534 CTPERACE^. (sedge FAMILY.) 



••- ••- Spikes 4-10, disposed in a simple spike or head, or (in No. 6) the lowest ones 



compound. 



6. C. sparganioides, Muhl. Spikes 6- lO, ovoid, the upper ones crowd- 

 ed, the lower seuttered and often compound ; jt ri-ynia flattened, ovate, acute at 

 the base, narrowly margined, nerveless, spreadiii;.'-, with a short and rough 2-ck'ft 

 beak, twice as long as the thin ovate scale. — Upper districts of Georgia, ami 

 nortiiward. — Culms stout, 2° high. Leaves broadly linear, as long us the cuhn. 

 Common spike 2' -4' long. Perigynla yellowish. 



7. C. Mublenbergii, Schkr. Spikes 5-8, ovoid, approximate, or crowd- 

 id in an oblong head; perigynia round-ovate, plano-convex, strongly ncrvtd, 

 with a short and broad rough-edged 2-cleft beak, barely longer than the ovate 

 s!iort-pointed scale. — Dry sterile soil, South Carolina, and northward. — Culms 

 12'- IS' high, rigid, rough above, twice as long as the narrow leaves. Head or 

 .spike 1' long. Bracts bristle-form, longer than the spikes. 



8. C. cephalophora, Muhl. Spikes 5-6, small, crowded in a compact 

 ovoid head ; jjcrigynia broadly ovate, few-nerved, short and rough-beaked, as long 

 as the ovate long-pointed scale. — Dry soil, Florida, and northward. — Culms 

 9'- 15' high, naked above, rough on the angles, tough and wiry. Leaves nar- 

 row. Head ^' long. Bracts bristle-like. 



9. C. rosea, Schk. Spikes 4 -6, 8 - 10-flowercd, the two upper ones ap- 

 proximate, the others scattered , pcrigynia oblong, ])lano-convex, rough-beaked, 

 spreading at maturity, twice as long as the broadly ovate obtuse or short-mucronatc 

 scale. (C. radiata. Dew, a form with more slender culms, and 3-4-flowercd 

 spikes.) — Upper districts, Georgia, and northward. — Culms 1° high, smooth, 

 longer than the narrow leaves. Common spike 2' - 3' long. Bract of the lowest 

 spike commonly exceeding the culm. 



10. C. retroflexa, Muhl. Spikes 4 -5, crowded, or the lower ones dis- 

 tinct, ovoid, the lowest short-bractcd ; ptrigynia ovatc-lanccolate, smootIi-l)caked, 

 2 deft, at length widely spreading or reflexed, barely longer than the ovate long- 

 pointed scale. — Open woods, Florida, and northward. — Culms slender, 1° high, 

 rough-angUd above. Leaves narrow, shorter than the culm. Common spike 

 about 1' long. 



* * * Spikes with the lower flowers sterile, the upper firtile. 



H. C. Stellulata, Good, spikes 3-5, obovoid, distinct, the uppermo.'^t 

 club-shaped at the base , pcrigynia ovate, rounded at the base, tapering into a 

 short and rough 2-cleft beak, finely nerved, spreading and finally recurved, 

 rather longer than the ovate pointed scale. (C. scirpoides, iSchk.) — Shady 

 river-swamps, Florida, and northward. — Culms 6'- 12* high, weak. Leaves 

 narrow and tender. Spikes small. 



Vur sterilis. Sterile and fertile spikes on separate culms, or some of ihcm 

 citlKT stcri!(r or firtile on the same culm, otherwise like tlic preceding, and grow- 

 ing in similar places. (C. sterilis, Willd.) 



Var. COnferta. Culms taller (2'' high) and stouter ; spikes larger and more 

 crowded ; jierit:ynia round-ovnte, twice us long ua the broadly ovutc barely 

 |Mintcd scale. — Pine-I.ain.n swamps. 



