om %. Mertensii Prescott. —>Caespitose and short stoloniferous, : 
_ the culms 50-100 om. tall, blades flat, smooth or slightly roughened, then 
4-9 mm. widej, sharply angled, rough; spikes gracefully drooping and 
prevailingly pistillate and usually mixed, the staminate flowers ocourirg 
either at the base or at the tip of the spike, sametimes sane spikes 
wholly staminate, either terminal or lateral in which cage they are slender, 
about 1 mm. long ani 2-3 mm. thick, the scales thin and membranous, the 
pistillate or mixed spikes prevailingly ovoid-cylincrical, 1-4 am. long, 
8-10 mme thick, rounded at both ends, on slender peduncles, the upper or 
all sometimes crowled, the lower remote; bracts not Sheathing, ex@eeding 
the inflorescence and drooping; scales oblong, mostly acute, 5-5 mm. long, 
usually deep purple with green midribs, sometimes pale brown; perigynia 
pale green,becoming tan color, broadly ovate, very thin end flat, 5-6.5 wm. 
long, faintly 3-veined, mimtely beaked, the beak subentire. | 
A handsome species very characteristic of subalpine streams and pes 
__ lake seven, rentiiy distinguished by the drooping’ plunp spikes. om | 
. 
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es AER erat AD nde ae 
Ce montanensis Bailey. ———-> Tufted, the rootstocks 
(Hy elongated and tough, the culms slender, erect, 15-350 am. tall, 
, smooth; leaf-blades 2-3 mm. wide, soft, somewhat roughened, purplish 
q toward the base, the lowermost scalelike; spikes all deep purple, the 
terminal ones staminate, 8-12 mm. long, erect, tapering below the 
middle, the lateral ones pistillate, 2-3, drooping, 10-18 mm. longs, 
4-5 mms thick; lowermost bracts about equal to the inflorescence, 
sheathing at the base for 2-10 mm.; scales deep reddish purple, paler 
towards the margins, 3.5-4 mm. long, nerrowly ovate, subacute, narrower 
than the perigynia; perigynia deep reddish purple, paler towavds tne 
margins, ovate, 4 mm. long, mimtely beakéd, | 
Fish Lake 6700-6800 ft., on moist slopes, Epling and Houck 9824 . 
ee 
(50: C. atratiformis Britt. -—>Culms 30-60 om. tall, slender, 
' roughened in the upper parts, much longer than the leaves; leaf@ = / 
blades flat, 3-4 mm. wide, sanewhat roughened; spikes dark brow, more 
or less nodding, the terminal one either staminate or both staminate and 
pistillate, the staminate flowers then at the base of the spike, the 
lateral spikes 3-4, pistillate, 10-18 mm. long, 5-6 mm. thick, at least 
the lower on graceful slender stalks, all crowded towards the tip; lower~ 
most bract usually longer than the inflorescence; scales ovate, 3-3.5 
mme long, abruptly and shortly acuminate » dark purple-brown throughout . 
their margins thin; perigynia 3.5 mm. long, obovate, dark purple-brown, 
dull, minutely beaked, the beak subentireys > 
Fish Lake, 6000 ft., Epling and Houck 9594. 
