THE GENUS CAREX IN CALIFORNIA 



A MONOGRAPH OF THE CALIFORNIA SPECIES 

 OF THE GENUS CAREX 



BY 



KENNETH K. MACKENZIE 



CAREX L. Sedge. 



Grass-like sedges, perennial by rootstocks. Culms mostly triangular, often 

 strongly phyllopodic or aphyllopodic. Leaves 3-ranked, the upper (bracts) elongate 

 or short, and subtending the spikes of flowers or wanting. Plants monoecious or 

 sometimes dioecious; flowers solitary in the axils of scales (glumes). Spikes one to 

 many, either wholly pistillate, wholly staminate, androgynous or gynaecandrous, 

 sessile or peduncled, the base of the peduncle often with a perigynium-like or spathe- 

 like organ (clado-prophyllum) surrounding it. Perianth none. Staminate flowers of 

 three (or rarely two) stamens, the filaments filiform. Pistillate flowers of a single 

 pistil, with a style and two or three stigmas. Style either (1) jointed with the apic- 

 ulate-tipped or rounded achene and withering and at length deciduous, or (2) con- 

 tinuous with achene, persistent, indurated and not withering. Achene 3-angled, 

 lenticular or plano-convex, completely surrounded by the perigynium or rarely 

 rupturing it in ripening. Rhacheola occasionally developed. Species more than 

 1000, all continents, but least developed in the tropics. (The classical Latin name, 

 sometimes derived from the Greek, to cut, referring to the sharp leaf-blades of some 

 species.)* 



*A11 specimens cited have been examined. They are to be found in one or another of the following 

 collections: Smithsonian Institution; University of California; Stanford University (including herbaria 

 of S. B. Parish and W. R. Dudley) ; New York Botanical Garden; Harvard University; Ezra Brainerd; 

 K. K. Mackenzie. 



Much work remains to be done before there can be a full or complete understanding of the 

 genus as developed in California. At the present time out of the 123 species recorded from the state 

 24 are known from but one collection and 5 more from but two collections. And in addition there 

 is a considerable number of species recorded from adjoining states which have not yet been recorded 

 from California. 



In the bibliography will be found references to the papers of authors who have given any 

 particular attention to Carex in California and also to a few general articles of special value. 



The drawings are all original and were prepared under the direction of W. L. Jepson. 



