CYPERACE^. (sKDCiE FAMILY.) 537 



the spike, often leafy ; otherwise like the last. — Shady woods, North Carolina, 

 and northward. — Plant deep green. 



B. Spikes two or more. (In No. 25 oftencr solitary ) 



* Terminal spike steiile below {often wholly so in Nos. 26 and .35), Jlrtile ahoce, the 



others ch iefly fertile. 



+- Perigynia inflated, contracted into a long and slender beak. 



25. C. squarrosa, L. Spikes l -4, oval, thick (^' -%'), ereet, peduncled ; 

 perigynia horizontal, obovate, smooth, 3-ncrved, abruptly contracted into a long 

 subulate smooth 2-cleft beak, longer than the lanceolate acute scale. — Swamps 

 and meadows, near the mountains, Georgia, and northward. — Culms 8'- 1 6' high, 

 shorter than the linear leaves and bracts. 



26. C Stenolepis, Torr. Spikes 4-7, the terminal one small, often 

 wholly sterile or fertile, the others cylindrical, erect, dense-flowered, the upper 

 ones approximate and nearly sessile, the lower scattered, on exserted peduncles ; 

 perigynia horizontal, contracted into a long and slender 2-cleft beak, shorter than 

 the awn-like scales. — Swamps and meadows, upper districts of Georgia to Missis- 

 sippi, and northward. — Culms 1°-1^° high, flexuous above, shorter than the 

 broad leaves and bracts. 



■I- -1- Perigynia healdess. 



*+ Spikes approximate, ovoid or cylindrical, dense-flowered, sessile, or on short and 

 erect peduncles : bracts short. 



27. C. Buxbaumii, Wahl. Spikes 3-4, oblong, the upper one pedun- 

 cled, the others sessile or nearly so ; perigynia whitish, smooth, elliptical, com- 

 pressed-3-angled, obtuse and emarginate at the apex, commonly shorter than the 

 ovate acute or awn-pointed blackish scale. — Mountains of Georgia, and north- 

 ward — Culms 1°-1t° high, rough above, longer than the narrow glaucous 

 leaves. 



28. C. hirsuta, Willd. Spikes 2-4 (mostly 3), sessile or nearly so, ovoid 

 or oblong, many-flowered ; perigynia pubescent or at length smoothish, ovate, 

 compressed-3-angled, strongly nerved, obtuse and emarginate at the apex, about 

 as long as the oblong mucronate white scale. — Damp soil, Florida to Missis- 

 sippi, and northward. — Culms erect, l°-lj° high, rough-angled, and, like the 

 narrow leaves and sheaths, more or less pubescent. 



29. C. triceps, Michx. ' Spikes 3-4, ovoid or oblong, sessile, few-flow- 

 ered ; perigynia smooth, round-pear-shaped, obscurely angled, faintly nerved, 

 contracted into a short and entire point, as long as the oblong obtuse or barely 

 pointed white scale. — North Carolina {Curtis), Tennessee, and northward. — 

 Culms 1° high, very slender. Leaves and sheaths smooth. 



30. C. virescens, Muhl. Spikes 2-3, cylindrical, short-pedunded, dense- 

 ly many-flowered ; perigynia small, pubescent, ovoid, strongly nerved, 3-angled, 

 acute and entire at the apex, as long as the ovate mucronate white scale. — Low 

 grassy meadows, North Carolina, and northward. — Culms l<'-2° high, rough. 

 Leaves and sheaths hairy. 



