CYPERACE^. (sedge FAMILY.) 535 



12. C. canescens, L, var. vitilis, Carey. Spikes 5-7, small, scat- 

 tered, roundisli, G - 10-flowcrcd ; pcrigynia ovate, plano-convex, short and rough- 

 beaked, spreading and tawny at maturity, rather longer than the ovate acute 

 white scale. ( C. sphairostachya, Dew.) — High mountains of North Carolina, 

 and northward. — Culms weak and slender, 10'- 15' high, longer than the nar- 

 row and tender leaves. 



13. C. seoparia, Schk. Spikes 6-8, approximate, ovate or oblong, many- 

 flowered ; pcrigynia oblong-lanceolate, narrowly margined, acute at the base, ta- 

 pering into a long 2-cleft rough beak, longer than the ovate-lanceolate pointed 

 scale, turning light brown at maturity. — Swamps, South Carolina, and north- 

 ward. — Culms l°-2° Iiigh, rough above, longer than the narrow leaves. 



Var. lagopodioides. Spikes 10-15, obovoid; pcrigynia lanceolate, re- 

 maining pale green at maturity, nearly twice as long as the rather obtuse scale. 

 (C. lagopodioides, ScJik.) — Mountains of North Carolina, and northward. — 

 Culms commonly taller than the preceding. 



14. C. Straminea, Schk. Spikes 3-6, distinct, ovoid; pcrigynia ovate 

 or round-ovate, broadly winged, abruptly narrowed into a short 2-cleft beak, 

 somewhat tawny and spreading at maturity, longer than the ovate-lanceolate 

 scale. 



Var. festucacea. Spikes 6-8, pale, obovoid or somewhat club-shaped, 

 scattered ; periiryiiia ovate, less broadly margined, tapering into a more slender 

 beak, erect and pale green at maturity. (C. festucacea, Schk. C. foenea, Torr., 

 4rc., a form with more rigid culms, and more crowded and glaucous spikes.) — 

 Swamps, very common. — Culms 1°- 2° high. Leaves narrowly linear, shorter 

 than the culm. 



15. C. foenea, Muhl. Spikes 6-10, large (6" -8" long), ovoid, approxi- 

 mate ; pcrigynia flat, broadly obovate, wing-margined, abruptly contracted into a 

 very short beak, longer than the lanceolate scale; nut oval, stalked. (C. alata, 

 Torr.) — Marshes, Florida to North Carolina. — Culms 2°- 3° high, leafy below 

 the middle. Spikes brownish at maturity. Pcrigynia 2^" long. 



B. Terminal spikes sterile: the others fertile or with Jew sterile flowers at the summit : 



perigynia heakless. 



* Scales aumless, black or brown : bracts scarcely exceeding the culm : leaves narrowly 



linear, glaucous. 



16. C. torta, Boott. Sterile spike solitary, peduncled ; fertile spikes mostly 

 3, linear-club-shaped, loosely flowered below, spreading, the lowest peduncled ; 

 perigynia elliptical, tapering and at length spreading or recurved at the apex, 

 nerveless or nearly so, as long as the oblong black scale ; culms smooth ( 1 ° high) ; 

 leaves narrowly linear. (C. verrucosa, Schw., not of Ell.) — Mountain swamps, 

 North Carolina, and northward. 



17. C. Stricta, Good. Sterile spikes 1 - 2 ; fertile spikes 2-4, linear-cylin- 

 drical, sessile or the lowest short-peduncled, erect, dense-flowered; perigynia 

 elliptical, erect,. nerveless, commonly shorter than the narrow obtuse reddish- 

 brown scale ; culms (2° high) rough-angled; leaves linear. (C. acuta, Ell., SfC, 

 not of LinncBus.) — Swamps in the upper districts, and northward. 



