CYPERACEAE 53 



Pistillate spikes 2.5-10 cm. long: scales 1-8 times as long as the 

 perigynia. XIV. CRYPTOCARPAE. 



JttPerigynia tapering to a distinct beak (nearly or quite beakless in 

 nos. 45-49), membranous in texture ffirm in no. 55), inflated or 

 loosely investing the achene : pistillate spikes mostly drooping, 

 often narrowly linear. 

 • Terminal spike staminate below, pistillate above : perigynia short- 

 beaked or beakless. 

 Spikes all erect or nearly so. XV. VIRESCENTES. 



Pistillate spikes drooping or spreading (erect or little spreading in 

 no. 50). XVI. GRACILUMAE. 



Terminal spike wholly staminate, or sometimes pistillate at the base. 

 Perigynia manifestly beaked, nerved or nerveless : pistillate spikes 

 drooping. 

 Beak of the perigynium cylindric or subulate, once or twice as 



long as the body. XVII. SYLVATICAE. 



Beak of the perigynium not more than V^ as long as the body. 



XVIII. DEBILES. 

 Perigynia beakless or minutely beaked, finely many-striate : spikes 

 erect or nearly so. XIX. GRISEAE. 



W Pistillate spikes small, few-many-flowered, mostly 6-25 mm. long 

 (sometimes longer in no. 67). (See also nos. t,^^ 45, 47, 48, 51, 56-58.) 

 Perigynia glabrous. 

 Pistillate spikes many-flowered, 6-25 mm. long, usually dense. 

 Pistillate spikes scattered, distant, long-stalked or the 2 upper ones 

 approximate and nearly sessile. 



XX. GRANULARES. 

 Pistillate spikes approximate and nearly sessile, at the top of the 

 scape : or the lowest distant and stalked. 

 Perigynium with a stout 2-toothed beak : plants with glabrous 



foliage. ' XXI. EXTENS.\E. 



Perigynium with a short entire beak or beakless : plants with 

 pubescent foliage. XXII. PALLESCENTES. 



Pistillate spikes few-several-flowered, often loose. 

 Scales of the spike normal, neither elongated nor leaf -like. 

 Leaf- blades 2-36 mm. wide : bracts leaf-like, usually large. 

 Perigynia green. 

 Perigynia finely many-striate. 



XXIII. OLIGOCARPAE. 

 Perigynia with few or many, mostly strong nerves. 



XXIV. LAXIFLORAE. 

 Perigynia white, yellow or brown. 



XXV. BICOLORES. 

 Leaf-blades, and stems, mostly capillary : bracts mere bladeless 

 sheaths. XXVI. DIGITATAE. 



Scales of the spikes elongated, leaf-like. 



XXX. PHYLLOSTACHYAE. 

 Perigynia pubescent. 



Bracts mainly reduced to purple bladeless sheaths. 



XXVII. PEDUNCULATAE. 

 Bracts various, not sheathing. 

 Perigynia mostly rounded. XXVIII. MONTANAE. 



Perigynia conspicuously 3-angled. 



XXIX. TRIQUETRAE. 



