547 
cyperace^e. (sedge family.) 
the length of the firm, erect leaves. (C. saxatilis, FI. Dan. and of 
American authors , not of L.) — Var. Bigelovii has 3-5 longer fertile 
spikes, the lowest on a long stalk, spreading and sometimes remote. 
(C. Bigelowii, Torr. C. Washingtonia, Dew. C. nigra, Schw. Torr., 
not of Jill.) — Summits of the White Mountains and Great Haystack, 
New Hampshire; Mansfield and Camel’s Rump, Vermont; Mount 
Katahdin, Maine; and Mount Marcy, New York. 
43. C. torta, Boott, Mss. Sterile spikes 1-2, commonly 1; 
fertile 3-4, elongated , narrowly-cylindrical or slightly club-shaped , 
loosely few-flowered at the base , occasionally more or less staminate at 
the apex, the lower on smooth slender stalks, at first erect, finally 
spreading or drooping; bracts with oblong auricles or very slightly 
sheathing, the lowest about the length of the culm, the rest bristle¬ 
shaped, shorter than their respective spikes; perigynia elliptical, 
short-stalked, tapering to a distinct point , with a minutely notched or 
jagged membranaceous orifice, very smooth, nerveless , or with 2-3 
indistinct short nerves, the tips spreading or obliquely recurved at ma¬ 
turity, scarcely exceeding the narrow obtuse scale ; achenium broadly 
obovate, much shorter than the perigynium ; culm very smooth , leaves 
slightly rough on the margin only. (C. acuta, var. sparsiflora, Dew.?) 
— Rills and wet banks, N. New England and W. New York. —Culm 
rather slender, 15'-2° high, usually with 3 slender and nodding fer¬ 
tile spikes. It is well distinguished by the spreading (empty) tips of 
the perigynia. 
44. C. vulgaris, Fries. Sterile spike 1, rarely 2; the fertile 
2-4, approximated , oblong , erect , densely-flowered , occasionally stam¬ 
inate at the apex, the lowest on a very short stalk; lowest bract about 
the length of the culm, with small blackish rounded auricles; perigy¬ 
nia ovate-elliptic , stalked , nerved especially towards the base, with a 
very short abrupt entire or minutely notched point, longer than the 
obtuse oppressed black scale ; culm slender, nearly smooth, except at 
the top. (C. caespitosa, Good, and of American authors , not of L. 
C. Goodenovii, Gay.) — Banks of streams, N. New England and New 
York, northward. — Grows in small patches (not in dense tufts like 
No. 46) and varies in height from 3' to 18', with narrow leaves shorter 
than the culm. From the last it differs in the short thick spikes, and 
erect perigynia, and in the auricles of the bracts; and from the next, 
in the shape and nerves of the perigynium, and in the shorter, black, 
appressed scale. 
45. C. a porta, Boott. Staminate spikes 1-2, oblong-cylindri¬ 
cal, acute; fertile 2-4, oblong , erect , the uppermost approximate and 
sessile , the lower distant and short-stalked, staminate at the apex, or 
often entirety fertile ; lowest bract about the length of the culm, with 
oblong brown auricles, or very slightly sheathing, the upper bristle- 
shaped, shorter than the spikes; perigynia roundish-ovate , stalked , 
