B TA XI CAL B UL L E TIX. ■ 39 



gether the material for its thorough working up. A large collection of Carices 

 from all parts of the county is to be made this season and tlien we can hope to do 

 more justice to the subject. As this number of the Bulletin seems to be devoted 

 to the interests of Carex we have thought it would be interesting to put on record 

 such Carices as have been heard from, with a few disconnected notes that have 

 been made when determining them. 



Carex vulpinoidea, Mx.— This is one of our most abundant sedges, probably- 

 standing next to C triceps in that respect. We have found here all the dift'erent 

 varieties, the perigynia varying from broad ovate to lanceolate, and the beak be- 

 coming stropgly serrate. The achenium is a beautiful shape, having the outline 

 of a balloon, as near as I can express it, and on the rounded top of this balloon 

 rests a slender style nearlj- as long as the achenium and plainly thickened at base. 

 C. stipata, Muhl. This has a wonderful look like C. vulpinoidea, but a little exam- 

 ination shows it to be different in many points. Its perigynia are lanceolate, 

 although the other has that form occasionally, more strongly nerved, longer and 

 rougher beaked, and the style is tioice the length of the achenium. 



C. sparganiuides, Muhl. The narrow margin of the perigynium of this species 

 is very sharply toothed. 



C. cepknlophora, Muhl. We have this species with its short ovoid head of 

 spikes, its perigynia with 3 or 4 indistinct nerves on one side, but the stjle is as 

 short and bulbous as in C. Muhlenbergii. 



C. Muhlenbergii, Schk. var. enervis. Boott. Very little of the typical form has 

 been found unless 3 or 4 nerves mean ''many-nerved." We have tlie oblong head 

 of bracted spikes, the short-beaked perigynia and the very short bulbous style, but 

 in none have I been able to count more than 3 or 4 nerves on each side of the peri- 

 gynium. A characteristic that might well be noted is tliat the bristle-shaped bract 

 subtending the lowest spike is vei-y much elongated, sometimes being 3 times the 

 length of the head. 



C. rosea, Schk. has been found in considerable abundance in damp woods. 



C. scoparia, Schk. — This is found every where in meadows and is very easily 

 distinguished by its chaffy-looking, straw-colored spikes. When the perigynium 

 is looked at by transmitted light the membranaceous wing, with its fringe of spiny 

 points, comes out strong and is translucent, containing one and sometimes two 

 dark-looking nerves. In my sijecimens tlie style is three times as long as tl)e 

 achenium and the stalk but one-half shorter. 



C. Buxbaumii, Wahl. is one of the most graceful of our Carices. The scale is not 

 all brown-purple, but two or three nerves, looking like a broa'l miilrib, run be- 

 tween the dark purple sides in a liglit green band and are continued into a long 

 awn which is two or three times as long as the lower part. 



C. gracillirna, Schw. A most beautiful sedge. It may be owing to poor drying, 

 but the perigynia in all mj' specimens are ligiit brown instead of green. The 

 white scales are all short awned. In all the specimens found the uppermost spike 

 bore at the apex 4 — 6 fertile flowers. 



C. virescens, Muhl. In some of its forms this species looks like the next, but a 

 glance through the glass at its perigynia, looking like little chesnut burs, even 

 when mature, does away with all thoughts of resemblance. The bright, transpa- 

 rent scale has running through it a strong green midrib terminating in a rigid, 

 cuspidate, rough point. 



C. triceps, Michx. Of all Carices this is by far the most abimdant here. It 

 covers the ground for acres and the young collector here is apt to find half of his 

 collection of Carices C. triceps and the other half C. laxiflora. We find here both 

 . the very hirsute and nearly smooth varieties. 



C digitalis, Willd. is rather rare. In the specimens collected tlie leaves are 

 twice as long as the culms and the whole plant resembles some forms of C. laxi- 

 flora. 



