76 Cyperaceae 



gynium oval or ovate, tapering to a long, sharply bidentate beak, 

 fissured on the outer side, unequally serrate on the margins, 

 plano-convex, nerved, about equaling the scale; nutlet oblong, 

 dark chestnut. 



Common on borders of marshes throughout our ranges. Cienega: Ballona; 

 Santa Ana; San Bernardino. 



9. C. marcida Boott. Stem 3-6 dm. high, scabrous above; 

 leaves 2 mm. wide, shorter than the stem; spike 2-4 cm. long, 

 6-10 mm. wide, dull brown ; spikelets many, crowded or contigu- 

 ous, closely imbricated, 4-6 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, the lower 

 compound; bracts clasping, scale-like, setaceously pointed, the 

 lowest exceeding its spikelet ; scales ovate, acute or cuspidate, 

 margin hyaline, brownish ; perigynium nearly black in fruit, 

 orbicular with a short, or ovate and with a longer bidentate beak, 

 stipitate, plano-convex, margins incurved, serrate above, nerved, 

 equaling the scales; nutlet ferruginous, lenticular, produced at 

 the base. 



Frequent in marshes in the coast valleys. 



10. C. teretiuscula Gooden. Stems slender, pale green, erect, 

 scabrous at least above, 3-7 dm. high; leaves usually 2 mm. 

 wide, shorter than the stems; bracts minute or none ; spike nar- 

 rowly oblong, compact or interrupted, 25-50 mm. long; spikelets 

 several-many, staminate above; scales thin, ovate, brownish, 

 acute or short-awned ; perigynium ovate-oval, smooth, few- 

 nerved, tapering to a beak of about its own length, serrate on the 

 margins above. 



In canyons near Altadena, McClatchu . 



11. C. occidentalis Bailey. Glaucous; stems 3-6 dm. high; 

 leaves nearly equaling the stems; spike slender, 25-50 mm. long; 

 spikelets somewhat crowded, or the lowest usually distinct; 

 bracts scale-like, minute; scales muticous; perigynium turgid, 

 ovate, abruptly short beaked, nearly marginless. 



" East Santa Monica Range," Davidson. 



12. C. Hookeriana Dewey. Stems slender from creeping 

 rootstocks, 2-6 dm. high, sharply angled, scabrous; leaves shorter 

 than the stem, 2 mm. wide, tapering to a slender setaceous tip; 

 bracts ovate, awned, commonly exceeding the spikelet, the lowest 

 setaceous and often 25-50 mm. long; spike 2-4 cm. long, oblong 

 or cylindric ; spikelets 4-10, approximate ; staminate (lowers few ; 

 scales ovate or lanceolate, acute, chestnut-colored with green 



