KEPORT OF THK STATE BOTANIST. 53 



^'-1' in length, the others smaller and sessile, usually with a scale- 

 like or short setaceous bract ; pistillate spikes 2-5, 4' -2' long, the 

 up])er approximate, sessile, the lower subdistant or remote, short 

 peduncled, erect or sjireading, cylindrical or clavate, densely 

 llowered above the middle, more loosely at the usually tapering 

 base, often barren at the summit ; bracts of the uj)per spikes short 

 setaceous, of the lower ones leafy, and mostly shorter than the 

 culm ; perigynia ovate or elliptical, usually with two or three 

 short nerves at the base, minutely pointed, of a creamy white 

 color, often dashed with dark purple or sometimes wholly blackish 

 purple ; scale narrowly oblong, obtuse, reddish or dark brown, 

 about the length of the perigynium, or sometimes longer. 



A common species in wet places. May, June. It almost 

 always grows in tufts. It is quite variable. 



Var. strictior Carey. Pistillate spikes 2-3, approximate, or the 

 lowest subdistant, densely flowered ; perigynia ovate, bright 

 green, about the length of the acute rusty-brown scale. 



Var. xerocarpa S. H. Wright. Slender; pistillate spikes 2-3, 

 linear, more narrow than in the type, on filiform erect spreading 

 or drooping peduncles i,'-V long; perigynia lenticular; scales 

 mostly green with rusty brown points. A graceful variety about 

 one half smaller than the type. 



Var. angustata Bailey. Pistillate spikes cylindrical, strict, 

 2'-3' long, densely flowered ; scales more acute, dark-brown or 

 rust-colored, often exceeding the perigynium. 



Var. curtissima Peck n. var. Stems 18'-2J:' high, very slender, 

 erect, rough, exceeding the narrow (h," wide) rough leaves; 

 starainate spike with a minute one at its base, linear-clavate, 

 8"-10" long, short-stalked ; pistillate spikes 2, ovoid or oblong, 

 densely flowered, sterile at the apex, 3"-6" long, S'-IO" apart, 

 sessile ; the lowest bract leaf -like, I'-l^' in length, the uppermost 

 setaceous ; perigynia oval with a minute orifice, longer than the 

 blunt brown scale. 



46. Carex torta Boon. 



Stems ]5'-S0' high, erect or spreading, acutely angled, mostly 

 smooth; basal sheaths short, brown, fibrillose, leaves l^'-6' or 

 more long, l-J"-2" wide; staminate spikes 1-2, cylindrical, 

 y-lh' long, the terminal one short or long-stalked, the lowest 

 sessile ; pistillate spikes 2-5, |'-2|' long, cylindrical, densely flow- 



