Fig. 283: Carex dehilis: a, top of plant, X ">/>; 

 (Courtesy of R. K. Godfrey). 



b, scale, X 7; c, perigynium, X 7. 



76. Carex debilis Michx. Fig. 283. 



Loosely tufted perennial; culms 15-60 cm. long, 0.6-1 mm. thick, basally with 

 reduced blades and purplish red sheaths; cauline leaves 2-4 mm. broad, ascend- 

 ing, pale-green, membranous; spikes 4 or 5 per culm, the terminal one (rarely the 

 terminal 2) staminate in Texas material (some non-Texan specimens have g>'ne- 

 candrous terminal spikes), 2-5 cm. long, about I mm. thick, erect or often nod- 

 ding on a peduncle 2-5 cm. long, the scales stramineous-hyaline; the remaining 

 spikes pistillate, nodding on slender flexuous peduncles 2-5 cm. long, crowded 

 or the lower ones usually remote, 3-6 cm. long, 4-6 mm. thick, with 12 to 25 

 ascending perigynia which are usually close enough to overlap a little (except the 

 lowermost); lower bract long-sheathing, foliaccous, the blade 1-2 mm. broad and 

 often equaling or surpassing the pistillate spike; scales subulate, hyaline, incon- 

 spicuous, about half as long as the perigynia and deciduous with them; perigynia 

 narrowly fusiform, in transection nearly round when fresh, 6-9 mm. long, 1.2-1.7 

 mm. thick, stramineous-brown, membranous, inflated, with 2 strong nerves and 

 10 to 18 weak slender ones, long-tapered basally and apically and passing into a 

 beak about 1 mm. long and very deeply bidentate; achene triangular with concave 

 sides and thickened angles 2 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, stipitatc, apiculatc, jointed 

 with the style which entirely withers after anthesis. 



Near brooks and in low poorly drained pinewoods, swampy woods, along slug- 

 gish streams in Okla. (McCurtain Co.) and in e. and s.e. Tex. (Cass. Cherokee. 

 Hardin, Nacogdoches, Panola and Polk cos.), Apr.-May; e. temp. N.A., w. to 

 Wise, Mo. and Tex. 



552 



