CYPERACIC^. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 607 



many-nerved, retuse, the beak short and straight, equalling or exceeding the 

 mostly cuspidate scale. — Supposed to have been collected, a half-century ago, 

 in N. Y. by Torrey, and in Penn. by Schweinitz. It occurs in the Kocky 

 Mountain region, and high northward. 



* 6. DactylostXchy.^. — h- 1. Oligocdrpm. 



■*-*■ Sheaths smooth. 



65. C. COnoidea, Schkuhr. Slender but strict, l-lj° high; staminate 

 spike long-peduncled or rarely nearly sessile ; spikes 2 - 3, scattered, short- 

 stalked or the upper one sessile (the lowest frequently very loug-stalked), ob- 

 long (rarely 1' long) and rather loosely flowered, erect; perigyuium oblong- 

 conical, impressed-nerved, gradually narrowed to a point, the orifice entire ; 

 scale loosely spreading and rough-awned, equalling or exceeding the perigyu- 

 ium. — ]Moist grassy places, X. Eng. to 111., and southward; rare westward. 



66. C. Oligoearpa, Schkuhr. Diffuse, 10-18' high; bracts flat and 

 spreading; staminate spike sessile or stalked; spikes 2-4, scattered, stalked 

 or the uppermost sessile, loosely 2 - 8-flowered, erect ; perigyuium smpll, liard, 

 finely impressed-nerved, abruptly contracted into a conspicuous mostly oblique 

 beak, the orifice entire ; scale very loosely spreading and rough-awned, longer 

 than the perigyuium. — Dry woods and copses, W. Xew Eng. to Mo., and 

 southward; rare westward. Often confounded with small forms of n. 58. 



++ +H- Sheaths pubescent. 



67. C. Hitchcocki^na, Dewey. Erect, 1^-2° high; spikes 2-4, all 

 more or less peduncled, very loosely few-flowered, erect ; perigyuium trian- 

 gular-ovate, manv-striate, the strong beak prominently oblique, shorter than 

 the rough-awned scale. — Rich woods, W. Xew Eng. to 111., and southward to 



Penn. and Ky. ; frequent. 



* 6. — •«- 2. Laxijlbrce. 



++ Sheaths green. 



= Perigiinium mostli/ ohscureli/ triangular, the beak very pmminent. 



68. C. laxiflora, Lam. Slender but mostly erect, 1-2° high ; leaves 

 rarely over 2" wide, ratlier soft ; staminate spike peduncled or at least con- 

 spicuous ; pistilla:e spikes 2-4, scattered, peduncled or the upper one sessile, 

 loosely flowered, cylindric or sometimes reduced to short-obloug, erect or the 

 lower loosely spreading; perigyuium obovate, conspicuously nerved, the short 

 entire beak much bent or recurved ; scale thin and white, blunt or cuspidate, 

 mostly shorter than the perigyuium. — Grassy places, throughout ; common. 

 Exceedingly variable. — Var. vXriaxs, Bailey. Mostly stouter than the type, 

 the leaves broader; pistillate spikes ^-1' long, the two uppe^ more or less 

 contiguous to the staminate spike and sessile or nearly so ; bracts leafy and 

 prolonged. — Copses and grassy places, throughout ; common. Counterfeits 

 var. patulifolia. — Var. stri.4tula, Carey. Diffuse; pistillate spikes rarely 

 over i' long, the upper sessile and aggregated about the inconsnicuous stami- 

 nate spike, the lowest usually long-exserted. Grassy places, throughout ; very 

 common. — Var. latif6lia, Boott. Kather low; leaves -J' broad or more; 

 staminate spike sessile or very nearly so ; pistillate spikes cylindric and loose, 

 the upper one or two contiguous ; bracts very broad. Deep rich woods. E. 

 Mass. (Deane) to Penn. and Mich.; common westAvard. — Var. P4Xi:lif6lia, 



