546 
CYPERACE J2. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 
(C. mirabilis, Deio.) — About fields and fences, New England to Mich¬ 
igan.— A stiff and rigid species, often of a pale-green appearance, 
except var. 1, which has commonly brownish heads, and a weak stem. 
40. C. feellCil, Muhl. Spikes 4-10, ovoid, approximate, the 
lower rarely compound, of a glaucous-green color; perigynia ovate, 
winged, with a short beak , scarcely longer than the oblong and blunt- 
ish white scale ; achenium on a short stalk, oval. — Salt marshes, on 
the sea-coast, Rhode Island ( Olney ) to New Jersey, and southward. 
— Much resembling the last, from which it differs principally in the 
color of the spikes, and in the constantly erect and more broadly- 
margined perigynia. The culm is smooth and remarkably stout. 
41. C. Strallliiica, Schk. Spikes (about 6), roundish-ovoid , 
approximate; perigynia orbicular-ovate , much compressed, broadly and 
membranaccously winged , with a short abrupt beak a little longer than 
the lanceolate scale ; achenium sessile, oval. — Borders of woods and 
in fields, New England to Michigan. — The larger forms have a re¬ 
markably wide wing, often brown on the margin, giving a variegated 
appearance to the soft and flaccid spikes. In the smaller forms, the 
heads are fewer (3-4) and more rigid in texture, owing to the nar¬ 
rower wings of the perigynia. 
Staminate and pistillate flowers borne in separate (commonly 
more or less stalked) simple spikes on the same culm; the I or more 
staminate (sterile) spikes constantly uppermost, having occasionally 
more or less fertile flowers intermixed ; the lower spikes all pistillate 
(fertile) or sometimes with staminate flowers at the base or apex: 
stigmas 3: achenium sharply triangular (only 2 stigmas and the ache¬ 
nium lenticular in Nos. 42 to 49, and No. 56). —Carex proper. 
§ 1. Perigynia without a beak , smooth , not inflated (slightly in No. 
49), terminating in a minute, straight, entire or notched point; glau¬ 
cous-green when young, becoming whitish, often spotted or tinged 
with purple, or occasionally nearly black at maturity : pistillate 
scales blackish-purple (brown in Nos. 49 and 55), giving a dark ap¬ 
pearance to the spikes. 
* Staminate spikes 1-3, stalked, often with more or less fertile flow¬ 
ers . pistillate spikes 3-5, frequently with sterile flowers at the apex : 
bract of the lowest spike leaf-like, with dark-colored expansions 
(auricles) at the base, and very minute sheaths, or none. (Culm 
and leaves more or less glaucous.) 
S tl a nxas 2 jin J\o. 42 sometimes 3): perigynium lenticular. — Ac&TJE* 
4J. ( . rigida, Good. Sterile spike solitary; the fertile 2-4* 
cylindrical , erect, rather loosely flowered, the lower on short peduncles; 
lowest bract about the length of the culm, with rounded auricles; 
stigmas 2-3, mostly 2; perigynia elliptical, with an entire scarcely 
pointed apex, nerveless , or very obscurely nerved, about as long as the 
obtuse scale; culm rigid, nearly smooth except towards the top, about 
