CYPERACEAE. 79 



than the stems; bracts short, the lower about equalling the inflorescence; 

 spikes 14, the upper staminate ; pistillate spikes sessile or the lower one stalked, 

 erect; perigynia ovoid, narrowed at each end, faintly nerved, beakless, pale; 

 scales ovate, obtuse, brownish, shorter than the perigynia. 



In bogs, Alaska to Oregon. Port Renfrew, Vancouver Island, Brand & 

 Rosendahl. 



Carex californica Bailey. Glabrous; stems arising from stout rootstocks, 

 erect, 30-40 cm. high, sharp-angled, smooth, the leafless basal sheaths purple; 

 leaves flat, narrow, 2 mm. wide; bracts sheathing, the lowest not equalling the 

 stem; spikes 2 cr 3, the upper 1, rarely 2, staminate; pistillate short-peduncled, 

 2-3 cm. long; perigynia green, oblong-ovoid, each with a short entire beak; 

 scales brownish, mostly obtuse, shorter than the perigynia; stigmas 3. 



Rare. Skamania County, Washington, Suksdorf, to Mendocino County, 

 California. 



Carex aurea Nutt. Stems arising from long horizontal rootstocks, 10-30 

 cm. high; leaves flat, pale green, 3-4 mm. wide, usually overtopping the stems; 

 bracts mostly exceeding the stem; spikes 3-6, all stalked, the uppermost stam- 

 inate and linear, or rarely androgynous, the rest pistillate, narrowly cylindrical, 

 loosely flowered, 1-3 cm. long; perigynia globose, very minutely beaked, red- 

 dish when mature, strongly nerved; scales brownish, ovate, obtuse, acute or 

 cuspidate, mostly shorter than the perigynia. 



In low meadows, not common. 



Carex celsa (Bailey) Piper n. comb. ( C. aurea celsa Bailey; C. hassei 

 Bailey.) Very similar to C. aurea; spikes rather compactly flowered; perigynia 

 obovoid, faintly nerved, short-stipitate, beakless; scales ovate, mostly obtuse, 

 brown with a pale midrib, shorter than the perigynia. 



In wet meadows, not common. Very similar to the European C. bicolor 

 All. 



Carex sitchensis Prescott. ( C. howellii Bailey.) Glabrous; stems stout, 

 12 m. high, rough angled; leaves 5 mm. broad, nearly as long as the stems; 

 sheaths becoming brown and papery; staminate spikes 2 or 3, erect, peduncled; 

 pistillate spikes 3-5, cylindric, densely flowered, 5-10 cm. long, usually cernu- 

 ous, peduncled, the upper ones often staminate at top; perigynia elliptic, 

 granular, nerved, each narrowed into a short entire beak; scales linear-lance- 

 olate, a little longer than the perigynia, acuminate, brown with a white hyaline 

 tip. 



Near the ocean coast in marshes, Alaska to Oregon. 



Carex cryptocarpa C. A. Mey. Somewhat tufted, glabrous; stems 30-90 

 cm. high, sharp-angled, rough above; leaves flat, 2-5 mm. broad, shorter than 

 the stems; spikes 35, all more or less drooping on slender peduncles; staminate 

 spikes 2 or 3; pistillate spikes mostly staminate at apex, 25 cm. long; perigynia 

 elliptic or oval, scabrous on the margins above, straw-colored, each with a short 

 entire beak; scales dark, oblong-lanceolate, acute, much longer than the 

 perigynia. 



Abundant in marshes near the seashore. 



Carex magnifica Dewey. Tufted, glabrous; stems stout, very sharp-angled 

 and rough, 1-1.5 m. high; leaves pale, harsh and stiff, strongly keeled, 3-6 

 mm. broad; spikes 5-7, dark purple, usually ascending, 2-6 cm. long; upper 

 one or two wholly staminate, the others mainly pistillate but usually staminate 

 at top; perigynia firm, brownish, nearly orbicular, nerveless, very short beaked, 

 2.5 mm. long; scales dark purple, acute, much longer than the perigynia. 



Very common especially in the marshes near the seashore. In most 

 botanical works it has been taken for the very different C. sitchensis Prescott. 



