodon of the size of the one which has been described in
this paper, and a Coluber of between six and seven feet long.
Heterodon. Coluber.
INCHES.
PL Gs amide ain atacaliy a aaa 10 2
From the extremity of the parietal bone
to the extremity of the intermaxillary,
or the tip of the muzzle - - I
Os articulare joined to the os dentale of
the lower jaw Snap: 6 - ts 13
From the tip of the muzzle to the occiput 3} 135
From the extremities of the posterior os
frontis, across the head, giving the
breadths of the same - . 4 3
We see, in these proportions, the remarkable length of the
zympana, in proportion to the dimensions of the other bones:
they are of the same length of the whole head, from the extre-
mity of the parietal bone to the tip of the muzzle, both being
A new genus of Serpents, §c. 185
;{, of an inch; and of course the animal, when irritated, extends
its tympana, which then form a right angle with a line drawn
from the intermaxillaries towards the occiput; which enables it
{adding something for the deviation of the ossa mastoidea) to
give an extension to its head of almost three times the length
of the head. (Twice {4 of an inch, the length of the two tym-
pana, and } an inch, the width of the head = 1,9, ef an inch.)
The head is almost translucent when the animal is enraged.
Though the Celuber has the power of extending its head
when irritated, it cannot do it to the same extent; its tympana
are only half as long as its head, besides its occipital bone is
long, so that the flattening of the head is not great.
With regard to the large teeth mentioned by Palisot de
Beauvois, the number of which, according to that naturalist, is
two, I have to remark, that, in the specimen which I dissected,
four large conical teeth were found. ‘They are hollow, though
not perforated at the apex ; more or less curvated, and some-
what moveable; and if not carefully handled during dissection,
they become entirely loose, being only attached to the ptery-
goidea interna by a sinew which fills the hollow of the tooth.
I believe this serpent makes use of them to work the large ani-
mals, which it takes for food, into its stomach. I found in the
stomach of the one I dissected, the hind legs of one of our
common toads, which was three inches long; so that the whole
toad must of course have been about six inches in length.—
This animal went through the mouth of a head not longer than
one inch!
I found in the state of Tennessee three distinct species. The
first, and which occurs most frequently, is black, and generally
the largest, is found over the whole state. The second is
variegated, black, with orange transversal stripes. It is not
quite as large as the black species, and is found in the western
district of Tennessee. ‘The third, which is the smallest, is
variegated with black and yellowish gray, or bright mulatto
colour. I have found this snake in Davidson and Maury
counties, in Tennessee.
186 A new genus of Serpents, Se.
1. Hertreropon nicer. P. de Beau.*
Hognose Snake, Spreading Adder.
Abdominal scuta, from 135 to 146.
Subcaudal scutella, from 52 to 55.
Whole length 34 to 36 inches.
Of which the tail is 53 to 54 inch.
Head, to the extremity of os articulare 1} inch.
Of which the larger plates cover =, inch.
The head is nearly of the same diameter with the neck ; so
that when we are not acquainted with the skeleton of the head
we cannot determine where the head terminates and the neck
commences, but the skeleton shows that the head terminates
with the large plates; so that, in the individual, the dimensions
of which have been given, the os occipitis lies exactly under
the posterior edge of the plates; and the head being about an
inch, and the tympana half an inch long, the latter projects half
an inch behind the former.
The head is covered with ten plates. The upper lip, or tip
of the muzzle, is flat, erect, running, keel-shaped, backwards ;
upon which follows a small elongated oval plate, forming, with
the keel mentioned, an irregular tetrahedron. The two first
plates, having an irregular triangular form, are placed on each
side of this tetrahedron: they constitute part of the edge of the
nostrils, and join to the three following; of which the middle
one is the small oval plate already mentioned; and the two
side ones, having a very irregular trapezoidal form, compose
the upper edge of the nostrils, and extend as far as the upper
part of the small oval plate. Next follow two large irregular
* As all the descriptions which have come under my observation are
very incorrect, and in many parts deficient, particularly in the description
of the head, which also is badly represented by Daudin, (pl. ux, fig. 28)
T suppose a more correct description will be acceptable to the herpetolo-
gist who does not inhabit the places where these reptiles are found,
A new genus of Serpents, §c. 187
shaped plates, bending much down towards the orbits, and ter-
minating in an obtuse angle, they form together a zigzag line,
in which are placed three large plates; the middle one being a
hexagon, broad below and narrow above: the two side ones
form the upper edge of the orbits, and resemble somewhat the
middle one in an inverted position ; and one of the angles, where
it forms part of the orbit, is truncated. The two following
plates, which terminate the number, fit in a less regular zigzag
line, formed by the three hexagons, and, both combined, forma
half circle, reaching to about the occiput of 3% of an inch behind
the eyes. ‘The eyes, besides the plate which forms the upper
edge, are surrounded by ten trapezoidal, or rather cuneiform
plates. The lips are covered with twice eight plates, which
increase in size towards the back part of the mouth: the lower
lip is covered with twice ten plates, increasing in size in a con-
trary direction.
The whole snake is rather thick; the circumference of the
one of which the dimensions are given being rather more than
four inches.
The dorsal scales are very long, oval, and slightly carinated.
The colour above is uniformly black ; below the head it is
yellowish white ; the abdomen gray, or bluish white.
It is generally known under the name of Spreading Adder,
and is much dreaded. ‘Though quite harmless, the Heterodon
is a vicious snake: and when it perceives that it cannot escape
its antagonist by running, it then prepares for battle, makes a
very hissing noise, and flattens its head more than any other
snake, then darts at any thing presented to it. But when a
little roughly handled, even without hurting it, as pushing it
with a stick a few times from one place to another, it will feign
to be dead. In such state I carried for some time the first that
I met with, imagining that it was really dead; but when I
arrived at my lodging I laid my snake down, to prepare a bottle
to put itin; when, lo! after a few minutes, it made its escape,
and I had difficulty to find it.
188 A new genus of Serpents, Sc.
One of those that I dissected was a female: she had 140
abdominal plates; and I found in her 25 eggs, of an oval shape,
three quarters of an inch long, without calcareous cover.
Sp. Il. HeEtTERopon aNnNULATUS.
Heterodon annulatus; annulis latis et alternatim nigris et
aurantiis dispositis.
Scutis abdominalibus. —- - 138.
Scutellis subcaudalibus - - 43.
Total length - - - - 293 inches.
Tail. - - - - - - 43
Head 13 in. of which the large plates occupy 34
The form of the dorsal scales is similar to those of the H.
niger.
The general form of the H. annulatus coincides pretty much
with that of the H. nzger, but is rather more slender. The dis-
position of the plates on the head, and the form of the scales
covering the back part of the head, are also similar to those of
the preceding.
The body is regularly surrounded with black and orange
rings. The head is perfectly black; and immediately behind
it is the first orange ring, which continues alternating with black
rings, till the very extremity of the tail, forming 31 orange and
30 black rings; which nevertheless do not surround the whole
body, but run only from one side of the abdominal plates towards
the other. Below it is yellowish white.
I found this reptile in Perry county, in the western district,
Tenn. Iam not acquainted with its habits, but I suppose it
frequents, in preference, swampy places; such was the place
where I found it. ‘The inhabitants told me that it was not un-
common, they also called it Moccason.
A new genus of Serpents, Se. 189
Sp. II. HertERopon TIcRINUs.
Heterodon tigrinus. Colore cinereo cum maculis ovatis ni-
gris dorsalibus, aliisque maculis rotundis et nigris in utroque
latere.
Scutis abdominalibus = = - 133.
Scutellis subcaudalibus - §2.
Total length . - - - 16} inches.
Tail - - = “ - 91
5
Head 1 inch, of which the large plates cover 3
The form of the dorsal scales, and the plates on the head, is
similar to that of the two preceding species; also the general
appearance is pretty much like the H. niger and H. annulatus,
but it differs much in size. I never saw any specimen longer
than 16% inches; all that I have seen were shorter.
This species is very beautifully variegated: the generality
of the colours is black and ash gray: which is, in the young
ones, light, and in the old ones dark, approaching to brown.
A black stripe, commencing atthe corner of the mouth, runs
in an oblique direction over the eye to above the little oval
plate; where, crossing the head, it runs over the other eye to
the other corner of the mouth, forming a figure approaching to
that of the horse-shoe. ‘Two black spots run from the two,
terminating large plates, diverging at first, but afterwards they
approach one another again. At the point where they are the
farthest apart is an elongated oval spot. These spots are re-
peated over the whole body ; they are about 3, of an inch long,
and are of an inch apart. On each side is a row of smaller
circular black spots, placed below the intervals between the
oval ones: this arrangement continues on to the tail, on which
the same colours are arranged in regular bands.
The lower part is yellowish white under the head, gray under
the body, and white under the tail.
190 A new genus of Serpents, Sc.
I found one near my dwelling, near the University of Nash-
ville; and I received another from Mr. Skipwith, Maury co.
Tenn. it was considered by him as a Highland Moccason.
The H. tigrinus and annulatus are both of rare occurrence.
I have amongst my reptiles, collected in Tennessee, several
Colubers, which are not mentioned by those whose writings on
these animals have come under my perusal; these I intend to
describe in a continuation of this memoir.
Note by the Author.—Having inadvertently employed the name
Acontias, which is preoccupied, I request the reader to substitute
Toxicophis in place of it.
A Monocrapu of the North American species of
Ruyncuospora. By Asa Gray, M.D.
Read December, 1834.
The natural order CypERAcE# has, in proportion to the
number of species it comprises, been less carefully studied than
any other family of phenogamous plants. Notwithstanding the
researches of R. Brown, Kunth, Nees von Esenbeck, &c.
who have illustrated particular portions of this family, the distine-
tive characters of the genera are, in many cases, highly unsatis-
factory, and the determination of species is frequently difficult.
The whole order requires an elaborate revision by some com-
petent person, who can consult the principal herbaria of pre-
ceding botanists, as well as many important works, which, from
their great cost or extreme scarcity, are inaccessible to us.—
But the plants of any single country may be most advanta-
geously studied by a botanist who is familiar with them in their
native situations, and who has opportunities of examining and
comparing with each other numerous specimens from various
localities.
A. person who in this way confines his attention, for a time
at least, to the critical examination of a single genus or family
of plants, and who carefully records the facts which he ob-
serves, may furnish important materials to those who, with
more ample means, are to succeed him in the same field; and
thus contribute, in some degree, to the advancement of the
cause of science.
The following account of the North American species of
Rhynchospora has been prepared under circumstances highly
favourable for arriving at correct results. With a_ liberality
which does honour to the cause in which they are engaged, my
botanical friends have placed their collections at my disposal
Vou. Il. 25
192 Monograph of North American Rhynchospore.
or permitted me to examine them ; and have, in various ways,
favoured me with important assistance.
To the kindness of Abraham Halsey, Esq. I am indebted for
the drawings of the fruit, &c. of all the species which are de-
scribed in this paper. My acknowledgments are also especially
due to Professor Torrey ; who has, with great liberality, placed
in my hands his entire collection in this genus, together with
some interesting notes upon the specimens contained in the
herbarium of Michaux, at the Garden of Plants in Paris; anda
suite of the spikelets and flowers of most of the species described
by that author, taken, by the kind permission of the curators,
from his original specimens. By the aid of these specimens
and notes, I have been enabled to determine, with entire satis-
faction, all the species described in the Flora Boreali-Ameri-
cana of Michaux.
The herbarium of Professor Torrey is also especially rich in
specimens from the southern states, communicated by the late
Mr. Elliott, the late Rev. Mr. Schweinitz, Dr. T. R. Ingalls,
of New Orleans, Rev. Moses A. Curtis, of Wilmington, North
Carolina, &c.
Iam also under obligations to Dr. Charles Pickering, prinei-
pal curator of the Academy of Natural Sciences at Philadel-
phia, for the opportunity of examining the herbarium of the late
excellent Mr. Schweinitz, now in the possession of that insti-
tution. I also had the privilege of examining a very extensive
and interesting collection in this genus, made in Georgia and
Florida by the late Dr. Baldwin of the United States navy and
army: a suite of which, with the original labels, now forms a
part of that herbarium.* Major J. Le Conte had the kindness
to allow me to examine a fine collection made by himself in
Georgia and South Carolina.
* Since this paper was prepared for the press I have had the oppor-
tunity of consulting the manuscripts and original herbarium of Dr. Bald-
win, now in the possession of Dr. Torrey. Among his papers we find
detailed descriptions of all the species of Rhynchospora which his her-
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 198
By far the greatest number of the species of Rhynchospora
are natives of America. The Systema Vegetabilium of Spren-
gel, the latest enumeration I have seen, comprises 38 species,
exclusive of 5 species of Carpha of R. Brown, which are by
Sprengel referred to this genus. To these we may add 5
species from Roemer and Schultes, Mantissa, vol. II. which
increases the number of species to 43. Of these, 30 are na-
tives of America, 6 of New Holland, 4 of the East Indies, 1 of
the Cape of Good Hope, and 2 are common both to Europe
and North America.
In Willdenow’s Species Plantarum two species of Rhyn-
chospora are described as natives of North America, viz. Sche-
nus glomeratus and cymosus. Lamarck, in the first volume of
his illustrations of the Genera of Plants, published in 1791, has
imperfectly characterized three species, which were collected
in Carolina and Florida by Mr. Fraser. Two of these can be
satisfactorily determined, and to these the specific names of
Lamarck must be restored, to the exclusion of those conferred
by later authors. Michaux, in the Flora Boreali- Americana,
has enumerated nine species, and they are, for the most part,
very accurately described. The Descriptio Uberior Grami-
num of Muhlenberg, contains ‘detailed descriptions of thirteen
species of this genus. Specimens of many of these, however,
do not exist in his herbarium; and those which have a place
there are in such a state of confusion, (there being often three
or four species with a single label) that little information is to
be obtained by consulting it.
The species of Schcenus with hypogynous bristles and a
sub-articulated tubercle were separated to form the genus
Rhynchospora, by Vahl, in the second volume of his Enume-
barium comprises. It appears that he had paid much attention to this ge-
nus and to the Cyperacee in general, and many of his observations are
valuable.
I have adopted the specific names proposed by Dr. Baldwin, except
in cases where they have been previously applied to other species, or are
for some other reason objectionable.
194 Monograph of North American Rhynchospore.
ratio Plantarum, which was published in the year 1806. His
specific characters are drawn almost exclusively from the culm,
leaves, and inflorescence—characters of minor consequence—
to the exclusion of the much more eligible and important
ones which are furnished by the spikelets, bristles, and fruit.
Consequently, there remain some doubts as to the synonymy
of Vahl, which can only be removed by the examination of his
original specimens.
Pursh appears not to have studied this genus with care. In
the Flora Americe Septentrionalis ten species are enumerated,
and the specific characters of Vahl are quoted without altera-
tion.
The late Mr. Elliott, in the Botany of South Carolina and
Georgia, has described thirteen species of Ithynchospora. Al+
though the synonymy is often inaccurate, yet his detailed de-
scriptions are so far correct, that we have little difficulty in de-
termining the plants to which they are intended to apply. In
a few cases, moreover, I have had the opportunity of examin-
ing authentic specimens, labelled by Mr. Elhott, and by him
communicated to Dr. ‘Torrey.
RHYNCHOSPORA. Vahl.
Spicus pauciflore ; glumis undique imbricatis, inferioribus
vacuis. Seta hypogyne plerumque sex. Nux indurata, basi
styli persistente subarticulata.
Vahl, Enum. Ul. p. 229. R. Brown, Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl.
I. p. 229. Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 1. p. 24. Nuttall, Gen. N.
Am. pl. I. p. 33. Ramer et Schultes, Syst. Veg. I. p. 2.—
Elliott, Bot. S. Car. et Georg. I. p.57. Torrey, Fl. N. et M.
Un. St. Am. 1.p. 54. Sprengel, Syst. Veg. 1. p. 129. Nees
von Esenbeck, Cyp. Ind. in Wight. Contrib. Bot. India.
Scueent species, Linn. Gen. Pl. 92. Willd. Sp. Pl. I. p.
259. Lamarck, Il. Gen. I. p. 185. Michaux, Fl. Bor. Am.
I. p. 34. Persoon, Syn. Pl. 1. p.58. Muhlenberg, Gram. p.4_
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 195
Cuztospora, Humboldt, Bonpland, and Kunth, Synop. Pl.
AEquinoc. Orb. Nov. 1. p. 158.
Orv. Nat. Cypreraces, I. Brown, De Cand., Agardh,
Bartling, etc. CypEroweE, Juss. Cauamarim, Linn. In
Syst. Sex. Trranpria MonoGynia.
Culms mostly simple, triangular or subterete, leafy. Inflo-
rescence corymbose, paniculate or fasciculate, rarely capitate.
Corymbs one or several, terminal or lateral, mostly single,
but sometimes 2 or 3 emerging from the same sheath.
Sprkelets ovate or lanceolate, few-flowered.
Glumes (bractee, Lindl. ; bracteole, Bartl.; squame, R.
Brown,) loosely imbricated on every side, one-nerved, cuspi-
date ;, the inferior ones shorter and empty. Wd
Perianthium,* (R. Brown, Bartling,) (prolongations of the
torus, De Cand.+) composed of a definite number of hypogy-
nous bristles. Bristles 5—12, but for the most part 6, in two
series: the 3 outer ones opposite to, and the 3 inner ones al-
ternate with, the stamens, plumose or denticulate-hispid; the
hispidness directed either upward or downward.
Stamens 3; rarely 2, 6, or 12... Fvlamenis broad and flat.
Anthers linear, exserted.
Style 1, bifid (rarely entire), dilated at the base.
Nut (R. Brown) (seed, Linn. ; caryopsis, Spreng.; akenium,
Kunth,) crustaceous, ovate, obovate or rotund, lenticular or
subglobose ; often attenuated at the base, crowned and sub-
articulated with the indurated, persistent base of the style, or
* « Perianthium nullum vel setosum, rariusve membranaceum 1—3
valve.” R. Brown, Prodr. Fl. F. Holl. (in charac. famil. Cyperac.)
L.‘poei2.
t ‘‘ Le torus se prolonge quelque fois autour du fruit, ou sous forme
d’écailles petaloides distinctes, comme dans l’ancolie; ou des filets pili-
formes, comme dans plusieurs cyperacées.”” De Cand. Organogr. Veg.
LN Ae ngtes
196 Monograph of North American Rhynchospore.
(as in R. lava and R. macrostachya) with the whole style in-
durated and persistent.
Seed ovate or globose, not adhering to the pericarp.
* Nut rugose.
1. Ruyncnospora cymosa, Nutt.
R. culmo triquetro; corymbis subcymosis, terminalibus axilla-
ribusque ; spiculis ovatis, glomeratis ; nuce orbiculato-obo-
vata, subcompressa, transversim undulato-rugulosa, setis sur-
sum hispidulis longiori; tuberculo brevi conico.
R. cymosa, Nuit. Gen. I. p. 33. Ram. et Schult. Mant. Il. p.
47. Torrey, Fl. I. p. 56. (excl. syn. Elliott and Pursh).
Scheenus cymosus, Willd. Sp. Pl. I. p. 265. Muhl.! Gram.
p- 9.
Culm 1—2 feet high, smooth, acutely triangular. Leaves 2—3 lines
wide, glabrous ; the radical ones somewhat crowded, the upper cauline
ones often overtopping the culm. Sheathes striate. Corymbs 3—4,
somewhat densely flowered ; the terminal ones largest, the lateral
ones on short, exsert peduncles. Spikelets aggregate in fives (in
threes, Willd.) on the ultimate division of the corymbs. Glumes fus-
cous; the inferior ones sub-orbicular, emarginate, mucronate; the
interior ones ovate. Bristles 6, a little more than one half the length
of the nut, slightly hispid upward. Stamens 3. Style bifid. Nut*
a line in length, compressed or somewhat tumid. Tubercle (the per-
sistent base of the style) depressed conic, about one-fourth the length
of the nut.
Has. New Jersey to Louisiana ; July—August. Near Prince-
ton, New Jersey, Torrey ; Pamunkey, Maryland, Dr. Rob-
bins ; Charleston, 8. Carolina, B. D. Greene, Esq. ; Georgia,
Le Conte; New Orleans, Dr. Ingalls ; Middle Florida,
Dr. Chapman.
* When the nut is compared with any other part, or its length referr-
ed to, the tubercle is always excluded.
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 197
Oss. R. cymosa of Elliott is described as having a terete
culm anda smooth nut. His plant is most probably Scha-
nus fascicularis of Michaux.
2, RuyncuosporaA TORREYANA.
R. culmo gracili, subtereti ; foliis setaceis ; paniculis corymbo-
sis, subsparsifloris ; spiculis ovatis, plerumque pedicellatis ;
nuce elliptico-obovata, compressa, transversim rugosa, setis
sursum hispidulis longiori ; tuberculo compresso-conico, basi
latitudine nucis.
R. micrantha, Gray, Gram. et Cyp. I. no. 96, (excl. syn.)
Culms cespitose, 1—3 feet high, striate, subterete and with the leaves
glabrous. Radical leaves 6—8 inches long, narrow and rigid ; cauline
ones much shorter, setaceous. Panicles 1—3, corymbose, somewhat
loosely flowered, on short peduncles. Spikelets ovate, mostly pedi-
cellate. Glumes fuscous, ovate, mucronate. Bristles 6, hispid up-
ward, one-half to two-thirds the length of the nut. Stamens 3. Nut
exceeding a line in length, oblong-ovate, very evenly transversely ru-
gose, with minute longitudinal strie. T'whercle compressed conic,
very broad at the base, scarcely one-third the length of the nut.
Has. Monmouth county, New Jersey, Torrey; also in wet
ground, near Quaker Bridge, New Jersey. July—August.
Ozs. In its nut and bristles this species approaches R. rari-
flora, but its habit is widely different.
3. RHYNCHOSPORA RARIFLORA, E//,
R. culmis cespitosis foliisque setaceis; paniculis simplicibus,
paucifloris 5 spiculis ovatis ; nuce obovata, compressa, trans-
versim rugosa, setis sursum hispidulis longiori; tuberculo
compresso-conico.
R. rariflora, Elliott, Bot. S. Car. et Georg. 1. p. 58. (excl. syn.)
Scheenus rariflorus, Miche. Fl. I. p. 36. et Herb.! Pers. Syn.
I. p. 60. Muhl. Gram. p. 10.
198 Monograph of North American Rhynchospore.
Culms ‘capillary, 6—12 (rarely 15) inches high. Leaves setaceous,
shorter than the culm. Panicles sub-corymbose, nearly simple.
Spikelets few, (83—8) ovate, all pedicelled. Glumes ovate, mucro-
nate, fuscous. Bristles 6, very fragile so that the whole number is
seldom seen when the fruit is mature, minutely hispid upward, va-
riable in length, but always shorter than the nut. Stamens 3. Style
bifid. Nut obovate, deeply rugose, crowned with a compressed conic
tubercle scarcely half the length of the nut.
Has. S. Carolina and Georgia, Elliott and Dr. Baldwin ;
Louisiana, Dr. Ingalls ; Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman.
Oss. This plant was erroneously referred by Vahl, (Enum.
I. p. 231.) to his J. micrantha, from the West Indies, a
species nearly allied to ours, but which differs in the length
of its bristles and tubercle. There is no specimen of Scha-
nus rarilorus in Muhlenberg’s Herbarium.
4. RuyNCHOSPORA MILIACEA.
R. culmo triquetro, folioso; paniculis axillaribus terminali-
busque, ramis divergentibus, laxe multifloris ; spiculis turgi-
do-ovatis, omnibus pedicellatis; nuce globuloso-obovata,
transversim rugulosa, setis sursum hispidulis 4 breviore ;
tuberculo brevissimo, depresso-conico.
Scheenus miliaceus, Lamarck, Ill. Gen. (1791) I. p. 137.
S. sparsus, Michx. Fi. 1. p. 35. Muhl.! Gram. p. 7.
Rhynchospora sparsa, Vahl, Enum. Il. p.230. Pursh. FI. 1.
p- 48. Ram. et Schult. Syst. Veg. Il. p. 83, et Mant. II.
p. 45. Elliott, Bot. S. Car. et Georg. I. p. 62. tab. I. Tor-
rey, Fl. I. p. 56. Spreng. Syst. Veg. I. p. 195.
Whole plant smooth and somewhat glaucous. Culm 2 feet high, trian-
gular, fistulous, very leafy below. Lower leaves linear lanceolate,
8—10 inches long, 3—4 lines wide; the upper ones 2—3 inches in
length, linear. Panicles corymbose, compound, diffuse, 5—7, on sub-
exsert peduncles. Spikelets ovate, turgid, (“+ vix magnitudine seminis
mili,” Rem. et Schult.) borne on slender pedicels i—} an inch in
length ; each spikelet perfecting 4—6 nuts. Glumes fuscous, very ca-
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 199
ducous, ovate, carinate. Bristles 6, about one third longer than the
nut, (twice as long as the seed, Hil. sete nonnulle, Ram. et Schult.)
somewhat caducous, hispid upward. ‘Style bifid. Nut about half a
line in length, tumidly obovate or ovate, crowned with a depressed-
conic tubercle, scarcely one-fourth its length.
Has. ‘ Wet soils, in pine barrens generally,” Elliott ; New
Bern, North Carolina, Mr. Moses A. Curtis; Georgia, Le
Conte; New Orleans, T.. Drummond; Middle Florida, Dr.
Chapman.
‘Ops. ‘This species is also a native of Puerto Rico, where it
was collected by Bertero; fide Ram. et Schult. Mant. l. c.
_ I have adopted the specific name of Lamarck on account of
its priority.
5. Ruyncuospora capuca, Ell.
R. culmo triquetro; paniculis axillaribus terminalibusque, erec-
tis; spiculis ovatis ; nuce orbiculato-ovata, paululum plano-
convexa, transversim rugulosa, basi subattenuata, tubercu-
lum excedente, setis sursum hispidis subduplo breviore.
R. caduca, Elliott, Bot. S. Car. § Georg. 1. p. 62. Rem. &
Schult. Mant. Il. p. 51. Spreng. Syst. Veg. I. p. 196.
Culm acutely triangular, 1—2 feet high. eaves broad-linear, 2—3
lines wide, glabrous. Panicles corymbose with the flowers some-
what crowded, on peduncles twice as long as the sheaths. Spikelets
ovate, acute, nearly twice as large as in #’. cymosa, pedicellate or ses-
sile. Glumes caducous ; exterior bones broad-ovate, carinate, with a
short mucro; the interior ones longest, acute. Bristles 6, twice the
length of the nut, hispid upward. Stamens 3. Style long, slightly
bifid. Nut a line in length, somewhat plano-convex, crowned witha
compressed-conic tubercle, nearly one-third its length.
Has. In wet soils, Charleston, S. Carolina, Elliott ; Wil-
mington, North Carolina, Mr. Curtis; St. John’s, Florida,
Dr. Baldwin. .
Oss. ‘“ This species is nearly allied to R. sparsa, (R. milia-
cea, nob.) from which it differs in having its spikelets larger,
Vou. III. 26
200 Monograph of North American Rhynchospore.
clustered, and its panicle rather appressed than diffused.
It is also remarkable for the facility with which it drops its
mature glumes; so that, in a specimen where the seeds are
perfect, many of them will be found naked, adhering to their
pedicels.” Eilcott, /. c. Itis also closely allied to R. cymosa,
but itis readily distinguished from that species by its larger,
often pedicellate spikelets, plano-convex fruit, and longer
bristles.
6. RHYNCHOSPORA INEXPANSA, Val.
R. culmo subtriquetro, debili; paniculis subsparsifloris, ramu-
lis approximato-erectis; spiculis fusiformibus; nuce oblonga,
compressa, transversim rugosa, setis sursum hispidis dimidio
longiori; tuberculo nuce subtriplo breviore.
R. inexpansa, Vahl, Enum. I. p. 233. Ellott,! Bot. S. Car.
& Georg. 1. p. 61. Rem. ¥ Schult. Syst. Veg. Il. p. 85.
Spreng Syst Veg. 1. p. 197.
Scheenus inexpansus, Michzr. Fl. I. p. 35, et Herb.! Muhl.!
Gram. p. 9.
Culm 14—2 feet high, obscurely triangular, slender, somewhat nodding.
Leaves narrow-linear, smooth and short ; cauline ones rather remote,
as long as the internodes. Panicles 2—4, on filiform subpendulous
peduncles. Spikelets fusiform, subfasciculate. Glumes fuscous,
ovate, acute. Bristles 6, twice as long as the nut, hispid upward.
Stamens 3. Style, long, deeply bifid. Nut oblong, compressed,
evenly rugose. Tubercle compressed, acute, with the base about the
width of the summit of the nut.
Has. Charleston, &. Carolina, Elhott; Georgia, Dr. Bald-
win; near New Orleans, Dr. Ingalls.
7. RHYNCHOSPORA MULTIFLORA.
R. culmo triquetro, basi folioso; paniculis axillaribus termina-
libusque, ramis subapproximatis, laxifloris; spiculis ovatis ;
nuce obovata, compressa, valde rugosa, setis sursum hispi-
dis duplo breviore.
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 201
Scirpus scheenoides, Eiliott,! Bot. S. Car. § Georg. I. p. 89.
Culm about three feet high, triangular, leafy, especially towards the
base. Leaves somewhat coriaceous, glabrous, 2 lines wide ; the lower
ones 8—10 inches in length; the upper ones much shorter and somewhat
distant. Panicles 4—5, on somewhat exserted peduncles; the terminal
one largest. Branches of the panicle subapproximate, filiform ; the
lower ones nearly 2 inches in length, with a scabrous, setaceous bract
at the base of each. Spikelets ovate, small, rather loosely disposed
upon the ramuli, on short pedicels or glomerate in twos and threes.
Glumes fuscous, broad-ovate, carinate, with a very short mucro.
Bristles 6, twice as long as the nut, strongly hispid upward. Style
long, cleft almost to the base. Nut a little exceeding half a line in
length, obovate, much compressed, deeply transversely rugose,
crowned with a compressed-conic tubercle, nearly one-third its length.
Has. New Orleans, T. Drummond, (v. sp. in Herb. Torr.) ;
St. Mary’s, Florida, Dr. Baldwin; Georgia, Le Conte ;
Gadsden County, Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman.
Oss. This very distinct species somewhat resembles R. ca-
duca ; from which, however, it may be readily distinguished
by its more numerous and smaller spikelets, its strong-
ly hispid bristles, and its much compressed and deeply ru-
gose nut. The herbarium of Dr. Baldwin contains speci-
mens of this plant, with FR. inerpansa and R. patula, under
the name of I. pendula. In his manuscript detailed de-
scription he has very strangely confused these three spe-
cies ; but the plant here described is doubtless the one which
he transmitted under this name to Elliott, as a specimen
of Scirpus schenoides from Mr. Elliott in the herbarium
of Dr. Torrey, agrees in all respects with our plant. This
species produces a greater number of nuts than is usual
with the genus, on which account Mr. Elliott referred it to
the genus Scirpus; but R. miliacea and R. caduca often
ripen nearly the same number.
8. RHYNCHOSPORA PATULA.
R. culmo triquetro, superne gracili; corymbis axillaribus ter-
minalibusque, patulis, laxifloris; spiculis ovatis; nuce orbi-
202 Monograph of North American Rhynchocpore.
ST ep b d
culata (vel orbiculato-obovata), compressa, transversim ru-
gosa, setis sursum hispidis breviore.
Culm about 2 feet high, thick and strong at the base, slender above.
Leaves linear, shorter than the culm; cauline ones very short, narrow-
linear, flat. Corymbs 3—5, (the terminal one largest) exsertly pe-
dunculate, compound or decompound, many-fiowered, diffusely pa-
tulous. Bracts setaceous, shorter than the corymbs, smooth or some-
what scabrous on the margins. Spikelets ovate, about as large as in
the preceding species. Glumes ovate, mostly mucronate. Bristles
6, less strongly hispid than in R. multiflora, somewhat exceeding the
nut. Stamens 3. Style bifid. Nut about half a line in length,
nearly orbicular, compressed, transversely rugose, with minute lon-
gitudinal strie. Tubercle compressed-conic, dilated at the base, nearly
half as long as the nut.
Has. Florida, Le Conte. ‘ In moist lands and near streams
of water, Savannah, Georgia; also in East Florida,’ Dr.
Baldwin. | Flowers June—July.
Oss. This species is very nearly allied to the preceding, with
which it is confounded in the herbarium of Dr. Baldwin. It
is sufficiently distinguished, however, by its nearly orbicular
and less deeply rugose nut, its shorter bristles and patulous
corymbs.
9. RuyncHospora MicRocARPA, Baldw.
R. culmo gracili subtrigono; corymbis sparsifloris, exserte pe-
dunculatis, plerumque approximatis ; setis fragilibus, sursum
hispidulis, nucem minimam, ovatam, compressam, rugosam,
subequante,.
R. microcarpa, Baldw. Mss. et Herb!
Cespitose. Culms slender, obscurely triangular. Radical leaves narrow-
linear, somewhat coriaceous, 4—6 inches long and about 2 lines wide.
Cauline leaves few, very narrow, flat, with setaceous tips. Corymbs
4—5, exsertly peduncled and rather loosely flowered; the 3 upper
ones approximate at the summit of the culm; the lower ones rather
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 203
remote. Spikelets turgidly ovate, about a line in length. Glumes
dark fuscous. Bristles 6,? very fragile, scarcely equalling the nut,
minutely hispid upward. Stamens 3. Nut less than half a line in
length, ovate, flattened, transversely rugose, with minute longitudinal
strie. Tubercle very short, compressed.
Has. In wet savannahs. Flowers June—July. St. Mary’s
Florida, Dr. Baldwin; Wilmington, N. Carolina, Cr. Murias.
Ozs. The bristles in this species, on account of their extreme
fragility, are seldom found entire when the fruit is mature.
10. RayncHospora PLUMOSA, Ell.
R. culmo triquetro foliisque setaceis ; glomerulis paucifioris, ad
summitatem culmi subcongestis; bracteis aristatis; mnuce
globuloso-obovata, transversim rugosa, setas plumosas equan-
te; tuberculo brevissimo.
R. plumosa, Elliott,! Bot. S. Car. § Georg. I. p. 58. Rem.
Sf Schult. Mant. Il. p. 50. Spreng. Syst Veg.1. p. 195.
Scheenus ciliaris, Muh/l. Gram. p. 11.
Culm 8—12 inches high, triangular, smooth. Leaves setaceous and
somewhat rigid, shorter then the culm. lowers in smali fascicles,
forming a leose cylindrical spike, sometimes furnished with a sub-
remote, pedunculate, axillary spike. Bracts setaceous; the lower
ones an inch or more in length. Gluwmes fuscous, broad-ovate; the
outer ones mucronate. Bristles 6, plumose, as long as the nut. Nut
globosely obovate or ovate, about a line in length. Tubercle short,
depressed-conic, apiculate.
Has. In dry pine barrens. Flowers from June to August.
Charleston, South Carolina, Eliott ; Florida, Dr. Baldwin ;
Georgia, Le Conte; Fayetteville, N. Carolina, Schweinitz ;
Wilmington, N. Carolina, Mr. Curtis.
11. Ruyncuospora puncTATA, Ell.
R. paniculis corymboso-fasciculatis, exserte pedunculatis ; nuce
obovato-compressa, reticulato-rugulosa, alveolis impressis,
204 Monograph of North American Rhynchosporé.
setis sursum hispidulis paulo breviore ; tuberculo compresso-
conico.
R. punctata, Elhott, Bot. S. Car. § Georg. I. p.60. Ram. §
Schult. Mant. Ul. p. 51. Spreng. Syst. Veg. I. p. 196.
(excl. syn.)
Culm slender, triangular, 1—2 feet high. Radical leaves not seen;
cauline ones 1—2 inches in length, linear-lanceolate, acute. Co-
rymbs 3—4, lateral and terminal, fascicled; the lateral ones sub-
simple, distant and long-peduncled. F'ascicles subtended by short
setaceous and rigid bracts. Spikelets ovate. Glumes chesnut-co-
loured, ovate, the lower ones mucronate. Bristles 6, a little exceed-
ing the nut, slightly hispid upward. Stamens 3. Nut ovate, com-
pressed, reticulately rugose, with impressed alveoli. Tubercle com-
pressed-conic, shorter than the nut.
Has. Savannah, Georgia; and St. Mary’s, Florida, Dr. Bald-
win. Flowers May—June.
Oss. In the specimens collected in Florida by the late Dr.
Baldwin, the discoverer of this species, the lateral corymbs
are distant and not clustered together at the summit of the
culm. Except in this unimportant variation, the plant I have
described agrees in every respect with the detailed descrip-
tion of Elliott, who also obtained his specimens from Dr.
Baldwin. ;
12. Rayncnospora ELLIoTTit.
R culmo triquetro; corymbis fasciculatis, paucifloris; spiculis
ovato-oblongis ; nuce subgloboso-ovata, levissime rugulosa,
setis sursum hispidis paulo breviore; tuberculo brevi, de-
presso-conico.
R. distans, Elliott, Bot. S. Car. & Georg. I. p. 59, (excl. syn.)
non Vahl.
Scheenus distans, Muhl. Gram. p. 10.
S. fuscus, Muhl. Gram. p. 6.
Culm 1—2 feet high, rather slender, exactly triquetrous. Leaves narrow-
linear, flat, glabrous. Corymbs 3—4, terminal and lateral, exsertly
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 205
pedunculate, nearly simple and few-flowered. Spvkelets fasciculate,
sessile, ovate or oblong-ovate. Glwmes light chesnut-coloured, ovate;
the interior ones mucronate. Bristles 6, hispid upward, fuscous, a
little longer than the nut, but scarcely exceeding the tubercle. Sta-
mens 3—6. Style very long, deeply bifid. Nut brownish red, sub-
globosely ovate, a little attenuate at the base andslightly produced at
the summit; under a lens appearing minutely transversely rugose,
but to the naked eye nearly smooth. Tubercle very short, depressed-
conic.
Has. Indamp savannahs, Wilmington, North Carolina, Mr.
Curtis; Havanna, Georgia, and New Smyrna, Florida?
Dr. Baldwin, (sub. nom. R. distans.); Gadsden County,
Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman.
Oxgs. This species, which is well described by the distinguished
botanist whose name it bears, differs widely from Schenus
distans of Michaux. It is compared by Elliott with his R.
punctata, which indeed it somewhat resembles, but the two
species cannot be confounded. The light chesnut-coloured
spikelets in this species are quite remarkable. There is a
specimen of this plant in Muhlenberg’s herbarium, labelled
* Schenus fuscus, Elhott ;’ and from this specimen the de-
tailed description of S. fuscus, Muhl. Gram. was probably
drawn, as it compares quite well with this species, and not
at all with S. fuscus, Linn. There is no specimen under the
name of S. dstans in Muhlenberg’s herbarium ; but as he
asks whether his S. fuscus may not be S. dstans, Miche.
and as he probably drew his description from specimens sent
either by Elliott or Dr. Baldwin, I cannot doubt that the sy-
nonym is properly referred.
** Nut not rugose.
13. RauyNcHOSPORA CORNICULATA.
R. corymbis decompositis, diffusis ; spiculis (magnis) laxe fas-
ciculatis ; nuce obovata, levi, stylo persistente multo brevi-
ore, setis subulatis, inequalibus, sursum hispidulis, longiori.
206 Monograph of North American Rhynchospore.
Scheenus corniculatus, Lam’k. fl. Gen. 1. p. 137.
S. longirostris, Michr. Fl. I. p. 87. Muhl.! Gram. p. 7.
S. umbellatus, Walt. Fl. Car. p. 70.°
Rhynchospora laxa, Vahl Enwn. Ul. p. 231. Pursh. YAM
p. 48. Ramer by Schultes, Syst. Veg. UL. p. 84. Torrey, !
Fi. I. p. 57. Sprengel, Syst. Veg. I. p. 196.
R. longirostis, Edhott, Bot. S. Car. § Georg. 1. p. 59.
Whole plant smooth and somewhat glaucous. Culm triquetrous, 3—6
feet high. Leaves a foot or more in length, }—} an inch wide,
smooth, scabrous on the margin. Flowers axillary and terminal, in
decompound, subumbellate corymbs; the terminal one largest. Sp?-
kelets subulated by the persistent exserted styles; when mature
nearly an inch in length, loosely fascicled in fours and fives at the
extremity of the elongated triquetrous peduncles. Gilwmes ovate,
fuscous. Bristles for the most part 6, subulate, minutely scabrous
upward; the three outer ones (one of which is frequently wanting)
about + the length of the nut; one of the inner series about 4, and the
two others } the length of the nut. Stamens 3. Style undivided. Nut
smooth, obovate, compressed, crowned with the scabrous (upward),
persistent, indurated style, about twice and a half its length.
Has. In wet places, Ohio to Florida; common; Dela-
ware, Muhlenberg, (Cat. Pl. Am. Sept.)
Oss. Ihave restored the specific name of Lamarck on ac-
count of its priority.
14. Ruyncuospora MacrosTacHya, Torrey, Herb.
R. corymbis axillaribus simplicibus, terminalibus compositis ;
spiculis magnis, confertim fasciculatis ; nuce obovata, levi,
setis sursum hispidulis dulpo—stylo persistente subquadru-
plo—breviore.
Culm 2—3 feet high, smooth, triangular. Leaves glabrous, 1—2 feet
long and 2—4 lines broad; the upper ones scabrous on the margin.
Corymbs about 4, densely fasciculated; the lateral ones subsimple,
on peduncles twice the length of the sheaths; the terminal one
largest, compound, subsessile, leafy; the fascicles sessile and pedun-
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 207
culate. Glwmcs fuscous, scarious, acute; the outer ones ovate; the
inner ones ovate-lanceolate. Bristles 6, filiform, minutely hispid up-
ward, about twice as long as the nut; the 3 exterior ones somewhat
shortest. Stamens 3. Style undivided; the whole indurated and
persistent, hispidly scabrous upward; when mature, nearly four times
the length of the obovate, compressed nut.
Has. “ Leverett Pond,’’ near Amherst, Massachusetts, Prof.
Ehtchcock ; New Bedford, Mr. Thomas A. Greene.
Oss. ‘This species and the preceding, to which it is closely
allied, differ in habit from the other North American species ;
they also have simple and entirely persistent styles, and
might perhaps be referred to the genus Cephaloschenus of
Nees von Ksenbeck.*
15. RuyNncHospora DODECANDRA, Baldw.
R. paniculis corymbosis, laxiusculis; spiculis ovato-lanceolatis ;
staminibus duodenis; nuce oblonga, levi, tuberculum sub-
hemisphericum longe excedente ; setis sursum hispidulis nu-
cem equante.
R. dodecandra, Baldw. Mss. et Herb. !
Culm triquetrous, 2 feet or more in height. Radical leaves not seen.
Cauline leaves equalling the culm, rigid and subcoriaceous, 3—4 lines
wide, smooth, a little scabrous on the margin. Panicles 5—6, lateral
and terminal, on peduncles twice the length of the sheaths, corymbose,
loosely flowered; the lateral ones simple; the terminal one compound,
or with two or three clustered together at the summit of the culm. .
Spikelets ovate-lanceolate, sessile and pedicellate. Glumes chesnut
coloured. Brist'es 6, equalling the nut, minutely hispid upward. Sta-
mens 10—12. Anthers long-linear, orange-red. Style bifid. Nut
(immature ) oblong, somewhat attenuated downward, smooth or slightly
corrugated longitudinally. T'wbercle short, hemispherical, somewhat
compressed, as wide as the summit of the nut.
* CePpHALoscuenus. Spicule hermaphrodite. Stylussimplex. Peri-
gynium setosum, setis antrorsum denticulatis aut hirsutis. Caryopsis styli
basi persistente discretaque rostrata. Nees, Cyp. Indice l. c. p. 71.
Vou. III. 27
208 Monograph of North American Rhynchospore.
Has. ‘Near the sea shore, Fort George Island, East Flo-
rida, April, 1817.” Dr. Baldwin.
Ozs. The habit of this remarkable species is very similar to
that of ££. corniculata in a young state. Dr. Baldwin re-
marks of this species, that the bristles equal the stamens in
number. Ihave seen only six in the specimens whlch I
have examined.
16. RHYNCHOSPORA MEGALOCARPA.
R. hexandra ; corymbis sparsifloris; nuce ovata, lenticulari,
levi, nigrescente, tuberculo obtuse conico confluente; setis
caducis, sursum hispidulis, nucem subequante.
Scheenus macrocarpus, Baldw. Mss. et Herb.!
Culm glabrous, somewhat triangular, 4 feet high. Leaves rigid and coria-
ceous, pungently acute, carinate, smooth; radical leaves numerous,
1—2 feet in length, 3—5 lines wide; cauline ones few and short-
Corymbs axillary and terminal, exsertly pedunculate, few and loosely
- flowered. Sypikelets about } of an inch in length, ovate, tumid, sessile
or on short pedicels. | Glumes obtuse, the inner ones mucronate.
Bristles 6, caducous, minutely scabrous upward, equalling the nut.
Stamens 6. Nut (including the tubercle,) 2—3 lines in length, smooth
and shining, becoming black with age, round-ovate, and strongly con-
vex on both sides. Tubercle turgidly conic, much shorter than the
nut, with which it appears to be confluent.
Has. Fort George, East Florida, Dr. Baldwin.
Ogs. The bristles in this species are so exceedingly caducous
that they escaped the notice of Dr. Baldwin, who referred
the plant to the genus Scheenus. He remarks, however, that
it only differs from Rhynchospora in wanting the bristles.
17. RuyNcCHOSPORA PYCNOCARPA.
R. corymbis sparsifloris ; spiculis turgido-ovatis; nuce levi,
ovata, tumida, vertice crasso, tuberculo acutiusculo, brevis-
sime conico, ampliore ; setis denis, caducis, sursum hispidu-
lis, nucem subequante.
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 209
Culm triangular, 2—3 feet high, Leaves rigid, broad-linear, carinate,
pungently acute; the lower ones elongated, 3—4 lines broad ; the up-
per ones narrower, short. Corymbs terminal and lateral, somewhat
distant, few and loosely flowered. Spikelets ovate, turgid, 3—4 lines
in length. Glumes ovate, acute or mucronate. Bristles 10, equal to
the nut ora little shorter, minutely hispid upward, somewhat caducous.
Stamens 3, Style slender, deeply bifid. Nut rufous, smooth and shin-
ing, slightly attenuated and compressed at the base, tumid above, with
the summit somewhat thickened and wider than the depressed-conic,
very short tubercle.
Has. In dry sandy barrens, Wilmington, N. Carolina, Mr.
Curtis; Georgia, Le Conte ; West Florida, Mr. Ware, (in
Herb. Nutt.)
Oxs. This species is very similar to the preceding, in habit
and general appearance.
18. Ruyncnospora ciniata, Vahl.
R. foliis obtusis bracteisque ciliatis ; spiculis ovatis, corymboso-
fasciculatis, terminalibus ; nuce levi, orbiculato-ovata, lenti-
culari, setis sursum hispidulis triplo longiori.
R. ciliata, Vahl, Enum. I. p. 238. Pursh. Fl. I. p. 49. Rem,
& Schult. Syst. Veg. IL. p. 87. Spreng. Syst. Veg. 1. p. 196.
Scheenus ciliaris, Michx. Fl. 1. p. 36, et Herb.!
Culm, leaves and sheaths beautifully striate and somewhat glaucous
Culm 1—2} feet high, obscurely triangular. Leaves broad-linear, ob-
tuse; radical ones 4—6 inches in length and 2—8 lines wide ; cauline
ones few and short. lowers in a crowded, terminal corymb, some-
times with a much smaller, pedunculate, lateral fascicle. Bracts
somewhat exceeding the corymb. Glumes ovate, carinate, mucronate,
pubescent on the back above the middle. ristles 6, very short, mi-
nutely hispid upward. Stamens 3. Nut nearly orbicular, lenticular,
minutely alveolate under a powerful lens. Tubercle about one-third
as long as the nut, broad at the base, compressed.
Has. St. Mary’s and St. John’s, Florida, Dr. Baldwin ; New
Orleans, Dr. Ingalls; Georgia, Le Conte; Wilmington, N.
Carolina, Mr. Curtis.
210 Monograph of North American Rhynchospore.
19. Ruyncnospora BALDWINII.
R. foliis acutis, glaucis; spiculis ovatis, corymboso-fasciculatis,
terminalibus ; nuce levi, (ovata vel suborbiculato-ovata,) len-
ticulari; setis duodenis, sursum hispidulis, nucem equante.
R. glauca, Baldw. Mess. et Herb.!
Culms acutely triangular, 2—3 feet high, rather slender and, with the
leaves, glaucous. Leaves linear, carinate, somewhat narrower than
in the preceding species, acute, with slightly scabrous margins.
Corymb terminal, crowded ; sometimes with a smaller, rather distant
pedunculate axillary one. Lracis shorter than the corymb, setaceous.
q
with hispid-scabrous margins and keel. Glumes ovate, cuspidate.
Bristles 12, minutely hispid upwards, scarcely longer than the mature
nut. Stamens 3. Nut very smooth, ovate or subrotund, lenticular.
Tubercle about + the length of the nut, somewhat narrowed at the
base, compressed.
Has. “ Georgia, in pine barren swamps, between the Satilla
and Altamaha rivers, December, 1816.” Dr. Baldwin.
Ozs. This species is very similar in habit to the preceding;
but it differs in having acute, not ciliate leaves, a larger nut,
and longer bristles. ft. ciliata also has six bristles, the ordi-
nary number for this genus: this species has uniformly
twelve. &. glauca, of Vahl, a native of AMquinoctial Ame-
rica, has a rugose nut, and is doubtless distinct from our
plant. I have therefore dedicated this species to the me-
mory of its enterprising discoverer, who paid much attention
to the genus Rbynchospora.
20. Ruyncnospora Fascicuuaris, Nutt.
R. culmo subtrigono; spiculis oblongis, corymboso-fascicula-
tis, pauciusculis, terminalibus lateralibusque ; nuce levi,
ovata, lenticulari, setis sursum hispidulis duplo longiori; tu-
berculo compresso, nuce breviore.
R. fascicularis, Nutt. Gen. I. p. 33. Vahl, Enum.II. p. 334?
Pursh, Fl. I. p. 48°
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore., 211
R. cymosa, Elliott, Bot. S. Car. &§ Georg. I. p. 58¢
Scheenrs fiscicularis, Miche. Fl. 1. p.37, et Herb! Pers. Syn.
I. p. 60.
Culm 18 inches to 2 feet high, obscurely triangular. Leaves narrow-
linear, shorter than the culm. Corymbs about 3, densely fascicled
and somewhat few-flowered ; the lower one subdistant, exsertly pe-
dunculate; the two upper approximate, subsessile. Pedicels very
short. Bracts setaceous. Spikelets oblong. Gluimes ovate, carinate,
with a long mucro; the exterior shorter, obtuse ; the inner ones acute.
Bristles 6, about half as long as the nut, minutely hispid upward.
Stamens 3. Style bifid. Nut lenticular, ovate or round-ovate, smooth.
Tubercle much compressed, with the base as broad as the nut, about
half its length.
Has. In Carolina, Michaux ; Georgia, Dr. Baldwin; New
Orleans, Dr. Ingalls.
Oss. The spikelets, nut, and bristles of our plant agree in
every respect with a fragment of Schenus fascicularis from
Michaux’s herbarium. The description in his Flora Boreali-
Americana applies minutely to our specimens, excepting the
paragraph “ setulis semine levi duplo longioribus : whereas
in his own plant, and in all the specimens I have examined,
the reverse is true, the nut being about twice the length of
the bristles. Elliott, who copies the description of Michaux,
remarks that the plant had not fallen under his observation.
I suspect that he has taken it for R. cymosa. I have not
the means of determining whether our plant is the R. fasci-
cularis of Vahl: it certainly does not agree in some respects
with the detailed description of that species in Reemer and
Schultes’ System a Vegetabilium. There is no specimen
under the name of Schenus fascicularis in the Muhlenber-
gian herbarium.
21. RuyncHosporA PANICULATA.
R. culmo triquetro; paniculis numerosis, approximatis, inter
dum geminatis ; spiculis oblongo-lanceolatis, ad ramulos fas-
ciculatis ; nuce levi, obovata, lenticulari, tuberculum subula-
212 Monograph of North American Rhynchospore.
tum equante ; setis retrorsum hispidis, nucem plus duplo
longioribus.
Culm triangular, 3—4 feet high. Leaves linear, smooth, somewhat sca-
brous on the margin and keel. Panicles numerous, approximate, so
as to appear like a single elongated, compound panicle; often two or
more from the same sheath. Peduncles compressed, scabrous, nearly
erect, much longer than the sheaths; the lower ones longest. Bracts
filiform-setaceous, with scabrous margins, equal to the panicles.
Flowers in small fascicles, crowded on the ultimate divisions of the
panicles. Spikelets ovate-lanceolate, Glumes lanceolate, rather ob-
tuse, with a short mucro. Bristles 6, conspicuously retrorsely hispid,
more than twice the length of the nut. Stamens 3. Style slightly
bifid. Nut smooth, obovate, lenticular, broad at the summit, sub-
attenuate at the base. T'ubercle subulate, compressed, as long as the
nut.
Has. New Orleans, T'. Drummond, (in Herb. Torr. ); Mid-
dle Florida; Dr. Chapman.
22, RHYNCHOSPORA OLIGANTHA.
R. culmo subaphyllo, filiformi; spiculis paucissimis, ovato-
oblongis ; setis sursum hispidis, infra medium plumosis, nu-
cem oblongiuscule obovatam (minutissime exasperatam,)
paulo superante ; tuberculo brevissimo, conico.
Culm filiform, 6—12 inches high, nearly leafless. Spikelets 1—4,
two to four lines long, solitary or in twos or threes on a slender, sca-
brous peduncle, surrounded by a single filiform bract, which appears
like a continuation of the culm: sometimes there is a single, remote,
long-pedunculate, lateral spikelet. Glwmes broad-ovate, acute.
Florets raised on a naked, articulated stipe, about a line in length.
Bristles 6, as long as the nut and tubercle, hispid upward, plumose
below the middle. Stamens 3. Style bifid. Nut to the naked eye
nearly smooth, (minutely roughened under a powerful lens,) obovate-
oblong, subterete, with a very short acumination supporting a conic
tubercle, scarcely } the length of the nut.
Has. Fayetteville, N. Carolina. Schweinitz (sub nom. R. rart-
flore) ; near Wilmington, N. Carolina, Mr. Curtes.
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 213
23. RuyNcHOSPORA SEMIPLUMOSA.
R. culmo subtereti; foliis bracteisque setaceis ; spicis approx~
imatis ad summitatem culmi; setis sursum hispidis, infra
medium plumosis, nucem ovatam, levem, paulo superante ;
tuberculo compresso-conico, nucem subequante.
Culm a foot high, subterete, striate, smooth. Leaves setaceous, shorter
than the culm, scabrous on the margin. Bracts setaceous, surpassing
the culm. Spikes 3, oblong, densely flowered, approximate, nearly
sessile. Spikelets small, ovate. Glumes ovate, acute. Bristles 6, a
little exceeding the nut, hispid upward, plumose below the middle.
Stamens 3. Filaments very broad. Style deeply bifid. Nut ovate,
compressed, smooth or with a very minute deciduous pubescence.
Tubercle compressed-conic, acute, minutely hispid, nearly as long as
the nut.
e
Has. New Orleans. Dr. Ingalls.
Oss. ‘This species is nearly allied to R. plumosa, but it is
well characterised by its bristles, which are only plumose
below the middle, its smooth nut, and long flattened tubercle.
I regret, however, that I have seen no specimens in which
the fruit is fully mature.
24. ReyncHnospora ALBA, Vahl.
R. culmo superne triquetro ; spiculis corymboso-fasciculatis ;
setis denis, retrorsum hispidis, nuce levi, lenticulari, basi
subattenuata, longioribus.
R. alba, Vahl, Enum. IL. p.236. Pursh, FI.1. p-49. Elliott,
Bot. S. Car. § Georg. I. p.57. Rem. § Schult. Syst. Veg.
Il. p.87. Torrey, Fi. 1, p. 54. Gray, Gram. § Cyp. I. n. 92.
Scheenus albus, Linn. Sp. Pl.65. Miche. Fl. 1.p.64. Muhl.!
Gram. I. p. 5. Bigel. Fl. Bost. p. 17.
Culm slender, a foot or 18 inches high, glabrous. Leaves setaceous,
shorter than theculm. Flowers in close, corymbose clusters, terminal
214 Monograph of North American Rhynchospore.
and axillary, with short setaceous bracts at the base. Spikelets lan-
ceolate. Glumes ovate, acute, white, becoming brownish with age.
Bristles 10, retrorsely hispid, nearly 12 the length of the nut, (equal-
ling the nut with the tubercle.) Stamens 2, (3, 2, and 1, Muhl.)
Style bifid. Nut lenticular, ovate, somewhat attenuate at the base,
when young triquetrous, elevated on a short stipe upon which the
bristles are inserted. Tubercle compressed, one-half the length of the
nut.
Has. In sphagnous swamps, common ; Canada to Carolina.
Flowers, July—September.
Oss. The North American plant agrees in every respect with
specimens from the north of Kurope.
25. RuyNCHOSPORA CAPILLACEA, Torrey.
R. culmo trigono, gracili; spiculis 3—6, plerumque terminali-
bus; nuce levi, oblongo-ovata, stipitata, setis retrorsum his-
pidis dimidio—tuberculo duplo—longiori.
R. capillacea, Torrey,! Fv. I.p.55. Gray, Gram. & Cyp. I.
ne Oo.
Scheenus setaceus, Muhl.! Gram. p. 6.
Culm 6 to 12 inches high, very slender, smooth. Leaves setaceous,
nearly flat; radical ones short. Spikelets oblong, mostly terminal,
with a setaceous bract at the base of each. Glumes chesnut coloured,
with scarious margins, oblong-ovate, carinate, mucronate. Brisiles 6,
large, retrorsely hispid, about twice the lengthofthe nut. Stamens 3.
Style bifid. Nut oblong-ovate, somewhat lenticular, attenuate at the
base, triquetrous when young, raised on a short stipe which bears the
bristles. Tubercle compressed, acute, about half as long as the nut.
Has. In swamps, Pennsylvania, Muhlenberg ; Penn-Yan,
New York, Dr.H.P.Sartwell. On limestone rocks, Water-
town, New York. Flowers in July.
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 219
26. Ruyncnospora Fusca, Ram ¥ Schult.
R. foliis setaceis, canaliculato-carinatis ; spiculis ovato-oblon-
gis ; nuce lzvi, obovata, subtumida, basi paulo attenuata,
setis sursum hispidulis duplo breviore ; tuberculo compresso,
margine serrulato-scabro.
R. fusca, Rem. J Schult. Syst. Veg. I. p.81. Spreng. Syst.
Veg. I. p. 194.
R. alba war. fusca, Vahl. Enum. IL. p. 236.
Scheenus fuscus, Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 1664. Wahl. Fl. Suec. I.
p- 23.
.
Culm 6 to 12 inches high, very slender, smooth. Leaves setaceous,
channelled ; radical ones elongated ; cauline ones very short. F'ascicles
1—3, few-flowered; the uppermost approximate, on short included
peduncles; the lowest remote, exsertly pedunculate. Spikelets ovate,
oblong, acute. Gluwmes mucronate, dark fuscous and shining. Bristles
6, very slender, hispid upward, about twice the length of the nut;
three alternate ones somewhat shortest, or scarcely exceeding the nut.
Stamens 3. Nut smooth, but with its surface often slightly irregular,
obovate, sub-attenuate at the base, lenticular, somewhat tumid. Tu-
bercle much compressed, broad at:the base, serrulate on the margin,
attenuate into the style, which isssometimes almost wholly persistent.
Has. Pine barrens of New Jersey, Torrey; Boston, Dr.
Pickering.
Ops. Our plant agrees in every respect with a Swedish spe-
cimen of R. fusca, except that in the foreign plant, the nut is
somewhat uneven and a little more tumid than in ours. I
am, however, satisfied of their identity. ‘This species is
quite distinct from R. alba, of which some European hota-
nists have considered it a variety. It is much more nearly
related to R. capillacea, from which it is well distinguished
by the form of the nut, the upward direction of the hispid-
ness of the bristles, and the serrulate tubercle. In this spe-
cies the glumes are dark fuscous ; in R. capillacea they are
light fuscous or chesnut coloured. R. fusca has carinate and
channelled leaves; in R. capillacea they are nearly flat.
Vou. III. 28
216 Monograph of North American tthynchospore.
R. fusca is said by Sprengel, Roem. & Schult. &c. to have
but three bristles ; there are six in all the specimens, both
European and American, which I have examined. A spe-
cimen from N. Carolina, collected by Mr. Curtis, appears to
differ from this species only in its smaller spikelets, but it is
too imperfect to be positively determined.
27. KRHYNCHOSPORA GRACILENTA.
R. culmis foliisque gracillimis ; corymbis minimis, subconfertis,
terminali subsessili, lateralibus exserte pedunculatis ; nuce
levi, ovata (vel orbiculato-ovata), lenticulari, setis sursum
hispidulis breviore ; tuberculo subulato, basi dilatato, nucem
subzequante.
R. fusca, Gray, Gram. § Cyp. I. n. 93. (excl. syn.)
Culm slender, sometimes almost capillary, 1—2 feet high, obscurely
triangular. Leaves linear-setaceous, 4—12 inches in length. Fas-
eicles 2—4, (often with a solitary terminal fascicle or subcapitate co-
rymb) lateral and terminal, small, few-flowered; the uppermost sub-
sessile, the lower ones exsertly and often filiformly pedunculate.
Spikelets ovate. Glumes ovate, acute or mucronate, fuscous. Bristles
6, about half as long again as the nut, minutely hispid wpward. Sta-
mens 3. Nut ovate or round ovate, smooth. Tubercle subulate, di-
lated at the base, compressed.
Has. Pine barrens of New Jersey: Aug.—Nept. Philips-
town, Putnam county, New York, Dr. Barratt; Salem, N.
Carolina, Schweinitz.
Oxss. ‘This plant is proposed as a new species with some he-
sitation. It is possibly KR. distans of Vahl, but is quite
different from Schaenus distans of Michaux. It does not dis-
agree with the specific character of S. axillaris Lam’k. Ill.
Gen. I. p. 137 ; but the character of that species is so brief
and general that it applies equally well to several other
species.
28. RuyncHospora pIstTans, Nutt.
R. corymbis fasciculatis, lateralibus subdistantibus ; spiculis
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 217
subconfertis, ovatis ; nuce levi, ovata, lenticulari, tuberculo
brevi apiculata, setis sursum hispidulis subzequante.
R. distans, Nuit Gen. I. p. 33, non Vahl? nec Elliott.
Scheenus distans, Michr. Fl. I. p. 36, et Herb! Pers. Syn.
1p..60.
Culm rather slender, 1—2 feet high, obtusely trigonous. Leaves narrow-
linear, flat; the lower ones 4—6 inches in length ; the upper ones
shorter. Corymbs fascicled ; the (2 or 3) upper ones aggregated at
the summit of the culm; the lateral ones (1 or 2) distant, on short,
exsert peduncles. Spikelets ovate. Glumes fuscous, broad-ovate,
mucronate. Bristles 6, minutely hispid upward, about as long as the
nut. Nut smooth, broad-ovate, lenticular. Tubercle compressed-
conic, a little dilated at the base, one-third the length of the nut.
Has. In Carolina, Michaux ; Wilmington, N. Carolina, Mr.
Curtis.
8. fasciculis laxiusculis ; setis nucem excedente.
R. tenuis, Baldw. Mss. et Herb. !
Culm somewhat acutely triangular. Corymbs rather loosely fasciculate,
the lower ones long-pedunculate. Bristles nearly twice the length of
the nut. Tubercle not dilated at the base.
Has. Savannah, Georgia, Dr. Cutler, (en Herb. Baldwin.)
Ozs. The synonyms of Vahl and Pursh are omitted, as it is
impossible to determine the plant to which they belong.
They may be referred with about an equal chance of cor-
rectness to R. glomerata, R. gracilenta, and the present
species. Var. §, although differing in the above-mentioned
particulars, and uniformly having bristles longer than the
nut, is not, I think, specifically distinct.
29. RuyNCHOSPORA GLOMERATA, Vahl.
R. corymbis fasciculato-glomeratis vel subspicatis, axillaribus
terminalibusque, interdum germinatis; spiculis ovato-oblon-
gis; nuce levi, obovata, lenticulari, basi attenuata quasi sti-
218 Monograph of North American Rhynchospore.
pitata, tuberculum subulatum eequante ; setis retrorsum his-
pidis, nucem duplo longiori.
R. glomerata, Vahl, Enum. I. p. 234. Pursh, Fl. I. p. 48.
Rem. §¥ Schult. Sys. Veg. IL. p. 86. Elliott, Bot. S. Car.
Y Georg. I. p.61. Torrey, Fl. I. p. 55.
R. capitellata, Vahl. Enum. II. p.235. Rem. et Schult. Syst.
Veg. IL. ps 87. Elhott, Bot. S. Car. § Georg. I. p. 61.
Scheenus glomeratus, Linn. Sp. Pl.65. Willd. Sp. Pl. 1. p
236. Muhl.! Gram. p. 8. Walt. Fl. Car. p. 69.
S. capitellatus, Michx. Fl. I. p. 36.
S. capitatus, Pers. Syn. I. p. 60. Muhl. Gram. p. 10°
Culm 1—2 feet high, triangular. Leaves narrow-linear, carinate, smooth,
scabrous on the margin, shorter than the culm. Flowers in corymbose
or capitate fascicles, on included or somewhat exserted peduncles, la-
teral and terminal, often 2 or more from the same sheath; the lower
ones distant. Sprkelets ovate-oblong or lanceolate. Glumes brownish,
lanceolate, mucronate. Bristles 6, retrorsely hispid, twice as long as
the nut. Stamens 3. Nut smooth, obovate, lenticular, attenuate at
the base. Tubercle subulate, compressed, equalling the nut.
Has. In bogs and moist places; Canada to Florida. Flowers
from July to September.
30. RHYNCHOSPORA CEPHALANTHA.
R. capitulis axillaribus terminalibusque, subglobosis, multifloris,
interdum geminatis ; spiculis oblongo-lanceolatis ; nuce leevi,
orbiculato-obovata, lenticulari, submarginata, basi attenuata,
tuberculum subulatum aequante ; setis sursum vel retrorsum
hispidis, nuce duplo longiori.
Culm thick, triangular, 2—3 feet high. Leaves narrow-linear, flat, sub-
carinate ; lower ones elongated; the upper ones much shorter. Capi-
tuli 2—7, large, subglobose, remote, on included or slightly exserted
peduncles, often two or more from the same sheath. Spikelets oblong-
lanceolate. Glumes fuscous, ovate-oblong, acute. Bristles 6, about
twice the length of the nut, hispid upward or downward. Stamens 3.
Style bifid. Nut larger than in R. glomerata; when mature appear-
Monograph of North American Rhynchospore. 219
ing as if surrounded with a thickened margin, smooth, obovate, very
broad at the summit, attenuate at the base asif raised on a short stipe.
Tubercle subulate, compressed, as long as the nut.
Has. Pine barrens of New Jersey and on Long Island about
Babylon, Torrey ; Wilmington, N. Carolina, Mr. Curtis ;
Georgia, Le Conte; New Orleans, Dr. Ingalls ; Gadsden
County, Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman.
Oss. This interesting species was discovered by Prof. Torrey
several years since, in the pine barrens of New Jersey and
on Long Island ; and as in these localities it occurs, for the
most part, with only two heads, it received the name of R.
biceps. Our specimens from the southern states, however,
shave uniformly more than two heads, and often six or seven.
I have therefore ventured to substitute for the manuscript
name of Professor Torrey, one which is in a good degree
characteristic of the habit of the species. This plant is
very closely allied to R. glomerata, but is much larger and
stronger in all its parts. Its larger and margined nut, and its
more ample, and for the most part, spherical heads, will suf-
ficiently distinguish it from that species. A most remarka-
ble circumstance with regard to this species, and so far as
my observation extends, peculiar to it, is the diversity in the
direction of the hispidness of the bristles: even in different
individuals from the same cluster some of the bristles are
hispid upward and others downward. With this single
exception, the direction of the hispidness of the bristles is, in
each species of this genus, perfectly constant.
Species inquirenda.
Schenus axillaris, ** culmo triquetro, folioso ; corymbis minimis, alternis,
axillaribus; spiculis confertis.” Lam’k. Ill. Gen. I. p. 137.
Has. Carolina, D. Fraser.—Lamarck.
EXPLANATION OF PLATE VI.
FIG.
1. Rhynchospora cymosa, Nutt.
2. R. Torreyana.
3. R. rariflora, ) Edi:
4. R. miliacea.
5. R. caduca, Ell.
6. R. inexpansa, Vahi.
7. R. multiflora.
8. R. patula.
9, R. microcarpa, Baldw.
10. R. plumosa, EZ.
11. R. punctata, E//.
12. R. Elliottii.
13. R. corniculata.
14. R. macrostachya, Torr.
15. R. dodecandra, Bald.
16. R. megalocarpa.
17. R. pyenocarpa.
18. R. ciliata, Vahl.
19. R. Baldwinii.
20. R. fascicularis, Nwté
21. R. paniculata.
22. R. oligantha.
23. R. semiplumosa.
D4. RR ialba, Vahl.
25. R. capillacea, Torr
26. R. fusca, Rem. & Schult.
27. R. gracilenta.
28. R. distans, Nutt.
29. R. glomerata, Vahl.
30. cephalantha.
New of rare Plants of the State of New York. 221
A notice of some new, rare, or otherwise interesting PLANTS,
from the Northern and Western portions of the State of New
York. By Aisa Gray, M.D.
Read December, 1834.
RANUNCULACEZ.
1, ANEMONE CYLINDRICA (sp. nov.) ; sericeo-pubescens; foliis
ternatim sectis, segmentis lateralibus bipartitis, intermedio tri-
fido, laciniis lineari-lanceolatis apice inciso-dentatis, involucra-
libus petiolatis conformibus ; inyolucellis nullis; sepalis obo-
vatis, obtusis, subcoriaceis ; carpellis lanatis, in capitulum cy-
lindricum congestis.
Root perennial, fibrose-fasciculate, Stem 1—3 feet high, and with the
leaves, covered with an appressed silky pubescence. Radical leaves
mostly.on long petioles, finely and reticulately veined, light green
above, paler beneath. Peduncles 2—6 (rarely 1), 1-flowered, all
arising from the same point, S—12 inches in length when the fruit is
mature. Leaves of the involucre on short petioles, twice or three
times the number of the peduncles, somewhat crowded. Involucels
none. Sepals 5, pale yellowish-green, obovate, obtuse, somewhat
coriaceous, sericeous beneath. Carpels acuminated into a very short
style, with the apex deflexed ; in every part densely covered with a
long, silky tomentum, and disposed in a cylindrical elongated capi-
tulum, about an inch in length.
Has. In dry pine barrens, near Oneida Lake, New York.
Flowers in June.
Oxs. This species, although closely allied to A. Virginiana,
Linn. is quite distinct. It must be referred to the section
ANEMONANTHEA of De Cand., and be placed next to A. alba,
which it resembles in many respects. From A. Virginiana it
is readily distinguished by its more finely divided leaves, by the
greater number and length of its peduncles, the absence of in-
volucels, its obtuse sepals, and especially by its long, cylindri-
cal and very woolly head of carpels. In this species also all
242 New or rare Plants of the State of New York.
the flowers expand nearly at the same time, and the peduncles
are not, asin A. Virginiana, developed one by one during the
summer, so that both flowers and mature fruit are’ found at the
same time.
2, A muttiripa, 8 Hupsontana, De Cand. Prodr. I. p-
21. De Les, Ic. 1.tab.16. Hooker, Fl. Bor. Am. (7. sanguinea)
I. p. 7. A.sanguinea, Pursh, in Herb. Lamb. A. Hudsoniana,
8. sanguinea, Rich. im Frankl. Jour. ed. 2. App. p. 22.
On limestone rocks, Watertown, Jeffersen county, where it
was discovered by Dr. I. B. Crawe. My specimens agree
well with De Lessert’s figure. The mature heads of pericarps
are oblong and very woolly.
3. Troiurus Laxus, Salish. in Linn. Trans. VIII. p. 303.
Pursh, Fl. I. p. 391. T. Americanus, Muhl. Cat. p. 56. De
Cand. Syst. p. 313. Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. 1. p. 23.
Shady sphagnous swamps near Utica.
Flowers twice as large as those of Ranunculus acris. Sepals 5—6,
ochroleucous, with a tinge of green beneath. Petals 15—25, minute,
deep orange-yellow. Carpels S—15.
4. Ranuncutus Pursuu, Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. I. p. 15.
a. ‘* foliis omnibus capillaceo-multifidis, flore majore, caule
fistuloso.” Hook. 1. c. KR. multifidis, Pursh, Fl. I. p. 736.
De Cand. Prodr. I. p. 34. BR. lacustris, Beck § Tracy m
Transactions of the Albany Institute, I. p. 148. tab. 5.
In stagnant water, throughout the western and northern por-
tions of the state.
8. ‘ foliis submersis capillaceo-multifidis, natantibus, renifor-
mibus palmato-multifidis.” Hook.1. c.tab. VII. B. fig. 1.
In muddy pools, near Oneida Lake.
y. “repens, foliis inferioribus lineari-multipartitis, superio-
ribus reniformibus palmato-multifidis.” Hook. 1. c. tab. VIL.
B. fig. 2. R. Purshii, Rich. in Frankl. Jour. App. p. 23.
In marshes, Watertown, Jefferson county.
New or rare Plants of the State of New York. 223
CRUCIFERAE.
5. Nasturtium natans, De Cand. Syst. II. p.198; Prodr.
I. p. 139. De Less. Ic. I. tab. 15.
8. AMERICANUM; petalis calyce duplo longioribus ; siliculis
obovatis. N. natans, Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. I. p. 39. Beck. Bot.
Northern and Middle States, p. 32.
Has. Oneida Lake, where it is very abundant, in water
2—5 feetdeep. In the St. Lawrence river, near Ogdensburgh,
Dr. I. B. Crawe. Flowers in July.
Oss. This plant, which I observed at the first mentioned
locality several years since, differs in some respects from the
Siberian N. natans, as described by De Candolle and figured
by De Lessert. In our specimens the flowers are about twice
as large as those of N. amphibium, the petals are pure white in
the living plant, oblong, and twice the length of the calyx, the
mature silicles obovate or obovate-oblong, more than 2 lines in
length; but in all other respects they agree minutely with De
Candolle’s detailed description and De Lessert’s figure. The
submersed leaves separate with great ease at their articulation
with the stem, so that perfect specimens are not readily obtained.
Although a rare plant, its geographical range is quite extensive,
as Dr. Ingalls has recently found it at New Orleans.
6. Drapa incana, Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 897. Hook. Fl. Bor.
Am. I. p.54. D.contorta, Ehrh. De Cand. Syst. UL. p. 348.
Prodr. I. p. 170. D. confusa, Ehrh. De Cand. 1. c. Hook.
Fl. Bor. Am. l.c.
8. GLABRIUSCULA ; leviter substellato-pubescens ; foliis
radicalibus spathulato-lanceolatis, caulinis oblongis, repando-
dentatis ; siliculis oblongo-linearibus. D. glabella, Pursh. FU.
I. p. 344? Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. I. p. 54?
Whole plant covered with a minute, branched pubescence, but not
hoary. Root perennial! Stems many from the same root, simple or
a little branching from the base. Radical leaves numerous and
crowded, forming a roseolate tuft, oblong or lanceolate spathulate,
much attenuated at the base, sparingly dentate. Cauline leaves oblong
Vou. III. 29
224 New or rare Plants of the Sjate of New York.
or oblong-lanceolate, sub-amplexicaul, acute, sparsely and repandly
dentate ; those on the young branches somewhat entire. Flowers in
a short, somewhat compact, simple (or sometimes branching) raceme.
Lower pedicels nearly as long as the mature silicle; the upper ones
shorter. Sepals ovate, obtuse, with white margins. Petals white,
broad-ovate, entire, a little more than twice the length of the sepals.
Silicles oblong, linear, contorted, 6—8 lines long when mature, gla-
brous, crowned with a distinct but very short style. Seeds 10—15 in
each cell.
Ozs. This plant, which I refer to D. wncana with some he-
sitation, will perhaps prove to be a distinct species. It much
resembles D. confusa of Hooker, (specimens of which I have
examined in the herbarium of Prof. Torrey,) and which, as
Prof. Hooker observes, insensibly passes into D. imcana. His
specimens, however, differ from ours in having shorter styles,
amuch more dense pubescence and sparingly dentate, or sub-
entire leaves, which are somewhat ovate: the radical leaves
are not, as in our plant, much attenuated at the base, so as to
appear petiolate. In our plant also the silicle is glabrous, and
rather linear than oblong. I suspect that the character of D.
glabella, Pursh, is drawn from dwarf specimens of this plant.
It also agrees perfectly with the D. elabella of Hooker’s Flora,
except in the number of cauline leaves, and in the calyx, which
in that species is said to be very glabrous. Prof. Hooker,
however, has not had an opportunity of examining the fruit.
The habit of our plant is precisely that of Drabra ramosis-
sima of Desvaux (D. arabizans, Dursh, non Miche. D. den-
tata, Hook. § Arn. in Hooker’s Journal of Botany. Alyssum
dentatum, Nutt.) ; a species which is well characterized by its
lanceolate, deeply dentate leaves, its compound racemose inflo-
rescence, its shorter and pubescent silicles, and longer style.
RHAMNES.
7. Ceanotuus ovais, Bigelow, Fl. Bost, ed. 2. p. 92.
C intermedius, Hook, Fl. Bor. Am. 1. p. 124, non Pursh.
On rocks and barren grounds, Watertown, Jefferson county.
New or rare Plants of the State of New York. 225
Oss. A shrub, 2—3 feet high. Flowers in May. This
plant is undoubtedly quite distinct from C. atermedius, Pursh,
which is merely a narrow-leaved form of C. Americanus,
nearly confined to the Southern States. The specific name of
Bigelow is not happily chosen, as the leaves are for the most
part oblong-lanceolate.
LEGUMINOS/.
8. Laruyrus pisirorMis, Linn. De Cand. Prodr. II. p.
371. Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. 1. p. 158. LL. maritimus, Bigel.
Fl. Bost. ed. 2. p. 268. Pisum maritimum, Linn. et alorum.
Shore of Lake Ontario. Flowers June—August. It agrees
with our sea-shore plant in every respect.
9. L. ocHrotevcus, Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. 1. p. 158. L.
pisiformis, Rich. in Frankl. Jour. app. p. 28. L. glaucifolius,
Beck. Bot.and Middle States, p. 90.
Gorham, Ontario county, Dr. H. P. Sartwell: Watertown,
Jefferson county, Dr. Crawe.
Oss. This species resembles L. venosus, Muhl. but differs
in its ochroleucous flowers and larger stipules. L. venosus also
has larger leaves, which, with the segments of the calyx, are
much more prominently veined.
10. L. pauustris, Linn. Pursh, Fl. Il. p. 147.
Along the banks of rivers and lakes. Its leaves from lan-
ceolate (the ordinary form) to oblong-ovate.
Il. L. myrtironius, Muhl. in Willd. Spec. Ill. p. 1091.
De Cand. Prodr. Wi. p.371. Pursh, Fl. Il. p. 471. L. stipu-
laceus, Le Conte, in Cat. N. Y. Plants, p. 92.
Grows in similar situations with the preceding, from which
it may not be specifically distinct. Leaves elliptical or oval, in
3—4 pairs, (‘‘folis quatuor,” Pursh.) Stem naked or winged ;
stipules variable in size. |
226 New or rare Plants of the State of New York.
VALERIANE.
12. Vavertana sytvatica, Rich. m Frankl. Jour. app.
p- 42.. Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. I. p. 291. Beck, Bot. N. and
Middle States, p. 164.
Very abundant in a sphagnous swamp in Wayne county,
near the shore of Lake Ontario; where it was discovered, in
the summer of 1833, by Dr. Sartwell. My specimens agree
in every respect with those from Prof. Hooker, in Prof. 'Tor-
rey’s herbarium.
COMPOSIT &.
13. DreLopappus auBus, Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. II. p. 21.
Aster albus, (Willd. Herb.) Spreng. Syst. Veg. III. p. 528°
Chrysopsis alba, Nutt. Gen. II. p. 152, (v. sp. in Herb. Nutt.)
Dellingeria? ptarmicoides, Nees ab Esenbeck, Ast. p. 183.
On the rocky banks of Black River, near Watertown, Jeffer-
son county; where it is very abundant, and was first noticed by
Dr. Crawe. Flowers early in August.
Oxzs. ‘This interesting species was discovered by Nuttall
around Fort Mandan, on the Missouri: it has also been found
on the shore of Lake Superior, by Dr. Pitcher, and on the
banks of the Saskatchawan, by Dr. Richardson; so that its
geographical range is very extensive. I have not been able
to find any trace of an outer pappus in the numerous specimens
which I have examined. ‘They agree in all respects with a
specimen from Prof. Hooker, (in Herb. Torrey,) except that
in our plant the hairs of the inner pappus are subclavate at the
extremity. Our plant appears to me to differ from Deellingeria
of Nees ab Esenbeck only in wanting the outer pappus. I have
no means of determining whether this species is identical with
Aster albus of Willdenow’s herbarium ; but as there is a species
under this name in the catalogue of Muhlenberg, from whom
Willdenow received many North American Asters, it is highly
probable that this synonym is correctly referred,
New or rare Plants of the State of New York. 227
LABIAT.
14. DracocEPHAaLUM PARVIFLORUM, Nutt. Gen. II. p-
35. (v. sp. in Herb. Nutt.) Benth. Lab. p. 495.
Barren fields and woods, Watertown, Jefferson county.
Flowers from May to Augast.
Oss. ‘This species, which was found by its discoverer
around Fort Mandan, on the Missouri, has since been collected
in British N. America by Mr. Drummond.
15. Buiepuimia urrsuta, Benth. Lab. p. 320. _Monarda
hirsuta. Pursh, Fi. 1. p. 19.
Abundant throughout the northern and western portions of
the state of New York.
LENTIBULARIA.
16. UTRICULARIA INTERMEDIA, Hayne. Schrader, Fl. Germ.
I. p. 55. Ram. Sy Schult. Syst. 1. p. 195. Spreng. Syst. 1.
p61. U. media, Wahl. Fl. Suec. I. p. 15.
In very wet swamps, Watertown, Jefferson county, Dr.
Crawe. Flowers in June and July.
This species is near U. vulgaris and U. minor, but is quite
distinct from both. My specimens agree in all respects with
the foreign plant, of which I have seen Swedish specimens in
the herbarium of Dr. 'Torrey.
17. U. minor, Willd. Sp. Pl. 1. p. 112. Rem. &§ Schult.
Syst. I. p. 166. Wahl. Fl. Suec. I. p. 14.
In the same locality as the preceding. Corolla dull yellow.
Flowers in June. As far as can be determined by the com-
parison of dried specimens, our plant is identical with the fo-
reign U. minor.
18. U.cornuta, Micha. Fl. I. p.12. Rem. § Schult. I.
228 New or rare Plants of the State of New York.
p-197. Torrey, Fl. I.p.19. U. personata, Le Conte, Utric.
m Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist. New York, I. p..77.
Occurs sparingly throughout the western portion of the state
of New York. Very abundant in an extensive sphagnous
swamp bordering Perch Lake, Jefferson county. Stem one
to six flowered.
ORCHIDEA.
19. MicrosryLis BRACHYPODA (sp. nov.) ; caule unifolia-
to; racemo subspicato floribus breviter pedicellatis; petatis la-
teralibus refractis; labello hastato-triangulari, cucullato, acu-
minato.
Root apseudo-bulb. Stem 2—6 inches high, triangular, with ywo of the
angles somewhat winged. Leaf solitary, (rarely two,) ovate, sheathing
the lower portion of the stem. Raceme elongated, somewhat spiked,
many (20—-40) flowered. Bractee minute, a little shorter than the pedi-
cels. Pedicels about a line long, somewhat appressed. Sepals spread-
ing, oblong-lanceolate, acute. Lateral petals linear, attenuate upwards,
refracted and appressed to the ovarium. Lip triangular-hastate, with a
long recurved acumination; lateral lobes rounded and rolled inwards.
Anther terminal, two celled. Polinia 4, collateral.
Has. In deep shady swamps, Fairfield, Herkimer county,
Prof. Hadley. Bridgewater, Oneida county. Flowers in
July.
Oss. This species more nearly resembles M. monophyllos,
Lindl. Gen. § Sp. Orchid. p. 19. (Ophrys monophyllus, Linn.)
than any other with which Iam acquainted. ‘That species,
however, differs from our plant, in its much longer pedicels
and bracts, and also in the form of the lip, the auricles of
which, in M. monophyllos, are directed forward. I am not
certain that these characters are constant.
20. Hapenaria orpicuLata, Torrey, Compend. p. 318.
H. macrophylla, Goldie, in Edinb. Phil. Jour. VI. p. 331.
Orchis orbiculata, Pursh, Fl. Ll. p. 588.
Scape with two orbicular leaves at the base, which spread flat on the
ground. Leaves large, (5—S inches in diameter,) fleshy, very smooth
New or rare Plants of the State of New York. 229
and shining. Scape 1—2 feet high, bearing the flowers in a spiciform
raceme. lowers 17—20, greenish.white, spreading. Pedicels 3—4
lines long. Bractee lanceolate, shorter than the flowers. Sepals con-
spicuously nerved; the upper one nearly orbicular, erect; the lateral
ones ovate, and very oblique, so as to appear somewhat semilunar,
spreading. Petals smaller than the sepals, ovate-lanceolate, oblique,
reflexed. Lip linear, obtuse, longer than the ovarium, depending and
recurved. Spur three times the length of the ovarium, incurved, clavate.
Anther two-horned, two-celled, cells approximate. Ovarium }—? ofan
inch long, a little curved.
Has. Woods throughout the Northern states, but some-
what rare. It is seldom found except in the deep shade of the
Conifere. Flowers in July.
21. H. Hooxertana, Torrey, Herb. H. orbiculata,
Goldie, 1. c. Hook. Exot. Fl. 145. non Pursh.
Scape 8—12 inches high, bearing at the base two orbicular, oval or
obovate leaves. Leaves fleshy, smooth and shining, 3—4 inches long.
Spike 4—6 inches in length, somewhat loosely flowered. Flowers 10—20,
yellowish-green, erect or a little spreading, subsessile. Bractee lanceo-
late, nearly as long as the flowers. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, acute; the
upper one connivent with the petals, erect; the lateral ones deflexed, so
as to meet posteriorly. Petals a little shorter than the sepals, linear,
very acute, dilated at the base. Lip lanceolate, acuminate, scarcely as
long as the ovarium, standing forward and somewhat incurved. Spur
straight, acute, depending, about twice the length of the ovarium. Cells
of the anther linear-clavate, widely separated at the base by the broad
stigmatic surface. Ovariwm }—# of an inch in length, straight.
Has. In similar situations with the preceding, but much
more abundant in the northern part of the state. Iam _ not
aware that it has been found south of the Highlands of the
Hudson river, where it occurs sparingly. Flowers in June.
Ors. These two very distinct species of Habenaria are still
generally confounded by our botanists, although they were very
clearly distinguished by Mr. Goldie, in his paper on “ New
and rare Plants detected in Canada during the year 1819,”
published in the 6th volume of the Edinburgh Philosophical
Journal. There can, however, be little doubt that H. macro-
230 New or rare Plants of the State of New York.
phylla, of Goldie, is the original Orcas orbiculata, although
the question can only be positively decided by referring to
Pursh’s herbarium. ‘I'he specific character of Pursh applies
minutely to this plant, if we except the expression petalis 3
superioribus conniventibus ; but he may have drawn his descrip-
tion from very young specimens, in which the perianth had
not fully expanded; or, which is not improbable, he may have
seen and confounded the two plants. The phrase, labello
lineart wmtegerrimo obtusiusculo, in no respect applies to H.
orbiculata of Goldie and Hooker, in which the lip is lanceo-
late and very acute. ‘The lower sepals in our plant are very
oblique, as noted by Pursh; in that of Goldie and Hooker they
are slightly so. Our plant has the scape 12 to 15 inches or
more in height, and the leaves entirely prostrate, as described
by Pursh; in that of Goldie and Hooker, the scape is seldom
a foot in height, and the leaves are suberect. To this may be
added the habitat, ‘‘ on the mountains of Pennsylvama and Vir-
gima, July— August ;” a region in which the H. orbiculata of
Goldie and Hooker has not, as far as I am aware, been de-
tected. If this view proves correct, the specific name of Pursh
must be restored to the larger species. For the H. orbiculata of
Goldie, &c. Dr. Torrey has proposed the name H. Hookeriana,
in honour of Wm. Jackson Hooker, LL.D. whose name is
identified with North American botany, by his splendid Flora
Boreali-Americana, and other publications on the plants of this
country.
22. H. crutaris, R. Brown in Hort. Kew. Orchis ciliaris,
Willd. Sp. Pl. IV. p. 8. Ontario county, Dr. Sartwell.
Flowers bright golden yellow.
23. H.sieprHaricLtottis, Hook. Exot. Fl.87. Orchis
blephariglottis, Willd. Sp. Pl. TV. p.9. Watertown, Jeffer-
son county ; Utica, Oneida county. Flowers pure white.
This species and the preceding grow in similar situations
New or rare Plants of the State of New York. 231
and frequently in company, and are not readily distinguished,
except by the colour of the flowers. , But, as Prof. Hooker
justly remarks, in H. ciliaris, the lip is more thickly fringed,
and the upper petals are likewise fringed; whereas in H. ble-
phariglottis these are quite naked.
24. H. sracreata, R. Brown in Hort. Kew. Orchis
bracteata, Willd. Sp. Pl. IV. p. 34.
In deep woods, Fairfield, Herkimer county.
25., H. pinatata, Hook. Exot. Fl. 95° non Torrey,
Compend, Sc. Orchis dilatata, Pursh, Fl. Il. p. 588.
Root fasciculated. Stem 1—2 feet high, multangular, leafy. Leaves
laneeolate, upper ones shorter. Spike 2—4 inches long, soniewhat
sparsely flowered. Bractee linear-lanceolate; the lower ones equal to
the flowers, the uppermost shorter. Flowers white. Sepals ovate
obtuse, the lateral ones somewhat oblique, spreading or reflexed; the
upper one connivent with the linear-lanceolate petals, and somewhat
arched over the column. vp linear, entire obtuse, dilated at the base.
Spur as long as the lip, a little shorter than the ovarium; obtuse, some-
what incurved. Cells of the anther subdistant at the base. Glands of the
pollinia distinct.
Haz. In deep sphagnous swamps, not uncommon in the
northern part of the state. I have also seen specimens from
Quebec, and from Sault St. Marie. Flowers June—July.
Ozs. The plant described above agrees entirely with Or-
chis dilatata of Pursh, but is not the plant commonly known to
our botanists under that name. ‘The true O. dilatata, as I con-
sider it, has white flowers with the lip linear and distinctly di-
lated at the base. The plant referred to this species in Tor-
rey’s Compendium, Beck’s Flora, &c. has greenish flowers,
with the lip lanceolate, acutish, not distinctly dilated at the
base, and cannot be distinguished from O. hyperborea of Pursh.
[ have seen no specimens corresponding in all respects with
the figure and detailed description of the Habenaria dilatata of
Hooker, Exot. Fl./.c. His plant appears to connect this with
the succeeding species.
Vox. III. 30
232 New or rare Plants of the State of New York.
26. H. uypersorea R. Brown in Hort. Kew. V. p.193.
Rich. in Frankl. Jour. App. p. 33. (v. sp. in Herb. Torr.)
Orchis hyperborea, Willd. sp. Pl. IV. p.37? Pursh, Fl. II.
p- 088.
Throughout the Northern states, in similar situations with
the preceding: not uncommon. Flowers in July.
Oss. This species differs from the preceding principally in
having greenish-yellow flowers, with a lanceolate lip which is
not dilated at the base. The spur is about one half the length
of the ovarium, obtuse or somewhat acute and incurved. The
size of the plant is quite variable. It often occurs 6—12 inches
in height, with a somewhat ovate or oblong spike of flowers.
In this state it agrees entirely with specimens of H. hyperborea
collected in the arctic regions of America by Dr. Richardson.
In favourable situations it not unfrequently attains the height of
2 or 3 feet, with a virgate spike 6—S inches in length, and in
this state is the H. dzlatata of most American botanists.
27. H.wersiota, R. Brown, in Hort. Kew. V. p. 193.
Orchis herbiola, Pursh. Fl. Il. App. p. 748.
Watertown, Jefferson county. Flowers in June.
Ozs. Flowers greenish-yellow. Lzp oblong, obtuse, biden-
tate at the base, with a projecting tooth on the palate.
28. CypripEpium AriEtTiINUM, R. Brown in Hort. Kew.
Pursh, Fl. Il. p. 595. Arietinum Americanum, Beck, Fl. N.
& Middle States, p. 352.
Near Oneida Lake.
SMILACEE. —
29. Srrerpropus amMpLexirouius, De Cand. Fl. Fran
Ill. p. 174.
6. Americanus (Rem. § Schult. VII. p. 311.) 5; stigmate
fere integro; pedunculis supra medium geniculatis. 8. distor-
tus, Michz. Fl. I. p. 200. Torrey, Fl. 1. p. 353.
In deep swamps near Utica.
New or rare Plants of the State of New York. 233
JUNCEX.
30. Juncus Sryeius, Linn. Willd. Sp. Pl. Il. p. 215.
Wahl. Fl. Suec. 1. p. 213.
In an extensive sphagnous swamp bordering Perch Lake,
Jefferson county: August. ‘This species has not previously
been known as a native of North America.
31. J.seTaceus, Rostkow, Junc. p. 13. tab.1. Torrey,
FI. 1. p. 360.
Shore of Lake Ontario, near Sackett’s Harbour.
32. J.EcHinatus, Muhl. Gram. p. 207. Ell. Bot. 8.
Car. & Georgia, I. p. 410.
With the preceding; perhaps not distinct from J. polyce-
phalus, Miche.
PODOSTEME.
33. PoposTEMON CERATOPHYLLUM, Miche. Fl. Il. p. 165.
tab. 44.
In flowing water, Watertown, Jefferson county, Dr. Crawe.
GRAMINE.
34. VILFA HETEROLEPIS, (sp. nov.) ; foliis setaceis ; pani-
cula pyramidata, sparsiflora; gluma inferiore subuliformi, su-
periore ovata, cuspidata, subduplo breviori; valvulis perianthio
subzequalibus, muticis, gluma extima paulo minori.
Root perennial. Culm 1—2 feet in height,smooth. Leaves convolute-
setaceous, with the margins hispidly scabrous upward; the lower ones
equalling the culm; the upperonesmuch shorter. Lower sheaths pilose ;
upper ones smooth. Panicle pyramidal, spreading or subcontracted ;
branches solitary, nearly simple, few and loosely flowered. Glumes pur-
plish; the outer one reduced to a subula, about one half the length of the
inner one, which is strikingly membranaceous in texture, ovate or ovate-
oblong, one-nerved, with the nerve produced into a short cusp. Valves
of the perianth oblong-lanceolate, rather obtuse, thin and membranaceous,
a little shorter than the superior glume. Inferior valve, obscurely one-
234 New or rare Plants of the State of New York.
nerved, slightly apiculate. Superior valve two-nerved, a little shorter
than the outer one. Stamens 3. Anthers large, linear, orange-red.
Stigmas 2, hairy. Styles very short. Caryopsis subglobose, coriaceous,
smooth and shining.
Has. On rocks, Watertown, Jefferson county, Dr. Crawe.
Flowers Aug.—Sept. I have also specimens collected near
New Haven, Connecticut, by Mr. J. D. Dana. In Muhlen-
berg’s herbarium there is a fragment of this grass with a speci-
men of V.juncea, from the late Dr. Baldwin. The locality
is not noted on the label, but it was most probably collected in
Delaware. Dr. Torrey has also received specimens from the
vicinity of Montreal.
35. V.vaciniFLora, Torrey, in Gray's Gram. & Cyp. I.
n. 3. Agrostis virginica, Muhl. Gram. p. 74. Torrey, Fl. 1.
p- 89. non Linn,
Watertown, Jefferson county.
36. Panicum xaNTHoPHYsuM, Gray, Gram. & Cyp. I.
n. 20.
Whole plant light green, becoming yellowish in drying. Root peren-
nial. Culm simple or branching fromthe base, 12—15 inches high, gla-
brous. Leaves broad-lanceolate, 3—6 inches in length, 4—6 lines broad,
acute, strongly nerved, nearly smooth, ciliate at the base. Sheaths vil-
lose, shorter than the joints. Peduncles elongated when old. Panicle
sub-simple, few-flowered, with the branches appressed, nearly smooth,
Spikelets globose-obovate, as large as in P. latifolium. Glumes pubes-
cent; the inferior one oblong, acutish, 3-nerved, about half the length
of the 9-nerved superior one. Abortive floret staminiferous, 2-valved ;
inferior valve equalling the superior glume; superior valve shorter
membranaceous. Perfect floret cartilaginous, rather obtuse, smooth
and shining, equalling the superior glume,
Has. In dry pine barrens, near Oneida Lake; and Hamil-
ton, Madison county, Dr. J. S. Douglas. Flowers June and
July. This interesting species has also been found at Conway,
New or rare Plants of the State of New York. 235
Maine, and on the White Mountains of New Hampshire by
Dr. Pickering, and at Burlington, Vermont by J. Carey, Esq.
also near Lake Winnipeg, by Dr. Richardson.
CYPERACE.
37. Carex cHorporruHIzA, Willd. Sp. Pl. IV. p. 219.
Wahl. Fl. Suec. IU. p. 588.
In an elevated sphagnous swamp, Bridgewater, Oneida
county. I have recently received this plant, hitherto unknown
in this country, from Seneca county, Dr. Sartwell, and St.
Lawrence county, Dr. Crawe.
38. C. tivipa, Willd. Sp. Pl. IV. p. 28. Wahl. Fl. Suee.
II. p.601. Schk. Car.tab. ssss. fig. 211. C.limosa, var. livida,
Wahl. Act. Holm. 1803, p. 162. C. Grayana, Dewey, Caricog.
m Am. Jour. Sc. XXV. p. 141. tab. 8. fig. 59.
In a sphagnous swamp near Utica. This species has also
been detected on the Rocky Mountains by Mr. Drummond ;
and at Hudson’s Bay by Dr. Richardson. My specimens
agree in every respect with an Kuropean specimen of C. livida
in the herbarium of the late Rev. Mr. Schweinitz; but I have
never, except in a single specimen, noticed the distant or sub-
radical peduncles, as in Schkuhr’s figure. Wahlenberg, how-
ever, in his Flora Suecica, remarks that the disposition of the
pistillate spikes upon the culm is variable-—Whole plant glau-
cous. Culm 4—10 inches in height. Glumes of jhe pistillate
spike for the most part obtuse, but sometimes a little acute.
Flowers in June.
39. C.¥Fotiicutata, Linn. Sp. Pl. n.1387. Rudge, in
Linn. Trans. VII. p. 98. tab. 9. f2 4. non Schkuhr et Auct.
C. xanthophysa, Wahl. Car. n. 73. Dewey, Caricog. l. c.
VIL. p. 274, & X. tab. D. f. 15. Schw. § Torr. Carr. in Ann.
Lyc. Nat. Hist. New York, \. p. 339. Spreng. Syst. Veg. III.
p. 824. C. folliculata, 8, xanthophysa, Muhl. Gram. p. 244,
C rostrata, Mich. Fl. Il. p. 173. (vide Torrey.)
236 New or rare Plants of the State of New York.
In cedar swamps, &c. not uncommon in the western pact of
the state. Flowers in June and July.
Oss. It appears, by a letter from the late Sir James E
Smith to Prof. Torrey, that the plant well known to American
botanists as C. cunihophysa, is C. folliculata of the Linnean
herbarium. ‘The specific character of Linnzeus, “ spicis termi-
nalibus pedunculatis, mascula foemineaque, capsulis subulatis
longitudine spice,” would at once be noticed as inapplicable to
C. folliculata of Schkuhr and succeeding botanists. The figure
of Rudge, in the Linnean Transactions, well represents our
C. xanthophysa, with only two (sub-approximate) pistillate
spikes; a form which is by no means uncommon. ‘The spe-
cimen from which the figure of Rudge was taken, is said to be
the same as one under the name of C. folliculata in the Bank-
sian herbarium. It is evident, therefore, that the original name
of Linneus must be restored to this species.
40. C. intumescens, Rudge, in Linn. Trans. VII. p. 97.
tab. 9. f. 3. C. folliculata, Schk. Car. f. 52. Michx. Fl. Il. p.
172. Willd. Sp. Pl. IV. p. 281. Schw. § Torr. Car. p. 338.
non Linn.
In wet meadows and swamps; common. [lowers early in
June.
Oss. This plant, the C. folliculata of Schkuhr, Willdenow,
and all American botanists, is well figured by Rudge, in the
Transactions of the Linnean Society as above quoted. It not
unfrequently bears a single pistillate spike, as figured by
Schkuhr.
B.:GLOBULARIS ; culmo crassiore ; spicis fertilibus globosis,
multi- (20—30) floris.
Has. In meadows; Utica. Flowers in July.
Oss. This variety is characterized by its larger and coarser
habit, and by its globose, many-flowered pistillate spikes. It
flowers a month later than the ordinary form of the species, and
when young might readily be mistaken for C. lupulzna.
New and rare Plants of the State of New York. 287
41. C. BLEPHAROPHORA, (sp. nov.) ; spica mascula solitaria,
erecta; femineis ternis vel quaternis, oblongo-cylindraceis, nu-
tantibus ; stigmatibus tribus ; perigyniis ovatis, rostratis, biden-
tatis, glumam ciliolatam, obtusiusculam, equantibus; foliis
bracteisque ciliatis.
Culm 12—18 inchesin height, smooth and slender, leafy at the base.
Leaves linear, much shorter than the culm, ciliate, and with the sheaths
pubescent on the nerves. Sractee minute, squamaceous, not sheath-
ing the peduncles, cuspidate, with the cusps somewhat hispidly ciliate;
the lower one nearly an inch in length. Stam. spike oblong, ob-
scurely trigonous, on an erect peduncle about an inch long. Glumes
oblong, membranaceous. Pst. spikes 3—4, oblong-cylindric, rather
densely flowered, on filiform, nodding peduncles about their own
length; the upper spikes often more or less sterile (not staminiferous),
the lowest sometimes remote. Perigyniwm (fruit) ovate, obsoletely
triquetrous when young, smooth, attenuated into a straight beak nearly
as long as itself; orifice bidentate. Glumes ovate, rather obtuse, one-
nerved, membranaceous, ciliate, equalling the fruit. Caryopsis tri-
quetrous.
Has. In moist shady places, Bridgewater, Oneida county,
in company with C. aurea and C. flava. Flowers in June.
Oss. ‘This species should be placed between C. sylvatica
and C.miliacea. It somewhat resembles C. patula, De Cand.
Syn. Fl. Gall. p. 144; which differs, however, in having folia-
ceous bractez, trigonous fruit, and naked glumes.
42. C.aristata, R. Brown, in Rich. App. Frankl. Jour.
p- 36. C. atherodes, Spreng. Syst. III. p. 828.
Watertown, Jefferson county, Dr. Crawe.
Our plant agrees entirely with specimens in the herbarium
of Dr. Torrey, collected at Cumberland House, &c. by Dr.
Richardson.
43. C. Hircncocniana, Dewey, Caricog. l. c. X. p. 274,
tab. K. fig. 17.
238 New or rare Plants of the State of New York.
Watertown, Jefferson county, Dr. Crawe; Penn-Yan,
Yates county, Dr. Sartwell, Cayuga county, J. Carey.
FILICES.
44, AspIDIUM ACROSTICHOIDES, Willd. Sp. Pl. V. p. 225.
8. INCISUM; pinnis inequaliter inciso-dentatis: soris plerum-
que distinctis. A. Schweinitzii, Beck, Bot. N. and Middle
States, p. 449.
Has. In woods and shady ravines, near Hamilton College ;
growing with, and insensibly passing into, the ordinary form of
the species.
Oss. Dr. Beck suggests that this plant may be identical
with a species brought from the North West coast of America
by Menzies, and mentioned by J. E. Smith, under A. auricu-
latum. Dr. Torrey’s herbarium contains a specimen of this
plant, collected by Dr. Sconler. It differs widely from our
plant, and is without doubt a distinct species.
45. Preris cracitis, Michz. Fl. I. p. 262. Pursh, Fl.
iif. p.6n5.
Penn-Yan, Ontario county, Dr. Sartwell.
Monocrapu of North American CyrERACE &
By Joun Torrey.
Read August 8th, 1836.
THE natural family CypERACE® comprehends at least 1600
recorded species, and about 100 genera. It belongs to the
great class Endogene, and the cohort Glumaceze. On the one
hand it is nearly related to Graminez, ard on the other to’
Restiacew. From the former it is distinguished by its solid,
and mostly angular culnis, entire leaf-sheaths, and embryo
partly included in the albumen ; and from the latter by its nuca-
mentaceous fruit, entire leaf-sheaths, and the position of the
embryo. The genera of this order were very imperfectly cha-
racterized until the appearance of Dr. Brown’s incomparable
Prodromus Flore Novee Hollandiz in 1810, in which work a
great number of Cyperaceous genera are described with the
precision for which this author is so celebrated. Before the
publication of that work, Richard, in Persoon’s Synopsis, (1805)
described several new genera of Cyperacez, and characterized
them in a perspicuous manner. Vahl, also, in his Enumeratio
Plantarum, vol. 2. (1806) revised that part of the order belong-
ing to Triandria Monogynia of the sexual system, and described
some new genera. In 1819, Lestiboudois published his Essai
sur la Famille des Cypéracées, in which he gave a good ac-
count of its organography, and a brief description of all the ge-
nera, including several new ones. He appears to have adopted
the views of Palisot de Beauvois, which he frequently quotes.
It is much to be regretted that the work on Cyperacee pro-
mised by that celebrated agrostographer has never been publish-
ed. A memoir containing some valuable observations on this
order was communicated to the Institute of France, by M.
Kunth, and printed in the Annales du Muséum (1809).
Vor. IIT. 31
240 North Americun Cyperacee.
Agardh, in his Aphorismi Botanici, (1823) gave a good deserip~
tion of the characiers of the family, together with a list of the
genera, and the number of species belonging to each genus.
Lindley, in his Introduction to the Natural System of Botany,
(1830) has given, ina clear but succinct manner, the charac-
ters, affinities, geography and properties of the Cyperacee. He
states, in a note, that Mr. Prescott of St. Petersburgh has long
been making these plants an especial study, but the botanical
world has not yet been favored with the results of his labours.
The botanist who has lately directed his attention to the Cype-
racee with the greatest success is Professor Nees ab Esenbeck of
Breslau. ‘This accomplished and indefatigable, cultivator of
eur science, prepared about the same time two valuable me-
moirs on the Cyperacez, one of which, inserted in the ninth
volume of the Linnea, (for 1834) is entitled Uebersicht der Cy-
peraceengattungen: the other under the title of Cyperacee
Indicze, forms a large partof Dr. Wight’s ‘‘ Contributions to the
Botany of India,” which appeared inthe same year. The former,
besides a synopsis of all the genera of the order, and a list of
the species examined by the author, contains some profound
observations on the structure of the floral organs. He consi-
ders the hypogynous bristles, hairs, squamula, and petaloid
bodies which occurin most of these plants, as metamorphosed
stamens, and not divisions of a perianth.* Respecting the po-
sition ofthe embryo he gives no opinion.. He announces
his intention to publish at some future day a full monograph
of this immense family.
The Cyperacee of North America have been studied’
with considerable care by many botanists. In the time of
Linneus very little was known concerning even the European
species; and in his last edition of the Species plantarum (1764)
* Linnea 8, p. 277 et seq. But in his Cyp. Ind. (p. 93.) he seems to take
another view of these organs. ‘“‘fuirene Vaginaria flos e tribus verticillis constat;
scil. 1mo, Calyce trisepalo, sepalis setaceis. 2do, Corolla tripetala, petalis un-
guiculatis cum sepalis alternis. 3/70, Staminibus tribus sepalis oppositis angulisque
ovarii respondentibus, Tgitur, 4/0, Carpellis tribus petalis oppositis planis val-
vatim connatis,” &e.
North American Cyperacee. 241
we find only eleven species (belonging to five genera) recorded
as natives of North America. In the Species Plantarum of
Willdenow, (vol. 1. part 1, 1797, and vol. 4, part 1, 1805, which
contain all the Cyperaceze) we find 60 North American species,
42 of which belong to the genus Carex, and were mostly com-
municated to the author by Muhlenberg. -The Flora Boreali-
Americana of Michaux, (1803) edited in part by the elder
Richard, contains only 54 species of Cyperaceze, which are,
however, very accurately described. ‘The second volume of
Vahl’s Enumeratio Plantarum, published in 1806, contains
much original information respecting these plants. He de-
scribed some important new genera, and a great number of new
species, but his work contains comparatively few North Ame-
rican Cyperacez. Persoon, in his Synopsis Plantarum
(1805—6,) added very little to our knowledge of the Cyperaceee,
except the materials contributed by Richard. He described no
new N. American species. Pursh was evidently not familiar with
the plants of this order, although he records in his Flora
(1814) most of the species described by preceding writers.
His list comprises 119, only three or four of which are
new. Nuttall does not profess to have studied the Cypera-
cex with particular care, and in his Genera of North American
plants, (1818) he merely gives a catalogue of the species
enumerated in botanical works, amounting to 174. He, how-
ever, described two new species of Carex. The late Dr. Muh-
lenberg devoted much attention to the Cyperaceous plants and
Grasses of this country, and his posthumous work entitled De-
scriptio uberior Graminum et Plantarum calamariarum, &c. con-
tains faithful detailed descriptions, without diagnostic charac-
ters, of 1388 Cyperacese. The latest general enumeration of
this family is that of Sprengel, in his Systema Vegetabilium,
(vol. 1, 1825, and vol. 3, 1826,) where we find recorded 178
species as inhabiting North America. In my catalogue of the
genera of North American plants published in the appendix to
the American Edition of Lindley’s Introduction to the Natural
System, (1831) the number of Cyperacee is 247, or one fif-
942 North American Cyperacee.
teenth part of the pheenogamous vegetation. ‘The list in the
present monograph is increased to 326, but the proportion which
they bear to the whole number of phaenogamous plants remains
about the same, owing to the great additions which have been
made to our Flora within a few years past.
It affords me great pleasure to record the labours of some
of our own botanists in this field. The late excellent Mr.
Elliott, in his work modestly entitled A Sketch of the Botany
of South Carolina and Georgia (1817—1824,) accurately de-
scribed a great number of Cyperaceze, among which are many
new species. Prof. Dewey’s Caricography, published in Silli-
man’s Journal, (vol. 7—30, 1824—-1836,) is an exceedingly
valuable account of our native species of Carex. The first
volume of the Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History con-
tains an Analytical table of North American Carices, communi-
cated in 1823 by the late lamented Dr. L. D. von Schweinitz, in
which the essential characters of the species known at that time are
given in a perspicuous manner, and several new species are in-
dicated, most of which have beensubsequently confirmed. The
Monograph of North American Carices by Mr. Schweinitz and
myself, was published the following year in the second volume
of the same work. ‘The monograph of North American
Rhynchospore, published in the present volume of the Annals
of the Lyceum, and the volumes of North American Gramineze
and Cyperaceze by my esteemed friend Dr. Gray, are most
valuable contributions to the Flora of this country. In the dif-
ficult genus Rhynchospora the author has doubled the list of in-
digenous species before recorded, and has described them with
such clearness that hereafter their determination will be compa-
ratively easy.
A paper, entitled ‘‘Cyperaceee nove,” &c. by Dr. C. A.
Meyer, (published in the Mémoires presentés a l’acad. St. Pe-
tersb. 1830) contains excellent descriptions and figures of seve-
ral Cyperaceze, mostly from Russian America, many of which
have been identified by means of a suite of specimens from
Sitcha and Unalaschka, communicated by M. Bongard of the
St. Petersburgh Imperial Academy.
North American Cyperacce. 243
In arranging the Cyperaceve described in the following pages,
I have adopted the classification of Nees ab Esenbeck, as given
in the 9th volume of the Linnea already quoted, without,
however, agreeing with the learned author in all his views, par-
ticularly in the extent to which he has divided some of the older
genera. ‘I'he characters of his tribes and genera are so brief,
that I have thought it expedient to enlarge, and in many cases
to modify them materially. In framing the diagnoses of the
species, it may be thought by some botanists that | have employ-
ed characters which are too microscopic, but this course was
absolutely necessary, since the most certain marks of discrimina-
tion in this family exist in the minute and highly organized parts
of fructification, which until lately have been very little regarded
by botanical writers. The form, texture, relative size, posi-
tion, &c. of the scales, perianth, nut, and style, afford charac-
ters on which we can place the most reliance in the Cyperacee.
The accompanying table exhibits a view of the North Ameri-
can genera of this family, arranged according to the Synopsis of
Nees ab Esenbeck, with the number of species belonging to each
genus, and the proportion which the endemic species bear to
those which also inhabit Europe, or other parts of the world.
Of the Tribe Cyperez the greatest proportion belong to the
Southern States. The genus Cyperus itself scarcely extends
into Canada, and in all New England not more than 7 or 8 species
have been found. Proceeding south they become more frequent,
and the maximum is attained in the regions bordering the Gulf
of Mexico. Kyllingia does not occur north of Pennsylvania.
Mariscus is found throughout the United States, and Dulichium,
a doubtful member of this tribe, has an equally extensive range.
Hypolytreze constitute a small tribe. Lipocarpha is pecu-
harly southern, and Fuirena is rarely found as far north as Bos-
ton; and, in the northern and middle states, only in the vicinity
of the ocean.
Scirpez are widely distributed, but at least two thirds of the
species occur south of Virginia. Abildgaardia and Elytrosper-
mum have only been observed on the Pacific coast of America.
The genuine species of Scirpus range from the Arctic regions
to Florida, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific; and Eleocharis
244 North American Cyperacea.
has a similar range. Eriophorum is a northern genus,
only one of its species extending beyond Pennsylvania.
Chetocyperus is peculiar to the south. Fimbristylis does not
reach the northern limits of the United States. Isolepis is
“chiefly southern. Our solitary species of Trichelostylis occurs
in nearly all parts of North America south of Canada.
Rhynchosporeze are, with few exceptions, southern plants.
Dichromena is not found north of Virginia nor far from the
ocean. ‘l'wo Psilocarye are southern, and a third has been
observed only in Massachusetts. Of the 28 species of Rhyn-
chospora but four are found as far north as Boston, and only
eight belong to the middle states ; the remainder are mostly
peculiar to the southern states, but many of them extend west
to Texas. Of the two species of Ceratoscheenus, one inhabits
a large part of the United States south of Delaware and west
to the Mississippi; the other is found only in New England.
The tribe Cladieze is represented by two species of the
genus Cladium, one of which is northern, the other southern.
Of Sclerieze we have but two genera and eleven species, two
or three of which have an extensive range in latitude and longi-
tude, but most of them are southern and are confined to the
vicinity of the ocean.
A solitary species of the small tribe Elynez inhabits the
boreal regions of the continent.
The vast genus Carex, which almost exclusively constitutes
the tribe Cariceze, predominates in the northern parts of the
continent, and-many of its species are peculiar to the boreal
and arctic regions ; but a large number inhabit almost every part
of North America. Of Uncinia we have but a single species, a
native of British America.
It remains for me to state the sources from whence I obtain-
ed a large portion of the materials used in the preparation of
this monograph.
To my much valued friend Sir William J. Hooker I am
greatly indebted, not.only for free access to his unrivalled her-
barium, but for a liberal supply of specimens from the collec-
tions made by Dr. Richardson, T. Drummond and other travel-
North American Cyperacce. 945
fers in British America, for many specimens from the North
West Coast, and fora set of Mr. Drummond’s plants collected
in Louisiana and ‘Texas, containing many rare species of this
family. To my excellent friend G. W. Arnott, Esq. of Scotland, 1
am under many obligations fora good set of the Cyperaceze col
lected by Dr. Wight in the Peninsula of India, which have been of
great use to me in the examination of our native species, as they
are duplicates of the collection from which N. ab Esenbeck prepar-
ed his Cyperaceze Indicze. [I have also received many other
exotic Cyperacez from Mr. Arnott and Dr. Lindley. Major Le
Conte, Rev. M. A. Curtis of North Carolina, H. B. Croom,
Esq. of Tallahassee, Dr. Chapman of Middle Florida, Dr. In-
galls of New Orleans, and Dr. Loomis of Georgia have sup-
plied me with numerous specimens of southern Cyperacez.
Dr. Pitcher of the Army, has contributed some valuable mate-
rials from Arkansas, and from the borders of the great lakes.
The late estimable Stephen Elliott, Esq. supplied my herba~
rium with several of the Cyperaceze described in his excellent
Flora; and I only regret that I have not been able, by an ex-
amination of his own herbarium, to verify all the species
which he has described. Prof. Dewey has sentme most’
of the Carices described in his valuable Caricography. My
valued friend B. D. Greene, Esq. of Boston has supplied me’
with New England and southern Cyperaceze, and likewise:
loaned me his entire set of ‘lexan plants collected by the late
Mr. Drummond. 'T. A. Greene, Esq. and Prof. Hitchcock of
Amherst, have contributed several interesting plants of this
family, from Massachusetts. ‘lo my highly esteemed corres
pondent, Dr. Short of Kentucky, as also to Dr. Peter, I am
greatly indebted for large supplies of the Cyperacew of that
state. My excellent friend, J. Carey, Esq. has greatly obliged
me by the communication of many valuable observations on the
subjects of this monograph, as well as by supplying me with
specimens from various localities. Some interesting Cypera~
cez have been obligingly sent to me by Dr. Darlington, from
Chester County, Pennsylvania. My lamented friend the late
Rey. Dr. Schweinita was a large contributor to my herbarium,
246 North American Cyperacee.
and some rare southern Cyperacez were received through his
liberality. After his decease, I obtained from his amiable widow
a portion of the herbarium of the late Dr. Baldwin, which is
particularly rich in the Cyperaceze of the southern states. My
friend Dr. Barratt, of Connecticut, has sent me several exten-
sive collections of Carices and other plants of this order, from
the Highlands of New York, Vermont, the White Hills of New
Hampshire, and Connecticut. Most valuable aid has been
afforded me, not only in the communication of specimens, but
in every part of this work by my friend Dr. Gray. The revi-
sion of the Rhynchosporee is entirely his own ; and the Synopsis
of North American Carices, I wish to have considered as our
joint performance. It was thought unnecessary to prepare de-
scriptions of these plants, except of the new species, as they
have sorecently been made the subjects of monography by Prof.
Dewey, and also by Dr. Schweinitz and myself. ‘To Charles
Pickering, M. D., curator of the Herbarium of the Academy of
Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, my best thanks are due for
the valuable aid he has afforded me in examining the extensive
collection under his charge. This herbarium contains all
Mr. Schweinitz’s plants, a full set of Dr. Baldwin’s, most of
Nuttall’s, besides a vast number of specimens from all parts of
the world. The herbarium of Dr. Muhlenberg has been repeat-
edly examined, and nearly all his Cyperaceee identified.
Michaux’s herbarium in the Jardin des Plantes of Paris was
carefully examined in the summer of 1833, and most of his Cy-
peraceze satisfactorily determined. The herbarium of Pursh,
now incorporated in the immense collection of A. B. Lambert,
Esq. of London, was, with the characteristic liberality of that
gentleman, placed under my inspection ; but I found it very
deficient in Cyperaceze.
It is, perhaps, hardly necessary to state that the exclamation
point used in the succeeding pages is employed in accordance
with the practice of De Candolle and other recent botanical
writers. When aftixed to the name of an author or correspon
dent it indicates that an original or authentic specimen has been
examined or received by myself. Localities from which I
have seen specimens are designated by the same sign.
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North American Cyperacee. 247
Trisz 1. CYPERESZ.
Fiowers perfect. SprkELETs distichously imbricated
(rarely in a spike imbricated on all sides), mostly naked, one
or many-flowered. PERIGYNIUM none, or setaceous, or cup-
shaped. INTERIOR SCALES growing to the rachis of the spike-
let, sometimes becoming free, or altogether wanting. Nur
compressed or triangular, rarely rostrate or crowned with the
persistent base of the style.
A. With a Perigynium.
1. DULICHIUM, Richard.
SPIKELETS compressed, distichously imbricated, many-
flowered. BrisTieEs of the perigynium 6—4, rigid, retrorsely
hispid. SramEns 3. Sryue very long, bifid at the sum-
mit. Nur compressed, linear-oblong, acuminated by the
long persistent style—Culm terete, leafy; leaves short and
spreading; spikes axillary, compound, with the spikelets dis-
tichously arranged on a common rachis.—Rzchard in Pers.
syn. 1. p.65; Nutt. gen. 1. p. 35; Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p.
37. no.40; N. ab Esenb. in Linnea, 9. p. 283. Scuant sp.
Vahl, &c. Cyperrti sp. Linn.
DvLicHIUM SPATHACEUM, Persoon.
Pers. syn.l.c.3 Pursh, fl. 1. p.53 ; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 78. t.
2. f.3; Torr.! fl.1. p: 58; Darlingt.! fl. Cest. p. 9. ed. 2.
p- 17; Beck! bot. N. & M. St. p. 422; Gray! N. Amer.
Gram. § Cyp. part 2. no. 181; Spreng. syst. 1. p. 194.
Scheenus spathaceus, Linn. sp. ed. 2. p. 63.
S. angustifolius, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 225; Ram. $ Schult. syst. 2.
edhe
4 Scirpus spathaceus, Michz.! fl. 1. p. 32.
Cyperus spathaceus, Linn. syst. p. 84; Willd. sp.1, p.289; Muhl.!
gram. p. 26; Big. fl. Bost. ed. 2. p.19.
Crp. racemis simplicibus lateralibus, &c. Gron. Virg. ed. 1. p. 131.
Vou. III. 32
248 North American Cyperacee.
Cyr. culmotereti, &c. Gron. Virg. ed. 2. p. 9.
Gram. junceum, elatius, &c. Pluk. alm. 279. t. 301. f. 1.
Culm about 18 inches high, terete below, obscurely triangular above ,
smooth. Leaves linear, flat, 2—3 inches long, 2—3 lines wide, acute,
spreading almost horizontally in three directions; sheaths rather loose,
truncate, brownish and naked atthe throat. Spikes or racemes on short
exserted peduncles, growing from the sheaths of the leaves, each bearing
from 8 to 14 lanceolate-linear, distichously spreading spikelets, about
three-fourths ofaninch long. Partial rachis flexuous, 6—10-flowered,
articulated, easily separating at the joints, which are excavated by the
pressure of the nuts. Scales lanceolate, very acute, appressed, yellow-
ferruginous with a green keel. Bristles seldom less than 7, and often 9,
(16 Vahl!) strong and rigid, persistent, projecting a little beyond the
scale when mature, longer than the nut without the style. Stamens 3;
filaments very slender, longer than the bristles, and inserted within them
at their base. Style attenuated into a long point, bifid at the extremity,
smooth. Nut about a line and a halflong, smooth and dull, light brown,
contracted into a short pedicel at the base, flat at the back, and a little
convex in front, the summit tapering into a long, straight point, formed of
the inarticulate, persistent, undivided style.
Has. Borders of ponds, and in swamps, from Canada! to
Georgia and Pennsylvania! and west to the Mississippi.—Au-
gust to September.
Ihave seen in the herbarium of my friend John Carey,
Esq. a specimen of this plant, in which most of the nuts were
in the state of Ergot ; a disease which very rarely occurs in
this natural order.
Ogs. ‘The genus Dulichium is very distinct in habit from
any other Cyperaceous plant growing within the limits of our
Flora, and there is considerable difficulty in determining the
true section to which it belongs. In many respects it agrees
with the Scirpez, in others with the Rhynchosporez. It resem-
bles the Cyperez in the distichous arrangement of the scales ;
and the spikelets long on the common rachis; but it differs
from most of them in its rostrate fruit and rigid perigynous
bristles.
The D. Canadense of Persoon is probably identical with this
species, the number of florets in the spikelet being variable.
North American Cyperacee. 249
B. Without a Perigynium.
+ Spikelets many-flowered.
2. CYPERUS, Linn.
SPIKELETS with the scales distichously imbricated. Racuis
generally margined with the adnate persistent interior scales.
Stamens 2—3, deciduous. Stryvite 2—3-cleft, deciduous.
Nut compressed or triangular.—Culms mostly triangular (rarely
tercte), simple, leafy at the base; corymb terminal, simple or
compound; rays more or less elongated, ochreate at the base.
Cyperus, Linn. ; "Juss. gen. p. 27; Lam. ill. t. 38; Rem.
& Schult. gen. 183; R. Brown, prodr. 1. p. 212; Lestib. ess.
p. 30. no. 23; N. ab Esenb. nm Linnea, 9. p. 283; Nutt.
gen. 1. p. 34.
Pycreus, P. de Beauv. m Lestib. ess. p. 28. no. 17; N.ab
Esenb. in Linnea, I. c.
Papyrus, A. du Petit-Thouars; Kunth, syn. 1. p. 148;
Lestvb. ess. p. 31. no. 25; N. ab Esenb. in Wight’s contrib. p.
69, ¥in Linnea, 9. p. 286.
- Torreya, Rafin. nov. gen. in jour. de phys. 89. p- 105.
The genera Pycreus and Papyrus of several late writers on
Cyperacee appear to differ too little from Cyperus to be sepa-
rated from that genus. ‘The diagnostic character of the former
is the compressed nut and 2-cleft style, the genuine Cyperi
having a triangular nut and trifid style; but the difference can
hardly be regarded as of generic importance. Papyrus has the
two interior scales (appendices, Meyer; perianthium bipale-
aceum, Lestzb.) separated from the rachis, either throughout their
whole length or at their tips ; but this character exists in several
genuine species of Cyperus, especially in the mature spikelet;
and in many others, the interior scales are very conspicuous,
though inseparably united with the rachis. C.A. Meyer, (in the
Mem. del’ Acad. Imp. de St. Petersb. V1. sér. t. 1. p. 202. t. 3. ff.
250 North American Cyperacee.
1—8, 1830) has, in our opinion, clearly shown that the charac-
ters usually assigned to Papyrus, are insufficient for removing
that genus from Cyperus. This excellent botanist, however,
considers the ‘‘ interior scales” of N. ab Esenbeck, as append-
ages of the glume immediately above them on the epposite side
of the rachis, from which they proceed obliquely downward, and
are inserted on each side of the rachis at the base of the sub-
jacent glume, the stamens and ovary of which they closely
embrace. In most of our species of Cyperus these scales or
appendages can be more or less distinctly seen, and it must be
allowed that they appear to constitute a part of the glume above
them; but it may be doubted whether they are not mere winged
margins of the rachis, (from which they sometimes split off, as in
C. erythrorhizos,) rather than inner scales or bracteze cohering
with the rachis.
§1. Style 2-cleft; nut compressed-lenticular. Pycrevs.
1. CyprErus FLAVESCENS, Linn
Umbel of 2—4 short rays ; spikelets linear, 14——20-flowered,
rather obtuse, fasciculate and solitary on the common rachis;
flowers triandrous; scales obtuse, one-nerved; nut minutely
wrinkled transversely, suborbicular, slightly mucronate, shin-
ing.
C. flavescens, Linn. sp. 1. p. 68; Muhl.! gram. p.16; Elliott, sk.
1. p. 672; Jorr.! fl. 1. p-60; Big-! fl- Bost. ed. 2. p: 18; Beck!
bot. p. 421; Willd. sp.1.p.279; Ram. & Schult. syst.2. p. 191} Spreng.
syst. 1. p. 22).
Perennial. Culm 4—10 inches high, triquetrous, leafy near the base.
Leaves about a line and a half broad, as tall as the culm. Jnvolucral
leaves 3, spreading thrice as long as the umbel. Rays of the umbel
often very short, so that the spikes appear fasciculate; the longer ones
seldom more than an inch in length, each bearing from 4 to 10 spike-
lets, which are crowded mostly in fascicles of 3—4 on the common rachis.
Spikes half an inch or more in length, slightly tapering towards the sum-
mit, which is rather obtuse than acute, of a yellowish colour, sometimes
30-flowered. Scales broadly ovate, thin and membranaceous except on
North American Cyperacea. 251
the keel. Stamens always 3, often remaining attached tothe rachis after
the fall of the scale. Style deeply 2-cleft. Nut dark-brown, exactly
lenticular, finely striate longitudinally, with distinct transverse wrinkles,
Has. Low boggy places, particularly near salt water.
Massachusetts! to Florida! and west to Kentucky! Not com-
mon. August—September.
Ozs. Our plant diifers in no essential character from the
European C. flavescens.
C. poeformis of Pursh appears to be nothing but C. flavescens
in an immature and imperfect state. His specimens in Lam-
bert’s Herbarium are scarcely sufficient to determine the spe-
cies with c-rtainty.
The synonym of Elliott may possibly belong to the next spe-
cles.
2. CyYPERUS DIANDRUS, Torrey.
Umbel of 2—5 short rays; spikelets lanceolate-oblong,
much compressed, acute, many-flowered (14—24), alternate
and subfasciculate on the common rachis; flowers diandrous ;
scales rather obtuse, one-nerved, membranaceous}; nut oblong-
obovate, somewhat scabrous, dull; style much exserted ; culm
obtusely triangular.
C. diandrus, Torr.! cat. pl. N. York, p. 90; & fl. 1. p. 61,
Schult. mant. 2. p. 103; Spreng.! syst. 1. p. 217; Beck! bot. p. 421;
Darlington! fl. Cest. ed. 2. p.15; Gray! Gram. and Cyp. part 1.
no. 70.
Perennial. Culm slender, 8—10 inches high, often bearing leaves
half its length, frequently reclining, or decumbent, and generally solitary.
Leaves few, bright green. Involucre of three very unequal leaves, two
of which are 6—7 inches long. Umbel of few rays, which are sometimes
so short that the spikelets are nearly sessile; rays when elongated, very
unequal, each bearing towards its extremity 6—12 sessile spikelets.
Spikelets spreading or reflexed, much compressed, so as to appear thin
and flat. Scales ovate, with a broad light-brown margin and a green
keel. Stamens sometimes three in the upper florets. Style 2-cleft
nearly to the base, the divisions 3—4 times the length of the nut, and
much exserted, so as to give the spikelets a woolly appearance. Nut
gray or light-brown, mucronate, never shining.
252 North American Cyperacee.
Has. In wet places, particularly near salt water, Massa-
chasetts ! to Pennsylvania!—Septen.bor.
Oxs. Nearly allied to C. jlavescens, but differing in the form
and colour of the spikelets, the diandrous flowers, aid lerzer
dull nuts, &c. It is easily recogaised by its handsome, com-
pressed, lig t-brown spikelets.
B.? castaneus.
Culms cespitose; rays mostly very shori; scales subcoria-
ceous, shining, closely imbricated ; style scarcely exserted.
C. castaneus, Big.’ jl. Bost. ed.2. (not of Willd.)
C. flavescens (. castaneus, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 52.
C. bicolor, Bart. fl. Phil. 1. p. 27, (not of Vahl.)
Plant about 3—4 inches high. Culms numerous, tough, and rather
rigid, often prostrate. Spikelets oblong-lanceolate. Scales very closely
imbricated, and of a firm texture, dark-chestnut on the sides, with a green
keel. Stamens frequently 3 in the upper florets. Style scarcely twice
the length of the nut, and generally making a short curve before emerg-
ing from the scale. Nut gray or light-brown, dull, somewhat scabrous.
Has. On the muddy and sandy banks of rivers ; Massa-
chusetts! to Pennsylvania! Very common in New England!
and in the western parts of the state of New York !—August,
September.
Oss. The peculiar characters of this variety may be owing
to the situations in which it grows. Its appearance, however,
is very distinct from C. diandrus, as described above. Muhlen-
berg notices it in his Desc. uber. gram. as a *‘ co-species”’ of C.
flavescens.
3. Cyperus Nurrauui, Torrey. — -
Rays few, short or nearly sessile, loose; spikelets linear-
lanceolate, compressed, acute; scales oblong-lanceolate, acute ;
stamens 2; nut oblong-obovate, very obtuse, dull ; culms ces-
pitose, acutely triangular; involucre 4-leaved, two of the
leaves very long. Pe
C. Nuttallii, Torr.! in Spreng. neue entd. 1. p. 240; Torr.! ft. 1.
p- 60; Schult. mant. 2. p. 109; Spreng.! syst. 1. p. 222; Beck! bot.
p- 142; Gray! Gram. and Cyp. part 1. no. 69. .
North American Cyperacee. 253
C. cespitosus, Torr.! cat. ‘pl. N. York, p. 89, (not of Poiret) ;
Spreng.! syst. 1. p. 224.
C. Torreyanus, Schult mart 2. p. 101.
C. tenuis, Muhl.! gram. p. 22. (in part-) ;
Perennial. Culms 4—12 inches high, forming dense tufts. Leaves
narrow, nearly as tall as the culm. Umbel sometimes very distinctly °
rayed, the rays 3—4 in number, usually very short. Involucre of two
short and two very long leaves. Spikelets alternate, sometimes com-
pound, closely approximated on the rachis, nearly an inch in length, and
a line and a half broad, much compressed, very acute. Scales loosely
imbricated, especially when the spikes are mature, rather cartilagin-
ous, very minutely three-toothed at the tip; the sides of a yellowish-
brown colour, the keel green. Stamens always 2. Style deeply two-
parted. Nut gray or light-brown, narrow-obovate, and almost truncated
at the apex; under a. strong lens somewhat roughened with minute
elevated dots.
Has. On the borders of salt marshes; very abundant in
the vicinity of New York! and along the coast of New Jersey!
North Carolina, Mr. Curtis! ; Charleston, South Carolina,
B. D. Greene, Esq.!; Alabama, Dr. Gates! ; New Orleans,
Dr. Ingalls!
4, CyYPpERUS FLAVICOMUS, Michz.
Umbel many-rayed, somewhat compound ; spikelets lanceo-
Jate-linear, numerous, many- (12—30)-flowered, spreading ;
scales oblong, very obtuse, witha broad scarious margin, when
mature distinct, and somewhat spreading; stamens 33 nut
obovate, with a short abrupt point.
C. flavicomus, Michr.! fl. 1. p. 27; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 53; Elliott!
sk. 1. p. 71; Muhl.! gram. p. 24; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 260; Rem. &
Schult. syst. 2. p. 215.
Annual? Culm 1-3 feet high, triangular. Involucre 3—5-leaved, very
long, somewhat glaucous. Umbel spreading ; rays about five, 2—3 inches
long. Sprkelets three-fourths of an inch long, and one and a half line wide;
on the lower part of the rachis compound, spreading horizontally or even
reflexed, when old. Scales somewhat emarginate, the sides light yel-
jowish-brown, with a green three-nerved keel, and a conspicuous white
254 North American Cyperacee.
scarious margin. Stamens comtnonly 3. Style short, two-cleft. Nut
puncticulate, dark-brown, or black.
Has. In bogs, and also in dry soils ; South Carolina and
Georgia, Muhlenberg ! and Elliott !—May to September.
Oxss. This species appears to be confined to the southern
states, and | doubt whether it has been found north of South
Carolina. It is easily distinguished by its remotely-flowered
spikelets, and very obtuse, almost truncated scales, with broad
scarious margins. In a specimen, received from Mr. Elliott,
the spikelets are from twenty to thirty-flowered. Mr. E. re-
marks, that ‘‘ In bogs it becomes a large plant, 2—3 feet high,
thick and succulent; in dry soils, even where not sandy, it
rarely exceeds 12—15 inches in height.”
5. Cyprrus Evxuiortranus, Schultes.
** Spikelets ovate-oblong, many-flowered, in terminal fasci-
cles; involucrum two-leaved, and with the leaves linear and
very narrow.”
C. Elliottianus, Schult. mant. syst. veg. 2. p. 101.
C. fasciculatus, Elliott, sk. 1. p. 63, (not of Lamarck.)
“Culm 6 inches high, triangular. Leaves 1—2, very nar-
row and almost setaceous, shorter than the culm. Involucrum
2-leaved, one of the leaves scarcely longer than the spikelets, the
other very long. Sprkelets 5—7, all sessile, 12—24-flowered.
Scales rather obtuse: the keel deep green, the margins mem-
branaceous.”” Elliott.
Has. Near Milledgeville, Georgia. Dr. Boykin, fide
Elhott.
Mr. Elliott’s plant may be some larger species in a dwarf
state, but his description is too incomplete to distinguish it from
several other Cyperi. Nees, however, refers it, in his Synops.
gen. Cyp. to the genus Pycreus of P. de Beauvois, but unless
he has seen a specimen from Elliott himself (which is hardly
probable) I suspect that he has examined a different species,
perhaps the C. dzandrus of this monograph.
North American Cyperacea. 255
6. CyYPERUS MICRODONTUS.
Umbel with short crowded rays, or sessile ; spikes numerous,
lanceolate-linear, about 14-flowered; scales deciduous, ovate,
rather acute, submembranaceous; stamens 2; style deeply 2-
cleft; nut oblong-obovate, obtuse; rachis denticulate with the
inner scales.
““C. brizeus?’? Schweinitz ! in litt.
Annual. Culm cespitose, 2—4 inches high, triangular. Leaves a
line and a half broad. Umbel sessile, or with several rays scarcely half
an inch long. Involucre 4—5-leaved. Spikelets half an inch in length,
12—16-flowered, alternate on the common rachis. Scales spread-
ing but closely imbricated, indistinctly striate; the keel narrow and
rather obtuse, green; the sides pale yellowish-brown; margin not sca-
rious. Interior scales persistent, giving the rachis a denticulate appear-
ance when the primary scales have fallen. Stamens always 2. Style
cleft more than half way down. Nut rather tumid, dark-gray, dull,
minutely dotted under a strong lens. i
Has. Salem, North Carolina, Schweinitz!
Oxss. This species does not appear to have been hitherto
described. It cannot be the C. brizeus of Richard, which has
oblong-ovate spikelets. I have only received it from Mr.
Schweiniiz.
7. Cyprrus GaATESIL.
Umbel of many (6—8) distinct rays ; spikelets somewhat
distant, alternate (with the lower ones fasciculately compound),
linear-lanceolate, 10—12-flowered ; scales oblong-lanceolate,
rather acute, loosely imbricate, submembranaceous ; stamens
2; style deeply 2-cleft; nut oblong-obovate, obtuse; rachis
with a narrow margin.
Perennial. Culm nearly a foot high, slender, obtusely-triangular.
Leaves narrow, pale green; those of the znvolucre about three in number.
Rays of the umbel very unequal, 4 or 5 of the longer ones about 2 inches
Vor. If. 33
256 North American Cyperacee.
in length, and somewhat erect. Spikelets acute, 6—8 lines long and one
line broad, of a pale-yellowish colour ; the lowest ones on the common
rachis alittle compound. Partial rachis flexuous, the narrow winged
margin formed of the confluent and persistent inner scales. Nut as in
the preceding species.
Has. Near Mobile, Alabama, Dr. H. Gates!
Oss. This species resembles C. mzcrodontus in the spikelets
and nut, but is otherwise very distinct. I have only received
it from the above-named locality.
§2. Sryie 3-cleft; nut triangular; wterior scales mem-
branaceous and adnate to the rachis, not separating im
the mature sprkelet, sometimes almost wanting. —C YPERUs.
a. Culm subterete, nodose.
8. CyPpERUSs aRTicuLATus, Linn.
Umbel compound, loose; spikelets long, linear, alternate,
p P g
approximate; culm with leafless sheaths towards the base.
C. articulatus, Willd. sp.1. p. 270; Michz.! fl. 1. p. 27; Pursh, fl. 1.
p- 50; Muhl.! gram. p. 18; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 301; Kunth, syn. 1. p. 137;
Rem. §; Schult. syst. 2. p. 163; N.ab Esenb. Cyp. Ind. in Wight’s con-
trib. p. 80.
Rhizoma creeping, clothed with large lanceolate scales. Culm 2—6
feet high, the middle part about as thick as a goose quill, filled with dry
pith, which is condensed at intervals of about an inch, producing false
nodes, very conspicuous in the dried plant. Sheaths 2—3, clothing
the lower part of the culm, and terminating in large, acute, erect
scales, rather than leaves. Umbel of five or more primary rays, 2—4
inches in length; the rays simple or compound, each: division bearing
about 10spikelets. Involucre very short, 2—3-leaved. Spzkeleis an inch
long, 15—20-flowered, convex on the sides. Rachis distinctly margined.
Scales ovate-lanceolate, rather obtuse, membranaceous on the margin ;
midrib green; the sides whitish mixed with red. Stamens 3; anthers
North American Cyperacee. 257
linear, very long. Style slender, 3-cleft. Nut acutely triangular, punc-
tate: . ;
Has. In wet places, particularly in river swamps of the
Southern States; South Carolina, Elliott!; Georgia, Muh-
lenberg ; New Orleans, 7’. Drummond! and Dr. Ingalls!
Oxs. This species is also a native of South America, the
East and West Indies, and Africa.
9.. CYPERUS BIPARTITUS.
Spikelet solitary, appearing lateral, ovate-oblong, many-
flowered ; involucre mostly one-leaved, or with an additional
short setaceous bract; scales ovate, rather obtuse and coriaceous;
stamens 2; style cleft nearly to thebase ; nut biconvex, obovate,
obtuse, with a papillose surface.
Annual. Culm triquetrous, 4—6 inches high, with two setaceous
leaves at the base. Spikelet about 14-flowered, half an inch long, 2}
lines wide, appearing to grow from the side of the culm about an inch
and a half below the summit, but really terminal and subtended by the
involucre, which is commonly one-leaved and erect, sometimes two-
leaved, the second leaf being short and subulate. Rachis naked. Scales
closely imbricated with appressed points, a sharp keel and 5 pale ferru-
ginous sides. Style, in the mature flower, cleft nearly to the base, the
divisions thicker than in most Cyperi. Nui tumid, dark-brown, dull,
covered with minute papille.
Has. Near New Orleans, Dr. Ingalls!
Oxss. This species resembles C. mucronatus, Linn. in many
respects, but the latter is distinguished by having usually several
spikelets on each culm, a smooth plano-convex nut, and long
compressed style bifid only at the summit. It is not improbable,
however, that our plant sometimes bears more than one spikelet.
10. Cyprrus TENELLUS, Linn. 2
Culm and leaves setaceous; spikelet solitary, appearing la-
teral, lanceolate-linear, 10—12-flowered; involucre mostly
258 North American Cyperacee.
one-leaved; scales linear-oblong, loosely imbricate, rather acute,
membranaceous, 3-nerved on the keel; stamen 1; style two-
cleft; nut oblong-obovate, much compressed, puncticulate.
C. tenellus, Linn. sup. p. 1037; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 3051
C. minimus? Nutt.! gen. 1. p. 35, not of Thunb. ; Bart.! prodr. fl.
Phil. 1. p. 26.
Culm triquetrous, scarcely as thick as a bristle, about 4 inches high-
Involucre of one erect setaceous leaf, about an inch long, and a minute
bract 2—3 lines in length. Spzkelet half an inch long, and one line broad,
much compressed, rather loosely imbricated. Rachis slightly margined .
Style filiform, cleft half way down. Nut brown, dull, obtuse, with a
minute point.
Has. Monmouth county, New Jersey, Dr. Isaac Cleaver !
Oss. This interesting species appears to be extremely rare,
as it has not been found since its discovery in New Jersey by
the late Dr. Cleaver of Philadelphia. Whether our plant is
the C. tenellus of Linnzeus and Vahl, (which seems to be
the C. minimus of ‘Thunberg) cannot be certainly deter-
mined from the imperfect descriptions of those authors. It is
probable, however, that our species is distinct, and should it
prove to be so, I propose to call it C. Cleaveri, it honor of its
discoverer. C. minimus is described by Vahl as bearing from
one to three oblong spikelets, with ovate acute scales, while
our plant has a solitary lanceolate-linear spikelet and linear-
oblong scales.
6. Culm triangular ; umbel simple or compound.
+ Sprkelets alternate, or disposed towards the extremity of the
rays in a distichous or spicuform manner, the lowest ones often |
compound.
North American Cyperacee. 259
11. CyprrRus occIDENTALIS.
Culms densely cespitose, thick and very short; leaves flat ;
rays of the umbel short, crowded; spikelets closely aggregated
into ovate heads ; the lowest ones compound, 8—10-flowered ;
scales ovate, rather acute, membranaceous ; style 3-cleft at the
summit; nut ovate, compressed-triangular.
Annual? Culms acutely triangular, numerous, forming dense tufts about
two inches high. Leaves broad for the size of the plant. Umbel large,
of 3—4 short rays. _ Involucre about 3-leaved, much longer than the um-
bel; the leaflets 1} line broad. Spikelets very numerous, 3 lines long,
those on the lower part of the rays more or less compound. Scales rather
loosely imbricated, not scarious on the margin, with a broad deep-green
keel and ferruginous sides. Interior scales very conspicuous. Stamens
3. Style long, slightly cleft. Nut smooth, short, ovate.
Has. On the North-west coast of America, near the mouth
of the Oregon river! | ;
Oxss. This humble species, for which I am indebted to my
excellent friend, Dr. Hooker, resembles, at first sight, the C.
mflexus of Muhlenberg, but a slight examination shows it to be
totally distinct.
12. Cyperus Micuavuxianus, Schultes.
Culm acutely triangular ; umbel compound, the rays short;
involucels 1—2-leaved, setaceous, or wanting ; spikelets some-
what terete when mature, 6-8-flowered, the lower ones com-
pound; rachis very broad, easily separating at the joints; scales
ovate, rather obtuse ; interior scales herbaceous, obovate, folded
round the ovate, triquetrous nut.
C. Michauxianus, Schult. mant. 2. p. 123.
C. strigosus, Lam. ill. 1. no. 726. (not of Linn.) ; Michz. ! fl. 1. p. 28;
Pers. syn. 1. p. 64.
C. erythrorhizos, Torr.! fl.1. p.61; Beck! bot. p.421; Gray! Gram.
& Cyp. part 1. no. 72.
260 North American Cyperacee.
Annual. Culm 12—15 inches high, firm and erect, thickened and red-
dish towards the root. Leavescommonly shorter than the culm, 3—4 lines
wide. Involucre 5—6-leaved, many times longer than the umbel. Rays
of the umbel 4—6, the naked part scarcely more than an inch in length,
mostly divided at the summit, and sometimes bearing short setaceous
involucels. Spikelets much crowded on the rays, the lower ones com-
pound, about three-fourths of an inch long, at first compressed, but nearly
terete when mature. Scales of a rather firm texture, not scarious on the
margin, loosely imbricated, somewhat indistinetly striate. Rachis very
broad and thick, separating at the joints when mature. Jnterior scales
adnate, persistent, appearing like obtuse auricles, folding round the nut
and firmly embracing its base. Stamens 3.. Style 3-cleft more than half-
way down. Nut whitish, somewhat acute, flattened on the back, ob-
tusely angled in front, puncticulate.
Has. Borders of salt marshes. Common in New Jersey,
particularly in the neighbourhood of Hoboken; Salina, New
York, J. Carey !; Carolina, Michaux !; Wilmington, North Ca-
rolina, Mr. Curtis!; Georgia and Delaware, Dr. Baldwin; New
Orleans, Dr. Ingalls !
Oss. This plant probably grows in many parts of the
Atlantic States, being confounded either with C. strigosus or C.
erythrorhizos. It is clearly the C. strigosus of Michaux, as I
have ascertained by examining his herbarium ; and he correctly .
describes the plant as having subterete spikelets. To the C.
pennatus of Lamarck (of which I possess a specimen from A.
de Jussieu,) it is very nearly allied, not only in general appear-
ance, butin the structure of the spikelets. That species, how-
ever, has a loose corymb, longer spikelets, slightly mucronate
glumes, and an oblong nut.
13. Cyperus TETRAGONUS, Elliott.
Umbels many-rayed, without involucels; spikes oblong, cy-
lindrical; spikelets 3—5-flowered, somewhat quadrangular ;
scales slightly mucronate ; nut oblong.
C. tetragonus, Elliott, sk. 1. p.71; Schult. mant. 2. p. 130.
North American Cyperacee. 261
~
Culm 2—3 feet high, the angles a little scabrous hear the umbel.
Leaves 12—1S inches long, 3 lines wide, channelled; the margins and
midrib serrulate. Spikes about an inch long, disposed at the extremity
of the rays. Spikelets distinctly 4-angled in consequence of the width
of the rachis. Scales compressed. Stamens 3. Style 2-cleft [1] Nut
triangular.— Elliott.
Has. On Eding’s Island, near Charleston, South Caro-
lina, Elliott ; and near St. Mary’s, Georgia, Dr. Baldwin.
‘“‘A rare plant in South Carolina and Georgia, but becomes
predominant in the live-oak forests south of St. John’s river,
in Florida.” Baldw. MS.
Oss. This plant. has not fallen under my notice. It does
not exist in that portion of Dr. Baldwin’s herbarium which
has come into my possession. Mr. Elliott’s description is
brief and incomplete, but sufficient to show that the plant is a
very distinct species.
14. Cyprrus stricosus, Linn.
Umbel simple, or rather compound; rays numerous, elon-
gated; involucels mostly wanting, or setaceous; ochree 2-
bristled ; spikes. ovate ; spikelets 8—10-flowered, much crowd-
ed, spreading horizontally or somewhat reflexed, linear-lanceo-
late, flattened rachis subterete, slender; scales oblong-lan-
ceolate; approximate, strongly nerved, subacute and slightly
mucronate; interior scales lanceolate, narrow, hyaline; nut
oblong-triquetrous.
C. strigosus, Linn. sp. pl. p. 69? (excl. syn.) ; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 253;
Pursh, fl. 1. p.52; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 70; Muhl.! gram. p..21; Torr-!
fl. 1. p. 62, (excl. syn. Michz.) ; Big. fi. Bost. ed. 2: p.19.; Beck! bot.
p- 421; Darling. ! fl. Cest. ed. 2. p. 15; Rem. & Schult. 2. p.214; C.
A. Meyer, in Mem. Acad. St. Petersb. (VI. sér.) 1. p. 201. t. 3.
C. Enslenn, Pursh! fl. 1. p. 53; Schult. mant. 2. p. 123; Elliott,
sk-lip.73.
Culm triquetrous, 1—3 feet high, the base somewhat swollen. Umbel
5—9 rayed, somewhat spreading. Rays 2—G inches in length, some-
times with one or two short partial rays. Ochree terminating in 2 bristles
262 North American Cyperacea.
a fourth of an inch in length. Involucre 5—9-leaved, very long. Spikes
1—2 inches long, and more than.an inch in diameter, formed by numer-
ous (20—80) spikelets, which spread on all sides, and in a mature state
are a little reflexed on the common rachis. Spikelets 3 of an inch long,
much compressed, acute, deciduous when old. Scales somewhat loosely
imbricate, many-striate, with a narrow scarious margin; the sides yel-
lowish. Jnterior scales hyaline, confluent with the next scale above.
Stamens 3. Style entire the greater part of itslength. Nut not half the |
length of the scale, grayish brown, acute, the surface marked with ele-
vated dots arranged in longitudinal lines.
Has. Wet meadows and low grounds; common. Massa-
chusetts! to New Orleans!
Be umbel compound, many-rayed, with setaceous in-
volucels ; ochree 2-awned; spikes cylindrical-oblong, 3—5
on each ray; spikelets linear-subulate, 4—5-flowered; very
numerous, somewhat reflexed; scales narrow-oblong, indis-
tinctly striate; nut oblong, triquetrous.
Culm a foot anda half high, triquetrous. Umbel about 7-rayed ; the
rays 3—4 inches long, terminating in several short branches which bear
spikelets their whole length. Jnvolucels consisting of several very slender
leaves, about as long as the spikes. Spikelets one-third of an inch long,
acute, compressed. Scales acute, appressed. Interior scales narrow, hy-
aline. Stamens 3. Style 3-cleft about one-third of the waydown. Nut
somewhat attenuated downward.
Has. Burke county, North Carolina, Mr. Curtis! *
Ozss. The original C. strigosus of Linnzeus appears to have
been a Virginian plant. The synonyms of Sloane quoted by
Willdenow and Rottbeell belong to two other species, the for-
mer to C. torosus of Vahl, and the latter to C. planafolius of
Richard. It is uncertain, whether the detailed description of
Willdenow refers to one of these, or to the C. strigosus, but
probably to the latter.
I have never seen the spikelets so many flowered as they are
said to be by Mr. Elliott (14-24); in my specimens very few
of them have as many as 10.
North American Cyperacee. 263
The variety 8. is referred to this species with some hesita-
tion. My specimen of itis not sufficiently mature to exhibit the
character of the fruit. It resembles C. speciosus, but wants the
distinct foliaceous involucels.
15. CyYPERUS STENOLEPIS.
Umbel simple; rays 3-4, elongated; ochree truncate, point-
less; spikes ovate ; spikelets much crowded, spreading horizon-
tally or somewhat reflexed, linear, compressed, 5—8-flowered,
the florets distant and free nearly to their base ; rachis subterete,
slender, flexuous ; scales narrowly linear, nerved, involute to-
wards the summit when old; interior scales very narrow, adnate }
nut oblong-linear, triangular.
C. distans, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 537? (not of Linn.)
Culm about 3 feet high, triquetrous, rather slender. Leaves 12—18
inches long, 2—3 lines wide. Umbel somewhat spreading ; rays 3—5
inches long. Involucre 3—4-leaved. Spikes nearly 2 inches long and an
inch in diameter, composed of numerous (40—60) spikelets which spread
on all sides. Spikelets 6—7 lines long. Scales very narrow, and in
contact only at their base; dusky yellow, the margins, particularly in the
mature spikelet, involute. Interior scales hyaline, adnate to the rachis
and the scale above. Stamens 3. Style 3-cleft one-third of its length.
Nut scarcely one-third the length of the scale, acute, brown, covered
with lines of elevated dots.
Has. Wilmington, North Carolina, Mr. Curtis!
Oss. Nearly allied to C. strigosus, but easily distinguished
by its loosely flowered spikelets and narrow scales.
Dr. Baldwin in his MS. notes on Cyperus remarks that he
has seen a species of this genus in Georgia, resembling C.
strigosus, but differing in its distant expanding florets.
16. Cyperus speciosus, Vahl.
Umbel compound, many-rayed, the rays distinctly alternate ;
partial umbels shorter than the many-leaved‘involucels; ochree
deeply 2-parted ; heads oblong ; spikelets spreading horizontally,
6—8-flowered; scales oblong, obtuse, appressed.
Von. IIT. 34
264 North American Cyperacee.
C. speciosus, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 364; Ram. §& Schult. 2. p. 218;
Pursh, fl. 1. p. 58; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 72.
Culm 2—4 feet high, rather acutely angled. Leaves 1—2 feet long,
4—6 lines wide, deeply channelled, somewhat glaucous underneath,
scabrous on the margin. Umbel about 8-rayed; the primary trays 2—3
inches long, and more distinctly alternate than in most other Cyperi.
Ochre@ loose, obliquely truncate, terminating in two lanceolate points
nearly an inch long. Jnvolucre foliaceous, a little longer than the
partial rays; the leaflets alternate like those of the rays. Spikes
numerous, compound, with setaceous bractew at the base. Sprkelets
subulate. ‘Stamens 3. Style 3-cleft. Nut 3-angled, compressed,
slightly incurved.”— Elliott.
Has. In ditches and wet places, South Carolina.
Elliott. Wilmington, North Carolina, Mr. Curtis!; Virginia,
Vahl ; New Orleans, Dr. Ingalls!; Middle Florida, Dr.
Chapman !
Oss. My specimens of this plant are too young to exhibit the
characters of the spikelet and fruit ; yet there can be little doubt
of its being the C. speciosus of Elliott, as it is the only native
species bearing conspicuous partial as well as general invo-
lucres. Vahl’s plant, which was described from specimens
preserved in the Herbarium of the Jardin des Plantes in Paris,
may be distinct from ours. He describes the spikelets as
scarcely half an inch long, terete, 6-flowered, with linear scales.
17. Cyperus rEePENS, Elliott.
Rhizoma creeping, tuberiferous ; umbel simple, 4—6-rayed ;
involucre much longer than the rays; spikes distichous; spikelets
10—14, approximated, somewhat spreading, 12—20-flower-
ed, linear, compressed, obtuse ; scales oblong, rather acute,
slightly mucronate, the margin scarious ; nut oblong, triquetrous ;
style 3-cleft half-way down.
C. repens, Elliott, sk. 1. p.69; Schult. mant. 2. p.112; Spreng. syst.
p- 224.
C. phymatodes, Muhl.! gram. p. 23; Torr.! fl. 1. p. 62; Beck!
bot. p: 42; Gray! Gram. & Cyp. part 1. no. 73; Link, jahrb. 3. p. 84-
(fide Schult. mant. 2. p. 117.)
C. tuberosus, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 52. (excl. syn.)
North American Cyperacee. 265
Rhizoma creeping extensively ; the branches often terminating in tubers
about the size of a large pea. Culm 12—18 inches high, acutely trian-
gular. Leaves a little recurved, 2—3 lines broad, strongly carinate,
smooth, yellowish. Umbel rather erect; the rays 2—4 inches long,
without involucels. Involucre mostly 3-leaved. Spikelets three-fourths
of an inch long, linear, somewhat obtuse when mature, for the most part
distichously arranged on the common rachis, the lowest ones frequently
geminate or fasciculate. | Scales yellowish, nerved, at length distinct at
the point. Interior scales lanceolate, adnate, hyaline. Stamens 3. Style
sometimes unequally 3-cleft. Nut acute.
Haz. Wet sandy places, particularly on the banks of rivers,
and on the sea shore ; western part of New York to New Orleans.
Common on the sea coast of Long Island and New Jersey, and
on the Hudson as far north as Newburgh!; near Oneida Lake,
New York; Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia,
Muhlenburg !; 8. Carolina, Eliott and Mr. Forbes! ; New
Orleans, Dr. Ingalls! ; Delaware and East Florida, Dr.
Baldwin!
Ozs. ‘The tubers or thickened extremities of the subter-
ranean stems are edible, but are inferior in size to those of the
C. tuberosus of Vahl, with which Pursh confounded our plant.
Dr. Baldwin, in his notes, states that this species is the ‘* Nut-
grass” of East Florida, where it covers cultivated fields, and is
much more common than C. Hydra. He remarks that he found
the same plant on the banks of the river Plata, near Buenos
Ayres.
Muhlenberg’s Cyperus, No. 9, is a mere variety of C.
repens.
18. CypErus Hvypra, Michauz.
Rhizoma creeping, tuberiferous; umbel simple, 3—4-
rayed; involucre a little longer than the ray; spike, distichous;
spikelets 4—5 on each ray, lanceolate-linear, acute, much com-
pressed, 14—-20-flowered ; scales ovate, approximated, some-
what spreading, rather acute, appressed, nerveless, not scarious
on the margin; nut triquetrous.
266 North American Cyperacee.
C. Hydra, Michr.! fl. 1. p.27; Vahl, enum. 2. p.344, Pursh, ft. £.
p- 52; Elliott! sk. 1. p. 68; Kunth, syn. 1. p. 140; Rem. §& Schult.
syst. 2. p. 201; Spreng. ! syst. 1. p. 224.
C. rotundus, Muhl.! gram. p. 17.
Rhizoma creeping extensively, its branches ending in small tubers.
Culm 6—12 inches high, smooth, triquetrous. Leaves about two lines
wide, shorter than the culm, often recurved, somewhat glaucous. Umbel
usually 4-rayed; the rays 2—3 inches long, erect or only a little spread-
ing. Involucre 2—3-leaved; the leaves often shorter than the umbel,
rarely exceeding it in length. Ochree truncate, pointless. Spikelets
nearly an inch long, alternate along the upper part of the rays. Scales
closely imbricated, bright chesnut and shining, without nerves, slightly
mucronate. Interior scales narrow, adnate, hyaline. Stamens 3. Style
3-cleft about half-way down. Ripe fruit not seen.
Has. Sandy fields, and in sand-drifts near the sea; Virgi-
nia to Florida. Virginia, Carolina and Florida, Michauz ;
Wilmington, N. Carolina, Mr. Curtis ! ; sea shore of 8. Caro-
lina, Elliott !; St. Mary’s, Georgia, Dr. Bacon! ; Florida, Dr.
Baldwin!; Arkansas, Nuttall; Mexico, Humboldt; Bahia,
Brazil, Dr. Baldwin !; Guadaloupe, Dr. Madiana!
Ozs. This species is nearly allied to C. rotundus, Linn.
and also to C. herastachyus, Rottb. In the Southern States, it
is very troublesome to planters on account of its rapid multipli-
cation by means of its creeping rhizomas and tubers. See
Elliott.
19. CyYPERUS DISSITIFLORUS.
Culms filiform, cespitose, tumid at the base; leaves very
narrow; umbel simple 3—4-rayed; involucre 3-leaved; spike-
lets lanceolate, compressed, very acute, 5—7-flowered, re-
motely and somewhat distichously inserted along the common
rachis; scales appressed, oblong-lanceolate, acute ; inner scales
conspicuous; nut obovate-oblong, flattened on the back.
Rhizoma short and thick. Culm 1—2 feet high, the base somewhat
swollen, ad of a reddish colour. Leaves mostly radical, narrow. Rays
North American Cyperacee. 267
of the umbel slender, 1—2 inches long, somewhat erect. Involucre
2—3 times as long as the umbel. Ochree with a short mucronate tip.
Spikelets 16—24 on each ray, scattered along its upper half. Scales
membranaceous, nerved, not mucronate. Stamens 3. Style 3-cleft
nearly to the base. Nut light brown, obtusely angular in front.
Has. Near New Orleans, Hooker !
Oss. For specimens of this distinct species of Cyperus, I
am indebted to my most liberal friend Dr. Hooker, who received
them either from Mr. Drummond, or Mr. Teinturier. In its
slender and wiry cespitose culms, which are swollen at the base,
this species resembles C. mariscoides & C. Grayi, but in its
alternate spikelets it is more nearly related to C. repens of
Elliott.
Involucre mostly 3-leaved. Spikelets three-fourths of an inch long,
linear, somewhat obtuse when mature, for the most part distichously
arranged on the common rachis; the lowest ones frequently geminate or
fasciculate. Scales yellowish, nerved, at length distinct at the point.
Interior scales lanceolate, adnate,thyaline, Stamens 3. Style sometimes
unequally 3-cleft. Nut acute.
tt Sprkelets aggregated in a capitate or subumbellate manner
on the summit of the rays.
20. Cyperus FinicuLmis, Vahl.
Culm triangular, tuberous at the base, assurgent; leaves
linear; umbel simple, of 1—2 divaricate rays, or wanting;
ochre pointless; heads globose, dense, composed of 15 or 20
spikelets ; spikelets linear-lanceolate, rather convex, 6—10-
flowered ; rachis naked; scales loose, ovate, obtuse or emar-
ginate, slightly mucronate, scarious on the margin ; nut obovate-
triquetrous, with a short acuminate point.
268 North American Cyperacee.
C. filiculmis, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 328; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 51; Rem. &
Schult. syst. 2. p. 186; Spreng. syst. 1. p. 218.
C. mariscoides, Elliott, sk. 1. p.67; Spreng. ! neue entdeck. 1. p. 239 ;
Torr.! fl. 1. p. 63, (excl. syn.;) Bagel. fl. Bost. ed. 2. p. 19; Beck ! bot.
p- 422; Gray! Gram. § Cyp. part 1. no. 74; Darlingt.! fl. Cest. ed.
2. p. 16; Schult. mant. 2. p. 100.
C. Killingeoides, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 50. (excl. syn.)
Scirpus cyperiformis, Muhl.! gram. p. 41.
S. lupulinus, Spreng. mant. 2. p. 30; Rem. § Schult. syst. 2. p. 135.
Mariscus cyperiformis, Torr.! cat. pl. N. York, p, 14. (excl. syn.
Pursh.)
M. glomeratus, Bart. prodr. fl. Phil. 1. p. 30. (excl. syn. Vahl, Linn.
§ Pursh.)
Rhizoma creeping. Culms cespitose, about a foot high, forming a
cluster of small tubers at the root, the sides striated and rather convex.
Leaves 1—2 lines broad, carinate, shorter than the culm, ofa dull green
colour. Umbel often wanting, the spikelets being collected in a single
dense, globose head ; but usually there are one or two widely spreading
rays, each bearing a head of spikelets an inch in diameter. IJnvolucre
3—4-leaved, twice as long as the umbel. Spikelets 5—6 lines long,
acute; the florets somewhat distinct. Scales subcoriaceous, with a broad
scarious margin, strongly nerved, of an obscure yellowish-green colour ;
the upper ones more acute. Stamens3. Style deeply 3-cleft. Nut two-
thirds the length of the scale, unequally triangular, minutely dotted in
lines.
Has. On dry hills, and in sterile fields, Massachusetts !
to Florida! and west to Arkansas !—September.
Oss. ‘This species, to which I have restored the original
name of Vahl, appears to have greatly perplexed botanists.
Although it is a genuine Cyperus, it has been referred by some
to Mariscus, and by others to Scirpus. It is a very common
plant in all parts of the United States, and is easily distinguished
by its pale green colour, wiry stems, globose heads of spikelets,
and loose, broad, obtuse scales.
21. Cyprrus Grayu.
Culm filiform, obtusely triangular, erect, tuberous at the base ;
leaves setaceous ; umbel 4—6-rayed, somewhat erect; ochreze
North American Cyperacee. , 269
truncate, pointless; heads loose, composed of 6—9 spikelets ;
spikelets linear-lanceolate, compressed, 5—7-flowered; rachis
winged with the inner scales ; scales ovate, rather obtuse when
old, somewhat distinct, hardly scarious on the margin; nut
obovate-triquetrous, with a short acuminate point.
C. mariscoides, var. setifolius, Torr. ! in Gray’s Gram. § Cyp. part1.
no. 75.
Rhizoma creeping. Culms 8—12 inches high, growing in tufts, tough
and wiry, tuberous at the base. Leaves all radical, channelled, scarcely
half a line wide, shorter than the culm. Rays of the wmbel almost ca-
pillary, 2—3 inches long, slightly spreading, each bearing a loose head
of chestnut-coloured spikelets. Involucre about 4-leaved; 2 of the rays
a little longer than the umbel; all of them setaceous. Spikelets 4—5
lines long, acute, at first slightly convex but flat when mature. Scales
nerved, not mucronate, closely imbricated in the young spikelet, at
length distinct at their tips. Interior scales lanceolate, persistent. Sta-
mens 3. Style 3-cleft half-way down. Nut two-thirds the length of
the scale, dotted, gray.
Has. Barren sandy fields. Common in the pine-region
of New Jersey,—September.
Ozs. This species, although nearly allied to C. fliculmis,
differs sufficiently in its still more filiform culm, setaceous
leaves, umbel of many rays, and fewer-flowered spikelets, with
the rachis winged.
22. Cyprrus ForMmosts, Vahl.
‘‘Umbel compound ; spikelets capitate, ovate-lanceolate ;
involucre about 6-leaved, very long, scabrous on the margin.”
C. formosus, Vahl. enum. 2. p. 327; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 51; Ram. &
Schult. syst. 2. p. 184.
Culm as thick as a goosequill, acutely triangular, leafy at the base.
Leaves linear. Involucels 2—3-leaved, shorter than the partial umbels.
Ochree@ short, truncate. Rays of the wmbel about 12, an inch and a half
long, terete; partial rays fewer, short. Spzkelets about 8, half an inch
long, 20—30-flowered, yellowish. Scales linear-lanceolate, acute,
deciduous.— Vahl.
270 North American Cyperacee.
Has. In Louisiana, Jussieu.
Ozss. With this plant ] am unacquainted.
23. CyprErus BALDWINII.
Culm obtusely triangular; involucre 6—9-leaved; umbel of
6—12 rays; heads globose; spikelets narrow-lanceolate, com-
pressed, acute, 5—8-flowered, spreading; scales ovate-lanceo-
late, acute, appressed; interior scales conspicuous, hyaline ;
nut obovate.
Mariscus echinatus, Elliott, sk. 1. p. 75, t. 3. f. 1. (excl. syn.)
Cyperus globosus, Baldw.! Mss. (not of Allioni.)
Culm 1—2 feet high, smooth, somewhat tumid at the base. Leaves
shorter than the culm, 2—3 lines wide, scabrous on the margin. Rays
of the wmbel somewhat erect, 1—3 inches long. Ochree mucronate.
Involucre more than twice as long as the umbel. Heads 6—8 lines in
diameter, depressed, globose, formed of about 40 aggregated spikelets,
which spread horizontally but are not refracted. Spikelets 3—4 lines
long, attenuated to a sharp point. Rachis broadly winged with the per-
sistent inner scales. Scales membranaceous, somewhat scarious on the
margin; the two lowest short, ovate, and empty. Stamens 3. Style 3-
parted. Nut narrowed at the base, half the length of the scale.
Has. In cultivated lands; very common in the Southern
States. South Carolina and Georgia, Dr. Baldwin! and Elliott ;
Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman !; New Orleans, Dr. Ingalls!
Oss. This plant differs from the C. ovularis, to which Mr.
Elliott referred it, in its more numerous and looser heads,
and compressed, many-flowered spikelets. In many respect-
it resembles C. Grayu.
24. CypERus compressus, Linn.
Umbel simple (rarely compound,) or wanting; rays spread-
ing; spikelets in a loose head, or aggregated in a somewhat
digitate manner, lanceolate, somewhat convex and ancipital,
many-(12—40) flowered ; rachis winged with the interior scales ;
scales ovate, acuminate, carinate, indistinctly nerved; nut obo-
vate, triquetrous, polished; root fibrous.
North American Cyperacee. O74
i. compressus, Linn. sp. p. 6S; Willd. sp. 1. p. 282, (excl. syn.
Gron.) ; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 324; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 51; Muhl.! gram. p:
15; Elliott! sk. 1. p. 65; Rem. & Schult. syst. 2. p. 182; Kunth, syn.
1. p. 141; Spreng. syst. 1. p. 220, (excel. syn. Muhl.); N. ab Esenb. in
Wight’s Contrib. p. 76; C. A. Meyer, in Mem. Acad. St. Petersb. VI.
Sef ls tad
Root fibrous, descending. Culm 3-—8 inches high, somewhat tumid
at the base, triangular, the sides a little convex. Leaves narrow, carinate,
pale green. Unmbel often sessile, seldom more than 3-rayed; thé
rays 1—2 inches long, spreading. Ochree cuspidate. Involucre about
3-rayed, twice as long as the umbel. Jnvolucels wanting. Spikelets
3—5 on each ray, in the sessile umbels about 12, from half an inch to
nearly an inch in length, remarkably ancipital owing to the acute keel
of the scales; the sides rather convex. Scales somewhat coriaceous,
pale green, striped with yellow, conspicuously acuminate and almost
cuspidate, the points projecting so as to give the spikelets a sharply ser-
rated appearance. Interior scales mentbranaceous, distitict. Stamens
3. Style 3-cleft halfway down. Nut very short for its breadth, obtuse,
equally 3-sided, when old smooth and shining.
Has. Dry sandy soils. North Carolina to Florida, and West
to Missouri. Wilmington, N. C. Mr. Curtis!; near Chaiiles-
ton, South Carolina, Eliott! ; New Orleans, Dr. Ingalls?, 'T.
Drummond! ; on the Missouri, Nuttall!
Oss. The C. compressus is also a native of Mexico, and in
the East and West Indies.
25. CypERus DENTATUS, Torrey.
Umbel compound, with 4—7 somewhat erect rays ; spikelets
3—5 on each partial ray, clustered, ovate-oblong, ancipital,
much compressed, many (6—30)-flowered ; rachis naked ; scales
very acute, carinate, membranaceous, nerved; nut obovate,
triquetrous; rhizoma creeping, bearing tubers.
C. dentatus, Torr.! fl, 1. p. 61; Big.! Bost.ed.2.p.18; Beck! Bot.
p. 421; Gray! Gram. § Cyp. part 1. no. 71.
C. parviflorus, Muhl.! gram. p. 19, (not of Vahl.)
C. micranthus, Schul/. mant. 2. p. 121.
Rhizoma cteeping extensively ; its branches often bearing small tubers
at their extremity. Culm about a foot high; the angles somewhat obtuse.
Leaves rather rigid, shorter than the culm, strongly keeled. Rays of the
Von. II. 35
272 North American Cyperacee.
umbel crowded, usually 1—2 inches long; secondary rays half an incit
long. Involucre somewhat erect; one of the leaves longer than the
umbel, the others equalling it; the zvolucels are mere short lanceolate
bracts. Ochree obliquely truncate. Spikelets 3—7 lines long, varying
from ovate to oblong, rather obtuse. Scales closely imbricated, but
spreading at the points, giving the edge of the spikelets a finely serrated
appearance ; the side of a bright reddish colour, the keel and part of the
back green. Stamens 3. Style 3-cleft. Nut whitish, very obtuse,
minute.
Has. Sandy swamps, and in wet places on the banks of
rivers, Massachusetts! to Florida! near Boston, and Charles-
ton, South Carolina, B. D. Greene, Esq.!; Litchfield, Con-
necticut, Mr. Brace!; New Jersey, from S. Amboy to Cape
May!; Pennsylvania, Muhlenberg! dy Schweinitz !—September.
Ozss. This beautiful species, though resembling €. com-
pressus in many respects, can easily be distinguished by the
characters above enumerated. It appears to have been over-
looked by Elliott, although inhabiting the Southern States.
I have found it near South Amboy, in one or two instances
growing two feet high, with the umbel decompound, and the
involucels very distinct: but it was evidently in a diseased or
unnatural state. It very frequently occurs with the scales and
ochree foliaceous, giving the spikelets and axils a viviparous
appearance. ‘The whole plant, except the spikelets, is of a
yellowish green colour.
8B? multiradiatus: umbel many-rayed, the rays elongated;
scales oblong, scarcely acute, 3-nerved.
Rhizoma creeping. Culm 2 feet high. Umbel 10—12-rayed; the
primary rays 4—6 inches long; secondary 1—2 inches long, erect.
Ochree cuspidate. Involucre about 6-leaved. Spikelets 14—24-flowered,
obtuse, much compressed, 5—S lines long, 2 lines broad. Rachis naked.
Scales rather obtuse than acute, greenish, shaded with yellow and brown,
closely imbricated, their tips scarcely distinct.
Has. East Florida, Le Conte! ; New Orleans, Dr. Ingalls!
Ozs. This may prove to be a distinct species from C.
dentatus, but I have concluded to let it remain as a variety till
North American Cyperacee. oe
1 have an opportunity of seeing more specimens of it. If its
characters prove to be constant, it may take the name of C.
Lecontii. My Florida specimen has longer spikelets, and
more numerous florets than the plant sent to me by Dr. Ingalls ;
but in other respects there is no essential difference.
26. CypErus LePptos, Schultes.
Culm triquetrous, fragile; umbel compound or decompound,
many-rayed; involucre 2-leaved, one or both of the leaves
shorter than the umbel; involucels 0; spikelets 3—5 in a loose
head, linear-lanceolate, 12—20-flowered; scales ovate-lanceo-
late, acute, carinate; nut minute, (white) depressed, triangular,
verrucose.
C. leptos, Schult. mant. 2. p. 105.
C. gracilis, Muhl.! gram. p. 18. (notof R. Brown ;) Elliott, sk.1, p. 68;
Spreng. syst. 1. p. 220.
Root fibrous. Culm 1—2 feet high, tender and herbaceous, often clothed
with several leafless sheaths at the base. eaves radical, shorter than
the culm. Umbel of 12—15 filiform rays, generally compound and
often decompound. Jnvolucre 2-leaved; the leaves very unequal.
Ochree obliquely truncate. Spikelets 4—5 lines long, very slender,
usually about 12-flowered, but sometimes bearing as many as 20 or
more florets. Scales reddish brown, yellow on the side, membrana-
ceous, indistinctly 3-nerved, slightly mucronate. Interior scales narrow.
Stamens 3. Style 3-cleft a little more that one-third of the way down;
the divisions recurved. Nut short and thick, shining, covered with
minute warts.
Has. In damp soils, North Carolina, to Alabama. Near
Wilmington, North Carolina, Mr. Curtis! ; South Carolina,
Elliott!; Georgia, Muhlenberg !, Le Conte! ; Middle Florida,
Dr. Chapman !; Alabama, Dr. Gates!
Ozss. Very near a Cyperus from Surinam, in my herba-
tium, and only to be distinguished by its more acute scales.
and shorter verrucose nut.
27. Cyperus INFLExUS, MuAl.
Umbel 1—2-rayed, contracted or sessile; involucre 3-leaved,
very long; spikelets collected into ovate heads, oblong-linear,
274 North American Cyperacee.
about 8-flowered; rachis laterally compressed, straight, winged ;
scales cuspidate, squarrose at the tip, strongly nerved; stamen
_ 43 nut obovate, triquetrous.
C. inflexus, Muhl.! gram. p. 16; Torr.! fl. 1. p.59; Bigel. fl. Bost.
ed. 2. p. 18; Beck! Bot. p. 421; Gray! Gram. & Cyp. part 1. no. 68;
Darlingt. fl. Cest. ed. 2. p. 16; Link, jahrb. 3. p. 88. (fide Schult.)
C. uncinatus, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 50, (not of Povret.)
C. Purshii, Rem. § Schult, syst. 2. p. 177.
C. pygmeus, Nutt. in Amer. Phil. Trans. N. Ser. 5. p. 142, (not of
Cavan. or Rottb.)
Root fibrous, biennial? Culms cespitose, 2--3 inches high, leafy at
the base, eaves linear, flat, equalling the culm. Umbel often sessile,
the inflorescence then consisting of aggregated heads of spikelets; but
more commonly there are 2 or 3 short rays. Involucre many times longer
than the umbel. Spikelets in heads of 8-16 or more. Scales oblong,
gradually attenuated into a remarkably squarrose or recurved point, of a
greenish colour, not scarious on the margin. Stamen always-solitary.
Style 3-parted. Nut gray, triangular, with the sides a little convex.
Has. Banks of rivers from latitude 52° N. to North Ca-
rolina. Lake Winnipeg, Dr. Itichardson!; Lower Canada,
Mr. Benedict !; banks of the Otter Creek, Vermont, Dr. James ;
on the Connecticut river, in many places, Prof: Hitchcock
and Dr. Cooley! ; near Albany, Mr. Tracy and Mr. H. H.
Eaton! ; Cambridge, New York, Dr. Stevenson! on Lake
Champlain, Pursh; Pennsylvania, Muhlenberg !; Salem, North
Carolina, Schweinitz; Lincolnton, in the same state, M*.
Curtis! ; Kentucky, Dr. Short !; Arkansas, Dr. Pitcher and
Mr. Nuttall! ; upper part of the Platte, Dr. James !
Oxs. This species has a wider range than almost any other
of the genus in North America. When dried, it exhales a
powerful odour, scarcely to be distinguished from that of
Trifolium cceruleum. It is nearly related to C. aristatus, Rottb.
and several other species with subaristate squarrose scales, but
it differs from al! the Cyperi of this section in my herbarium,
in its much more cespitose habit, fewer-flowered spikelets, at-
tenuated scales and straight laterally compressed rachis.
Nerth American Cyperacee. 275.
28. Cyperus virENS, Micha.
Culm acutely triangular; umbel compound ; involucre many-
leaved, very long; involucels nearly equalling the partial rays;
spikelets ovate and ovate-lanceolate, much compressed, col-
lected in dense globose heads, 12—20-flowered ; rachis naked ;
scales oblong-lanceolate, acute ; stamen 1; nut oblong, trique-
trous, acute at each end.
C. virens, Michz.! fl. 1. p. 28; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 52; Muhl.! gram. p.
24; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 66; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 353; Ram. & Schult, syst.
2. p. 210; Spreng. syst. 1. 226.
C. glomeratus, Walt. fl. Car. p.'70?
Culm 2—65 feet high, thick and firm, very acutely triquetrous, the
angles sharply serrulate near the summit. Leaves nearly as long as
the culm, 4—5 lines wide, rough on the edges and keel, the sides
folded together. Umbel with 5—7 very unequal rays; partial rays
nearly an inch long, each bearing a dense head of about 20 spikelets.
Ochree bifid. Involucre 6—8 times as long as the umbel; involucels
foliaceous, about as long as the partial umbels. Sprkelets varying from
ovate to lanceolate, rather obtuse, 3—5 lines long, and a line and a half
broad. Scales carinate, greenish. Interior scales entirely wanting.
Stamen always solitary. Style 3-cleft. Nut acute at each end, dull
yellow.
Has. In swamps: confined to the Southern States. Wil-
mington, North Carolina, Mr. Curtis! ; South Carolina, Elliott!;
Georgia, Muhlenberg ! ; Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman ! ; New
Orleans, Dr. Ingalls !
29. Cyperus vecerus, Willd. 2
Culm obtusely triangular, smooth on the angles; umbel com-
pound; involucre 4-leaved; involucels bracteiform, shorter
than the partial rays; spikelets ovate, much compressed, col-
lected in dense globose heads, 9—16-flowered ; rachis naked ;
scales oblong, acute, somewhat incurved ; stamen 1; nut lan-
ceolate, attenuated to a long point, tumid at the base.
276 North American Cyperacee.
C. vegetus, Willd., sp. 1. 2837; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 3261; Pursh, fl.
1. p.51; Muhl.! gram. p. 25; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 65.
Culm 2—4 feet high, the lower part with the sides convex. Leaves 4
lines wide, scabrous on the margin towards the summit. Umbel about
5-rayed; the longer rays 2—3 inches in length ; partial rays very short,
each bearing a head of 10—15 spikelets. Involucre much longer than
the umbel. Ochree bifid. Spikelets 3—4 lines long, and 2 lines wide,
somewhat ancipital. Scales closely imbricated, greenish white, 3-nerved.
Stamens always solitary. Style 3-cleft. Nut brown, very narrow,
gradually tapering to a sharp point, the short pedicel swollen into a kind
of bulb.
Has. Ponds and ditches. Wilmington, North Carolina,
Mr. Curtis;! South Carolina and Georgia; Eliott, Muhlen-
berg!; East Florida, Dr. Baldwin!
Ozss. This species greatly resembles C. wrens, but it can
be distinguished by its smooth, obtusely triangular culm, and
long-pointed nut with a remarkable cellular bulbous base.
It is probable that our plant is a distinct species from the C.
vegetus of Vahl and Willdenow.
ttt Sprkelets few, linear, loosely flowered, somewhat conver,
umserted in an irregular manner towards the summit of the
rays; nut nearly as long as the scales.
30. Cyprrus ScHWEINITZII.
Culm triquetrous, with scabrous angles; umbel simple; rays
elongated ; involucre 3—5-leaved ; spikelets 6—7, alternate and
approximate, somewhat appressed lanceolate, 6—8-flowered,
with a setaceous bract at the base of each; scales ovate, acuminate,
mucronate, keeled ; rachis margined with the narrow interior
scales; style 3-cleft to the base; nut triquetrous, ovate, acute.
C. alterniflorus, Schwernitz! in Long’s 2nd. erped. append. 2. p. 381,
(not of R. Brown.)
North American Cyperacea. 277
Rhizoma tuberous. Culm 8 inches to 2 feet high, slender, sharply
triangular, the upper part rough on the angles. Leaves shorter than the
culm, about one line wide. Umbel erect, 4—6 rayed; the rays very
unequal; the longer ones nearly three inches in length. Ochree trun-
cate, entire. Involucre about twice the length of the leaves, scabrous on
margin. Sptkelets irregularly inserted on the summit of the rays in a
somewhat imbricate manner, forming a loose oblong head or cluster; the
florets distinct. Rachis laterally compressed. Scales concave, subco-
riaceous, somewhat membranaceous on the broad margin, nerved, yel-
lowish; with a short straight mucro a little below the apex. Interior
scales very narrow, hyaline, firmly united with the rachis. Stamens 3.
Style about as long as the nut; the segments slender, smooth. Nut light
brown, slightly pointed, smooth, a little shorter than the scale.
Has. Dry sand on the shore of Lake Ontario, near Greece,
Monroe County, New York, Dr. Samuel B. Bradley! ; on the
Arkansas river, Nuttall !; on the river St. Peter? Mr. Say!
(The locality not given in Mr. Schweinitz’s list.)
Ozss. This very distinct species differs from all the. other
North American Cyperi in the mode of aggregation of the
spikelets. They are inserted on all sides of the common
rachis, and stand nearly erect, instead of spreading horizontally,
or being in part reflexed, as in most other species.
31. Cyperus Hovucuroni.
Culm somewhat obtusely triangular, smooth on the angles ;
umbel simple; the rays few, very short ; involucre 2—3-leaved ;
spikelets oblong-linear, few, approximated towards the summit
of the rays, 6—8-flowered; scales roundish-ovate, obtuse,
slightly mucronate; rachis scarcely margined ; nut short, ovate,
obtuse.
Rhizoma tuberous, short. Culm about a span high, the sides some-
what convex. Jeaves shorter than the culm, narrow, smooth on the
margin. Umbel subsessile, or with rays scarcely half an inch long.
Ochree truncate. Involucre about 3 times as long as the umbel. Spike-
lets half an inch in length, somewhat spreading, without setaceous bracts
atthe base. Scales distinct, subcoriaceous, deeply concave, nerved,
278 North American Cyperacee.
scarious on the margin, yellowish on the sides; the keel green. Staméns
3. Style deeply three-parted. Nut nearly as long as the scale, light
brown.
Has. Lake of the Isles, North-West Territory, Dr.
Houghton !
Ozs. Resembles the spreading species in the disposition
and structure of the spikelets, its large nut, and deeply 3-parted
style; but the umbel is nearly sessile, the glumes much broader,
and scarcely mucronate.
tttt Spikelets subterete or angular, 2—4-flowered, forming
dense ovate or globose heads at the summit of the rays ; the
two lowest scales commonly sterile.
32. CYPERUS OVULARIS.
Culm acutely triangular; umbel of 1—6 rays; involucre
3—4-leaved ; heads globose, compact; spikelets 2—4-flower-
ed, (only two of the florets fertile) radiated; rachis winged ;
scales ovate, rather obtuse, the two lowest shert and empty ;
nut obovate, triangular.
Mariscus ovularis, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 374; Pursh, fl.1.p.58; Torr.!
1. p. 58(excl. syn. Ell.); Beck! Bot. p.429; Gray! Gram. & Cyp.
part 1. no. 76; Darlingt.! fl. Cest. ed. 2. p. 16; Rem. § Schult. syst.
1. ps 244.
Kyllingia ovularis, Michz.! fl. 1. p.29; Pers. syn. 1. p. 57.
Scirpus echinatus, Linn. fl. Zeyl. 382; Muhl.! gram. p. 40.
Cyperus floribus capitatus, &c. Gron. fl. Virg. 12.
Gramen Cyperoides Americanum, &c. Pluk. alm.179. to 91. f. 4.
Rhizoma short, tuberous. Culm 1—2 feet high, slender, smooth on the
angles. Leaves all radical, shorter than the culm, 2—3 lines wide.
Rays of the umbel simple, 1—2 inches long, sometimes contracted, so
that the heads appear to be almost sessile. Ochree obtuse. Involucre
many times longer than the umbel. Heads about half an inch in dia-
meter, exactly globose, composed of 50—100 spikelets which radiate in
every direction from the common rachis. Spikelets commonly about 3-
flowered, short and thick, rather quadrangular than terete. Scales ap-
North American Cyperacee. 279
pressed, slightly mucronate, nerved, somewhat scarious on the margin }
the two lowest much shorter than the others. Interior scales per-
sistent, and forming a winged margin to the rachis. Stamens3. Style
3-parted. Nut flattened on the back, dull grayish brown.
Has. Boggy grounds, and also in dry soils; common.
New York! to Florida! and west to Arkansas !—August to
October.
8. tenellus; culms cespitose, slender, heads ovate, small.
Gray, Gram. §; Cyp. part 1. no. 77. (excl. syn.) Culms 4 inches to a
foot high.
Has. Sandy places in the pine barrens of New Jersey ;
common.
7. cylindricus ; heads oblong, or cylindrical.
Mariscus cylindricus, Elliott, sk. p. 74; Schult. mant. 2. p. 143.
M. umbellatus, Pursh! fl. 1. p. 59. (excl. syn.)
M. neglectus, Schult. mant. 2. p. 144 (founded on Scirpus, no. 31.
(without a name) Muhl. gram. p. 46.)
Culms 2 feet or more in height. Umbel 5—7 rayed, the rays some-
whaterect. Heads or spikes varying from ovate to cylindrical, compact.
Spikelets 3—4-flowered. Scales and nut as in the preceding variety.
Has. Sandy soils; sometimes in wet situations. Common
in the Southern States, as far south as Louisiana.
Oss. I have removed the Mariscus ovularis of Vahl to this
genus, because I cannot discover it to possess characters suffi-
cient to distinguish it from many undoubted species of Cyperus.
Indeed all the species of Mariscus which have fallen under my
observation (with the exception, perhaps, of M. retrofractus)
resemble, in the structure of their flowers, the plant above
described. ‘The 2 valves of the common calyx of Mariscus can
only be regarded as short abortive scales, such as occur in
Cyperus flavescens, dentatus, articulatus, and many others. Little
dependence can be placed on the number of florets in the spike-
let, as there are six and even eight in the M. dilutus of N. ab
Esenbeck. R. Brown (predr. 1. p. 218) describes the spikelet
as roundish (spicula teretiuscula), but this character exists in
Vor HE 36
280 North American Cyperacee-
Cyperus Michauxianus, torosus, pennatus, &c. This profound
butanist remarks, that Mariscus differs from Cyperus only in its
few-flowered spikelet, but he does not seem inclined to unite the
two genera.* Nees has more recently+ endeavoured to cha-
racterize Mariscus by the deciduous spikelet, separating at a
kind of articulation, immediately above the two lowest scales,
which remaining attached to the rachis, give it a chaffy appear-
ance. ¢ But the same kind of separation takes place in C.
strigosus, and probably in many other species.
§ 3. Interior scales herbaceous, free. —Papyrvs.-
33. CyYpERUS ERYTHRORHIZOS, Mul.
Umbel compound, many-rayed ; involucre 4—5-leaved, very
long; involucels setaceous, shorter than the partial rays ;
spikes cylindrical-oblong, nearly sessile ; spikelets very nume-
rous, spreading horizontally, terete-compressed, many-flowered;
scales lanceolate, mucronate ; interior scales lanceolate, acute,
free their whole length.
€..erythrorhizos, Muhl.! gram. p. 20; Schult. mant. 2. p. 120.
C. tenuiflorus, Elliott, sk. 1. p. 70. (not of Rottb.)
Culm 2—3 feet high, obtusely triangular, very smooth. Leaves shorter
than the culm, 2—4 lines wide. Umbel about 7-rayed ; the rays 3—4 inches
long, each bearing $—4 partial rays, which are crowded with spikelets
nearly their whole length. Ochree obliquely truncate, entire. Involucre
three times as long as the umbel. Spikelets half an inch long, linear,
10—18-flowered. Scales closely imbricated, chestnut-coloured, shining,
without nerves. Interior scales cuspidate, one third the length of the
* “Limites itaque inter Cyperum, Mariscum et Kyllingam omnino
artificiales, at genera minimé conjungenda sint.” R&R. Brown, prodr. l. c-
+ Synops. gen. Cyp. in Linnea, vol. 9, and in Wight’s contrib. pp.
69 and 89.
t “ Differt a Cypero spiculis a squamis inferioribus articulo solubilibus,
rachi residua post lapsum spicularum quasi paleacea remanente.” JN.
ab E.
North American Cyperacee. 281
exterior ones, free their whole length in the mature spikelet, and resem-
bling a 2-valved perianth. Stamens 3 (2 in the superior florets). Style
3-cleft one third of its length; the segments revolute. Nut ovate, acute,
half as long as the scale, compressed-triangular, flattened on the back,
smooth and shining.
Has. Wet places, particularly on the banks of rivers.
Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, Muhlenberg ! ;
Delaware, Dr. Baldwin! ; Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman! ;
New Orleans, Dr. Ingalls !
The following species of Cyperus, recorded by Pursh and other writers
on North American Botany, are omitted, as they either do not belong to
our Flora, or cannot be identified by the imperfect descriptions of the
authors who have noticed them.
1. C. autumnatis, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 51. (excl. syn.)
Along the margins of ponds and ditches. Virginia and Carolina.
—Pursh.
This species was founded by Vahl on the Scirpus autumnalis, Rottb.
and Linn., which is a species of T'richelostylis (Scirpus L.) The Cyperus
complanatus, Willd. and Scirp. foliis pusillus autumnalis, &c. Clayt.
772, which Vahl refers to his C. autumnalis, likewise belong to a spe-
cies of T'richelostylis (T. complanata, N. ab E.) The C. juncoides of
Lamk., another of Vahl’s synonyms, is an East Indian species. Pursh’s
plant seems to be C. articulatus.
2. C. rENuIFLorus, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 52. (not of Rottb., Vahl, Elliott,
and others.)
In wet fields in Carolina and Georgia, Pursh.
Pursh has probably confounded some other species with the C. tenui-
Jlorus of Rottbell.
3. C.¥Fiiicinus. Spikelets linear-lanceolate, somewhat remote, loosely
imbricated; involucre 5-leaved, longer than the umbel, and, as also the
leaves, lax. Culm half a foot high, filiform, acutely angular, as long as
the leaves, lax. Leaflets of the involucre resembling the leaves; involu-
cels wanting. Ochree truncate. Umbel somewhat compound, 3—4-
rayed; rays an inch or more in length; partial umbels 3-rayed ; the rays
very short. Spikelets 4—8, scarcely half an inch long, 12-flowered,
aT
282 North American Cyperacee.
flat, widely spreading, loosely imbricated, yellow-ferruginous, shining.
Scales oblong. Vahl, enum. 2. p. 332; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 521
In swamps of Virginia and North Carolina, Vahl, Pursh.—As the
characters of the fruit are not given by Vahl, it is impossible to identify
this species, or even to point out the section of the genus to which it
belongs. I am inclined, however, to believe, that it is one of the Pycreus
group, and probably C.diandrus. Pursh’s imperfect specimen in Lam-
bert’s herbarium seems to be C. Nuttallii. Nees, in the catalogue of
Cyperi examined by him (Linnea, |.c.) places C. filicinus in the section
Aristati, but his plant must be distinct from the species above described.
4. C. oporatus, Linn.?; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 52, (excl. syn.)
«On the banks of rivers, Pennsylvania to Florida, rare,” Pursh.—
Linnzus, and Willdenow, under C. odoratus, refer to Gron, fl. Virg. p.
131, and this is probably the reason why Pursh described this species
in his work. It does not appear, however, that the true C. odoratus
has been found in North America.
5. C. pistans, Linn.?; Pursh, fl.1. p. 53. (excl. syn.)
«In sandy wet woods; Carolina and Georgia,” Pursh.—Pursh is
the only writer on North American Botany who has introduced this
species into our Flora, Can his plant be C. stenolepis of this Mono-
graph?
6. C. ruscus, L.—Sprengel, in his Systema Vegetabilium, (1. p. 223.)
states that this species inhabits North America, but I consider it a very
doubtful native.
7. C. prizmus, Richard?; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 51.
In swamps of Carolina, Pursh.
The C. brizeus of Richard and Vahl, a native of Cayenne and Porto-
rico, seems to be a very distinct plant from Pursh’s, which, I am inclined
to think, is merely a variety of C. diandrus.
Since the preceding matter was written and mostly printed, I have
received from my friend G. A. W. Arnott, Esq. an extract from a MS.
of N. ab Esenbeck on some N. American Cyperacez, particularly those
collected by Drummond in his last expeditions. Among the species
found by Drummond near St. Louis, Nees notices C. Elliottianus, (my
C. diandrus?), C. filicinus (probably not Vahl’s plant), C. repens, and C.
Kylling@oides, which last, as Mr. Arnott remarks, must be C. filzculmis,
and not the East Indian C. Killinge@oides.
North American Cyperacea. 283
tt Spikelets about one-flowered.
3. MARISCUS, Vahi.
SPIKELETS subterete, distichously imbricated, rarely bearing
more than one fertile floret. acuts margined with the adnate
persistent interior scales. SraMENs 3. Sryze 3-cleft. Nur
triangular.—Habit of Cyperus; spikelets subulate, mostly
collected in dense ovate heads; common rachis appearing chaffy
from the persistence of the lower scales of the spikelets.
Mariscus, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 372 (in part); R. Brown, prodr.
1. p. 218; Rem. fy Schult. gen. 190; Lestib. ess. p. 31, no.
24; N.ab Esenb. in Wight’s contrib. p. 69, and in Linnea, 9.
p- 286; Nutt. gen. 1. p. 34.
Species of Cyperus, and Kyllingia, Linn., Vahl, Willd. &c.
Species of Scirpus, Linn. &c.
The genus Mariscus, as here characterized, includes only
those species of Vahl, N. ab Esenbeck and others, which bear
1—2-flowered spikelets; such as M. cyperinus, M. wmbellatus,
and M. retrofractus. It is so nearly related to Cyperus, that
it might, perhaps, form a section of that genus.
Mariscus RETROFRACTUS, Vahl.
Umbel simple, rays numerous, elongated; heads obovate,
retrorsely imbricate; spikelets subulate, 1-flowered; the two
lowest scales short, terminal one very narrow, involute.
M. retrofractus, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 373; Pursh, fl. 1. p.58; Elliott, sk.
l. p. 74; Torr.! fl.1.p.57; Beck! bot. p. 429; Ram. § Schult, syst.
2. p. 245.
Scirpus retrofractus, Linn. sp. 74; Willd. sp. 1. p. 304; Muhl.!
gram. p. 40.
CyPeERi genus indianum, &c. Pluk. alm. 179. t. 91. f. 4.
284 North American Cyperacee.
Root fibrous. Culm tumid at the base, 2—3 feet high, nearly leafless,
pubescent, obtusely triangular, the sides very convex. Leaves mostly
radical, half the length of the culm, 3—4 lines wide, flat, pubescent and
somewhat glaucous. Rays 6—10, unequal, somewhat terete, 2—6 inches
long. Ochree bicuspidate. Involucre many-leaved; 3 of the leaves
broader and longer than the others, all of them generally shorter than
the umbel. Heads nearly an inch long, and half an inch in diameter,
very obtuse, obovate, or rather turbinate, the base acute. Spikelets very
slender, and numerous, (about 100); uppermost ones spreading horizon-
tally, the rest bent backwards against the peduncle. Scales generally 5
in each spikelet, striate; the two lowest (calyx, Vahl,) short, ovate, empty;
the fourth lanceolate, fertile; the uppermost one subulate. Style 3-cleft.
Nut linear, triquetrous, minutely papillose.
Has. Sandy soils, and sometimes in wet places; New
York to Florida. In the pine barrens of New Jersey!; not
common; Pennsylvania, Muhlenberg!; North Carolina, Mr.
Curtis!; South Carolina, and Georgia, Elliott, Dr. Baldwin! ;
Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman!; Alabama, Dr. Gates!; Ar-
kansas, Nuttall.
Oss. The spikelets, in their earliest state are merely
spreading, but immediately after flowering they bend back-
ward and are appressed to the common rachis, as in M. umbel-
latus of the East Indies.
KYLLINGIA, Rottb.
SpIKELETS compressed, the scales distichously imbricated,
usually bearing but one fertile flower. Scazus generally
4; the 2 lowest short and empty (rarely wanting), the others
larger, for the most part only the lower one fertile. STAMENS
1—3. Srvzxe elongated, 2-cleft. Nur lenticular.—C ulms
triangular; spikelets collected in roundish sessile heads, which
are solitary or aggregated ; involucrum mostly 3-leaved, folia-
ceous.
Kyllingia, Linn.; Lam. il. t. 383 Juss. gen. p. 27; Nutt.
gen. 1. p. 305; R. Brown, prodr. 1. p. 218; Rem. § Schult.
gen. 188; Kunth, syn. 1. p. 148; N. ab Esenb. in Wight’s
contrib. p. 69, and in Linnea. 9. p. 286.
North American Cyperacee. 285
Species of Mariscus, Lestib.
Hedychloa, Rafin. annals of nature, (1820) p. 16.
Thryocephalum, Forst. gen. 65.
This genus differs from Mariscus in the sessile head, com-
pressed spikelets, lenticular nut, and bifid style.* Linnean
botanists generally regard the 2 inferior scales of the spikelet
as a 2-valved calyx, and the other two scales as constituting a
corolla. Hedychloa, as characterized by Rafinesque, agrees in
all respects with the ordinary species of Kyllingia.
Kyuumnera pumina, Michz.
Heads 1—3; spikelets 1-flowered, diandrous; scales 3—4,
the lowest very minute, the two upper ovate, acuminate,
smooth on the sides, scabrous on the keel; nut obovate ; in-
volucre 3-leaved, very long; leaves linear.
K. pumila, Michr.! fl. 1. p: 28; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 46; Elliott, sk. 1. p.
55; Muhl.! gram. p. 4; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 380; Rem. § Schult. 2. p-
237.
Hedychloa fragrans, Rafin.! ann. nat. (1820) p. 16.
Root fibrous. Culms cespitose,2—12 inches high, triquetrous, slender,
smooth. Leaves generally shorter, but sometimes as long as the culm,
somewhat glaucous. Heads one-third of an inch in diameter, mostly
solitary, but often 2—3 closely aggregated, varying in form from globose
to oblong. Spikelets ovate; one or two of lowest scales very small
(wanting, Elliott); the two upper slightly mucronate, 3-nerved on each
side. Rachis terete, tuberculated with the short pedicels of the flowers.
Stamens always 2. Style longer than the ovary, 2-cleft nearly half-way
down. Nut much compressed, obtuse, fulvous.
* « Transitus ab hoc genere ad Mariscos, preecipué ad unifloros, perfaci-
lis; et ex contemplatione specierum flosculo secundo instructarum vera
natura partium in unifloris luculenter apparet; in his enim valvula in-
terior (que spits paulo major) uti rachis spiculz abortive considerari
debet, e cujus basi v. medio flosculus secundus ejusve rudimentum
ortum ducit.’—R. Brown, |. c.
286 North American Cyperacea.
Has. Wet places, particularly along rivers; North Caro-
lina to Florida. Lincolnton, N. C., Mr. Curtis! ; Kentucky,
Dr. Short and Dr. Peter! ; St. Louis and New Orleans, Drum-
mond !; South Carolina and Georgia, Elliott, Le Conte!
Oss. Mr. Elliott states that the valves of the ‘“ calyx”
(minute lowest scales) are wanting, but I have generally been
able to see at least one of them. This little scale, however,
Nees ab Esenbeck (in a MS. account of some N. American
Cyperacece already alluded to) is inclined to regard rather as a
bracteole than one of the scales of the spikelet, as it appeared
to stand somewhat remote from the rest; but in the specimens
which I examined it was in close contact with the others.
2. KyYLLINGIA MONOCEPHALA, Linn.
Head simple, globose, compact; spikelets 1-flowered, mo-
nandrous, ovate, acuminate; the two superior scales striate,
nearly equal, smooth on the sides, serrulate, ciliate on the keel ;
the two inferior minute ; nut somewhat orbicular; involucre 3-
leaved, one of the leaves erect; the others horizontal.
K. monocephala, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 379; Elliott, sk. 1. p.54; Muhl.!
gram. p.3 (in part); Torr.! fl. 1. p. 43.
Rhizomacreeping. Culm about a foot high, triquetrous, slender, smooth.
Leaves much shorter than the culm, one line wide, scabrous on the
margin towards the summit, abruptly pointed. Head generally inclin-
ing to one side, always solitary. Jnvolucre sometimes 4-leaved, one of
the leaves very short. Spikelets very numerous, spreading horizontally.
Scales 4; the 2 lowest very small and difficult to find, one of them (the
inferior) ovate, the other lanceolate; the 2 superior scales much larger.
spreading and somewhat recurved at the point, membranaceous, 3-nerved
on each side; the keel green and ciliated with a few minute spicule.
Stamen always solitary. Style as long as the nut, 2-cleft. Nut much
compressed, the breadth nearly equalling the length, very obtuse,
fulvous.
Has. Low moist places; near Darien, on the Alatamaha,
Georgia, Dr. Baldwin! ; and Sunbury in the same state, L. Le
Conte, Esq.!; Carolina and New Jersey, Muhlenberg.
#
North American Cyperacee. 287
This species is rare in the United States: It is probably
distinct from the K. monocephala, Linn. a native of the East
Indies and South America, that species having diandrous flowers
and an obovate nut. Our plant is perhaps the K. cruciformis,
Schrad. (in Schult. mant. 2. p. 137; N. ab Esenb. in Wight’s
contrib. p. 91.), with which it agrees in its monandrous flowers;
but the nut is rather orbicular than ‘“ obovate.”? To the K.
pumila, it has a strong resemblance, but it is generally a much
taller plant, the leaves are firmer and more abruptly pointed, the
head solitary, and it differs also in the flowers.
The localities quoted from Muhlenberg are rather doubtful;
as the specimens in his herbarium are mixed with another spe+
cies of Kyllingia, and also with Scirpus subsquarrosus.
3. KILLINGIA SESQUIFLORA:
Heads 3, cylindrical-oblong, the intermediate one largest§
spikelets ovate-oblong, diandrous, with one perfect, and often
one imperfect floret; scales 46; the two lowest minute; the
third and fourth nearly equal, ovate-lanceolate, acute, membra-
naceous, 5-nerved, smooth on the keel; the fifth imperfect;
concealed in the fourth; style deeply 2-cleft; nut obovate; in-
volucre 4—5-leaved, and with the leaves, broadly linear.
Root creeping. Culm 8—12 inches high; obtusely triangular, smooth:
Leaves nearly as tall as the culm, 2—3 lines wide. Heads always 3;
the middle one three-fourths ofan inch long; the others shorter. Involucre
of 4 long leaves and a shorter one. Spikelets spreading, of a whitish
colour. Lowest scales closely appressed, one of them ovate, the other
lanceolate ; the third and fourth whitish, with a green keel. Style one-
third longer than the ovary, cleft about two-thirds of the way down. Nut
much compressed, very obtuse, fulvous.
Has. Damp rich soils, Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman!
Oss. This species resembles K. triceps, Linn., but differs
in its longer heads, somewhat 2-flowered spikelets, smooth
scales, and obovate nuts. It is distinguished at once from the
other North American species of the genus, by the large whitish
heads, broad leaves, and thick culm. The whole plant has a
strong balsamic odour.
Vou. I. 37
289: North American Cyperacea:
Trise Ul. ..HYPOLY DRE A.
FLowERrs perfect. Scauzs (bracteze,) of the spike imbri-
cated on all sides. SprxELeTs several-flowered, composed!
of many distichous seales (squamule); or one-flowered witlr
few scales placed in a valvate or circular order, and no peri-
gynium ; or one-flowered witha petaloid perigynium (perianth),
and no scales.
5. LIPOCARPHA, R.. Brown..
Scaues of the spike imbricated on all sides, coriaceous.
SPIKELETS oblong, composed of two squamule (perianthiunr,
N. ab E.) parallel with the scale; one of them fertile, one-
flowered, the other abortive. PERicyNtuM wanting.—Habit
of Kyllingia; heads compact, clustered.
Lipocarpha, R. Brown,* fide N. ab Esenb. in Wight’s con.
treb. p. 70, and nm Linnea, p- 287.
Species of Hypolytrum, Rechard, Kunth, Vahl, and others.
Species of Kyllingia, Michaux.
’ The genus Lipocarpha differs from Hypolytrum chiefly in the
position of the squamulze of the spikelet. In the latter, they
are contrary to the scale, in the former they are inserted
parallel with the scale, one of them (the inferior,) being
placed immediately behind the nut, and the other between the
nut and the scale.
LipocaARPHA MACUEATA.
Spikes 3—5, ovate, acute; scales cuneiform-rhombic, acute,
narrowed at the base, spotted; spikelet shorter than the scale;
squamulz lanceolate, the interior chartaceous; the exterior
membranaceous, convolute ; stamen solitary; style 2-parted;
nut obscurely 3-sided; leaves narrow; involucre somewhat
two-leaved; culm triangular.
* T am unable to quote the work in which Mr. Brown published this
genus. ‘
North American Cyperacee. 289
YP
Kyllingia maculata, Miche.! fl. 1. p. 29; Pursh, fl.1. p. 47; Elliott,
3k. p. 5d.
Mariscus maculatus, Rem. & Schult. syst. 2. p. 243.
Root fibrous. Culms 3—8 inches high, cespitose, smooth. Leaves
scarcely a line wide, shorter than the-culm, often involute. Invoiucre of
2 long leaves, and one very short one. Spikes usually 3, a little larger
than a pepper-corn, closely aggregated. Scales very numerous, rather
Joosely imbricated, concealing the spikelets, persistent, marked with
minute oblong red dots, particularly on the inner side; midrib green.
Spikelet composed of 2 squamule; the interior obtuse, often dotted like
the scales; the exterior (mext the scale) very thin and delicate. Stamen
always solitary. Style slender, longer than the nut. Nut 3-sided, but
the sides and angles are so rounded that it appears nearly cylindrical,
contracted into a neck near the base, yellow.
Has. ‘“ Wet springy land, Georgia; commen in the vicinity
of Savannah,” Dr. Baldwin! ; Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman!
Ozs. To the L. Humboldtiana of Nees ab Esenbeck
(Hypoelytrum argenteum, Kunth, syn. 1. p. 149, not of Vahi,)
this species bears a strong resemblance, but it differs in the
scales, which are acute but not acuminate, and in the style
which is bifid, not 3-cleft. | Michaux states that our plant
resembles Kyllingia triceps, but it undoubtedly belongs to the
present genus, while K. ¢riceps is a true Kyllingia. Muhlen-
berg’s K. triceps appears to be merely K. pumila.
6. FUIRENA, Rott.
Sca.es of the spike imbricated on all sides, one-flowered,
awned. Prrtcynium single or double; the exterior (calyx),
when present; consisting of 3 bristles, the interior (corolla) of
3 unguiculate petaloid laminz, alternating with the bristles.
SraMens 3. Stry.e 3-cleft. Nur triquetrous, pointed with
the remains of the style, abruptly contracted into a pedicel at
the base.—Culms mostly simple, erect, articulated, angular,
leafy (rarely with nearly naked sheaths); spikes subumbellate,
axillary and terminal, mostly squarrose; external lamina of the
scale produced into a shert awn or bristle.
Fuirena, Rottb. gram. p.70.t. 19; Juss. gen. p. 26; Lamk.
all. 1. p. 150. t. 39; R. Brown, prodr. 1. p. 220; Kunth, syn.
290 North American Cyperacee.
1. p. 150; Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p. 44. no. 59; N. ab Esenb.
in Wight’s contrib. pp. 70 & 93, § a Linnea, 9. p. 288;
Michz. fl. 1. p. 37; Nutt. gen. 1. p. 37.
Vaginaria, Rich. a Pers. syn. 1. p. 70; Nutt. gen. 1. p. 37.
1. Furrena squarrosa, Michz.
Culm obtusely 3-angled, sulcate; leaves ciliate; sheaths
hairy; spikes clustered (3—6—12,), ovate; awn as long as
the scale; petals cordate or ovate.
a. Nut twice the length of its stipe; bristles shorter than
the claws of the petals, nearly smooth.
F. squarrosa, Michz. fl. p. 37; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 286; Pursh, fl. 1. p.
58; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 53. t. 2. f.1; Muhl.! gram. p. 50, (in part); Torr. ;
fl.1. p.67; Clayt. fl. Virg. 173; Curt.! cat. pl. Wilmingt. no. 56:
Rem. § Schult. syst. 2. p. 234; Spreng. syst. 1. p. 236.
Culm 1—2 feet high, leafy. Leaves 6 inches long, 2—4 lines broad,
flat, pubescent on both sides and distinctly ciliate on the margin; upper
ones smoothish; sheathes sulcate, Ligula membranaceous, brown,
ciliate. Umbels simple or compound, one or two, supported on pedun-
cles which grow from the upper sheaths; the terminal one 2—3-rayed,
and composed of 6—20 spikes, subtended by an involucre of 2 or 3 very
short narrow leaves. Spzkes half an inch in length, ovate-oblong,
closely aggregated into heads at the summit of the short rays. Scales
ovate, hairy, obtuse or emarginate, marked with three strong approxi-
mated ribs, which uniting towards the summit, form the (upwardly
scabrous) awn. Bristles of the perianth, (calyx), shorter than the claw
of the petals, flat, incurved, nearly smooth. Petals with claws longer
than the lamina, mucronate, but not awned; lamina of a spongy texture
throughout, the breadth nearly equal to the length. Style deeply 3-cleft;
the segments glandularly pubescent. Nut very acutely and equally
triangular, with flat sides, distinctly pedicellate.
Has. Swamps; North Carolina to Florida. Wilmington,
N. C., Mr. Curtis!; South Carolina, Ellott ; Georgia, Le
Conte and Dr. Baldwin!; Alabama, Dr. Gates!; New Or-
leans, T'. Drummond!
North American Cyperacee. 291
8. Nut ona very short stipe; bristles as long as the claws of
the petals, somewhat denticulate; petals cordate, with a short
acuminated point.
Culm 2 feet high, slender; sheaths very hairy. Umbels composed of
d—9 spikes. Awns of the scales nearly straight.
Has. Southern States, Delile!
y. Nut twice the length of its stipe; petals ovate, cuspi-
date, and terminating in a short bristle; the claw shorter than
the retrorsely scabrous bristle; leaves and sheaths hairy.
F. squarrosa, Gray! Gram. & Cyp. part 1. 78; Beck bot. p. 129.
Culm 12—18 inches high, slender, Leaves and sheaths hispidly hairy.
Spikes mostly terminal, 6—12 in anirregular umbel or cluster. Petals
rounded at the base, the summit attenuated into a long slender point or
short bristle.
Has. Bogs and swamps. New Jersey, particularly in the
pine barren region, and along the sea coast!—September.
6. (pumila.) Nut somewhat obovate, gradually attenuated at
the base; petals ovate-lanceolate, narrow at each end; bristles
longer than the nut, retrorsely scabrous ; spikes 2—6, mostly
terminal, sessile; leaves smoothish.
F. squarrosa, 8. pumila, Torr.! fl, 1. p. 68.
F. pumila, Spreng. syst. 1. p. 237; Schult. mant. 3. p. 546.
F. Torreyana, Beck ! bot. p. 429.
Culm 3—6 inches high, pubescent above; lower sheaths pubescent;
throat hairy. Involucre longer than the spikes; 1—2 leaved. Spikes
ovate, thick. Scales ovate, obtuse, hairy, terminated by a recurved
awn nearly the length of the lamina. Bristles straight, very scabrous.
Petals much attenuated at the base, obscurely 3-nerved, the summit
tapering into a long cusp, or short bristle. Nut broadest near the top
abruptly acuminated.
Has. Sandy wet places. Near Babylon, Long Island,
and in the pine barrens of New Jersey!; Tewksbury pond,
near Boston, B. D. Greene, Esq. /—August—September.
e. (aristulata.) Nut on a short stipe, dilated in the middle;
292 North American Cyperacee.
petals ovate-oblong, obtuse, with a short scabrous awn below
the summit, 3-nerved; the upper portion tumid; bristles nearly
as long as the nut.
F. squarrosa, Torr!. Rocky mount. plants, in Ann. Lyc. N. York. 2.
p- 252.
Culm about a span high, rather slender, Leaves one line broad, flat,
somewhat hairy. Involucre 1-leaved. Spikes about 3, sessile, ovate.
Scales ovate, obtuse, hairy; awn longer than the lamina. Bristles stiff,
a little incurved, two thirds the length of the petals, retrorsely scabrous.
Petals subcordate at the base; lower part of the lamina compressed, the
upper part spongy, subemarginate, bearing a distinct, abrupt, retrorsely
scabrous awn a short distance below the summit. Nut abruptly con-
tracted at the base.
Has. Arkansas? Collected by Dr. James in Long’s
Expedition to the Rocky Mountains.
Oss. The five forms of Fuirena here described are, for the
present, referred to F. squarrosa, although it is probable they
include several distinct species. I have not yet determined to
my entire satisfaction what degree of dependence is to be
placed on the shape and relative length of the floral envelopes
in this genus. If they are liable to variation, we probably have,
besides the F. scurpoidea, but one other species of the genus in
the United States.
2. Furrena uispipa, Elliott.
‘‘ Leaves long, and with the sheaths very hispid; culm his-
pid above; heads many (5—8) clustered; valves of the corolla
ovate, mucronate.”
F. hispida, Elliott! sk. 1. p. 579.
“ Culm 1—2 feet high, erect and decumbent, smooth along the lower
joints. Leaves narrow, tapering, 4—8 inches long, many-nerved, hispid,
particularly on the lower surface. Scales oval, the outer ones hispid, the
inner ones finely pubescent; awn long, expanding. Stamens 3, scarcely
longer than the corolla. Styles twice as long as the stamens.”
Has. Borders of ponds in the middle districts of Georgia
and Carolina, Elliott!, Dr. Boykin.—July—October.
North American Cyperacea. 293
Oss. I have specimens of this plant which were sent to me
by Mr. Elliott, but the inflorescence is not sufficiently advanced
for comparing it with the preceding species and varieties. It
appears, however, to be almost identical with my variety 8.
3. FuIRENA scIRPOIDEA, Mich.
Rhizoma creeping ; culm furnished with leafless, subinflated,
mucronate sheaths; spikes (1—6,) ovate, terminal; scales
ovate, with a short appressed mucro; bristles slender, scabrous,
longer than the claws of the ovate, somewhat obtuse petals.
Fuirena scirpoidea, Michz.! fl. 1. p. 38. t.'7; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 543
Muhl.! gram. p. 51: Vahl, enum. p. 387; Rem. & Schult. 2. p. 235;
Spreng. syst. 1. p- 237.
Vaginaria Richardi, Pers. syn. 1. p. 70; Pursh, fl. p. 58, Nutt. gen.
1. p. 37.
Rhizoma creeping, scaly. Culm a foot and a half high, smooth and sub-
terete swollen at the joints. Sheaths remote, never bearing leaves, but
merely ashort subulate point. Spikes allterminal, often solitary, but some-
times as many as six, 4—® lines long, pubescent. Scales 3-nerved, the
nerves confluent at the summit, and terminating in a short straight point.
Bristles straight, retrorsely scabrous. Petals with the claw longer than
the lamina, 3-nerved, purplish, thin and subdiaphanous except near the
summit, which is cellular and tumid. Stamens 3, filaments much
longer than the petals. Style compressed, dilated upward, 3-parted,
the divisions glandular-pubescent. Nut acutely triangular, whitish,
stipitate, acuminated with the remains of the style.
Has. Swamps which are dry in summer. Florida, M-
chaux! ; Georgia, Dr. Baldwin! §; Le Conte ! ; New Orleans,
Dr. Ingalls!
Oss. This interesting plant, as Michaux remarks, has the
characters of a Fuirena, but its habit is different from that of
the other species. In the structure of the flowers, it agrees
minutely with F’. squarrosa, especially the variety which I have
called arvstulata (:-) In one instance, I found the style 3-cleft
with one of the divisions again 3-parted.
294 North American Cyperaceé:
Trise Ill. SCIRPEA.
Fiowers perfect. Scates of the spike imbricated on all
sides (rarely bi-trifarious). _PERIGyNIumM composed of several
bristles, hairs, or linear scales, (sometimes cyathiform and mem-
branaceous) or wanting.
A. Scales of the spike bi-trifarious.
7. ABILDGAARDIA, Vaal.
SpIKEs with the scales bifariously imbricated, (by the torsion
of the rachis trifarious, N. ab E.) PrEricynium 0. Sty iE
3-cleft, the base bulbous and articulated to the triquetrous nut.
—Culm angular, leafy at the base; spikes solitary, clustered,
or umbellate.
Abildgaardia, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 2963; R. Brown, prodr. ie p-
229; Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p. 32, no. 26; Ns ab Esenb. in
Wight’s contrib. p.'70, 5 in Linnea. 9. p. 289.
Species of Cyperus, Linn., Kunth.
Cyperus §. Iria, Rich. in Pers. syn. 1. p. 65.
*
ABILDGAARDIA CYPEROIDES, N. ab E. & Meyen. —
‘* Culm triquetrous, sulcate on one side; leaves linear, ob-
tuse, scabrous on the margin; umbel somewhat decompound;
the rays pubescent; involucre and involucels shorter than the
common and partial umbels; spikelets somewhat 2-flowered.”
A. cyperoides, N. ab E. & Meyen in Acad. Nat. Cur. 16. supp. (fide
N. ab E. in Wight’s contrib. p. 95.)
Gussonea cyperoides, Presl. in rel. Haenk. 3. p. 183, t. 33, (fide NV.
ab E.
Has. Monte Rey in California, Henke.
Oss. This species has not come under my observation.
It is said by Nees to be allied to his A. Eragrostis, & A. fusca,
described in Wight’s Contributions, I. c.
North American Cyperacee. 295
8. CHETOCYPERUS; N. ab Esenb.
Spise compressed, few-flowered; the scales somewhat dis-
tichously imbricated. PrerRieynium of 38—6 cartilaginous
retrorsely-hispid bristles. Sramens 3; Sryxte 3-cleft; the
base bulbous and articulated to the ovary, persistent. Nut
triangular, crowned with the bulb of the style. Culm slender,
often procumbent; spikes terminal, solitary, often proliferous.
Chetocyperus, N. ab Esenb. tn Wight’s contrib. pp. 70 and
95, Yim Linnea, 9. p. 289.
Species of Scirpus, Vahl, Kunth, & Lam:
Species of Eleocharis, Rem. & Schult.
Species of Cyperus, Retz., Willd:
Cu£#TOCYPERUS BALDWINIt.
Spikes ovate, much compressed, proliferous and rooting at
the base; scales lanceolate-linear, somewhat obtuse, loose;
nut smooth, with prominent angles; bristles 3—4, half the
length of the nut.
a
Scirpus sarmentosus, EBaldw. MS. § herb!
Root fibrous, annual. Culms 5—6 inches long, cespitose, of the thick-
ness of a strong bristle, subterete, sulcate, prostrate and rooting at the
extremity. Spikes 3—8-flowered, nianifestly distichous, about one third
of aninch long. Scales somewhat spreading, smooth, slightly keeled.
Stamens 3; filaments long and slender; anthers oblong. Ovary linear-
oblong. Bristles scarcely half the length of the nut, and appressed to
its sides. Style deeply 3-parted; segments glandularly pubescent. Nut
oblong, much smaller than the scale, shining, distinctly triangular, with
the angles prominent and somewhat margined. T'ubercle small, white,
set close on the summit of the nut, the base spreading out into three
lobes which correspond with the angles of the nut; the apex pointed with
a short beak.
Has. Low wet places. Near St: Mary’s, Georgia, Dr.
Baldwin !—F lowers from July to September.
Oss. ‘This interesting plant is nearly allied to C. sence,
N. ab E.in Linnea, 9. p. 289, (C. Limnocharis in Wicht’s
Vou. If. 38
296 North American Cyperacea.
contrib. p. 98; Cyperus setaceus, Retz.; Eleocharis setaceus,
R. Brown ;*) but in that species the nut is punctato-striate, and
there are six bristles, four of which equal the nut in length.
B. Scales of the spikes imbricated on all sides.
+ With a perigynium.
9. ELEOCHARIS, R. Brown.
Scaes of the spike imbricated on all sides. Brisrixs of
the perigynium 3—12, (commenly 6,) rigid, persistent. StyLe
2—3 cleft; the base bulbous and persistent, articulated to the
ovary. Nur commonly obovate, lenticular, or obtusely trian-
gular, crowned with a tubercle or bulbous base of the style.
—Culms simple, leafless, with truncate or mucronate sheaths
at the base; spike terminal, solitary, naked.
Eleocharis, R. Brown, prod. 1. p. 224; Rem. § Schult.
syst. 2. p. 33 Gray’s nat. arrang. of Brit. pl. 2. p. 77.
Eleocharis, Eleogenus, Limnochloa and Scirpidium, N. ab
Esenb. in Linnea, 9, pp. 298, 294, and in Wight’s contrib. p.
WAG
Heleocharis, and Limnochloa, Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p. 41,
no. 50 and 52. '
Species of Scirpus, Lenn., Vahl, Kunth.
§1. Spike cylindrical; scales rigid, arranged in a spiral
order ; style 3-cleft; nut biconver; pericarp thin; tubercle
cartilaginous, compressed, colored.—LIMNOCHLOA.
1. Evrocaris EQUISETOIDES.
Culm terete, remotely nodose, papillose; spike cylindrical;
scales suborbicular-ovate, very obtuse, or slightly pointed ;
* « Cyperus setaceus, Retz. et Willd. sp. pl. 1. p. 269, hue quoque-
referendus a reliquis differt, nuce 3-gona, et spicula disticha.” R. Brown,
prod. 1. p. 224, in his Observations on the genus Eleocharis.
es
“Se
North American Cyperacee. 297
bristles 6, as long as the nut; style 3-cleft ; nut obovate, strongly
biconvex, smooth; tubercle closely sessile, conical-rostrate,
acute.
Scirpus equisetoides, Elliott, sk. 1. p.79; Nutt.! gen. 1. p.32; Rem.
and Schult. mant. 2. p. 74.
S. geniculatus, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 55?
Culm 14—2 feet high, of the size of a goose quill; the pith conden-
sed at intervals of about two inches into nodes or false joints; the surface
slightly roughened with minute papille, which are depressed in the
centre. Sheaths radical, leafless. Spike about an inch long, rather
acute. Scales cartilaginous, with a narrow scarious margin; the lower
ones very obtuse; the upper oftensomewhat pointed. Bristles retrorsely
hispid, as long as the nut without the tubercle. Style 5-cleft about one-
third its length. Nut obovate, tumid, brown, shining, towards the base
very minutely striate transversely. Tubercle one-third the length of the
nut, compressed, black. rf
Has. Bogs, and in water. Near Lewistown, Delaware,
Nuttall! ; Fayetteville, N. Carolina, Schweinitz!; St. John’s,
Georgia, Dr. Baldwin! F
9. ELEOCHARIS QUADRANGULATA, R. Brown.
Culm acutely and unequally quadrangular, three of the sides
concave, the other wider and flat; spike cylindrical; scales
broadly ovate, very obtuse, bristles 6, as long as the nut; nut
obovate, striate, and minutely reticulate; tubercle conical, com-
pressed, somewhat free at the base. .
E. quadrangulata, R. Brown, prodr. 1. p. 224, (in Obs.); Ram. &
Schult. syst. 2. p. 155.
Scirpus quadrangulatus, Miche.! fl. 1. p. 30; (not of Muhl.); Pursh,
fl. 1. p. 55; Elliott! sk. 1. p. 76, t. 3. £2; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 262;
Spreng. syst. 1. p. 204.
S. marginatus, Muhl.! gram. p. 28.
S. albomarginatus, Rem. & Schult. mant. 2. p. 74.
Rhizoma thick and creeping. Culm 2—4 feet high and two lines in
diameter, clothed at the base with a few purplish sheaths, which some-
298 North American Cyperacee.
times bear short leaves. Spike 12—16 lines in length. Scales coria-
ceous, with a narrow scarious margin, sometimes a little pointed, often
minutely dotted with purple. Bristles retrorsely hispid, four of them
equalling the tubercle. Stamens 3. Style cleft about one-third of its
length. Nut rather broadly obovate, somewhat tumid, grayish white,
not shining; the surface appearing very finely reticulate under a lens.
Tubercle minute, dark brown, articulated to the nut by a very short
neck.
Has. Swamps and margins of rivers, growing in the water.
Near Philadelphia, Mr. Steinhaur and Mr. Z. Collins! ;
Pomonkey Creek, Maryland, Dr. Robbins; near Wilmington,
North Carolina, Mr. Curtis! ; Carolina, Michaux! ; near New
Orleans, Dr. Ingalls!
Ozs. This plant, as Michaux correctly remarks, resembles
Scirpus mutatus, Linn, It has also a strong resemblance to
S. acutangulus, Roxb. (Limnochloa, N. ab E.) Mr. Elliott
states, that in the rice fields of the South, it is a very injurious
intruder ; its thick roots occupying the ground, and permittin’
nothing to grow where they extend.
§. 2. Spike cylindrical ; scales rigid, arranged in a spiral order ;
style 3-cleft; nut biconvex, tumid; pericarp very thick and
spongy; tubercle conacal, spongy, confluent.—SoMPHOcARYA.
38. ELEOCHARIS CELLULOSA.
Culm subterete above, obtusely triangular below, with a long
truncate sheath; spike cylindrical; bristles longer than the
nut, nearly smooth ; nut broadly obovate, cellular and reticu-
lated, crowned with a broad conical subacute tubercle.
0,
Culms 2 feet high, 1} line in diameter, spongy, invested one third of its
length with a single sheath, obscurely 3-sided towards the base, but terete
near the spike, scarcely striate. Spike an inch long, obtuse. Scales
nearly orbicular, obscurely spiral, pale brown, sometimes dotted with
red; margin distinct, scarious, whitish. Brastles 6, strong, smooth, with
North American Cyperacee. 299
the exception of a few slight denticulations, most of them overtop-
ping the tubercle. Stamens 3; filaments long and slender. Style deeply
3-cleft. Nut covered with a thick cellular integument, tumid, pale
brown and shining, reticulated, and striated longitudinally. Tubercle
large, of a whitish colour, confluent with the nut, so as to appear blended
with it, of a spongy texture like the pericarp.
Has. Wet sandy marshes. Bay of St. Louis, Dr.
Ingalls!
Oss. For this rare plant I am indebted to my friend Dr.
Ingalls, who sent it to me under the name of Scorpus retecula-
tus ; but there is a S. reticulatus of Lamarck, and as the genus
Eleocharis may possibly be hereafter restored to Scirpus, I
have not retained the specific name of Dr. Ingalls. In its
cylindrical spike and the structure of its scales, it resembles
the species of the preceding section; but in its spongy whitish
tubercle, it is more nearly allied to the next group. The thick
cellular covering of the nut is its most remarkable character.
§ 3. Speke ovate or oblong ; scales membranaccous, (rarely coria=
ceous) very numerous, regularly imbricated ; style mostly
2-cleft; nut obovate, biconver, smooth ; tubercle somewhat
suberosc. —ELEOCHARIS.
4, EnrocHaris PaLustris, R. Brown,
Culm terete, striate, spongy; spike oblong-lanceolate ; scales
somewhat obtuse; the two lowest large orbicular and empty 3
bristles scabrous, longer than the nut; style 2-cleft; nut len-
ticular, smooth, (fulvous) ; tubercle conical, acute, distinct.
Eleocharis palustris, R. Brown, prodr. 1. p. 224. (in Obs.); Rem.
§ Schult. syst. 2. p. 153; N. ab Esenb. in Wight’s contrib. p. 113,
Smith, Eng. fl. 1. p. 63.
Scirpus palustris, Linn.; Willd. sp. 1. p. 291; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 54;
Elliott, sk. 1. p.77; Muhl.! gram. p. 28; Torr.! fl.1. p. 45; Big. fl.
Bost. ed. 2. p. 20; Beck! bot. p. 425; Darlingt.! fl. cest. ed. 2. p. 19.
300 North American Cyperacee.
S. glaucus, Torr./ fl.1. p. 44.
S, glaucescens, Willd.
Culm 1—2 feet high, of a sofi texture, varying in diameter from-filiform
to aline and ahalf. Spike 3—5 lines long, many-flowered. Scales
fuscous in the middle, with a broad scarious and generally lacerated
margin. Brisiles 3—6, overtopping the tubercle, retrorsely scabrous.
Stamens 3. Nut compressed, smooth, but dull. Zubercle rostrate-
conical, nearly half the length of the nut, which is contracted into ashort
neck beneath it.
Has, Swamps, and low grounds, from near the Arctic
Regions! to Florida! and from the Atlantic ! to the Pacific
Ocean !
Oxzs. A native also of Europe, Caucasus, the East Indies,
andthe Sandwich Islands. The nut is incorrectly described
by Muhlenberg and in my Flora, as ‘* punctate and rugose.”
The S. glaucus of the Flora of the Northern and Middle Sta oe
I now believe to be only a variety of S. palustris.
5. ELEOCHARIS OLIVACEA.
Culms filiform, (often diffuse) compressed, sulcate, soft;
spike ovate, somewhat obtuse, many-flowered; scales ovate,
obtuse, membranaceous ; bristles 6, nearly as long as the nut;
style bifid; nut obovate, lenticular, dull; tubercle conical,
rostrate, distinct.
Scirpus intermedius, Gray! Gram. & Cyp. part 1. no. 89, (excl. syn.)
Culms cespitose, often (particularly when growing out of water) diffuse,
or subdecumbent, generally about a span long, and nearly a line in dia-
meter, but sometimes not more than an inch in length, of a soft flextble
texture, (asin E. palustris), with mucronate sheaths at the base. Sprkes
3 lines long, 20—30-flowered. Scales rather loosely imbricated, one or
two of the lowest shorter, and bracteiform; the others with a narrow
scarious margin, reddish sides, and a green midrib. Brisiles conspicu-
ous, generally 6, retrorsely hispid. Stamens 3. Nut broadly obovate,
distinctly compressed, smooth, but not polished, dark olive when ripe.
Tubercle rather free round the base, acute, about one third the length of
the nut.
Han. Wet sandy places, generally partly under water.
North Americun Cyperucec. 801
Pine barrens of New Jersey!; on Long Island near Baby-
lon!; Tewksbury pond, Massachusetts, B. D. Greene, Esq.!
Fruit mature in August and September:
Ozs. Nearly allied to E. palustris, but differs in its shorter
ovate and more obtuse spikes, compressed, suleate culm, more
obtuse scales, and dark-olive nut. It is also much shorter
than the ordinary form of that species. The upper scales are
sometimes rather acute. "
6. ELeEocuaris unicuumis, Link.
Culms stoloniferous at the base, terete, striate; spike oval ;
scales ovate, rather obtuse, the lowest one large, and embracing
nearly the whole base of the spike; style 2-parted, very thick
at the base.
Eleocharis uniglumis, Link, hort. Ber. 1. p. 281, (fide N. ab Esenb.)
N. ab E. in Wight’s contrib. p. 113; Schult. mant. 2. p. 88:
Scirpus uniglumis, Link. jarb. 3. p. 77; Mert § Koch, fl. Germ. 1.
p- 427; Wethe! deut. grass, no. 278.
Culm with truncated sheaths at the base. Lowest scale semicircular,
green with a fuscus border; the others with a white margin and a narrow
green keel.— NV. ab E.
Has. North America, N. ab E.. Also a native of Ger-
many and Nepal.
Oss. North American specimens of this Eleocharis have
not come under my observation, but [ have examined authentic
specimens of the plant in the collection of German grasses by
Weihe, quoted above. It strongly resembles depauperate
specimens of E. palustris, and cannot, § think, be separated
from that species. Almost the only differences I have been
able to observe, are the more obtuse spike, with the broad
clasping scale at its base, and the less distinct tubercle, in E.
umglumis. In the works quoted, the fruit is not described;
but in Weihe’s specimens, which contain mature fruit, the nat
is precisely that of KH. palustris, though the tubercle which
crowns it is closely sessile.
Py
302 North American Cyperacee:
Ys ELEOCHARIS INTERMEDIA, Schultes:
Culms setaceous, diffuse, compressed, angular and sulcate;
spike lanceolate-ovate, 8—10-fowered 3 scales ovate-lanceo-
late, somewhat acute ; bristles longer than the nut; style 3-cleft;
nut obovate, compressed, with an obtuse ridge in front, attenu-
ated at the base, longitudinally striated, dull; tubercle distinct;
rostrate, slender.
Eleocharis intermedia, Schult. mant. 2. p: 91:
Scirpus intermedius, Muhl:! gram. p: 31; Torr.! fl. 1. p. 46.
Culms cespitose, about a span long, mostly diffuse or prostrate, of a
firm wiry texture, conspicuously suilcate and somewhat angular. Sheaths
cuspidate at the summit. Spike 2} lines long, rather acute. Scales
membranaceous, not scarious on the margin; midrib narrow, green; the
sides reddish brown. Bristles 6, strong, whitish, retrorsely hispid, a
little overtopping the tubercle. Stamens 3. Nut of a light brown when
mature, very finely striate longitudinally, remarkably attenuated at the
base. Tubercle quite free arotind the base, very slender and acute.
Has. Wet places, particularly in shallow running water.
New Jersey!; Pennsylvania, Muhlenberg! ; Oneida county,
New York, Dr. Gray! and Jefferson county, in the same
state, Dr. Crawe! ; Georgia, Dr. Baldwin!
Oss.
tO
6. ErtopHorum potysTacHyuM, Linns
Culm nearly terete; leaves flat, acutely triangular at the
point; involucre about 2-leaved; peduncles scabrous; spikes
nodding ; scales ovate, acute ; nut obovate, obtuse.
E. polystachyum, Linn.; Willd. sp. 1. p. 312; Vahl, enum. 2. p.390,
Walt. fl. Car. p. 71; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 58; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 92; Muhl. !
gram. 1. p.49; Torr.! fl. 1. p. 66; Big. fl. Bost. ed. 2. p. 23; Beck,
bot. p. 427; Gray! Gram. § Cyp. part 1. no. 90; Hook. in app. Parry's
2nd voy. p27; Smith, Eng. fl. 1. p. 67, and Eng. bot. t. 563.
E. polystachyum, 6. Michx. ! fl. 1. p. 34.
E. latifolium, Hoppe; Ram. § Schult. syst. 2. 149.
E. vulgare, Pers. syn. 1. p. 70.
Root fibrous. Culm 1—2 feet high, somewhat compressed towards the
base, leafy; sheaths rather loose. Leaves 3—6 inches long, 2—4 lines
wide, pale green, flat except towards the point, which is sharply triangular
and generally of adark brown colour. Jnvolucre mostly 2-leaved, rather
shorter than the umbel; the leaves channelled, and triangular at the
point. Peduncles often simple, unequal, at first erect, but at length
nodding, scabrous upward. Spikes 4—12, ovate, 3—4 lines long.
Scales ovate, acute, scarious, of a livid green colour, at length becoming
dark brown; the midrib somewhat prominent. Hairs 40—50 in each
flower, three-fourths of an inch long, flat, white, with a slight reddish
tinge. Stamens 3? Style 3-(rarely 4-) cleft; the divisions downy. Nut
narrowed downward, obtuse, flat on the back, angular in front.
Haz. Boggy meadows; Canada! to Georgia! and west
to the Rocky Mountains !
7. ERI0oPHORUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM, Reichard.
Culm somewhat triangular; leaves triquetrous, channelled ;
involucre mostly 1-leaved ; peduncles mostly smoothish, nod-
ding; scales broadly ovate, somewhat obtuse, with a strong
midrib ; nut elliptical, narrowed at each end, acutely trian-
gular. ;
*
att
ie
340 North American Cyperacee.
E. angustifolium, Schrad. fl. 1. p.153; Smith, Eng. fl. 1. p. 69, and
Eng. bot. 564; Hook. fl. Scot.p.2i; Willd. sp. 1.p. 313; Rem. & Schult.
syst. 2. p. 158; Pursh, fl. 1. p.58; Torr.! fl. 1.p.67; Big. fl. Bost. ed.
2. p. 23; Beck, bot. p. 427; R. Brown! in app. Parry’s 1st. voy. p»
274; Hook. in app. Parry’s 2nd voy. p. 27; Richardson in app. Frank.
Ist jour. ed. 2. p. 2; Darlingt. fl. Cest. ed. 2. p. 24.
E. tenellum, Nutt. gen. supp.; Schult. mant. 2. p. 95.
E. polystachyon, var. tenellum, Gray! Gram. & Cyp. part 1. no. 91.
E. angustifolium, Schweinitz ! in Long’s 2nd exped. 2. p. 381.
Culm 1} feet high, very slender, leafy ; the upper part somewhat
scabrous. Leaves scarcely a line wide, the sides folded together so as
to form a triangular channel, and an inch or more of the upper extremity
sharply triangular; the lowest ones 6—12 inches long; those of the culm
3—6 inches in length. Involucre generally of one leaf, which is scarcely
longer than the shertest spike. Spikes 4—10, ovate, one or two nearly
sessile ; the rest on simple or divided peduncles, which are sometimes
2—4 inches long, not always smoothish, but sometimes rather scabrous
or pubescent. Scales brown, obtuse at the tip, sometimes obscurely 3-
nerved. Hairs 50—60 in each flower, scarcely flattened (narrower than
in the preceding species), nearly an inch long when mature. Stamens
35 anthers linear, elongated. Style filiform, deeply 3-cleft; the divisions
downy. Nut linear-elliptical, (scarcely half as broad as in E. polysta-
chyum,) broadest a little above the middle
Has. Sphagnous swamps. Arctic America!, Canada!
and the New England States; Western and Northern parts of
the State of New York, Dr. Gray!; Danville, Vermont,
J. Carey, Esq. !—June—July.
Ozs. Easily distinguished from ££. polystachyum by its
narrow triangular leaves, one-leaved involucre, and narrow nut.
Mr. Brown thinks that the Arctic plant collected in Parry’s Ist
voyage may prove a distinct species, between 2. angustefolium
and E. polystachyum. He notices two varieties of it; one with
smooth, the other with scabrous peduncles.
4
(CMe brevifolium. Cauline leaves very short, triquetrous ;
r }
involucre much shorter than the spikes, lanceolate, (discolored) ;
hairs somewhat crisped.
x
%
: a
ie ; , 2
* .
* ~
» North American Cyperacee. oa oe, ee
~ Culm 12—-18 inches high, obtusely triangular, slender, very smooth -
the whole length. Leaves acutely triangular throughout, channelled on
the upper side ; those of the culm very narrow, scarcely an inch long,
erect and somewhat pungent ; radical ones longer and bie (1—1}) .
Involucre formed of a bracteiform dark-coloured leaf 5 to
length. and another much smaller one. Uinbel contracted. Peduncles
somewhat pubescent and slightly scabrous, 3—10 lines long. Spikes
3—6, short ovate. Scales ovate, of a deep livid colour, rather obtu se.
Hairs a little more than half an inch in length, white. Nut as in the
common variety.
inches in
Has. Sphagnous swamps. Plainfield, Massachusetts,
Dr. Porter! ; Utiea, New York, Dr. Gray !
Oss. ‘This variety agrees pretty well with a plant which.
I received from Dr. Hooker, under the name of L. triquetrum,
(E. gracile, Roth, §¢ Smith, Eng. fl.) but I think that it cannot
be separated from E. angustifolium. Pg i
“
=
7
9. ERIoPHORUM GRACILE, Ioth.
Culm triangular; leaves triquetrous, somewhat filiform ;
peduncles scabrous; flowering spikes erect; nut linear.”
E. gracile, Roth, im Sims § Konig’s ann. of bot. 2. p. 150; Smith,
Eng. fl. p. 69; Eng. bot. t. 2402; Hook. ! fl. Scot. p. 20, and in app. to
Parry's 2nd. voyage, p. 27. ;
E. triquetrum, Hoppe; Rem. & Schult. syst. 2.p. 157; Spreng. syst.
1. p. 214.
Has. Arctic America, Capt. Parry.
Oss. I have seen no undoubted N. American specimens of
this Eriophorum, unless I have confounded it with my variety
8. of E. angustifolium. ,
*—
10. ErRtopHorum strictum, RR. Brown.
Culm somewhat terete; leaves straight, flat, triquetrous at
om
ee
342 North American Cyperacea.
the point; spikes pedunculate, shorter than the involucre ;
scales somewhat acute, very finely ciliate.
“
E. strictum, R. Brown in Richardson’s app. Franklin's 1st. journ.
ed. 2. p. 3.
Has. Subarctic America, Dr. Richardson.
Oss. I am unacquainted with this plant. Mr. Brown re-
marks that it is a doubtful species, near E. tencllum of Nuttall.
11. ELYTROSPERMUM, C. A. Meyer.
SprkE many-flowered. Sca.es imbricated on every side,
all of them fertile. P&riayn1uM consisting of two lateral, ovate,
membranaceous scales. SryLe simple at the base, 2-cleft.
Nur plano-convex, with a conical point, surrounded with the
persistent filaments and perigynium.—Habit of Scirpus lacus-
tris.
Elytrospermum, C..A. Meyer, in Mém. ump. acad. St. Peters.
(5 sér.) 1. p. 200. (1830.) t. 2.
Culm 3—4 feet high, about as thick as a goose quill, leafless, very ob-
tusely triangular, attenuated upward, smooth, yellowish, green and
somewhat glaucous. Jnvolucre of three unequal lanceolate rigid leaves,
mucronate and pungent; the largest about an inch and a half long.
Umbel terminal, decompound ; the rays about 20, unequal, semiterete,
smooth ; partial umbels consisting of 2—5 spikes, which are sessile or
pedunculate. Spzke oblong, many-flowered, 2—3 lines long. Scales
ovate, obtuse, smooth, ferruginous, scarious and obscurely lacerated on
the margin, tipped with a scabrous green point. Perigynium com-
pressed, linear, somewhat dilated at the base, dark purple, fimbriately
ciliate, a little longer than the ovary. Stamens 2—3; filaments white,
linear, flat, membranaceous. Stigmas 2. Nut obovate, oblong, atten-
uated at the base, somewhat compressed, yellowish, smooth, puncticu-
late. .
Has. California, C. A. Meyer.
sce
ivwed
ita?
North American Cyperacee. 343
Oxs. | have not had an opportunity of examining this plant.
if it really belongs to the tribe Scirpee, its place is next to
Mulachochete, N. ab E., which differs in the scales of the pe-
rigynium being 5 or 6, instead of 2. It may, however, be
more nearly related to the Hypolytree, if not a species of Hy-
polytrum* itself.
tt Without a Perigynium.
12. FIMBRISTYLIS, Vahi.
SCALES imbricated on all sides. Bristtes 0. Sry ie
compressed, 2-cleft, bulbous at the base, deciduous, often ci-
liate on the margin.—Habit of Scirpus.
Fimbristylis, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 285; R. Brown, prodr. 1. p.
225; Ram. § Schult. gen.175; Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p. 39. no.
45; N. ab Esenb. in Wight’s contrib. p..70, and in Linnea,
9. p. 290; Nutt. gen. 1. p. 33.
* The genus Hypolytrum, as characterized by Richard, included also
what is now called Lipocarpha. Indeed two of his three species belong
to the latter genus; so that the name Hypolytrum ought to have been
applied to the species in which the squamule are parallel to the scale.
Hypelyptum of Vahl (Enum. 2. p. 283+) appears to be identical with
Richard's genus, including both Hypolytrum and Lipocarpha. Hype-
lyptum of R. Brown, prodr. 1. p. 219, (who quctes Vahl, 1. ec.) is pre-
cisely Lipocarpha of Nees ab Esenbeck, and this most profound botanist
expressly states that Schenus nemorum, Vahl, Scirpus anomalus, Retz.,
S. bromeliefolius, Rudge, and other unpublished species, having the
squamule (‘¢ valvule perianthii’”’) lateral, with a very different habit from
Hypelyptum, constitute a proper genus. This genus is the present
Hypolytrum, from which we must exclude, however, S. bromeliafolius,
Rudge, which is the Diplasia Keratefolia, Rich. Beera of P. de
Beavois, (in Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p. 43. no. 57) seems to be scarcely
distinct from Hypolytrum of N. ab Esenb. Indeed the two genera are
united by the latter botanist.
+“ Hypelyptum, Voki, qui in Herb. Richardiano nomen haud recté transcripsit.’’
Lestib. ess.
Vor. FIL 44
sd
344 North American Cyperacee-
Species of Isolepis, Vahl.
Species of Scirpus, Linn., Wréld..
J. Frveristyuis BaLrpwintana.
Culm sulcate and somewhat compressed ;, leaves mostly ra~
dical, channelled, serrulate, nearly as long as the culm; umbet
few-spiked, simple or somewhat compound, sherter than the:
involucre; spikes ovate, acute; scales broadly ovate, somewhat
mucronate ; nut marked with tuberculated ribs and transverse:
strize ; style somewhat ciliate..
Scirpus sulcatus, Elliott! sk. 1. p. 86, (not of A. de P. Thouars);
Spreng. syst. 1. p. 212.
S. Baldwinianus, Schult. mant. 2. p. 85; Darlingt.! fl. Cest. ed. 2. pi-
18.
S. ferrugineus, Darlingt.! fl. Cest. ed. 2. p. 7.
Culms cespitose, deeply sulcate, 2—12 inches high, smooth. Leaves
narrow, channelled on the upper surface, sometimes overtopping the
culm, slightly ciliated with very minute teeth or serratures, sometimes
hairy. Involucre about 3-leaved; one of the leaves longer than the
umbel, all of them denticulate like those of the culm. Umbel mostly
simple; rays 2—4, seldom more than three-fourths of an inch long,.
sometimes divided. Spikes 3 lines long, acute or somewhat acuminated--
Scales membranaceous, wiih a short abrupt mucronate point; the sides
yellowish brown; keel green. Stamen solitary. Style dilated at the
base into a roundish bulb, the whole at length separating from the nut;
the divisions spreading and recurved. Nut obovate, whitish, marked om
each sides with 6—8 prominent ridges, sometimes with a number of
warts towards the summit.
Has. Damp clayey soils, Pennsylvania to the Gulf of
Mexico, and west to the Mississippi. West Chester, Penn-
sylvania, Dr. Darlington! ; near Charleston, South Carolina,
Elliott! ; Riceborough, Georgia, L. Le Conte, Esq.!; St-
Louis and New Orleans, 7’. Drummond !
Orgs. Alled to £. lara, Vahl, and also to F. annua, R-
¥ S. My St. Louis and New Orleans specimens have the
North American Cyperacee. 345
leaves and sheaths a little hairy. I have specimens of a Fim-
bristylis scarcely distinct from this, collected by the late Dr.
Baldwin in Bahia, Brazil.
2. FIMBRISTYLIS CONGESTA.
Densely cespitose ; culms and leaves setaceous, scabrous;
spikes cylindrical-oblong, in a terminal head, much shorter
than the 3—4-leaved involucre; scales lanceolate, very acute ;
stamen 1; style smooth; nut minute, lenticular, broadly obo-
vate, longitudinally striate, and transversely rugose.
Culms forming dense tufts,2—4 inches high, compressed, striate, with
a channel on one side. Leaves channelled. as long as the culm; sheaths ~
loose, naked at the throat. Involucral leaves unequal, 4—10 times as
jong as the spikes, setaceous and scabrous. Spikes 5—8, in a close head,
3—4 lines long, nearly cylindrical, 50—60-flowered. Scales of an
ebscure green and brown colour, slightly mucronate and subsquarrose.
Stamen solitary. Style long, filiform, somewhat compressed, 2-cleft one-
third of the way down; the divisions recurved, nearly smooth; the bul-
‘bous base about one fifth the diameter ofthe nut. Nut exceedingly mi-
aute, yellowish, strongly rugose transversely, and marked with several
jongitudinal lines on each side.
Has. Near New Orleans, T. Drummond !; Wilmington,
North Carolina, Mr. Curtis? :
Oss. This species strongly resembles F’. argentea of Vahl,
and also, N. ab Esenbeck (in Wiehi’s contrib. p. 100); but the
latter differs in the ovate scales, and in the deep angular mem-
branaceous alveole of the rachis. J have seen a specimen of
this plant in the Herbarium of the Academy of Sciences in
Philadelphia, labelled ‘‘ Sczrpus minimus, New Jersey.” J am
somewhat uncertain respecting the N. Carolina locality, as the
plant which I supposed was received from Mr. Curtis was un-
fortunately placed in my herbarium before its name and station
were recorded.
346 North American Cyperacee.
3. FimBrisTYLIs SpaDICcCEA, Vahl.
Culm somewhat compressed, nearly naked; leaves semite-
rete, filiform, naked at the throat, nearly smooth; umbel of
few rays, simple or compound ; spikes ovate-oblong or cylin-
drical ; involucre of 2—3 subulate leaves; stamens 3; style
broad, fimbriate, slightly bulbous at the base; nut obovate,
compressed, punctato-striate.
F. spadicea, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 294; Pursh, fl.1.p.49; Rem. & Schult.
syst. 2. p. 101; Beck, bot. p. 423; Spreng. syst. 1. p. 201.
F. castanea, Vahl, enum. 2. p.92; Pursh! fl. 1. p. 49.
Scirpus spadiceus, Linn. sp. p.74; Willd. sp. 1. p.305; Walt. fl. Car.
p- 30; Ellioli, sk. 1. p. 84; Muhl.! gram. p. 36; Torr.! fl. 1. p. 53;
Gray! Gram. & Cyp. part 1. no. 86.
S. Carolinianus, Lam. ill. 1. p. 142?
S. ferruginens, Muhl.! gram. p. 31, (in part).
S. castaneus, Michz.! fl. 1. p. 31, (not of Muhl.).
S. culmo triquetro nudo, panicula laxa, &c. Gron.! fl. Virg. 132.
Culms 1—2 feet high, nearly terete towards the base, compressed and
striate above, sirong and rigid, smooth. Leaves 6—8 inches high, very
narrow, somewhat scabrous on the margin towards the summit, chan-
nelled; sheaths loose and distichously arranged, the lower ones ferrugin-
ous. Unmbel patulous, simple, or with the rays alittle divided. Involw-
cre generally shorter than the umbel; leaves subulate, rather rigid, sca-_
brous on the margin. Spikes 3—6 lines long, at first ovate, or ovate-
oblong, but when old, often cylindrical, about two lines in diameter.
Scales rigid, much dilated, somewhat mucronate, in the young state
pale ferruginous, and minutely pubescent, but at length quite smooth
and shining, and of a dark chestnut colour; many of the lower ones
sterile. Stamens 3, (rarely 2); filaments broad. Style conspicuously
ciliate, particularly about the bifurcation, divided about one-third of the
way down, the segments recurved. Nut obtuse, somewhat lenticular,
whitish, thin on the margin, marked with fine strie and lines of impressed
dots.
Has. Wet meadows, generally in brackish places, but
not confined to the immediate vicinity of salt water. New York!
to Florida! and west to Texas! Not uncommon in the salt
North American Cyperacee. 347
marshes near New York, and along the sea-coast of New Jersey.
—August to September. .
Oss. This species is somewhat variable in its appearance.
When it grows in salt marshes, the scales, especially in the
mature spikes, are of a dark chestnut colour and polished ;
while in fresh water swamps, they are much paler and more or
less pubescent. * Frequently the umbel is compound, and the
rays elongated. In northern specimens, I always find three
stamens, but in a variety from Florida the flowers seem to be
diandrous.
Species of Fimbristylis which are little known.
1. F. cyninprica, Vahl. ‘FE. spicis cylindricis obtusissimis, invo-
lucro submonophyllo rigido umbellam simplicem equante, Vahl, enum.
2. p. 293, (excl. syn.); Pursh, fl. 1. p. 49; Ram. § Schult. syst. 2. p.
101.
‘*Culmi bipedales et ultra, apice triquetri ; folia culmo breviora, con-
voluto-filiformia, glaucescentia; vaginis fusco-nigricantibus. | Invo-
lucrum umbella parum brevius, lineare, planum. Umbella quinque-
radiata, radiis setaceis, longior bipollicaris. Spice fere unguiculares,
penna columbina parum crassiores, arcte imbricate, spadicee; squame
subrotunde ; foliola duo setacea sub spicula longius pedunculata. Semen
subrotundum, subcompressum, leve.”’
‘In America septentrionali.”’ Bosc.—From the description of this
plant, it appears to differ very little from F’. spadicea.
2. F. mucronata, Vahl; Spreng. syst. 1. p.199; Ram. & Schult.
syst. 2. p. 102. Richard, the discoverer of this species, found it in the
island of Mahon. According to Sprengel it is also a native of North
America, but this botanist considered the F’. mucronata and F. cylindrica
as one species, and indeed, they appear to differ very little.
3. F. puperuna, Vahl. F. spicis ovatis pubescentibus, involucro
involucellisque diphyllis ; umbella composita umbellulisque longioribus,
Vahl, enum. 2. p. 289; Pursh, fl. 1. p.49; Rem. § Schult. syst. 2. p. 97;
Scirpus puberulus, Michz.! fl. p. 31; S. pubescens, Pers. syn. 1. p. 68;
S. ferrugineus, Elliott, sk. 1. p.85?
In Carolina and Georgia, Michaux; Virginia to Florida, Pursh.
Oxzs. The Fimbristylis (Scirp.) puberulus in Michaux’s herbarium
appears to be merely F.. spadiceus in an immature state. Scirpus ferru-
348 North American Cyperacee.
gineus of Elliott, is probably distinct from Michaux’s plant, for he de-
scribes the leaves as 3 lines wide, while in the original S. puberulus
{which Elliott considers identical with his species) they are “ angustis-
simus.””
13. ISOLEPIS, R. Brown.
Sca es of the spike imbricated on all sides. Bristizs 0.
SryLe 2—3-cleft, simple at the base, deciduous. Nut com-
pressed or triangular.—Habit of Scirpus.
Isolepis, Rk. Brown, prodr. |. p. 2215 Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp.
p. 40. no. 49; Nees ab Esenb. in Wight’s contrib. p. 70, and
an Linnea, 9. p. 291.
Species of Isolepis, Kunth.
Species of Scirpus, Lenn., Willd., Vahl.
§.1. Flowers lateral.
1. TsoLeris suBsquarrRosa, Schrad.
Culm setaceous, compressed and sulcate ; involucre two-
leaved, very long, unequal, spikes 2—3, ovate, sessile, grow-
ang from the side of the culm near the summit; scales rhombic-
obovate, with a short mucronate recurved point ; style 2-cleft;
nut obovate-oblong, somewhat compressed.
I. subsquarrosa, Schrad. in Schult. mant. 2. p. 64.
Scirpus subsquarrosus, Muhl.! gram. p. 39; Torr.! fl. p. 51; Gray!
Gram. & Cyp. part 1. p. 83.
S. minimus, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 55, (excl. syn.) ; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 82.
Culms in dense tufts, almost capillary, generally about 2 inches high,
but sometimes taller, leafy at the base. Leaves setaceous. Involucre
of 2 leaves, one of which is short and appears like a continuation of the
culm, the other much longer, setaceous. Spikes 2—3, or solitary, ovate,
obtuse, about a line in diameter, closely sessile near the summit of the
culm, many-flowered. Scales closely imbricate, somewhat coriaceous.
Stamens solitary. Style short, 2-cleft, the divisions recurved. Nut
obtuse, of a whitish or pale brown colour, smooth, dull, tipped with the
minute base of the style.
North American Cyperacee. 349
Has. Sandy banks of rivers, Massachusetts to Pennsyl-
vania, and west to Kentucky. Deerfield, Massachusetts,
Prof. Hitchcock and Dr. Cooley!; banks of the Connecticut,
near Middletown and elsewhere!; Northern parts of the State
of New York, Dr. M. Stevenson !; western parts of the same
State, Dr. Gray!; Lexington, Kentucky, Dr. Short!
Ozs. Nearly related to I. setacea of R. Brown and N. ab
Esenb. and I. squarrosa, Rem. § Schult., (Scirpus squarrosus),
but is distinguished from both by its bifid (not 3-cleft) style, as
well as by other characters. It has much the habit and cha-
racters of Lipocarpha maculata, except that it wants the inte-
rior scales, and Vahl long ago made a similar remark of his
Scirpus squarrosus,* now referred to Isolepis; and Nees ab
Esenbeck seems to think that it may be a Lipocarpha with the
interior scales abortive. According to Vahl, the S. squarrosus
has the style 2-cleft, but N. ab Esenb. states distinctly that it is
3-cleft.
2. Isovepis cartnata, Hook. & Arn.
Culm somewhat compressed, sulcate, setaceous, with a
single leaf near the base; spike ovate, solitary, growing frony
the side of the culm near the summit, without an involucre,
few (6—8)-flowered; scales lsvat-shaped, carinate, abruptly
acuminate ; style 3-cleft; nut short, acutely triangular, rough-
ened with papille.
I. carinata, Hook. §& Arn. Mss-!
Culms cespitose, 3—4 inches high, smooth. Leaves setaceous, char-
nelled, half the length of the culm, sheathed at the base. Spike rather
obtuse, few-flowered, situated about half an inch below the summit of
the culm. Scales remarkably concave and gibbous, with several curved
narrow wrinkles on each side towards the keel. Stamens 2? Style short,.
* « Wacies Hypmuiypri, sed deficiunt corolla et tubercula.” Vahl,
enum. 2. p. 259. Vahl, whose Hypelyptum included the modern
Lipocarpha, was incorrect, however, in stating that the nut, in his genus,
is furnished with a tubercle.
350 North American Cyperacee.
deeply 3-cleft. Nut nearly half the length of the scale, browriisli,
roughened with small papille, very acutely triangular, the sides con»
cave, the summit without any remains of the style.
Has. Near New Orleans, T. Drummond ! ; on the Arkan-
sas river, Nuttall!
Oss. A well-characterized species which I received (with-
out a name) from Mr. Nuttall, in 1820, who collected it during
his journey in Arkansas Territory.
§ 2. Spikes terminal, umbelled.
3. Isorepis Drummonpu, Torr. § Hook.
Culm compressed and somewhat 3-sided, deeply suleate ;
leaves very narrow, channelled ; umbel compound; rays 4—6
longer than the involucre ; spikes oblong-ovate, acute ; scales
coriaceous, broadly ovate, smooth, with a short abrupt acumi-
nate point, somewhat carinate towards the summit; style two-
parted, smooth; nut lenticular, acute. |
Culm 3 feet high, slender but firm, very smooth, one side deeply chan-
nelled. Leaves half aslong as the culm, scarcely a line wide, convex on
the under surface, smooth. Umbel erect,.rays 1—2 inches long. __Invo-
lucre of 2—3 narrow-channelled leaves, all of which are shorter than the
rays. Spikes halfan inchlong. Scales closely appressed, smooth, of a
light brown colour. Stamens 3; filaments very broad, obtuse. Style
deeply 2-parted, persistent. Nut much compressed, somewhat mar-
gined, dotted.
Has. Texas, 7’. Drummond !
Ozs. A very distinct species, with the habit of Fumbrestylis
spadicea. It is, however, a genuine Isolepis, as the style is
formed by the gradual attenuation of the nut, without any ap-
pearance of tubercle or articulation.
4, Isoueris caprtuaRis, Rem. § Schult.
Culm angular and _suleate, capillary, nearly, naked; leaves
setaceous, serrulate-ciliate, much shorter than the culm; spikes
North American Cyperacee. <
ew
45
Uss. | have not had an opportunity of examining this plant.
if it really belongs to the tribe Scirpez, its place is next to
Mulachochete, N.ab E., which differs in the scales of the pe-
rigynium being 5 or 6, instead of 2. It may, however, be
more nearly related to the Hypolytrez, if not a species of Hy-
polytrum* itself.
tt Without a Perigynium.
12. FIMBRISTYLIS, Vahl.
ScaLes imbricated on all sides. Bristnes 0. Sry ie
compressed, 2-cleft, bulbous at the base, deciduous, often ci-
liate on the margin.— Habit of Scirpus.
Fimbristylis; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 285; R. Brown, rrodr. 1. p.
225; Reem. § Schult. gen.175; Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p. 39. no.
453; N. ab Esenb. in Wight’s contrib. p.'70, and in Linnea,
9. p. 290; Nutt. gen. 1. p. 33.
* The genus Hypolytrum, as characterized by Richard, included also
what is now called Lipocarpha. Indeed two of his three species belong
to the latter genus ; so that the name Hypolytrum ought to have been
applied to the species in which the squamulez are parallel to the scale.
Hypelyptum of Vahl (Enum. 2. p. 283+) appears to be identical with
Richard’s genus, including both Hypolytrum and Lipocarpha. Hype-
lyptum of R. Brown, prodr. 1. p. 219, (who quctes Vahl, 1. ¢:) is pre-
cisely Lipocarpha of Nees ab Esenbeck, and this most profound botanist
expressly states that Schanus nemorum, Vahl, Scirpus anomalus, Retz.,
S. bromeliefolius, Rudge, and other unpublished species, having the
squamule (‘ valvule perianthii’’) lateral, with a very different habit from
Hypzlyptum, constitute a proper genus. This genus is the present
Hypolytrum, from which we must exclude, however, S. bromeliafolius,
Rudge, which is the Diplasia Keratefolia, Rich. Beera of P. de
Beavois, (in Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p. 43. no. 57) seems to be scarcely
distinct from Hypolytrum of N. ab Esenb. Indeed the two genera are
united by the latter botanist.
+ “ Hypelyptum, Vahl, qui in Herb. Richardiano nomen haud recté transcripsit.’’
Testib. ess.
Vous Li: 44
344 North American Cyperacee-
Species of Isolepis, Vahl.
Species of Scirpus, Linn., Willd.
he FImMBrisTyLis BALDWINIANA.
Culm sulcate and somewhat compressed ; leaves mostly ra~
dical, channelled, serrulate, nearly as long as the culm; umbe}
few-spiked, simple or somewhat compound, shorter than the
involucre; spikes ovate, acute; scales broadly ovate, somewhat
mucronate ; nut marked with tuberculated ribs and transverse:
striae; style somewhat ciliate.
Scirpus sulcatus, Elliott! sk. 1. p. 86, (aot of A. de P. Thowars);;.
Spreng. syst. 1. p. 242.
S. Baldwinianus, Schult. mant. 2. p. 85; Darlingt.! fl. Cest. ed. 2. p»
18.
S. ferrugineus, Darlingt.! fl. Cest. ed. 2. p. 7.
Culms cespitose, deeply sulcate, 2—12 inches high, smooth. Leaves:
narrow, channelled on the upper surface, sometimes overtopping the
culm, slightly ciliated with very minute teeth or serratures, sometimes:
hairy. Jnvolucre about 3-leaved; one of the leaves longer than the
umbel, all of them denticulate like those of the culm. Umbel mostly
simple; rays 2—4, seldom more than three-fourths of an inch long,
sometimes divided. Spikes 3 lines long, acute or somewhat acuminated.
Scales membranaceous, with a short abrupt mucronate point; the sides
yellowish brown; keel green. Stamen solitary. Style dilated at the:
base into a roundish bulb, the whole at length separating from the nut;
the divisions spreading and recurved. Nut obovate, whitish, marked om
each sides with 6—S prominent ridges, sometimes with a number of:
warts towards the summit.
Has. Damp clayey soils, Pennsylvania to the Gulf of
Mexico,.and west to the Mississippi. West Chester, Penn-
sylvania, Dr. Darlington! ; near Charleston, South Carolina,
Elliott! ; Riceborough, Georgia, L. Le Conte, Esq.!; St.
Louis and New Orleans, TI. Drummond !
Ozgs. Allied to F. lava, Vahl, and also to F. annua, R.
§ S.. My St. Louis and New Orleans specimens have the
North American Cyperacee. 345
eaves and sheaths a little hairy. I have specimens of a Fim-
bristylis scarcely distinct from this, collected by the late Dr.
Baldwin in Bahia, Brazil.
2. FIMBRISTYLIS CONGESTA.
Densely cespitose; culms and leaves setaceous, scabrous;
spikes cylindrical-oblong, in a terminal head, much shorter
than the 3—4-leaved involucre; scales lanceolate, very acute ;
stamen 1 ; style smooth; nut minute, lenticular, broadly obo-
vate, longitudinally striate, and transversely rugose.
Culms forming dense tufts, 2—4 inches high, compressed, striate, with
a channel on one side. Leaves channelled, as long as the culm; sheaths
loose, naked at the throat. Involucral leaves unequal, 4—10 times as ~
long as the spikes, setaceous and scabrous. Spikes 5—8, in a close head,
3—4 lines long, nearly cylindrical, 50—60-flowered. Scales of an
obscure green and brown colour, slightly mucronate and subsquarrose.
Stamen solitary. Style long, filiform, somewhat compressed, 2-cleft one-
third of the way down; the divisions recurved, nearly smooth; the bul-
bous base about one fifth the diameter of the nut. Nut exceedingly mi-
nute, yellowish, strongly rugose transversely, and marked with several
longitudinal lines on each side.
Has. Near New Orleans, T.. Drummond !; Wilmington,
North Carolina, Mr. Curtis 2
Ozgs. This species strongly resembles EF’. argentea of Vahl,
and also, N. ab Esenbeck (in Wight’s contrib. p. 100); but the
latter differs in the ovate scales, and in the deep angular mem-
branaceous alveole of the rachis. I have seen a specimen of
this plant in the Herbarium of the Academy of Sciences in
Philadelphia, labelled “‘ Scirpus minimus, New Jersey.” I am
somewhat uncertain respecting the N. Carolina locality, as the
plant which I supposed was received from Mr. Curtis was un-
fortunately placed in my herbarium before its name and station
were recorded.
346 North American Cyperacce.
3. Fimpristyiis sPpADICEA, Vahl.
Culm somewhat compressed, nearly naked; leaves semite-
rete, filiform, naked at the throat, nearly smooth; umbel of
few rays, simple or compound ; spikes ovate-oblong or cylin-
drical ; involucre of 2—3 subulate leaves; stamens 3; style
broad, fimbriate, slightly bulbous at the base ; nut obovate,
compressed, punctato-striate.
F’. spadicea, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 294; Pursh, fl.1.p.49; Rem. § Schult.
syst. 2. p. 101; Beck, bot. p. 423; Spreng. syst. 1. p. 201.
F. castanea, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 92; Pursh! fl. 1. p. 49.
Scirpus spadicens, Linn. sp. p.74; Willd. sp. 1. p.305; Walt. fl. Car.
p- 30; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 84; Muhl.! gram. p. 36; Torr.! fl. 1. p. 533
Gray! Gram. & Cyp. part 1. no. 86.
S. Carolinianus, Lam. ill. 1. p. 142?
S. ferrugineus, Muhl.! gram. p. 31, (in part).
S. castaneus, Michz.! fl. 1. p. 31, (not of Muhl.).
S. culmo triquetro nudo, panicula laxa, &c. Gron. ! fl. Virg. 132.
Culms 1—2 feet high, nearly terete towards the base, compressed and
striate above, strong and rigid, smooth. Leaves 6—8 inches high, very
narrow, somewhat scabrous on the margin towards the summit, chan-
nelled; sheaths loose and distichously arranged, the lower ones ferrugin-
ous. Umbel patulous, simple, or with the rays alittle divided. Involu-
ere generally shorter than the umbel; leaves subulate, rather rigid, sca-
brous on the margin. Spzkes 3—6 lines long, at first ovate, or ovate-
oblong, but when old, often cylindrical, about two lines in diameter.
Scales rigid, much dilated, somewhat mucronate, in the young state
pale ferruginous, and minutely pubescent, but at length quite smooth
and shining, and of a dark chestnut colour; many of the lower ones
sterile. Stamens 3, (rarely 2); filaments broad. Style conspicuously
ciliate, particularly about the bifurcation, divided about one-third of the
way down, the segments recurved. Nut obtuse, somewhat lenticular,
whitish, thin on the margin, marked with fine strie and lines of impressed
dots.
Has. Wet meadows, generally in brackish places, but
not confined to the immediate vicinity of salt water. New York!
to Florida! and west to Texas! Not uncommon in the salt
North American Cyperacee. 347
marshes near New York, and along the sea-coast of New Jersey.
—August to September.
Oss. This species is somewhat variable in its appearance.
When it grows in salt marshes, the scales, especially in the
mature spikes, are of a dark chestnut colour and polished ;
while in fresh water swamps, they are much paler and more or
less pubescent. Frequently the umbel is compound, and the
rays elongated. In northern specimens, I always find three
stamens, but in a variety from Florida the flowers seem to be
diandrous.
a
Species of Fimbristylis which are little known.
1. F. cyztryprica, Vahl. ‘‘F. spicis cylindricis obtusissimis, invo-
lJucro submonophyllo rigido umbellam simplicem equante, Vahl, enum.
2. p. 293, (excl. syn.); Pursh, fl. 1. p. 49; Rem. & Schult. syst. 2. p.
101.
“*Culmi bipedales et ultra, apice triquetri; folia culmo breviora, con-
voluto-filiformia, glaucescentia; vaginis fusco-nigricantibus. — Invo-
lucrum umbella parum brevius, lineare, planum. Umbella quinque-
radiata, radiis setaceis, longior bipollicaris. Spice fere unguiculares,
penna columbina parum crassiores, arcte imbricate, spadicee ; squamx
subrotund@ ; foliola duo setacea sub spicula longius pedunculata. Semen
subrotundum, subcompressum, leve.”’
“In America septentrionali.”” Bosc.—From the description of this
plant, it appears to differ very little from EF’. spadicea.
2. F. mucronata, Vahl; Spreng. syst. 1. p.199; Ram. §& Schult.
syst. 2. p. 102. Richard, the discoverer of this species, found it in the
island of Mahon. According to Sprengel it is also a native of North
America, but this botanist considered the I’. mucronata and F’. cylindrica
as one species, and indeed, they appear to differ very little.
3. F.puperuna, Vahl. F. spicis ovatis pubescentibus, involucro
involucellisque diphyllis ; umbella composité umbellulisque longioribus,
Vahl, enum. 2. p. 289; Pursh, fl. 1. p.49; Rem. § Schult. syst. 2. p. 97;
Scirpus puberulus, Michx.! fl. p.31; S. pubescens, Pers. syn. 1. p.68;
S. ferrugineus, Elliott, sk. 1. p.85?
In Carolina and Georgia, Michaux; Virginia to Florida, Pursh.
Ozs. The Fimbristylis (Scirp.) puberulus in Michaux’s herbarium
appears to be merely F. spadiceus in an immature state. Scirpus ferru-
348 North American Cyperacce.
gineus of Elliott, is probably distinct from Michaux’s plant, for he de-
scribes the leaves as 3 lines wide, while in the original S. puberulus
(which Elliott considers identical with his species) they are ‘‘ angustis-
-simus.”’
13. ISOLEPIS, R. Brown.
Sca ues of the spike imbricated on all sides. Bristixs 0.
SryLte 2—3-cleft, simple at the base, deciduous. Nut com-
pressed or triangular.—Habit of Scirpus.
Isolepis, R. Brown, prodr. L. p. 2213 Lestih. ess. fam. Cyp.
p- 40. no. 49; Nees ab Esenb. in Wight’s contrib. p. 70, and
an Linnea, 9. p. 291.
Species of Isolepis, Kunth.
Species of Scirpus, Linn., Willd., Vahl.
§. 1. Flowers lateral.
‘1. IsoLEPis sussquaRRosa, Schrad.
Culm setaceous, compressed and sulcate ; involucre two-
jeaved, very long, unequal, spikes 2—3, ovate, sessile, grow-
ing from the side of the culm near the summit; scales rhombic-
obovate, with a short mucronate recurved point ; style 2-cleft;
nut obovate-oblong, somewhat compressed.
{. subsquarrosa, Schrad. in Schult. mant. 2. p. 64.
Scirpus subsquarrosus, Muhl.! gram. p.39; Torr.! fl. p. 51; Gray!
Gram. & Cyp. part 1. p. 83.
S. minimus, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 55, (excl. syn.) ; Elliott, sk. 1. p. 82.
Culms in dense tufts, almost capillary, generally about 2 inches high,
but sometimes taller, leafy at the base. Leaves setaceous. Involucre
of 2 leaves, one of which is short and appears like a continuation of the
culm, the other much longer, setaceous. Spikes 2—3, or solitary, ovate,
obtuse, about a line in diameter, closely sessile near the summit of the
culm, many-flowered. Scales closely imbricate, somewhat coriaceous.
Stamens solitary. Style short, 2-cleft, the divisions recurved. Nut
obtuse, of a whitish or pale brown colour, smooth, dull, tipped with the
minute base of the style.
° —
North American Cyperacee. 349
Has. Sandy banks of rivers, Massachusetts to Pennsyl-
vania, and west to Kentucky. Deerfield, Massachusetts,
Prof. Hitchcock and Dr. Cooley!; banks of the Connecticut,
near Middletown and elsewhere!; Northern parts of the State
of New York, Dr. M. Stevenson !; western parts of the same
State, Dr. Gray!; Lexington, Kentucky, Dr. Short!
Oss. Nearly related to I. setacea of R. Brown and N. ab
Esenb. and I. squarrosa, Rem. § Schult., (Scirpus squarrosus),
but is distinguished from both by its bifid (not 3-cleft) style, as
well as by other characters. It has much the habit and cha-
racters of Lipocarpha maculata, except that it wants the inte-
rior scales, and Vahl long ago made a similar remark of his
Scirpus squarrosus,* now referred to Isolepis; and Nees ab
Esenbeck seems to think that it may be a Lipocarpha with the
interior scales abortive. According to Vahl, the S. squarrosus
has the style 2-cleft, but N. ab Esenb. states.distinctly that it is
3-cleft.
2. Isonepis cartnata, Hook. § Arn.
Culm somewhat compressed, sulcate, setaceous, with @
single leaf near the base; spike ovate, solitary, growing from
the side of the culm near the summit, without an involucre,
few (6—$)-flowered; scales boat-shaped, carinate, abruptly
acuminate; style 3-cleft; nut short, acutely triangular, rough-
ened with papille.
¥. carinata, Hook. §* Arn. Mss.!
Culms cespitose, 3—4 inches high, smooth. Leaves setaceous, char-
nelled, half the length of the culm, sheathed at the base. Spike rather
obtuse, few-flowered, situated about half an inch below the summit of
the culm. Scales remarkably concave and gibbous, with several curved
narrow wrinkles on each side towards the keel. Stamens 27 Style short,
* « Facies Hypxtyrptti,.sed deficiunt corolla et tubercula.” Vahl,
enum. 2. p. 259. Vahl, whose Hypelyptum included the modern
Lipocarpha, was incorrect, however, in stating that the nut, in his genus,
ws furnished with a tubercle.
350 North Ancrican Cyperacce.
deeply 3-cleft. Nut nearly half the length of the scale, brownisht,
roughened with small papille, very acutely triangular, the sides con-
cave, the summit without any remains of the style.
Has. Near New Orleans, 7. Drummond ! ; on the Arkan-
sas river, Wuttall!
Oss. A well-characterized species which I received (with-
out a name) from Mr. Nuttall, in 1820, who collected it during
his journey in Arkansas Territory.
§ 2. Spikes terminal, umbelled.
3. Isorerts Drummonpu, Torr. & Hook.
Culm compressed and somewhat 3-sided, deeply suleate ;
leaves very narrow, channelled; umbel compound; rays 4—6
longer than the involucre ; spikes oblong-ovate, acute ; scales
coriaceous, broadly ovate, smooth, with a short abrupt acumi-
nate point, somewhat carinate towards the summit; style two-
parted, smooth; nut lenticular, acute.
Culm 3 feet high, slender but firm, very smooth, one side deeply chan-
nelled. Zeaves half aslong as the culm, scarcely a line wide, convex on
the under surface, smooth. Unnbel erect, rays 1—2 inches long. Invo-
lucre of 2—3 narrow-channelled leaves, all of which are shorter than the
rays. Spikes halfan inchlong. Scales closely appressed, smooth, of a
light brown colour. Stamens 3; filaments very broad, obtuse. Style
deeply 2-parted, persistent. Nut much compressed, somewhat mar-
gined, dotted.
Has. ‘Texas, 7°. Drummond !
Oxs. A very distinct species, with the habit of Fimbristyles
spadicea. It is, however, a genuine Isolepis, as the style is
formed by the gradual attenuation of the nut, without any ap-
pearance of tubercle or articulation.
4. Isotepis caprnLaris, Ram. § Schult.
Culm angular and suleate, capillary, nearly naked; leaves
setaceous, serrulate-ciliate, much shorter than the culm; spikes
North American Cyperacee. 351
about 4, ovate-oblong, one sessile, the others on short rays,
6—8-flowered; scales somewhat 4-ranked, oblong, obtuse,
slightly pubescent ; nut triangular, undulately corrugated trans-
versely; stamens 2; style 5-cleft.
Isolepis capillaris, Ram. & Schult. syst. 2. p.118; Schult. mant. 2. p.
68; NV. ab Esenb. in Linnea, 9. p. 291.
Scirpus capillaris, Linn.; Willd. sp.1. p. 302; Vahl, enum. 2. p.2723
Pursh, fl. 1. p. 37; Muhl.! gram. p. 36; Torr. ! fl. 1. p.52, (excl. syn.
Ell.); Big.! fl. Bost. ed. 2. p. 23; Beck, bot. p. 426; Gray! Gram. &
Cyp. part 1, no. 84; Darlingt.! fl. Cest. ed. 2. p. 18.
S. ciliatifolius, Darlingt.! fl. Cest. ed. 1. p. 7. (not of Elliott.)
S. Muhlenbergii, Spreng. syst. 1. p. 207.
Scirpus culmo angulato, sulcato, &c. Gron.! fl. virg. p. 11.
Root fibrous annual. Culms densely cespitose, very slender, 3—8
inches high, somewhat quadrangular. Leaves mostly radical, 2—3
inches long, channelled, minutely serrulate or denticulate towards the
extremity; sheaths rather loose and membranaceous. Involucre 2—3-
leaved, setaceous, one of the leaves a little longer than the spikes. Rays
of the wumbel about half an inch long. Spikes 2 lines long, somewhat
quadrangular, rather obtuse, 1 or sometimes 2 of them sessile. Scales
ferruginous, with a green keel, a little pubescent, especially on the mar-
gin, obtuse and often slightly emarginate. Stamens 2. Style filiform ;
the divisions downy. Nut short, acutely triangular, whitish or brown,
very obtuse, but apiculate with the remains of the style, abruptly con-
tracted at the base, the sides flat or somewhat concave, undulately ru-
gulose.
Has. Sandy fields; Massachusetts to North Carolina.
Near Boston, Dr. Bigelow!; near New Haven, Connecticut,
Dr. Tully; abundant in the sandy districts of New Jersey! ;
Western paris of the State of New York, Dr. Gray! ; Pennsyl-
vania, Muhlenberg! § Dr. Darlington! ; Wilmington, North
Carolina, Mr. Curtis !, and Salem, in the same State, Sch-
weinrtz !
Vor. Let. 45
4
ery ] a
Or
ty]
North Amervcan Cyperacea.
5. IsoLEPIS CILIATIFOLIUS.
Culm angular and somewhat compressed, striate; leaves se~
taceous, shorter than the culm, serrulate-ciliate; umbel com-
pound, diverging; rays mostly longer than the involucre; spikes
ovate, 5—6-flowered; scales ovate, somewhat acute; stamens
2; nut obovate, triangular, obtuse, roughened with minute
papille.
Scirpus ciliatifolius, Elliott! sk. 1. p. 82, (excl. syn.).
Culm 6—12 inches high, very slender, a little scabrous towards the
summit. Leaves setaceous, channelled, mostly radical, fringed witl:
minute rigid processes. Umbel terminal, 3—4-rayed ; the primary rays
nearly an inch long; partial umbels of 3—4 spikes. Involucre 2—3-
leaved, setaceous, one of the leaves about as long asthe umbel, the others
very short. Spikes a line in length, rather acute. Scales with a short
abrupt point, ferruginous, ciliate towards the summit. Stamens 2. Style
filiform, equally 3-cleft; the divisions glandularly pubescent. Nué
acutely triangular, of an obscure bluish colour, roughened with minute
elevated dots and very obscurely rugose transversely.
Has. Damp soils in the Southern States. Wilmington,
North Carolina, Mr. Curtis! ; South Carolina, Ellott ! ;
Alabama, Dr. Gates!; Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman !
Oss. Easily distinguished from J. capillaris by its larger
size, compound umbel, much smaller spikes and papillose nut.
Sprengel refers, with a mark of doubt, Scirp. ciliatifolius of
Elliott to Fimb. pilosa, Vahl, but the two plants are totally
distinct.
6. ISoLEPIS COARCTATA.
Culm filiform, somewhat terete, nearly naked; leaves seta-
ceous, with bearded sheaths ; umbel compound, contracted, a
little shorter than the longest leaf of the involucre; spikes linear-
oblong, angular, 10—15-flowered; scales ovate, somewhat
acute ; stamens 2; nut triangular, subcompressed, depressed
«t the summit, obscurely papillose, shining.
North Aincrican Cyperacec. 353
(fi
Scirpus coarctatus, Fliistt! sk. 1. p. 83.
S. castaneus, Muhl.! gram. p. 38, {in part).
Culm about a feet high, smooth, a little thicker than a bristle ‘“ gene-
rally bending.” Ell. Leaves chiefly seated on the lower part of the
culm, smooth, the orifice of the sheaths bearded with long hairs. Umbel
consisting of from 15 to 20 spikes; the rays short and crowded, none of
them more than kalf an inch in length. Jnvolucre of many short seta-
ceous leaves; one of the leaves somewhat longer than the umbel.
. Spikes 3 lines long, some of them sessile, or on very short peduncles.
Scales pretty distinctly 4-ranked, ferruginous, with a narrow green keel,
slightly fringed towards the summit. Sfamens uniformly 2, of a bluish
colour when ripe. Style 3-parted; the divisions glandularly pubes-
cent. Nut unequally triangular, the back broadest, the front rather ob-
tusely angular; the summit very obtuse and crowned with a minute
dark point, which is the persistent base of the style: the sides appearing
papillose under a high magnifier.
Han. Nery dry sandy soils South Carolina, Edhote! ;
near Savannah, Georgia, Dr. Baldwin!
Ors. Nearly related to the two preceding species, but
readily distinguished by its taller and firmer culm, smooth
leaves, and devse umbels. It has a strong resemblance also
to gracilis, Nab E., a native of the peninsula of India.
7. UsoLEPIS SCENOPHYLLA.
Culms filiferm, cespitese, angular and sulcate; leaves seta-
eeouss invelucre many-leaved, 4 of the leaves very long ; spikes
in a terminal capitate cluster ; scales strongly carinate; the keel
prominent and scabrous; the summit produced into a long cus-
pidate point; nut triquetreus, depressed at the summit, trans-
versely ruculose.
Scirpus stenophyllus, Eilliett/ st. 1. p. 88.
Dichroma cespitosa, Muhl.! gram. p. 14.
PDichromena cespitesa, Spreng. syst. 1. p. 202.
Culms densely cespitose, dry and wiry, 3—5 inches high, scabrous
towards the summit. Leaves angular, two-thirds as long as the culm,
wery scabrous; sheaths loose and bearded. Involuct: consisting of many
$54 North American Cyperacea.
setaceous leaves which are much dilated at the base; 4 of them miucli
longer than the rest. Spikes 4—8, in dense terminal heads, about 3
lines long, mostly 6-flowered. Scales loosely imbricated, gradually in-
creasing in length from the summit down, the lowest resembling the in-
terior leaves of the involucre, pale brown and yellow on the sides, greef
on the keel, the summit produced into a long cuspidate, and somewhat
spreading point. Stamen solitary. Style long, 3-cleft. Nut equally
triangular, whitish, distinctly rugulose transversely, crowned with a
minute persistent tubercle.
Has. Dry sandy soils. Wilmington, North Carolina, Mr.
Curtis ! ; South Carolina, Elhott! ; Georgia, Muhlenberg ! ;—
July—September.
Oxns. A very distinct species, but resembling in many re-
spects, an unnamed Last Indian Isolepis in my herbarium. It
is a little remarkable that Muhlenberg should have referred it
to Dichromena.
8. Isotrr1s WaREI.
Culm somewhat terete, filiform, deeply sulcate ; spikes 6—12,
ovate, in a crowded terminal head; base of the involucral leaves
dilated and cut into capillary segments; scales ovate, obtuse,
ciliate; nut triquetrous, depressed at the summit, transversely
rugose.
Culm about a foot high, very slemder, leafy below, slightly compressed,
smooth, dotted with red in the furrows. Leaves 2—3 inches long, seta-
ceous, channelled, smooth; sheaths loose, membranaceous, pectinately
fringed at the orifice. Head of spikes about half an inch in diameter.
Leaves of the involucre 3—4, setaceous, longer than the head; the base
dilated and ciliately cut nearly tothe base. Spzkes 3 lines long, many-
(10—15)-flowered, obtuse. Scales broadly ovate or oblong, pale brown,
nerved, pubescent externally and distinctly ciliate on the margin. Sta-
mens constantly 3. Style filiform, with 3 long recurved pubescent seg-
ments. Nut white, very broad at the summit, crowned witha very mi-
nute black point.
Has. West Florida, N. A. Ware, Esq. !
Oxzs. This remarkable species differs from every other
North American Cyperaceous plant in its fimbriate involucre.
North American C ypicvacees $55
14, TRICHELOSTYLIS, Leszid.
ScaLes mostly 4—S8-ranked, carinate. Prricgynium 0.
SiyieE 3-cleft, bulbous at the base, deciduous below the bulb.
Nor triangular.—Culms simple, leafy at the base, often flatten-
ed; leaves mostly very narrow and channelled; spikes usually
in terminal umbels or heads, rarely solitary.
Trichelostylis, Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p. 40, no 48; Na
Esenb. in Wight’s contrib. p. 70, and in Linnea, 9, p-» 290.
Species of Fimbristylis, Vahl, R. Brown.
Species of Scirpus, Linn.
This genus includes all the species of Fimbristylis of Vahl
which have a triangular nut and a3-cleft style. Some of them
are difficult to distinguish from Isolepis, except by a careful
examination of the style, which in Trichelostylis is swollen at
the base, and separates entirely from the nut; while in Isolepis
the style is nearly equal, or only furnished with an extremely
minute tubercle which remains attached to the nut after the
separation of the style.
TRICHELOSTYLIS MUCRONULATUS.
Culm compressed, somewhat ancipital; umbel decompound,
divaricate ; involucre two-leaved; spikes oblong-lanceolate,
mostly pedicellate, acute ; scales ovate-lanceclate, about four-
ranked, mucronate, the point a little spreading; stamens 2;
nut obtusely triangular, (white) very obtuse, tuberculate.
'T. geminata, N. ab Esenb. in Linnae, 9, p. 90,
Fimbristylis autumnalis, Rem. § Schult. syst. 2. p. 97, (in part.)
Spreng. syst. 1. p. 201, (in part).
Scirpus mucronulatus, Miche.! fl. 1. p. 31; Ram. & Schult. syst. 2,
p. 145.
S. Michauxii, Pers. syn. 1. p. 68.
S. autumnalis, Pursh! fl. 1. p.57; Elliott, sk. 1. p.82; Muhl.! gram.
p. 37; Big.! fl. Bost. ed. 2. p.23; Gray! Gram. § Cyp. part 1. no. 85;
Beck, bot. p. 426; Darlingt.! fl. Cest. ed. 2. p. 19.
356 North American Cyperacee.
Scirpus culmoancipito, &c. Gron.! fl. virg. p. 10.
Culms cespitose, 6—12 inches high, often spreading or procumbent,
much compressed, scubrous on the edges. Leaves flat, very acute,
nearly a line in breadth, shorter than the culm, smooth ; sheaths slightly
bearded at the throat. Umbel mostly decompound; the rays about an
inch long, compressed; secondary rays bearing 1—3 pedunculate spikes
with a sessile one in the fork. Jtvelucre foliaceous, one of the leaves
generally longer than the umbel, the other shorter. Spi/es 1% line long.
Scales ferruginous, prominently keeled, with the mucronate point seme-
what spreading. Stamens 2. Style equally 3-cleft. Nut minute, convex
on the sides, generally covered with depressed capitate warts, especially
towards the base and summit.
Haz. Bogs and low grounds, particularly along rivers;
rarely in dry situations; Massachusetts to Florida. Near Boston,
Bigelow; near the city of New York, and in New Jersey! ;
District of Columbia, Dr. Baldwin! ; Kentucky, Pr. Short !;
near St. Louis, Missouri, 7. Drummond!; Alabama, Dr.
Gates !
Oss. Nearly allied to 7. complanata, N. ab Esenb. in
Wight’s contrib. p. 168 (Scirp. complanatus, Fah/,) but that
species is a much larger plant, the culm is far more ancipital,
the scales broader and not mucronate, and the nut trique-
irous. In my specimens from New Jersey, the nut is covered
with singular, somewhat stipitate tubercles, having a depression
at the top. They are less conspicuous, (being chiefly situated
near the base of the nut) ina dwarf autumnal form of the plant
found by Dr. Baldwin in the district of Columbia. In some
fine specimens collected in Alabama by Dr. Gates, they are
very distinct, while in a variety for which I am indebted to Dr.
Short, the nuts are nearly smooth. The plant here described
is now regarded as a distinct species from 7’. autumnalis (Se.
autumnalis, Roztb.), as Willdenow long since suspected it to
be, and as Michaux considered it: I have therefore adopted
the specific name of the latter botanist, in preference to that of
N. ab Esenbeck.
North American Cyperacee. 357
Tre IV. RHYNCHOSPOREM.
FLrowerrs perfect or polygamous. Spikes mostly few-
flowered. Scaxes irregularly imbricated, obscurely distichous
or trifarious. PrRicyNium usually setiform, or cup-shaped,
rarely wanting. Nut conspicuously beaked with the persistent
base of the style, or crowned with an articulated tubercle,
mostly corrugated or sculptured.
A. Style 2—3-cleft.
15. DICHROMENA, Richard.
Spikes compressed. Scaues irregularly imbricated on all
sides, or fasciculate, many of them abortive. Sramens 3.
Sty ue 2-cleft. Nox somewhat lenticular, crowned with the
brodd tuberculate persistent base of the style. Bristizs 0.
—Spikes sessile, aggregated in a terminal head; involucre
coloured (mostly white) at the base; culm leafy.
Dichromena, Iichard in Michx. fl. 1. p. 37; Lestib. ess.
fam. Cyp. p.40, no. 47; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 240; N. ab Esenb.
in Linnea, 9. p. 291.
Dichroma, Pers. syn. 1. p.57; Muhl. gram. p.13; Nutt.
gen. 1. p. 31.
Species of Scheenus, Linn., Kunth.
1. DicHROoMENA LEUCOCEPHALA, Michr.
Culm triangular ; leaves somewhat concave, narrow; invo-
lucre about 5-leaved, yellowish-white at the base ; nut truncate
at the summit, transeversely rugose ; tubercle compressed,
conical, acute, distinct, straight at the base.
858 North Americun Cyperacee.
D. leucocephala, Michx.!/ fl. 1 p. 37; Vahl, enum. 2. p.240; Pursh,
fl. l. p. 47; Elliott! sk. 1. p. 89. t. 3. f. 33, Ram. § Schult. syst. 2. p.
89; Schult. mant. 2. p.5.
Dichroma leucocephala, Pers. syn. 1. p. 57; Muhl.! gram. p. 13.
Scirpus cephalotes, Walt. fl. Car. p. 71.
Rhynchospora ochroleuca, Baldw.! Mss. |
Culm 12—18 inches high, smooth, slender. Leaves scarcely a line
wide, 3—6 inches long, with close naked sheaths, somewhat scabrous on
the margin. Incolucre 4—7-leaved ; the leaves dilated and often undu-
late at the base, spreading, 2—4 inches long. Sprkes 8—20, compressed,
whitish, composed of 8—12 scales, most of which are sterile or empty,
seldom more than three perfecting their fruit. Scales lanceolate, some-
what compressed, but not carinate, rather obtuse. Stamens always 538
anthers linear, very long. Style filiform above the tubercle, slender,
smooth, cleft about one-third of the way down. Nut semi-ovate, some-
what margined, distinctly rugose transversely, brown, a little shining.
Tubercle gray or brown, compressed, covering the whole summit of the
nut, but not extending down its edges.
Has. Damp soils, North Carolina to Florida. Newbern,
North Carolina, Mr. Croom! ; Wilmington to the same State,
Mr. Curtis! ; South Carolina, Elhott; Macon, Georgia, Dr.
Loomis !; Florida, Dr. Baldwin!; New Orleans, T. Drum-
mond !—J uly —October.
Ozs. The Schenus stellatus of Swartz (prodr. p..19.) is
commonly referred to this species, but it differs in the base of
the invyolucre being white on both sides, and the tubercle
straight (not concave) at the base.
2. DicHROoMENA LATIFOLIA, Baldw.
Culm somewhat terete ; leaves broadly linear, slightly con-
cave, very long; involucre 8—10-leaved, at length of a reddish
colour at the base; nut suborbicular, dull, roughened with
minute oblong papille in interrupted lines; tubercle com-
pressed, conical, somewhat obtuse, semilunar at the base, with
the points decurrent on the margin of the nut. |
North American Cyperacee. 359
D. latifolia, Baldw.! in Elliott, sk. 1. p. 90; Schult. mant. 2. p. 51;
Nutt. gen. 1. p. 32.
Rhynchospora lateritia, Baldw.! Mss.
Culm 9—18 inches high, generally much thicker than in the preced-
ing species, slightly compressed, but scarcely angular. Leaves often
overtopping the culm; those towards the base longer than the others,
2—3 lines wide; the radical ones short, numerous. Jnvolucre at first
whitish, at length ofa dull red colour; the leaflets 3—4 lines wide, taper-
ing toa long sharp point. Spikes 8—12, in a subglobose head. Scales
whitish, ovate, ratherobtuse. Stamens always 3. Style filiform, smooth,
2-cleft one-third of the way down. Nut (exclusive ofthe tubercle) some-
what orbicular in the outline, of a pale brown colour, a little roughened
with linear-oblong papille placed in irregular longitudinal lines, and
marked also with exceedingly narrow transverse wrinkles. T'ubercle
blackish, with a broad concave base, its horns embracing the edges of
the nut and extending downward.
Has. Margin of ponds in low pine barrens of the Southern
States. Wilmington, North Carolina, Delile !, Nuttall; com-
mon in Mackintosh county, Georgia, and in East Florida,
Dr. Baldwin!
Oss. Hasily distinguished from the preceding species by
its thicker culm and numerous involucral leaves which turn
reddish when old, or in drying.
D. ciliata is said by Vahl and Pursh to be a native of
Florida and Georgia, but I have never seen a North American
Dichromena with the leaves ciliate at the base, and I greatly
doubt whether the species has been found in this country.
No such plant is noticed by Elliott, Muhlenberg or Baldwin.
16. PSILOCARYA.
Fiowers perfect. Spikes many-flowered. ScauEs im-
bricated on all sides, membranaceous or chartaceous, all
fertile. Pertcynrum0. STameEns 2; filaments long and per-
Vou. ED 46
360 North American Cyperacee.
sistent. Svry.eE 2-cleft, compressed, dilated or tuberculate at
the base. Nur biconvex, crowned with the broad persistent
tubercle, or rostrate with the persistent style—Culms leafy ;
spikes in lateral and terminal compound cymes ; rays and pe-
duncles alternate, with leafy sheaths at the base.
1. Pstmocarya SCIRPOIDES.
Spikes oblong-ovate, many-flowered; scales lanceolate-
ovate, acute, membranaceous; nut tumid, obscurely rugose;
style long, rostrate, persistent, much dilated at the base, and
decurrent at the edges of the nut.
Culm obtusely triangular, leafy, smooth. Leaves gramineous, 6—S
inches long, 1—1: line wide, smooth; sheaths naked at the throat.
Cymes pedunculate, one terminal and one from the sheath of each leaf,
spreading; rays 1—2 inches long, alternate, diverging, with loose,
somewhat foliaceous sheaths, dividing towards the summit into 3
or 4 short branches, or compoundly branched ; all the subdivisions alter-
nate and sheathed at the base. Spikes 3—4 lines long, 20—30-flowered,
somewhat acute, equally imbricated on every side. Scales very thin,
chestnut-coloured, marked with a narrow central nerve, all bearing
fertile flowers. Bristles entirely wanting. Stamens constantly 2;
filaments slender, firmly attached one on each side of the base of the
torus. Ovary oblong, attenuated above into flat smooth ensiform style,
which is 2-cleft one-third of the way down. Nut very tumid and some-
what hemispherical on each side, dark brown, obscurely rugose trans-
versely; the base abruptly contracted, and surrounded with a short torus;
the summit crowned with a large, flat, rostrate, persistent style, which is
much dilated at the base, and decurrent at the edges of the nut, so as
nearly to surround it with a pale narrow margin.
Has. Borders of a pond near North Providence, Rhode
Island, T’. A. Greene, Esq.!; Massachusetts (the precise loca-
lity not recorded), collected by the late Dr. H. Little of Bos-
ton; v. s.in Herb. Acad. Nat. Sc. of Philadelphia.
Oxgs. I received specimens of this rare and interesting
plant about six years ago, from my intelligent friend Mr. Greene
of New Bedford, who has shown much zeal in examining the
North American Cyperacee. 361
vegetable productions of Massachusetts. In the form and
structure of its spikes it resembles a Scirpus, but it differs from
any of the Scirpee in habit, and is undoubtedly nearly related
to the Rhynchosporee.. The flowers are frequently affected
with a species of Uredo, insomuch that during one season Mr.
Greene was unable to find a single specimen that was not dis-
eased.
2. PsILocaARYA RHYNCHOSPOROIDES.
Spikes ovate, S—10-flowered; scales membranaceous,
roundish-ovate; nut lenticular, suborbicular, strongly rugose
transversely; tubercle distinct, short, dilated, obtuse.
Culm about a foot high. Leaves two lines broad, overtopping the
culm. Cymefew-flowered. Spikes 2—3 lines long, all of them pedun-
culate. Scales pale brown, one-nerved, mostly very obtuse. Nut a
little convex on each side, whitish, margined. Tubercle gray, somewhat
2-lobed at the base, but not decurrent on the sides of the nut. Style
separating at the summit of the tubercle.
Hap. Quincy, Gadsden County, Middle Florida, Dr.
Chapman!
Ozs. ‘This species is very distinct from the last, although
entirely similar in habit.
3. Psitocarya Texensis, Torr. § Hook.
Cymes decompound; spikes ovate, acute, many-flowered ;
scales roundish-ovate, rather acute and mucronulate, some-
what coriaceous, with a prominent midrib; nut suborbicular,
lenticular, strongly rugose transversely ; tubercle distinct, short,
dilated, very obtuse.
Culm 2 feet high, obtusely triangular. Leaves shorter than the culm,
about 2 lines long, slightly scabrous on the margin. Cymes axillary and
terminal; the terminal one decompound. Primary rays about five,
3—4 inches long, nearly erect, with long foliaceous bracts at the base,
semiterete ; ultimate divisions bearing 2—3 approximated spikes. Spikes
362 North American Cyperacee.
about 3 lines long, ovate, terete, 16—20-flowered. Scales ferruginous,
of a pretty firm and somewhs« coriaceous texture, minutely and pulver-
ulently pubescent, strongly 1-nerved so as to appear almost carinate.
Stamens constantly 2. Style (above the tubercle) filiform, equal, 2-clett
half-way down, separating early and completely from the tubercle. Nut
orbicular, moderately convex on each side, marked with strong undulate
transverse wrinkles, of alight brown colour, margined. Tubercle gray,
much dilated, closely sessile, somewhat 2-lobed at the base; the apex
very blunt.
Has. Texas, IT. Drummond!
Ogs. This species resembles the preceding, but it differs
in its much larger size, decompound cyme, many-flowered
spikes, subcoriaceous scales, and in some other respects. It
was distributed in the first collection of Mr. Drummond’s
Texian plants, under the No. 279. The last two species differ
so much from P. scirpordes, that they might almost be referred
toaseparate genus. ‘They are nearly related to Rhynchospora,
but want the hypogynous bristles, and bear the same relation
to that genus that Isolepis bears to Scirpus. In P. scirpoides
the style is almost wholly persistent, compressed and subulate,
without any distinct tubercle; while in P. rhynchosporordes and
P. Tevxensis it is very caducous, with the exception of the base,
which is enlarged into a tubercle of an entirely different texture
from the nut. To the latter section belongs another species of
which I have had two varieties in my herbarium; one from
St. Vincent, sent to me without a name by Dr. Lindley, the
other received from Mr. Arnott, under the name of Schanus
Teneriffe, Vent. Mss. ‘The culm is very slender, the branches
of the cyme filiform and divaricate; the spike 2—3-flowered,
minute; the nut lenticular, corrugated, and crowned with a
short apiculate tubercle.
The following revision of the North American species of
Rhynchospora and Ceratoschcenus was prepared by Dr. Gray.
His valuable Monograph contained in the present volume of
North American Cyperacee. 363
the Annals, is so full that it was quite unnecessary to describe
the plants anew: I have therefore merely given his list of the
species with some alterations, which he has thought it advisalle
to make, together with some valuable additional matter which
has been received since his monograph was written.
17. RHYNCHOSPORA, Vaid.
FLoweEnrs perfect or polygamous. SprKELETS few-flowered.
Scates loosely imbricated, or obscurely bi-trifarious ; the
lowermost smaller and empty; one, two, or three of the others
bearing a perfect flower; the remainder being staminate or
empty, or sometimes (as in R. maliacea § caduca,) all except
the outermost scales fertile. PERIGyNIuM composed of 6
(sometimes 10 or 12) plumose or naked, retrorsely or an-
trorsely denticulate or scabrous bristles. SrameEns 3 (rarely
2,6, or 12). Sryze bifid. Nur crustaceous, lenticular or
subglobose, smooth or transversely rugose, crowned with the
dilated, persistent and distinct base of the style-—Culms more
or less triangular, simple, Jeafy; inflorescence terminal and
axillary, corymbose, paniculate or fascicled, loosely or densely
clustered.
Rhynchospora, Vahl, enum. 2, p. 229; R. Brown, prodr.
1. p. 229; Nutt. gen. 1. p: 33; Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p. 37;
Elhiott, sk. 1. p.57; Gray, monogr. in ann. lyc. nat. hist. New
York, 3. p. 191. (excl. R. corniculata § macrostachya); Nees
ab Esenb.in Wight’s contrib. p. 71. and in Linnea, 9. p. 297.
Species of Scheenus, Linn., Lam’k., Michz., Muhl., &c.
Chetospora (partly), Humb. Bonpl. and Kunth, syn. pl.
equinoc. orb. nov. 1. p. 157.
§ 1. Nut subglobose-ovate ; bristles of the perigynium densely
woolly.— ERI0CH ETE.
Oxs. The species of this section are allied to Chetospora,
R. Brown, from which they are distinguished b their bifid
364 North American Cyperacee.
styles, and distinct persistent tubercles. ‘They are distinguished
from Carpha, R. Brown, by the distinct tubercle and globose
nut.
1. R. prumosa, Elhott! sk. 1. p. 58; Spreng. syst. 1. p.
195; Gray! monogr. l. c. p. 203.
Schenus ciliaris, Muhl. gram: (not of Michz.)
2. R. semipLuMosa, Gray! monogr. l. c. p. 213.
Specimens of this plant collected near New Orleans by Mr.
Drummond, have recently been received, exactly resembling
those formerly sent by Dr. Ingalls. They are, however, not
sufficiently mature to enable us to pronounce with certainty
that the plant is not a variety of the preceding species.
3. R. oticantHa, Gray! monogr. |. c. p. 212.
R. triflora, Curtis! in Bost. jour. nat. hist. 1. p. 140. (not of Vahl.)
Fine specimens of this interesting species were collected in
‘Texas by the late Mr. Drummond (Texas collection I. no. 282.).
The leaves are mostly radical, almost capillary, and equalling
or overtopping the filiform culms. ‘The bristles are a little
shorter than the nut; but on referring to the description of Mr.
Curtis, the same is found to be the case in the North Carolina
plant. The specimens on which the species was originally
founded were not, perhaps, sufficiently mature.
§ 2. Nut lenticular, or more or less compressed ; bristles of the
perigynium naked, scabrous or denticulate-hispid.—
True RHyNCHOSPORA.
A. Nut rugose.
4. R. cymosa, Nutt. gen. 1. p. 33, (not of Eliott); Torr.!
fl. 1. p. 56, (excl. syn. Elliott §y Pursh) ; Gray! monogr. l.c.
p. 196.
Schenus cymosus, Willd. sp. 1. p. 265; Muhl.! gram. p. 9.
5. R. Torrevana, Gray! monogr. Ll. c. p. 197.
R. micrantha, Gray! Gram. & Cyp. part 1. no. 96. (excl. syn.)
———, 2 eee
North American Cyperacee. 365
6. R. Rrarirtora, Elliott, sk. 1. p. 58, (excl. syn.); Gray!
monogr. l. c. p. 197.
Scheenus rariflorus, Michxr.! fl. 1. p. 36; Muhl. gram. p. 10.
7. RK. mintacea, Gray! monogr. l. c. p. 198.
R. sparsa, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 230; Pursh! fl. 1. p.48; Elliott, sk.
Pe PlO2; te as el orr.. fl. Ls DP. OG.
Scheenus miliaceus, Lamarck, ill. gen. 1. p. 137.
S. sparsus, Michz.! fl. 1. p. 35; Muhl.! gram. p. 7.
Nearly all the florets of this species are perfect, and each
spikelet frequently perfects as many as 8 or 10 nuts; which,
being persistent long after the scales have fallen, present a
remarkable appearance.
8. R.capuca, Elhott! sk. 1. p. 523 Gray! monogr. l. c.
p: 199.
This species also perfects a greater number of nuts in each
spikelet than is usual in the genus.
9. R.muutirtora, Gray, monogr. l.c. p. 200.
Scirpus scheenoides, Elliott! sk. 1. p. 89.
10. R. parva, Gray! monogr. l. c. p. 201.
11. R.inexpansa, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 233; Elhott! sk.
1. p. 61; Gray! monogr. l. c. p. 200.
Scheenus inexpansus, Michr.! fl. 1. p. 35; Muhl.! gram. 1. p. 9.
12. R.mrcrocarpa, Baldwin!; Gray! monogr. 1. c. p-
202.
13. R. punorata, Elliott! sk. 1. p. 60; Gray! monogr.
l. c. p. 203:
14, R.Exuiorri, Gray! monogr. 1. c. p. 204.
R. distans, Elliott, sk. 1. p. 49. (not of Vahl.)
366 North American Cyperacee.
Scheenus distans, Muhl.! gram. p.10.
S. fuseus, Muhl. gram. p. 6.
B. Nut smooth, mostly lenticular.
15. R. aupa, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 236: Elliott, sk, 1. p.
57; Torr.! fl. 1. p. 54; Gray! Gram. § Cyp. part 1.no. 92,
and monogr. l. c. p. 213.
Scheenus albus, Linn.
This species was collected by Drummond in Texas.
16. R.capinuacea, Torr.! fl. 1. p. 553 Gray! Gram.
§ Cyp. part 1. no. 95, and monogr, 1. c. p. 214.
Scheenus setaceus, Muhl. gram. p. 6.
17. R.rusca, Rem. ¥ Schult. syst. 2. p. 81; Gray!
monogr. l.c. p. 215.
R. alba. var. fusca, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 236.
Schcenus fuscus, Linn.
Massachusetts, W. Oakes! and B. D. Greene! Esqrs. Those
European authors who still consider this species as a variety of
R. alba, cannot have examined the plant with sufficient care.
As regards the English plants, Mr. W. A. Leighton has well
indicated their characteristic differences in the London and
Edinb. Jour. Science for Dec. 1835.
18; R. FmiFrobia.
Culm very slender; leaves filiform or capillary ; corymbs
very small, rather crowded; spikelets (minute) ovate-oblong ;
nut smooth, ovate-orbicular, lenticular, crowned with a lenticu-
lar, much compressed, hispid-scabrous tubercle; bristles an-
trorsely scabrous-hispid, as long as the nut and tubercle.
Culm 6—12 inches high, obscurely trigonous. Leaves numerous,
shorter than the culm. Corymbs, or fascicles, few-flowered, clustered ;
the lateral ones on short exsert peduncles. Scales mucronate, fuscous.
North American Cyperacee. 367
Bristles 6, slender. Nut much compressed, as in R. gracilenta, but
smaller; the whole surface of the tubercle minutely hispid-scabrous
upward. Style 2-parted quite to the place where it separates in falling.
Has. North Carolina, Mr. Curtis!; Middle Florida, Dr.
Chapman !
Oss. ~In the Monograph of N. American Rhynchospore,
no. 26, this plant is referred to as having been sent to us by Mr.
Curtis. More perfect specimens recently received from Dr.
Chapman satisfactorily prove that this plant, although allied to
R. fusca and R. gracitenta, is distinct from either. The ca-
pillary leaves (like those of Sczrpus capillaris), and the rough-
ened tubercle, are characteristic of our plant. It is much more
delicate and smaller in all its parts than J. fusca, and the nut
is more flat, in which particular it nearly agrees with R. gra-
cilenta. 'The smaller spikelets, the form of the nut, and the
direction and degree of the hispidness of the bristles at once
distinguish this species from F. capillacea.
19. R. Graciwenta, Gray! monogr. l.c. p. 216.
R. fusca, Gray! Gram. & Cyp. part 1. no. 93. (excl. syn.)
Mr. Drummond collected this species in Texas.
20. R. pistans, Nutt. gen. 1. p. 93, (not of Vahl?) ;
Gray! monogr. 1. c. p. 216.
Scheenus distans, Michz.! fl. 1. p. 36:
A variety of this species with a single terminal fascicle, and
with bristles longer than the nut, occurs among the plants col-
lected in Texas by the late Mr. Drummond.
21. R.ctomerata, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 234; Gray! Gram.
& Cyp. part 1. no, 94, and monogr. 1. c. 1. p. 217.
R. capitellata, Vahl, l. c.
Schenus glomeratus, Linn.
S. capitellatus, Michr.! fl. 1. p. 36.
Vou. III. AY
368 North American Cyperacee.
22. R.crpHaLtantua, Gray! monogr. 1. c. p. 218.
23. R. panicutata, Gray! monogr. l. c. p. 211.
24. R. rascicuuaris, Nutt. gen. 1. p. 23; Vahl, enum.
2. p. 224°; Gray! monogr. l. c. p. 210.
R. cymosa, Ell. sk. 1. p. 587
Scheenus fascicularis, Michr.! fl. 1. p. 37.
25. RK. Batpwini, Gray! monogr.l.c. p. 210.
26. R.cmiata, Vahl, enum. p.238; Gray! monogr. l. c.
p. 209.
Scheenus ciliaris, Miche. ! fl. 1. p. 36.
27. KR. MEGALOCARPA.
Corymbs (8—6) few and loosely flowered; spikelets large,
ovate, turgid; nut smooth, somewhat tumid, flattened toward
the base, broad and thickened at the summit, crowned with a
very broad, short and conical tubercle; stamens usually 12 ;
bristles 6—10, nearly as long as the nut.
R. megalocarpa, Gray! monogr. Il. c. p. 208, and R. pyenocarpa,
Gray, 1. c.
More perfect specimens, communicated by Mr. Curtis and
Dr. Chapman, have enabled us satisfactorily to ascertain that
R.megalocarpa and R. pycnocarpa of the Monograph of North
American Rhynchospore are different states of the same spe~
cies. ‘The nut becomes dark-coloured with age, when the
tubercle appears to be confluent with the body of the nut. It
approaches R. dodecandra, with which it also agrees in the pre-
valent number of its stamens. This species has a somewhat
extensive range, being found from Wilmington in N. Carolina
to Apalachicola.
28. R.popEecanprRa, Baldw.! Mss. herb; Gray! monogr.
lc. p. 207. |
The mature fruit of this rare and interesting species has not
yet come under our notice. The number of its stamens is very
North American Cyperacee. 369
remarkable, as also its somewhat peculiar habit. Each spike-
let, as in the preceding species, produces a single perfect flower
at the summit, and all the scales are empty except the upper-
most. Were it not for its distinctly bifid style, this plant might
perhaps be properly referred to Cephaloschenus of Nees ab
Esenbeck.
18. CERATOSCHGENUS, N. ab E.
SPIKELETS producing a single perfect, and 1—4 stami-
nate flowers. Scaxes loosely and somewhat bifariously im-
bricated, the lower ones empty, the uppermost staminate or
abortive. PERtGyNrum composed of 5 or 6 compressed, rigid
or cartilaginous, antrorsely hispid or scabrous bristles, which
are dilated and somewhat connate at the base. STAMENS 3.
STYLE simple, or minutely bidentate. Nut coriaceous, com-
pressed, smooth, crowned with the very long, distinct, indurated
and persistent, upwardly scabrous style-—Culms triangular,
leafy ; corymbs mostly compound or decompound; spikelets
large, clustered. .
i. ©. LONGIROSTRIS.
Schenus longirostris, Michz.! fl. 1. p. 87; Muhl.! gram. p. 7.
S. corniculatus, Lam’k. ill. gen. 1. p. 187.
Rhynchospora laxa, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 231; Torr. ! fl. 1. p. 58.
R. longirostris, Ell. sk. 1. p. 59.
R. corniculata, Gray ! monogr. l. c. p. 205.
2. CC. MACROSTACHYS.
Rhynchospora macrostachya, Torr.! in Gray, monogr. l. c. p. 206.
Ogss. ‘These two plants, in accordance with the views now
generally adopted in the construction of genera in Cyperacea,
cannot be allowed to remain in the genus Rhynchospora, from
which they also differ remarkably in habit. It was suggested
in the Monograph of N. American Rhynchospore, that they
370 North American Cyperacee.
might possibly be referred to Cephaloschcenus, with some mo-
dification of the generic character; but the habit of several spe-
cies of that genus is very different from our plants.. Since the
publication of that paper, we have received the Uebersicht der
Cyperaceenguttungen of Nees ab Esenbeck, published in the 9th
volume of the Linnea, and are surprised to find that the com-
mon Schenus corniculatus of Lamarck appears not to have
come under his observation. He has, however, established
the genus Ceratoschcenus upon a new plant (the country it in-
habits is not mentioned), which, although differing in some re-
spects, exhibits a striking accordance with these plants. It has
therefore been thought proper to modify the character of Cera-
toschenus, N. ab. E.* so as to include our two species, rather
than to propose a new genus for their reception, especially as it
is not unlikely that the species comprised in Cephaloschcenus and
Ceratoschcenus, with our two species, will ultimately be referred
to a single genus. Nees having already employed the specific
name corniculatus, that of our Rhynchospora corniculata (Sche-
nus corniculatus, Lamarck) must be changed: we therefore
adopt that of Michaux, which has the priority over that of Vahl.
The attenuated beak of the fruit in these plants is formed
by the induration of nearly the whole style: it is not, however,
incurved as in C. corniculatus, N. ab E. In our species the
lowest flower is perfect, the inferior scales being wholly empty:
in C. longirostris each spikelet is terminated by 3 or 4 stami-
nate flowers, while in C. macrostachys only a single abortive
staminate flower is usually found.
Should future examination prove our species to be wholly
distinct from Ceratoscheenus as originally established, the name
Loncuostyuis might be applied to them.
* Ceratoscnenus, N. ab E. Spicule hermaphrodite, basi apice-
que steriles. Stylus simplex. Perigynii squame quinque, cartilaginee,
anguste, fructui appresse, basi connate. Caryopsis compressa, basi
styli articulo inserta, prelonga, incurvaque coronata.— Ueber. Cyperac.
in Linnea, 9. p. 296.
North American Cyperacee. 371
Rhynchosporee inquirende.
1, Scuenvus uispiputus, Lam.; Vahl, enum. 2. p. 220; Ram. &
Schult. syst. 2. p.69; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 47.
“S? pedunculis axillaribus et terminalibus tristachyis, spicis subglo-
bosis, pedicellatis, foliis filiformibus, hispidulis.
“Culmi palmares, spithamei, angulata. Folia distantia 2—4 in
culmo, superiora culmo longiora. Pedunculi axillares solitarii, ut ter-
minales interdum, qui gemini plerumque, pollicares vel minores, mon-
ostachyi laxi. Spice magnitudine seminis Coriandri, squamis subro-
tundis fuscis. Flosculi 3. Stylus bifidus, purpureus. Semem globo-
sum undulato-rugosum.—In Carolina? Herb. Lamarck.”—Vahl.
Oxss. This plant has not been found by any N. American
botanist, and it is somewhat doubtful whether Lamarck’s speci-
men was received from this country. It cannot be a Scheenus,
as that genus is now restricted, but is rather a species of Rhyn-
chospora, or perhaps of Psilocarya.
2. Scue@nus setaceus, Vahl, enum. 2. p. 219? (not of Muhl.);
Pursh, fl. 1. p. 46.
“© S. pedunculis axillaribus terminalibusque subtrifloris, culmo trigono
foliisque setaceis.
“‘Culmi pedales, vel minores, 1—2-nodosi. Folia 2—3, culmo bre-
viora remotissima. Pedunculis ex axilla superiore solitarius, terminalis
plerumque gemini cum folio setaceo. Spice 2—6, subulate pallide
fusce, squamis infimis ovatis mucronatis. Stamina 2, Stylus bifidus.
Semina subrotunda, rugosa, bidentata.—In Surinamo, Caribzis, Caro-
lina.”— Vail. :
Oss. This species was introduced into the North American
Flora by Pursh, on the authority of Vahl, but none of our bota-
nists have found the plant. ‘The description here quoted was
probably taken from West Indian or Surinam specimens.
Schenus setaceus is the type of the genus Spermodon of P.
de Beauvois and N. ab Esenbeck, the character of which is
thus given by the latter writer: ‘* Spicule polygame aut her-
maphrodite, pluriflore. Stylus bifidus, basi bulbosus. Peri-
gynium tubulosum, truncatum, cum basi fructus concrescens,
.
372 ' North American Cyperacee.
-Caryopsis apice bidentata, inter dentes bulbo styli sutura recta
discreto brevirostris.”** This genus was, however, long since
pointed out*by Richard under the name of 'Triodont, although
he described the ‘*seed” (nut) as 3-toothed. It is probable
that he considered the persistent bulb of the style as one of
the teeth.— Schanus setaceus of Muhlenberg is Ithynchospora
capulacea, Torr. :
Tripe V. CLADIE.
Friowers perfect (rarely diclinous). Scawes of the spikes
imbricated in a trifarious or quadrifarious order, one or few-
flowered ; the inferior scales sterile. PERicyNnium 0, or cup-
shaped, or in the form of bristles. Nur with a hard thick
shell, smooth or irregularly wrinkled, pointless or attenuated
into a beak.
19. CLADIUM, Browne.
Spikes few-flowered; flowers polygamous. ScALEs imbri-
cated in a somewhat trifarious order; the lower ones empty.
BristLes 0. Sramens 2. SrytE 2—3-cleft, deciduous ;
the divisions often bifid or trifid. Nuz subglobose ; the peri-
carp thickened and corky towards the summit. SEED smooth.
-—Culm leafy ; spikes mostly in compound axillary and terminal
panicles or corymbs.
Cladium, Browne, Jam. p. 114; R. Brown, prodr. 1. p. 2365
Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p. 35; Ram. iy Schult. gen. 114; N.
ab Esenb. in Linnea, 9. p. 301.
Species of Scheenus, Linn., Muhl., Nutt., &c.
1. CLADIUM MARISCOIDES.
Culm somewhat terete; leaves nearly smooth on the margin ;
corymb compound, 2—4-rayed, nearly naked ; rays elongated ;
* Linnea, 9. p. 296. + Pers. syn. |. p. 60.
North American Cyperacee. 373
spikelets aggregated in heads of 3—S8 together; style 3-cleft,
the divisions entire.
Scheenus mariscoides, Muhl.! gram. p. 53; Torr.! fl. 1. p.
54; Big.! fl. Bost. ed. 2. p. 17; Beck, bot. p. 428; Gray!
Gram. and Cyp. part 1. no. 97.
Culm about 2 feet high, scarcely angular, nearly smooth, about a line
and a half in diameter towards the base. Leaves very narrow, concave,
with a long compressed point. Umbels 2—3, erect; the lateral ones on
long exserted peduncles ; primary rays 2—4, with several shorter ones.
Spikes about 3 lines long, ovate-oblong when mature. Scales about 6,
chestnut colour, the 4 lower ones usually empty, the fifth bearing two
stamens and an abortive ovary, the uppermost hermaphrodite, diandrous.
Style filiform, 3-cleft, deciduous; the divisions mostly equal, but some-
times two of them are united towards the base. Nut about one line in
length, ovate, with a short abrupt acute point somewhat wrinkled longi-
tudinally ; the upper half of the pericarp much thickened and of a corky
texture.
Has. Bog meadows and borders of ponds, Canada to.
Pennsylvania. Near Montreal, Lower Canada, Dy. Holmes! ;
near Boston, Dr. Bigelow! § B. D. Greene, Esq.! ; Litchfield,
Connectieut, Mr. Brace! Highlands of New York, Dr. Bar-
ratt!; Western parts of the State of New York, Dr. Gray !
near New York, and in many parts of the State of New Jersez,
particularly in the Newark meadows, and in the pine barrens! ;
Pennsylvania, Muhlenberg!
Oxs. Although this species deviates from the character of
Cladium as laid down by N. ab Esenbeck, there can be no
doubt of its being acongener of C. Mariscus of R. Brown, as
was long ago shown by Muhlenberg. It differs from that
species in its much more slender habit, nearly smooth and nar-
row leaves, less crowded umbel with elongated rays, a nut of
one half the size, and a 3-cleft style. I have not received
specimens from any place south of Pennsylvania or West of
the Alleghany mountains. The specific name of Muhlenberg
is retained, although not altogether appropriate.
374 North American Cyperacea@.
2, CLADIUM EFFUSUM.
Culm obtusely triangular; leaves sharply serrate upward 5
corymbs numerous, decompound, diffuse, approximated and
forming an elongated panicle; style 5—4-cleft.
Scheenus effusus, Swartz, prodr. p.19?; Muhl.! gram. p. 13; Elliott,
sk. ‘Ls Pasods
S. Mariscus, @. effusus, Pers. syn. 1. p. 58.
Culm 6—10 feet high. Leaves 1—3 feet long, 4—10 lines wide,
smooth, except on the margin and midrib which are very acutely serrate
upward, the extremity tapering toa long triangular point. Corymbs
proceeding from the sheaths of the leaves on the upper part of the culm,
forming a large oblong panicle. Spikes 3—4 together, about two lines
long, ovate, acute. Scales about 6, brown, the uppermost only produc-
ing a perfect flower, the one below it bearing only stamens ; in both the
number of stamens constantly 2. Nut ovate, abruptly pointed, finely
wrinkled longitudinally, upper part of the pericarp corky.
Has. Ponds and fresh marshes. Wilmington and New-
bern, North Carolina, Mr. Curtis! § Mr. Croom! ; South Caro-
lina, Elliott; New Orleans and Texas, T. Drummond !—Aug.
—September. :
Oss. A tall rank sedge, known at the South by the name
of Saw-grass. R. Brown (prodr. p. 236) refers to his C.
‘Mariscus, Schcenus Mariscus, Lonn., S. Cladium and S.
effusus, Swartz, and if his plant is identical with C. Germani=
cum, Schrad., (to which Schenus Mariscus, Linn. is generally
referred) it must be distinct from ours. The description of S.
effusus in the Prodromus of Swartz is so brief that we cannot
satisfactorily determine whether it is the same as our C.
effusum. Sprengel refers it to C. occadentale, Schrad., but that
is described as having bristles at the base of the nut, a character
which does not belong to any genuine Cladium.
North American Cyperacec. 375
TrRise VI... S@EERIEAC.
Frowers diclinous. FErrine sprKeELets 1-flowered.
Scauzs fasciculate; the lower ones empty. Nut with a
thick bony shell, naked, or seated in a cup-shaped lobed peri-
gynium.
20. SCLERIA, Bergius.
Nut globose, ovate, or triangular; the base surrounded
with a lobed, repand, or annular perigynium. Sryte 3-cleft,
deciduous.—-Culms leafy ; spikelets fasciculate, racemose, pa-
niculate, or verticellately spiked.
Scleria, Berg. act. Holm. 1765, p. 1443; Schreb. gen. pl.
no. 1408; Kunth, syn. 1. p. 160; N. ab Esenb. in Wight’s
contrib. p. 116, and mm Linnea, 9. p. 302.
: 1. Scieria RETICULARIS, Michz.
Culm erect, retrorsely scabrous on the angles towards the
base ; fascicles lateral and terminal, very remote, subsessile,
somewhat branched, loosely flowered; scales and_ bracts
smooth; nut globose, conspicuously reticulated with elevated
lines, deeply pitted between the lines ; perigynium 3-lobed ;
the lobes ovate, appressed.
S. reticularis, Miche. fl. 2. p. 167, (not of Pursh, Elliott, and Muhl.) ;
Willd. p. 4. p. 314.
Culm 2 feet high, triangular, somewhat compressed and slender.
Leaves 1% line wide, smooth, flat. ascicles of spikelets about an inch
long, the lateral ones 2 or 3 in number, and very remote, standing on
short nearly included peduncles. Spikelets in pairs: the sterile lanceo-
late, on a short stipe at the base of the fertile spikelet, many-flowered ;
the scales somewhat distichously arranged, lanceolate, each bearing
two stamens, the filaments of which project a little beyond the scale :
fertile spikelets mostly of 3 ovate, mucronate and carinate scales;
the two interior embracing the nut at its base. Style 3-cleft nearly
Vor. O17. 48
376 North American Cyperacee.
to the base. Nut exactly globose, whitish, dull; the surface strongly
reticulated ; the interstices oblong and deeply pitted. Perigyniwm con-
spicuous and resembling a calyx, of a pale greenish colour, equally 3-
lobed, closely appressed, and partly adnate; the lobes rather acute.
*
Has. South Carolina, Michaux; Middle Florida, Dr.
Chapman !
Ozss. This plant, which seems to be nearly related to S.
tessellata, Willd. agrees so minutely with Michaux’s S. reticu-
laris, with the exception of the roughness on the lower part
of the culm, that I have no doubt of its identity with that
species. It is the only N. American Scleria in which I have
found the nut truly reticulated. The species described under
the same name by Muhlenberg and others is my S. laxa, a very
distinct plant.
2. ScLERIA LAXA.
Culm weak, diffuse, nearly smooth; fascicles lateral and
terminal, very remote, on long slender peduncles, somewhat
branched, loosely flowered ; scales and bracts smooth; nut
globose, pitted, and marked in a somewhat spiral manner
with transverse hairy ruge; perigynium 3-lobed; the lobes
ovate, appressed.
S. reticularis Muhl.! gram. p. 266; Pursh! fl. 1. p.45; Elliott, sk.
2. p. 6017; Gray! Gram. & Cyp. part 1. no. 99.
i
Culm 12—18 inches high, slender, acutely triangular, with the angles
somewhat winged and slightly scabrous. Leaves 2 lines broad, flat,
smooth. Fascicles usually 3, one of which is terminal, the others lateral
and very remote. Peduncles 2—6 inches long, compressed, slender,
and often recurved. Spikelets distant, in pairs, disposed as in the pre-
ceding species. Stamens 2. Nut-about a line in diameter, whitish,
with narrow, brown wrinkles, which are more or less hairy, pitted in an
obscurely reticulate manner. Perigyniwm deeply 3-lobed; the lobes
rather acute.
North American Cyperacea. 377
3. ScLERIA OLIGANTHA.
Culm erect, smooth, the angles somewhat winged ; leaves
flat, smooth; fascicles 2, one lateral on a long exserted peduncle,
the other terminal ; sterile spikelets elongated, sessile ; bracts
somewhat ciliate ; nut ovate, smooth and polished ; perigy-
nium a narrow ring, bearing 8 minute tubercles.
S. oligantha, Miche. fl. 2. p. 16712; Elliott, sk. p. 557.
Culm about 2 feet high, slender, triquetrous. Leaves 2 lines wide,
smooth, except on the margin near the summit. fascicles of spikes
scarcely an inch long; the lateral one often barren, remote, supported
on a slender peduncle about 6 inches in length. Spikelets in 3—4
pairs; the sterile one-third of an inch long; scales lanceolate, some-
what rigid, dark purple. Stamens 3. Style deeply 3-parted. Nut a
line and a half in length, exactly ovate, obtuse, white. Perigynium
consisting of 8 small white cellular processes, approximated in pairs,
and forming a circle under the base of the nut.
Has. Wet pastures and pine barrens. South Carolina,
Elliott ; Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman !
Ors. I am not quite satisfied respecting the synonyms
quoted under this species. . T'he specimens in Michaux’s
herbarium are without fruit, and Elliott, who quotes Michaux
with a mark of doubt, describes the leaves as narrow; whereas
in our plant, they are broader than in many other species.
Willdenow (and Pursh copying him) referred S, oligantha to the
succeeding species, which is, however, a totally distinct plant.
4. Scieria pAaucirtora, Muhl.
Culm slender, smoothish; leaves narrow, with pubescent
sheaths ; fascicles lateral and terminal, few-flowered; the
lateral ones remote, on long peduncles ; bracts ciliate ; nut
globose-ovate, verrucose ; the warts at the base stipitate ; peri-
gynium a narrow ring supporting 6 minute tubercles.
S. pauciflora, Muhl! gram. p. 267, (in part); Willd. sp. 4. p. 318,
378 North American Cyperacee.
(excl. syn. Michx.); Pursh, fl. 1. p. 46. (excl. syn. Michx.); Elliott,
sk. 2. p.559; Darlingt! fl. Cest. ed. 2. p. 26; Beck. bot. p. 430.
Culm erect, 9—18 inches high, triquetrous, striate, slightly scabrous
toward the summit. Leaves scarcely a line wide, nearly smooth; the
sheaths clothed with a short pubescence. Fascicles 2—3, composed of
about three pairs of spikelets ; the lateral ones on long slender peduncles.
Bracts foliaceous; the inner ones ciliate. Spikelets in pairs; the
sterile few-flowered, sessile in the second seale of the fertile spikelet ;
the scales membranaceous, acute, each covering three filaments: fer-
tile spikelet of 3 coriaceous, ovate, mucronate scales, which are some-
what ciliate on the keel. Between the sterile spikelet and the fertile
scale which embraces it is a filiform process, or abortive pedicel. Style
3-cleft. Nut white, shining, roughened with minute prominences. At
the base there are a number of capitate stipitate warts, or processes, pro-
jecting downward; the little heads appearing pulverulent under a strong
lens. Perigynium a narrow somewhat undulate ring, upon which, and
between it and the base of the nut, are 6 roundish cellular bodies like
those of S. oligantha.
Has. Serpentine hills, near west Chester, Pennsylvania,
Dr. Darlington ! ; swamps, in the same state, Muhlenberg ! ;
Walpole, New Hampshire, J. Carey, Esq./; damp pastures
and pine barrens, South Carolina, Edlott.
Oss. In my New Hampshire specimens, the little rounded
bodies of the perigynium are closely approximated in pairs, so
‘that they seem to be 2-lobed.
@. Leaves, sheaths and bracts smooth; nut somewhat
wrinkled transversely, faintly marked with longitudinal lines ;
processes of the perigynium 3, dilated, obscurely 2-lobed.
Has. Southern States, Dr. Baldwin !; North Carolina,
Mr. Curtis !
5. Scieria ciuiata, Michz.
Culm erect, nearly naked; leaves channelled, pubescent
above; fascicle subsolitary, terminal ; bracts and scales ciliate;
nut subglobose, verrucose ; the warts at the base stipitate ;
perigynium a narrow ring supporting 3 tubercles.
North American Cyperacee. 379
S. ciliata, Michz.! fl. 2. p. 167; Willd. sp. 4. p. 318; Pursh, fl. 1.
p- 46; Elliott, sk. 2. p. 559.
Culm 1—2 feet high, acutely triangular ; the angles scabrous toward
the summit. Leaves about a line in breadth, hairy, scabrous on the
margin, strongly channelled; sheaths retrosely pubescent, particularly
on the angles. Fascicle of spikes mostly solitary at the summit of the
culm ; sometimes there is a remote abortive cluster on a long peduncle.
Bracts fringed with long whitish hairs; the terminal fascicle consists of
about 5 pairs of spikelets: sterile spikelet large, many-flowered, ses-
sile within the superior fertile scale ; stamens 3. Nut obscurely 3-sided,
somewhat shining, white, roughened with remote warts, not wrinkled
or pitted ; stipitate prominences at the base very few. Perigynium a
thickened obtusely triangular border, supporting 3 hemispherical cellu-
lar bodies, like those in the two preceding species.
Has. Damp soils. South Carolina, Elliott ; Southern
States, Dr. Baldwin! ; Georgia, Le Conte !
Oss. Darlington refers S. ciliate to his S. pauciflora ;
but the plant described above is quite distinct from the latter
species, which I received from the author himself.
6. Screrta Carouinrana, Willd.
‘¢ Culm erect, slender, and with the leaves and bracts slightly
hairy ; fascicles terminal and axillary; scales pubescent; nut
transversely wrinkled.”
S. Caroliniana, Willd., sp. 4. p. 318.
S. hirtella, Miche. fl. 2. p. 168, (not of Swartz) ; Elliott, sk. 2. p. 560,
(excl. syn. Pursh & Willd.).
Culm about 18 inches high, triquetrous, hairy, particularly along the
margins. Leaves narrow, channelled, shorter than the culms, hairy.
Spikelets 2—3, near the summit of the culm, distinct, not fasciculated ;
sometimes a-small axillary spike near the base of the culm. Bracteal
leaves much longer than the spikes, hairy, and conspicuously fringed.
Scales ovate, acuminate, unequal, pubescent. Nut globular, roughened
chiefly by irregular transverse elevated lines.— Elliott.
Has. Damp soils. South Carolina, Eliott. .
Ors. I have not been able to identify this plant among my
380 North American Cyperacee.
numerous specimens of Scleria. Michaux does not notice the
fruit, and I did not particularly examine his specimens. He
states that it grows in the woods of Carolina. Elliott has a
variety of this species, which he calls strigosa, and which
differs from the ordinary form in being “ less hairy, excepting
along the angles of the culm and margin and midrib of the
leaves; its spikes also are larger and more numerous ; its
glumes fringed, of a-light chestnut colour ; and the nut rather
roughened by distinct tubercles than by transverse lines.” It
was collected by Dr. Baldwin on the confines of Georgia and
Florida ; and Mr. Elliott thinks it may be a distinct species.
7. ScLERIA TRIGLOMERATA, Michz.
Culm scabrous; leaves broadly linear, smoothish, some-
times a little hairy; fascicles lateral and terminal, triglomerate ;
the lateral one remote, pedunculate ; bracts slightly ciliate ;
scales cuspidate ; nut ovate-globose, smooth and _ polished ;
perigynium annular, whitish, invested with a cellular crust.
S. triglomerata, Michr.! fl. 2. p. 168; Muhl.! gram. p. 260; Elliott,
sk. 2. p. 598; Beck, bot. p. 480; Darlingt. ! fl. Cest. ed. 2. p. 26;
Gray! Gram. & Cyp. part 1, no. 98.
Culm about 3 feet high, leafy, triquetrous, with the angles almost
winged. Leaves 2—4 lines wide, scabrous on the margin, the under
surface a little hairy. Terminal fascicle consisting of three distinct
clusters of spikelets, each with a foliaceous bract at the base ; lateral
fascicle composed of few spikelets, remote, usually supported on a long
peduncle ; sometimes it is wanting. Sterile spikelet seated within the
upper fertile scale, many-flowered ; the scales lanceolate, purplish, and
marked with deeper lines. Stamens 3. Nut bluish when young, at
length nearly two lines in diameter, sometimes a little uneven. Peri-
gynium annular, or rather obtusely triangular, entire, covered with a
cellular, or minutely vesicular, whitish crust.
Has. Low grounds and moist thickets. Vermont! to
Florida! and west to Arkansas !
Ors. N. ab Esenbeck (in Linnea 9. 301.) refers S. tri-
os
North American Cyperacee. 381
glomerata, Michxr. to Cladium ; but he surely must have mis-
taken some other plant for ours. I suspect he meant Schenus
mariscoides of Muhlenberg.
21. HYPOPORUM, N. ab Esend.
Pericynium O. Nor naked, triangular at the base ; the
sides porous, punctate, or sulcate.—Habit of Scleria.
Hypoporum, N. ab Esenb. in Wight’s contrib. p.'70, and
m Linnea 9. p. 303.
Species of Scleria, Wrlld., Nutt., Muhl., &c.
1. HypororumM GRACILE.
Culm filiform, and with the leaves, smooth ; spikelets few,
in a terminal fascicle ; bracts and scales glabrous ; nut ovate,
obtuse, obscurely triangular, smooth, indistinctly ribbed, with
two pores on each side of the triangular base.
Scleria gracilis, Elliott! sk. 2. p. 557.
Culm 1—2 feet high, very slender, triquetrous, nearly naked. Leaves
scarcely half a line wide, 2—4 inches long. Spikelets 3—5 pairs,
closely aggregated, subtended by an erect bracteal leaf 3—4 inches
long, appearing like a continuation of the culm. Sterile spikelet, sessile
within the fertile scales. Stamens 3. Nut about a line and a half long,
white, dull; the sides marked with obtuse longitudinal ribs (which are
sometimes rather obscure) and two oblong pits or pores on each side
near the base. , )
Has. Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman! ; near St. Mary’s,
Georgia, Dr. Baldwin! ; Texas, T. Drummond !
Oss. Mr. Elliott remarks that the nut is polished, and
showing in ‘‘ some specimens” slight longitudinal ribs ; but I
find it to be dull, and almost always distinctly ribbed; and yet
the plant which I have described must be identical with his,
since it agrees with specimens collected by Dr. Baldwin him-
self.
382 North American Cyperacee.
Hyrororum Ba.LpwiIntt.
Culm triquetrous, smooth ; leaves linear, carinate ; spikelets
about 3, in a terminal fascicle ; bracts and scales glabrous ; nut
ovate, obscurely 3-sided, smooth, apiculate ; the base triangu-
lar, destitute of pores.
Culm 2—3 feet high, smooth, or slightly scabrous on the angles to-
wards the summit. Leaves long, narrowly linear, smooth and rather
rigid; the margins minutely scabrous upward. Spikelets about 3, sessile,
glomerate in a terminal fascicle, each subtended by a foliaceous bract-
Sterile spikelet sessile in the upper fertile scale, many-flowered. Sta-
mens 3. Nut (larger than in Scleria triglomerata) white, smooth but
dull, obscurely 3-angled, conspicuously apiculate, raised on a very short
triangular base.
Has. Georgia, Dr. Baldwin!
Ozss. ‘This species has the habit and general appearance
of Scleria triglomerata ; from which, however, it is at once
distinguished by its apiculate nut with a dull white surface,
the absence of a hypogynium, narrower leaves, fewer and
larger spikelets, &c. ‘The particular locality in which Dr.
Baldwin found this species is not recorded. It seems to have
been confounded with Scleria triglomerata.
Hypororum IntERRUpPTUM, N. ab E.
Culm triquetrous, and with the leaves, sparsely and minutely
hirsute ; fascicles 4—6, alternate, sessile, and somewhat distant
so as to form an interrupted spike; scales of the fertile flowers
oval or lanceolate, cuspidate, hispid ; nut smooth, subglobose,
triangular below, each side furnished with a row of very —
minute pores. —
H. interruptum, N. ab Esenb. in Linnea 9. p. 303.
Scleria interrupta, Michz.! fl. 2. p. 167, (not of Willd.?) ; Richard
m acl. soc. nat. hist. Paris (1792), 1. p. 113.
North American Cyperacee. 383
Whole plant pale green, minutely and sparsely hairy. Culm
10—20 inches high, slender. Leaves linear, flat, subacute. Fas-
cicles closely sessile, somewhat remotely and alternately disposed at
the summit of the culm, reflexed when old. Bracts minute and seta-
ceous, sometimes none; that of the lowest fascicle occasionally some-
what foliaceous. Spikelets 4—6 in each fascicle, staminiferous above.
Scales of the fertile flowers hispid, scarious, tawny or purplish, with a
green keel, which is produced into a long and firm cusp; those of the
staminate flowers fascicled, lanceolate or linear, obtuse and pointless,
glabrous. Stamens 3. Nut about half a line in diameter, smooth and ;
shining, minutely apiculate with the base of the style, slightly raised
upon a 3-sided base, each side furnished at its junction with the spheri-+
cal portion with about 7 very minute pores or dots.
Has. Carolina to Florida, Michaux ; New Orleans, T.
Drummond ! and Dr. Ingalls ! ; Middle Florida, Dr. Chap-
man !
Oss. There is some confusion about the synonomy of this
plant, which I have not the means of reconciling. Our plant
is the S. imterrupta of Michaux, as I have ascertained by
examining the specimens in his herbarium ; and in a note ap-
pended to the specific character, that author states his plant to
be identical with a species collected in French Guyana by L.
C. Richard. He does not, however, quote Richard’s paper
in the Transactions of the Nat. Hist. Society of Paris, where
S. interrupta was originally established (which I regret that I
am unable to consult) ; but inasmuch as it is well known that
the collections of Michaux were studied, and in a good degree
described, by Richard himself, who may be supposed to know
his own species, we might rest satisfied of the identity of the
North American and the Guyana plant, were it not that Will-
denow, who seems to know the latter plant, describes it as
having a transversely rugose-verrucose nut, and as very closely
resembling S. verticillata. It is possible, therefore, that
Michaux may have been mistaken, and that our plant is not
the original S. nterrupta. Pursh and Elliott both copy the
Wow: TL. 49
384 North American Cyperacee.
specific phrase of Willendow unaltered, neither of them having
seen the plant.
HypororuM VERTICILLATUM, N. ab E.
Culm filiform, triquetrous, and, with the leaves, glabrous ;
fascicles 4—6, alternate, sessile, rather distant, forming an in-
terrupted spike ;. bracts minute, setaceous ;. nut globose, with
a somewhat triangular base, rugose-verrucose, abruptly api-
culate.
H. verticillatum, N. ab Esenb. in Linnea, 9. p. 303
Scleria verticillata, Muhl. in Willd. sp. 4. p. 317. (excl. syn.) and
gram.! p. 266. (excl. syn.); Elliott, sk. 2. p. 261; Gray! Gram. &
Cyp. part 2. no. 100.
Culm 6—8 inches high, very slender. Leaves linear, very narrow,
flat, shorter than the culm. Fascicles composed of 4—5 very few-
flowered, sessile spikelets, rather distant, alternate, sometimes appear-
ing as if verticillate. Bracts setaceous, about as long as the fascicles,
minutely scabrous upward. Scales of the fertile flowers ovate, glabrous,
purple, with a strong, upwardly scabrous, green keel, which is pro-
duced into a short cusp. Nut a little more than half a line in diameter,
strongly and somewhat rugosely papillose, with a short abrupt mucro-
nation, and an indistinctly 3-sided base, destitute of pores.
Has. Pennsylvania and Carolina, Muhlenberg and Elliott ;
Penn-Yan, New York, Dr. Sartwell !
Ozs. ‘This beautiful little species resembles H. pergracile,
N. ab E., an East Indian species, but is distinguished by its
setaceous bracts, &c.
North American Cyperacee. 385
Trize VII. ELYNEA®.
Fiowers diclinous. Spikes cempound; scales distich-
ously or every way imbricated, each covering a single uni-
sexual or two diclinous florets. Ne proper Perigynium.
Nur commonly rostrate. Sryie 3-cleft.
ELYNA, Schrader.
SPIKE solitary, terminal. Scauzs two-flowered, androgy-
nous. Sca es of the FLorers (squamule) one to each; the
lower or pistillate one next the scale of the spike, enclosing
the base of the narrow and oblique staminate squamula.—
Habit of Carex. Leaves radical, setaceous.
Elyna, Schrader, fl. Germ. 1. p. 155; Lestib. ess. fam.
Cyp. p. 25, no. 10; N. ab Esenb. in Linnea, 9. p. 304.
Species of Kobresia, Willd., Persoon,Schkuhr, &c.
Exyna spicata, Schrader, l. c.
Kobresia scirpina, Willd. sp. 4. p.205; Schkuhr, car. 2. p.1; Pers.
syn. 2. p.534; Wahl. fl. Suec. 2. p. 583; Rich. app. Frankl.
journ. ed. 2. p. 34.
K. filifermis, Dewey ! in Sill. jour. 19, p. 253.
Carex Bellardi, Schkuhr, car. 1. p. 12.t. D.f. 16; Wahl, act. Holm.
(1803), p. 141.
Cespitose. Stems 4 to 12 inches high, erect, smooth. Leaves mostly
radical, scarcely as long as the culm, setaceous. Spike from half an
inch to an inch long, cylindrical, rather loosely flowered below. Scales
of the spike ovate, fuscous; the lowest one usually produced into a short
cusp. Scale of the pistillate floret ovate-lanceolate, loosely enclosing the
nut and the base of the linear-lanceolate staminate scale. Stamens 3.
Style 3-cleft. Nut ovate-oblong, obscurely trigonous, somewhat flat-
tened on one sideand angular on the other, abruptly acuminated into the
style.
386 North American Cyperacee.
Has. Rocky mountains, and barren grounds between
lat. 64° and the Arctic sea, Dr. Richardson !
Ozs. I can perceive no essential difference between Eu- »
ropean specimens of E. sprcata and those from the Rocky
Mountains, from which Prof. Dewey dréw his description of
Kobresia filiformis, except that in very mature specimens of
the American plant the spike is somewhat more loosely
flowered. The name under which the plant is described in
Silliman’s Journal is credited to Dr. Torrey by some mistake.
Trips Vil. CARICEZ:.
FiLowers diclinous. Scauzs of the spikes imbricated on
all sides. Nur wholly enclosed in an urceolate or bottle-
shaped perigynium.*
CAREX, Linn.
SPIKEs one or several, androgynous or unisexual, rarely
dicecious. Stam. Fl. Stamens 3. Pist. Fl. PeEricy-
NiuM bidentate, emarginate or truncate at the apex. STYLE
2 or 3-cleft. Nur lenticular, plano-convex, or triangular,
crowned with the lower portion of the persistent and continuous,
or rarely articulated, style-—Culms triangular, leafy through-
out, or only at the base; spikes terminal or axillary, distant or
approximate, or variously aggregated.
Carex, Linn. gen. pl. no. 1946; Juss. gen. p. 36; Lam’k.
ul. t. 752; Schkuhr, car. 1. p. 1. et tab. mult.; R. Brown,
* The urceolate perigynium of Carex, Uncinia, &c. is considered as
resulting from the union of two scales, like those which enclose the
flowers of Elyna and Kobresia, and not as analogous to the setiform peri-
gynium of Scirpee and Rhynchosporee. In the former case it repre-
sents bracts of the second order; in the latter it may be viewed as a
rudimentary perianth.
North American Cyperacee. 387
prodr. 1. p. 203; Schw. §& Torr. car. m ann. lyc. nat. hist.
New York, 1. p. 284; Dewey, car. in Sill. jour. 7, et seq. ;
N. ab Esenb. in Linnea, 9. p. 305.
Carex & Vignea P. de Beauv. ; Lestib. ess. fam. Cyp. p. 22,
noi. and’ 2.
A. Style 2-cleft ; nut lenticular, or more or less compressed.
—Vienea, P. de Beauv.
1. Spike single.
* Mostly dicecious.
1. C. prorca, Linn.; Schkuhr, car. 1. p. 5; Fl. Dan.
t. 369.
C. Linneana, Schkuhr, car. 2. p. 3. f. 1.
C. parallela, Lested.
C. Redowskiana, Meyer? Cyp. nov. in mem. acad. St. Petersb. (6.
ser.) lL. p. 207. t. 4; Dewey! in Sill. jour. 29. p. 260.
C. nigricans, Dewey ! l.c. p. 249, not of Meyer.
Has. Cumberland House, and Rocky Mountains, Dr.
Richardson !—The form of the fruit varies from ovate to lan-
ceolate, and the hispidness of the margins of the beak is some-
times very slight.
2. C. Exits, Dewey! car. l.c. 14. p. 351. f. 58, and B.
squamacea, /. c.
Has. Massachusetts! and New Jersey !
3. C. LEIocaRPA, Meyer, 1. c. p. 208, t. 5; Bongard !
veg. Sutcha, mn mem. acad. St. Petersh. l. c. 2. p. 168.
Has. Unalaschka, Meyer; Sitcha, Bongard!—A_ 3-cleft
style is observed in some of our specimens.
* * Androgynous.
4. C, capitrata, Linn.; Schkuhr, car. f. 80.
Haz. Rocky mountains and Hudson’s Bay, Dr. Rich-
ardson /
388 North American Cyperacee.
6. ©. micropopa, Meyer, l. c. p. 210. t. 6.
Has. Unalaschka, Meyer.—Allied to C. pulicaris, and
also to C. Pyrenaica and nigricans, from which it differs in
the 3-cleft style, &c.— Meyer.
2. Spikes two or more.
* All androgynous.
+ Staminiferous at the summit.
6. C. cHorporruiza, Ehrhart; Schkuhr, car. f. 31;
Gray ! Gram. ¥ Cyp. part 2. no. 143.
Has. British America! Southern shore of Lake Superior!
and western part of the State of New York!
7. ©. Frutvicoma, Dewey! car. l.c. 29. p. 249.
Has. Seacoast of Arctic America, Dr. Richardson !—
The specimen in my possession from which Prof. Dewey’s
description was drawn does not exhibit the fruit. It appears
very like C. encurva in a young state.
8. C. sTENoPHYLLA, Wahl. act. Holm. ; Sckkuhr, car.
f, 32; Dewey! car. l.c. 29. p. 249.
Has. British America! and Rocky Mountains !—Our
specimens are too young for determining this species satisfac-
torily.
9. C. incurva, Lightfoot, fl. Scot, t. 245 Schkuhr, car.
f.95; Dewey! car. 1. c. 26, p. 276,
Has. Rocky Mountains, T. Drummond !
10. C. pispeRMA, Dewey! car. 1. c. 8. p, 266. f. 35
Schw. §& Torr.! car. l. ¢, p. 303,
Has. Massachusetts! and middle parts of the State of
New York! to sub-Arctic America! and the Rocky Moun-
tains !
North American Cyperacee- 389
i1. C rosra, Schkuhr, car. 2s p. 15. f. 179.
8. retroflexa-
C. retroflexa, Muhl. in Willd. sp. 4. p. 235; Schukhr, car. f- 140.
Py. Terensis.
Has. «and 8. Throughout the United States and. British
America! y. Texas, 7. Drummond!
12. C cepHatorHora, Muhl. m Willd. sp. 4. p. 220;
Schkuhr, car. f. 133.
?®. Spikes 4—8, aggregated into an oblong or cylindrical
head ; scales muticous.
C. muricata 8. cephaloidea, Dewey ! car. l. c. 11. p- 308.
Has. Northern and Middle States! 8. abounds in New
York and Massachussets !—The plant here placed with some
hesitation as a variety of C. cephalophora, is apparently inter-
mediate between that species and C..sparganioides, and is per-
haps a distinct species. It certainly is not C. muricata-
18. C. muricata, Linn., Schkuhr,. car. f. 2235 Willd
sp. 4. p. 234.
C. Hookeriana, Dewey! car. l.c. 29. p. 248.
Has. Near Boston, B. D. Greene, Esq.! ; Carlton House,
Dr. Richardson !—This species is by no means common in
North America, although C. muricata, 8. cephaloidea (here
referred to C. cephalophora) is abundant in the Northern States..
C. divulsa, Good. seems, as remarked by Wahlenberg and
Hooker, to be a mere variety of the present species, differing
in having its spikelets more remote. C. Hookeriana, Dewey,
although a more slender plant, seems not to be a distinct
species.
14. C.sparcaniorpEs, Muhl. in Willd. sp. 4. p. 287;
Schkuhr, car. f. 142.
C. Bosciit, Spreng. syst. 3. p. 812.
390 North American Cyperacee.
Has. Throughout the United States.
15. C. Muntenseret, Schkuhr, car. f.178; Willd. sp.
4. p. 231.
Has. MHudson’s Bay to Kentucky!; also in Texas, T.
Drummond !
16. C. vutPinomwwEa, Michz.! fl. 2. p. 169.
C. stipata, Muhl. in Willd., sp. 4. p. 233; Schkuhr, car. f. 132.
Has. Throughout the United States and British America!
—The specific name of Michaux, being first published, must
of necessity be restored to this species.
17. C. SETACEA, Dewey! car. 1. c. op: 615 t. Zidane
(bad).
Has. Massachusetts! and New York !—Nearly resem-
bling C. multiflora, from which it differs in its rigid and seta-
ceous bracts, and ovate-lanceolate fruit, with very strongly ser-
rulate-ciliate margins.
18. C. muutirLora, Muhl. un Willd. sp. 4. p. 243;
Schkuhr, car. f. 144.
C. bracteosa and polymorpha, Schw.! anal. tab. car. in ann. lye.
nat. hist. New- York.
C. microsperma, Wahl.
Has. Throughout the United States.
19. C.panicuLaTA, Linn. ; Schkuhr, car. f. 20.
8. teretiuscula, Wahl.; Hook. fl. Scot. p. 263; Gray!
Gram. § Cyp. part 2. no. 150.
C. teretiuscula, Good.
?y. decomposita, Dewey! car. 10. p. 276.
C. decomposita, Muhl.! gram. p. 264; Dewey! car. l. c. 25. p-
140. t. S. f. 58.
North American Cyperacee. 391
Has. §. throughout the Northern and Middle States ! and
British America! y. Cherokee country, Muhlenberg ; Michi-
gan, Dr. Folwell !—The var. 8. is by far the most common
form in this country ; and we have even met with no speci-
mens exactly corresponding with C. paniculata of Europe.
Our specimens of the var. y- are not mature; but it seems
hardly to be a distinct species.
+t Staminate and pistillate flowers variously situated.
20. C.siccata, Dewey! car. l.c.10. p. 268; t. F. f..18.
Has. Connecticut! Massachusetts ! Columbia river ! and
Cumberland House!—Near C. intermedia, Good., but distinct.
The nut of this species is flat on one side, and obtusely angled
on the other.
21. CC. BromorpEs, Schkuhr, car. 2. p. 8. f. 176.
Has. Throughout the United States and British America!
west to the Rocky Mountains !—Nut flat on one side, obscurely
angled on the other.
ttt Prstilliferous at the summit.
22. C. rotiacea, Linn.; Willd. sp. 4. p. 337.
C. tenella Schkuhr, car. f. 104.
Has. British America!
23. C. rrispeRMA, Dewey! car. 1. c. 9. p. 63. t. f. 12.
C. quaternaria, Spreng. syst. 3. p. 330.
Has. Northern States and British America! Rocky Moun-
tains !
Vou. ITI. 50
392 North American Cyperacee.
24, G. Deweyana, Schw! anal. tab. l. c.; Schw. & Torr.!
car. l.c. p. 310.
C. remota, Richardson, in app. Frankl. journ. ed. 2. p. 35.
Haz. Northern States and British America! ; west to the
Rocky Mountains !
25. C. renurrLoRA, Wahl.; Schukhr, car. f. 1873
Dewey ! car. 1. €. 28. p. 273.
Has. British America!
26. C. ELoNGATA, Linn. ; Schukhr, car. {. 25; Bongard £
veg. Siteha, l. ce. p. 168.
Has. Sitcha, Bongard /
27. C.sTELLULATA, Good.; Schukhr, car. f. 14.
@. Inflorescence.more or less dicecious ; the pistillate spikes
bearing very few staminate flowers, the staminate spikes more
or less pistilliferous.
C. sterilis, Willd. sp. 4. p. 208; Schkuhr, car. f. 146.3; Muhl.!
gram. p. 217.
v. Somewhat smaller; spikes (especially the uppermost)
with numerous staminate flowers, thus becoming clavate.
C. scirpoides, Schkuhr, car. f. 180; Muhl.! gram. p. 225.
Has. Northern and Middle States! to Arctic America !
west to the Rocky Mountains! ; Sitcha, Bongard !—C. stel-
lulata, sterilis and scirpoides are not distinguished from each
other by any essential and constant characters; numerous inter-
mediate forms being every where found. C-. s¢erilis certainly
differs from the others in its prevailing dicecious habit, or rather
in its tendency to become dicecious ; but the pistillate speci-
mens usually bear more or less staminate flowers at the base
.
North American Cyperacee. 393
of the spikelets, and agree very well with the European C.
stellulata.
28. C. canescens, Linn. fl. Succ. (fide Wahl.) ; Fl. Dan.
t. 285.
C. curta, Good. ; Schkuhr, car. f. 13.
C. Richardi, Michx.! fl. 2. p. 170.
a Spikes large; the whole plant silvery-glaucous when
young.
@. Spikes small, few-flowered ; culm and leaves slender.
Has. Northern States and British America! ; west to the
Rocky Mountains !
29. C. marina, Dewey! car. l. c. 29. p. 248.
Haz. Sea coast of the Arctic Regions, Dr. Richardson!
Very near C. lagopina, Wahl.; but the fruit is not acuminate.
30. C.Carutonia, Dewey! car. 1. c. 56. p. 239.
Hag. British America near Carlton House !—This species
is characterised by Prof. Dewey as tristigmatic, with the upper
spike only androgyous, and is accordingly referred to the
same section with C. hirsuta, &c.: we find, however, only two
stigmas, a lenticular nut, and staminate flowers at the base of
at least two of the spikelets. The habit of the plant, more-
over, is entirely that of the present group ; and indeed though
a taller plant, it is exceedingly near C. maria. The fruit of
€. Carltona is, however, somewhat broader and minutely
striolate.
31. C. uacorina, Wahl. fl. Lapp., § fl. Suec. 2. p. 591.
. leporina, Willd. (not of Linn.).
€. Lachenalii, Schkuhr, car. f. 79.
Has. Rocky Mountains, T. Drummond !—This species,
not previously known as a native of North America, occurs in
394 North American Cyperacee.
my set of the Carices collected in -the several expeditions in
British America. The specimens are mixed with C. petasata,
Dewey, and were apparently obtained at the same locality.
32. C. peTasaTA, Dewey, car. l. c. 29. p. 246.
Has. Rocky Mountains and sub-Arctic America! Dr.
Richardson !
33. C. FEsTIvA, Dewey, car. 1. c. 29; p. 246.
Has. Rocky Mountains and sub-Arctic America, Dr.
Richardson !
34. CC. Leporina, Linn. fl. Suec., not of Michz. & Pursh,
nor of the flora Danica.
C. ovalis, Good. ; Schkuhr, car. f. 8.
Has. Rocky Mountains and sub-Arctic America !
35. C.scoparia, Schkuhr, car. f. 175; Willd. sp. 4.
p- 230.
C. leporina, Michz.! fl. 2. p. 170.
C. Muskingumensis, Schw. ! anal. tab. l. c.
C. arida, Schw. & Torr.! car. l.c. p. 312; t. 24. £. 2.
8. lagopodioides ; spikes 10—15, crowded; the lowest
usually subtended by a long setaceous or foliaceous bract.
C. lagopodioides, Schkuhr, car. f. 177.
Has. Throughout the United States and British America!
The lanceolate fruit characterizes all the forms of this species.
36. C. FEestucacEea, Schkuhr, car. f. 173 ; Willd. sp. 4.
p- 242.
Has. Throughout the United States and British America!
—C. mralibis, Dewey, car. l. c. 30. p. 63. seems to differ
from C. festwcacea chiefly in the spikelets not being elub-
shaped, or in other words, in having very few staminate flowers
North American Cyperacee. 395
at the base of the spikes; a character which we fear cannot be
implicitly trusted in this group of Carices, since we observe
considerable diversity in this respect. We have at present no
specimens of C. mirabilis from the author, and therefore are
unable to decide whether it be entitled to rank as a species.
We have, however, several specimens which correspond with
Prof. Dewey’s description ; but they appear to connect C.
festucacea with the succeeding species.
37. C. cristata, Schw.! anal. tab. 1. c. Schw. & Torr.! _
CAF |e.Co Di dLOayty on ter 1,
Has. Northern and Middle States, and British America !
38. C. stramiIngeA, Schkuhr, car. 1. p. 49, f. 34. &
157 ; Dewey, car. 1. c. 11. p. 157.
8. minor ; slender; spikes smaller ; fruit with an ovate cir-
cumscription, narrowly winged.
C. straminea 8. minor, Dewey! l. c.
Cy, tenera, Dewey ! cer. l..cs Sp.'97 38a 95 t. Cx £29.
y- fenea ; spikes more or less approximate (green) ; fruit
broadly ovate, with a somewhat narrower wing.
C. fenea, Muhl.! gram. p. 227; Schw. & Torr.! car. l.c. p. 318;
Dewey ! car. l. c. 36, p. 142.
Has. United States and British America. &. Northern
States and British America! y. New Jersey! Pennsylvania
and Southern States!—We are not wholly satisfied with
the present arrangement of the perplexing group which
comprises this and the 3 preceding species. ‘The number
should, perhaps, be still further diminished, since, notwith-
standing, the apparent distinctness of these several forms, a
suite of intermediate specimens may readily be collected so as
to exhibit a regular gradation from the narrow fruit of C. sco-
paria to the almost orbicular and broadly-winged fruit of C.
straminea. No dependence can be placed on the presence or
396 North American Cyperacee.
absence of a foliaceous bract at the base of the lowest spike,
since both forms are frequently met with in the same clump.
The following species, although nearly allied to C. straminea,
seems wholly distinct. It is singular that it has been so long
overlooked.
39. CAREX ALATA.
Spikes (large) 4—7, somewhat globose-ovate, approximate,
many (80—100) flowered ; fruit suborbicular, with a short
abrupt acumination, very broadly winged, minutely serrulate-
ciliate on the margin, one-third longer than the lanceolate
mucronate scale ; nut oval, acute at each end, long stipitate.
Culm 3—4 feet high, stout, glabrous. Leaves dark green, flat, 2—3
lines wide. Spikes light green, nearly three-fourths of an inch long,
thick, ovate or subglobose, somewhat attenuate or turbinate at the base
owing to the rather numerous staminate flowers. Fruit nearly 2 lines
broad. Nut elevated on a distinct slender stipe.
Has. Newbern, North Carolina, M7. Croom !; Macon,
Georgia, Dr. Loomis !
40. C. Bicotor, Alliont; Schukhr, car. f. 181; Schw. ¥
Dorr! ered, €.pe ell.
Has. Labrador, Schweanitz !
** Terminal spike androgynous, the others wholly pistillate.
41. C.apuareosa, Wahl.; Schukhr. car. f. 97.
Has. Greenland, Prof. Hornemann !
*** Staminiferous and pistilliferous spikes distinct.
+t Staminate spike mostly single.
42. C. aurea, Nutt. gen. 2. p.205; Schw. § Torr.! car.
1. c. p. 288, t. 25. f. 2.
C. pyriformis, Schw.! anal. tab. 1. ¢.
North American Cyperacee. 397
Has. Northern States and British America! W. to the
Rocky Mountains !
43. C. saxatiis, Linn. fli sucen3>) fl Dan. t..159 5
Schkuhr, car. f. 40.
B. Fertile spikes 2—4, approximate or somewhat remote,
rather loosely flowered ; stigmas sometimes 3.
C. Bigelowii, Torrey! in Schw. anal. tab. l. c.
C. Washingtoniana, Dewey ! car. l. c. 10. p. 272.
C. saxatilis, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 38.
C. nigra, Schw. & Torr.! car. l. c. p. 336.
Has. Arctic America!; Kotzebue’s Sound! §. in hem-
lock woods of Vermont and New Hampshire, Pursh; on
Mount Washington, New Hampshire, Bigelow and Dr. Bar-
ratt!—After a most careful examination, we find but two stig-
mas in all the flowers of our fine suite of specimens of C.
Washingtoniana, collected by Dr. Barratt, on whose specimens
the species was founded. ‘The fruit seems to us rather obtuse
than acute ; and the scales, although somewhat variable, are
mostly as obtuse as in our European forms of C. sazatilis.
We do not hesitate, therefore, to consider the plant a variety
of C. saxatelis. This view is wholly confirmed by an exami-
nation of our numerous specimens of that species from the
North of Europe: those from Norway, Silesia, &c., so closely
resemble the plant from Mount Washington that they can
scarcely be distinguished ; while, on the other hand, specimens
from Lapland, &c., which differ in being somewhat smaller,
in their shorter and more clustered spikes and dark-coloured
fruit, are in all respects similar to these from Arctic America.
These last have much of the aspect, of C. nigra. It cannot
now be doubted that our 8 of this species was really seen by
Pursh, and correctly referred to C. saxatils ; and it is highly
probable that it will hereafter be found in other localities in
the northern portion of New England besides Mount Wash-
ington.
398 North American Cyperacea.
On account of its immaturity, little dependence can be
placed on the single specimen upon which C. Bigelow was
originally established. It was collected many years since by
Dr. Bigelow upon the same mountain, and seems to be a
more slender form of the same plant.
44. C.compacta, f. Brown in Ross. voy. ; Rich. app.
Frankl. journ. ed. 2. p. 35; Dewey! car. l. c. 27. p. 237. t.
5. f. 63.
Has. Arctic America and Rocky Mountains !—We have
never met with the original description of this species.
45. C. mutica, R. Brown im Rich. app, Frankl. journ.
ed. 2. p. 35.
Has. Arctic America, Dr. Richardson !—We have seen
no original specimen of this species. The plant which Prof.
Dewey refers to C. mutica has 3 stigmas in one flower at least,
and appears to us to be C. limosa var. rariflora.
f 46. Carex JAMESII.
Staminate spikes 2, approximate; the lower one much smaller;
fertile spikes 3, thick, oblong-cylindrical, densely flowered ;
the two upper approximate, on short peduncles not sheathed
at the base ; the lowest one arising near the base of the culm,
long peduncled ; fruit about 8-rowed ; perigynium ovate, in-
flated, with a very short, abrupt, bidentate beak, somewhat
exceeding the ovate acute scale.
Whole plant glabrous. Culm about 6 inches high, stout, obtusely
angled. Leaves rigid, broadly linear, shorter than the culm. Stam.
spikes thick ; the upper nearly an inch long, densely flowered, the
lower closely sessile at its base; scales oblong, mostly rather obtuse,
reddish brown, with a whitish midrib. Pst. sprkes about an inch in
length, very thick, densely flowered. Perigynium light brown, glo
bose-ovate, smooth, indistinctly ribbed, much larger than the obovate,
Jenticular nut. Scales brown, with a pale keel.
ey
North American Cyperaceae. 399
Has. Rocky Mountains, Dr. James! collected in Long’s
first expedition. This species, which is somewhat related to
C. pulla, is very different from every other with which we are
acquainted ; and we have therefore given it the present name in
honour of its discoverer, Dr. Edwin James. ‘The stigmas have
wholly fallen in the single specimen collected by Dr. James ;
but the lenticular nut indicates it to belong to the distigmatic
section. It should be observed here, that we have not been
able to consult the description of C. compacta of R. Brown,
which is placed in this group. The C. James? in the analyti-
cal table of Schweinitz, is C. Willdenovit.
47. Carex ScouLERI.
Spikes all on filiform peduncles destitute of sheaths ; fertile
ones 3, oblong-cylindrical ; staminate ones 2, short, attenuate
at each extremity ; fruit exactly orbicular, plano-convex or
lenticular, regularly and minutely striate, erostrate, minutely
apiculate, broader and a little shorter than the dark purple, ovate
scale ; orifice minute, entire.
Whole plant smooth and glabrous. Culm slender, about 18 inches
high. Cauline leaves 2—4 inches long, and scarcely a line wide. Spikes
all somewhat approximate. Bracts setaceous, about the length of the
spikes, not sheathing at the base. Peduncles of the staminate and upper,
pistillate spikes about an inch long; the lower one longer. Stam. spikes
6—S8 lines long; scales obtuse, tawny, with a whitish keel. Pist.
spikes about an inch long, rather densely flowered; the uppermost bear-
ing a few staminate flowers atthe summit. Scales ovate, acute. Fruit
light brown, about a line in diameter, very lightly and regularly striate
longitudinally, convex on one side, nearly flat on the other. Nut round-
ish, flat. Stigmas 2.
Has. Observatory Inlet, on the western shore of America,
Dr. Scouler! (under the name of C. frigida).
Ozs.