Box 15, Folder 11: Grass like Plants of Wisconsin, 1855

21. Eleocharis Intermedia Schultes. Syn. E. reclinata, Kunth. Scirpus intermedius Muhl.

Culms capillary, wiry, diffuse or reclining, angular and sulcate; spike oblong-ovate, acutish loosely 10 to 18 flowered; scales oblong, obtuse, green-keeled, the sides purplish brown; bristles 6, longer than the achenium; style 3 cleft; achenium mostly obovoid, with a narrowed base, beaked with a slender conical awl shaped distinct tubercle. Culms 6 to 12 inches long. Flowers in July.

Wet places, particularly in shallow water; Ohio and Michigan. Extends south to Kentucky.

22 [21] Eleocharis tenuis, Schultes.

Syn. S. elliptica Kunth. Scirpus tenuis Willd.

Culms almost capillary, erect, sharply four angled; spike elliptical acutish, 20 to 30 flowered; scales ovate obtuse; achenium obovate strongly pitted; tubercle small depressed; bristles 2 to 3, half the length of the achenium. Culms about one foot high. Flowers in July.

Bogs and wet prairies. Milwaukee, Wisconsin; also in Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan. Extends south to Kentucky. Plate I fig. 7 a the spike; b a flowe; c the scale; d section of the culm From the experiments of Prof. Emmons on this species, gathered from a swamp in June, while in flower, it appears that it contained

Water 38.24 percent Dry hay 61.76 " " The hay contained Organic Matter 95.69 percent Ash 4.31

On comparing these results with those obtained for Timothy (Phleum pratense) it will be seen that the Eleocharis contains

much less water, or it is more dry, and that it yields about two per cent less of ash when burned.

The following table shows the result of the analyses of the two species, placed side by side so that the reader can more readily compare the one with the other

S Eleocharis Phleum Silica 27.00 41.65 Phosphates 16.80 16.93 Carbonate of lime 5.45 .20 Magnesia .10 .50 Potash 1.61 30.76 Soda 24.12 1.02 Chlorine 3.36 Soluble silica 1.00 .20 Sulphuric acid 11.88 4.13 Carbonic acid .71 Chloride of sodium 2.49 Organic matter 5.26 Loss 2.71 2.12 100.00 100.00

[23] 22 Eleocharis Compressa Sullivant.

Culms flat, strongly striate, slender, erect; spike ovate-oblong,-20 to 30 flowered; scales lanceolate-ovate acute, dark purple with a broad white margin, the summit two-cleft; achenium obovate=pear shaped, obtusely 3 angled, obscurely wrinkled, crowned with a small globular conical tubercle; bristles none. Culms about 18 inches high, growing in tufts from running root stocks.

Central Ohio-(Wm. S. Sullivant) & Southern Illinois Dr [Englemann?] Found also in Louisiana by the late Dr. Carpenter.

La!

24 Eleocharis acicularis, Robert Brown.

Syn. Scirpus acicularis, Linn. S. trichodes Muhl S. capillaceus, Mx. Scirpidium aciculare & chaetocyperus acicularis, Nees.

Culms finely capillary, quadrangular; spikes 3 to 8 flowered; scales ovate-oblong obtuse; achenium ovate-oblong, rather acute at each end, sub-triangular, ribbed, transversely striate; tubercle conical-triangular. Culm from 2 to 8 inches high. Flowers in June.

About muddy wet places, margins of ponds and swamps, especially on clay soil. From Milwaukee to the St Croix river in Wisconsin; also in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.

Plate I fig 8 -- a the spike; b, a flower; c the scale; d. the cells and their markings highly magnified

Extends south to Florida; a native also of Europe.