560 CYPERACE^. (SEDOK FAMILY.) 



even, or longimdinally fuir(jwf<l, coiu-ave at the sides of the abrHj)tly con- 

 tracted base, slijjlitly ])ointed. — I'ine Imrreii swamps, Florida and (ieorjjia, 

 near tlie coast. June -July. 



9. S. gracilis, I'-ll- Culms slender (1*^ high), smoutli, like the filiform 

 leaves; nut small (1" long), ovate, dull white, I'urrowL-d k-ngtiiwise, the sides 

 at the base concave and pitted. — Low jjiue ijarreus, Florida to South Carolina. 

 June— July. — I'laiit lirownish, tufted. 



* * Clusters of sjiikfis (sinull) iiHineroiis, scattered near the summit of the culm, 

 JbrmiiKj an interniptecl com/iound spike : bracts mostly short. 



10. S. filiformis, Swartz. Glaucous; culms slender (li°-2° high), 

 smooth ; leaves narrowly linear, rough on the margins and keel, ciliate at the 

 throat ; clusters 3-4, erect, few-flowered, the lowest remote, leafy-bracted ; 

 scales lanceolate, rough pointed ; stamens 3 ; nut obovate, obscurely 3-augled, 

 smooth and glassy, concave at the base, not pitted. — South Florida. Oct. 



11. S. verticillata, .Muhl. Culms very slender (6'- 12' high), smooth, 

 like the narrowly linear or filiform leaves and sheaths; clusters 3-5, erect; 

 scales smooth ; nut very small, globose-3-angled, pointed, rough with raised 

 wavy ridges, not pitted at the base. — Varies w ith hairy sheaths, more numer- 

 ous (6 - 9) clusters, and reticulated nuts. — Damp soil, Florida, aud northward. 

 June -July. 



12. S. hirtella, Swartz. Culms (6 -12' high) smooth; leaves linear, 

 and, like tiie sheaths, hairy ; clusters 4 - 6, nodding ; scales bristle-awned ; nut 

 globose-3-angled, very minute, pointed, smooth, not pitted at the base. — Low 

 pine barrens, Florida to South Carolina. July - August. 



20. CAREX, L. Sedge. 



Flo^ver9 monoecious, rarely dioecious, spiked Sterile and fertile flo-wers in 

 the .same spike (amlmuj/nmis), or in separate spikes. Scales imbricated in few- 

 many rows. Stamens 2-3. Style 2-3-cleft, exserted from a sac { perirjj/- 

 niiim) which encloses the ovary and the lenticular biconvex or 3-angled nut. 

 — Perennials, with grass-like leaves. Spikes from the axils of scale-like or 

 leaf-like bracts, simple or compound. 



§ 1. ViGN'EA. — Stigmas two: nut lenticular, or more or lets compressed. 



1. Spikes all androgynous, short, sessile, mostly exceeding the bracts. 



* Sterile and fertile flowers variously disposed. 



1. C. bromoides, Schk. Spikes 4-6, distinct, oblong-lanceolate, com- 

 pressed ; perigynia Innceolate, erect, finely nerved, ending in along flat rough- 

 margined 2-cleft beak, longer than the ovate-lanceolate mncronate scale. — 

 Swamps and bog.s, Florida, and northward, March -April. — Cnlms tufted, 

 weak and slender, l''-H° high. Leaves narrowly linear. Spikes occasion- 

 ally wholly sterile or fertile. Perigynia somewhat 2-ranked. 



