CYPERACEAE (SEDGE FAMILY) 



53 a Perigynia with the beak bent outward, strongly nerved 



LOOSE-FLOWERED SEDGE. (C. laxiflbra.) 

 b Perigynia with a straight beak, faintly nerved, rusty 



color when mature. .SLENDER-STALKED SEDGE. (C. tennis.) 



54 a All pistillate spikes slender-stalked and pendulous when 



mature 55 



b Only the lowest pistillate spikes slender-stalked and pen- 

 dulous when mature 57 



55 a Pistillate spikes 2-3, entire spike rather loosely-flowered; 



perigynia light-green, slightly inflated 



DROOPING SEDGE. (C. prdsina.) 

 b Pistillate spikes 3-5, entire spike rather densely-flowered 56 



56 a Mature perigynia nerveless, greenish; spikes appear 



fringed FRINGED SEDGE. (C. crinlta.) 



b Mature perigynia strongly nerved, brown 



MEADOW SEDGE. (C. granularis.) 



57 a Plant very leafy, the leaves rough; perigynia green- 



ish-brown, hairy ROUGH SEDGE. (C. scabrdta.) 



b Plants not completely as in a 58 



58 a Plant rather dark green; pistillate spikes densely- 



flowered throughout, greenish-purple 



TUSSOCK SEDGE. (C. stricta.) 

 b Plants light green; pistillate spikes loosely-flowered 



at the base 59 



59 a Pistillate spikes more or less clustered; perigynia nerve- 



less, greenish WATER SEDGE. (C. aqudtilis.) 



b Pistillate spikes scattered on the stem; perigynia faintly 



or strongly nerved 60 



60 a Leaves usually more than V in. broad 



RIVER BANK SEDGE. (C. ripdria.) 

 b Leaves less than ^4 in. broad 61 



61 a Mature perigynia light green, obscurely nerved; pistil- 



late spikes 1-3 in. long . . . .DROOPING SEDGE. (C. prdsina.) 

 b Mature perigynia brown, prominently nerved; pistillate 



spikes %-i in. long MEADOW SEDGE. (C. granularis.) 



62 a All spikes i-iz-flowered, somewhat scattered on the 



stem ; stems very slender 63 



b Some spikes or spikelets i5-5o-flowered, variously ar- 

 ranged 64 



63 a Spikes v-6-nowered; perigynia plump, many nerved 



SOFT-LEAVED SEDGE. (C. tenella.) 

 b Spikes 4-9-flowered ; perigynia reflexed at maturity 



REFLEXED SEDGE. (C. retroflexa.) 



c Spikes 5-i2-flowered ; perigynia spreading in all direc- 

 tions STELLATE SEDGE. (C. rbsea.) 



9 139 



