SEDGE FAMILY 207* 



Perigynia ovate or if lanceolate shorter tlian 5.5 nun. in lenffWi- 

 Lower bracts leatlet-likc, much exceeding head. 



Perigynia with tlie beak ferruginous at orifice, bidentate; lowest bract 



appearing like a continuation of the culm 42. C. unUateralis. 



Perigynia with the beak hyaline at orifice, bidentulate; lowest bract not 



appearing like a continuation of the culm 43. C. athrostachya. 



Lower bracts scale-like, much shorter than or slightly exceeding head. 

 Perigynia with membranaceous or submembrauaceous walls. 

 Perigynia thin and flat save where distended by achene. 



Perigynia 3.5 to 5 mm. long; culms slender 44. C. festivella. 



Perigynia 4.5 to <i mm. long ; culms low, ascending or decumbent. 



45. C. nuhicola. 

 Perig;V"nia strongly plano-convex at maturity. 



Perigynia nerveless ventrally or with impressed nerves 



46. C pach)jstncli;ia. 

 Perigynia with conspicuously raised nerves on inner face. 



Perigj'nia conspicuously hyaline-tipped; spikes densely capi- 

 tate 47. C. abrupt a. 



Perigynia reddish-tipped; spikes more or less strongly separate. 



48. C. mariposdiia. 

 Perigynia with thick, firm walls. 



Perigynia very small (2.25 to 3.5 mm. long). 



Margins of perigynia entire (or very obscurely subserrulate) 



49. C. Integra. 



Margins of perigynia strongl}- .serrulate 50. C. teneraeformis. 



Perigynia longer (3.5 mm. long or more). 



Lower bracts (at least) strongly amplectant; beaks of perigynia 



and scales little reddish-tinged 51. C. amplectens. 



Bracts not amplectant ; beaks of perigynia and scales strongly 

 reddish-tinged. 

 Perigynia strongly nerved ventrally, the nerves proulineut ; scales 

 with sharply defined midvein. 

 Sterile shoots not conspicuous; lower bladeless sheaths short; 



culms slender; scales mostly acute, reddish-brown 



52. C. harfordii. 



Sterile shoots numerous, elongate; lower bladeless sheaths 



very long; culms very slender; scales cuspidate or 



short-awned, yellowish-brown....53. C. montereyenf:is. 



Perigynia nerveless or very obscurely nerved ventrally. 



Perig3'nia with a few raised nerves dorsally ; coastal species. 

 Spikes strongly capitate; leaf -blades averaging 2.5 to 3 



mm. wide; culms 3.5 to 12 dm. high 



54. C. sub-bracteata. 

 Spikes not capitate, the head slender; leaf -blades averag- 

 ing 1.5 to 2 mm. wide; culms 1 to 6 dm. high 



55. C. (iracilior. 

 Perigynia many-stiiate or with impressed nerves dorsally; 

 species of the Sierra Nevada. 

 Spikes not f cw--flowered ; culms slender; leaves not clus- 

 tered, the blades long 56. C. pachycarp^i. 



Spikes 6 to 12-flowered; eulms stiff; leaves clustered, the 

 blades short 57. C. paurifructiis. 



13. Canescentes. 



Spikes androgynous; perigynia une(|ually biconvex 58. C. disprnna. 



Spikes gj'naecandrous; perig.ynia plano-convex. 



Perigynia broadest near middle, short-beaked, smooth or little roughened. ...59. C. ranc.irens. 

 Perigynia ovate, broadest near the base; beak conspicuous, strongly serrul,ate....60. ('. anrta. 



14. Poljrtrichoideae. 



Eepresented by one species - 61. ('. Jrplalea. 



15. Firmiculmes. 



Not stoloniferous; culms smooth, terete; leaf-blades 1.5 mm. wide; bracts long-awned 



62. C. multicaulis. 

 Sto.'oniferous; culms very rough, triangular; leaf -blades 2 to 3.5 mm. wide; bracts not long- 

 cuspidate 63. C. geyeri. 



16. Filifollae. 

 Eepresented by one species in our range 64. C. cxscrta. 



