SEDGE FAMILY 131 



species radical and long-peduncled. Lowest bract squamiform or leaflet-like, 

 sheathless or sub-sheathing. Scales often reddish brown tinged, acute to cus- 

 pidate. PerigjTiia membranaceous, ascending, the body pubescent, at least at 

 the base of the beak, obovoid to elliptic, trinngular, 2-keeled, strongly stipitate 

 at the base, abruptly contracted into a cylindric or terete, emarginate to deeply 

 bidentate beak, hyaline-tijjped. Achenes normally triangular, the sides concave, 

 closely enveloped, short-apiculate. Style short, jointed with apex of achene, 

 thickish. Stigmas normally 3, long. 



81. C. heliophila Mackenzie. Culms 12-25 cm. high; leaf-blades 1-2 mm. 

 wide; lowest bract squamiform; pistillate spikes 1-2 (rarely 3), subglobose, 

 5-15-flowered; perigynia 3.5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, orbicular in cross-section, the 

 beak deeply bidentate, in age strongly hyaline-tipped. "C pennsylvanica 

 vesperlina Bailey," Fl. Colo. Prairies and plains: Man. — -111. — Mo. — N.M. — 

 Colo. Plains — Subnwnt. Je-S. 



82. C. Peckii E. C. Howe. Loosely cespitose, the culms 1.25-6 dm. high; 

 leaf-blades 3 mm. wide or less; lowest bract short; staminate spike sessile, 3 mm. 

 long or less; pistillate spikes 2-4, subglobose, 2-8-flowered, closely contiguous 

 or the lower a little separate; perigynia oblong-obovoid, 3-4 mm. long, 1 mm. 

 wide, grayish-pubescent, the beak one-fourth the length of the body; scales 

 (except lower) half the length of the perig^mia, reddish brown, with broad white 

 hyaline margins. " C. alhicnns Willd." authors. Open woods: Que. — -Mass. — ■ 

 N.Y.— Mich.— (Black Hills) S.D.— Alaska. 



83. C. umbellata Schkuhr. Densely cespitose; culms up to 1.5 dm. high, 

 much exceeded by leaves; leaf-blades 1.5-3 mm. wide; non-basal pistillate spike 

 usually present, oblong, globose; basal spike oblong; perigynia 2.25-3.25 mm. 

 long, 1.25 mm. wide, rounded-triangular in cross-section, the beak obscurely 

 bidentate, less than half the length of the body; achenes light brown. C. 

 umbellala var. brrviroslris Tioott. Dry sunny places: Que. — -Del. — -Alta. — B.C. 

 Plains — Submorit. Ap-Jl. 



84. C. deflexa Hornem. Loosely stoloniferous; culms very slender, 2-12 

 cm. high; leaf-blades 1-2 mm. wide; staminate spike inconspicuous, 2-4 mm. 

 long, 0.5-1 mm. wide; pistillate spikes subglobose, 2-8-flowered; perigynia 1 

 mm. wide, nearly orbicular in cross-section. Dry soil: Greenl. — -N.Y. — Mich. — 

 Sask.— B.C.— Alaska. Boreal. My-Au. 



85. C. Rossii Boott. Rootstock stout; culms wiry, 5-25 cm. high; leaf- 

 blades 1-2.5 mm. wide; staminate spike usually conspicuous, 3-10 mm. long, 1 

 mm. wide; pistillate spikes globose to short-oblong, 2-12-flowered; perigynia 

 up to 3.4 mm. long, 1.25 mm. wide, nearly orbicular in cross-section. Dry soil: 

 Mich. — Colo. — Calif.— B.C. Submont. — Subalp. Ap-Au. 



27. DiGiTATAE Fries. Culms slender, leafy at the base. Leaf-blades nar- 

 row, the sheaths usually strongly purplish. Terminal spike Unear, staminate. 

 Lateral spikes 1-5, approximate, or separated or sometimes radical, oblong to 

 linear, 5-20-flowered in few rows, the peduncles included or exserted. Bracts 

 sheathing, more or less strongly purj^lish tinged, subspathaceous, the blade 

 absent or i-udimentary. Pistillate scales strongly purplish or reddish brown 

 tinged. Perigynia membranaceous, appressed, oblong-obovoid, pubescent to 

 glabrate, triangular, long-tapering into the stipitate base, abruptly contracted 

 into the minute beak, the orifice entire or nearly so. Achenes triangular, closely 

 enveloped. Style-base short, thickened, jointed with the apex of the achene. 

 Stigmas 3, early deciduous. 



86. C. pedunculata Muhl. Densely matted, rather bright green; culms 

 slender, diffuse, strongly purple tinged at the base, 0.7-3 dm. long; leaf-blades 

 2-3 mm. wide; terminal spike long-stalked, usually pistillate at the base; lateral 

 spikes few-flowered, filiform-stalked, spreading or drooping, scattered, some ap- 

 pearing basal; perigynia sharply 3-angled, puberulent or in age glabrate, stipi- 

 tate, tipped with a minute entire beak; scales obovate, purplish, with green mid- 

 rib, abruptly cuspidate. Dry woods: Anticosti — -Va. — -la. — e B.C. My-Jl. 



