610 CYPERACE^. (sedge FAMILY.) 



= = Very strict, densel/j (jiaucous. 



78. C. livida, Willd. Culms 18' high or less; leaves narrow, often becom- 

 ing involute ; sjjikes 1 or 2 and aggregated or approximate, or rarely a third 

 nearly radical, sessile or nearly so, erect, narrow ; perigynium ovoid-oblong, 

 nerved, granular, beakless, the point straight or nearly so, orifice entire ; scale 

 obtuse, mostly a little shorter than the perigynium. — Fine-barrens of N. J., 

 and sphagnum swamps northward to N. Eng. and L. Superior ; local. (Eu.) 



* 6. — H- 4. Bicolbres. 



79. C. aurea, Nutt. Low and slender, 1° high or less; bracts exceeding 

 the culm ; spikes 2 - 4, all but the lowest usually approximate, peduncled or 

 the upper one or two sessile, erect, loosely few-flowered or sometimes becoming 

 I' long, at maturity yellow or brown, the terminal one frequently pistillate 

 above; perigynium fleshy at maturity, nerved, longer than the blunt scale. — 

 Wet meadows and springy banks, throughout ; rather common. 



* 6. — -1-5. Digitatce. 

 ++ Spikes two or more. 



80. C. eblirnea, Boott. Exceedingly slender and capillary, erect, 4-12' 

 high, stoloniferous ; leaves shorter than the culm ; staminate spike very small 

 and very short-peduucled, overtopped by the two upper pistillate spikes ; pistil- 

 late spikes 2-4, approximate or the lowest remote, all stalked, erect, 2 - 6-flow- 

 ered ; perigynium very small, almost nerveless, smooth and becoming black and 

 shining at full maturity ; scale white and thin, obtuse, shorter than the perigyn- 

 ium. — Tufted in sandy or light soils from N. Eng. to Ky. and Neb. ; frequent. 



81. C. Richardsoni, R.Br. Rather stiff, 4-9' high, stoloniferous; 

 sheaths short, purple or brown ; stammate spike stout and mostly short-pedun- 

 cled ; pistillate spikes 1-2, approximate, the very short stalks included, erect, 

 compact, less than |' in length ; perigynium obovoid, firm, hairy, the very short 

 beak entire or erose ; scale brown with a conspicuous white-hyaline margin, 

 obtuse or pointless, and longer than the perigynium. — Dry ground, western 

 N. Y. to 111., and northwestward ; rare. 



82. C. pedunculata, Muhl. Low and diffuse, 3-10' high,- forming 

 mats ; leaves abundant, very green, flat and firm; longer than the weak culms ; 

 staminate spike very small, with the uppermost pistillate spike sessile at its 

 base ; pistillate spikes 2 - 4 on each culm, scattered and long-peduncled from 

 green sheatlis, erect or spreading, many other spikes nearly or quite radical 

 and very long-stalked, all 3 - 8-flowered ; perigynium triangular-obovate, smooth 

 or very slightly pubescent above, the short and nearly entire beak somewhat 

 ol)lique ; scale green or purple, truncate and cuspidate, mostly a little longer 

 than the perigynium. — Dry woods and banks, N. Eng. to Ya. {Kennedy} and 

 Minn. ; frequent northward. 



++ ++ Spike one or rarely a rudiment of a second ; plant dioecious. 



83. C. picta, Steudel. Rather weak, 1° high or less ; leaves flat and firm, 

 persisting througli tlie Avinter, at least twice longer than the culm ; a sheath- 

 ing purple scale at the base of the spike ; staminate spike about 1' long, clavate 

 in anthesis, the purple scales ending in a very short and blunt whitish tip ; 

 pistillate spike narrower and mostly longer, the scales more abruptly contracted 



