SEDGE FAMILY 285 



Scales shorter and narrower than pcrigynia, the latter therefore conspicuous in the spikes." 

 Spikes about two or three, not capitate; many scales little more than half length of peri- 



gynia at maturity. . 53. C. dai'yi. 



Spikes six to twelve, capitate; scales equaling bodies of perigynia. 



54. C. specifica. 

 Perigynia ovate or broader, or if lanceolate shorter than 5.5 mm. in length. 



A. Perigynia appressed, nearly or entirely covered by scales, the beaks not conspicuous in 



the spikes. 

 Culms slender; head flexuous or moniliform. 



Scales light reddish-brown-tinged. 55. C. praticola. 



Scales chestnut-brown-tinged. 56. C. piperi. 



Culms and head stiff; spikes approximate. 



Culms 1-6 dm. high, the leaves not bunched near the base; blades 2-3 mm. wide, flat; 



beak of perigynium not hyaline at orifice. 57. t. tracyi. 



Culms 1-3 dm. high, the leaves bunched near the base; blades 1.5-2 mm. wide, more or 

 less involute; beak of perigynium hyaline at orifice. 

 Perigynium oblong-ovate, rather sharply margined. 58. t". phaeocephala. 



Perigynium linear-lanceolate, very narrowly margined, boat-shaped. 



^^ 59. C. leporinella. 



B. Upper part of perigynia conspicuous in the spikes, not covered by the scales. 



(1) Perigynia with thinnish submembranaceous walls. 

 * Perigynia thin, save where distended by achene. 



Perigynia 3.5-5 mm. long; culms slender. 



Perigynia lance-ovate, very narrowly margined, spreading. 



60. C. microptera. 



Perigynia ovate, strongly margined, appressed. 61. C. fcstk-ella. 



Perigynia 4.5-6 mm. long; culms low, ascending or decumbent. 



62. C. ntibicola. 



** Perigynia plano-convex, abruptly short-beaked with conspicuous raised nerves on inner 

 face at maturity. 

 Spikes densely capitate; perigynia conspicuously hyaline-tipped. 



63. t. abnipta. 

 Spikes more or less strongly separate; perigynia reddish-tipped. 



64. C. marxposana. 



(2) Perigynia plano-convex with thick firm walls; nerveless or inconspicuously nerved on 



inner face (except in C. Harfordii and C. Montereyensis). 

 Perigynia very small, 2.5-3.5 mm. long. 



Margins of perigynia entire (or very obscurely subserrulate). 



65. C. Integra. 

 Margins of perigynia strongly serrulate. ... , 



Culms slender; leaf-blades deep green, 1-2.5 mm. wide; perigynia loosely ap- 

 pressed or spreading-ascending. 66. t. tcneracformis. 

 Culms stiff; leaf-blades light green, 2-3.5 mm. wide; perigynia closely ap- 

 pressed. 67. C. subfusca. 

 Perigynia 3.5 mm. or more in length. 



Perigynia beaks at tip and scales brownish or blackish-tinged. 



68. C. pachystachya. 

 Perigynia beaks at tip and scales reddish- or reddish-brown-tinged. 



Pe'rigynia beaks and scales little reddish-brown-tinged; lower bracts at least 



stronglv amplectant. 69. C amplectens. 



Perigynia beaks and scales strongly reddish-ibrown-tinged; lower bracts not 

 strongly amplectant. 

 Perigynia strongly nerved ventrally. 



Sterile shoots not conspicuous; lower bladeless sheaths short; culnis slen- 

 der; scales mostly acute, reddish brown. 70. C. harfordii. 

 Sterile shoots numerous, elongate; lower bladeless sheaths very long; 

 culms verv slender; scales cuspidate or short-awned, yellowish brown. 



71. C. montereyensis. 

 Perigynia nerveless or obscurely nerved ventrally. 



Perigynia obscurely nerved dorsally. 



Culms slender; lower spikes more or less strongly separate; scales not 

 conspicuously hyaline-margined; perigynia 3.5-4 mm. long. 



72. C. preslu. 



Culms stiff; spikes densely capitate; scales conspicuously white- 

 hvaline-margined; perigynia 5 mm. long. 73. C. pachycarpa. 



Perigyriia with prominent raised nerves dorsally. 



Spikes strongly capitate; blades averaging 2.5-3 mm. wide; culms 



3.5-12 dm. high. 74. t. sub-bracteata. 



Spikes not capitate, the head slender; blades averaging 1.5-2 mm. 

 wide; culms 1-6 dm. high. 

 Culms slender: leaves not clustered, the blades 0.5-2 dm. long; 



spikes with 10-20 perigynia. 75. C. graahor. 



Culms stiff; leaves clustered, the blades short; spikes with few 

 perigynia. 76. C. paucifnictus. 



17. Canescentes 



Spikes androgynous; pergynia unequally bi-convex. 77. C. disperma. 

 Spikes gvnaecandrous; perigynia plano-convex. 



Perigynia broadest near middle; beak short, smooth or moderately serrulate. 



Plant glaucous; leaf-blades 2-4 mm. wide; spikes many-flowered; perigynia appressed-ascending, 



scarcely beaked, with emarginate or entire orifice. . 78. C canescens. 



Plant not glaucous; leaf-blades 1-2.5 mm. wide; spikes fewer-flowered; perigynia loosely spreading, 



distinctly beaked with minutely bidentate orifice. 79. C. brunnescens. 



Perigynia ova'te, broadest near base; beak conspicuous, strongly serrulate. 80. C. arcta. 



18. Phyllostachy.ae. 



Represented by one species in our area. S^- ^- saximontana. 



19. POLYTRICHOIDEAE. 



Represented by one species. 8-- ^- l^Pt<''^<^- 



20. FiRMICULMES. 



Not stoloniferous; culms smooth, terete; leaf-blades 1.5 mm. wide; bracts very long-awned. , 



83. C. multtcauhs. 



Stoloniferous; culms very rough, triangular; leaf-blades 2-3.5 mm. wide; bracts not very long-awned. 



84. C. gey en. 



