BEPORT OF THE STATE BOTANIST. 41 



4 Spikelets 8-15 obovoid, tips of perigynia ascending. . tribuloides. 



4 Spikelets 4-8, ovate, acute, perigynia erect scoparia. 



2 Spikes often drooping, spikelets green or fulvous, 



perigynia loose, ascending straminea. 



2 Spikes mostly erect, spikelets with a slight yellow- 

 ish tinge, silvery green, whitish or fulvous 5 



5 Spikelets globose-ovate, acutisb, perigynia erect alboluteseens. 



5 Spikelets whitish, silvery-green or fulvous 6 



6 Spikelets obovoid, perigynia somewhat spreading. . fcenea. 



6 Spikelets 5"-lo" long, ovoid or clavate 7 



7 Sjjikelets whitish, perigynia appreseed .' . . . silicea. 



V Spikelets straw-colored, perigynia ascending alata. 



22. Carex cristata Schte. 



Stems 2°-3° high, stout, acutely angled, rough above the 

 middle, prominently leafy ; leaves shorter or longer than the 

 culm, their sheaths enlarged upward, 2"-3" wide, scabrous on 

 the margins; spike f'-lf in length, erect or oblique, cristate; 

 spikelets 7-12 or more, globular, densely aggregated, squarrose, 

 the lowest with a setaceous or sometimes leafy bract I'-^.y lono-; 

 perigynia elliptical-lanceolate, winged, nerved, tapering from the 

 middle to a rough-edged bidentate beak, recurved or spreading at 

 maturity; scale lanceolate, obtusish, brown, one-third shorter 

 than the perigynium ; achenium oval, short-stalked. 



Fields and open woods, mostly in wet places. Common. July. 



This fine species is at once known by its squarrose globose 

 spikelets and light green foliage. It is not very variable. It is 

 regarded as a variety of C. tribuloides in the Manual, but it is so 

 constant and so peculiar in its appearance, being easily recoo-niz- 

 able at sight, that it seems worthy of specific distinction. 



23. Carex tribuloides WaM. 

 Stems 2°-3° high, firm, rough on the acute angles above; 

 leaves li"-2y' wide, their sheaths loose and wide above, rough 

 beneath or mostly on the margins, usually shorter than the 

 culm ; spikes I'-l^' long or more, erect, green ; spikelets 

 8-15, aggregated or a little interrupted below, subglobose, 

 the 1 iwest with a setaceous or leafy bract l'-2^' in length; 

 perigynia narrowly lanceolate, nerved, winged, 2"-2i" long, 

 tapering from the middle to a long, rough-edged, bidentate 

 6 



