SEDGE FAMILY 



317 



86. Carex filifolia Nutt. 



Thread-leaved Sedae. 



Fig. 



762. 



Carex filifolia Xutt. Gen. N. Am. PI. 2: 204. 1818. 

 Kobresia globiilaris Dewey, Am. Journ. Sci. 29: 253. 1836. 

 Uncinia brciiscta Torr. Ann. Lye. N. V. 3: 428. 1836. 



Densely cespitose, the culms slender and wiry, 8-30 cm. high, 

 obtusely triangular, smooth, the basal sheaths usually strongly fila- 

 mentose. Leaf-blades acicular, 0.25-0.5 mm. wide ; spike androgynous, 

 bractless. 1-2 cm. long, 3^ mm. wide, the upper half staminate, 

 the lower with 5-10 erect-ascending perigynia ; pistillate scales very 

 broadly obovate, very obtuse or mucronulate, concealing perigynia, 

 brownish with very conspicuous shining white hyaline margins ; 

 perigynia obovoid-orbicular, obtusely triangular, 2-ribbed but other- 

 wise nerveless, 3 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, puberulent, round-tapering 

 at base, abruptly narrowed into a stoutish obliquely cut beak, 0.4 

 mm. long, which is hyaline at orifice : achenes triangular, closely 

 enveloped ; stigmas 3 ; rhacheola usually developed. 



Plains and ridges. Arid Transition Zone; Saskatchewan to Yukon, south to 

 Texas. Xew Mexico, and eastern Oregon. Type locality: dry plains and hills 

 of the Missouri River. 



87. Carex gigas (Holm) Mackenzie. 

 Siskiyou Sedge. Fig. 763. 



Carex scirpoidea gigas Holm, Am. Journ. Sci. IV. 18: 20. 1904. 

 Carex gigas Mackenzie, Bull. Torrey Club 35: 268. 1908. 



Rootstocks densely matted, stout, the culms stoutish, 3-4.5 dm. 

 high, phyllopodic, roughened above, reddened and somewhat fila- 

 mentose at base. Leaves 5-10 to a culm, the blades flat, 2.5 mm. 

 wide, the sheaths brownish tinged and minutely puberulent ven- 

 trally. Culms dioecious, the spikes normally solitary; staminate 

 spike not seen; pistillate spike linear, 1.5-2.5 cm. long, 4-6 mm. 

 wide, with a bract 2-4 cm. long inserted 1-3 cm. below, its sheath 

 slightly sheathing and often with a smaller peduncled spike in its 

 axil ; scales about length of perigynia, oblong-ovate, glabrous, 

 brownish with lighter midrib and narrow hyaline margins ; peri- 

 gynia numerous, black, 3 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, minutely puberulent 

 above and pubescent on the angles, the body broadly oval, flattish, 

 rounded at base, rounded at apex and very abruptly contracted into 

 the minute bidentate beak 0.5 mm. long; achenes triangular, 2 mm. 

 long ; stigmas 3. 



Mountains of Siskiyou County, California, reported at elevations of 6800- 

 8000 feet; Transition Zone. Type locality: Mount Eddy, California. 



88. Carex scabriuscula Mackenzie. 

 Cascade Sedge. Fig. 764. 



Carex scabriuscula ^Mackenzie, Bull. Torrey Club 35: 268. 1908. 



Rootstocks short-creeping stout, the culms phyllopodic, stout- 

 ish, about 3 dm. high, roughened above, somewhat reddened at 

 base. Leaves 5-10 to a culm, the blades flat. 2-3 mm. wide, 

 brownish tinged and minutely puberulent ventrally. Culms dio- 

 ecious, the spikes normally solitary ; staminate spike not seen ; 

 pistillate spike linear, 1.5-4 cm. long, 4-8 mm. wide with a bract 

 2^ cm. long inserted 1-3 cm. below, often with a smaller pe- 

 duncled spike in its axils ; scales shorter than perigynia, oblong- 

 ovate, glabrous, brownish-black with lighter midvein and narrow 

 hyaline margins ; perigynia numerous, black, 4-4.5 mm. long. 

 1.5 mm. wide, minutely puberulent and pubescent on the angles 

 above, the body lanceolate, tlattish, rounded at base, tapering 

 at apex into the minute entire beak 0.5 mm. long; achenes tri- 

 angular, 2 mm. long; stigmas 3. 



Known onlv fror 

 Type: {Cusick'2849.) 



the Cascade Mountains, Oregon; Transition Zone. 



